Book 2 Chapter 65: Past Clouds and Mist - Martial God

# Chapter 65: Past Clouds and Mist With both arms outstretched, a stream of innate energy swirled around him, forming a minuscule vortex that was nearly imperceptible. With a gentle push off his toes, his body seemed to defy gravity, springing upwards. In mid-air, he appeared to pause for just a moment before suddenly bursting forth. His silhouette seemed to fragment into countless images, creating dozens of afterimages within the confined space of the room. His feet seemed to land on the floor at the same instant, resembling an endless mountain rainstorm, touching every corner of the room. Yet, as the faint sound of wood cracking echoed, all of He Yiming's afterimages vanished. He gazed at the small splinter beneath his foot and let out a long, melancholy sigh. A moment later, the door was gently pushed open, and Yuan Lixun entered as quietly as a cat. Her gaze swept across the room, and she immediately fetched a broom to sweep away the wooden debris. Noticing He Yiming's furrowed brow, she hesitated for a moment before mustering the courage to ask, "Young Master, is something troubling you?" He Yiming gave her a surprised look. Since integrating the essence of clouds and rain into his swordplay, his martial skill had undoubtedly reached new heights. Yet, when he attempted to incorporate this insight into his fist technique, a lingering discordance persisted. He had ordered the servants to prepare hundreds of small wooden blocks, scattered them around this moderately sized room, and practiced his martial arts using the Cloud and Rain Flying Technique and hand gesture techniques. However, he soon discovered that while practicing as he had before posed no issues, attempting to weave the understanding of clouds and rain into his fist technique proved immensely difficult, nearly impossible. Though swordplay and fist techniques stem from the same lineage, they are inherently different. Each practice session resulted in several small wooden blocks shattering beneath his feet, indicating a degree of inadequacy in his control over innate energy. Such techniques, no matter how powerful, were unusable in actual combat. Over the past few days, he had set aside Lin Taoli, dedicating himself wholly to martial arts practice, yet without any progress, leaving him somewhat disheartened. Despite being outside the room, Yuan Lixun, though unaware of his activities, had silently stood guard, ensuring the servants prepared hundreds more identical wooden blocks. Each time the sound of fists ceased, she would personally enter to tidy up the splintered debris and replace the worn blocks, sparing He Yiming any concern. Her meticulous attentiveness to such mundane tasks brought a warm, indescribable comfort to He Yiming's heart. Initially furrowed brows eased upon seeing her presence and hearing her concern. "It's nothing major, I'm merely pondering a technique, but regrettably, I've yet to make any headway." Yuan Lixun was momentarily stunned, her gaze toward He Yiming filled with unexpected gratitude and emotion. Though she had summoned the courage to inquire, she had never once hoped to receive an answer. She understood their vast disparity and never dreamed of receiving equal treatment from him. Yet, He Yiming's response made her heart race. She quickly lowered her head and softly said, "Young Master, please don't worry. When my mother was alive, she always said, 'With enough effort, even an iron bar can be ground into a needle.' You may not succeed this time, but one day you surely will." He Yiming's eyes sharpened. He understood this principle well. Since a fortunate encounter at the lake's bottom, his journey had been extraordinarily smooth, with even the breakthrough to the innate realm achieved with relative ease. Ironically, his mindset was his most vulnerable aspect. Listening to Yuan Lixun's words, a sudden thought arose within him. Creating an innate technique is no easy feat. After only a few days of exploration, it would be ludicrous to believe one could already integrate the newfound understanding of clouds and rain into fist technique. He looked at Yuan Lixun with deep appreciation, feeling as though gratitude turned into tenderness. The two stood silently, and as the atmosphere became unusual, a faint blush crept onto Yuan Lixun's cheeks. While not a striking beauty, in moments like these, her rosy tint seemed breathtaking, like a blooming flower in his memory. Suddenly, a loud meow from outside the window startled Yuan Lixun, and like a startled cat, she jumped. Her face flushed as she said, "Young Master, I’ll take my leave." He Yiming instinctively nodded, watching her retreat as if fleeing. Regret welled up within him. He turned to glare at the window, inwardly cursing, "Where did this springtime caterwauling come from..." Outside, Yuan Lixun's face gradually resumed a calm facade, but her inner turmoil remained. Two distinct figures emerged vividly in her mind—both dear kin, yet evoking vastly different emotions. "Lixun, your