Book 2 Chapter 72: A Turning Point - Martial God

### Chapter 72: A Turning Point The evening banquet at the " " went smoothly. Perhaps this was due to the presence of the " ", or maybe it was because of He Yiming's unexpected appearance that tempered Cheng Fu's aggression. Although Cheng Fu glanced their way multiple times during the dinner, he refrained from further provocation. After enduring this rather pointless banquet, He Yiming naturally left with Shui Xuanjin. Before departing, He wanted to bid farewell to his uncle and older brother but was disheartened to find them overwhelmed by a crowd of people. Listening closely for a moment, He turned away with a bemused smile. These people were currying favor, showering his uncle and brother with constant flattery. He understood that they were wary of his status as an innate powerhouse and his close association with Shui Xuanjin. Their hesitance to approach was palpable. However, if he were to willingly mingle, he would never again find peace in such circles. With that thought, He Yiming departed with Shui Xuanjin, leaving He Quanchin and the others to navigate the social labyrinth on their own. After all, if the He family village aimed to develop under their leadership, such events would become routine. As for himself, all he needed to do was diligently cultivate, serving as the family's steadfast support. The wheels of the carriage turned gently, like an eternal melody drifting along the road. Even without witnessing it firsthand, He Yiming noticed how people bowed or even knelt in respect as the carriage passed by. These ordinary citizens of the " " were not compelled by force; their homage was purely out of reverence for the elder who had safeguarded their nation for over a century. Sensing their devotion and gratitude, He sighed inwardly. If only these people knew that the elder could no longer protect them for much longer, their sorrow would be immeasurable. Finally, the carriage stopped before Shaoming Residence. Shui Xuanjin stretched with a big yawn and said, "Brother He, I'm off to rest. You should rest too." "Rest?" He Yiming asked, surprised. "Indeed," Shui Xuanjin's ears flickered playfully. "I promise I won't pry into your doings. Feel free to do as you wish, without worrying about this old man's intrusions." He Yiming felt a twinge of annoyance, but Shui Xuanjin quickly retreated with a hearty laugh, leaving his laughter echoing around. Nearby attendants glanced over in astonishment. They had no idea why the master Shui was so amused but assumed it had something to do with master He. The thoughts of innate powerhouses were truly beyond their grasp. Shaking his head, He Yiming returned to his quarters alone. As he entered the courtyard, Yuan Lixun emerged to hand him a warm towel she had prepared. He received it and wiped his face as Yuan Lixun, in her gentle voice, said, "Young master, I have finished transcribing your manual." His eyes lit up as he recalled Shui Xuanjin’s large ears and formidable hearing abilities. Using the Wind Listening technique secretly and without He discovering the slightest hint was truly extraordinary. "Great, hand me the transcript. I need to practice." "Of course." Yuan Lixun stepped out briefly before returning with both the transcript and original manual. He thumbed through the transcript, nodded with satisfaction, and said, "You did well. Better than I could have." Relief washed over Yuan Lixun, and a serene, charming smile graced her face. Momentarily taken aback, He Yiming realized that though she wasn't the most beautiful he had seen, at that moment, Yuan Lixun was certainly the most captivating. Clearing his throat, He Yiming stood up and said, "I'll go and study the manual, you should rest." Mentioning rest reminded him of Shui Xuanjin's teasing, causing his face to redden slightly as he quickly excused himself. Yuan Lixun stood dazed for a moment, noting the familial tone in He’s words, which warmed her heart and brought a rosy hue to her cheeks. --- With a few leaps, He Yiming arrived at the small creek within the courtyard. This creek flowed naturally, partially man-made, but shaped during construction to preserve its original look, hiding any alterations. Seated on a stone bench by the creek, He Yiming calmed his thoughts and opened the manuscript he held. Though he had perused the content before, reading it and truly practicing were entirely different pursuits. Mastering the contents of this manual was no simple feat. He sat quietly, immersing himself in the text, reciting and memorizing it. After a full hour, he closed the manuscript and, with eyes half-closed, began contemplating its teachings. Gradually, his ears elongated and straightened. For an innate powerhouse