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

Chapter 428: Breaking Through to the Heaven and Earth Realm, Lord of the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth? Unlike the busyness of his disciples, Li Xuan continued to enjoy his leisure, undisturbed by anyone, and his disciples would not ask for his help either. Li Xuan was quite gratified by this; his disciples had matured and understood the importance of filial piety, knowing not to burden their master with unnecessary toil. "The Qinghua Sect, it's not that bad, I suppose. At the very least, it has established a sect lineage." Regardless of the situation, Fang Hao had established a sect, and with the sect's growth in power, he too would reap benefits. Slowly, it seemed appropriate to begin imparting the Great Wilderness Martial Path within the Qinghua Sect, leading to the coexistence of both the Great Wilderness Martial Path and the Tai-Cang Martial Path within its ranks. In due time, the Tai-Cang Martial Path would become a part of history, leaving only practitioners of the Great Wilderness Martial Path within the Qinghua Sect. As the Martial Ancestor of the Great Wilderness, the more people practiced the Great Wilderness Martial Path and the stronger they became, the greater the benefits he would receive. "The Inner Domain has grown stronger... oh, it should be called the Great Wilderness now. It won't be long before there are no more Tai-Cang Martial Path practitioners here." From the feedback of the Great Wilderness God Aspect, Li Xuan could clearly feel the overall strength increase of the Great Wilderness. "The Spiritual Domain is now caught between the Great Wilderness and the Qinghua Sect; it should eventually become part of the Great Wilderness." Li Xuan mused on these developments. However, these matters did not concern him; Fang Hao, as the master of the Qinghua Sect, would naturally know what to do. Moreover, these transitions could not happen overnight and required time to unfold. The martial path limits of the Spiritual Domain remained high, and only budding martial practitioners could feasibly engage with the Great Wilderness Martial Path. Ultimately, beginning anew and cultivating the Great Wilderness Martial Path step by step is somewhat different from switching paths halfway. Those transitioning midway ultimately faced shaky foundations. After all, prodigies were few, and those who maintained a solid foundation when switching martial paths remained scarce among the endless sea of martial practitioners. "This girl is finally being diligent." Li Xuan glanced towards the location of the Tai-Kun Heavenly Abyss, where Su Lingxiu was concocting elixirs, and he couldn't help but feel gratified. "The Qinghua Realm is filled with many heavenly abysses, all turned into Heaven and Earth Divine Furnaces, with each one overseen by an elixir Dao expert... "Tsk, no wonder the Qinghua Sect is so powerful." Of course, it was still a long way until such elixir Dao experts emerged, requiring both time for cultivation and accumulation. Nevertheless, with the aid of elixirs, the disciples of the Qinghua Sect were bound to advance rapidly, far exceeding other sects. As time passed, the Qinghua Sect would only grow stronger, its foundations deeper. Even if techniques for formations, refining, and pill concoction were leaked, they would still fail to rival the Qinghua Sect. "The Tai-Cang Tome—just one last step to fully inscribe it. This Divine Domain has become increasingly tumultuous." Li Xuan gazed upwards at the vast sky, sighing with emotion. "Heaven and Earth united..." Muttering to himself, he couldn't help but look up at the firmament, lost in thought. "Let's see how Tiansha Earthshadow pushes forth the unification of Heaven and Earth." He turned his attention back to the Tai-Cang Tome, "Above the Heaven and Earth Realm, it's already been written. I wonder when Xu Yan will comprehend the Heaven and Earth Realm martial path." Upon entering the Heaven and Earth Realm and comprehending the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth's source and laws, within the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth, even if opponents were stronger than him, they couldn't do much about it. Unless, that is, they were so powerful that they could destroy the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth in a short time. Li Xuan doubted the existence of such a terrifying force—whether even the owner of the Tai-Cang Tome could accomplish this was yet unknown. After all, recording the laws of Heaven and Earth and illustrating them is a concept wholly distinct from destroying an entire Heaven and Earth. Even if it could be done, it wouldn't rely on sheer power, but on a deep understanding of Heaven and Earth, dismantling it with cunning. "Once fully inscribed, I ought to visit the Wu State's