Chapter 181: Chapter 114: Cultivation Technique Fusion, Longxi Sword Dao: Mirror Heart Demon Slayer

"Kill!"

CLANG!

The cold Sword Light moved like a dragon, weaving relentlessly through the hordes of demonic fiends. Every chop, every sweep, stirred up a cloud of black ash—the remnants of scattered, distracting thoughts.

In the dreamscape, the battle was a contest of will. And Zhong Ming’s Heart Soul Rhyme was unquestionably his strongest attribute. This made the Zhong Ming in the dream even more formidable than his real-world self.

Though he could only use a sword to temper his Sword Heart, Zhong Ming still managed to cut the Demonic Fiends to pieces with just that single longsword.

Amid the slaughter, a question flashed through Zhong Ming’s mind:

’Don’t Heart Demons grow stronger along with a Cultivator’s power? Why are mine so weak? Not a single one can withstand even one of my strikes.’

The moment this wisp of doubt appeared, it condensed into a blurry Heart Demon shadow, which he promptly obliterated into ash with a backhanded slash.

In the instant he destroyed it, Zhong Ming realized why his Heart Demons were so weak.

’I’m not trying to achieve enlightenment like a Buddha. I’m just slaying my distracting thoughts to make my mind as clear as a mirror.’

’And in truth, my distracting thoughts are few and weak. I harbor very little confusion.’

Zhong Ming had never held a single shred of doubt about his future power. He was absolutely certain that with the aid of Heaven Rewards Diligence, he would not only become the world’s strongest but would also transcend its very shackles.

This willpower, so firm it bordered on arrogance, was precisely why the Heart Demons it spawned were so incredibly weak.

’It’s not just me. Other Cultivators are the same. The more resolute their will, the fewer distracting thoughts they have, and the smoother their path in the Sword Dao. I just happen to be among the most resolute.’

SHINK...

Even as his thoughts raced, Zhong Ming’s sword never paused. With a flash of Sword Light, several more Heart Demons dissipated:

[You have slain a Tribulation Demon. Clarity +7]

[You have slain a Death Demon. Clarity +5]

[You have slain a Wrath Demon. Clarity +6]

[...]

As Zhong Ming cleared away the Demonic Fiends, his Mental Realm grew increasingly ’Clear,’ and the sword forged from his will became ever more formidable.

At the same time, Zhong Ming had the feeling that his ’sword’ could now cut through illusions.

Of course, not yet abstract concepts like fatigue or injury.

Rather, it could cut through the Heart Souls, minds, wills, and Divine Thoughts of others.

’But this is still a huge step forward. One day, my sword will be able to destroy anything.’

CLANG!

Along with this thought, an endless Sword Light bloomed in Zhong Ming’s Sea of Consciousness. This time, a single sweep of his sword directly annihilated a hundred Demonic Fiends.

[You have slain an Obsession Demon. Clarity +2]

[You have slain a Lust Demon. Clarity +4]

[You have slain a Tribulation Demon. Clarity +5]

[...]

After clearing away a multitude of Heart Demons with a single strike, the ’sound’ of experience being tallied rang in Zhong Ming’s mind, as clear and constant as dripping spring water.

This, in turn, made Zhong Ming’s mind all the more clear and flawless.

However, despite the large influx of progress, the Cultivation Technique of his Longxi Lineage showed no sign of advancing to the next stage.

Ever since Zhong Ming had emulated a Buddha within the Great Dream of Thousand Years—manifesting his Heart Demons only to slay them with his sword—he had been walking a path that, while originating from Longxi Peak, was now completely distinct.

Of course, this wasn’t a bad thing. It wasn’t even particularly unusual.

Cultivation, at its heart, was about cultivating one’s true self, one’s authentic self.

Since the ’true self’ is the focus, Cultivators are always advised against completely copying the paths of their predecessors.

This was vividly reflected in the Cultivation Method Realms.

’The first three realms of a Cultivation Technique—First Realm: Initiation, Second Realm: Insight, and Third Realm: Refinement—are all considered stages of imitating one’s predecessors.’

