Volume 2 Chapter 37: A Display of Renewed Power - Martial God

### Chapter 37: A Display of Renewed Power The dense mountain ranges, shrouded in mist and clouds, exude an enigmatic and elusive allure. Jinlin Country is one of the western kingdom’s many states, with Zhetong County being a city nestled towards its west. Just a few miles outside the city lies a stretch of undulating mountains. He Yiming had long studied the terrain. Holding the massive Wenli stone bed above him, he dashed towards the towering mountains. His internal energy circulated incessantly, pushing the intricacies of his Da Li Technique to its utmost limit. With every stride, He felt an inexplicable connection with the vast earth beneath him, allowing him to draw strength from it to replenish his internal energy expenditure. To hoist a Wenli stone bed weighing thousands of pounds is a feat that even a martial expert at the pinnacle of postcelestial cultivation might attempt, particularly when maximizing their internal energy. However, to do so while sprinting as He Yiming was, seemed a nigh unattainable feat. Yuan Chengzhi and his companions couldn’t fathom how He Yiming managed such a feat, attributing it to his supposedly innate divine strength. In contrast, the bond between He Yuanzhu and He Yi Tian with Yiming was exceptional. Their memories suggested Yiming was not born with such Herculean strength, leaving them puzzled. Nonetheless, they couldn’t conceive that He Yiming had already ventured into the realm of congenital martial arts. Indeed, at this moment, without stepping into the innate realm, He Yiming could not have reached his current prowess. The innate realm, especially applying the earth element Da Li Technique, established a mystical bond between him and the ground below, ensuring an endless supply of vital energy. The Yuan Family Manor, located in the county's outskirts, was strategically built in a defensible and easily secured position, backed by mountains. Thus, while Yiming's transport of the enormous stone bed appeared astonishing, he encountered few witnesses deep within the forest. Leaving the manor involved crashing through two walls, terrifying the servants who bore witness to the spectacle. Once in the heart of the rugged mountains, the paths grew sparse, especially with the unwieldy stone bed on his back, making navigation more arduous. Yet, this challenge seemed not to faze He Yiming in the slightest. He maneuvered through the forest in great strides. Though the path wasn't straightforward, his deft dodges allowed the stone bed to avoid the towering trees. It was as if he had an eye above him, meticulously scanning the surrounding landscape and deftly making precise decisions with every step. He Yiming’s heart brimmed with exhilaration, a silent smile gracing his face. Unleashing his energy to this extent transformed his link with the external world, granting him a rare sensation of command over the forces of nature. It felt as though every detail, even those out of sight, vividly imprinted themselves into his mind as complete visuals, enabling him to preemptively make precise decisions. Before today, he had experienced such feelings, but they paled in comparison to today's sensations. Indeed, the adage "pressure becomes motivation" holds truth. Without the challenge of bearing this colossal stone bed through the forest, he might not have experienced this breakthrough. Finally, He Yiming reached a relatively flat area. Satisfied with the terrain, he circled it before gently tossing the stone bed to the ground. His use of force was extraordinarily precise and subtle. Although it seemed he merely threw the bed, it landed steadily on the ground without a hint of toppling. Glancing at the stone bed, He Yiming turned to leave. Free from its burden, his speed dramatically increased, and within moments he was back at the Yuan Family Manor. Upon his return, he discovered the entire household abuzz with conversation. Once they spotted him, a shiver of fear crossed nearly every face. While an ordinary youth poses no threat, a boy hoisting an object weighing thousands of pounds and sprinting away is cause for alarm. Within mere days, some even speculated if he was a reincarnation of a mythical beast. He Yiming’s acute hearing caught wind of these wild conjectures, leaving him speechless. However, fortunately, those spreading these rumors were ignorant servants. Those trained in martial arts dismissed such tales with disdain. Yet, they were fervently awed by the sheer power Yiming exhibited. Scratching his head in bewilderment, He Yiming hadn’t expected that simply lifting the Wenli stone bed could cause such a stir. Sighing, he sought out Yuan Chengzhi and requested some high-temperature fuel. At this juncture, in Yuan Chengzhi's eyes, He Yiming's status had skyrocketed, akin to a rocket launching into the stratosphere. Though he already suspected Yiming's formidable strength, he hadn't imagined it would reach such implausible heights. Even without considering other factors, merely lifting and running with the massive stone bed was a feat Yuan Chengzhi found