While they meditate, I detect threads of consciousness that pluck at the Qi in this void world as if it was a collection of strands of moonlight. I’ve never considered Lan Xiaohui to possess a significant power of consciousness, but this method of unraveling Qi has very steep soul strength and mental strength requirements. It is not yet to a point where she could exert a weak physical influence, like I am capable of, but it is not too far behind my own abilities.

Lan Xiaohui practices the [Emptiness Prana] method which gives significant advantages to cultivating the mind, therefore her improvement can be easily explained, but Wu Yulan is a different case. Wu Yulan possesses mental strength that is, at least, of the same level as Lan Xiaohui’s, though I do not believe that this is necessarily an effect of training or cultivation.

Wu Yulan’s Physique was already advanced even before my intervention, and her mind and soul are likewise also very powerful — evident by her success at the Pagoda of Introspection.

Yet, she still remains an enigma. What cultivation method does she practice? What is the source of her high — and possibly intrinsic — abilities? How many blood points is she worth?

An even greater enigma is this Inner World.

On a fundamental level, I understand the principles on which this particular Secret Sword Realm Nexus formation operates. The elemental and natural laws of the world, once observed, can be theorized, recreated and simulated; they themselves do not change — at least, not on the shorter timescales. Their interactions with each other, on the other hand, is a different matter entirely. The Supreme Dao lurks within the knowledge of these interactions and holds the secret of transcending the universe — the goal of every cultivator.

To begin with, suspecting that this formation is of the forced enlightenment type is not wrong, however, I was mistaken about which entity would receive the enlightenment.

To Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan, this world may seem like a treasure that can recreate specific elemental and natural laws and allow them to unravel the fundamental mysteries of the methods they wish to learn. But to this Inner World, understanding the mechanism through which these natural and elemental laws can combine and interact with the laws of the world — in this case, those within living creatures — is far more valuable than learning a single method. In other words, if this Inner World could learn the mechanism through which this pure Qi of certain laws can extract useful work and energy, then it can recreate every method, manual and martial art of those laws.

The manner in which this Inner World of mine operates is fascinating. The process it uses to select, train, and operate agents is not too dissimilar from a rancher, farmer or butcher. The useful and promising agents receive training and privileges to perform tasks of higher efficiency. The challenges and conditions of progression to the next tier of ability are difficult enough to warrant participation in these experiments. And yet, not only do Wu Yulan and Lan Xiaohui not realize that they are, indeed, like cattle raised to be slaughtered, they are happy about it.

This type of symbiotic relationship is flawless.

Naturally, I would also be capable of creating such an Inner World, but would I truly opt to use this method instead of the countless other methods I could devise?

For the first time in this life, I begin to suspect the original creator of my Inner World. If someone else created it, then that would mean that in this universe there exists an entity that is my equal.

Ten hours pass, and the progress they make is already substantial enough to instantiate the fundamental principles of the [Empty Moon Prana] method.

It is most notable in Lan Xiaohui; the flow of her energy becomes more uniform. Before, it could be said that Lan Xiaohui was always calm, but now, the better description would be “still”.

As they comprehend the fundamentals of [Empty Moon Prana], I also receive the same knowledge from Lan Xiaohui. Like [Emptiness Prana], it emphasizes focus and the elimination of unnecessary thoughts. It likens the mind, soul, thought, and emotion to that of a full moon and then reduces it to lightless nothingness — emptiness. With each breath, the moon dims and the heart and mind become quieter.

I now no longer possess any doubts about whether [Emptiness Prana] is related to [Empty Moon Prana], however, I have even more questions than before.

Why did Lady Yue have the [Emptiness Prana] cultivation method in her possession? There is a possibility that she had somehow obtained [Empty Moon Prana] and developed [Emptiness Prana] from it, similar to how Wu Yulan and Lan Xiaohui developed their own martial arts from [Transient Sword], but I doubt that is the case.

The most likely reason is the potential connection between Lady Yue’s possession of [Emptiness Prana] and the nature of the condition that she gave to Lan Xiaohui for joining her Yue clan: for Lan Xiaohui to join the Galaxy Sword Sect and become a member of the Moon faction which studies the [Empty Moon Prana] cultivation method.

Nearly at the same time that they comprehend the fundamentals of [Empty Moon Prana], I detect a change in the Secret Sword Realm Nexus. It is invisible, but it feels like a ripple passes through the world inside the formation, and the intensity and nature of Qi within it changes; it becomes deeper and more powerful.

[ THIRD LAYER: COMPREHENSION PHASE END. ]

When those words echo through the world, Wu Yulan and Lan Xiaohui snap out of their meditation.

“End…?” Lan Xiaohui murmurs.

“But I haven’t even comprehended the first layer,” Wu Yulan says.

Lan Xiaohui sighs, then looks towards my floating form beside her. “Has it already been three days?” The question itself implies that she thinks I have conscious control over the trials.

“It has only been around twelve hours,” I tell them.

The answer surprises them.

However, I am the one who is truly bewildered by this. This Qi, this change in the environment, and the fact that the “Comprehension phase” has ended already must mean that my Inner World has already comprehended the entirety of [Empty Moon Prana].

Only at this moment do they notice that the dust that had been collecting in front of them, during their meditation, has collected into a large pile.

Before they can ask another question, the world inside the formation trembles once more. There is a flash of white light that illuminates the entire world and when it passes, the pile of sharp dust has changed in appearance: it has turned into two swords hovering in mid-air. One of the swords looks like my vessel, and the other looks like Wu Yulan’s sword.

[ THIRD LAYER: ATTAINMENT PHASE. ]

As the words ring out, the distance between the two and the two swords formed from the pile of dust grows to fifty steps in the span of a breath, and two silhouettes — one white and the other black — appear behind the two swords.

As the silhouettes reach out and each take one of the swords — the white silhouette takes Wu Yulan’s sword replica, and the black silhouette takes my replica — Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan stare at them, thoroughly confused.

Their confusion is understandable. In their minds, they believed that they were supposed to spend three days comprehending [Empty Moon Prana]. They still do not understand that this was not their comprehension phase. The very moment they comprehended the fundamentals of the [Empty Moon Prana], the Inner World had used that knowledge to deduce or comprehend the entirety of it.

I immediately understand the purpose of this third trial and this so-called attainment phase.

“These two silhouettes are versions of you that have fully comprehended the Empty Moon Prana,” I tell them. “They may even have superior knowledge of the other methods you use. If you want to proceed, you will have to defeat them.”

At my words, Wu Yulan’s eyebrows rise in surprise and she even smiles. She certainly understands what kind of opportunity it is, or perhaps even has first-hand experience, to study from someone who possesses the same cultivation methods and martial arts.

Lan Xiaohui, who experienced the brutal difficulty and hardships of the trials, knows that this cannot possibly be as simple as a free learning opportunity.

At this time, the black silhouette extends its arm forward and up, and a black wisp of energy appears on the tip of my replica. The black silhouette draws a full circle with my vessel, and the black trail of light produced by the wisp of sword energy remains in the air, outlining a full circle — an empty moon.

When the silhouette lowers its arm again, and the outline of the moon disappears, an incredibly oppressive sword energy fills the air.

Wu Yulan’s smile freezes on her expression and her pupils shrink to tiny points.

Even Lan Xiaohui’s heart trembles when she feels that silhouette’s chilling sword intent.