Martial Ascent to Divinity

The Endless Wind and Black Furnace stared blankly at Zhou Leng as he slowly walked back.

Black Furnace’s beard trembled slightly as he took two steps back, placing the massive hammer behind him.

The Endless Wind said, "Zhou... Master, when did you become so strong?"

The two had met numerous times before at Divine Text symposiums in the Demon Spirit World, becoming familiar acquaintances.

"Master Endless Wind, I just expended ten years of my lifespan, using every ounce of my strength to achieve that."

Endless Wind fought the urge to roll his eyes, saying, "Your joke isn’t quite funny."

Black Furnace whispered, "Your punch nearly sent the Sea Siren demigod back into his mother’s belly."

"What are the two of you planning next?" Zhou Leng glanced at Endless Wind and Black Furnace.

Black Furnace looked at Zhou Leng, then at Song Juesi, and finally at Endless Wind. He raised his hammer and shouted.

"Demon Spirit Master, show your weapons!" With that, he charged toward Endless Wind with his short legs.

"Humph." Endless Wind naturally knew Black Furnace was picking a soft target, but had no other choice. The Demon Spirit Balls on his shoulders gradually rose into the air, transforming into various Demon Spirits to attack Black Furnace.

The Steel Dwarves had long fought against Beastmen, possessing formidable melee abilities, physically even stronger than Demons and Beastmen.

But when facing a Demon Spirit Master of equal level, they often lost more battles than they won.

The reason was simple: they weren’t smart enough.

Endless Wind, relying on his rich experience and outstanding strategic tactics, quickly exhausted Black Furnace’s strength and then attacked with full force.

In the end, Black Furnace was left with ragged clothing, full of scars.

"Enough, I concede! Ascension to the Divinity Ladder, I cannot defeat Endless Wind, I’m leaving here." Black Furnace shouted, sounding as if he were the victor.

A flash of light, and Black Furnace vanished.

Zhou Leng and Song Juesi looked at Endless Wind.

Endless Wind spread his hands, saying, "I cannot match that punch of yours, but leaving directly is too shameful for someone like me who’s a demigod. How about this? I’ll only use the ’Elemental Rainbow Phoenix’ and exchange one move, is that acceptable?"

"Fine."

Endless Wind spoke, then chanted a spell, and his five Demon Spirits transformed into five differently colored light ribbons, rising to the sky, colliding, merging.

The sky exploded with light; a seventy-meter-long colossal and colorful Elemental Phoenix raised its neck and cried, a voice that could split clouds and crack stones.

With a flap of its wings, it dove down from several thousand meters in the air, breaking the sound barrier and leaving circles of white shockwave rings in the sky.

Zhou Leng slightly lowered his body; the ground collapsed, and his body rose in reverse, landing a punch.

Boom!

The punch struck the phoenix’s head, a white cylindrical shockwave pierced through the Elemental Phoenix, rushing straight toward the heavens.

The Elemental Phoenix’s body shattered, transforming into a massive firework spanning hundreds of meters, falling from the sky.

Endless Wind bowed slightly and said, "This firework, a prelude to congratulations on your new elevation to one of the Ten Realms."

Then, Endless Wind declared defeat and was transported away by the Ascension Divinity Ladder.

Zhou Leng turned and looked at Song Juesi.

Their eyes did not hold a desire to fight.

No smiles appeared on their faces.

Their gazes were even dimmer than usual.

Song Juesi sighed softly, saying, "I know you might be thinking, if possible, it would be him standing here..."

Elder Song’s words got stuck in his throat and he couldn’t say them.

Zhou Leng looked at Song Juesi, his black hair all turned white.

After a long while, Song Juesi said, "After ascending to Martial Saint, I found out that I already possessed a peculiar power, not quite clear what it’s called, and there’s no record in the Ten Realms. But it’s somewhat like what you described as a Divine Techniques body."

After speaking, Song Juesi circulated his True Qi, causing white cloud patterns to emerge on the surface of his exposed skin.

"You’ve always been stronger than imagined..."

