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

Chapter 402: Control and Counter-stealth Xu Yan, this time, unleashed his power without holding back. With the strength of the Divine Appearance Realm, he wielded the laws of heaven and earth, completely sealing off the surroundings. He performed the "Sword within Mountain and Rivers," merging vast expanses into his Divine Appearance, his form already hidden within, untraceable. Buzz! The sword intent was mighty; vegetation transformed into torrents of Sword Dao, surging forth to attack the two masked figures. The subtleties of the Wisdom Sword Realm were revealed at this moment, as each sword seemed to possess its own intelligence and swordsmanship. The coordination among them was flawless, enhancing the power of the sword formation naturally. Boom! Yet, the two masked men, being at the peak of True King Heavenly Venerable, were formidable. Their attacks surged with the power of the laws, transforming into barrages of assaults. They even employed secret techniques to break the seal of the Divine Appearance. Still, these attackers felt a sinking realization. They couldn't connect with the laws of heaven and earth; there seemed to be a barrier. A stronger, more profound, and harmonious force with the laws had seized control. "What kind of martial method is this?" The two were horrified. "Escape! Xu Yan's strength is beyond us now!" The two attackers made a swift decision—flee! "Can you escape?" Xu Yan sneered. He swung his sword; a black sword light, annihilative as the heavens, targeted one of them. Simultaneously, eighteen golden dragons roared from all directions in unison. A violent sword intent, like a fierce wind, invaded their minds, causing the two attackers to panic. They hastily employed techniques to protect their spirits against this assault. "A method attacking the soul!" The two were horrified. Soul-attacking martial techniques are exceptionally rare and not mastered by every martial artist. Those who succeed invariably possess strong spirits. These techniques rely on one's spiritual strength. Such martial artists are among the elite in their realm. Xu Yan used "Sword within Mountain and Rivers" to entrap one, while attacks focused on the other. He needed a live capture to probe their affiliation. Whenever assassins face mortal danger, they often self-destruct to avoid revealing their allegiance or mission. Xu Yan planned to control one using Heaven's Will to suppress it before self-destruction. However, these two were peak True King Heavenly Venerables. Their spirits needed weakening for Heaven's Will to work. "I can only capture one!" Xu Yan recognized he had only one chance for a live capture; the other would surely self-destruct upon sensing danger. Capturing one was sufficient for his purpose. The True King Heavenly Venerable being pressured by Xu Yan's attacks sensed his intent. Furious, his aura suddenly spiked, and a phantom appeared from within him. This phantom exuded a chilling aura. The True King Heavenly Venerable's own aura noticeably weakened, indicating a hefty price for unleashing this secret technique. Boom! The chilling phantom exploded, merging with the earth. In an instant, the ground seemed upturned. Boom! A heavy, icy power surged from the ground, shattering the seal of the Divine Appearance. "Let's go!" The True King, having used a secret technique, shouted, ready to flee. Unbeknownst to him, Xu Yan had awaited this moment! Buzz! An eye appeared at Xu Yan's forehead—a radiant eye opened, emanating imposing might, shining upon the True King Heavenly Venerable. Small Heavenly Dao Eye! The fleeing True King Heavenly Venerable felt the majestic pressure, as if everything was laid bare. He paused, his weakened state unable to resist the eye's gaze. "Damn, Xu Yan's aiming to capture me alive!" The True King Heavenly Venerable despaired, his escape thwarted. He attempted self-destruction, yet under the gaze, found himself unable to do so quickly. Whoosh! A violent gale wreaked havoc within his spirit, causing intense soul pain, hindering any self-destructive action. He watched helplessly as Xu Yan's palm descended, embodying divine will and supreme authority. Recognizing the impending danger, the True King Heavenly Venerable had no time to resist. Cold-eyed, Xu Yan seized the chance to weaken his spirit, fixing it with Heaven's Will and capturing the consciousness entirely. The process ended within a breath. Meanwhile, the other attacker, exploiting an opening, escaped the seal, his expression drastically changing, not daring to linger, fleeing madly. He must convey Xu Yan's latest actions back to the Tian Sha Di Ying to devise new plans against him. "Think you can escape?" Xu Yan sneered, stepping forward, vanishing instantly, sword light enveloping the escaping attacker. "Xu Yan!" The attacker roared, his presence vanished, soul collapsed, life extinguished. "Hmph!" Xu Yan's gaze was cold and fierce. These assassins, part of a mysterious force, decisively self-destructed when escape was impossible, leaving no trace! Clearly, they mastered a self-destruct technique to obliterate the soul instantly, preventing any information from being discovered. Boom! The sword