imperial palace and see what sort of existence inhabits it, what ties it may have to the Tai-Cang Tome owner." Li Xuan's face brimmed with anticipation. "This girl—her first time using the heavenly abyss for elixir making, and she didn't encounter any issues. The Qinghua Sect won't lack elixirs now; she might have concocted tens of thousands of pills in one go." Li Xuan glanced upward, confident now that Su Lingxiu had succeeded in her alchemy efforts. "Your disciple, Su Lingxiu, has refined an elixir using the heavenly abyss as a furnace; you have acquired the Heaven and Earth Cauldron." As the Great Dao Golden Book unfolded, golden light surged forth, and an ancient, primeval cauldron appeared atop his spiritual platform. Heaven and Earth Cauldron! "What a treasure!" Li Xuan was overjoyed in his heart. This Heaven and Earth Cauldron could indeed refine even the Heavens and Earth into pills. "With the Marvelous Weapons Casket and the Ultimate Path Soul Weapon, and now the addition of the Heaven and Earth Cauldron, I have quite a collection of treasures, though I'm still missing a sword and a blade." Li Xuan pondered briefly; acquiring a sword and a blade might not yield feedback as easily, but it didn't matter much. With his crafted sword and blade paths, he had no need for dedicated swords or blades. As long as he advanced in realm, directly transforming Heaven and Earth into a sword wouldn't be impossible. "Using the principles as a sword is feasible after all." Li Xuan mused to himself. "Only two final laws remain; these form the core of the entire canon of laws. Once they are fully inscribed, the whole law of Heaven and Earth will be complete. "The source of Heaven and Earth can then be comprehended." Li Xuan focused on the Tai-Cang Tome, where the last two laws were changing constantly, the hardest to inscribe by far. Even at his current level, staring at them for too long caused a sense of dizziness, revealing the profound truths and mysteries contained within. "I've finally inscribed one of the laws, just one more to go." Fully engrossed in inscribing the final two laws, Li Xuan seemed oblivious to how much time had passed. Eventually, one of the last two laws was inscribed, leaving only the final law. Once the last law was inscribed, he could completely comprehend the operation of the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth's laws and understand the source of Heaven and Earth. "Just one last step." Li Xuan was thrilled. By now, he had developed a somewhat hazy concept of how the laws of Heaven and Earth operated and their source. He just needed to inscribe the last law, and immediately all laws would coalesce into a coherent entirety. "Your disciple Xu Yan has understood the cultivation method of the Holy Sword Realm; you have broken through to the Holy Sword Realm." The feedback from the Great Dao Golden Book came suddenly. Xu Yan had grasped the cultivation method for the Holy Sword Realm. Li Xuan was immediately excited; his sword path realm had progressed again. "The Holy Sword Realm." Experiencing the mysteries of the Holy Sword realm, Li Xuan marveled at the newfound strength. No sword path martial artist could make a move against him! "What might lie beyond the Holy Sword Realm?" Li Xuan pondered. "Sword path, sword path—beyond the Holy Sword is perhaps the Great Dao Sword, cultivating the true Great Dao of the sword?" Li Xuan pondered, formulating a rough idea. "With enlightenment into the Holy Sword Realm, the Heaven and Earth Realm must not be far." Li Xuan was full of anticipation. Just as he was about to immerse himself further into understanding the laws, feedback from the Great Dao Golden Book arrived again. This time, however, it did not originate from Xu Yan, but from Meng Chong. "Your disciple Meng Chong has single-handedly swept aside the True King Heavenly Venerables attacking him. Your martial expertise has been enhanced." Li Xuan raised an eyebrow—Meng Chong had been beset by True King Heavenly Venerables? What force had he provoked? Could it be Tiansha Earthshadow that had dispatched many True King Heavenly Venerables to attack Meng Chong? "This Tiansha Earthshadow courts death; just treat it as a stepping stone for your disciples." Li Xuan shook his head; Tiansha Earthshadow posed no threat to his disciples, serving as a useful adversary for their martial training. Growth through tempering, having an enemy to spar with, was indeed beneficial. In the days that followed, Li Xuan received more feedback: Fang Hao's arrangement of great formations, Su Lingxiu's alchemy gains, and Meng Chong's triumphs over adversaries. "Your disciple Xu Yan has achieved great success in the Divine Appearance Realm; your strength has increased." Xu Yan had successfully achieved the Divine Appearance Realm, bringing him closer to the Void Shattering Realm. No