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

Chapter 247: The Desire to Wipe Out the Dai Family, Where is the Fourth Disciple? Shi'er, Meng Shushu, Zhou Ying, and Yu Xiaolong all had expressions of shock on their faces. A Refining Divine Heavenly Being, a top-tier powerhouse in the Spiritual Domain. Just like that, reduced to ashes. With just a casual swipe, as if swatting two mosquitoes. "No wonder he's the master!" Xu Yan couldn't help but sigh internally. For him to kill a Refining Divine Heavenly Being, he would have to resort to ambush tactics. Yet, his master effortlessly turned one to ash with a wave of his hand. Moreover, his master seemed not to have exerted any real power, merely a casual gesture as if swatting a mosquito! "When will I ever reach this level?" Xu Yan pondered silently to himself. Meng Chong rubbed his bald head, feeling that even with his Great Sun Immortal Golden Body, he was still lacking in power compared to his master, unable to casually annihilate a Refining Divine Heavenly Being with a mere wave. "With a breakthrough to the second tier of Immortal Golden Body, I should be about there," Meng Chong thought quietly. The attack from the elders of the Jade Divine Sect and the Su Family was just a minor disturbance, and the group continued towards the place Yu Xiaolong had mentioned. In the State of Zheng, a hundred li outside the capital city, there was a picturesque locale where a newly established manor nestled within a small valley. Li Xuan sat leisurely in a chair. Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy continued to flow into his body, and even without cultivation, his abilities were slowly and proactively enhancing. The settlement in the Spiritual Domain had been completed. On this day, Xu Yan and Meng Chong came to bid farewell; they were set on venturing into the Spiritual Domain to compete with its prodigies. "Go ahead, the path of martial cultivation has never been smooth. More experiences, more battles, help in understanding, gathering strengths from all around, and truly comprehending the essence of martial arts..." Li Xuan instructed in a tone befitting a strict teacher. "Yes, Master!" Xu Yan and Meng Chong replied respectfully. "When you've comprehended the method of divine skills, come back, and I will teach you martial arts beyond divine skills," Li Xuan said, looking at his two disciples. "We will diligently cultivate, constantly grasping the mysteries of divine skills to understand them as soon as possible," Xu Yan promised respectfully. "I will strive to quickly grasp the second and third tiers of Immortal Golden Body," Meng Chong similarly vowed. "Very well, go," Li Xuan nodded. He ultimately decided to teach the martial realm above divine skills only after Xu Yan had comprehended the method of divine skills. Without understanding them, even if he were taught, he wouldn't be able to grasp it. Moreover, despite having a general direction and ideas for martial ways beyond divine skills, Li Xuan hadn't yet developed anything satisfactory. Possibly, after breaking through to divine skills, he might have new insights to construct a better martial path. Xu Yan and Meng Chong departed. Undoubtedly, Yuzhou would undergo another set of turbulent times, especially with Xu Yan being hunted by the Jade Divine Sect and the Su and Dai families, with bounties soaring to several million Spirit Crystals. They even issued identifications of the spiritual sect or family martial artists. Many independent cultivators saw this as an opportunity to rise up and abandon their status as wandering cultivators. Xu Yan was never one to endure insults silently, as demonstrated when he turned back to attack the Dai Family after being pursued by Dai Sheng. "Master," Su Lingxiu said as she massaged her master's shoulders, looking quite sycophantic. "Why aren't you going?" Li Xuan asked in surprise. "I'm too weak," Su Lingxiu replied helplessly. She had been on the run from the Hidden Tower, hiding in the Border Wilderness with Zhou Ying, never feeling safe. With so many strong individuals in the Spiritual Domain, she was only in the Divine Intent Realm. Encountering a Refining Divine Heavenly Being would leave her no choice but to flee, and she might not even get that chance if things