Chapter 102: Painting Green Mountains within the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Wielding the Mountains to Slay Hua An

The magnificent primordial spirit, radiant as a scorching sun, emerged into the air above the white jade plaza, with lotus flowers blooming at every step.

Strands of sword energy intertwined and swirled around An Le’s primordial spirit. The strength of a primordial spirit is easily discerned; as the manifestation of one’s condensed consciousness, the more solid and vast it appears, the more powerful it is. The four realms of Spirit Refining are merely the beginning, for the birth of the primordial spirit marks the true start of the path of spirit cultivation; even the realms beyond the fifth are essentially a process of tempering that spirit. Spirit Refining cultivates the soul, while Body Tempering forges the flesh.

Yet, no one had ever imagined that a fourth-realm primordial spirit could be this powerful. Although it lacked the glowing haze that surrounds the spirits of the Sitting-in-Oblivion realm, the density of An Le’s spirit was no weaker, and the sword energy surrounding it appeared even sharper.

"The cultivation method this child practices is the 'Sword Waterfall Diagram' passed down by Hua Jiebing. But while the 'Sword Waterfall Diagram' is a top-tier method, it is impossible for a fourth-realm spirit forged by it to be this grand..."

In the Tianxuan Palace, pairs of eyes peered down at the white jade plaza, observing the powerful primordial spirit standing in the air and walking on lotuses before the "Map of Mountains and Rivers." Many civil officials with vast primordial spirits felt shock; it was beyond reason. Such a spirit could not possibly have been forged by the "Sword Waterfall Diagram"!

Qin Lishi’s face was cold as frost. His gaze, sharp as a blade, swept across the palace to rest upon An Le’s spirit, his expression devoid of joy or sorrow. Though An Le’s spirit was unexpectedly grand, it meant nothing; it would change nothing. Once he entered the Map of Mountains and Rivers and encountered the peak fifth-realm Sitting-in-Oblivion spirit of Qin Hua'an, he would surely be crushed—and crushed with the greatest speed. In that case, An Le’s hope of reaching the top three in the Palace Examination would be effectively extinguished.

As for whether An Le’s spirit would encounter Qin Hua'an’s, Qin Lishi felt no concern. Even if he avoided Qin Hua'an, he would inevitably cross paths with the likes of Sima Pudu or Wang Qilin. Their spirits were all in the fifth realm, Sitting-in-Oblivion, wreathed in auspicious light, powerful and supernatural. Should An Le meet any of them, he would be crushed. After all, before the examination, Qin Lishi had personally visited the Sima and Wang families and been treated with great hospitality. Out of respect for their clans, Sima Pudu and Wang Qilin would certainly take action.

Qin Lishi’s gaze shifted to the young man sitting with his sword on the white jade plaza, murder surging in his eyes. The pain of losing his son was like a spear driven into his heart and ripped out, leaving it bloodied. He would make An Le pay with his life! The Lin household and An Le would all pay for his dead children!

...

An Le’s primordial spirit stepped into the Map of Mountains and Rivers, transforming into an ink-colored figure that drifted down into the scene. This was his first encounter with a genuine first-grade magical artifact, and a painting at that. An Le had first made a name for himself in Lin'an through his paintings; his ink bamboo and galloping horses had been praised by countless people. Yet, this first-grade scroll filled him with awe.

As his spirit flowed uncontrollably into the map, the scenery shifted. The ink-wash mountains and rivers were so lifelike it felt as if he had truly entered a world of flowing ink. Clouds rolled like a misty fairyland. The map seemed divided by a great force, separating the world into mountains and rivers. Some spirits were scattered among the peaks, others cast upon the streams. The two were worlds apart.

An Le was placed upon the river, as if within an ink-wash film. The brushwork of the flowing water and the moss on the stones were so distinct that the scene felt startlingly real. A small skiff materialized beneath his feet, and he drifted along the current. His consciousness expanded, radiant as a morning sun within the ink-wash world.

Hearing the gentle gurgling of the water, An Le looked around. On the distant mountains, he could see other spirits colliding in combat, like brilliant fireworks manifesting as clouds of light. An Le drifted slowly with the current, in no rush. He expanded his senses, savoring the details of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. For a painter, the opportunity to personally experience a first-grade Spirit Refining ink treasure was rare. Perhaps he could gain a special insight that would lead to a tremendous improvement in his craft. Currently, as his spirit had strengthened, even his casual ink paintings were at least fifth-grade treasures. But the gap between a fifth-grade treasure and this first-grade one was an unbridgeable chasm.

