240 - Made-Up Martial Arts, Have You Really Mastered Them, Disciple?

Chapter 240: Divine Nihility Strike, Xu Yan Returns "I wonder how Xu Yan is doing in the Spiritual Domain. He's already killed Lesser Heavenly Beings; could he be hunted by Refining Divine Heavenly Beings?" Li Xuan mused internally while delving into the third page of the Tai-Cang Book. He hadn't received any feedback from Xu Yan for a few days. "He's already broken through to the Divine Intent Realm and should be returning to the Inner Domain soon, right?" Li Xuan speculated that one reason Xu Yan hadn't returned could be that he was amassing treasures in the Spiritual Domain to bring back. The Great Dao Golden Book opened, radiating a golden glow. "Your disciple, Xie Tianheng, has comprehended the Flying Rainbow Sword Intent. Your Flying Rainbow Sword Intent has reached mastery." Li Xuan was taken aback. So, Xie Tianheng had grasped Sword Intent. The Flying Rainbow Sword Intent! The sword was like a flying rainbow, swift and formless. "The Flying Rainbow Sword Intent, indeed, seems derived from the Flying Rainbow Sword Technique of Sword Sovereign Cliff. This Sword Intent is quite formidable—swift, formless, and as desolate as autumn." A faint rainbow glow appeared on Li Xuan's body and then subsided. "I now possess four types of Sword Intent." Xu Yan's Mountain and River Sword Intent, Xun Wind Sword Intent, Nirvana Sword Intent, and now Flying Rainbow Sword Intent. If Xie Lingfeng comprehends another Sword Intent, he will have five types! "Not bad, my strength has increased, my understanding of Sword Dao has improved, and I have more Sword Intents to wield." Xu Yan had provided feedback on two Sword Intents: Mountain and River Sword Intent and Xun Wind Sword Intent, while the Nirvana Sword Intent was uniquely his. The Flying Rainbow Sword Intent was the weakest. The Xun Wind Sword Intent targeted the soul, making it the hardest to defend against. The Mountain and River Sword Intent encompassed a myriad of forms and had been cultivated to the third stage, integrating with the environment and becoming imperceptible. In high spirits, Li Xuan decided to drift along the Cang River and enjoy a bout of fishing. It had been a while since he felt this at ease. He put away the Tai-Cang Book and boarded a small boat on the Cang River, casting his fishing rod into the water and letting the boat drift downstream. Meng Chong, from the mountain peak of Canglan Island, watched his master leisurely fishing, exuding a natural state of serenity, and couldn't help but admire his master's profound state, almost akin to the natural way of the Dao. "My master's ease, like an ordinary person with none of a strong man's demeanor, perhaps this is what he means by the natural way of the Dao?" To follow one's heart freely, unbound by any constraints, transcending the material world. This is the hallmark of a true sage! Drifting on the river, Li Xuan enjoyed great leisure, catching a fish and, with a flick of his hand, released a wisp of Dan Fire, sprinkled some seasoning, and ate it with great satisfaction. Savoring this leisurely time. "Your disciple Su Lingxiu has reached the pinnacle of the Tongxuan Realm, enhancing your Dan Medical Alchemy Martial Path." Su Lingxiu has completed her breakthrough to the pinnacle of the Tongxuan Realm. However, like Meng Chong, she did not rush to continue her breakthrough, instead accumulating her strength for a transformational advance when she breaks through to the Divine Intent Realm. Being of the Azurewood Physique, no matter how much foundation she builds during her Tongxuan breakthrough, it won't lead to a transformation. But there is that opportunity when breaking through to the Divine Intent Realm. Returning from drifting, Li Xuan felt entirely refreshed, relaxing with a cup of spirit tea and enjoying some spiritual pastries made by Su Lingxiu. He opened the Tai-Cang Book again, turning to the third page, when the Great Dao Golden Book revealed its gleaming brilliance. "Your disciple Xu Yan has ambushed and killed a Refining Divine Heavenly Being, and you have gained the Divine Nihility Strike!" Li Xuan was utterly astonished. "He ambushed and killed a Refining Divine Heavenly Being?" This disciple, how formidable can he get? He had barely just entered the Divine Intent Realm and already ambushed a Refining Divine Heavenly Being? "Xu Yan, having just stepped into the Divine