went badly. Therefore, she lacked the security and ambition to venture out. "I'm not like Senior Brother and Second Brother, who can even resist or counter a Refining Divine Heavenly Being. I've decided I'll venture out after reaching the Divine Essence Realm," Su Lingxiu said, squinting her eyes. After reaching the Divine Essence Realm, she'd feel more assured. "Up to you," Li Xuan did not insist. As a Dan Medical Alchemist Martial Path disciple, Su Lingxiu was not focused on combat prowess. Besides, with spiritual herbs, she could constantly refine pills and improve her alchemical skills. "Keep cultivating, break through to the Divine Essence Realm soon!" Li Xuan encouraged. "Yes, Master!" Su Lingxiu replied, smiling brightly. Shi'er, Meng Shushu, and Zhou Ying had even less desire to explore the Spiritual Domain. Not being at the Divine Intent Realm, their abilities were too lacking in the Spiritual Domain. It felt like danger could appear at any moment. Red Cat also had no plans to venture out. It was currently focused on enhancing its strength, striving to become the Greater Beast King. "Senior Brother, where are we heading?" Meng Chong asked. Xu Yan pondered briefly and said, "Old Dai Sheng once hunted me down. Although we attacked the Dai Family before, they still exist. "I can't let this go, and with the Jade Divine Sect and the Su Family also hunting me. "It's time to teach the spiritual sects and families of the Spiritual Domain a lesson." His gaze turned cold as he spoke. "You have the strength to kill a Lesser Heavenly Being. I can hold back Dai Sheng; even if I can't win, I won't be powerless against him. "So, we're going to assault the Dai Family!" Xu Yan was close to a small achievement in the Divine Intent Realm, having surpassed the second stage of the Sword Dao, the Heart Sword Realm, significantly enhancing his strength compared to before. Even though he couldn't defeat Dai Sheng, he could certainly stall him. With Meng Chong's strength, transforming into a six-zhang tall giant could easily sweep through the Dai Family. A Lesser Heavenly Being's attacks couldn't harm Meng Chong. They couldn't break through his Immortal Divine Armor, let alone his physical defense. "Very well, our reputation as senior and junior brothers will start with taking down the Dai Family!" Meng Chong said with a fierce grin. Yu Xiaolong peeked out from Xu Yan's sleeve, swallowing nervously. As expected of the senior and junior brothers, they were crazy! Planning to destroy the Dai Family just like that? "I'm too weak. If I could cultivate, I'd be able to help," Yu Xiaolong said dejectedly. Ultimately, he hadn't managed to learn the Greater Beast Arts from Red Cat. Xu Yan smiled and said, "If you want to learn the Greater Beast Arts, just wait a bit longer. Red Cat will teach you once it breaks through." Red Cat's thoughts were well-understood by Xu Yan. It simply feared that once Yu Xiaolong learned the Greater Beast Arts, it would surpass him in strength. Hence, Red Cat was waiting until it could easily suppress Yu Xiaolong before teaching him the Greater Beast Arts. Plus, Yu Xiaolong was meant to be its first beast soldier and beast general on its path to becoming the Greater Beast King. "Red Cat does have some ambition," Meng Chong chuckled. "Let's find a friend to learn about the situation in Yuzhou, and gather information on the Dai Family," Xu Yan then transformed his appearance and, along with Meng Chong, headed for a major city under the Shen Family's control. To seek news from Shen Haizhou. Since Xu Yan had killed a Refining Divine Heavenly Being of the Dai Family and looted their treasury, the Jade Divine Sect and the Su Family had launched a joint hunt for him. Yet, Xu Yan seemed to vanish without a trace. The Jade Divine Sect and the Su Family, anxious, even reached out to spiritual sects outside Yuzhou for help in tracking Xu Yan. Shen Haizhou, having waited without any leak of his help to Xu Yan, ventured out of his family's territory again. However, he cautiously stayed within areas ruled by the Shen Family. Especially in the agreed major city with Xu Yan, where he's been staying. Recently, there were reports of someone spotting Xu Yan, leading two Refining Divine Heavenly Beings from the Jade Divine Sect and Su