humbling. Therefore, when Yiming requested fuel, he readily complied, offering the finest charcoal without hesitation. He Yiming made three expeditions, transporting over a thousand pounds of charcoal to the mountains before calling it quits. With fuel prepared, He Yiming extracted the first segment of the guandao, infusing it with his vital energy, which immediately projected a blade aura several inches long. Under He Yiming’s control, the blade aura deeply penetrated the stone bed. When the masons had crafted the stone furnace previously, He Yiming attentively observed. Though lacking a mason’s finesse, a congenital martial artist, intent on hollowing out stone, could accomplish the task much faster. When not concerned with aesthetics, carving a sizable pit into the stone bed proved fairly simple. In less than an hour, He Yiming fashioned a rudimentary stone furnace. Unlike the finely crafted furnace at the Xie Family's residence, this was an unfinished product, lacking even a lid. Its redeeming quality was its sheer size, at least twice as large as the Xie Family’s furnace. Heaving a sigh of relief after completing everything, He Yiming looked at his clumsy stone furnace with a hint of embarrassment. The phrase "different skills for different fields" rang true; compared to artisans devoted to stone carving, he possessed little more than sheer strength. In the center of the furnace lay a hollow approximately two meters long, half a meter wide, and deep. He Yiming placed the refined steel magnets inside and gradually ignited the charcoal. Watching the Xie Family's artisans at work had seemed straightforward, requiring little effort. However, when Yiming maneuvered each step himself, he discovered that real craftsmanship was far from easy. Melting refined steel magnets requires much lower temperatures than forging standard iron, making the task simple for a seasoned blacksmith. But for He Yiming, managing it was troublesome. The oversized stone bed posed challenges, as did his inexperience with organizing and utilizing firewood efficiently. Nevertheless, after considerable effort, he reached the necessary temperature, and the steel magnets began to melt. Once all the steel magnets had liquefied, He Yiming inserted the remaining two segments of the guandao into the molten metal. In moments, the liquid gradually seeped into the rods, altering their color. An hour later, with all the liquid absorbed, He Yiming extinguished the charcoal. Fortunately, it was winter; otherwise, a fire this size in a dense forest would have been impossible during summer. Retrieving both metal rods, he placed them in a snowbank, where they quickly cooled. He Yiming was relieved that the steel magnets had a low melting point; otherwise, melting them in these conditions would’ve been impossible. Gazing at the peculiar stone bed, a newfound interest in weapon crafting sparked within him. Without trying, one never appreciates the challenges involved. After grappling with those challenges, He Yiming found his curiosity fully piqued. Resolute, he decided that if the opportunity arose, he would learn from local blacksmiths, potentially crafting custom weapons for himself. Although the guandao was excellent, just as Yuan Chengzhi had mentioned, given his increased strength and qi control, the 360-pound weapon was starting to feel a bit light. ### Chapter 37: A Display of Renewed Power The mountains towered, enshrouded by mist and clouds, imparting an air of enigmatic mystery. Jinlin Country was one of the northwestern kingdoms, with Zhetong County nestled closer to its western edges. Just a few miles from the city lay a stretch of continuous highlands. He Yiming had long meticulously observed the terrain. After lifting the massive Wenli stone bed, he sprinted toward the towering mountains. His internal energy circulated ceaselessly, driving his mastery of the Earth-element Da Li Technique to its limits. Each time his feet struck the ground, he felt a profound connection with the earth itself, as though he could continually draw from its boundless energy to replenish his own. Hoisting a Wenli stone bed weighing thousands of pounds is a challenging feat, one that even a postcelestial master might attempt under intense internal energy exertion. However, to perform such a feat while sprinting, as He Yiming did, seemed almost unattainable. Yuan Chengzhi and others were unable to fathom how He Yiming managed such a thing, attributing it to his alleged divine strength. However, He Yuanzhu and He Yi Tian, who shared a close bond with Yiming, doubted he possessed such innate might. Still, they couldn't conceive he had crossed into the innate realm. Indeed, at this moment, if He Yiming had not stepped into the innate realm, he couldn't have achieved this level of power. The innate realm, especially the Earth-element Da Li Technique within his body, created a mystical bond between him and the earth, allowing his strength to increase steadily each day, as if it could grow indefinitely. He Yiming understood that his strength would eventually plateau, yet he hadn't reached that threshold. Even