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

Chapter 419: A Vision in the Wilderness, Majestic as a Saint Jiang Buping was startled. His eldest senior brother was quite distant from his location, yet he had also encountered the sound of wind—and even saw a green flame? "Eldest Senior Brother, be careful. Don't get close to the flame." Jiang Buping hurriedly reminded him. "I wasn't planning on getting close. It's just that this strange fire is approaching me. I'll take a look at what's so peculiar about this flame." Seeing the message from his eldest senior brother, Jiang Buping couldn't help but be puzzled. The situation his senior brother faced was something he had never read about in any texts. "The wind sounds are growing louder, and there's even a pair of large eyes appearing in the darkness—it's quite bizarre." At this moment, his second senior brother also sent a message. Jiang Buping was astonished. Could the entire wilderness be filled with wind sounds and these unusual phenomena? "The large eyes are coming towards me. I’ll see what's happening." Reading his second senior brother's message, Jiang Buping felt a tightening in his chest. He quickly remained vigilant of his surroundings. If both his senior brothers were encountering these unusual things, why hadn’t he come across anything? In the pitch-black wilderness, there was the sound of howling winds, yet no actual breeze could be felt. Suddenly, Jiang Buping noticed in the darkness a mist-like white fog, drifting towards him. "That is..." Jiang Buping's expression grew solemn. He sensed the white fog emitted a sinister aura he had never experienced before, exuding an evil presence. "A residual soul!" Jiang Buping, having cultivated the Extreme Soul Martial Path, was particularly sensitive to spiritual entities. Thus, he immediately identified the white fog as some unknown residual soul. The residual soul drifted around, covering a considerable range, with a dense sinister air that exuded a chilling evil presence. “What has happened to the wilderness?” Jiang Buping furrowed his brows deeply. He did not evade and waited quietly for the residual soul to drift towards him. As an Extreme Soul martial artist, how could mere residual souls threaten him? "If there's malice, then this residual soul shall be refined." Jiang Buping thought coldly. Whoosh! The residual soul drifted over, enveloping him. Suddenly, it paused and began to converge towards his location. Within the midst of the residual soul, the sinister and evil intent became especially pronounced. Ordinary True King Heavenly Venerables encountering this would likely feel terrified, and without a way to dispel it, might even go insane. At this moment, Jiang Buping thought he understood; those True King Heavenly Venerables gone mad crossing the wilderness likely encountered something similar to this residual soul mist. "This is unusual. Below the True King Heavenly Venerables, these residual souls’ mist cannot be dispersed, and one might even get lost within. How powerful was the being that left such residual souls while alive?" Jiang Buping was shaken as he recalled some rumors about the wilderness. "But encountering me is bad luck for you. Refining the power of these residual souls can enhance my Extreme Soul Martial Path." Given the residual soul mist bore malice, Jiang Buping wouldn't be courteous. Boom! He raised his palm, and from its center, it seemed as if a black vortex appeared. Extreme Soul Martial Path, Abyss Devour! Boom! With one palm strike, within the residual soul mist, a dark abyss emerged, devouring the mist. Vaguely, Jiang Buping seemed to hear from the residual soul mist a sinister, eerie sound—like an evil laughter. "Heh, trying to influence my soul and will? Too naive." Jiang Buping shook his head. He sent messages to his eldest and second senior brothers, but received no replies, causing him to frown. Yet, he wasn't overly concerned, for both senior brothers possessed extraordinary martial skills. These unusual phenomena might threaten a True King Heavenly Venerable or even an Immortal Heavenly Venerable, but his senior brothers could handle them. The residual soul mist disappeared, restoring silence and solitude to the wilderness. Jiang Buping re-established his formation and went into cultivation, refining the power of the residual soul mist. ... The green flames flickered like a twisting