Family to pursue him. Ultimately, the two Refining Divine Beings disappeared without a trace, presumed dead. This placed the Jade Divine Sect and the Su Family in a state of panic. These were Refining Divine Beings, the core of spiritual sects and families, yet the threat Xu Yan posed to them had reached a peak, as if a hand had gripped the throat of these two major forces. In response, the Jade Divine Sect and the Su Family raised the bounty further, tempting even independent Refining Divine Beings with its value. This reveals the Jade Divine Sect and Su Family's determination! The tension between these two forces and Xu Yan has rapidly escalated to a life and death struggle. They even began to rally other spiritual sects and families in Yuzhou, urging them to join in quashing the threat Xu Yan posed. The Shen Family was among those invited. As one of the five major families, the Shen Family's strength was on par with the Su Family. Shen Haizhou's take: "If we don't succeed, our Shen Family risks being dragged down. But by sitting on the sidelines, there's a chance to strengthen ourselves, perhaps annexing the resources of the Jade Divine Sect and even the Su Family." New Term Explanation: 1. 灵域 (Spiritual Domain) - This is translated as "Spiritual Domain" to reflect the mystical and powerful nature of the place. 2. 不滅神甲 (Immortal Divine Armor) - Translated as "Immortal Divine Armor" to indicate its indestructibility and ethereal qualities. 3. 小天人 (Lesser Heavenly Being) - Translated as "Lesser Heavenly Being" to convey a rank or level among divine beings. 4. 化身 (Avatar) - Used generally for a manifested embodiment; here, "Divine Essence Avatar" fits within a higher spiritual context. 5. 專精 (Focused Proficiency) - Generally implies mastering or concentrating on a particular ability or skill; here, refers to their specificity in martial arts or divine prowess. With just a few words, Shen Haizhou was able to convince his father Shen Wang, his grandfather Shen Tai, and the other elders of the clan, leading them to decline the Su Family and Jade Divine Sect's invitation, even though the offer came with substantial benefits. In Yuzhou, numerous second- and third-rate spiritual sects and families sought to seize this opportunity to curry favor with the Jade Divine Sect and Su Family. Consequently, the number of forces participating increased steadily. "Brother Xu's situation is truly precarious!" Shen Haizhou sighed. Yet, he believed Xu Yan had likely already fled Yuzhou. The Wan Shi Alliance was also searching for Xu Yan, and Yong Wen, who had escaped from Yuzhou, had sent word to the Yuzhou leader to introduce Xu Yan solemnly, recognizing him as a talented prodigy among independent cultivators. At Wangcheng, a major city under the rule of the Shen family. In front of a small shop, a charming young girl listened to the praises of a chubby youth, her jade-like face turning red. Shyly, she said, "Young master, how could I possibly be as wonderful as you say?" A beaming smile covered Shen Haizhou's chubby face as he replied, "Words fall short of describing such beauty... How about inviting me in to appreciate the view? I promise not to disappoint." Suddenly, a hand rested on his shoulder, and Shen Haizhou turned around angrily, ready to confront the intruder. "Can't you see I'm..." At that moment, he met the gaze of a handsome young man with a faintly familiar face. Beside the young man stood a bald, fiercely imposing figure that exuded an intimidating aura. Shen Haizhou felt a chill run down his spine. "Brother Shen!" Xu Yan smiled. Shen Haizhou was taken aback. "Brother Xu?" "It's me!" Xu Yan nodded. "And this is?" Shen Haizhou swallowed nervously, looking at Meng Chong. "He's my junior brother, Meng Chong!" Xu Yan introduced. Shen Haizhou breathed a sigh of relief, realizing this was Xu Yan's junior brother. But why was his junior brother so imposing? "This isn't the place to talk. Brother Xu, come with me," Shen Haizhou said, leading Xu Yan and Meng Chong to a quiet little courtyard. "Brother Shen, I've come to inquire about the Dai Family's situation. I'm planning to erase this family from Yuzhou!" Xu Yan said with a smile. Gulp! Shen Haizhou swallowed hard, visibly shocked. Not long ago, he had taken down a Refining Divine