Discussion

Moonlight in the Wind Listening Courtyard filtered through the gaps of the condensing wind bamboo, casting dappled shadows upon the stone table.

White Night sat cross-legged, the top-grade wind spirit crystal in his palm having shrunk by nearly half, transforming into wisps of azure airflow that surged into his meridians through his fingertips.

The Golden Core within his dantian was trembling violently, with cracks spreading across its surface like a spiderweb; from every fissure, pale golden mist seeped out—that was the aura of the nascent Nascent Soul.

"Hum—!"

When the final wisp of the wind spirit crystal's energy was absorbed, the Golden Core suddenly erupted with blinding azure light, followed by a "crack" as it shattered completely.

The fragments recombined within the azure light, condensing into a three-inch-tall miniature figure: dressed in azure robes, its face identical to White Night's, though with a touch more youthfulness, and surrounded by nine tiny wind patterns—this was his Nascent Soul.

The instant the Nascent Soul opened its eyes, the spiritual energy throughout the entire Wind Listening Courtyard boiled.

The seven stalks of condensing wind bamboo swayed violently, and the liquid spiritual energy flowing within their joints was forcibly extracted, transforming into an azure waterfall that poured into the crown of White Night's head.

His aura climbed at a speed visible to the naked eye, breaking through the bottleneck from the fifth level of the Golden Core Stage and landing firmly at the first level of the Nascent Soul Stage!

"Finally..." White Night breathed out slowly, feeling the stronger connection between his body and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The greatest difference between the Nascent Soul Stage and the Golden Core Stage lies in the ability to directly mobilize surrounding spiritual energy for battle, and the fact that one's soul is bound to the Nascent Soul; as long as the Nascent Soul remains undestroyed, one can possess another body and be reborn—this is the mark of a cultivator in the Immortal Domain truly stepping onto the threshold of "longevity."

He tried moving his mind, and the Nascent Soul within his dantian performed a spell gesture.

A giant boulder outside the courtyard suddenly moved without wind, hovering in mid-air before being sliced by invisible wind blades into dozens of neat stone fragments.

This level of control over the Wind Law was more than ten times stronger than in the Golden Core Stage.

"I wonder what the power will be like if I use the Nascent Soul's strength to activate the 'Heavenly Wind Sword Scripture'." White Night took the iron sword from the wall and flicked his wrist.

An azure vortex suddenly coiled around the sword blade, and within the vortex, space fragments could be faintly seen flickering—this was a sword technique that had integrated the "Wind Crevice Shuttle"; when striking, one could use space fissures to shorten the distance, catching opponents off guard.

Just then, the system notification sounded in his mind:

【Detected that the host has broken through to the Nascent Soul Stage, triggering a stage-based reward】

【Reward: Wind Law fragments x3 (can enhance comprehension of the true meaning of wind)】

White Night's heart stirred; three transparent fragments appeared in the system space. Upon touching them, countless insights regarding the Wind Law surged into his consciousness.

His understanding of the "Wind Crevice Shuttle" deepened instantly, and he could even faintly see the airflow trajectories caused by insects flapping their wings a hundred meters away.

The next morning, Qiu Xuan arrived treading through the morning mist. He stopped just as he entered the courtyard gate, a flash of astonishment in his eyes: "The Nascent Soul Stage? You actually broke through in only three months?"

He could clearly feel that although White Night's Nascent Soul aura had just formed, it was exceptionally solid, several times more stable than that of an ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

White Night stood up and bowed: "I was fortunate to have the help of the secret realm."

"The wind spirit crystal was merely an aid; the key is still your comprehension." Qiu Xuan waved his hand and handed over a black jade slip. "This is the 'Deity Transformation Realm Insights', which I left behind when I made my breakthrough; perhaps it will be useful to you. Also, in three days, the sect will hold a 'Dao Discussion Conference', and disciples from all peaks will attend. You should go as well."

White Night took the jade slip: "A Dao Discussion Conference?"

"Indeed." Qiu Xuan smiled. "It is called a Dao Discussion, but in reality, it is for the various peaks to exchange insights. Occasionally, elders will offer guidance as well. Since you have just entered the Nascent Soul Stage, listening more will do you no harm."

The Dao Discussion Conference three days later was held in the "Assembly Hall" on the Main Peak. Inside the hall, a hundred meditation cushions were arranged, and the core disciples and elders of the various peaks were already seated.

White Night arrived a little late. As soon as he sat down in a corner, he felt several gazes fall upon him—some curious, some admiring, and some with a hint of undetectable hostility.

"Is that White Night? I heard he was still at the Golden Core Stage three months ago, and now he is at the Nascent Soul Stage?"

"It's too terrifying. At this speed, I'm afraid he's going to catch up to the Sect Master from back in the day."

"Hmph, it's just good luck. Discussing the Dao requires a solid foundation; I bet he can't even take three moves from Senior Brother Li's sword."

Amidst the discussions, the Sect Master walked to the main seat, his voice gentle yet carrying authority: "Today's Dao Discussion has no fixed format. Those with questions may raise them, and those with insights may share; everyone, feel free."

As soon as he finished speaking, a purple-robed elder stroked his beard and spoke: "I have recently been contemplating the 'Heavenly Wind True Interpretation' and have some doubts about the phrase 'The wind follows the sword'. I wonder which nephew can clear up this confusion for me?"

