"Zūnshàng, I've remembered it. I'll work hard in my cultivation."
Jian Dan smiled and motioned for Jia Yushu to sit before she continued.
"Transforming the five elemental forces into all things is the most basic skill. Not only does it refine your fine control over spiritual power, it also tempers your divine sense. Without a proper divine sense cultivation method, this technique can train it all the way until you reach the Nascent Soul stage."
The young ones listened intently, committing the words of their Zūnshàng to memory, already planning to begin practicing when they returned today.
"When your control over spiritual power becomes more precise, with the same reserves, others might be able to cast at most eight Fireball Techniques. You will be able to release ten. Do not underestimate those extra two fireballs. At the decisive moment, they can turn the tide in your favor."
The little ones nodded in agreement. It was obvious, even without Zūnshàng's reminder.
"The same applies to swordsmanship. From the formation of sword qi, to shaping it into form, then advancing to higher sword force, and finally to establishing a sword domain—each step requires absolute mastery of your spiritual power."
As Jian Dan spoke, the youngsters kept their brushes moving, jotting everything down. Anything they did not understand could be asked of their elders later.
"Alright, there's still some time left. Let's start by practicing how to form a sphere."
That drew smiles. This was easy. One by one, they began using their spiritual power to shape spheres in their palms. By the time the lesson ended, nearly everyone could form a sphere using their preferred element.
Jian Dan nodded in approval. These were indeed the clan's most promising young elites—they had skill.
With a wave of her hand, three-dimensional shapes appeared in the air: triangles, squares, trapezoids, and even complex polyhedra.
"Go back and practice transforming your spiritual power into these shapes. Not just with one type of spiritual power—use gold, wood, water, fire, and earth interchangeably."
"Yes, Zūnshàng."
The small satisfaction of mastering the sphere faded from the children's faces.
With Jian Dan's permission, they crowded forward to memorize the shapes in detail, planning to try them out once home.
As the class dispersed, Yu Jiajia lingered at the back, sidling up with a bright grin, revealing small white teeth.
"Zūnshàng!"
Jian Dan arched an eyebrow, teasing with a smile. "Calling me so sweetly—what favor do you want?"
"Zūnshàng, I just want to learn that piece you played earlier."
"You've got quite the eye for picking things."
Jian Dan chuckled, producing a blank jade slip. She recorded the sheet music for Water Dragon Chant into it and handed it over.
"I'm not a music cultivator, so my guidance will be limited. But remember, music cultivators require a strong divine sense. You cannot neglect its training."
"Yes, Zūnshàng, Jia Jia understands."
Yu Jiajia responded solemnly, accepting the jade slip with both hands before storing it in her pouch. After bowing in farewell, she headed back to the inner peak to find her Ancestor.
With the lesson over, Jian Dan rode her light and returned to the Law Enforcement Hall.
She had barely stepped inside and not yet reached her desk when Wei Zhengrong entered the hall carrying a jade slip.
"Zūnshàng, fresh news from the Intelligence Hall. The Purple Sky Sect discovered a blood sac on one of its affiliated trial peaks. They lost quite a few cultivators before Xiao Yong Zūnzhǔ and Xiao Rong Zūnzhǔ destroyed it together."
Jian Dan frowned slightly, taking the jade slip and reading its contents.
Since parting with Xiao Yong Zūnzhǔ at Cloud Sea Sect, they had kept in touch.
After the evil cultivator incidents, and later the emergence of the blood sacs, Jian Dan had privately sent him a message. The Heavenly Sword Sect had also sent a flying sword letter to Purple Sky Sect.
Xiao Yong had been very cautious. In other sects, blood sacs had been found in the mountains near their affiliated cities, so he led the cultivators of the Zixing Pavilion to comb every mountain within their domain.
Yet despite scouring the surrounding ranges, they found nothing. He had almost believed Purple Sky Sect free of the threat.
But the truth struck quickly. Shortly after returning to the sect, an outer disciple staggered to the inner gate with his last breath to report that his trial team on Ziyi Peak had been lured by beasts into a trap. Nearly the entire team perished—only he escaped.
The Inner Gate's Mission Hall immediately dispatched cultivators to investigate the site and confirm the location of the ambush. That investigation team never returned. Only then did the Inner Hall report it to the Zixing Pavilion.
Xiao Yong Zūnzhǔ had always suspected that if evil cultivators had placed blood sacs in the other great sects, they would not spare Purple Sky Sect. Upon hearing the report from the Zixing Guards, he immediately summoned his cousin Xiao Rong Zūnzhǔ to accompany him to Ziyi Peak.
With both Zūnzhǔ present and a guide to lead them, they tracked the moving blood sac. The moment they intercepted it as it was leaving Ziyi Peak, Xiao Yong's long-held fury erupted.
Joined by Xiao Rong, he unleashed his power without restraint, nearly flattening Ziyi Peak, and destroyed the blood sac completely.
Jian Dan shook her head as she read the jade slip. For a blood sac to infiltrate deep into the sect's territory, she could imagine Xiao Yong Zūnzhǔ's anger. She would have felt no different in his place.
"Aside from the losses on Ziyi Peak, the inner peak's restricted areas weren't attacked, correct?"
"The inner peak wasn't harmed, but because of the Ziyi Peak incident, Xiao Yong Zūnzhǔ requested permission from Zi Qing Zhenzūn to lead a thorough investigation there."
Wei Zhengrong answered promptly, grateful he had asked the right questions beforehand.
Jian Dan nodded. "Tell the Intelligence Hall to keep monitoring Purple SkySect. If their inner peak investigation uncovers any problems, report to me immediately."
"Yes, Zūnshàng."
She was concerned about the spatial rift that Zūnzhǔ Jian Jun and the others were examining. It lay near a spatial node guarded by Purple Sky Sect. If a blood sac had already infiltrated, there was no telling what could be tampered with.
"Zūnshàng, the blood sac's sudden exposure—could it be part of some plot?"
"Not bad. You're getting sharper to think of that."
Jian Dan set the jade slip down and explained.
"Across all sects, four blood sacs have already been destroyed. If they were feeding that evil cultivator, losing nearly half his supply would make the remaining sacs work harder to lure cultivators. More disappearances and deaths will inevitably draw attention. Of course, we cannot rule out other possibilities."
"That makes sense."
"Which is why I want you to keep following up on Purple Sky Sect's situation."
"Yes, Zūnshàng. Understood."
Wei Zhengrong withdrew to give instructions to the Intelligence Hall, increasing their surveillance on Purple Sky Sect. He also needed to finish sorting through a century's worth of unverified Cloud Sea Sect information collected in the demon territory—another task Jian Dan had given him.
The Law Enforcement Hall had barely quieted when Jian Wu stepped in. "Zūnshàng, the Tianyue Squad returned to the sect a few days ago. They await your summons outside the hall."
"Good. Bring them in."
Nine members of the Tianyue Squad entered, standing respectfully in the grand hall.
"Greetings, Hall Master Jian Lu!"