Chapter 86: with translation of the chapter title

In Jiangnan, the place called the Hall of a Hundred Flowers was decked with lanterns and banners, extraordinarily lively, with guests gathering in crowds.

The Hua family was a prominent household renowned throughout Jiangnan, and Hua Manlou was famous for his gentle and refined demeanor, always avoiding conflict; moreover, he was the brother of that person, and adding Lu Xiaofeng, who never lacked friends, made the wedding ever more lively.

One must know that Hua Manlou and Shi Xuexue originally only wanted to invite relatives and friends, to hold a simple wedding, never expecting many uninvited guests.

Fortunately, the Hua family lacked nothing but money, and they quickly arranged for the many guests without wedding invitations, filling the inside and outside with people.

Since the Hall of a Hundred Flowers was not large, the vast majority of people sat outside the building.

"I heard that person has been aloof and indifferent since childhood, but he is closest to Hua Manlou, so he should come."

"He will most likely come; just now I heard Master Hua chuckling and saying that everyone in the family will come to witness the ceremony."

"Doesn't that mean we can finally see this living divine person today!"

"With so many guests today, most are likely here for that person, just to behold the divine countenance of this supreme being."

At the wedding feast, people sat in small groups around tables; after exchanging pleasantries, they unanimously turned the topic to the red-clad youth.

Half a year ago, he was called a madman by the entire jianghu, but now he is crowned a divine person—all because his martial arts have reached communion with the divine.

Then, a barefoot, blind red-clad youth appeared outside the Hall of a Hundred Flowers; the guests outside fell silent at once, their eyes filled with reverence.

For those who practice martial arts, what could be more exhilarating than close contact with the pinnacle of martial learning?

At that moment, an elder rose, hands behind his back, and walked toward the red-clad youth.

He had a round face, half-bald on top, with a very amiable smile; his whole bearing exuded sincerity and honesty, and if not for the fine quality of his clothes, he would look like a gardener.

Seeing this, everyone was somewhat taken aback, not knowing which holy deity would dare to provoke this utterly unfriendly divine person.

"Senior, you actually left the island—could it be you also came to ask for a cup of wedding wine?"

"You have not a trace of mundane aura about you; no wonder you bear the name of a divine person." The old man's eyes showed appreciation:

"I came here mainly out of curiosity."

"What is there to be curious about?" Zhuang Buran's face was like a calm lake.

"When I first heard your reputation, I thought you were like me—able to grasp any martial art at a glance and master it upon practice." The old man spoke gently:

"Take the 'Ruyi Orchid Hand' for example; the former Ruyi Fairy made a great name with this skill, but her daughter practiced the Ruyi Orchid Hand for thirty years straight, ending up exhausted and coughing blood to death."

"I, however, practiced only three months and already reached the peak of perfection."

Those around hearing these words were shaken; who could still not know that this old man is an unparalleled extraordinary person?

"Now it seems you are far superior to me; I have merely walked the martial path to the peak I can reach, whereas you have forged an immortal way within the martial way."

Zhuang Buran said leisurely:

"Senior truly knows how to praise; as the saying goes, a gift from an elder is not to be refused, so I shall accept it."

"How about we exchange moves?" the old man raised his hand, indicating: "Let me see the scenery on the immortal path."

"Please." The red-clad youth nodded.

The old man flicked his finger; a ring of fingernails suddenly straightened, crystal-clear and firm, shining like a blade, and could emit threads of sharp wind, full of force.

Zhuang Buran flicked his finger, and with a 'hiss' emitted a finger-force.

Seeing his own Finger Blade Divine Art, already at the stage of transformation, easily dispelled, the old man changed his gesture and slapped a palm without the slightest trace of fireworks—indeed it was the 'Bone-Softening Cotton Palm' practiced to the stage of returning to simplicity.

Zhuang Buran transformed his internal yin dragon with the Circulating Thunder Force, channeling it to his hand and chopping down with a palm, as mighty as an axe or hatchet.

The old man's palm shifted like an orchid; a light sweep sent a sinister, mysterious force swiftly coiling around the red-clad youth's arm.

A faint dragon's roar sounded; the Subduing Dragon Palm force, where hardness and softness merge, rebounded that yin-toxic force.