with a cultivation manual, altering physiological traits wasn't too daunting. Yet, simultaneously harnessing the mystical functionality of the technique was by no means easy. The Wind Listening technique was truly a marvel. This art emphasized hearing—but not in the ordinary sense. It was a method of enhancing the body's hearing to its utmost potential. In the past, even before reaching innate levels, He Yiming had experimented with channeling internal force through his ears, significantly heightening his hearing ability, enabling him to visualize unseen scenes mentally. The Wind Listening technique followed similar principles but in a more refined and systematic way, far superior to the rudimentary method he developed on his own. With qi gradually circulating, his ears finally reached a notable size, still not as large as Shui Xuanjin's but nearly half again their normal size. A gentle breeze brushed past the creek, and He Yiming's ears quivered slightly—a smile touched his lips as he realized he could now hear the wind. The winds carried distant events with this mystical sound, painting a bizarre pattern in his mind. The garden, filled with vibrant blossoms and fragments of light-dancing winds. The water, enriched by earth’s fragrance. They thrived, nourished by nature. Among the flora, countless insects created a faint symphony imperceptible to ordinary ears. This sound merged into the symphony of nature. It was a novel world, evoking newfound sensations in He Yiming. He finally understood that his once-proud hearing was but a shadow compared to this enigmatic art. Much like a person accustomed to twenty-first-century digital television finding a fifty’s twelve-inch black-and-white set unbearably simplistic. In his mind, that image expanded, becoming ever more vivid and real. A peculiar feeling overcame him—he no longer needed his eyes. His ears had entirely assumed their role. Color... As the first hint of color flickered into this world, the drab, monochrome image was replaced by a dazzling spectrum. Amidst the winds, he had a fleeting impression that everything in the world possessed sound. From fauna to flora, even the towering, unmoving mountains and endless earth, to the ceaseless flowing streams, each had its unique sound. In this vibrant world, everything was alive. Yet not everyone could hear these enchanting sounds, for most were beyond the scope of human hearing. But when the Wind Listening technique reached its pinnacle, one could perceive these mysterious sounds and piece together a genuine world from them. He Yiming's heart raced, his mind utterly absorbed by the art as he attentively listened to every surrounding sound. His ears unconsciously stretched and expanded further. Suddenly, his half-closed eyes fluttered open, his face breaking into an ecstatic smile. His elongated ears reverted to their normal state, leaving no trace of their previous transformation. It was as if the entire remarkable experience had been a mere dream. Yuan Lixun finally emerged from her room. She gazed at He Yiming from a distance, careful not to disturb him. She knew He was engrossed in practicing the mysterious technique she had just transcribed. Although she couldn't comprehend the intricacies of the technique, it was clear He was utterly absorbed in it. Yet, an odd feeling washed over her. The scene before her—He Yiming, the flowers, the grass, the water—seemed to pause in time. It was as if everything was frozen, transformed into an eternal picture. In a refined room within Shaoming Residence, Shui Xuanjin, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. He hesitated briefly, and then with determination, his ears enlarged once more. He listened carefully for a specific sound from a certain place, but to his astonishment, he found nothing. His Wind Listening technique, for the first time, failed him. Yet he understood this wasn't because He Yiming had left Shaoming Residence, but because He had entered an almost unimaginable state. Shui Xuanjin felt a pang of envy. As an innate powerhouse, entering such a state of enlightenment even once could yield unimaginable benefits. In his 200-year life, even he had never experienced such a profound moment. But He Yiming, at just sixteen, seemed to have grasped the fleeting nuances of life and its vicissitudes. He sighed deeply, realizing that such a prodigy could not be evaluated by normal standards. Little did he know, however, that this wasn't the first time He Yiming had entered such a state of enlightenment. --- The wind, the breath of the earth and sky, encompasses all, impartial to rank or status. As this mystical wind carried more sounds to He Yiming's ears and the image in his mind sprang to life, he felt the presence