long after Xu Yan's breakthrough, feedback from the Great Dao Golden Book arrived again. "Your disciple Xu Yan has comprehended the martial path of the Heaven and Earth Realm; you have broken through to the Heaven and Earth Realm!" Li Xuan was immediately overjoyed. Heaven and Earth Realm! Boom! In that instant, Li Xuan's power surged, his entire being undergoing a transformation. Breaking through to the Heaven and Earth Realm marked a tremendous leap. "So this is the Heaven and Earth Realm!" After the breakthrough, Li Xuan was elated. His body underwent monumental changes, with his dantian and meridians transforming into a representation of Heaven and Earth's landscapes, the laws materialized by divine martial arts operating within his inner world. Even his spiritual platform metamorphosed, vast and boundless like the celestial canopy. "Becoming one with the universe..." Li Xuan experienced the enchanting intricacies of his breakthrough, marveling at the strength and wonders of the Heaven and Earth Realm. --- New Terms: 1. **青華宗 (Qinghua Sect)** - Translated as Qinghua Sect, this represents the sect established by Fang Hao. The name implies a sect of purity or nobility ("青" meaning "blue" or "green," often associated with purity or nobility, and "華" meaning "magnificent" or "splendid"). 2. **大荒武道 (Great Wilderness Martial Path)** - Kept as is due to its significance as the martial path originated by the Martial Ancestor of the Great Wilderness. The term delves into an encompassing martial art imbibed with the essence of wilderness. 3. **太蒼書 (Tai-Cang Tome)** - Translated as Tai-Cang Tome, referring to a mystical text associated with universal truths or laws. "Tai-Cang" evokes grandness ("太" meaning "too" or "great," and "蒼" referring to the vast sky or heaven). 4. **天煞地影 (Tiansha Earthshadow)** - Translated as such to give a sense of a threatening or mythical adversarial force. The names "天煞" and "地影" imply an ominous sound ("Tiansha" means "Heavenly Fiend" and "Earthshadow"—a shadow that plagues the earth). 5. **天地鼎 (Heaven and Earth Cauldron)** - Kept with its literal connotation, indicating a mighty artifact capable of refining worlds or universes. 6. **極道魂兵 (Ultimate Path Soul Weapon)** - Kept as is to represent a spiritual armament, "極道" suggests the ultimate or the pinnacle of a path, and "魂兵" refers to a weapon made of or affecting the soul. "My martial path now has a clear direction." Li Xuan mumbled to himself. With the breakthrough to the Heaven and Earth Realm, the path of martial arts seemed to have suddenly opened up. The subsequent realms and how they should be structured became more apparent. "With my current Heaven and Earth Realm strength, although I haven't transcended Heaven and Earth, I am not far off. Within this realm, I should be invincible, right?" Li Xuan assessed his strength. The Heaven and Earth Realm was a monumental leap, and he was about to master the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth's laws. Within this domain, who could threaten him? "But without transcending Heaven and Earth, I cannot achieve true invincibility or surpass the owner of the Tai-Cang Tome." Li Xuan was well aware that only by transcending Heaven and Earth could one tread the path of invincibility. Moreover, only by transcending Heaven and Earth could he possibly surpass the owner of the Tai-Cang Tome. Besides, it was unknown whether the owner of the Tai-Cang Tome was the mightiest. "The martial path is endless; I can't let it get to my head. There might still be stronger beings ahead!" Li Xuan silently reminded himself. He couldn't let his recent breakthrough inflate his ego; he needed to maintain his steadiness. Looking up at the firmament, with his current Heaven and Earth Realm power, under the Heavenly Dao Eye, he could perceive much more. "Interesting." His gaze fixed upon a certain spot in the sky, "Is this the plan of Tiansha Earthshadow? Is this the unification of Heaven and Earth?" Seeing a particular scene in the sky, Li Xuan began to ponder. "Some entities silently observe Tiansha Earthshadow's actions without interfering, also wanting to see if Heaven and Earth can unite? "Or perhaps, after the unification of Heaven and Earth, they intend to seize benefits?" Li Xuan chuckled, prepared to witness the rise of storms. Now, he truly possessed the confidence within the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth to watch the ensuing events. He looked towards the Tai-Kun Heavenly Abyss, his gaze penetrating beyond, seeing the outside of Heaven and Earth. There lay a misty land, upon which appeared a faint blood-red lake, as if formed from gathered blood. At the lake's edge, mountainous outlines could be seen. From one corner of the lake, a beam of blood light extended, connecting to the heavenly abyss—a passage for the Netherworld Abyss