Yelan shifted her gaze away, feeling a little guilty.
Learning assassination techniques in Mount Shu was indeed a bit odd, but…
She genuinely liked this cultivation method.
"Yellow-Rank Supreme Technique: Hero's Walk."
"In ten steps, kill one man; a thousand miles, leave no trace.
When the deed is done, brush off your robe, conceal both merit and fame.
"Once the mainstream assassination technique of the top killer organization of the cultivation world — Nether Yuluo.
"From Heaven-rank gold medal killers down to Yellow-rank novices, all were required to master it.
"Hero's Walk fuses stealth, spellcraft, and swordsmanship into one comprehensive killing art.
"Activate it, and the body becomes a phantom in the dark — darting shadows, blades from ambush, one strike, one kill, vanish a thousand miles away.
"Blooming in slaughter, like a flower at dawn.
"The more lives taken, the stronger the technique becomes.
"Back then, the third-ranked assassin of Nether Yuluo, Mingyue, once used it to slay a Refining Void into Dao demonic cultivator — shocking the world.
"Note: This method carries excessive killing intent. Any disciple who cultivates it must maintain a tranquil mind.
"Plow in the darkness, serve in the light.
"To kill in order to end killing — is that not the deed of a hero?"
This was the true content of the jade slip in Yelan's hand.
A top-tier assassination art: Hero's Walk.
Though clearly annotated as being overly murderous, and requiring continual killings to strengthen it — which didn't sound exactly righteous — Yelan saw no problem with it.
After all, the world had no shortage of villains. Must they really be persuaded with words?
And considering her own line of work, this kind of method hardly clashed with her principles. She was already accustomed to dirty work.
Now with Hero's Walk, Yelan would become Mount Shu's undisputed queen of assassins.
Intelligence gathering, silent kills, infiltration behind enemy lines… things once difficult would now be effortless.
This was fate's choice for her. No matter what, she would not abandon it.
Besides — if such a technique was in the Sutra Pavilion, why wouldn't it be learned?
It is the wielder who commands the art, not the other way around.
Once that is understood, even the supreme technique of killers becomes a blade against demons and fiends.
After listening to Yelan's explanation, Furina could somewhat grasp the situation.
Put simply…
The more she killed, the stronger she became.
How could that not be murderous?
But then — where would Yelan find so many people to kill?
And really, would ordinary foes even require her to use Hero's Walk? One slap from her would crush a group already.
Furina hesitated, gazing at Yelan.
"Yelan… maybe think again? This cultivation seems far too bloody. If you accidentally break Mount Shu's precepts someday…"
Yelan shook her head softly.
"This is my fate. I won't change it.
"And besides, this is a Yellow-Rank supreme technique with incredible growth potential. If it were you… would you throw it away?"
Furina fell silent.
Risky? Yes. But also… powerful.
If given to her, she wasn't sure she'd part with it either.
"Don't worry. I know my limits. I won't break the sect rules."
Yelan tucked the jade slip away, her voice calm.
"Besides, even so-called demonic arts can be used to slay demons. Hero's Walk is simply more murderous, but I can restrain myself.
"I can infiltrate the Nine Nether Secret Realm and assassinate savage fiends.
"Assassinating monsters will strengthen me just as well.
"And there are no shortage of heinous humans either — like that Fatui Doctor. Killing him would surely count as ridding the world of evil."
"It's not what the art is, but how it is used that matters."
Her words snapped Furina and Clorinde from their worry.
Yelan was, after all, someone who had passed six rounds of the Heart-Testing Array. Her will was firm. She wouldn't stray lightly.
Their worries had been needless.
Furina stopped pressing, though curiosity remained.
"So… what did it feel like when you found this method? What exactly is 'fate's guidance'?"
Yelan pondered, then shook her head.
"It's hard to describe. Like some unseen voice kept urging me this way.
"When I saw the jade slip, I knew instantly I had to take it.
"Perhaps it's just… intuition."
Intuition…
Furina fell silent, her gaze drifting toward the depths of the path.
If it was intuition — then it called from there.
She turned and found Clorinde staring the same way, both clearly sensing something.
Seeing this, Yelan offered lightly:
"Then let me accompany you to find your techniques."
Furina blinked in surprise.
"You've already found yours. Shouldn't you hurry back and start cultivating?"
Yelan shook her head.
"There's no rush. The Sutra Pavilion can only be entered once a week. Of course I'll explore as much as I can.
