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

## Chapter 430: Young One, Your Realm is Too Low Upon entering the small stone house, Li Xuan immediately noticed a peculiar sight beneath the floor. A soft, purple glow suffused a tiny space, resembling a little room. This space was once filled with other things, yet now only a bed remained. The bed, however, was in a state of disrepair, appearing as if someone had violently smashed it. On the bed lay a young man in a purple robe, as if in a deep slumber. "Young one, stop pretending to sleep. Come have some tea and chat; perhaps if I'm pleased, I'll set you free," Li Xuan said with a radiant smile. Internally, however, he was startled. The young man in the purple robe was somewhat elusive, appearing not as a typical martial artist but some special existence. Li Xuan couldn't ascertain his strength, as the young man seemed bound, his full strength unable to manifest unless released from his restraints. Since the young man's strength couldn't be fully utilized, Li Xuan felt at ease as there seemed nothing to worry about. The young man in the purple robe continued lying quietly, not stirring, offering no response, as though he were lifeless. "Playing dead, playing dead, he can't see me, he can't come here, definitely can't come here. Stay calm, play dead!" the young man in the purple robe kept hypnotizing himself. "I'm already dead, yes, I'm already dead!" Hearing Li Xuan's voice, he didn't respond, even internally letting out a cold laugh. "Does he think I'd fall for such a childish trick? Seriously thinks I'm a three-year-old." "Still, where did this person come from? Why does he feel profoundly unfathomable to me? Even someone as mighty as Tai-Cang didn't give me such a feeling." "The only one who gave me such a sense was those eyes that were utterly terrifying. Tai-Cang might have perished in his hands." "However, he is not the same as the owner of those eyes. He shouldn't be the same person. So where did he come from, and how does he possess such terrifying power?" "He can’t be a martial artist of Tai-Cang, but if he’s an outsider, how did I fail to notice his entry?" The more he pondered, the more perplexed the young man in the purple robe became. This individual seemed insurmountable. In Tai-Cang's world, a terror of this magnitude shouldn't exist. Even if someone were that powerful, they couldn't surpass Tai-Cang. If he were a foreigner, why hadn’t I detected his presence? Could it be that this person’s strength was so overwhelming that even his entry into Tai-Cang eluded my perception? If that's the case, isn't his power significantly greater than the owner of those eyes? The more he thought, the more unsettled the young man in the purple robe became. “He really can’t see me, right? He really can’t come here, can he? Just keep pretending to be dead! “Yes, stay dead! As long as I'm dead, he won't be interested. Surely he wouldn’t be interested even in the dead? He’s no Netherworld Wraith, after all.” The young man in the purple robe obsessively hypnotized himself. “I’m dead; I’m already dead…” Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "No, I must make myself uglier; surely, he won’t be interested in a hideous corpse.” As he thought thus, the young man on the bed remained unmoving, though changes subtly appeared. If one could see his face, they would find it wrinkled, old, and ugly. Li Xuan’s mouth twitched slightly. What in the world was this young man in the purple robe doing? Why did his thought process seem so divergent from normalcy? Self-hypnosis? Feigning death? Does he really believe I neither see him nor can enter his little space? After assessing the small space where the young man resided and the violently smashed bed, he mused. The rest of the items in the small space seemed to have been demolished by the young man in purple, and he may have stopped halfway smashing the bed because, without it, he couldn't rest upon it. He stomped his foot, sending a force downward that resonated in the small space. “Young one, stop playing dead and come chat with this old man. Aren’t you bored down there? Rest assured, I mean no harm.” The enclosure jolted slightly. The young man playing dead instantly panicked internally, “He’s realized I’m here; what should I do? Continue playing dead?” “No, if I keep playing dead, what if he gets angry and shatters my little room, then I'm exposed? Fine, I’ll just meet him.” "But don't even think about extracting any information from me—I’m extremely good at playing foolish!” Thinking this, the young man in purple muttered aloud, “It’s rude to disturb someone’s sleep.” Stretching and yawning, he acted as though just awoken, visibly annoyed. In a flash of purple light, he appeared in the stone house. He could at most appear within the stone house, not exit it. If the stone house were gone, he’d