Here is a faithful English translation that preserves the original meaning, tone, and cultivation-novel style:
After leaving the Hall of Heavenly Inquiry, Văn Tân did not return directly to his residence. Instead, he turned eastward within the sect.
Along the spirit-stone paved path, rows of ancient buildings stretched onward, white clouds curling around them, while spiritual energy flowed through the air like drifting mist.
Before long, he arrived at the Fragrance Medicine Pavilion, the place responsible for exchanging contribution points for pills, talismans, and auxiliary spirit stones used in cultivation.
Two rows of spirit stones engraved with formation patterns stood at the entrance. A faint medicinal fragrance seeped through the gaps in the wind, refreshing the mind even before one stepped inside.
Inside the pavilion, disciples came and went in an endless stream, each carrying hopes of advancing their cultivation. Văn Tân walked up to the central counter and presented his outer-sect token.
"Outer disciple Văn Tân. I have twenty contribution points and wish to exchange them for pills."
The female attendant in green robes glanced at the jade token, a trace of doubt flashing through her eyes she had clearly heard of his over-tier task completion. She gave a slight nod and spoke gently:
"Eight contribution points can be exchanged for one bottle of low-grade Spirit-Enhancing Pills, or three Nourishing Qi Pills. Which would you like?"
Văn Tân pondered briefly. Spirit-Gathering Pills were purer, but absorbed slowly and required time to refine; Nourishing Qi Pills, though of lower grade, took effect immediately and were better suited for someone who frequently ventured outside the sect.
"I'll exchange for three Nourishing Qi Pills."
"Very well."
With a light wave of her hand, spiritual light flickered. Three pale-green pills flew out from a jade box and were neatly placed into an exquisitely crafted jade vial.
Văn Tân handed over the twenty contribution points, bowed in thanks, then turned and left.
Here is a careful English translation that preserves the original meaning, atmosphere, and cultivation-novel tone:
Night fell over the sect. Dim clouds drifted among the mountain ranges, and lanterns hanging along the pathways cast a soft yellow glow.
Văn Tân quietly returned to the outer courtyard, the residence of the outer disciples, built along the slope of Yunshi Mountain. His room was simple nothing more than a wooden bed, a low table, and a small qi-refining furnace tucked into the corner.
He opened the jade vial. A faint green light spilled out, and the pure medicinal aura immediately lightened his breathing. Three Spirit-Gathering Pellets dropped into his palm, releasing refined spiritual energy like drifting mist.
"With pills in hand, this time I must take another step forward in my cultivation."
Văn Tân sat cross-legged and formed a hand seal as the Void Scripture began to circulate. Streams of spiritual energy from the surroundings were drawn in, swirling like a vortex. The energy from the spirit stones and the medicinal power fused into his body, gradually refining into pure spiritual force that flowed through his meridians.
That night, within the silent room, only the steady rhythm of his breathing could be heard as the technique cycled again and again. A faint, illusory glow emanated from his body, as though the Dao of the Void were shrouding him.
By dawn, Văn Tân's breathing had grown steady and deep. The spiritual energy within his body had increased significantly, his aura far more stable than before. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
"One small step more… and the path to the Foundation Establishment Realm will no longer be far."
Early the next morning, dewdrops still clung to the bamboo branches outside the courtyard. The first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, illuminating the thin mist and cloaking the mountainside in a hazy veil of white. From afar, the sect bell rang out three short chimes, signaling the start of a new day.
Inside the room, Văn Tân had just concluded a long night of cultivation. The spiritual energy within his body circulated smoothly, his inner breath abundant, his eyes brighter than usual. As he was about to step outside, a clear voice sounded from beyond the door:
"Junior Brother Văn Tân, are you inside?"
Văn Tân paused slightly, recognizing the familiar voice. When he opened the door, Mai Tuyết Lan stood before him dressed in azure robes patterned with cloud motifs, her figure graceful, her demeanor pure yet carrying a hint of the firmness born of experience. The morning sunlight fell across her shoulders, reflecting off her long, glossy black hair.
"Senior Sister Tuyết Lan? Coming so early to find me there must be something important?" Văn Tân asked, his voice calm but tinged with surprise.
She smiled softly and nodded.
"That's right. The sect has just announced that in three days, the inner-sect selection for outer disciples will be held. This is an extremely rare opportunity opened only once every ten years. If you can make the list, not only will your status rise, but you may also receive direct guidance from the elders themselves."
