Jiang Yan paid extra attention to the Investiture of the Gods and God-Beating Whip—as expected, he kept finding more scattered across other places.
A conservative estimate put the total at over a hundred Investiture of the Gods.
It seemed that back in the day, many nations had pledged allegiance to Mount Shu.
But that wasn't something he particularly cared about.
After collecting all the spiritual artifacts he needed, Jiang Yan left the dazzling sect treasury.
Back in the sect's grand hall, he spread out a massive pile of spiritual artifacts before him.
At once, the great hall shone with brilliant Unity Divine Light, radiant beams soaring skyward.
Wealth like this—anyone who saw it would be green with envy.
Jiang Yan sighed inwardly, then thought of the many disciples now picking their cultivation methods in the Sutra Pavilion.
By his estimate, they should be about done choosing.
He released his spiritual sense to check on them—and fell silent at what he saw.
He had thought that when the inner sect disciples chose their techniques, there wouldn't be too many outrageous picks.
Things like demonic arts or beast-cultivation should, at most, be rare exceptions.
But reality proved his imagination far too limited.
This generation of new disciples joining Mount Shu—especially the inner sect ones—had thoroughly taught him a lesson.
No "seeking another path"?
It was more like—no normal cultivators at all!
At this rate, the name of the Mount Shu Sword Sect would vanish, replaced by the title of the world's largest gathering ground for demonic cultivators!
The only thing that gave Jiang Yan a sliver of comfort was that the outer sect and menial disciples weren't so wild.
Most chose relatively standard arts—sword techniques, saber techniques, and so on.
While none of them came across anything like what Ganyu and the others had—techniques that could evolve and ascend into higher forms—their choices were still decent given their fated opportunities.
But when Jiang Yan looked at the jade slips chosen by the inner sect disciples, the ones he had placed high hopes upon, his head began to ache.
Talents, all of them—just not in the direction he expected.
One hour earlier.
Ganyu and the others had watched as the new disciples filed into the Sutra Pavilion.
Over a thousand disciples entered, followed by a steady stream of menial disciples arriving afterward.
Altogether, nearly four thousand people stepped into the Sutra Pavilion.
Yet the Pavilion showed no signs of overcrowding.
The truth was, the management of menial disciples had been casually arranged by Yunqing and the others after they finished with the outer sect disciples.
Unlike outer sect disciples, who could qualify as inner sect disciples by reaching the proper cultivation, passing the three-layer Heart-Testing Array, and meeting standards—
The menial disciples faced a far stricter path.
Their yearly assessment not only required cultivation to reach the benchmark and the Heart-Testing Array to be passed, but also demanded a spotless record throughout the year.
Otherwise, they would remain menial disciples for life—or even be expelled from Mount Shu.
And yet, being a menial disciple of Mount Shu was still an enviable honor.
Upon entering, Furina and the others were startled to find that the Sutra Pavilion was far larger than it appeared from the outside.
The first floor alone was as vast as all of Teyvat.
"Supposedly, the second floor is only for those who've reached Spirit Transformation. It mainly holds Profound-grade techniques," Baiwen explained naturally, stepping into the role of guide. She'd heard bits and pieces from Ningguang earlier, though she herself was also astonished.
"The second floor?" Beidou frowned slightly, recalling, "I checked before coming in—the Pavilion looks like it has five floors from the outside."
"If the divisions follow the rankings of Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow—then the third floor should hold Earth-grade techniques for Return-to-Void cultivators, the fourth should hold Heaven-grade for Unity-of-Void cultivators…"
"And the fifth floor…"
Baiwen fell silent for a moment, then said in a low voice:
"According to rumor, it contains immortal arts."
"Immortal arts? Even those?!" Hu Tao's eyes widened. The deeper she learned about cultivation, the more she understood how terrifying anything tied to immortals was.
Even the weakest newly ascended earth-immortal could crush Teyvat—and even the Imaginary Tree of the Quantum Sea—in their palm.
So the fifth floor's immortal arts…
"That's not surprising," Alhaitham interjected, shaking his head as he examined the surroundings with keen interest.
"Mount Shu is the strongest sect in the cultivation world. Even in the Immortal Realm, it is a hegemon. With a heritage counted in yuanhui cycles, having immortal arts is only natural. But these things have nothing to do with us, so don't dwell on them."
"Chasing far-off dreams is never wise."
His words snapped the group back to reality.
Immortal arts were wonderful, but…
they had no chance of touching them—at least not anytime soon.
"That's odd," Hu Tao muttered. "The Sect Master is only at the peak of Return-to-Void, yet he's already mastered countless immortal arts—and the legendary Seventy-Two Earth Fiend Techniques. Who says you can't wield immortal techniques without ascending?"
Furina stared blankly at her, then finally asked, "You just started mid Refining-Essence-into-Qi, and you're comparing yourself to the Sect Master?"
Hu Tao flushed, realizing her exaggeration, but still crossed her arms defiantly. "So what? Thinking about it isn't a crime!"
Yelan shook her head softly. "Thinking, no. But saying it aloud—maybe. Our senior brother Xiao from Dragonhead Peak reveres the Sect Master like a living god. If he heard that, he'd lecture you to no end. And don't forget, you're a Dragonhead Peak disciple yourself."