Heavenly Being from the Dai Family, and now he planned to finish off the entire family? As Xu Yan and Meng Chong contemplated their plan to destroy the Dai Family, their master Li Xuan had already entered the capital city of the State of Zheng. "The Spiritual Domain is indeed impressive," Li Xuan marveled at the vast city and the bustling scenes, far exceeding those of the Inner Domain. The streets were filled with martial artists of various ranks. Grandmasters were a common sight, while Great Grandmasters belonged to the middle echelon of martial artists. Martial artists below first-grade occupied the lower tier. Shops lined the streets, selling spiritual herbs, potions, weapons, and more. Transactions were conducted using Spirit Crystals or the Spirit Notes issued by several transcendent spiritual sects, although for lower-level cultivators, obtaining Spirit Notes was challenging. "This must be the so-called slums," Li Xuan mused upon arriving at Xifang Market, observing the chaotic and noisy streets. Even grandmasters could assert themselves here, and Great Grandmasters could finally find a bit of superiority. Most were wandering cultivators below the first-grade. "How much for forging a superior-grade treasure?" a martial artist inquired outside a smithy. A man wearing a sleeveless beast-skin garment raised a finger, "Ten thousand Spirit Crystals!" "Make it cheaper, I'll provide some of the materials." "Eight thousand, no less!" "That's too expensive." The martial artist winced at the price and turned to leave. "Six thousand, everyone is struggling. The rent here isn't cheap, and in Xifang Market, few can match my forging skills, and the price is the lowest." "Fine, six thousand." The martial artist gritted his teeth, pained, and handed over a Spirit Note. Witnessing this scene, Li Xuan gained a deeper understanding of the predicament faced by lower-tier martial artists in the Spiritual Domain. "To cultivate the Mysterious Martial Path, one must possess talent in crafting and formations, along with high perceptiveness, ideally with some creative instincts. "Ordinary methods with no creative spark or bold innovation make it hard to possess the aptitude for the Mysterious Martial Path." Walking through Xifang Market, observing the weapons forged, Li Xuan pondered how to find his fourth disciple. "The Mysterious Martial Path takes an unconventional approach. People too conventional lack the talent to cultivate it, making it challenging to find a suitable person." Li Xuan sighed inwardly. The Mysterious Martial Path was extraordinarily specialized, requiring rare eccentric talents. "In a domain as vast as the Spiritual Domain, there surely must be someone with such talent. I hope I encounter them. "If I were to spread formation scrolls around, anyone with the insight could seize the opportunity—would that attract attention from spiritual sects and families, causing unnecessary trouble?" Li Xuan furrowed his brow slightly. Searching alone was exceedingly difficult, relying entirely on fate to accept disciples! Leaving Xifang Market, he wandered into Nanfang Market. Nanfang Market primarily sold spiritual herbs and spiritual beasts, with most offered at low prices, either for consumption, potion brew, or as pets. Navigating through the bustling streets of Nanfang Market to its quieter edge, a slightly chubby youth emerged from a simple shop, flashing a mysterious and wily grin upon seeing him. In a conspiratorial manner, he approached, "Hey there, I've got a treasure for you, interested?" Finally, glancing around cautiously, he whispered, "This is something even the eldest son of the Shen Family praises highly!" New Term Explanation: 1. 玉州盟主 (Yuzhou leader) - Translated as "Yuzhou leader" to represent the head or leader of a regional coalition or alliance in Yuzhou. 2. 萬世盟 (Wan Shi Alliance) - Translated as "Wan Shi Alliance" to reflect an alliance of enduring nature, with "Wan Shi" suggesting "eternal" or "everlasting." 3. 散修 (independent cultivators) - Translated as "independent cultivators," indicating those who practice cultivation without being affiliated with a sect or school. 4. 士鈔 (Spirit Note) - Translated as "Spirit Note" refers to a form of currency or promissory note used in transactions among spiritual practitioners.