Below is a faithful English translation that preserves meaning, tone, and the cultivation-novel atmosphere without embellishing or omitting intent:
Văn Tân frowned slightly. His expression showed little fluctuation as he replied calmly:
"Inner sect selection… with my current strength, I'm afraid it will be hard to catch the elders' eyes. Even if I do enter the inner sect, the chances of being accepted as a disciple by one of them are very slim."
Mai Tuyết Lan looked at him intently, a trace of profound meaning flickering in her eyes.
"I believe you can do it. How could an ordinary person survive that abyss let alone reverse life and death itself? This time, you should try. Opportunities like this are not meant for everyone. With your strength, there are even some inner disciples who can't compare to you."
As she spoke, she raised her hand slightly. Resting in her palm was a small silver jade vial, sealed with exquisite talismanic runes. A faint spiritual glow seeped from within, accompanied by a pure medicinal fragrance
.
"This is a mid-grade Spirit-Gathering Pill that I exchanged from the Third Elder. Last time, when I was gravely injured, if not for your help, I might have lost my life there. Consider this vial my token of gratitude. Please accept it don't refuse."
Văn Tân fell silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the jade vial as an indescribable emotion stirred in his heart. He was not someone who liked accepting favors, yet the sincerity in Mai Tuyết Lan's eyes made it difficult for him to decline.
"Very well, I'll accept it. Many thanks for the pill, Senior Sister."
Mai Tuyết Lan smiled softly. The morning breeze passed by, gently stirring the hem of her azure robes.
"I still have matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving first. Three days from now, at the Wentian Plaza, we'll meet again. By then, I hope to see Junior Brother's impressive bearing."
With that, she turned and departed, her figure gradually fading into the misty bamboo path, her thoughts quietly calculating.
"Let's see how far this kid can go. If he really manages to enter the inner sect or is even taken in by an elder heheh… I might reluctantly let him serve as my attendant."
Văn Tân stood there for a long while, his gaze resting on the jade vial in his hand. The medicinal aura within seemed to shimmer faintly, reflecting light into his eyes.
"Inner sect selection, huh… Perhaps this is the first stepping stone toward reaching a higher realm of cultivation."
He clenched his fist slightly. A fierce surge of battle intent rose within him, like a flame igniting in the stillness.
In the three days before the selection assembly, Văn Tân all but secluded himself within the Scripture Pavilion, where countless ancient tomes of the Cloud Sword Sect were stored. The second floor housed sword cultivation techniques ranging from low to mid tier, each volume wrapped in beast hide and carefully sealed with protective spirit inscriptions.
Light from the hanging spirit lamps cast a half-lit, half-shadowed scene, so quiet that only the faint sound of turning pages echoed through the space. Văn Tân stood among the shelves, flipping through one tome after another, his gaze focused.
"Flame-Howl Sword Art… domineering and slaughter-oriented, overwhelming the enemy with ferocity. Not suitable."
"Sixfold Thought Sword Technique… light as a spring breeze, favoring agility, but lacking sufficient power."
"Moon Sword Three Forms… exquisite in transformation, yet the sword intent isn't strong enough."
He read, then set each one down again and again his gaze growing deeper with every rejection. Each sword technique had its own strengths, yet all lacked something he needed: a Dao compatible with the Void Art, one that could harmonize with his own constitution.
On the second day, Văn Tân sat alone in the research chamber behind the pavilion, a place rarely visited. Before him lay numerous ancient texts opened at once, filled with archaic characters, instructional diagrams, some so old that the ink had faded with time. Light from a spirit stone on the desk reflected off his face, calm yet marked by an unusual resolve.
He thought to himself:
"Cultivating the sword is not merely about techniques. The sword is will it is the heart. If the heart is unsettled, how can the sword be pure? But I've only just begun learning sword arts… I don't even truly understand what sword intent is."
He recalled the life-and-death battles he had endured the White Tiger roaring within his sea of consciousness, the incense censer radiating light as it devoured the blood of enemies, the countless moments spent facing death itself…
Each time, the sword in his hand had been wielded for survival not once for the sake of the Dao.
Gradually, his thoughts settled. The spiritual energy within his body began circulating on its own, resonating with the Void Battle Physique. His aura seemed to melt into the surrounding space, rendering him faint and indistinct.