chance has come. If you can win Master He's favor, you'll have everything you desire. Alas... I did neglect you and your sister before. That's my fault. But rest assured, from now on, Lixiang will stay by my side. I promise to treat him as the family heir, without slight." "Elder sister, father said you're leaving on a journey. When will you return to see me?" "Little brother, once your inner strength reaches the sixth level and you join the family's core disciples, I will surely return to see you." Her heart ached faintly. Father, you owe more than just us siblings. Mother always believed that enough effort could turn an iron bar into a needle. Yet she never won your heart. Mother, I wonder what fate awaits your daughter... She glanced back at the closed door, a thin wooden panel seemingly dividing the room and the world outside into separate realms. Suddenly, a wave of regret surged. Why evade when she'd already resolved? Had she not won his favor, would her father still place her brother as heir? She stood quietly, eyes growing distant, lost in thought... ※※※※ Inside the room, He Yiming swiftly assembled a three-sectioned guandao. With a flick of his wrist, it came together in an instant. Though this guandao had been his for just over a year, He Yiming felt an almost lifelong bond with it. He knew every inch intimately, as if his life and heartbeat were intricately linked with this formidable blade. Since advancing to the innate state, this sensation had only intensified. If He Wude discovered this, he'd be wildly envious. His decades-long bond with the guandao seemed to pale in comparison to He Yiming's brief period of mastery. With a casual swing, the room appeared to fill with clouds. These clouds shifted, transforming into dense mist, through which the sound of flowing water emerged—rain. Under his guandao's artistry, these natural meteorological phenomena manifested vividly. Moments later, He Yiming sheathed the guandao, restoring calm to the room. In this space, the nearly four-meter guandao appeared expansive, even impossible to lift overhead. Yet under He Yiming’s formidable control, he managed to conjure the imagery of clouds and rain. The difficulty far surpassed that of empty-handed techniques. However, He Yiming remained unable to weave clouds and rain into his fist techniques. He sighed lightly, knowing that the ability to incorporate clouds and rain into his guandao technique came from a sudden epiphany during a life-and-death confrontation with two hundred Tiger Suicide Squad members, fueled by their fearless aura. It was this unexpected surge of spirit that reignited his enlightenment, seamlessly blending clouds and rain into his swordplay. But such feelings, akin to epiphanies, occur spontaneously, beyond one's control. He sighed again, storing the guandao. Unable to induce epiphanies, he resolved to explore and study steadily. Yuan Lixun’s mother was right in her saying about persistent effort. Suddenly, he turned his head and smiled, "Grandfather, do come in." ※※※※ Standing outside, Yuan Lixun was startled by the sound from within the room, abruptly pulled back to reality. She turned, scanning the area, finding neither He Wude’s figure nor the source of the earlier feline yowl. Then, her eyes lit up as an elder approached from the main entrance—none other than He Wude, the patriarch of the He family. From a considerable distance, He Yiming had already heard the old man's presence. Yet, the elder seemed aware that He Yiming was busy practicing and thus only paced outside the courtyard, refraining from entering. Yuan Lixun approached and offered a deep bow, "Master He." He Wude gave a low hum in acknowledgment and said, "I have something to discuss with Yiming. You may leave now." Yuan Lixun dared not disobey, quietly agreeing, and turned to depart. Opening the door, He Yiming ushered his grandfather inside. Seeing the elder's serious expression, He Yiming couldn't help but ask curiously, "Grandfather, who has upset you?" He Wude shook his head slightly, "Yiming, though Lixun isn't as pretty as Liwen, she is earnest. Besides, even if she comes from a more obscure branch, she is still Ze Yu's granddaughter. If you don't fancy her, perhaps I could take her in as my granddaughter and find her a good match in the future." He Yiming was momentarily speechless, unsure of how to feel, but decidedly not pleased. "Grandfather, who has been spreading such rumors to you? When did I ever say I didn't like her?" He Wude looked surprised, "If you like her, then why is she still a maiden?" He Yiming blushed to the roots of his ears, even his innate energy seemed ineffective in this situation. "Grandfather, how did you know? Who told you?" "No one needed to tell me. I may be old, but I'm not blind to such things," He Wude replied in a slightly exasperated tone. He Yiming quickly coughed a few times, "Grandfather, I’m not ready to discuss this yet. However, I do not wish for her to leave my side." As he uttered the second sentence, He Yiming’s tone was exceptionally firm. He Wude