Invincible Under Heaven

The World

"To die... or to live a fate worse than death."

Li Xian listened, not with fear, but with a faint smile.

"If such a thing truly were to happen, it would only mean one thing."

He paused, gazing at Zhou Juechen.

"I am not strong enough."

Zhou Juechen was taken aback.

"There are still people stronger than me."

Li Xian turned his head to look into the distance. In his eyes gleamed a light that Zhou Juechen could scarcely bear to meet.

"I am not truly invincible yet."

He stretched out his hand, fingers slightly curled, as if to touch or grasp something.

"There is still a road ahead of me."

At this moment, a genuine smile blossomed on his face.

"Tell me, is this not something to rejoice at?"

Sometimes, a person smiles when lost for words.

It could also be...

A true speechlessness.

Just like at this moment, Zhou Juechen found himself utterly speechless, not knowing what to say.

Li Xian looked at him.

He did not need him to understand.

Nor did it matter whether he did or not.

However...

Because of the favor owed for the Five Elements Method, he ultimately said one more thing than he otherwise would have.

"There is great terror in the midst of life and death!"

Li Xian said, "Only through battles on the line of life and death can one touch the soul, bring about an explosive emotional outburst, catch a glimpse of the truest self, shatter the fetters of the flesh, transcend one's own limits, and erupt with boundless and infinite power."

He looked at Zhou Juechen.

"Life ought to be free, to come with joy and leave with satisfaction. Do not let worldly doctrines or the fetters of your body blind your heart."

Zhou Juechen was silent. Yet deep in his heart, something seemed to be slowly stirring.

"Life, free and unbound. To come with joy, and leave after great enjoyment?"

But...

Can a person truly reach such a state of complete freedom?

Could he?

The hardships ahead.

The expectations of family.

The bonds of friends and loved ones.

All these things often left him with little choice.

Could he truly cast everything aside and pursue the freedom in his heart?

People...

Should not be so selfish.

...

Li Xian said nothing more.

He always believed that in martial cultivation, the first opponent one must defeat is oneself.

And this opponent...

Apart from oneself, no other person can ever defeat!

It's just that everyone has their own understanding of the world.

Words, no matter how sincere the truth contained within, mean nothing to those who perceive differently.

Sometimes...

They even seem like noise.

Whether Zhou Juechen took his words to heart, Li Xian did not know.

Nor did he care to know.

But after a brief silence, he finally looked up and spoke again.

"You understand the consequences. But have you ever considered – what if, one day, one time, one moment, you lost?"

"I know."

Since Zhou Juechen asked, Li Xian replied, "There is no such thing as perpetual victory, nor is there any truly invincible person. In this world, there will never be an eternal number one. One day, at some time, some moment, there will be someone who will stand up and defeat me."

He smiled faintly, sincere anticipation shining in his eyes.

"I look forward to that person's arrival, so that the life I have chosen for myself may reach a flawless conclusion!"

Flawless!

Zhou Juechen's heart was somewhat shaken.

So...

If there really comes such a day, such a person, who defeats or even kills him...

For him, it would instead grant his life a sense of completion.

Because, that would mean he had truly walked this free and boundless path all his life.

It's just that by then...

He would have reached the end of his road.

For a moment, Zhou Juechen slowly exhaled.

His gaze at Li Xian grew ever more complex.

He didn't know how to describe Li Xian's philosophy...

Resolve?

Foolishness?

He couldn't say.

Maybe...

He should leave Li Xian's future to the judgment of time.

Time would prove everything.

"I hope that when the day comes, I will still be there to witness the realization of his philosophy."

Zhou Juechen's thoughts wandered.

After a long while, he finally turned back to Li Xian, his face solemn.

"When I first heard from the disciples you had come to the Canglang Sword Sect, I thought you were here for Liu Yanran, to follow after the Marquis Residence's young lady. Now I see... that was simply bias in my heart. For this I apologize."

"It's nothing. It doesn't matter."

Li Xian replied with a smile.

"I believe you now."

Zhou Juechen nodded.

"You are not a man who lives for others' opinions."

"You flatter me."

Li Xian said, and seeing no point in continuing such ultimately meaningless discourse, he stated directly, "I had not intended on disturbing Master Zhou. I wished to see you now to ask for guidance regarding how to replenish Ki and Blood that was depleted by the process of Marrow Cleansing."

"Ki and Blood depleted from Marrow Cleansing...?"

Zhou Juechen was taken aback.

"How could Marrow Cleansing cause Ki and Blood to wane? In theory, it should only cause one's Ki and Blood to become ever more purified, until one day, the false gives way to the real, forming true Ki and Blood..."

"That much I understand. Normally, a martial artist's Marrow Cleansing takes a good eight or ten years; those faster need at least three or five. But I... hope to complete Marrow Cleansing in three months. Naturally, the consumption is greater."

Li Xian explained.

"Three months for Marrow Cleansing..."

As Li Xian repeated his goal, Zhou Juechen still felt a dizzying sense of incredulity.

But...

The world of geniuses is never one common people can fathom.

Especially not peerless geniuses like Li Xian.

Unable to fully comprehend it, Zhou Juechen did what he could to offer his support.

