Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior

Hearing Su Mu directly call him Zen Heart, Zen Heart burst into hearty laughter a few times, while Su Mu paid it no mind and simply gathered up the two jars of Blood Marrow. Very soon, Su Mu opened the third iron chest.

With a glance, Su Mu felt rather disappointed. This third iron chest held neither the Martial Arts Secret Manual nor the Daoist Secret Manual that he had hoped for.

Instead, it was merely filled with yellow and white items.

"Roughly ten thousand taels or so. I’ll keep it for now."

Su Mu, somewhat disheartened, swept everything into the Sumeru Ring. At this moment, Zen Heart had already pulled out more than ten steel nails, while Su Mu withdrew the Crimson Flame Spear and sat right down on the ground.

"I, Lin, have a few questions I’d like to ask."

"Young benefactor, you may speak freely."

"I once heard in the early stage of Buddhist Martial Arts that there is no division among schools. I wonder, Zen Heart, have you attained the Little Vajra Secret Realm?"

Upon hearing this, Zen Heart was not surprised, as if he had long expected Su Mu to ask so. He shook his head, though his tone carried a hint of pride, "Had I not suffered this calamity, perhaps there was a chance. As of now, I’ve merely caught a glimpse."

"Why is that? I’ve heard that upon reaching the Twelfth Body Tempering Realm, one could enter the Little Vajra Secret Realm."

"Indeed, in the Pre-Qin Era, that was the case. But it’s not so anymore; even upon reaching the Twelfth Body Tempering Realm, one now requires a secret technique to step into the Secret Realm. Young benefactor, you saved my life, but this concerns the inheritance of my Vajra Lineage and cannot be spoken lightly."

At these words, Zen Heart suddenly opened his mouth wide, then spat out a petite lotus-shaped seal from his belly.

"Young benefactor, you may take this Dharma Seal to Vajra Temple and recount what happened today. With this fate, perhaps you may obtain it."

"Alright."

So it is that Dharma cannot be passed lightly down; this has always been the way.

Zen Heart had already pointed out a path. Upon hearing this, Su Mu did not inquire further. Before his palm even touched the Dharma Seal, a surge of Power erupted on its own, instantly dispersing the filth upon the seal. When it fell into his palm, it already gleamed with crystalline luster.

"Young benefactor, you are truly extraordinary!"

Seeing this, Zen Heart’s eyes shone brightly. Unable to hold back a compliment, he then pulled out two more steel nails, while Su Mu, after taking the Dharma Seal, posed another question.

"Second question: Among all the Dharma Gates of the world, can Buddhism, Martial Arts, Confucian Dao, and Gu be cultivated together?"

"A Martial Artist is solitary, relying on no external force, cultivating only his own body. If he wishes for mastery, he cannot practice multiple arts together; as for the rest, all are possible."

Receiving the same answer as the Pharmacist had given, Su Mu mulled over this but did not take it as absolute truth. He possessed a unique Comprehension interface, his comprehension could be increased without limit. One day, he would surely surpass all the world’s strongest and ancient sages.

What others in this world cannot achieve, Su Mu just might.

"Third question: Above Pill Force, what is the Fifth Refining Force?"

"I have read in ancient texts that this Realm is called: Gang Force."

Gang Force?

Su Mu’s eyes shone instantly. He asked again, "What is Gang Force?"

"Power held firm as a pill, liquefied and then solidified—that is Pill Force. Yet even with Pill Force, it is still hard to achieve external projection of Power. Gang Force is the further condensation of Pill Force, and after a qualitative change, achieves the mystery of projecting Power outward... However, in the records, this stage is only briefly mentioned. As for how to proceed further, this old monk only knows a little."

Pill Force condensed further, transforming until Power can be projected outward!

Su Mu’s eyes sparkled with brilliance. Not long ago, he had already attempted to break through to the Fifth Refining Force, but could not find the direction. Now with Zen Heart’s answers,

it was like the clouds parted to reveal the blue sky!