’But that imitation only extends to the Third Realm. Starting from the Fourth Realm, Proficiency, one must develop their own insights.’

’And at the Fifth Realm, Master, one must possess completely unique insights.’ 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

’I am now walking my own unique path... It’s just that my insights are deeper, and the changes to my Dao are more radical than most.’

These extensive changes had even altered the name of Zhong Ming’s Cultivation Technique.

The five techniques that were once separate—Longxi Sword-Drawing Technique, Longxi Swordsmanship, Wave-Surging Dragon Stream Step, Spirit Stream Finger: Water Dragon Technique, and Spirit Stream Finger: Jie Technique.

Now, all these abilities had fused into a single, brand-new Cultivation Technique: [Longxi Sword Dao: Mirror Heart Demon Slayer].

Even its level had changed.

[Longxi Sword Dao: Mirror Heart Demon Slayer]

[Level: Earth-Level High Grade]

[Realm: Fourth Realm]

[Traits: ① Dao Rhyme Dragon Flood, ② Dao Rhyme - Flow of Water, ③ Dao Rhyme - Living Rhyme, ④ Dao Rhyme - Clear Sword Heart Demon Slayer (Uncondensed)...]

Born from the sect’s own techniques yet transcending their original Cultivation Method Level, this kind of evolution was exactly what Sect Leader Zong Chengze most wanted to see—the very thing he hoped for.

’It’s a shame. No one else can possibly practice this Longxi Sword Dao: Mirror Heart Demon Slayer.’

The comprehension required to master this technique to the level of Great Success is simply too high.

Comprehending a fragmented Dao Rhyme at every single realm... This wasn’t just difficult; it was something utterly unattainable for anyone short of a peerless prodigy.

And that’s not even mentioning the Fourth Realm’s Clear Sword Heart Demon Slayer. You not only need the Talent for entering dreams, but also the Rhythm of Life, allowing you to vitalize distracting thoughts and desires into Heart Demons.

’Still, while the conditions are difficult, the benefits are tangible... With the original Longxi Technique, achieving a Clear Sword Heart relied on comprehension and a bit of luck.’

’Now, as long as you meet the conditions, manifest the Heart Demons, and slay them, success is guaranteed.’

Of course, great danger lurked behind these benefits. ’My will is firm, but others might not be so lucky. When dueling against Heart Demons and distracting thoughts, there’s a chance they could be slain or seriously wounded by them. In that case, while they wouldn’t die, they would end up with a tarnished Sword Heart and a damaged Dao Heart.’

—This problem, however, would never happen to Zhong Ming.

As the Master of Dreams, Zhong Ming could eliminate the Demonic Fiends with a single thought.

However, if he didn’t slay them with his sword, he wouldn’t gain any experience.

Such an act could even be considered evasion, which would tarnish Zhong Ming’s Sword Heart.

But he didn’t care in the slightest. Possessing Heaven Rewards Diligence, he gained experience points as long as he slew Demonic Fiends.

’So what if it gets tarnished? As long as the Heart Demons keep coming, I can keep slaying them and keep improving. Through pure grinding, I can still master this Sword Dao to the level of Great Success!’

Indeed, this resolute Heart Sword also ensured that Zhong Ming would never lose to distracting thoughts or Heart Demons.

...

Zhong Ming had Heaven Rewards Diligence, but others didn’t have such a convenience. When facing Heart Demons, they could not retreat. The moment they did, their Sword Heart would become flawed.

The path of the Sword Dao demands one to be ever-advancing. This was the truest reflection of that principle.

...

Despite some minor drawbacks, there was no question that Zhong Ming’s current Sword Dao was at the Earth-Level High Grade.

If one day he could reduce the obstacles and difficulties of this Sword Dao, Longxi Peak would gain an additional Earth-Level High Grade Cultivation Technique.

Of course, for the time being, Zhong Ming had neither the interest nor the time to do so.