face, their sinister aura spreading all around. The flames grew larger, covering a wider area, like a giant silken scarf wrapping the darkness. Xu Yan was amidst the green flames. The Yin-Yang Immortal Sword (陰陽不滅劍) pulsed with life, and the Unyielding Sword Intent (不化劍意) enveloped him, faintly revealing a dragon's might. The green flames had appeared suddenly, enclosing him rapidly. The flames resembled a human face, sometimes appearing to be a sturdy and dignified man, and other times a sinister, evil person—like two entities entangled in battle. "What is this?" Xu Yan furrowed his brows in confusion, not sensing any danger from the green flames. Despite this, he remained cautious; the green flames were extraordinarily odd. Buzz! A sliver of Unyielding Sword Intent rippled out and pierced into the green flames. Suddenly, a change occurred. The jumping green flames erupted intensely, accompanied by booming sounds, sounds of fighting, an extremely angry roar, and a low, sinister laugh. Boom! The green flames altered, and seemingly in an instant, the surrounding scene changed, no longer the pitch-dark wilderness. Xu Yan's heart tightened, remaining alert on all sides. A golden dragon subtly appeared within him, and the Unyielding Sword Intent transformed into a gentle breeze encircling him. "What is this?" Suddenly, Xu Yan was shocked. He seemed to be amidst chaos, boundless and murky, hazy and indistinct, with untarnished qi floating endlessly, and within this untarnished qi lay violent spiritual energy. This energy reminded Xu Yan of the spiritual energy at the border wilderness, which, due to the lack of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, was violent. But here the energy was hundreds of times more violent than that of the border wilderness. If the spiritual energy in Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy were like gentle water, the border wilderness's energy was like scalding water, and the spiritual energy mixed within the chaos here was like boiling molten iron! "What is this place?" Xu Yan began to understand. The green flames reacted to the Unyielding Sword Intent when it sensed the untarnished qi, resulting in this change. "Kill!" A deep roar echoed that seemed ancient, with dozens of incredibly strong figures charging towards a particular point in the chaos. The battle erupted, so intense that Xu Yan was stunned. Compared to this, even the Immortal Heavenly Venerables’ battles seemed like petty squabbles! Suddenly, a faint radiance appeared in the chaos, revealing a shadowed figure. "Who is this powerful being?" At this moment, Xu Yan felt as if he was facing his master. This individual gave him a similar profound and unfathomable feeling as his master. No! It was different from his master, who was mysterious and unfathomable, seemingly ordinary and plain, closer to the Dao. In contrast, this person inspired martial artists to worship, instilling reverence and awe, akin to a majestic saint. "Saint?" In a flash, inspiration struck Xu Yan’s mind—Holy Sword Realm, where no sword does not submit, and no sword dares oppose. He never understood the concept of the Holy Sword Realm. How does one cultivate towards the Holy Sword Realm? Now, seeing this figure, he vaguely gained insight into the majestic essence of a saint and what no sword does not submit means! "Holy Sword Realm!" Xu Yan murmured, his mind sparkling, nearing an understanding of how to cultivate the Holy Sword Realm. Just a final breakthrough away from comprehending how to cultivate the Holy Sword Realm. “What realm does this being belong to?” Xu Yan was deeply shaken. The majestic figure standing with its back to him was so powerful it compelled worship from martial artists. "I am not a martial artist from Tai-Cang. If they were to see this, wouldn’t they lose all fighting spirit instantly?" Xu Yan thought, shaken. "With my partial understanding of the Wisdom Sword Realm, this figure doesn’t affect me. For martial artists of the Great Wilderness, the influence is limited." In the chaos, the figure stepped out, effortlessly parting the chaos with light and generosity, striking towards the depths of the chaos. Suddenly, Xu Yan heard an angry roar. "Underworld Shaman!" The scene shifted, revealing a Heaven flourishing within the chaos, gleaming with splendor. "Is this Heaven?" In that instant, Xu Yan was in awe once more. The scene zoomed in quickly, the