nodded slightly, "As long as you like her, that's good enough. Otherwise, I'd feel uneasy explaining to Brother Ze Yu about delaying the girl's youth." He Yiming murmured in acknowledgment, though the true nature of his thoughts remained his own secret. He Wude pondered for a moment before speaking, "Yiming, since you've risen to the innate level, there are some things I think it's time to tell you." Sensing the gravity in his grandfather's words, He Yiming immediately snapped to attention, "Grandfather, please go on." "Forty years ago, I came to Taicang County. Armed with a guandao and assisted by your great uncle, we carved out a realm of our own in Taicang," He Wude recounted, his expression animated. "Those days were unforgettable, fraught with countless trials." He Yiming nodded repeatedly, his eyes perfectly conveying admiration and respect. Seeing his expression, He Wude laughed wryly, "Fine, you already know all that, so I won't dwell on it." Stroking his beard, he seemed lost in thought. After a long pause, his face darkened, recalling something distressing. "Over forty years ago, I was a disciple of the Hengshan Sect and one of the three elders, a medicine apprentice to the Alchemist." He Yiming's eyes widened, "Grandfather, you were already forty back then, right?" "Of course." "At over forty, you were still an apprentice?" He Yiming asked incredulously. He Wude shot him an annoyed glance, almost resorting to a slap, but recalled his grandson's status as an innate expert and refrained. Seeing the playful glint in He Yiming's eyes, He Wude suddenly realized that the suffocating feeling from recalling those past events strangely dissipated. Pointing at He Yiming with mute exasperation, he felt a burst of pride and comfort; this young one had truly grown up. "Listen, your great ancestor, the Alchemist, was already over a hundred years old then. In his presence, I was indeed an apprentice." He Yiming's eyes widened even further, genuinely astonished. "The Alchemist, my ancestor, was an innate expert?" "Yes." He Wude nodded solemnly. Only now did He Yiming grasp the situation. He recalled that when Lin Taoli had approached the He family to recruit him, his grandfather had mentioned being a nominal disciple of the Hengshan Sect. At that time, Lin Taoli had shown marked surprise, indicating the sect's considerable power. And now, He Yiming understood there were three elders within the Hengshan Sect, meaning the presence of at least three innate experts, truly a formidable force—no wonder Lin Taoli had been awed. "When I was an orphan wandering the world, it was the Alchemist who took me as his disciple," He Wude said with some pride. "With his support, I progressed swiftly and showed exceptional talent in alchemy, earning my master's constant praise." Playing along, He Yiming said, "Grandson knows; you later became a nominal disciple of the Hengshan Sect." "Indeed." He Wude sighed profoundly, "But alas, in my thirty-ninth year, I caused a monumental disaster." He Yiming's expression turned serious. He knew this was the crucial matter and paid full attention. "That year, my master and others encountered a five-hundred-year-old spirit beast. Delighted by the find, my master swiftly slew it, extracting its inner core. He then collected many precious herbs to refine an innate elixir," He Wude murmured. He Yiming's heart stirred, "Grandfather, did you ruin the elixir?" He Wude sighed deeply, "Such an important elixir, how could they trust me to refine it?" "If not you, then what trouble did you cause?" A trace of guilt crossed He Wude's face. "At that time, everyone in Hengshan was aware of the upcoming refinement of the innate elixir. Once created, one person could potentially advance to the innate level." "One person?" He Wude chuckled, "You think the innate elixir is like the limit elixir? One five-hundred-year-old spirit beast's core can only refine a single innate elixir, which is why innate experts are so rare." He Yiming nodded, absorbing the information and urging, "And then?" "Then…" He Wude shook his head, "Amidst the excitement, I mistakenly included an herb of insufficient age among the auxiliary ingredients." He Yiming's eyes widened in realization. With inferior ingredients mixed in, the elixir was essentially ruined. As expected, He Wude continued, "In his excitement, even my master failed to notice the error. Three days later, when the elixir was completed, it turned out to be merely a few limit elixirs, not the intended innate elixir. The other two elders wanted me executed, but my master intervened. Still unable to protect me, I was expelled from the sect. However, my master said that if I could find another five-hundred-year-old spirit beast core, or if a He family descendant could achieve innate status, I would be allowed to return." He Wude's words grew more rapid and fervent, his eyes glistening by the end. Clearly, this matter had weighed on him for unknown years, and now, as his wish was about to be fulfilled, he was overcome with uncontrollable excitement.