Chapter 448 - 447: True Understanding of Martial Arts
"Xu Zitao has reached the Nascent Soul Realm?" Ling Fei’s brows knitted upon hearing the news of Xu Zitao’s tribulation. His gaze hardened.
He was slightly surprised, but Ling Fei quickly composed himself.
No matter how strong Xu Zitao became, he was not afraid. He would simply face whatever came his way.
"Junior Brother Ling doesn’t seem worried at all?" He Tianming looked astonished.
In his eyes, Ling Fei should have been filled with worry.
After all, Xu Zitao had lost to Ling Fei twice; one could only imagine the resentment he harbored.
Now that he had reached the Nascent Soul Realm, he would surely not let Ling Fei off the hook if the opportunity arose.
In the North Spirit Ruins, even if Xu Zitao killed Ling Fei, there was nothing the Lingyun Sect could do about it.
Dying during an expedition was generally accepted, and the respective sects could only lament that their disciples were less skilled.
"Heh, the Martial Hall is just ahead. Let’s focus on finding our own fortunes," Ling Fei said with a smile.
"True. If Junior Brother Ling makes another breakthrough in Martial Arts, it’s not impossible for him to attempt the Nascent Soul Realm as well," He Tianming nodded.
Afterward, the three of them traveled together, flying forward while talking.
"Senior Sister Lian Shuang has also reached the Nascent Soul Realm?" During their conversation, Ling Fei heard news about Lian Shuang from the other two.
He was both surprised and overjoyed.
Reaching the Nascent Soul Realm meant one was now counted among the truly powerful.
"That’s right!" He Tianming said. "Lian Shuang has already headed for the depths of the ruins. Right now, she’s the only one who can contend with Xu Zitao."
"They’ve all gone to the depths of the ruins?" Ling Fei murmured, but didn’t dwell on it.
He had two goals for entering the North Spirit Ruins this time.
First, to obtain the Alchemy Dao inheritance, which he had already completed.
Second, to come to the Martial Arts Inheritance Region and comprehend the Mystical of Martial Arts.
As for everything else, he would let nature take its course.
While they talked, they arrived at the foot of the mountain where the Martial Hall stood.
Here, another barrier blocked their path.
To enter, they each had to defeat the attacks manifested by the Stone Beasts guarding the entrance.
Ling Fei acted first. With a single True Dragon Hand, he crushed the attack manifested by the Stone Beast and entered the Martial Hall’s mountain.
He Tianming followed, his great saber slashing out with imposing momentum, also crushing the Stone Beast’s attack.
The attacks manifested by the Stone Beasts varied from person to person.
He Tianming had clearly reached the Half-step Nascent Soul Realm.
Zhao Fan came next. He held twin hammers and shattered the Stone Beast’s manifested attack with extreme brutality.
His aura was shocking, much stronger than it was during the Martial Arts Competition, having reached the Half-step Nascent Soul Realm.
They had all spent the past few days comprehending martial arts in the Martial Arts Inheritance Region and had all made gains.
...
Ling Fei and the others continued forward, reaching the mountaintop.
Then, they each triggered the Restriction of the Martial Hall ahead and were drawn inside.
The Martial Hall was very spacious.
The pillars inside were carved with many ancient figures, some striking the air with their hands, others brandishing swords.
These were diagrams of martial arts available for comprehension.
Although these were all fundamental martial arts, they were also profound. Gaining any insight from them could improve one’s Martial Arts Mastery.
Ling Fei, He Tianming, and Zhao Fan moved around the Martial Hall, first looking at the various martial arts, and occasionally immersing themselves in comprehension.
’Sword Dao, Cold Dao, Martial Arts, Fire Dao...’ Ling Fei’s Heart Spirit sank into these pillars as he continuously observed the Mystical of Martial Arts within them.
’Sword Dao... Sword Heart... a Sword Heart is the most important thing?’ Ling Fei’s Heart Spirit trembled as he examined a diagram on one of the pillars.
Within it was the Sword Dao Mystical left behind by a senior.