Suddenly, his gaze lifted to the highest shelf.
A sword manual lay there, thick with dust, its title engraved faintly in ancient script:
"Void Sword Scripture."
Just four characters but the moment his hand touched it, a bone-chilling sword intent surged through his entire body. His eyes lit up.
"Void… could this be a sword Dao technique compatible with the Void Art?"
He opened it. Lines of golden text emerged, sword intent hidden within every stroke, as if capable of piercing the reader's very soul.
This scripture took as its Dao:
"From nothing, existence is born;
from existence, annihilation arises."
Sword intent concealed within the void attacks without trace, defense without form.
Văn Tân closed his eyes in comprehension. Images gradually formed in his mind: formless sword strikes, spiritual power condensing within emptiness, erupting in an instant to tear all things apart.
"The Void Sword… this is the sword Dao I've been searching for."
"The sword in my hand is not for slaughter, nor for empty fame only for existence. And existence… is the void."
From that day on, Văn Tân scarcely left the Scripture Pavilion. By day he read; by night he practiced.
In the empty courtyard behind the pavilion, his sword shadow danced sometimes clear, sometimes blurred like countless gusts of wind sweeping past, shattering the morning dew with every strike. At first, his sword intent was clumsy, but in just three days, it began to take shape, form, and presence, faintly carrying a sense of piercing through space itself, causing the surrounding air to tremble slightly.
Under the pale moonlight stretching across the stone courtyard, Văn Tân continued practicing tirelessly. His sword strikes were sometimes as light as a passing breeze, sometimes as fierce as rolling thunder.
Yet every strike halted midair, as though an invisible barrier prevented it from piercing through.
He withdrew his sword and took a deep breath, a trace of disappointment appearing in his eyes.
"A formless sword, a shapeless sword… But in the end, what exactly is 'nothingness'?"
He closed his eyes, lines from the Void Sword Scripture resurfacing in his mind:
"Use emptiness as reality, turn reality into emptiness. When the sword emerges, the void stirs, and all things perish."
But the more he read, the more chaotic his mind became. A sharp pain spread from between his brows as his spirit trembled, as though pierced by the sword intent within the scripture itself. The incense censer in his sea of consciousness quivered gently, releasing a warm spiritual glow that stabilized his mind.
Văn Tân opened his eyes, his back drenched in sweat.
He knew he was not yet qualified to comprehend this scripture.
"The Void Sword Scripture is not a sword technique, but a Dao. And the Dao… cannot be sought only realized."
He remained silent for a long time, then let out a soft breath and looked at the chipped sword hilt in his hand. A night breeze swept past, carrying several dry leaves spinning through the air. In that moment, he vaguely sensed that his own sword intent was still crude, lacking foundation.
"I have no true grounding in sword Dao. Forcing comprehension will only harm myself."
He planted the sword into the ground and sat cross-legged in the courtyard. Moonlight poured down, illuminating his calm face, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve. Within his heart, a quiet voice echoed:
"A single sword Dao cannot rely on talent alone. It must be walked step by step from sword forms, to sword intent, and only then can one touch the sword heart."
That night, Văn Tân did not sleep. He simply sat there, listening to the wind passing through the leaves, the distant cries of spirit beasts, and the steady beating of his own heart in the stillness.
A hint of serenity, a hint of calm like a gentle rain, slowly seeping into his heart, tempering his will and refining his state of mind.
The next morning, as the first sunlight streamed through the window, he opened his eyes. They were clear and tranquil no longer impatient, no longer frustrated by his lack of comprehension.
He merely said softly:
"The Dao abandons no one. It is only that I am not yet worthy."
Here is a faithful, atmosphere-preserving English translation that keeps the original meaning, rhythm, and cultivation-novel tone intact:
He sheathed his sword and gazed toward the distant mountain peak, thinking to himself:
"I will start over from the beginning every sword form, every stance. When the sword in my hand merges with the void, that will be the moment I truly step into the 'Dao.'"
After several consecutive days of arduous training with no progress in sword cultivation, Văn Tân finally set his sword aside and lifted his head to look at the pale blue sky. A gentle breeze brushed past his hair, carrying a cool yet unhurried sensation. In his eyes, white clouds drifted slowly, while streams of spiritual energy in the air seemed to circulate according to their own rhythm a kind of order he had never paid attention to before.
