Chapter 86: Schemes

Jiang Fan returned to his room, closed the door, and lay down on the bed, vanishing without a trace—he had arrived at Jade Spring Mansion.

“To play the part well, one must employ many methods,” he mused, making his way to the entrance of the Realm of True and Illusion. He pushed open the door and stepped in, returning to the familiar stone courtyard.

He glanced at the spiritual spring, then entered the study.

Half a day later, he returned to the main hall and sat cross-legged on the enlightenment platform. Without thinking or feeling, his depleted spirit swiftly recovered; in less than a quarter of an hour, he was at his peak once more.

He opened his eyes, radiant and full of vigor.

“After entering the Path, comes the Primordial Spirit!”

“With insight guiding true energy, reversing the flow upward, reaching the marrow of the brain, opening the Sea of Consciousness from nothing, transforming it into the Violet Palace, turning true energy into magical power—this is the first step toward the Primordial Spirit!”

“The strength of the Primordial Spirit depends on the size of the Violet Palace. To become stronger in the Primordial Spirit realm in the future, one must accumulate as much as possible during the Path-entering stage!”

“The accumulation during the Path-entering stage lies in two things: true energy and insight!”

“The accumulation of true energy is both quality and quantity. The quality is already near its limit and hard to improve, and the quantity isn’t far behind. Next is to expand the dantian. On another front, if the Mysterious Path Art advances further, the body grows stronger and can contain even more—that is another method!”

“Relatively, the improvement of insight is even more crucial!”

“Insight is one’s own will, the method one excels at, combined with the forces of heaven and earth. Perfecting each type of insight is extremely difficult—whether the insight of wind, slaughter, or death, they are all merely at the beginning.”

“Accumulation in the Path-entering stage is the foundation and must not be rushed!”

“As for the Mysterious Path Art, after a bit more refinement, I can attempt the fourth layer of cultivation!”

Jiang Fan turned his thoughts over, planning for the future and setting the tone.

He stood, a sword appearing in his hand, and practiced swordsmanship directly on the enlightenment platform, seeking the essence of the Lifeless Sword Canon. The sword’s cold gleam flashed—once it comes, it does not return. Only lifelessness brings deathlessness; only deathlessness leads to invincibility.

At last, the sword vanished from his hand.

The next moment, three swords appeared around him, hovering in the air.

“The Lifeless Sword Sect has two cores: the intent of death, and sword formations!”

Jiang Fan further delved into the essence of the Lifeless Sword Sect.

He didn’t know whether the Jade Lord had simply been bored in the past, but the legacy of the Lifeless Sword Sect was almost entirely collected, making his cultivation easier.

Of course, there were methods from other sects as well.

The myriad arts in this world are no more than a study, yet regrettably, none could be placed in the Jade Spring Mansion’s scripture library.

As dawn broke, Jiang Fan pushed open the door and stepped outside.

“Young master, the sun is already high in the sky—don’t tell me you’ve learned to slack off?” Xiao Qing said as she brought over a basin of warm water, placing it on the washstand. A towel draped over her arm.

“How could the young master, a Path-entering expert, possibly be lazy? He must be contemplating some profound art,” Xiao Qian said, holding a cup of mouthwash.

“Yes, yes, yes, the young master is valiant and peerless, how could he ever be lazy? Look at my mouth, always spouting nonsense!” Xiao Qing joked.

“You two little girls…!” Jiang Fan, in high spirits, washed his face and rinsed his mouth, stretching lazily.

He sat half-reclined on the lounge chair beneath the tree, gazing slantwise at the eastern sun, and felt a languid sensation rise within him—he wished he could simply lie there forever.

Food comes to the mouth, clothes to the hand.

“This is life, this is living—this is the ultimate pursuit!”

Jiang Fan couldn’t help but sigh.

By now, the two girls had already brought out the table and begun preparing breakfast.

The sound of quick footsteps approached.

So few in the mansion behaved so familiarly.

“Ninth Brother, you haven’t had breakfast yet?” Jiang Shan sat beside him. “Outside, things are in chaos!”

“Someone’s come to challenge me?” Jiang Fan sat up. “Want to join me for a bite?”

“I’ve already eaten!” Jiang Shan waved his hand, giving a thumbs up. “Yesterday’s battle, Ninth Brother—you defeated Yuan Kun, and the Path-entering ranking has changed. You’re now forty-eight, Yuan Kun forty-nine, Nan Gong Rou fifty. The news spread like wildfire last night, and this morning, a crowd came to the mansion gate—some with invitations to pay respects, some from allied families and factions. Most want to test themselves against you; these are easily dealt with, but there’s one invitation, sent by Chen Hao, ranked sixty-eight, inviting you for an afternoon duel by the White Water River.”

“I don’t have the time for that!” Jiang Fan replied. “Third Brother, pass the word—I’m in closed-door cultivation. When I emerge, I’ll receive guests. If necessary, hang a sign at the gate and save the trouble!”

“If you really do that, people will start doubting your strength, and rumors will spread!”

“Their mouths aren’t ours to control. Let them gossip. If anyone is so foolish as to insult me, note their names. On a dark, windy night, I’ll make sure they swallow their teeth!”

“But what about Chen Hao’s challenge? If you don’t accept, you’re snubbing him—he’ll lose face!”

“He’s just an opportunist. Why bother? If he’s truly blind, well, I’ll teach him a lesson someday! Third Brother, don’t concern yourself with these matters. Focus on your cultivation. Oh, and come by this afternoon—I have a gift for you.”

“Something good?”

“Would I offer anything less?”

“Haha! I knew Ninth Brother wouldn’t forget me!”

Jiang Shan left happily.

Before breakfast, another visitor arrived.

“What brings you here?” Jiang Fan sighed, chopsticks in hand, refusing to put them down and eating as if no one else were present.

The world is vast, but eating is paramount.

Whoever interferes with my appetite is my enemy.

Cousin? Even my own sister wouldn’t be forgiven!

“You brat! No manners at all!” Nan Gong Rou sat down without ceremony and beckoned. “Xiao Qing, bring me a pair of chopsticks!”

“Yes, cousin!” Xiao Qing replied and withdrew.

“If you keep showing your face everywhere and don’t avoid suspicion, you’ll never find a husband,” Jiang Fan said grumpily.

“Husband? What’s that? Is it something to eat or drink? Might as well raise a pet instead!”

“Ugh! You win—I didn’t say anything,” Jiang Fan replied. “Business?”

“What about what we discussed last night? Have you thought it over?”

“I have. You go ahead and arrange it.”

“You’re clever—I’ll get right on it!”

Nan Gong Rou ate a few bites and floated away.

Jiang Fan looked up, glanced at her, then lowered his head to keep eating: this little girl, after all, is still young—not yet possessed of a mountain-like composure, nor the ability to mask her expressions behind true and false.

That afternoon, Jiang Shan returned, and Jiang Fan tossed him a jar of spiritual liquid, a book of insight analysis, and a sword manual, making Jiang Shan ecstatic.

Of course, his parents did not go without their share.

Jiang Fan, meanwhile, adopted the leisurely life of a drifting fish.

Joking, chatting, eating, and practicing swordsmanship.

Most of the time, he stayed indoors, with Xiao Qing and Xiao Qian keeping watch; unless given orders, no one was permitted to enter.

Yet, news from outside was ceaselessly arriving.