Zhou Leng remembered the words of Master Wu, his voice abruptly stopped.

Song Juesi said, "My kind of power is strange, it doesn’t enhance the flesh but allows me to possess the ability to almost see through the Ten Thousand Laws and Ten Thousand Techniques in battle, and once I see through, all approaching forces are weakened. Do you still remember the battle between the Mother Tree and the Mother Insect?"

"I remember."

"I could occasionally see through their moves."

Zhou Leng sighed softly, saying, "Master Wu once said that you are very strong, one of the martial artists with the most potential for the future of humanity. To this day, I cannot obtain a Divine Techniques body, yet you had it before ascending to Martial Saint, akin to the Three Sons of Ancient River."

Song Juesi’s eyes lightly moved, saying, "After ascending to Martial Saint, I have never gone all out. Today, you and I, except for not deciding life and death, let’s fight with all our strength, shall we?"

"Alright, I have always wanted to experience your strength, Elder."

"Same here."

Zhou Leng was silent for a few seconds and said, "In the past I excelled at Heart and Mind Shadow, having a crushing advantage over other opponents, but against your Divine Techniques body which sees through the Ten Thousand Laws, it becomes a disadvantage. Thus, this battle, I will primarily use the No Return Battle Technique."

Song Juesi seemed to recall something, gently nodded, extended his right hand, saying, "Please."

"Please."

The two met eyes, slowly moving sideways to the right, walking in an arc.

From beneath their feet, two lines slowly extended, drawing a circle.

When they completed half the circle, reaching each other’s starting point, their eyes shone brightly.

Song Juesi stepped out with his palm, it was the Martial Saint’s Palm Technique, the Free Roaming Palm.

With the palm’s momentum rising, white mist surrounded him, as if he were in the midst of mountains and great lakes, roaming freely.

Zhou Leng began with the "Eternal Sky," throwing a punch, creating a realm of its own, isolating all evil, with boundless power surging forth.

"Such a pure East Wind Fist." Song Juesi said, having no choice but to change his palm technique, still moving forward.

Zhou Leng slightly lowered his eyebrows, took a big step forward, and the momentum changed.

The air around him suddenly transformed, flashing through various scenes.

Across ten thousand miles unstopped, a hundred years unwavering, flame unchanging, ice unmoving...

Go without return, and no return.

No life, no death, no worries, no fear.

His right fist, ignited with fiery flames, exploded, expanding.

East Wind Fist, Divine Light Sky Explosion.

Zhou Leng’s punch struck, Song Juesi met it with his palm.

A red light with a diameter of hundreds of meters exploded, turning into white light under the roar, with a small mushroom cloud rising.

Amidst the gray dust, Song Juesi’s figure stayed firm, his powerful strength repelled by his palm’s momentum and cloud patterns on his body.

The two met eyes again, and Zhou Leng launched another punch.

The fist radiated divine light, celestial brilliance erupted.

Song Juesi swung out a palm, unveiling a green mountain, surrounded by immortal clouds, charging directly.

Boom!

The second burst of flame and light exploded, a second small mushroom cloud rose, lifting the fading first mushroom cloud upward.

Song Juesi remained motionless.

In an instant, Zhou Leng’s abdomen roared, with a sound like the rolling of heavenly wheels, crushing a realm resounded.

Zhou Leng punched again, the shadow of his fist split into six.

Six divine lights detonated, six small mushroom clouds rose.

Song Juesi sent flying only one mountain, resisting the six punches, remaining unmoved.

But as soon as the six small mushroom clouds were rising, yet not completely formed, ten additional light masses brightened again amidst the sky full of dust.

Boom boom boom...

Divine Light Sky Explosion, ten suns hanging in the sky.

In the airborne dust, a silhouette stood on the ground, retreating swiftly, the soles of shoes rubbing against the earth made a noise like shush shush.

Zhou Leng stepped forward, with no return and no self, ten punches, ten suns, divine light exploded in unison.

Song Juesi retreated once more, with cloud patterns on his body trembling.