Li Muran stood up and cupped his hands: "This junior believes that 'The wind follows the sword' refers to using sword intent to induce the wind's momentum; when the sword arrives, the wind arrives, and when the sword is strong, the wind is fierce."

After he finished speaking, his long sword left its scabbard, and he demonstrated a sword technique. The wind momentum driven by the sword energy swept up the fallen leaves on the ground, forming a rotating blade of leaves.

The elder nodded: "Reasonable, but not thorough enough."

Just then, White Night's voice rang out calmly: "The wind follows the sword—it is not the sword leading the wind, but the sword merging into the wind."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw him holding a condensing wind bamboo leaf between his fingertips, which he flicked gently.

The bamboo leaf transformed into an azure shadow in mid-air. Wherever it passed, the airflow automatically converged into the shape of a sword, precisely slicing through the leaf blade Li Muran had created, without harming a single fallen leaf.

"This..." A sharp light flashed in the purple-robed elder's eyes. "Nephew Bai, could you elaborate on these words?"

White Night stood up and walked slowly to the center of the hall: "The wind is everywhere; the sword is merely a carrier. The so-called 'wind follows the sword' is to let the sword become a part of the wind, rather than forcibly controlling it. It is like water flowing over stones; it is not the stone that leads the water, but the water finding its own path."

He casually picked up an ordinary wooden sword from the table. The sword move he swung appeared slow, yet it caused the airflow in the hall to automatically follow it, forming an invisible sword momentum that gently pushed aside the surrounding meditation cushions without moving them even a fraction.

"What a 'sword merging into the wind'!" The Sect Master clapped his hands and laughed. "I have studied this phrase for thirty years, and only today do I truly understand it!"

The purple-robed elder bowed deeply: "Nephew Bai has enlightened me; thank you."

Li Muran's expression was complex; he had to admit that White Night's understanding of the Wind Law was far beyond his own.

The Dao Discussion Conference lasted an entire day. White Night only spoke three times, but each time he hit the nail on the head, causing the elders to nod frequently.

When the meeting dispersed, the Sect Master specifically called him aside: "Your comprehension of the true meaning of wind is no less than that of a cultivator in the Deity Transformation Realm. If you are interested, you may come to the fifth floor of the Scripture Depository Pavilion on the Main Peak to take a look; the founder of our sect's personal notes are there."

This was already an extremely high honor; even Qiu Xuan would need to ask for permission to borrow the classics on the fifth floor.

White Night bowed to express his gratitude but did not agree immediately—he knew that over-displaying his brilliance was not necessarily a good thing.

When he returned to the Wind Listening Courtyard, it was already dark. Just as White Night sat down, he sensed a faint fluctuation of energy outside the courtyard.

He flicked his finger, and a wind blade flew out silently, only to stop outside the courtyard gate—standing outside was Su Mei, holding a jade box in her hands with a hesitant expression.

"Is something the matter?" White Night asked.

Su Mei was startled and hurriedly handed over the jade box: "This is... this is what I owed you from the last secret realm."

Inside the box were five top-grade wind spirit crystals. "I know you are not lacking in these, but this is a token of my appreciation."

White Night looked at her flushed cheeks and took the jade box: "Thank you."

"I... I heard that you have a lot of research on the Wind Law." Su Mei summoned her courage. "I have been stuck at the late Golden Core Stage for a long time; could you... could you please offer some guidance?"

White Night pondered for a moment, took out a blank jade slip, and engraved a few lines of text on it with spiritual energy: "This is a slight correction I made to the 'Qinglan Art'; perhaps it will be useful to you."

The content on the jade slip was not complex, merely adjusting several nodes of spiritual energy circulation, but it happened to be able to resolve the blockages in Su Mei's spiritual roots.

She took the jade slip, a flash of surprise in her eyes: "Thank you, Senior Brother Bai!"

After Su Mei left, White Night put the wind spirit crystals from the jade box into the system space and rubbed the three Wind Law fragments with his fingertips.

He could feel that he was getting closer and closer to the Deity Transformation Realm, and the "world-breaking talisman" mentioned in the system mission might be the key to his departure from the Qingxuan Continent.

In the late night at the Qinglan Sect, the Heavenly Wind Platform suddenly moved without wind, and the runes at the edge of the platform lit up with a strange light. The disciples guarding the platform looked at the sky in confusion—the originally clear night sky was now flickering with countless tiny space fissures, like a shattered mirror.

"What... what is this anomaly?"

At the same moment, the Sect Master on the Main Peak suddenly opened his eyes and looked toward the direction of the Wind Listening Courtyard, his eyes full of gravity: "This aura... it is not just as simple as the Nascent Soul Stage. Just how many secrets is this kid hiding?"

Inside the Wind Listening Courtyard, White Night gazed at the flickering space fissures outside the window, the Wind Law fragments at his fingertips slightly hot.

He knew that this was the resonance of heaven and earth triggered after he comprehended the "Wind Crevice Shuttle", and also proof of his increased strength.

"Deity Transformation Realm..." He murmured softly, a glimmer of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

When he truly touches that realm, perhaps he will be able to understand what kind of world is hidden at the end of this supreme Immortal Domain.