remain in that little space. Li Xuan saw his face, wrinkled and old, and mockingly said, “Stop faking ugliness, young one!” “Who are you calling young? I am as ancient as the heavens and earth!” the young man in purple haughtily exclaimed. Restoring his original countenance, he looked fresh-faced and around fifteen or sixteen, even possessing a slightly feminine demeanor. “As ancient as the heavens and earth? Then how old is the world?” Li Xuan asked with a chuckle, seemingly continuing the topic absentmindedly. “This fellow, claiming to be as ancient as the heavens and earth, is peculiar, unlike any being known to me,” Li Xuan thought with silent astonishment. “How old? Ha, let me tell you, since the world’s birth…” The young man in purple began fingering, “How many years was that again, too numerous to count, really a whole lot of years!” Inside, he was exclaiming, “Nearly slipped there! Thank goodness for quick thinking!” Li Xuan watched the other’s ridiculous act, playing dumb while counting on his fingers and felt exhausted. “This performance is terribly lacking. “Forget it; no need to expose him. Too guarded, there’s no rush. Slowly, I’ll nudge information out of him, first identify his origins. “He doesn’t seem like a normal living entity; neither is he a spiritual form. Truly odd, an ancient existence, likely possessing frightening strength beyond me now. “Certain methods can’t apply to him, nor is there a need. Gradually cajoling might even snag me a disciple? “Looks like a youth recently matured in mind, easily swayed.” Suddenly the young man queried, “How old are you?” Enveloped in a mysterious aura, Li Xuan’s visage turned profound as he seemed to recall something, “Me? Before time itself, time cannot measure me.” The young man in purple was left chock-full of confusion, feeling mystified by these seemingly profound words. “Amazing, can’t see through him at all; so mysterious, truly unfathomable.” Experiencing a small, internal shock. “Young one, what’s your name?” Li Xuan asked kindly. “Dunno, forgot it already. What about you? What’s your name?” the young man in purple scratched his head and feigned a puzzled look, as if he truly forgot his name. Yet, his acting was subpar. “My name carries great karmic weight, young one, too burdensome for you to bear; better you remain unaware,” Li Xuan replied with a smile, refraining from pointing out the other’s lousy acting. “C’mon, tell me. I can surely handle it; what could be so burdensome about karma that I can't bear?” The young man in purple showed eager curiosity. “Come, young one, have tea!” Li Xuan offered a cup to the youth while continuing, "The heavens and earth are insignificant; my karma surpasses it. Even as one ancient as you, it’s beyond you.” The young man in purple gazed at the tea, taking a sip and immediately grimacing, “This tea's awful, undrinkable! How do you even consume such worthless tea?” Li Xuan maintained his smile, though internally resigned. The tea he offered were rare leaves gifted by the Emperor of Da Yue, the finest in the Qinghua Realm, prized and rare. Even the Emperor of Da Yue himself hesitated to drink it regularly, pulling from a cherished collection to impress him, an esteemed figure. This was the pinnacle of what Li Xuan could offer, and yet it was dismissed as rubbish! A true esteemed personage drinking such awful tea damages one’s image. “Young one, your realm is too low, because of that you fret over the quality of spirit tea and what earthly treasures you consume.” --- **New Terms**: 1. 太蒼 (Tai-Cang) - A reference implying a powerful figure in the narrative. Translated directly to maintain ominous ambiguity, related potentially to "ancient lands" or "supreme sky." - Alternate option: Tai-Cang Sky (literal: Supreme Sky) 2. 冥獄 (Netherworld Wraith) - Relates to a wraith or being interested in the dead, part of underworld-themed mythos. - Alternate translation: Ghost of the Underworld (literal: Nether Prison) These retain their mystique and importance without assigning undue specificity. Adjustments to conveyed ages and interactions with the heavens can interplay here with narrative elements and progression. Gender confirmed for the male character in purple and Li Xuan, no changes required to characters listed previously. "At my current realm, even mundane water tastes rich and flavorful to me. “Do you know why? Because I have transcended the stage of pursuing earthly treasures. What I drink isn’t tea; I savor the essence of the world itself, the loneliness of invincibility…” Li Xuan continued to boast with an unchanging smile. The young man in the purple robe was visibly perplexed, once again slightly shaken internally. "Tasting the world’s essence instead of tea? Savoring the loneliness of invincibility?" The young man in the purple robe scratched his head in confusion, feeling this talk was too