As he admired the scenery, he waited for his opponent. He knew someone would come. The rules of the literary examination were based on the duration one could remain within the map; the longer one lasted, the higher the score. The Prime Minister would not let him reach the top three, so he would surely seek to eliminate him early. Thus, Qin Hua'an, the Prime Minister’s only heir, would certainly come.

And so he did.

Soon, the sound of a small boat slicing through the water reached An Le’s ears. In the distance, a skiff moved against the current at high speed, like a racing boat, sending water spraying to either side. A figure stood with hands behind his back, his ink-wash spirit enveloped in a brilliant, shimmering haze.

When they sighted each other, the two skiffs seemed to freeze in place upon the river. An Le’s spirit, having not yet stepped into the Sitting-in-Oblivion realm, lacked the glowing effects, appearing almost as one with the ink-wash style of the map itself. On the distant boat, Qin Hua'an’s spirit stood tall, his robes fluttering in the river wind, his back illuminated by a radiant glow.

"I've found you," Qin Hua'an’s spirit spoke, his voice traveling against the wind.

Instantly, a dense, overwhelming power of consciousness filled the space. The sky in the map changed, dark clouds churning—an omen manifested by Qin Hua'an’s spirit. The pressure descended, and the water of the river seemed to evaporate into a thick, misty fog.

"I didn't have a good relationship with Qin Qianqiu; we were rivals. His death was a good thing for me, as it made me my father’s only heir," Qin Hua'an said, looking at An Le with indifference. There was no hatred in his tone. Yet, the heavy, layered pressure of his spirit made it clear he hadn't come for conversation. "But he was my father’s son, my brother. Even if we had different mothers, and even if I envied his favor, we shared the same blood. I promised my father that I would ensure you did not reach the top three, and I must keep my word. So, I have come for you."

An Le looked at him, his robes flowing in the ink-wash breeze. "Are you so confident? Aren't you afraid... that your spirit will be crushed by me, and you will end up at the bottom of the examination?"

Within the thick ink-clouds, drops of black rain began to fall. Qin Hua'an shook his head, his confidence unwavering. "I am third on the Lesser Saint Ranking, at the peak of the Sitting-in-Oblivion realm. My glow is nine feet high, and I am on the verge of transcending to the sixth realm. The gap between us is an abyss. Your spirit is large, but it is only the fourth realm. Unlike Ye Yinping, who has only just entered the Sitting-in-Oblivion realm, you have no chance of defeating me. This examination will only end with me crushing your spirit."

Black electric arcs suddenly crackled around his boat, resembling thunder rolling behind clouds. His method, the "Wind and Thunder Rage," was a top-tier technique obtained from the First Prince. Qin Hua'an had mastered the roar of the wind and the fury of the thunder. He reached out, grasping a bolt of ink-black lightning that roared like a dragon-snake in his hand. The river surged, lifting his skiff ten zhang into the air. Standing atop the massive wave, he looked down at An Le with cold detachment. With a twist of his waist, he hurled the lightning bolt.

It transformed into a roaring dragon-snake, hurtling toward An Le, intent on piercing him through and annihilating his spirit in an instant, crushing him at the very start of the examination!

An Le’s spirit stood motionless on his skiff, his white robes flying. The rain fell faster and faster. The lightning spear shattered droplets, evaporating them into mist. Around An Le, the rain became a roaring waterfall. Every drop began to hum, emitting a clear, sharp sound of swords.

*Sword Waterfall Diagram!*

An Le tapped the air before him. Instantly, countless droplets turned into sword energy, stacking together under his control to form a shield of ink-colored sword energy that shimmered like ice crystals.

*BOOM!*

The lightning spear crashed into the shield, and for a moment, the entire Map of Mountains and Rivers seemed to turn into pure ink!

Qin Hua'an, standing on his ten-zhang wave, watched with cold eyes. He did not believe An Le could withstand him. He was using his peak fifth-realm power to crush him, relying on the sheer superiority of his cultivation. He watched as the surrounding water exploded in currents of electricity.