now, with each gradual increase in power, he found the guandao felt increasingly light in his hands. If other innate masters knew about this, they would undoubtedly be stunned, unable to comprehend. While postcelestial internal energy techniques are powerful, they become somewhat redundant once a practitioner reaches the innate realm. Yet He Yiming, through rigorous cultivation, had miraculously imbued his postcelestial techniques with innate effects, an unprecedented phenomenon. A strand of qi cautiously infused into the two steel rods, and gradually, they emitted a faint crimson glow. This was the culmination of the Fiery Technique, where the qi spread outward. Under He Yiming’s control, the aura around the rods wasn’t long, but it was intensely concentrated. Holding a steel rod in each hand, He Yiming swung them casually, leaving deep marks on the ground. The snow itself melted as if exposed to a blazing sun. Satisfied, He Yiming stored the rods. With a flick of his toe, the guandao's blade soared skyward. Turning his wrist, the two steel rods seamlessly connected, and extending his arm, he skillfully caught the descending handle, combining them into a nearly thirty-foot-long guandao. Even if He Wude, who had wielded the guandao for decades, witnessed this act, he would have been full of praise, grateful he had chosen the right successor. To combine the guandao so precisely and skillfully revealed He Yiming's profound understanding of the weapon—a depth that enabled such a deft performance. Lightly holding the guandao by its end, he raised it high above his head. He Yiming’s eyes shone with an irrepressible excitement. He had pondered over the remaining two steel rods since refining the blade, originally thinking it would take decades to find enough refined steel magnets. Yet, unexpectedly, this wish had been fulfilled unbidden in such a short time. Now, with the guandao fully assembled, He Yiming felt an overwhelming surge of confidence, ready to challenge the world. Lowering himself slightly, He Yiming’s eyes widened as he unleashed a thunderous roar. With that roar, he swung the guandao down with a force resembling a tempestuous avalanche. Yet, just as the blade neared the snow, its formidable aura suddenly vanished. The 360-pound guandao felt as light as paper, its tip barely grazing the snow without stirring a single flake. Leaping like a cat in the snow, He Yiming’s guandao moved with the gentleness of a lover's touch, devoid of any aggression. The art of the Mian Palm, a water-based technique, is now reflected in He Yiming’s blade work. Around him spread a soft, compelling vortex, gently lifting snowflakes, dead leaves, and pebbles into the air, orbiting him as if drawn by a mystical force. He Yiming’s movements quickened, yet remained orderly, intensifying the vortex’s pull with each increase in speed. Finally, reaching the zenith of his qi circulation, He Yiming’s form ceased abruptly, like a high-speed machine suddenly halted. The suspended snowflakes and debris paused momentarily before shattering under the sudden contrast. For a moment, He Yiming stood amidst a blizzard of snow and pebbles, which never touched him, repelled by an unseen force emanating from within. Standing firm, his feet apart, his hands grasped the guandao's hilt, one at brow level and one raised overhead. The guandao stood poised, ready for the next strike. Energy circulated continuously within him: starting with Hun Yuan Qi, followed by Bo Wen Gong, Ku Mu Gong, Fiery Technique, and Da Li Technique, returning to Hun Yuan Qi. The five element qi cycled in life-sustaining order, enhancing his inner energy and sharpening the blade’s aura with each completion, magnifying his momentum. Upon completing a full cycle, he was filled with indescribable power, so immense even his innate body struggled to endure it. A faintly golden blade aura extended over half a meter, gaining solidity and a dazzling brilliance that was both breathtaking and terrifying. Suddenly, with a slight tremor, He Yiming cleaved down with the guandao like a bolt of lightning. The Sixteenth Form of the Kaishan Thirty-Six Styles. Simple, without embellishments, it descended straightforwardly. His vast qi converged into a single point, rocketing forward like a falling star. "Whooosh..." A sharp woosh broke the silence, and a centuries-old tree before him exploded, leaving a massive gash in its wake, clearing everything along its path. The echoing roar continued, shattering the calm with a blizzard of snow and debris, a spectacle far more terrifying than before. When all finally settled, He Yiming gazed ahead, even he couldn't suppress a shiver of awe. Before him lay an expanse thirty meters long and five meters wide, stripped bare of everything in its path. Everything in that straight line had vanished, leaving an indelible scar on the ground—a long, deep fissure stretching from his feet, as if torn asunder by an explosion. He Yiming breathed deeply, his heart swelling with indescribable excitement. At last, he had succeeded. The awe-inspiring strike of days past had finally been reborn in his hands...