light descended, the body turned to ash. One assassin was controlled, the goal achieved. Xu Yan felt fortunate choosing to cultivate the "Heaven's Will" technique. "Remove the mask." He commanded the captured assassin, whose clear mind was unable to resist the divine will. "Yes!" The assassin complied. A middle-aged face, pale and emotionless, was revealed. "Who sent you to assassinate me, and what is your faction?” Xu Yan began questioning. The Wan family, among the top forces of Nine Mountain Realm, ruling Da Gai Mountain, couldn't trace this mysterious faction, indicating its deep concealment. What does such a deeply hidden faction plan? Is it an external enemy infiltrating, or an internal faction of the Divine Domain? Now, answers could be found. "Tian Sha instructed us to assassinate you; we belong to Tian Sha Di Ying…" Pressed by Xu Yan, the True King Heavenly Venerable revealed everything without concealment. "Tian Sha Di Ying?" Xu Yan was shocked, finally knowing the name behind this force. "Why provoke conflict between me and the Wan family?" Xu Yan continued his inquiry. "To incite conflict between Qinghua Realm and Nine Mountain Realm, to fulfill Tian Sha Di Ying's supreme mission, to restore the glory of the world…" At this, the True King Heavenly Venerable displayed zeal. Xu Yan was shocked by Tian Sha Di Ying's aim to stir conflict between realms, their belief in some form of "World Glory." However, the meaning of "restoring the world’s glory" was unclear to the assassin, who only knew their mission was to empower the world, restore its former glory. To restore the World Glory, breaking the structure, causing tumult in the Divine Domain, was required. Tian Sha Di Ying's existence serves this mission. As Xu Yan delved deeper, he realized Tian Sha Di Ying's followers were fanatics. All for so-called "World Glory," sacrificing everything willingly! Fearless of death! To keep Tian Sha Di Ying’s secret, they self-annihilate without hesitation! **Terms Translated:** 1. **Tian Sha Di Ying (天煞地影)**: Translated as "Tian Sha Di Ying." This term represents a mysterious organization with no direct English equivalent, so the original name is retained. 2. **青華境 (Qinghua Realm)** - The literal translation is "Green Flower Realm," but Qinghua is chosen to maintain the narrative's tone and setting. 3. **九山境 (Nine Mountain Realm)**: This is a literal translation referring to a realm within the story's universe. 4. **大蓋山 (Da Gai Mountain)** - Translated as "Da Gai Mountain," maintaining its unique cultural context and specificity. **Explanations:** - **Tian Sha Di Ying**: The name suggests a connection to ominous or shadowy elements ("Tian Sha" could connote a foreboding sky or destiny, and "Di Ying" refers to shadows or reflections), indicating the organization's secretive and potentially enigmatic nature. - **World Glory (天地榮光)**: A conceptual translation that retains its original grandeur and mysterious mission intent. - **Heaven's Will (天意定神)**: Translated this way to convey the idea of divine or cosmic will naturally reflected in the character's actions. No adjustments are needed from the original list based on this context, and new affiliations or contexts are not disclosed for adjustments. Moreover, Xu Yan learned that due to his previous actions, the Tian Sha Di Ying organization of Da Gai Mountain faced turmoil when a member known as Di Ying assassinated the former Tian Sha, resulting in some internal turbulence. They suspected the presence of a traitor! After all, a fanatically driven group like Tian Sha Di Ying, willing to die for their mission without hesitation, how could they harbor a traitor? Yet, indeed, a traitor appeared, which forced Tian Sha Di Ying to exercise more caution when planning missions. "No wonder there was no Wan family member targeted; it turned out Tian Sha was the target." Xu Yan was amazed. Initially, when he ordered the assassination of the one giving orders, he thought it was a Wan family member. He didn't realize the orderer was Tian Sha, a member of Tian Sha Di Ying. "Di Ying is not simple; it seems the Wan family isn't infiltrated by just one member." In the Nine Mountain Realm, major powers must undoubtedly have Di Ying members lurking, but unearthing them isn't easy. "Is Tian Sha Di Ying after Meng Chong?" Xu Yan continued his inquiry. "Yes, it's rumored that Seven-Leaf Tian Sha ordered Meng Chong's assassination, eager to incite conflict and war, stopping at nothing to provoke a grand conflict." Xu Yan’s gaze chilled. Per the assassin's account, Seven-Leaf Tian Sha possesses the strength of an Immortal Heavenly Venerable! However, being merely Seven-Leaf, the level of power remains mediocre amongst Immortal Heavenly Venerable ranks. "The Nine Mountain Realm Immortal Heavenly Venerables are within the Nine Mountains; could there be an Immortal Heavenly Venerable hidden outside them?" Xu Yan pondered. A potential Immortal Heavenly Venerable in hiding is a massive threat to any power. Moreover, if Tian Sha Di Ying continually fails in pursuing Meng Chong, what if this Seven-Leaf Tian Sha acts directly? Though protected by his master's Jade Token, ensuring safety, a hidden Immortal Heavenly Venerable is undoubtedly