Intent Realm, even if transformed into the Mountain and River Divine Bone, couldn't possibly kill a Refining Divine Heavenly Being... was this an underhanded move?" Li Xuan quickly made a guess. Xu Yan's Harmony of Light and Dust Technique is exquisite and mysterious, using it to ambush with his Xun Wind Sword Intent’s soul-targeting trait, catching an unprepared Refining Divine Heavenly Being off guard is not surprising. "Your disciple Xu Yan has slain a Lesser Heavenly Being, enhancing the experience of your Divine Nihility Strike." ... The feedback continued with the slaying of several Lesser Heavenly Beings. "Did Xu Yan wipe out a certain power?" Li Xuan’s mouth twitched. From the current feedback, it's likely Xu Yan has attracted — no, that some force attracted Xu Yan's ire in the Spiritual Domain. After his breakthrough, he used his advantages to assassinate their Refining Divine Heavenly Being and destroyed their stronghold! The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Li Xuan took a deep breath, calming his excitement. This time, Xu Yan's ambush on the Refining Divine Heavenly Being granted him the Divine Nihility Strike as a feedback, a powerful skill akin to divine powers. A single strike obliterates both body and soul. Moreover, when the Divine Nihility Strike is executed, it instantly triples the wielder’s strength. A strike that explodes with threefold power, a potent skill nearly akin to divine powers. "Combined with One Hit Kill, this power is truly remarkable!" Li Xuan was thrilled internally. His strength had grown once again. With the Divine Nihility Strike, slaying a Refining Divine Heavenly Being would be like squashing an ant. However, whether he could easily squash a top-tier Refining Divine Heavenly Being remains uncertain for Li Xuan. After all, what if a Refining Divine Heavenly Being possesses a spiritual physique? The extent of their power is yet unknown. Regardless, Li Xuan is confident that with his current strength, he can dispatch them. But failing to do so with a mere gesture would tarnish his image as an invincible sage. "One Hit Kill, Xun Wind Sword Intent, God-Slaying Blade, Divine Nihility Strike, Nirvana Sword Intent... combined into one strike, could perhaps turn even a spiritual-bodied Refining Divine Heavenly Being into ashes, right?" With this in mind, Li Xuan felt relieved instantly. No Refining Divine Heavenly Being could withstand his strike! Unless, of course, he chooses to spare them. "Xu Yan has taken down a faction and slain a Refining Divine Heavenly Being; he should be returning to the Inner Domain soon, shouldn't he?" Li Xuan thought excitedly. "The realm above Divine Arts should also be conceptualized." Xu Yan would inevitably settle down and contemplate his experiences in the Spiritual Domain after his return, likely leading to another leap in strength. There's even a possibility he might comprehend a Divine Arts Realm technique. Thus, it’s time to prepare martial doctrines above the Divine Arts Realm. Although the Mysterious Martial Path has been created and the array diagram prepared, there are no suitable disciples for it at the moment, so it must be temporarily shelved. "Your disciple Xu Yan has slain a Lesser Heavenly Being, increasing the experience of your Divine Nihility Strike." Li Xuan: ... He hasn't had the chance to use the Divine Nihility Strike yet, but it feels as though he’s executed it a hundred times or more, with vast experience now. "Though Spiritually Domain's Martial Heavenly Beings are numerous, why does it seem like Xu Yan encounters them so effortlessly, and why are they always so ill-intentioned?" Li Xuan felt somewhat speechless. How many Martial Heavenly Beings has Xu Yan slain since entering the Spiritual Domain? In the Inner Domain, they are legendary figures, lofty and aspirational for those of the half-step Heavenly Being realm. Yet when faced with Xu Yan, they're no more than grasshoppers, slain one after another. Moreover, he ambushed and killed a Refining Divine Heavenly Being. Even in the Spiritual Domain, they belong to the ranks of genuine powerhouses! ... In the northern lands of Tai-Cang, the gate to the Spiritual Domain opened. Since Xu Yan's entry, it hadn't opened again. But now, with the Spiritual Domain gate active, atop the mountain where the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion resides, all its experts tensed, fearing that the one