This senior’s insights into the Sword Dao resonated deeply with Ling Fei.
’Wan’Er has a Sword Heart that is devoted and dedicated to the sword. Lian Shuang also seems to have her own Sword Heart. This is their heart of the Sword Dao.’ Ling Fei was moved.
This kind of Sword Heart was not as simple as an ordinary Sword Dao Mystical.
It was a path, a unique path of the Sword Dao.
’And me?’ Ling Fei’s eyes flashed. ’What is my Sword Heart?’
"A Sword Heart is a Martial Arts Heart," Ling Fei murmured.
’My purpose in cultivating is to become stronger, to protect my loved ones.’
’To become stronger, I must cultivate all kinds of martial arts to their peak and break through my own limits. This is my Martial Arts Heart.’
His resolve became clearer and clearer.
To break through his own self and constantly grow stronger—that was his Martial Arts Heart.
Once his heart was clear, Ling Fei knew which path he should walk.
’Time to go to the Martial Arts Platform.’ Ling Fei withdrew his Heart Spirit from the pillars.
He then walked toward the front of the Martial Hall.
Before him was a massive Martial Stele.
Mysterious Dao Patterns were carved upon the stele.
In front of the Martial Stele stood a high platform shrouded in a curtain of light.
This place was similar to the Pill Hall; only by passing the Martial Stele’s test could one enter the Martial Arts Platform to comprehend the corresponding martial arts.
As for what martial arts one might obtain, that depended entirely on their individual fortune.
Arriving beside the Martial Stele, Ling Fei took a deep breath and began to gather the power within his body.
The Martial Stele test required one to use their most powerful Mystical.
The Stone Stele would then guide them to a corresponding Martial Arts Inheritance Platform based on its senses.
’The inheritance Dao Platform this Martial Stele leads to is also assigned based on personal strength. Only by displaying my strongest power can I be assigned to the best Martial Arts Inheritance Platform. Therefore, I must go all out this time.’ After taking a deep breath, Ling Fei began to circulate the True Dragon Blood Qi in his body.
Since he was here to seek fortune, he naturally wouldn’t hold anything back.
As the True Dragon Blood Qi circulated, Dragon Scales appeared on Ling Fei’s body. He thrust out a large hand, striking the Martial Stele before him with his palm.
ROAR!
As this palm struck, the sound of a dragon’s cry rang out, accompanied by a soul-shaking True Dragon’s Might.
Nearby, He Tianming and Zhao Fan, who were still comprehending martial arts, were stunned.
"What a powerful aura!"
"Junior Brother Ling’s strength seems to have grown considerably!" Both of them wore shocked expressions.
The Dragon’s Might in Ling Fei’s strike was terrifying.
The strike seemed to contain a powerful will.
The lingering might spread out, making He Tianming and Zhao Fan feel as if a True Dragon itself had attacked.
WENG!
At that moment, Ling Fei was pulled by a Light Pattern and vanished into the light curtain of the high platform ahead.
"I wonder what kind of Martial Arts inheritance Ling Fei will obtain?" On the North Spirit Platform, Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun and the others looked on with anticipation.
However, the images of important places like the Alchemy Platform and the Martial Arts Inheritance Platform were very blurry on the North Spirit Stele, making it impossible to see anything clearly.
So, they could only watch helplessly from the outside.
As his body was pulled along, Ling Fei saw one Martial Arts Platform after another.
The scene was similar to the Pill Hall; it was likely that such inheritances were left behind by the same power.
Ling Fei was transported to a Martial Arts Platform.
Here, Light Patterns formed an independent space. In front of him was a stone wall.
Various Martial Arts inheritances were carved upon the stone wall.
The first diagram was a picture of a person attacking beneath a starry sky.
’Is this the Heaven-Reaching Hand?’ Ling Fei’s heart stirred. It was too similar to the Heaven-Reaching Hand that the Marsh King had passed down to him.
In fact, the Marsh King’s Heaven-Reaching Hand had also been comprehended from within these North Spirit Ruins.