abstruse. Despite himself, he took another sip of the tea, finding it just as hard to swallow. "But, I still think this tea is terrible garbage!" He said frustratedly. "Young one, because your realm is low, you can’t taste the way. But when you transcend the earthly realm, and all things become mere illusions, you will no longer care about the quality of the tea you drink. "Because you will savor the way of understanding the world, not just the tea in the cup." Li Xuan poured himself a cup, took a sip, and continued, “This sip of tea, I savor the greed of all living things, the desires of the martial artist, yearning for invincibility, yearning for eternity. "This sip, I savor the storms and thunder that pour over the world…” The young man in the purple robe blinked in bewilderment, feeling confused as he listened, and couldn’t help but take another sip of tea. This time, it seemed slightly less unpleasant. “What did you taste from your sip?” Li Xuan asked with a grin. “I tasted bitterness, it’s hard to drink!” The young man smacked his lips. "You are troubled, your mind unsettled; naturally, you taste bitterness,” Li Xuan replied cryptically. Sealed here for countless ages, who wouldn't feel bitterness? "Oh, is that so?" The young man in the purple robe tilted his head and handed over his cup. "Give me another cup." Li Xuan poured him another cup. The young man in the purple robe downed the entire cup at once, his face wrinkling as if he had gulped down a mouthful of bitter water. Seeing his expression, Li Xuan glanced at the tea in his hand, finding it a bit hard to swallow. Previously, he drank with relish; now, suddenly, he finds the tea mediocre? Gulp! The young man struggled to swallow, "This is too awful. What kind of tea is this? The one stored away, all gone; otherwise, I'd let you taste what real good tea is." Li Xuan's smile remained fixed as he said, “Young one, with your current mindset, even the best tea won’t taste right. “Your realm is too low; you're still fixated on the grade of the spirit tea. When you transcend this fixation, you will no longer care about these things. "Natural law is close to the way, tasting myriad ways in worldly affairs, mundane or exquisite, both hold the taste of the Dao…” Li Xuan reiterated repeatedly that the other's realm is too low, hence the preoccupation with the quality. The young man in the purple robe blinked with some thoughtfulness, recalling a particular figure. He was similar, indifferent to everything, as if no worldly treasure could attract his attention. “Young one, is there anything on your mind? Feel free to share; think of it as casual conversation,” Li Xuan prompted with a smile. “Are you very powerful?” the young man suddenly asked seriously. “I don’t know if I’m powerful, but so far, no one has withstood a slap from me.” Li Xuan shook his head with a self-deprecating smile, adding, “Being too strong has its downsides; solving problems with a single slap leaves little challenge, making it quite dull!” The young man in the purple robe regarded him skeptically, feeling that this person might be bragging about his strength! Yet his demeanor seemed genuinely troubled by his power, as if not an act. “Is his power greater than Tai-Cang, even stronger than the one with those eyes?” Inside, the young man was somewhat shocked; Tai-Cang's strength was unfathomable, while the presence with those eyes appeared even mightier. This is a senior! Such thoughts made the young man in purple display slight respect as he asked, “Senior, is it true that the stronger one becomes, the more greedy and desirous they are to become even stronger, to control everything and become supreme?” Li Xuan sipped his tea serenely, inwardly pleased, feeling progress had been made; gradually coaxing, he could glean the answers he sought. “To me, that’s not a strong person. A true strong person doesn't have a burning desire to become stronger, instead embracing the ordinary and savoring life’s games. “Because invincibility is lonely, on the martial path, there are no peers left, the urge to grow stronger has long faded. "Only the weak constantly seek power, while invincible masters ponder how to escape solitude…” The young man in purple stared incredulously, suspiciously at Li Xuan, as if suggesting, “See? I’m that kind of strong person!” --- **New Terms**: 1. **太嶽皇 (The Emperor of Da Yue)** - Mentioned as a significant ruler of the Qinghua Realm, gifting rare tea. - Alternate Translation: Great Yue Emperor 2. **青華境 (Qinghua Realm)** - Mentioned indirectly as a location known for high-quality tea. - Alternate Translation: Sapphire Boundary These terms contextualize the environment and connections present in the narrative, aligning character interactions with broader expositional lore. Gender references remain consistent for all characters, maintaining continuity with prior entries.