"Senior Ganyu once said — the Sect Master encourages us to create our own methods, to stand on the shoulders of our predecessors.
"That's still far off for me, but I can begin preparing now.
"Besides…"
Yelan sighed helplessly.
"Though Hero's Walk itself isn't a big deal, it will have to be registered. Just like Senior Lisa's Soul Burning Hellfire Art was.
"I'll need to think carefully about how I word mine."
At that, Furina and Clorinde exchanged knowing smiles and let the matter rest.
With Yelan alongside, their search would be less lonely.
Elsewhere, others had made their choices.
The Hundred-Topics trio and the other Qixing quickly settled on their arts.
Not as impressive as Yelan's Hero's Walk, but far superior to outer sect manuals — at least Yellow-Rank upper-grade.
Having chosen, none rushed to leave. Instead, they explored the Sutra Pavilion itself — for beyond its manuals, it was a marvel of Mount Shu.
One visit a week — every moment counted.
Xingqiu and Chongyun, meanwhile, had a curious twist of fate.
Separating at first, they nonetheless arrived at the same place.
And their chosen arts… lay side by side.
A paired dual art.
Its name: A Love to Move Heaven and Earth.
Xingqiu took Love to Move the City; Chongyun took Passion Eternal.
Alone, each was no more than a Yellow-Rank upper-grade technique.
But together, with united will, their combined strike rivaled a Xuan-Rank supreme method.
They were both thrilled with its strength, but…
That name.
A Love to Move Heaven and Earth.
Was it not a little… suspicious?
They were close friends, yes, often adventuring together, even sharing beds when traveling.
But wasn't that brotherhood?
Xingqiu might look delicate, but he was a proper young man.
And Chongyun, though close to him, had no taste for such things.
Of course… their families weren't so sure.
Especially Chongyun's.
He was the only heir of the Chong family. They needed him to pass on the line.
Xingqiu's father, though less pressing since he was only the second son, had once remarked: If Xingqiu truly preferred men… I would not understand, but I could accept.
Thus both families already suspected something.
Now, with them holding A Love to Move Heaven and Earth…
Wasn't this confirmation?!
What more was there to doubt?
Both young men were mortified. They couldn't even meet each other's gaze.
Not taking it felt wrong.
But taking it…
They'd be locked together for life. Anyone who saw them would smirk knowingly.
And worst of all — Shenhe was in Mount Shu.
If she thought Chongyun was straying, she might well beat the two within an inch of their lives.
Xingqiu didn't mind, but Chongyun was the only son.
As his aunt, Shenhe had every right to oversee his "continuation of the family line."
Even Xingqiu's older brother was in the outer sect, watching closely. One glimpse of this would leave them branded forever.
After long hesitation, they silently pocketed the jade slips.
Forget propriety — they were cultivators!
Strength came first.
And if brotherly "affection" brought immortality, well, so be it.
Besides… once immortal, family continuation hardly mattered.
With celestial power, Chongyun could always help his parents bear another child.
Yet as the thought crossed his mind, a chill ran down his spine.
Nothing had even happened yet — why was his mind going there already?
Damn this Love to Move Heaven and Earth!
Chongyun stowed the jade slip quickly, glancing at Xingqiu.
But before he could speak, Xingqiu cut in firmly:
"Let's… go take a look around the Sutra Pavilion?"
"Uh… I was just about to say that…"
An uncanny harmony sparked between them, making the air unbearably awkward.
They hurriedly turned away, walking forward side by side without meeting eyes.
Aside from those two and their bizarre fate, the others chose more conventional paths.
Kazuha and Tighnari, for example, leaned toward sword arts, spellcraft, and archery.
Each method was formidable.
Kazuha in particular discovered a renowned sword style: Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryū.
Originally a branch of the Shadow Sword sect, it had integrated Mount Shu Sword Control Arts into a devastating style.
The moment Kazuha saw it, he knew: this was the sword path he would devote his life to.
According to the jade slip, fully mastering its essence could elevate it to a top Earth-Rank technique.
And it suited him perfectly.
Even at initial mastery, with his cultivation at the Refining Essence into Qi peak, he could already rival the Raiden Shogun in swordsmanship — perhaps even surpass her, given a good artifact.
A boundless future awaited.
Overall, most found powerful arts well-suited to them, and left content.
Even Xingqiu and Chongyun, for all their embarrassment, couldn't help but secretly smile behind their hands.
But of course… there were still plenty whose choices were anything but ordinary.
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