emerging from the realm might represent the entities backing the Pavilion. "Why are they entering the Inner Domain?" "As long as they don't head to the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, let’s not meddle. The one on Canglan Island will naturally handle it." Seeing that the person emerging from the Spiritual Domain gate flew away immediately without visiting the Pavilion, the purple-crowned man finally breathed a sigh of relief. As the Pavilion Master, he's used to status and the reverence it brings. If the newcomer had visited the Pavilion, he'd inevitably have to prostrate himself in welcome, and worse, if displeased, they could kill him with a single palm—a truly ignoble end. After a moment, the gate to the Spiritual Domain closed once more. Xu Yan was exhilarated. His ventures in the Spiritual Domain yielded immense rewards. Now, he could consolidate his strength in the Inner Domain for some time. After his return from the Spiritual Domain, there was an initial sense of maladjustment. The Inner Domain’s spiritual energy paled significantly in comparison. Moreover, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy wasn’t nearly as active—it felt like shifting from a bustling metropolis to an old, decaying village. No wonder the martial artists in the Spiritual Domain, seated high above, deemed the Inner Domain an inferior place. "Are you from the Inner Domain?" Yu Xiaolong emerged from Xu Yan's sleeve, shocked. "Why? Is there an issue?" Xu Yan raised an eyebrow. "The Inner Domain has thin spiritual energy, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy is not dynamic enough—how did you cultivate to such strength?" Yu Xiaolong was internally astounded. The Inner Domain is widely known as an inferior place. Though there are geniuses, they remain constrained by its limitations, seldom breaking through to become Martial Heavenly Beings. Only within the Spiritual Domain can one continue to elevate. It never expected that Xu Yan, hailing from the Inner Domain, would so thoroughly dominate the Spiritual Domain’s elites of Yuzhou. "The thin spiritual energy of the Inner Domain merely slows cultivation—a trivial matter." Xu Yan replied calmly. The Great Wilderness Martial Path isn’t solely reliant on the vivacity of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, and thin spiritual energy simply prolongs the training timeline. However, with time, one’s strength inevitably grows. --- New Terms: 1. Tai-Cang Book (太苍书): Named after its original term, this keeps the mystic connotations of an ancient, profound text. 2. Divine Nihility Strike (神湮一式): Translated to convey its powerful, almost divine destructive ability. 3. Flying Rainbow Sword Intent (飞虹剑意): Retains the original imagery of a swift, elusive sword attack. 4. Harmony of Light and Dust Technique (和光同尘术): Reflects its stealth and unnoticeable merging intent. 5. Xu Yan's "Mountain and River Divine Bone" (山河神骨): Emphasizes a powerful transformation representing vast power. These translations retain the rich cultural and mystical elements of the original Chinese terms, while alternate translations could adjust these meanings but potentially lose some nuance. "This isn't just about sparse spiritual energy; the Inner Domain cannot break through to the Martial Heavenly Being realm," Yu Xiaolong spoke with a serious tone. "Then just don’t practice the Inner Domain's martial path," Xu Yan replied nonchalantly. "It seems you know a lot about the Inner Domain?" Xu Yan continued to ask. "Who in the Spiritual Domain doesn't know about the Inner Domain?" Yu Xiaolong explained. "The Spiritual Sects and clans of warriors constantly demean it as an inferior place. Moreover, when the Blood Demon fled to the Inner Domain, everyone in the Spiritual Domain knew of it." Xu Yan nodded. He was already aware of the Blood Demon incident from the Heavenly Being's Tomb. "Aren't you practicing the Inner Domain's martial arts?" Yu Xiaolong asked cautiously. "Of course not!" "Are there other martial paths in the Inner Domain?" Yu Xiaolong was astounded. "I might not have existed before, but now it does," Xu Yan said, reverting to his own appearance as he headed towards Canglan Island. "You are a spiritual beast, bound by your bloodline limitations. When we reach Canglan Island, you can consult Red Cat about the Greater Beast Arts. Once you practice it, you will no longer be confined by your bloodline limits, much