"Now strong, now weak, now swallowing, now exhaling—from the utmost hardness arises utmost softness; what a palm technique!"

The old man exclaimed 'good,' his palm seeming to swell slightly, and he met the incoming Subduing Dragon Palm with a hard, overbearing force.

"Bang!"

After exchanging palms, the resulting force wind like a blade sliced the utensils on a nearby wine table, and the tables closest to them were even split into pieces.

Fortunately, the guests were quick-eyed and quick-handed, retreating in time, otherwise they would have seen blood.

As Zhuang Buran and the old man faced off with their palms, competing in internal energy, he exclaimed approvingly:

"Excellent internal energy—pure and unadulterated, balanced and neutral, continuous and enduring, unified as one, endless and everlasting, all variations returning to the source."

"Your internal skill is likewise extraordinary." The old man's expression showed astonishment:

"Your body generates eight kinds of true qi, intertwining and twisting, waxing and waning, using the strong to compensate the weak, the substantial to fill the void, the surplus to make up the deficit—thus you can obtain supreme martial strength; but if you continue practicing, it is practically seeking your own death."

"Senior's discerning eye is like a torch; upon slight contact you know my art's essence is harmony—when an opponent's external force destroys the way of harmony, my internal eight forces fall into discord, thus I emit them outward to wound the enemy and protect myself."

The red-clad youth spoke calmly and composedly:

"Like starving birds and beasts, to obtain satiety they must ruthlessly kill."

"If one does not understand the way of harmony, once the eight kinds of true qi lose control they will surely harm oneself; but if one understands this way, even if one momentarily goes astray, one can recover, for it is by constantly toggling between harmony and discord that deeper skill brings faster switching."

The old man cut to the chase:

"But once used excessively, falling into discord too often, one day your eight kinds of true qi, even if you continue the surplus-to-deficit method, will never achieve perfect unity; on that day you will surely meet a miserable end."

The red-clad youth was unconcerned, speaking lightly:

"When using this art, one must not only have a mind as fine as a hair, seize the fleeting moment, but also see through life and death, stake everything on a single throw, so that each strike places life and death beyond concern—how then could one fear future heavenly tribulations?"

"No wonder you, at this age, possess martial skill that even I cannot hope to match." The old man's expression turned serious:

"The trial exchange is over; shall we go another round?"

"Good!"

At the instant both withdrew their palms, the old man unleashed his most peak palm.

He combined the yin softness of the Bone-Softening Cotton Palm, the sharpness of the Finger Blade, the agility of the Ruyi Orchid Hand, the deceit of the Heaven-Mutilated Thirteen Forms, the spontaneity of the Drunken Lying Cloud Seven Killing Hands, and the vigor of the Great Hand Seal, blending them all together.

Furthermore, adding the true qi condensed to the utmost purity of the Grand Unity One Qi Force, this palm's force becomes incomparably mixed, crisscrossing, said to surpass even the variations contained in 'Heaven-Outside Flying Immortal,' from simplest to most complex, by several levels.

Zhuang Buran's true qi seemed to flow with his emotions, his palm posture changing with his intent—like myriad stars, swift as flying light—as if aided by the heavenly stars' numerology to fuse myriad martial arts into a single palm.

A single palm strike poured forth like washing the Heavenly River, like turning the Northern Dipper; its mighty presence was truly divine and unfathomable, producing wondrous changes.

Bang!

The old man's feet sank three inches into the ground, he retreated seven steps, while the red-clad youth stood with his hands behind his back.

Old, old, indeed a new generation replaces the old; I am ashamed to be inferior.

The old man burst out laughing and asked:

What is this move called?

"The Scattered Hand of the Starry Net, executed by circulating the Heavenly Flowing Force within my body," Zhuang Buran said with a smile.

"Named after the myriad dazzling stars in the sky, it truly lives up to its name." The old man pondered for a moment:

"It seems the eight kinds of internal energy in your body are called heaven, earth, water, fire, wind, thunder, mountain, and marsh according to the eight trigrams of the Book of Changes."

He suddenly sighed and said:

"Indeed, only an extraordinary person can create extraordinary martial arts; I truly don't know how you managed to create it."

(End of chapter)