’I’ll examine this Martial Arts inheritance first.’ With a thought, Ling Fei sat cross-legged on a cushion and immersed his Heart Spirit into the diagram’s inheritance on the stone wall.
When his Heart Spirit sank into the diagram, Ling Fei’s consciousness flickered, and he found himself beneath a starry sky.
A man stood beneath the starry sky.
The man’s back was to Ling Fei. His figure was blurry, as if hidden in clouds and mist, or perhaps in the Void, giving off an unapproachable feeling.
Ling Fei tried his best to see the man clearly, but he couldn’t. It was as if an invisible force was blocking his sight. Helpless, he could only gaze forward quietly and sense the fluctuations around him. Just then, the man’s figure suddenly dissipated, and the scene before him flickered.
"In the ancient era, the Human Race was frail. Great Demons ran rampant, and Ancient Beasts wreaked havoc..." a low voice echoed.
Then, scene after scene appeared before Ling Fei’s eyes.
They were members of the Human Race, clad in animal skins with messy hair and a somewhat feral aura.
These people were rugged but knew no martial arts. They possessed only brute strength and lived difficult lives, appearing utterly powerless against the attacks of Ancient Beasts.
Many children of the Human Race died in battle.
Those were difficult times.
’Is this the ancient era?’ Ling Fei whispered in his heart. The scene before him made his heart stir with an inexplicable feeling.
Back then, the Human Race was weak and at a disadvantage, living a very hard life.
Then the scene shifted. Kings rose among the Human Race. They observed the sun and moon, mastered the Five Elements, controlled Wind and Fire, and gradually gained command of the Power of Heaven and Earth.
From then on, the path of Martial Arts was forged. A golden age of Martial Arts emerged, and the Human Race was no longer weak, able to contend with the Ancient Beasts as equals.
Gradually, the system of Martial Arts became clearer and clearer.
Such as Spirit Body, bloodlines, Martial Soul, Divine Body...
And also Alchemy Dao, Array Dao, Artifact Dao... there were so, so many.
Watching these scenes, Ling Fei felt as if he were watching an ancient history unfold. He gained a new understanding of the entire Human Race, and even the Martial Arts World itself.
"Heaven and earth nurture all things, and humans are the leaders of all spirits. Though we may seem frail, we are like heaven and earth themselves, able to draw upon the power of the heavens, store it within ourselves, and unearth our potential..."
After these images appeared, the low voice rang out again.
The voice carried an inexplicable majesty that filled Ling Fei with solemn respect as he listened intently.
"Human potential is limitless. We can draw upon the Power of Heaven and Earth for our own use... Where power reaches, mountains can be shattered. Where the spirit reaches, it can touch the ends of heaven and earth..."
The sound waves entered his ears like the voice of the Great Dao itself.
After hearing it, Ling Fei fell into deep contemplation, pondering and verifying the meaning behind the words.
By the end, Ling Fei understood. This was the True Understanding of Martial Arts, the general principles of Martial Arts that outlined the entire path.
If one cultivated to the absolute peak, their Divine Thought could reach the very ends of the heavens.
These words were exhilarating.
"The excavation of power..." Then, the man explained the method for unearthing power.
This was some very fundamental cultivation knowledge.
For example, using Heaven and Earth Essence Qi to temper one’s Blood Qi, granting oneself immense strength.
And also, how to borrow external forces.
Ling Fei had long since laid his foundation, but listening now, he still benefited greatly, and his understanding of the path of Martial Arts became even clearer.
"Use the Heart Method as a guide, the body as a Furnace, merge spirit and power. Where the will reaches, it can touch the ends of heaven and earth, and its might will be infinite!"
The True Understanding of Martial Arts concluded with these words.
This was the key to Martial Arts.
"The body as a Furnace, merging spirit and power... where the will reaches, it can touch the ends of heaven and earth!" Ling Fei murmured to himself, the sentence echoing endlessly in his mind.
This sentence contained infinite Mystical.
It spoke of how the human body was like a Furnace. By using a Cultivation Technique to draw external power into this Furnace and merging it with the Divine Soul, one could manifest infinite Divine Techniques.