like a human martial artist," Xu Yan said with a smile. Yu Xiaolong was taken aback, showing an eager expression at the mention of the Greater Beast Arts. Could there actually be martial arts for spiritual beasts to cultivate? Yu Xiaolong didn't question further. Being in the Inner Domain, he was bound to discover the reasons for everything over time. He even pondered whether knowing too much was beneficial. There was one thing he was sure of, though—he couldn't afford to leave Xu Yan's side. "My chance has come," Yu Xiaolong thought excitedly, "The opportunity to fulfill my dream, to transform into a true dragon, lies in this very moment." On Canglan Island, things were as usual. Meng Chong was atop the mountain, focusing on increasing his foundation, while Zi Yun occasionally sought his advice on martial arts. Su Lingxiu was engrossed in refining her Dan Medical Alchemy Martial Path, mastering the art of void-refining pills to the point where she seldom needed a cauldron. She occasionally spent time guiding Apothecary Pan and a group of apprentices. Three of those apprentices had already learned basic pill refining techniques and could independently make commonly needed pills for the Inner Domain. This meant there wouldn’t be any issues for the Evergreen Pavilion if she ventured into the Spiritual Domain. Xu Junhe, Shi'er, Zhou Ying, and Meng Shushu were diligently working to break through their bottlenecks, preparing to enter the Tongxuan Realm. Although progress had been made, there was still a significant way to go before reaching the Tongxuan Realm. The most relaxed person on the island wasn't Li Xuan. Despite his seemingly leisurely demeanor, contemplating martial paths above Divine Arts and even trying to craft a divine ability took considerable effort—his Divine Intent being heavily consumed daily by the Great Dao Golden Book. The truly idle person was Madam Xu, who found joy only in teaching Red Cat reading and writing. "Without reaching the Divine Arts Realm, creating a divine ability remains an arduous task," Li Xuan reflected as he reaped insights from the Great Dao Golden Book. Suddenly, his expression shifted, and he gazed towards the outskirts of Canglan Island. Xu Yan had returned! "Senior brother, you're back!" Meng Chong exclaimed with delight. "Yan'er is back?" exclaimed Madam Xu, who was teaching Red Cat. In her excitement, she grabbed Red Cat by the tail and dashed out of the house. Red Cat, resembling a plump orange tabby, dangled from her grasp, utterly bewildered. With Xu Yan's return, Canglan Island buzzed with activity. After all, he was the first to venture into and return from the Spiritual Domain, piquing everyone's curiosity about its nature. It wasn't long before Madam Xu, realizing she was still holding Red Cat, hastily released him to the ground. Red Cat lay by her feet, keenly observing Xu Yan, eager to hear tales of the Spiritual Domain. Moreover, its eyes occasionally darted towards Xu Yan's sleeve, sensing a presence that wasn't a Greater Beast nor an ordinary beast. It was... a spiritual beast! After exchanging pleasantries and paying respects to his parents and master, Xu Yan finally remembered to bring Yu Xiaolong out from his sleeve. "This is a Jade Crystal Serpent spirit beast named Yu Xiaolong!" Yu Xiaolong examined the figures on Canglan Island. Its gaze settled on Li Xuan, seated tranquilly, striking awe within Yu Xiaolong—this master of Xu Yan's was fathomless. The bald, robust man beside him exuded a fierce aura, unnerving him. Su Lingxiu was ethereal and light, invoking a desire for closeness. The others were relatively weak. Except for this cat... there was something special about it, though Yu Xiaolong couldn't discern exactly what it was. Perhaps it was the Red Cat Xu Yan had mentioned? --- **New Terms**: 1. Blood Demon (血魔): Retaining the original term emphasizes a classic villainous presence, commonly feared and known in martial arts stories. 2. Greater Beast Arts (大妖之法): A martial path accessible to beasts, implying powerful transformations akin to human martial practice. 3. Jade Crystal Serpent (玉晶蛇): Maintains the fantastical, mythical nature associated with spirit beasts, with "Jade" suggesting elegance, purity, and power. These translations preserve the narrative’s mystical atmosphere, emphasizing a rich martial and mythical world. Alternate translations could adjust nuances but might lose intended depth.