a menacing presence. "Hiding as an Immortal Heavenly Venerable isn't easy unless one has refined techniques like the Concealment Method for stealth." Xu Yan quickly dismissed the likelihood of hiding using such refined methods. Immortal Heavenly Venerables, in harmony with heaven and earth, are transparent to each other, making secrecy nearly impossible. A hidden Immortal Heavenly Venerable in Nine Mountain Realm is implausible unless one of the existing ones is Seven-Leaf Tian Sha! "Feng Yan comes from Seven-Section Mountain, which differs from the other Eight Mountains…" Xu Yan recalled Feng Yan's alliance-like power of Seven-Section Mountain, known as the Seven-Section Mountain Alliance. Within Seven-Section Mountain, each Immortal Heavenly Venerable maintains individual subordinates yet remains allied. If Seven-Leaf Tian Sha is likely anywhere, it's at Seven-Section Mountain. "Feng Yan is laid-back, though part of Seven-Section Mountain Alliance, and hasn’t built his own subordinate force…" Xu Yan meditated. Due to Feng Yan's relaxed nature and the lack of threat at Seven-Section Mountain's Heavenly Abyss, he went to support Qinghua Realm and chose to stay. Reflecting on Feng Yan's introduction to the Seven-Section Mountain Immortal Heavenly Venerables revealed no suspicious candidate. "It might not even be Seven-Section Mountain." Xu Yan's brow furrowed slightly. The identity of Seven-Leaf Tian Sha is deeply concealed, with few knowing its Nine Mountain Realm identity within Tian Sha Di Ying. "This is a latent threat within Nine Mountain Realm; the Wan family will be anxious, investigating thoroughly." The Wan family, a noble house targeted by Tian Sha Di Ying, would undoubtedly eliminate the notion of being Seven-Leaf Tian Sha, spurred further by their attention to this matter. Xu Yan continued questioning, focusing on Meng Chong’s intel. "It's only known that Meng Chong came to Da Gai Mountain's region and vanished, currently under investigation…” Meng Chong visited Da Gai Mountain, also searching for him, and should meet Wan Tianlin. Xu Yan plans to inform Wan Tianlin of Tian Sha Di Ying intel, mobilizing the Wan family's search force. Especially targeting lurking Di Ying members within major powers. With this in mind, Xu Yan, accompanied by the captive Di Ying, headed to Da Gai Mountain's Stone Peak, using a message talisman to meet Wan Tianlin. Xu Yan won't reveal Heaven's Will control's secret art, nor would the controlled reveal any sign of its use. The captive is still of great use! Embodying a true Di Ying traitor within Tian Sha Di Ying. Ordering a direct counterattack now yields little value. Understanding Tian Sha Di Ying’s existence, Xu Yan opts for efficient actions. He aims to dismantle Tian Sha Di Ying entirely. Even if not achievable in one strike, Xu Yan can eliminate its footholds one by one, maximizing his captive’s value. "Do you know Tian Sha Di Ying's bases? Share their locations." "I don't know many, only besides mine, three other relay points…" Armed with Tian Sha Di Ying's bases, Xu Yan plotted action; alone, it's impossible to quietly dismantle a base. Thus, collaboration with Wan Tianlin remains necessary. "Return with the story of encountering Wan family support, escaping using secret technique…” Xu Yan instructed. "Yes!" "From this day, your alias is Ying Yi, infiltrated within Tian Sha Di Ying, understood?" "Ying Yi understands!" Watching Ying Yi leave, a bright smile adorned Xu Yan’s face. Skilled at stealth, Di Ying would never anticipate counter-infiltration, would they? **Terms Translated:** 1. **Ying Yi (影一)**: Translated as "Ying Yi." It is a new alias given to a character infiltrating the Tian Sha Di Ying and retains its original Chinese form to reflect its narrative context. 2. **Seven-Leaf Tian Sha (七葉天煞)**: This represents a faction or hierarchy within Tian Sha Di Ying, highlighting that the term keeps its Chinese form to maintain its specificity in the narrative. 3. **Feng Yan**: A character introduced with no additional titles or descriptors, his name is retained to preserve character integrity. 4. **Seven-Section Mountain (七段山 / Seven-Section Mountain Alliance (七段山聯盟))**: Maintains its original translation to highlight a specific mountain area or faction. 5. **Da Gai Mountain (大蓋山)**: The name remains unchanged from its prior usage, reinforcing location identity in the story context. **Explanations:** - **Ying Yi**: Reflects the idea of a shadow or reflection, aligning with the undercover role within the covert organization Tian Sha Di Ying. - **Seven-Leaf Tian Sha and this hierarchy**: Indicates a ranking or status within the mysterious organization, hinting at structural tiers or positions of power. - **Seven-Section Mountain**: Maintains its distinctive name to reflect unique characteristics of that area's allegiance, deviating from typical sect or family structures. - **Da Gai Mountain**: Continues using the transliteration to maintain geographical authenticity in the storyline. Adjustments or corrections to the terminology list are unnecessary as current translations fit the narrative framework and context. Gender affiliation or context-related changes are not identified for modifications.