’I can still improve myself. Even if I want to repay the sect and leave behind a Cultivation Technique, there’s no need to rush it.’

After slaying all the Demonic Fiends, Zhong Ming rested for a while.

Then, at the moment of the Midnight Clear Sound Spring Stone Drops, he activated Mind Reading, Bright Mirror Stilled Water - Ripples, and As Clear as Daylight... With his abilities fully prepared, he began to read the inscriptions on the Zhenyuan Stele.

He wanted to convert the underlying intent of the Zhenyuan Stele into his own Divine Power and Techniques.

However, the results this time were less than ideal.

The stele’s suppressive and stabilizing intent made it act as a single, monolithic whole. After expending a great deal of energy, Zhong Ming could only barely resonate with it, perceiving just a few vague traces of its intent.

But this setback didn’t disappoint Zhong Ming; on the contrary, it only piqued his interest.

’It can actually resist the resonance of Mind Reading? Interesting. If I can master this intent, my defenses will become even more solid.’

He failed to uncover the secrets of the Zhenyuan Stele, but his subsequent attempt to utilize it proved effective.

VMMMM!

This time, Zhong Ming didn’t wait until after. He activated the power of the Zhenyuan Stele *before* using the Candlelight Heart Eye for his Body Forging.

WHOOSH!

As he activated its properties, Zhong Ming’s body was immediately locked in place by gravity. This force rendered him immobile, but it also made his physical form incredibly difficult for any external force to damage.

However, Zhong Ming’s Candlelight Heart Eye and his Dao Rhyme - Flow of Water were not to be underestimated.

As the crimson-gold light began to seep into his body in the form of ripples, even in the face of the Zhenyuan Stele’s suppressive power... well, Zhong Ming had to slightly lessen the treasure’s oppressive force.

After some experimentation, Zhong Ming gradually found a point of equilibrium.

At this point, the power of his Candlelight Heart Eye could still permeate his cells in the form of ripples, but the process now required three times the effort.

Zhong Ming wasn’t doing this because he was bored, of course.

His physical body was under immense pressure. For his Solar Power to penetrate it, it indeed required more strength, but this penetration also became more meticulous, more microscopic, and more profound.

And this very meticulousness was what doubled the efficiency of Zhong Ming’s Body Forging.

What surprised Zhong Ming even more was that the Zhenyuan Stele’s stabilizing and suppressive power also increased the resilience of his cells. This allowed his body to withstand the scouring of high temperatures for much longer.

’The power penetrates more finely, the training time is longer... My Body Forging efficiency is now three to five times what it was before.’

’It’s just that the energy consumption is also much higher.’

This training method was actually quite wasteful—he was expending far too much energy just to overcome the Zhenyuan Stele’s suppression.

But it was undeniable that training this way allowed Zhong Ming to increase his physical strength in the shortest possible time.

And for a genius, time was the most valuable currency. As for wasting resources:

’I don’t lack for common resources!’

And so, Zhong Ming’s body grew rapidly stronger, alternating between ’heavy pressure’ and ’high temperature.’

And when his body was tempered to its limit, Zhong Ming would enter the dreamscape to slay Heart Demons and clarify his Mental Realm.

Time slipped by quietly amid such high-intensity training. In the blink of an eye, a night had passed.

The next day, Zhong Ming had planned to continue his training.

However, early that morning, Ji Qingyue came to find him.

Her words made Zhong Ming raise an eyebrow.

"Another genius has arrived in Qinghe County City, and you want me to go with you to recruit them?"

Ji Qingyue: "Yes. Teaming up isn’t forbidden in the Star Moon Treasure Vault. Although my father and the various sect elders are watching from the outside and can’t do anything too outrageous, they will definitely try to sabotage us secretly if they get the chance."

"If we have too few people, you’ll definitely be at a disadvantage."

"So, we need to recruit more people."

At this, Ji Qingyue grew excited, her voice filled with newfound confidence. "Whenever exceptional people have shown up before, I’ve tried to recruit them, but someone else always poaches them first. But this time, with you here, we might actually succeed."