The Sovereign's Ascension

Over the next few days, Lin Yun gradually got used to Mo Ling’s teaching method and his days in the academy were surprisingly calm. In just three days, he improved to the point where he could inscribe three thousand spiritual runes after an entire morning. At the same time, Lin Yun could sense the improvement of his mental energy everyday.

However, each breakthrough would give him a splitting headache. After all, this cultivating method not only brought physical exhaustion, but also mental torture. The pain even made him want to smash his own head.

He was tempted to give up several times, but he gnashed his teeth and endured it whenever he saw the disdain in Mo Ling’s eyes. In the end, he was benefiting greatly from this cultivating method. Mo Ling’s teaching had also expanded his impression of spiritual runes.

In the past, he only knew how to inscribe spiritual runes on pellets or arrays. In fact, he didn’t know that there was so much to learn about spiritual runes. Refining artifacts, setting up arrays, refining pellets, fighting enemies, and creating puppets, these things proved that spiritual runes infiltrated every corner of the cultivating world.

Vaguely, Lin Yun could sense that he might be able to decipher the secrets of the rose painting if he became a third grade spiritualist. The anticipation of this also brought him motivation. As he grasped more second grade spiritual runes, he gradually developed his own understanding for spiritual runes.

He felt that the reason why spiritualists drew spiritual diagrams was for the same reason cultivators comprehended martial techniques. Comprehending the profundity in a technique would grant complete mastery. If he could do the same with a spiritual diagram, he would bring out its greatest power.

He even thought that he could bring them to the Manifestation Stage, just like his martial techniques, by imprinting his style in them. When he told Mo Ling about it, her eyes lit up as she asked, “So is this the reason why you added a wind spiritual rune in your previous painting?”

“Not exactly. I only felt that the painting was lacking at that time, so I wanted to complete it,” smiled Lin Yun. He looked at Mo Ling and continued, “The true Manifestation Stage should mean integrating your own comprehension into it. For example, making the river of flames into a sword. Or even integrating martial techniques into the painting and letting it become my sword.”

Mo Ling was stunned when she heard that because this was the first time she heard such a bold thought. A long time later, she replied, “You’re really stubborn with the path of the sword.”

Lin Yun smiled. She was right. No matter how strong he was with spiritual runes, he was ultimately a swordsman.

Mo Ling retracted her gaze and continued, “Actually, you’ll undergo a transformation after becoming a third grade spiritualist. Most people wouldn’t dare to think about their cultivation after that. Then, once you become a fourth grade spiritualist, you are comparable to a Heavenly Soul Realm expert. And beyond the fourth grade is the Profound Veneration. Someone at that level is a true expert who can destroy the world.”

A fourth grade spiritualist is comparable to a Heavenly Soul Realm expert? Lin Yun was shocked as he waited for more words from Mo Ling. But Mo Ling no longer spoke as she could tell that Lin Yun couldn’t be fully devoted to the path as a spiritualist. He had his motive for learning from her right now.

“Lin Yun, you’ve already learned spiritual runes from me for ten days,” said Mo Ling as she looked at Lin Yun.

“Yeah, time passed in the blink of an eye,” said Lin Yun as lots of second grade spiritual runes began to appear around him.

“You’ve grasped nearly eight hundred second grade spiritual runes. Today, I’ll teach you how to attack with spiritual diagrams.” Mo Ling was shocked when she saw the spiritual runes, but she didn’t have any changes on her face.

“We’re finally starting?” smiled Lin Yun. The past ten days were torture, but he was finally getting to the good stuff. Then again, he already had a vague feeling of how to face enemies with spiritual diagrams. He was more interested that Mo Ling could teach him more spiritual diagrams.

“First, I’ll be teaching you a seal. This seal is extremely ancient and it has been passed down through ancient times.” Mo Ling sat before Lin Yun as her hands interlocked together to form a seal. As her fingers changed, her aura also began to rise.

