Yun Jin quietly reflected. The True Meaning the Lóngzūn had grasped probably leaned toward the cold and shadowed side of water.
That was, after all, one of water's natural aspects.
But still...
It felt a little petty.
The Lóngzūn swallowed the endless sea around him and then condensed it into a massive black water sphere, hurling it straight at Yun Jin.
She narrowed her eyes, but instead of dodging, her mind drifted elsewhere.
Those who mastered a Primordial Force weren't all equal.
There were different levels—first-tier Primordial Force Masters, second-tier Primordial Force Masters—each with vastly different power. If a first-tier faced a second-tier, the weaker one would be crushed instantly.
Among the first-tier Primordial Force Masters, every "seat" was already taken. The earlier one attained enlightenment, the higher their position. For the lower ones to rise, they'd have to wait for someone above them to die and free up a spot.
But that was only for first-tier Primordial Forces.
What about other Primordial Forces?
In other Primordial Forces, only the very first person to comprehend it held the position of Origin Master, an unshakable status.
Every other Primordial Force Master beneath them had to fight for rank with their own strength.
So then, how were those ranks determined?
Even if two cultivators both comprehended a True Meaning, would the Primordial Forces born from those meanings truly be equal?
Probably not.
The Lóngzūn's Primordial Water was filled with cold, biting yin. It was pure, extreme cold.
Her own understanding of the Primordial Force of Yin and Yang told her one thing—everything in existence contained both Yin and Yang. Only when Yin and Yang worked in harmony could the universe remain whole.
Water, too, carried Yin and Yang within its many forms.
She began to ponder.
Walking an extreme path like his might make it easier to touch upon the Primordial Force, but the resulting Primordial Force Master would likely be among the weakest of them all.
Yun Jin suddenly felt a flash of insight. If she chose to follow a single path, she could probably comprehend a water-based True Meaning right now.
But...
She thought she could do better. If possible, she wanted to comprehend the strongest True Meaning under her current circumstances.
With her Primordial Soul's strength, all these thoughts flashed through her mind in the blink of an eye.
By then, the massive black sphere was already before her.
Instead of dodging, Yun Jin stepped right into it. Instantly, she was surrounded by endless darkness and freezing cold. Her body grew heavier, sluggish. But strangely, the feeling wasn't unpleasant.
Activating her Super Enlightenment Mode, she sat cross-legged and began to comprehend patiently. Within this water sphere lay the Lóngzūn's own Primordial Force True Meaning. She had no intention of following such a path, but studying it wouldn't hurt.
The Lóngzūn froze for a moment when he saw her walk straight into his water sphere, then burst into wild laughter.
This woman was insane!
Did she not realize this sphere contained his Primordial Force True Meaning?
And she'd sealed off her own power too. One mistake, and she'd be torn apart by its curse!
He stared at the sphere with eager anticipation.
Time ticked away.
Half a day passed.
Yun Jin finally sighed.
"So that's how it is."
The Lóngzūn's Primordial Force True Meaning was "Black Water."
He'd lived his life deep beneath the sea, where he'd witnessed the abyssal darkness of the deepest ocean. From that black water, he'd drawn enlightenment and created his own Primordial Water. That Black Water was extremely cold, deathly still, and filled with a faint curse.
Yun Jin realized that the chilling weight in her body came from that curse. Anyone else who touched this Black Water True Meaning might die without even knowing why. Right now, her entire body was steeped in that curse.
But she didn't panic.
Standing up within the sphere, she lifted her hand.
A streak of bright blue water appeared at her fingertips. It started as a thin thread, then grew larger and larger until it engulfed the entire black sphere.
The black water vanished.
Yun Jin walked out calmly. She raised her hand again. This time, a column of black water appeared in her palm.
The Lóngzūn's pupils shrank.
That black water...
When had she learned to control it?!
Yun Jin looked at him calmly. "Cursed Black Water, huh? Your True Meaning's not bad. It's at least useful."
As she spoke, a faint aura started to rise from her body. It was the aura of someone about to grasp the Primordial Force.
The Lóngzūn almost lost his mind.
That aura—
It was his! It was his Black Water True Meaning!
Yun Jin had actually copied it!
At this rate, she could comprehend a Primordial Force in an instant!
Half a day! In just half a damn day, she'd learned his entire True Meaning!
What kind of monster was she?!
Despair began to set in. But then... he blinked.
What the hell?
Yun Jin was about to succeed, yet she suddenly stopped right before the final step. He froze, completely baffled.
She peeled the black water off her fingertip and frowned slightly. "This True Meaning's too weak."
Then she waved her hand, and the black water vanished. In the next moment, her aura dropped, and she exited her comprehension state completely.
The Lóngzūn: "???"
The sea beasts: "???"
Was she serious right now?!
She was this close to comprehending the Primordial Water! And she just gave up?
And complained that his True Meaning wasn't strong enough?!
Everyone was stunned. Even the Lóngzūn's face looked like it might explode any second.
"You still have two and a half days," Yun Jin said calmly.
Even though she'd rejected that True Meaning, her understanding of the water-based Primordial Force had already reached perfection. Whether she could truly comprehend it now depended entirely on how much more effort the Lóngzūn put in.
He clenched his teeth and attacked again.
Another half-day passed.
He went all out, but Yun Jin was still fine, even cheerful. Her control over the water element only became smoother and more refined.
Gradually, her manipulation of water began to form a pattern.
The Lóngzūn realized what was happening. If this kept up, she'd soon comprehend her own True Meaning. And once that happened...
It'd be his death.
No, no, no.
He couldn't let this continue. He glanced back at the Ink Sea Dragon Clan behind him, then gritted his teeth.
The decision tore at him, but it was the only way to survive. He turned sharply and flew toward his clan.
Yun Jin blinked, thinking he was going to call for help. She didn't plan to stop him.
"Lóngzūn, don't worry, we'll fight by your side!" an elder of the Ink Sea Dragon Clan shouted without hesitation.
The next instant, the Lóngzūn appeared before him.
The elder barely finished speaking when—
The Lóngzūn raised his hand.
The elder froze.
In the next heartbeat, the Dragon blood within his body was forcibly drawn out by the Lóngzūn.
===
I just finished migrating my Xianxia Handbook to AO3. If you haven't read the Webnovel version yet, or if you read it before this announcement, I highly suggest checking it out. I've made some changes and added extra information.
If the Webnovel version felt a bit dense or "full" of narration, this AO3 version might be easier to follow since I included bullet points for clarity.
I don't plan on adding any major new content to the handbook since I think it already covers the core and most important aspects of the Xianxia genre. Future updates will probably just focus on cultivation stages and formal titles.