Hu Tao pulled a face, exasperated. "Fine, fine! I won't say it again, okay?"
Just thinking of being a Dragonhead Peak disciple, with Zhongli as her head, left her irritable. She was still sore from having been tricked by Zhongli earlier.
"The Sect Master practicing immortal arts is only natural," Uncle Tian chuckled, his eyes gleaming ever since entering Mount Shu. "I heard from Ningguang and Keqing—the Sect Master possesses the legendary Innate Dao Body. That's an innate physique even more terrifying than a divine body. For him, cultivating immortal techniques without having ascended is normal—it's the only way to fully unleash his gifts."
"We can't compare to the Sect Master. Not even to Klee, Lumine, or Paimon."
Yaoguang Star nodded in agreement. "Klee has the Crimson Emperor's Heaven-Burning Physique, cultivating the Crimson Emperor's Heaven-Burning Art—the same art Elder Xuanxi once practiced, reaching Golden Immortal. That Sutra itself contains immortal arts."
"Lumine cultivates the simplified True Sword of Divine Thunder—one of the Sect Master's signature immortal sword arts. Do you remember the thunder that split Teyvat apart that day?"
Everyone nodded.
"That was during the Sect Master's tribulation at Return-to-Void. With the Divine Thunder Sword Art, he controlled the forces of heaven and earth and forcibly erased the lightning tribulation. Had that strike fallen on Teyvat, the continent would've been split in two."
"They say once Lumine breaks through to Spirit Transformation, the Sect Master will pass her the true Divine Thunder Sword Art."
"As for Paimon, she's cultivating the Fundamental Treatise of Spells—a compendium that encompasses all spells under heaven. The outer sect elders once had their minds controlled by the Sect Master's spells, which all came from this Treatise. And when she reaches Spirit Transformation, he'll pass her one of the Eight Great Divine Spells—the Purify Heaven-and-Earth Mantra, a renowned immortal art."
"Divine bodies are fundamentally different from us. Even if they cultivate steadily, in a few millennia Klee and the others are destined to ascend."
Her voice trailed into a sigh.
Cultivation aptitude was an insurmountable chasm.
Even if ordinary cultivators ascended, they might scrape by as earth-immortals—exhausted, only to become cannon fodder in the Immortal Realm.
But divine bodies—earth-immortal was merely a stage. They would inevitably continue to climb higher.
Effort determined the floor. Talent determined the ceiling.
Cultivation had never been fair.
The three divine bodies—like Klee—would never lack resources. Jiang Yan always prepared everything perfectly for them.
Geniuses always had privileges.
"So… just how many immortal arts does the Sect Master even have?!" Furina asked suddenly.
This time, the group was stunned. After a pause, Baixiao muttered, "Supposedly, a great many."
"The True Sword of Divine Thunder, the Mount Shu Sword Canon, the Daoist Eight Divine Spells, the Seventy-Two Earth Fiend Techniques…"
"But after all, he's the Sect Master. Having countless immortal arts is only natural."
Tartaglia suddenly grew curious. "The Mount Shu Sword Canon—is that an extension of sword-flight?"
"No, to be precise, it is sword-flight," Baiwen replied firmly, his tone tinged with awe. "That's why Mount Shu's true heritage isn't in flashy treasures, but in the very foundation we all received when we entered."
"Perhaps you don't realize—every Mount Shu disciple must learn Sword Control Art. At first glance it's just a simple Yellow-grade technique. But if you continue to refine it, ultimately it becomes the Sword Command Art—an immortal art."
Everyone was stunned, staring at him in disbelief.
"You mean to say… from the moment we entered, we already possessed an immortal art?" Clorinde pressed, and Baiwen nodded.
"Once Sword Command reaches its peak, the Sect Master will help disciples comprehend its ultimate forms—the legendary Three Divine Swords of Mount Shu."
"The Myriad Sword Art. The Heavenly Sword Art. The Divine Sword Art."
"These are the Three Divine Swords of Mount Shu. To master even one is to grasp an immortal-level offensive art."
"That is Mount Shu's true foundation. That's what Lady Ningguang—Senior Sister Ningguang—told me."
"Right now, Senior Sister Keqing and Head Disciple Zhongli have already mastered Mountain-Crushing Tremor and Wave-Calming Tranquility."
"Beyond that lie ultimate sword-arts like Heaven-Rending Slash, Free-Spirited Sword, Demon-Subduing Sword Control."
"According to sect tradition, every Mount Shu disciple may master one of the Three Divine Swords. That's what the sect hopes for."
The group exchanged looks, each seeing the shock in the others' eyes.
"Thank you for telling us. Otherwise, we might've squandered an immortal art without even knowing it," Clorinde said sincerely.
Baiwen shook his head. "No need. Even if I didn't tell you, tomorrow during the Sect Master's lecture on Sword Command, he would've reminded you."
"That's not the same thing," Tighnari said, shaking his head. His gaze then turned to a jade slip floating before him.
It gleamed like golden jade, hovering up and down with lively energy.
Intrigued, Tighnari reached out to touch it—
But Baiwen suddenly shouted in alarm.
"Wait! Don't touch that!"
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