The Heavenly Secret Seal! Lin Yun’s eyes lit up when he saw that. This was the Heavenly Secret Seal recorded in the Azure Transcript. It was just as he had guessed. The usage of spiritual diagrams were more or less the same as how he used them in the past.

Lin Yun also started forming a similar seal along with Mo Ling. This surprised Mo Ling, allowing her to quicken her pace. At the same time, her aura also kept rising. When they both completed the Heavenly Secret Seal, a spiritual diagram was formed.

The Mountain Crusher Painting that Lin Yun learned back in the Great Qin Empire appeared behind him, while Mo Ling manifested the Infernal Mountain and River Painting. The Infernal Mountain and River Painting was the same, but it was a lot stronger than the version used by Gu Teng. Lin Yun could hear the earth-shattering rumble from the torrential flames.

The two spiritual diagrams clashed together and Lin Yun was sent flying. The tiger paw was crushed by the torrential flames. However, the flames didn’t stop there as they continued to sweep towards Lin Yun. Although its power had weakened after destroying the tiger paw, it was still terrifying.

Lin Yun smiled when he saw this scene. Fire spiritual runes began to appear as he created over a hundred of them in the blink of an eye. But that wasn’t all as the spiritual runes began to connect together into the Infernal Mountain and River Painting.

But something bizarre occurred. When Lin Yun formed the Heavenly Secret Seal, the spiritual runes that were in a mess instantly formed a massive spiritual diagram. The flame river raged and the painting’s power was also brought to the pinnacle.

This was the limit to what Lin Yun could do in the lesser Yin stage. It was evident that he was putting in great effort as beads of sweat covered his forehead. Then, the Infernal Mountain and River Painting turned into a ferocious beast and charged out.

Mo Ling’s painting lasted briefly before it shattered. Then, Lin Yun’s painting charged as if it was going to devour Mo Ling. However, Mo Ling retrieved her fan and threw it out. In the next second, the fan unleashed boundless power that crushed Lin Yun’s Infernal Mountain and River Painting.

In the end, the impact still forced her to retreat. The two were blown off of the stage and logically speaking, they had tied.

“You’re more hardworkingthat I imagined.” Mo Ling looked at Lin Yun deeply. From how quickly Lin Yun brought out the Infernal Mountain and River Painting, the only conclusion she could make was that Lin Yun had been practicing it in his free time. With this painting, even someone in the greater Yin stage couldn’t do anything to him.

“But when did you learn the Heavenly Secret Seal?”

“I had a fortunate encounter and I grasped it before I joined the academy.”

Mo Ling had guessed correctly. If Lin Yun didn’t have a fortunate encounter, his monstrous talent would make no sense. But Mo Ling didn’t press him and replied, “Then you can rest for tomorrow. I’ll come to teach you again the day after tomorrow.”

“Rest for a day?” Lin Yun was surprised. He was rather looking forward to Mo Ling teaching him more spiritual diagrams.

“Your improvement is faster than I had imagined. You can skip the foundation now. But you should be able to guess the benefits that come from inscribing spiritual runes the past few days,” said Mo Ling. She was speaking the truth. If he didn’t practice so hard, he wouldn’t be able to create spiritual runes so easily. 

But Lin Yun suddenly thought of something and asked, “You’re saying that my improvement is fast? But that wasn’t what you said in the past.”

In the past, Mo Ling’s tone was filled with disdain, which made him gnash his teeth and persevere. Mo Ling turned around and replied, “I lied. Who the hell can inscribe ten thousand spiritual runes in one morning?”

When she turned around, Lin Yun could sense the smirk on the corner of her lips. She was probably laughing at him. But before he could think about it, a token flew over, “This is my Whitejade Token. It can allow you to enter some core disciples' cultivating grounds. Consider that as your reward tomorrow.”

Lin Yun held onto it and it was cold to touch. The token was also engraved with Mo Ling’s name. By the time Lin Yun raised his head, Mo Ling was already gone. Cultivating grounds that were only open to core disciples? It was very interesting. Lin Yun could inquire more information about it from Gong Ming.