After a while, he said, "To complete Marrow Cleansing rapidly, you must replenish your vital energy. Many who attempt rapid Marrow Cleansing sustain their Ki and Blood through life-and-death combat, which can lead to their depletion. Especially for Leakless experts who can control Ki and Blood at will: when fighting peers to the death, their vitality often takes a heavy toll. They thus desperately need medicinal replenishments. So, in your situation, the first choice is Yixue Pill, second is Blood Spirit Powder, third is Jade Decoction."

"Oh?"

Li Xian's eyes lit up.

It seemed he had come to the right person for answers.

"Do you have a way to get these, master Zhou?"

"At most, I can help you get some Jade Decoction. As for Blood Spirit Powder..."

Zhou Juechen's tone wavered slightly.

"You can't obtain it?"

Li Xian asked.

Zhou Juechen hesitated for a moment, then switched topics.

"Have you heard of the Hidden Dragon Ranking?"

"In recent days, I've heard people mention it many times at the foot of Mount Canglang."

Li Xian nodded.

"The Hidden Dragon Ranking is maintained by the Ascending Dragon Pavilion, listing thirty-six of the most outstanding young talents of Great Zhou. The ranking itself is not determined by absolute strength, but by the potential for each to leap through the Dragon Gate. Thus, regardless of background, anyone who gets on the Hidden Dragon Ranking instantly draws the attention of all the major powers, who invest in them in hopes of future rewards. Should these dragons leap the gate, the recompense is immense—tenfold, a hundredfold."

At this point, Zhou Juechen paused.

"This is one of the Ascending Dragon Pavilion's means to break monopolies, to prevent grassroots geniuses from being buried and overlooked."

"Leap through the Dragon Gate..."

Li Xian mused on Zhou Juechen's words.

"Not just the Hidden Dragon Ranking; I've also often heard the phrase 'leap the Dragon Gate.' May I ask, master Zhou, what exactly does it mean?"

"The Dragon Gate—"

As Li Xian asked, Zhou Juechen seemed moved, as though reminiscing about days gone by.

After a while, he replied, "You should know that after Marrow Cleansing and Leakless, in martial cultivation there are still the True Ki, Meridian Opening, and Innate realms?"

Li Xian nodded.

For him, Marrow Cleansing and Leakless were only a matter of time.

His current sights were set on attaining the True Ki realm.

Naturally, he was curious about these three stages.

"In fact, innate is still not the limit of cultivation! Beyond Innate, there is 'Attaining the Dao Through Martial Practice'—transcending the ordinary, reaching sagehood! Such existences can enter the azure void, roam the nine heavens, move mountains and seas, and do anything!"

Zhou Juechen's own spirit soared as he spoke of such figures.

"Attain the Dao through martial practice?!"

Li Xian was astonished.

"Beyond Innate, one can enter the Dao?!"

"Exactly."

Zhou Juechen nodded heavily.

"To do that, one must leap the Dragon Gate! Only by leaping the Dragon Gate can one enter the world of those who have attained the Dao!"

His voice grew solemn.

"Not everyone who leaps the Dragon Gate can succeed in entering the Dao, but even for those who at least reach that world, upon return, the lowest achievement would be cultivating True Ki, becoming a sect master-level figure! Of today's Six Supreme, five have tasted the scenery of that world! The Taixu Sword Palace, Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, and Sacred Martial Tower are all supported by Dao-attained mighty figures—hence, they can stand above the six-thousand-tier expanse of Great Zhou, transcendent and peerless!"

His gaze toward Li Xian held a trace of envy.

"And you... with your talent, there is hope that you'll leap the Dragon Gate in five years and enter that world!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Li Xian was overjoyed, bursting out with three "goods" in rapid succession.

"So this world has such splendor beyond what I knew!? Truly, there could be nothing better!"

Zhou Juechen looked at Li Xian.

Only a transcendent genius like him could respond so upon hearing such news.

Others...

Could not even dare to dream.

"To leap the Dragon Gate and enter that world—each one is a true dragon. Now, you can imagine just how alluring those on the Hidden Dragon Ranking are for the great sects? Even if they do not attain the Dao, so long as a true dragon enters that path and ascends, those great sects and powers will share in their fortune, ascending to new heights, becoming peerless sacred lands on par with the imperial clan of Great Zhou."

Zhou Juechen confessed his envy.

"So, I cannot exchange for Blood Spirit Powder. But when the next Hidden Dragon Ranking is released, you will certainly be on it. Then, regardless of which great power you choose to join, getting Blood Spirit Powder will be child's play."

Li Xian heard this, but his expression did not change much.

"To choose a great power..."

He shook his head.

To enjoy the cause is to bear the consequence.

The favors of those great powers do not come without cost.

"Can you obtain Jade Decoction?"

Li Xian asked.

"I don't have any on hand, but with my connections, it won't be hard to buy some from the Canglang Sword Sect."

Zhou Juechen replied.

"Then I'll trouble you."

Li Xian cupped his hands.

"How much is it? I'll pay."

"It's quite affordable—three hundred taels of silver per dose."

Zhou Juechen said.

"!!?"

Li Xian's hand, half-raised with eagerness to pay, froze midair.

"How much!?"

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Wealth Gate indeed...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】