one who roared angrily was descending upon this domain of Heaven. --- **New Terms and their Translations:** - **Residual Soul (殘魂)**: Refers to remnants of souls, showing evil and sinister auras. The name is chosen to fit cultural understandings of ghosts or soul fragments, retaining its ominous context. - **Underworld Shaman (冥巫)**: Interpreted as a powerful and malevolent entity, with "Underworld" adding a sense of forbidden, dark power, and "Shaman" reflecting its mysterious and possibly magical nature. - **Dignified Man (憨厚穩重)**: Represents a straightforward, honest figure which contrasts with the sinister face, intensifying the dual nature of the green flame. - **Holy Sword Realm (聖劍境)**: Defined as a peak level of enlightenment and power, evoking respect and submission from other swords, illustrating Xu Yan's ambitions and ultimate martial path. These translations attempt to capture the depth of the original language while making it relatable in English. Characters like Xu Yan and the dual personalities seen in the flame reflect deeper themes of the narrative, where appearances hide underlying truths. As Xu Yan approached, the outlines of Heaven and Earth became clearer, magnifying the vastness of the world. In his mind, the martial path of the Heaven and Earth Realm (天地境) emerged with a thunderous clarity. "Becoming one with Heaven and Earth!" His mind also conjured the image of his own Sword Dao, embodying "Mountains and Rivers, All Phenomena" (山河萬象) and the divine technique "Mountains and Rivers within the Sword" (劍中山河). A surge of enlightenment arose in his heart. It was as if, in the next moment, he could comprehend the martial path of the Heaven and Earth Realm. Boom! A great battle erupted. Heaven and Earth trembled; the massacre was fierce. The green light withered Heaven and Earth, corroding life; another formidable force continuously shattered the green glow. Suddenly, with a loud explosion, a burst of light erupted, and the battle gradually subsided. "Did they annihilate each other?" Xu Yan murmured to himself. At that moment, he began to understand that the faces changing within the green flame were merely a relic of two ultimate powerhouses who annihilated each other, their wills entangled and formed together. The scenes he witnessed were likely some memories these two powerhouses once experienced. "They are far beyond what an Immortal Heavenly Venerable could compare." Xu Yan sighed inwardly. Even if they mutually annihilated, their strength was such that Immortal Heavenly Venerables seemed like mere ants in comparison. And that majestic figure, his strength was terrifyingly immense. Such a strong figure evidently had opponents as well. "I am still too weak. The powerhouses of this world are beyond imagination." Xu Yan sighed deeply. But then he became excited again, realizing that one day he too would become as powerful. The chaos faded, the scene disappeared, and what remained was the leaping green flame. In his mind, the images he had just witnessed surfaced, giving him some insights. He was just a step away from comprehending the Heaven and Earth Realm fully. He also had gained some insights into cultivating the Holy Sword Realm (聖劍境). "The Seven Wondrous Divine Flower should help me completely comprehend it." Xu Yan thought excitedly. "Since I've encountered it, I cannot let it go to waste. Transmute it into my 'Mountains and Rivers, All Phenomena.'" Looking at the green flames, formed from tiny fragments of the wills of two ultimate powerhouses, Xu Yan, in a moment's thought, summoned "Mountains and Rivers, All Phenomena," encapsulating the green flame. He intended to refine the green flame, transforming the scenes it contained into a grand warfare depiction within his "Mountains and Rivers, All Phenomena." "One was called the Underworld Shaman (冥巫), what was the other one's name?" Xu Yan remembered one of the ultimate powerhouses but planned to ask his master later. In "Mountains and Rivers, All Phenomena," a gentle breeze blew across the green flame. As the Unyielding Sword Intent reverberated within, the scenes reappeared. The darkness lifted; the sky lightened, and the green flame vanished. Xu Yan smiled. Within an instant, a grand battle scene presented itself in "Mountains and Rivers, All Phenomena." Within it, the sentient beings turned the battlefield into a terrifying force of slaughter. "The 'Mountains