of the wind… It was the force of the wind, the essence of the air. Everything in this world, by virtue of its existence, has a sound. Whether it speaks, moves, or simply is, it affects the air, which in turn is captured by the force of the wind. At the pinnacle of mastery in the Wind Listening technique, one can hear the force of the wind and the essence of the air. In the courtyard, everything was under his control, and he had seamlessly integrated himself into this environment. Suddenly, his tightly shut eyes seemed to transcend time and space, bringing him back to a moment he had longed to witness. Standing atop a mountain peak, he watched the delicate rain descend upon the mountain, observed the ever-changing clouds and fog surrounding the peaks. At that moment, the wind blew across the mountains, the clouds, the mist. A sudden clarity dawned upon He Yiming; he understood something profound. He stood up, hands forming a seal—the Cloud Rain Seal, the Earth Seal, the Hidden Needle Seal. His steps were light, his movements swift, traversing the courtyard. In his mind, the scene of wielding his great blade at the Cui family fortress reappeared. But this time, he carried no blade, only his bare hands. His body moved like the wind, the rain, like clouds, a hazy mist enveloping the world. Within this mist, rain poured down in torrents, creating a space entirely his—the realm of cloud and rain. Under the guidance of the wind's power, he seized this opportunity, once again entering the enlightenment of clouds and rain, successfully merging the three seals with his Cloud Rain Flying Technique. Henceforth, they became inseparable, a unified entity... He felt the immense, mysterious forces of the world—wind, rain, cloud, mist—all intertwined through the power of the wind, becoming uniquely his. The vast energy of the earth and sky surged wildly around him, his body an insatiable vortex, absorbing innate qi completely into himself. Gradually, his body began to glow, the white light strikingly radiant even at twilight. Fortunately, this area had been designated a forbidden zone by Shui Xuanjin, so no one besides Yuan Lixun witnessed this extraordinary spectacle. Massive streams of innate qi poured in, and the four distinct yet harmonious forces refined He Yiming’s physique, rendering his body tougher and more resilient. The over 300 apertures in his body lit up like small whirlpools, greedily drawing in what seemed an inexhaustible supply of qi. He vaguely sensed that once all his apertures were filled with the earth's power, a new transformation would occur. At that point, he might make yet another breakthrough, reaching new heights in martial arts. Yet, filling all those apertures with innate qi was no small feat. Even in this enlightened state, He Yiming was unsure if he could fully achieve it. As the earth's energy fluctuated dramatically, Shui Xuanjin, in Shaoming Residence, could only laugh wryly. In his lifetime, even having traveled extensively and encountered true natural prodigies in distant eastern lands, none seemed to shine as brightly at this moment. Though Shui Xuanjin didn’t know exactly what transpired with He Yiming, the magnitude of his enlightenment was undeniably immense. He was certain that after this profound experience, He Yiming would undergo a transformative change. When first meeting He, Shui Xuanjin acknowledged his exceptional nature but felt confident he could best him. His two centuries of cultivation had not elevated him further on the path of innateness, yet his innate qi far exceeded He Yiming’s. However, feeling the intense elemental energy, his confidence wavered. Perhaps, upon their next meeting, he would no longer be able to suppress the young man with merely the volume of his qi. --- As He Yiming's form disappeared before Yuan Lixun's eyes, so too did the entire courtyard. All she could see was the swirling mist, enveloping everything in its embrace. And yet, she felt no panic. Perhaps it was because she trusted that He Yiming would never harm her. Suddenly, the mist cleared as if clouds parted to reveal the sky, and the familiar sight of the garden with its flowing streams reappeared. He Yiming stood by the brook, the strange manual resting on the stone table beside him. Everything felt like a dream from which one wished never to awaken. He turned and offered her a slight smile, and she could sense the joy in his heart. Strangely, her own heart mirrored that joy. It was as if, at that moment, their spirits were connected, sharing in this wondrous feeling. Finally, as darkness fell, the last light of day vanished from the world. Yuan Lixun felt a subtle connection; He Yiming gave her a gentle nod, and then his silhouette faded into the night…