martial artists to enter the heavenly abyss. "Interesting!" At this moment, Li Xuan gleaned more insight and formed some hypotheses. "What had happened to this Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth before? It's about time I take a trip to the Wu State's imperial palace." Li Xuan suddenly grew interested in past events concerning Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth. "But before that, I need to thoroughly comprehend the Tai-Cang Tome." Looking down at the Tai-Cang Tome, with his realm advancement, the final law in its canon appeared much simpler. Time flew by, and at some point, the contours, operations, and source laws of the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth emerged. The entire Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth seemed to be mapped out in his mind. Li Xuan had completely inscribed and understood the Tai-Cang Tome's canon; with the final law's comprehension, the laws and source of Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth were clear in his mind. Li Xuan's eyes shone with understanding. At a certain point, some changes occurred within him—self-improvements in his martial path laws, naturally infused after comprehending the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth. This was the first time he had actively enhanced his martial path without feedback from the Great Dao Golden Book. The Heaven and Earth became more perfected. At this moment, the Great Dao Golden Book atop his spiritual platform glimmered with light. Holding the Great Dao Golden Book with one hand, Li Xuan extracted a pen from it with the other. This pen, mysterious and profound, seemed to contain the ultimate truths of Heaven and Earth, embodying boundless Dao. Holding the pen in one hand and the Great Dao Golden Book in the other, Li Xuan smiled. "With this book and pen, I'll illustrate my martial path!" Li Xuan murmured to himself. The elevation in realm also enhanced his ability to utilize the Great Dao Golden Book. "The Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth, quite a breach!" Li Xuan sighed. The Heavenly Abyss was but a chasm in Heaven and Earth, and it wasn't the only one. It was only now, with his insight into Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth, that Li Xuan realized there were issues within this realm, seemingly man-made. Or rather, remnants of a great war. But the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth were robust, possessing self-recovery powers, slowly recuperating, and further human efforts had mended some of its issues. "Did Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth once have a master?" Li Xuan thought, deeply shaken. He couldn't help but speculate; after comprehending the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth's laws, he sensed it once had a master. As for now, it was naturally masterless. Li Xuan glanced at the Tai-Cang Tome in his hand, forming some suspicions. "Was this left by the former master of Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth? Whosoever acquires this Tai-Cang Tome, comprehends the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth's laws, understands its source, shall become the lord of Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth?" Comprehending the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth's laws and source would undeniably equip one to govern Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth's operations. "With my current strength, I could indeed use the Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth's laws, and in a sense, become its lord. "Becoming the lord of Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth implies shouldering responsibilities, facing certain issues. "But the biggest issue is, my cultivation isn't in Tai-Cang Martial Path, so..." Li Xuan chuckled with amusement. --- New Terms: 1. **武道無止境 (Martial Path is Endless)** - Translated as "the martial path is endless," it conveys the concept of endless progression and perpetual development within martial arts. 2. **天道之眼 (Heavenly Dao Eye)** - This is translated to "Heavenly Dao Eye," indicating a profound ability to understand or perceive through the Dao or celestial principles. 3. **冥獄武者 (Netherworld Abyss Martial Artists)** - Translated as such to indicate warriors originating from or associated with a mysterious or darker lineage linked to the Netherworld Abyss concept. 4. **太蒼天地之主 (Lord of Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth)** - Translated to signify potential ownership or leadership over the Tai-Cang realm. The title suggests both leadership and oversight over this celestial body. Minor Change to Existing Terms: - **太蒼天地 (Tai-Cang Heaven and Earth)** previously used terms should clarify that Tai-Cang represents a vast, almost primordial concept of Heaven and Earth.