and Rivers, All Phenomena' has strengthened, especially with this grand war scene. Even Immortal Heavenly Venerables would be in awe." Xu Yan was ecstatic, realizing his strength had increased once more. The wilderness grew bright, empty and silent, an idea of strangeness and tranquility diffused across the wild. Xu Yan retrieved a communication talisman to reply to Jiang Buping and then contacted his master to inquire about the mighty being known as the Underworld Shaman. "Shall we proceed to the Changyun Realm? Once there, I’ll find a place to retreat and consume the Seven Wondrous Divine Flower." Xu Yan continued on. Elsewhere in the wilderness, Meng Chong opened his eyes, a look of joy spreading across his face. In a thought, within his acupoints, two stars appeared, resembling a phantom underworld, able to immerse an enemy's physical form. He had encountered two giant eyes, and by utilizing the power of the Undying Star, he had subdued these enormous eyes, refining them into his acupoints. The power contained within the giant eyes had transformed into two stars, their force akin to a ghostly abyss, capable of submerging the physical body. "These two physical stars, once deployed, would scarcely leave a fighter, even from the same realm, unaffected." "Warriors weaker than me, caught in their gaze, would find their physical form submerged, their movements hindered, strength greatly diminished." Meng Chong was overjoyed, viewing this as an unexpected gain, a fortunate opportunity. "Underworld Shaman? What kind of powerhouse was this, even the residual power of its destroyed eyes has such utility." Curious, Meng Chong retrieved a communication talisman to ask his master. From refining the two giant eyes, he had seen some vision fragments confirming that the legendary Underworld Shaman was an incredibly terrifying powerhouse. "On my way to the Changyun Realm, just passing through, I’ll travel through until reaching the Great Yan Realm..." Meng Chong continued on his journey. Changyun Realm was just a waypoint; he had no intention of entering the Heavenly Abyss there to train. In the Qinghua Realm, Li Xuan sighed, proud of his disciple's boldness in challenging Immortal Heavenly Venerables, likely astonishing martial artists from the Nine Mountain Realm, right? "Your disciple has countered the Immortal Heavenly Venerable, you have gained the 'Countering Absolute Kill'!" The 'Countering Absolute Kill' allows one to reverse and kill adversaries whose strength does not exceed their own by threefold. "Stronger, more confident!" Li Xuan was thrilled. With the communication talisman that allows messages across any distance, keeping Xu Yan and his peers in touch became effortless, with Li Xuan fully informed of their exchanges. "Beyond the wilderness?" "To think such a peculiar situation would arise in the wilderness; there won’t be any danger, would there? The jade talismans I gave them haven’t been triggered, so it seems there’s no real danger." Xu Yan reached out to him. "Hiss, those were martial artists transcending Heaven and Earth? What kind of great battle erupted back then? It must pertain to the Tai-Cang’s great upheaval. That majestic figure was unbelievably powerful." Reflecting on the messages and descriptions from Xu Yan, Li Xuan was somewhat moved. "Underworld Shaman? I don’t bother remembering the names of insignificant ants." Li Xuan said lightly. --- **New Terms and Translations:** - **Heaven and Earth Realm (天地境):** A formidable level in martial cultivation, suggesting mastery over and unity with nature. - **Undying Star (不滅星辰):** Refers to powerful energy or aura akin to immortal celestial objects, representing durability and the supernatural. - **Changyun Realm (长云境):** A location portraying a mysterious and vast region, possibly referring to a specific domain or dimension known in martial cultivation. - **Underworld Shaman (冥巫):** Already explained previously; a powerful and ominous entity linked to deadly forces, showcasing ultimate levels of strength. - **Great Yan Realm (大炎境):** New geographic marker indicating larger realms that could hold ancient mystical significance within the plot. These translations intend to maintain the thematic elements and portray martial world phenomenons accurately. The narrative's mythical and dramatic components, coupled with personal enlightenment, are aimed to create an immersive atmosphere.