"Perhaps… what I lack is not technique, but the heart."
From then on, he decided to temporarily set aside sword cultivation and instead focus on refining his spiritual perception, using his state of mind to sense the "fluctuations" of the world itself.
🜂 Day One – Seated Stillness, Listening to the Wind
Văn Tân chose a rocky outcrop on the mountainside, where spiritual energy was sparse but winds blew from all directions. He sat cross-legged, eyes half-closed, drawing in slow, deep breaths.
At first, the wind was merely wind. But as time passed, he gradually began to hear the rhythm of leaves shifting, the subtle vibrations of grass, the faint collisions between spiritual energy and specks of dust. The entire world within his perception slowed down every minute movement etched deeply into his consciousness.
His spiritual force began to spread. He sensed delicate ripples in space itself, where wisps of spiritual energy, light as mist, drifted around his body. A vague yet tangible feeling of "becoming one with heaven and earth" slowly took shape.
"So… even space breathes," he murmured.
🜄 Day Two – Sensing the Flow of Time
As the sun tilted westward, the light shifted from gold to red, from red to violet. He remained seated, motionless as a stone statue.
Beams of light brushed across his skin, then gradually faded as night fell. Văn Tân began to sense the invisible movement of time not through light or sound, but through the slowing pulse of heaven and earth itself.
In one fleeting moment, he vaguely perceived the "flow of time" as a slender silver thread passing through his fingers. When his mind reached absolute stillness, the void-energy within his sea of consciousness suddenly stirred, releasing a faint glow as it fused with his spiritual awareness.
"Space has form; time has shadow. When the two merge as one, that is the true essence of the void."
🜃 Day Five – Spiritual Consciousness Manifested
Văn Tân's spiritual power had grown severalfold. Whenever he closed his eyes, the surroundings appeared clearly within his inner sea every blade of grass, every grain of dust, even an ant crawling across a stone was perfectly perceived.
No longer did he need his eyes; spiritual sense alone was enough. His spiritual power had become so strong that the spiritual energy around him naturally circulated in rhythm with his breathing.
The incense censer within his sea of consciousness radiated golden light, resonating in harmony with his breath. With every inhalation, spiritual energy gathered inward; with every exhalation, his spiritual sense spread outward like an invisible wave.
"When the heart is still, the spirit is clear. When the spirit is clear, the world manifests. When the world manifests, the Dao reveals itself."
Moonlight blanketed the mountains and forests, the sky like a mirror of jade. Văn Tân opened his eyes, the vast universe reflected within his pupils. At this moment, his spiritual perception no longer covered just a few dozen feet, but extended hundreds of feet in every direction. No living thing that moved could escape his awareness.
Suddenly, he raised his hand, palm slightly curved, and gently clenched it. The space before him instantly twisted, emitting a faint whoosh, like water being torn apart. Then everything returned to calm.
"This is it… spatial fluctuation!" His eyes blazed with light.
From this moment on, Văn Tân had truly stepped into the realm of comprehending laws. He was no longer merely a cultivator absorbing spiritual energy, but someone who had begun to touch the very principles governing the world itself.
After seven days of secluded meditation, the spiritual power within Văn Tân's sea of consciousness was utterly transformed. The incense censer at the center of his mind was like a miniature sun, slowly revolving, radiating gentle yet unfathomably deep waves of spiritual light. Each ripple, upon touching the boundary of his awareness, shattered into countless tiny points of light like invisible eyes observing the world from different spatial dimensions.
That night, he attempted to mobilize his spiritual power in its entirety. A faint silver radiance flashed from between his brows, spreading outward like ripples across a still lake. Everything within a radius of a hundred zhang appeared vividly in his mind every current of spiritual energy, every falling leaf, engraved with lifelike clarity.
"So this… is Spatial Awareness," He murmured softly.
This sensation was neither sight nor sound it was knowing. No matter how silent the space before him seemed, it possessed its own rhythm of breath, and he had begun to hear it.
To test it, Văn Tân went to a narrow ravine west of the Vô Vi Mountains, a place where low-level demonic beasts often lurked. He closed his eyes, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, breathing calm and steady like still water.
A soft whoosh sounded as a black shadow burst from the underbrush like lightning. It was a Black Breath Rat, a second-rank beast famed for its speed.
