pertwk Chapter 90 Among martial artists, only strength matters!
Chapter 90 Among martial artists, only strength matters!
Chapter 90 Among martial artists, only strength matters!
Martial Arts Hall, Xiaohan Peak.
A full month has passed since Mo Zheng passed the fourth level of the Tower of Ascension.
After a month, the commotion caused by Mo Zheng gradually subsided, but another matter attracted everyone's attention.
Haotian Secret Realm!
The opening of this secret realm is scheduled for March, and a qualification assessment conference will be held during these three months.
Legend has it that the Haotian Secret Realm contains endless resources and treasures, and even opportunities that can help martial artists achieve the Visceral Realm or even the Martial Saint level.
Throughout the history of the Hun Tian Sect, every time the Haotian Secret Realm was opened, there were lucky individuals who obtained this opportunity.
No one wants to be one of the lucky ones, but unfortunately, not everyone is qualified to venture into such a precious secret realm.
One hundred martial artists below the Visceral Realm.
This is the limitation of the Haotian Secret Realm, and it's also the maximum number of people that the Huntian Sect can send in.
Among them, the martial arts halls of You, Qing and Liang in the three northwestern states have a total of nearly a thousand disciples. One hundred people is far too few.
So once the news spread, all the disciples devoted themselves to martial arts cultivation. Who wouldn't want to be the lucky one and have the opportunity to achieve the Visceral Realm?
It should be noted that the Bone and Tendon Realm and the Visceral Realm are completely different concepts. The latter can not only maintain their peak condition and live to be 150 years old, but when facing the former, it is like an adult bullying a child. Once the martial arts intent is released, the Bone and Tendon Realm martial artist will be defeated without even lifting a finger.
As for opportunities at the Martial Saint level, most people wouldn't dare to even dream of them.
Mo Zheng also practiced martial arts with great dedication.
However, it wasn't the Haotian Secret Realm, but rather the Wind and Fire Qi Sword.
He had already grasped the essence of swordsmanship, and achieving the Visceral Realm was practically a certainty. He also began to cultivate the two ultimate techniques, Gale Slash and Wind and Fire Sword, making rapid progress day by day. He became so engrossed in them that he lost track of time.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh————
In the courtyard near the summit of Xiaohan Peak, the sound of long swords cutting through the air could be heard incessantly, yet there was not a single sword or a single person in the courtyard.
A fierce, violent wind howled, as if it would destroy everything.
Wherever he went, sword marks were left on the bluestone floor.
The gale swept along streaks of silver lightning, appearing and disappearing unpredictably.
Gale and lightning intertwined from time to time, sparking fiercely, and the crisp sound of longswords clashing could be heard.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning pierced through the gale, and a figure groaned as he fell from the wind. Who else could it be but Mo Zheng?
As for the bolt of lightning, it suddenly vanished, transforming into an old man in a green robe, none other than Liu Qing.
The raging wind and silver lightning vanished without a trace, clearly a clash of sword intents manifested from the martial arts philosophies of the two.
"teacher----"
Mo Zheng looked ashamed and said, "This disciple's cultivation is insufficient, and I have disappointed you, sir."
"Why are you disappointed? Your Gale Sword Intent has advanced by leaps and bounds, and you are already able to merge your intent with the world and fight with your master. At this rate, I'm afraid you will be able to completely master the Gale Sword Intent in at most another year."
Liu Qing exclaimed, "With that Visceral Medicine Pill from Headmaster Feng, you're guaranteed to win."
A month ago, Mo Zheng had only roughly grasped a trace of the sword intent of wind.
Now, his sword intent has reached the point where he can fight Liu Qing, which is a remarkable achievement.
Even if the Gale Sword Intent matches his understanding of the wind essence, this speed is still extremely fast.
In Liu Qing's understanding, even if one has crossed the threshold of martial arts intent and grasped a trace of intent, it will still take at least three to five years to truly master it.
The disciple in front of us is progressing much faster than this one, which only shows that a true genius is perhaps different from ordinary people.
Mo Zheng remained silent. What he truly desired was not just the Visceral Pill, but also the Treasure Pouch.
This is a treasure that even those in the most powerful and influential realms would have to grit their teeth and spend a fortune to acquire.
"What are your thoughts on the opening of the Haotian Secret Realm?" Liu Qing suddenly asked.
"This disciple did not expect to gain anything; I only wish to completely master the Gale Sword Intent," Mo Zheng said honestly.
Others go in for the opportunity to reach the Visceral Realm, but he has already comprehended the sword intent. As long as he spends some time to fully master it, he can reach the Visceral Realm. Naturally, he is not very interested in entering this so-called Haotian Secret Realm.
"Your idea is good. Although there are things in there that can accelerate a martial artist's cultivation, they are ultimately only auxiliary. It still depends on one's own cultivation."
Liu Qing nodded, satisfied with his disciple's answer. In fact, martial arts are like this: cultivate steadily and climb step by step. As for so-called opportunities, they are all based on the former to improve one's own strength.