Yet, Qin Hua'an’s eyes widened as he looked at the skiff. An Le’s spirit was still standing, untouched, with no sign of being crushed.

Qin Hua'an was stunned. "Impossible."

...

Within the map, many candidates crossed paths, some fleeing and others clashing. So far, no spirits had been shattered, as everyone knew that duration was key to scoring. Thus, while the clashes were intense, they were not lethal. But all eyes were now fixed on the river, where An Le and Qin Hua'an faced each other.

Everyone knew of the conflict between the Prime Minister’s house and An Le, and that Qin Hua'an had sought him out deliberately. One of them would surely be crushed. When Qin Hua'an unleashed his "Wind and Thunder Rage," everyone expected an instant victory. Yet, to their shock, An Le, only in the fourth realm, had withstood the attack.

In the Tianxuan Palace, a murmur of astonishment rippled through the crowd. Li You'an smiled; An Le’s spirit was incredibly dense and vast, which allowed him to bridge the gap and block the attack. He had guessed why An Le’s spirit was so extraordinary.

Beside him, the Martial Chief Di Zang also showed surprise. "I never thought An Le would have such terrifying talent in spirit cultivation. I thought he was best suited for body tempering; he has already reached the fourth realm of body tempering, generating profound intent within his inner elixir based on the ancient monster visions from the Martial Chief Stone. To succeed in that is incredibly difficult. His martial path is unimaginable!"

Li You'an nodded. "True geniuses excel in both. The Zhao dynasty has few such talents now. The Yuanmeng Empire occupies the Central Plains and drains the dragon veins, and their geniuses are springing up like bamboo shoots after rain. I have seen many of them on the battlefield. The young marquises and the Chief of the Grand Ancestral Mansion are all extraordinary."

Li You'an sighed. The southern migration of the Zhao dynasty had cost them the dragon veins, making the birth of true prodigies increasingly difficult. He had once submitted a report to the Emperor about this, but the Emperor seemed unconcerned, claiming to have found a substitute. But having seen visions of the future on the cliffs, Li You'an was filled with dread; he knew the Emperor's plan had failed. He leaned toward An Le, for the boy who wielded the future sword energy might be the key to reclaiming the Central Plains.

Just then, the scene in the map shifted, drawing a gasp from the palace.

...

The river exploded, and the ink-colored droplets hung in the air like a beaded curtain. Qin Hua'an stood on his skiff, his expression one of utter shock. He could not understand how a fourth-realm spirit could block his "Wind and Thunder Rage."

Unwilling to accept this, he moved again. His spirit churned, and a sea of ink-black lightning emerged around him. He stood as if bathing in a pool of thunder. Raising his arms, he unleashed a torrent of lightning spears, a barrage like ten thousand arrows descending at once. It was a display of overwhelming power, proving his worth as third on the Lesser Saint Ranking.

Even An Le felt his spirit struggling under the sheer pressure of the onslaught. His "Sword Waterfall" was powerful, but he was only in the fourth realm. *Wait,* he thought. *The future sword energy circling the green mountain.* He had also observed that, and perhaps he could manifest it here!

An Le’s eyes narrowed. He raised his hands and clapped them together. In a flash, the falling ink-rain was forcibly gathered by his spirit. Gradually, a towering ink-colored mountain manifested, spanning the river.

*The green mountain cannot be hidden, for the river must flow east!*

An Le’s spirit manifested the towering green mountain, wreathed in invisible sword energy. He projected his vision of the future sword energy directly into the map. While not a perfect manifestation, the mere intent was extraordinary. The "Sword Waterfall" was equal to the "Wind and Thunder Rage," but when infused with the future sword energy and the green mountain, it far surpassed it!

*CRACK!*

The incoming pool of thunder was torn to shreds by the mountain, as if by a peerless divine blade!

Simultaneously, the "Invincible White Python" intent manifested around An Le, its horns glowing as it roared and coiled around the mountain. An Le felt as if he were gripping the entire mountain in his hands. With a vast surge of consciousness, he swung the mountain down like a giant sword!

The ink-clouds were annihilated! The pool of thunder was shattered! The river itself seemed to be cleaved in two!

Qin Hua'an, despite his powerful spirit and radiant glow, felt a chill of absolute despair. His spirit... could not block this!