Yet before the creature even revealed itself, Văn Tân had already sensed the subtle disturbance in the air the thin layers of spiritual energy torn apart by the rushing body. Without opening his eyes, he pivoted, drawing his sword by instinct.
Shhkk!
The sword light flashed like a meteor, cleaving straight through the void. A shrill cry rang out as the Black Breath Rat was split in two midair, its spiritual energy dispersing like mist.
Văn Tân opened his eyes, astonishment and exhilaration surging within him. He had not seen the attack he had simply known it would come. Spatial Awareness was instinct beyond the senses, a half-step into the domain of laws.
A New Understanding — Heart and Dao as One
From that moment on, every time he cultivated, Văn Tân used Spatial Awareness to perceive his surroundings. Space, once thought formless, now felt like an immense web blanketing heaven and earth, each thread a meridian of the world itself. With the slightest fluctuation of his mind, those threads would tremble in response.
He realized:
"If my sword merges with the void, it need not take form to exist. When the heart moves, space moves and all things may be severed."
A flash of insight struck him, faintly heralding the emergence of an entirely new sword path within his heart: the Void Sword Dao, a road that fused laws with sword intent.
As he sank ever deeper into cultivation, Văn Tân nearly lost all sense of time. Within his sea of consciousness, spiritual power revolved around the incense censer, blending with spatial intent, leaving him adrift in boundless infinity. When his awareness finally returned to reality, he opened his eyes to see only pale dawnlight filtering through the window lattice, a thin veil of temporal dust settled upon the wooden table as if countless days had passed… far too many.
A faint stream of spiritual energy dissipated around his body. He exhaled softly, then checked the time markings engraved upon his disciple jade token. His expression subtly changed.
"…I've missed the three-day deadline."
The inner-sect selection had long since concluded. The chance to step onto a higher level he had missed it, all because he had fallen too deeply into meditation.
After washing up and changing clothes, Văn Tân quickly left the small courtyard and headed straight toward the inner-sect area. Along the way, several outer disciples recognized him and whispered among themselves:
"Isn't that the former menial? I heard he once saved Senior Sister Mai… but he didn't appear on the selection list this time."
He merely smiled faintly and did not respond.
By the time he arrived at Mai Tuyết Lan's residence, the slanting sun had already sunk behind the Yunfeng Mountain Range. The air had turned cool, a gentle breeze passing through the green bamboo garden and lightly stirring her robes. She stood beside a small pond, quietly gazing at a lotus nearing the end of its bloom her figure slender, yet exuding a proud, frosty grace like morning dew.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, she turned around, surprise mixed with relief lighting her eyes.
"Văn Tân… you've finally come out? Do you know how worried I was? I had people search through the entire outer sect at one point, I even thought something might have happened to you…"
Văn Tân lowered his head slightly, his voice deep and sincere.
"I… went too deeply into meditation and didn't realize how quickly time passed. It was my carelessness. I made you worry and I also missed the opportunity you reminded me about."
Mai Tuyết Lan shook her head gently. There was a trace of reproach on her face, yet beneath it lay a soft smile.
"Forget it. What's done is done. The sect holds the selection once every three years there will be another chance. With the speed at which you're improving, if you push yourself just a little more… you'll definitely make it into the inner sect next time."
She paused briefly, then continued, her voice light as a passing breeze.
"Actually… I was more afraid that something had happened to you. The selection itself isn't all that important."
A subtle shift passed through her gaze as other thoughts surfaced in her mind.
I never expected him to skip the inner-sect selection altogether. His strength does seem greater than before, but failing to enter the inner sect has disrupted my plans. If he behaves like this again next time… there'll be no need to promote him any further.
—
When the first moonlight stretched across the sky, Mai Tuyết Lan spoke softly.
"If you want to make up for this missed chance later on, I can help. Within the next month, the inner sect will open the Illusory Spirit Platform for disciples to test their combat strength. Even if you can't advance in rank, a standout performance… might catch the attention of the elders."
Văn Tân cupped his hands lightly in salute.
"Thank you, Senior Sister Mai. This time, I won't disappoint you again."
The night breeze stirred gently as the bright moon shone through the bamboo garden, casting the reflections of two figures one resolute, one gentle each carrying unspoken thoughts within their hearts.