Without the ability and talent, even if one obtains a treasure, one's achievements will not be very high.
"The Haotian Secret Realm, as far as I know, is not safe. Although some places require luck, it relies more on strength. Every time it opens, many disciples die or are injured. You must be careful when you go in," Liu Qing warned.
He valued this disciple highly, not only for his talent, but also because he felt that the disciple might reach heights that even he had never achieved.
Although the chances are slim, at least it's better than his chance.
Mo Zheng responded with a "yes," but he didn't feel much about the Haotian Secret Realm.
If it weren't mandatory for all true disciples to participate in the qualification assessment, he might not have chosen to take it.
He is currently in a phase of rapid improvement in his abilities.
Half a month ago, he successfully broke through to the Bone and Tendon Realm and became a genuine Bone and Tendon Realm martial artist.
Moreover, because he cultivated his flesh and skin to the copper skin level, his solid foundation allowed him to smoothly skip the first step when he first began tempering his bones and muscles, directly reaching the minor completion stage of the bone and muscle realm.
The Bone and Tendon Realm is divided into three levels: Minor Success, Major Success, and Perfection. Due to his comprehension of the essence and the effects of the ten Bone and Tendon Pills, Mo Zheng's progress in the Bone and Tendon Realm is extremely rapid. He has a good chance of reaching the Major Success level of the Bone and Tendon Realm before the Haotian Secret Realm qualification assessment.
Most importantly, it was his swordsmanship.
The Wind and Fire Sword Technique is divided into four realms.
Once the first level of the Gale Realm is fully mastered, one can smoothly achieve the Internal Organs Realm.
Once the second level of the Blazing Fire Intent is comprehended, one will simultaneously control both the Gale and Blazing Fire Intents, doubling the power of the sword intent and making it difficult to find an opponent even in the Visceral Realm.
The third level, the convergence of wind and fire, completely integrates the two realms of raging wind and fierce fire, making them one. The wind fuels the fire, and the fire strengthens the wind. Reaching this level is enough to make one invincible in the internal organs realm.
As for the final realm, it is beyond the comprehension of martial artists in the Visceral Realm. It is not merely a state of mind, but the threshold to becoming a Martial Saint.
Mo Zheng is currently at the first level of the Gale Intent Realm. When he can separate his internal energy from his body, he will have completely mastered the Gale Intent Realm.
"Now, let me see if you've slacked off in your internal energy cultivation over the past two weeks."
After Liu Qing finished speaking, he drew his sword and thrust it at Mo Zheng again.
Although he did not unleash his sword intent, this sword strike was still incredibly fast. Mo Zheng tried his best to catch a trace of its trajectory and subconsciously used a move called "Wind Sweeps Away Clouds" to intercept it.
Ding!
The two swords clashed together, producing a soft sound.
However, Mo Zheng's longsword, positioned at his shoulder, blocked Liu Qing's sword.
But a powerful force emanated from the opponent's sword, pressing down on him so hard that he couldn't help but groan, and one of his legs involuntarily knelt on the ground.
"Not bad, your strength has increased significantly, comparable to the peak of the Bone and Tendon Realm."
Liu Qing nodded slightly, secretly surprised. His disciple not only cultivated at an extremely fast speed, but also had a terrifyingly solid foundation. He was only at the minor completion stage of the Bone and Tendon Realm, yet his strength was no less than that of a martial artist at the Perfection stage of the Bone and Tendon Realm. He wondered how he had trained himself.
As he exerted his strength, the longsword in his hand pressed down on Mo Zheng's blade, which slowly descended towards his shoulder. Just as it was about to cut himself, a sudden change occurred.
Mo Zheng's arm suddenly felt as if its bones had been removed, and half of his body went limp and shrank back.
call out!
The long sword in Liu Qing's hand fell to the ground in an instant, leaving a deep sword mark.
"Haha, what a great bone-shrinking technique!"
Liu Qing laughed. The sign of the minor success of the Bone and Tendon Realm is that the bones are flexible, can be stretched and contracted freely, and can be controlled at will.
The saying "too much steel is easy to break" is perfectly suited to describe the cultivation of the Bone and Muscle Realm.
While pursuing rigidity in muscles and bones may provide temporary strength, excessive rigidity without flexibility makes them extremely fragile.
Therefore, the first level of the Bone and Tendon Realm is to temper the flexibility of the bones.
The ability to shrink bones is a distinctive characteristic of martial artists at the Bone and Tendon Realm.
When one reaches the Great Perfection of the Bone and Tendon Realm, one's bones become as hard as stone; when one cultivates to perfection, one's bones become as hard as refined iron.
The two continued to clash on the field. When they encountered danger, Mo Zheng would use his Bone Shrinking Technique to resolve it. After more than ten rounds of fighting, Liu Qing suddenly withdrew, sheathed his sword, and laughed, "There's no need to fight anymore. Your martial arts progress is faster than I imagined. It's just that your display of the Gale Sword Intent is a little less frenzied and a little more rational."