For others, knowing just this might be pointless, but for Su Mu—who had now reached Dragon-and-Phoenix Level comprehension, with Inference Talent—a single direction, a bit of guidance was enough!

Setting aside the rest, just finding the path to the Fifth Refining Force made this trip worthwhile, its rewards immense. Not to mention, he also obtained the Lotus Seal and Gongsun Xin’s belongings.

At this, Su Mu sought Zen Heart’s guidance on several more matters, which Zen Heart answered one by one. When Zen Heart finally pulled out the last steel nail from his body, Su Mu’s eyes flickered. Suddenly, he noticed a streak of Destiny’s spiritual light on Zen Heart that was clearer than what he had seen on the poetry-begging beggar or Qinghe.

"Interesting. It seems Destiny is also linked to a person’s situation... Previously, when there was certain death, Destiny was hidden, but now, like a caged bird set free, Destiny returns?"

Su Mu considered this, and found Zen Heart even more remarkable. With Zen Heart around, Taiping Dao would hardly remain peaceful from now on.

At that moment, a flash of Spiritual Light appeared in Su Mu’s hand as he passed over a set of clothes and a bottle of Blood-Strengthening Pills.

"Thank you for your gifts, young benefactor."

Zen Heart placed his palms together, accepted them without ceremony, swallowed an entire bottle of Blood-Strengthening Pills on the spot, then changed into the clothes. The two of them then left the dark chamber together.

Outside the prison, Yan Xiaolan had been waiting for some time. When she saw the bald man beside Su Mu, looking like a ’dried corpse,’ she couldn’t help but jump in surprise.

"Amitabha Buddha, benefactors, this old monk takes his leave now. If fate allows, we shall meet again!"

Having left the underground prison, Zen Heart did not linger after his escape, quickly bidding farewell, while Yan Xiaolan handed over the silver notes and other valuables she’d scavenged from the corpses.

Su Mu waved his hand and did not take them. He no longer lacked such yellow and white goods, nor did he care for common Martial Arts Secret Manuals.

"I have no use for these things. We can’t stay here much longer."

Just before parting, Su Mu set the place ablaze. As the flames roared, he finally spoke to Yan Xiaolan.

"My surname is Li... You should already know my name. Everything that happened tonight—you may tell anyone that it was I who did it. Until we meet again."

At these words, Yan Xiaolan felt her nose sting, her eyes growing wet at the corners.

Su Mu had not decided this on a whim; he’d long planned it. First, although he had acted at Yan Xiaolan’s request, the people involved were indeed all killed by him. Even if time were turned back, Su Mu would act the same—the acts of the Taiping Demon Dao deserved death, countless times over.

Secondly, Li Feiyu was just a false identity. Su Mu, already in debt with many foes, did not fear adding more: exterminating Gongsun Xin meant offending Canghe County’s Demon Slayer Director, Zhao Pingyuan, and he’d always been at irreconcilable odds with the Black Mountain Army. Adding Taiping Dao to the list was nothing.

"Elder Lin—no, Elder Li... thank you!"

Yan Xiaolan bowed deeply with fists clasped toward Su Mu’s departing figure, loudly expressing her gratitude.

"Elder Lin’s surname is Li... In the Three Counties, only the Silver Order Blade Catcher, ’Unparalleled Boxing and Stick Skills Li Feiyu’ has such unfathomable strength—except Elder Li wields a spear?"

Yan Xiaolan came to herself, but soon realized that was beside the point.

"Elder Li is even stronger than the rumors say, his methods more ruthless... Father always said that chivalry is doing justice as a knight; Elder Li is a good man, truly a real knight!"

Yan Xiaolan’s heart was full of admiration and respect for Su Mu.

Su Mu did not know what Yan Xiaolan was thinking. He turned and quickly walked away from the estate—not only because it was dangerous to linger, but because the Power of Fortune in his brow was becoming impossible to contain.

"So be it. I’ll use this Destiny to fully infer Gang Force!"

...