Mo Zheng was taken aback, then said, "Yes, teacher. I always think that the sword is controlled by the person. If a flaw is found, the enemy can be defeated in one move."
"If your sword is fast enough, the enemy will have weaknesses everywhere," Liu Qing advised.
Is it fast enough?
Completely immerse yourself in the raging sword intent?
Mo Zheng fell into deep thought.
In Liangzhou City, in the east of the city, there is a large mansion with a plaque that reads "The Mansion of a Flying Dragon and Dancing Phoenix".
This is the ancestral home of the You family, where three generations of masters at the Internal Organs Realm have been stationed.
Within the You family mansion, there were carved beams and painted rafters, pavilions and towers, and a rough count revealed nearly a thousand houses. Everywhere was decorated with luxurious and exquisite furnishings, fully demonstrating the wealth and status of the powerful family in the Zangfu region.
The servants and maids coming and going all looked tense and silent, as if something terrible had happened, and the atmosphere in the whole house was very oppressive.
In the very center of the hall, there were no servants attending to him, only a figure kneeling there, his body covered in bloodstains.
You Chendong.
"Did those hundred lashes bring you to your senses at all?"
In the upper seats of the hall sat an elderly man with white hair and beard, exuding an air of authority, looking at You Chendong with a cold expression.
"Grand Ancestor, your son—your son knows he was wrong." You Chendong gritted his teeth and said, "Your son shouldn't have acted impulsively and tried to chop down the True Inheritance Stele."
"You think you went wrong here?"
The old man shook his head, his face full of disappointment, and said, "Martial artists don't distinguish between right and wrong; might makes right."
This old man was none other than You Ruohai, the ancestor of the You family in the Visceral Realm of this generation.
He frowned and said, "It seems that a hundred lashes haven't brought you to your senses."
"Ancestor, so what you mean is—"
You Chendong looked at the other person with a puzzled expression.
Driven by jealousy of Mo Zheng, he went mad and chopped down the True Inheritance Stone Tablet. As punishment, Wang He confined him for a month. This incident caused a sensation throughout the Martial Arts Hall, bringing great shame to the You family. He was even whipped a hundred times upon his return. However, the patriarch's intention was not that he was wrong to chop down the True Inheritance Stone Tablet.
"What I mean is not important; what matters is you."
You Ruohai said with exasperation, "Martial artists don't talk about right or wrong, they only talk about strength. You've been practicing martial arts for so many years, and you don't even understand such a simple principle?"
"What right did my You family have to slaughter four families at the Bone Marrow Realm in Yunshan City back then? Why didn't the imperial court arrest my You family?"
"That's all about strength. With a Visceral Realm expert in charge, unless an even more powerful martial artist wants to get involved, which Visceral Realm expert in the Great Yan Dynasty would be so idle as to meddle in other people's business?"
He looked at the other person coldly: "If you're strong enough, let alone chopping down the True Inheritance Stele, even if you turned the Martial Arts Hall upside down, everyone would still praise you, You Chen Dong, for your formidable martial arts. But if you killed that little brat named Mo Zheng, everyone would say he was blind!"
"And you, instead of focusing on honing your martial arts, are venting your jealousy in such a foolish way. I'm so disappointed in you."
"Martial arts are never about winning a fight against others for a short time!"
You Ruohai said earnestly, "Dong'er, with your talent, you have every chance to reach the Visceral Realm. My You family will provide you with all the resources of the clan, and you will have Wang He and even the Cold Sword Martial Saint as your teachers. Just focus on your cultivation, and once you reach the Visceral Realm, you will have everything you need."
"There's no need to argue; just focus on your own path."
"I understand, son." You Chendong nodded, but still said with some anger, "It's just that I can't stand Mo Zheng, the younger brother of a son-in-law, a dog-like thing, why did he get to become the true disciple before me?!"
"A dog-like thing?" You Ruohai said sternly, "Do you even know your origins? Before my You family rose to prominence, our ancestors for three generations were all servants of a minor official in a county town. Weren't they also dogs-like things?"
"While family background may matter in this world, that applies to ordinary people. Among martial artists, only strength matters!"
You Ruohai said in a deep voice, "Stop thinking about that little guy named Mo Zheng. Practice your sword skills."
"As long as you are strong enough, everything in this world will revolve around you, and even killing him is just a matter of a single thought."
"If you're not strong enough, everything you're doing right now is just a joke."
You Chendong remained silent and listened quietly.
"Remember this, you are the future of the You family." You Ruohai said solemnly, "Don't think about anything else. From today onwards, you are not allowed to step into that villa again. Before you graduate from the Martial Arts Hall, you are not allowed to be distracted by women."
"Practice diligently and steadily, and when you reach the pinnacle of martial arts, you will naturally possess everything."