Chapter 94

Release the arrows!

On the shore, only a series of "peng peng peng" like pearls falling on a jade plate was heard, as wave after wave of locust-like arrows shot swiftly at the small boat.

Zhuang Buran's eyes glimmered, and with a rustle from his sleeves, a vast white expanse flew out—hundreds of paper butterflies, accompanied by a fierce wind, blocking the incoming barrage of arrows.

The paper butterflies, no less lethal than blades or hidden weapons, submerged the arrows; the blue-clad youth standing at the prow, without lifting a foot or moving a hand, summoned a gust of wind from nowhere, making the butterflies dance even faster as they surged toward the shore.

Within seven or eight breaths, over a hundred armored soldiers lay dead across the field, casualties nearly total.

On the distant giant ship, a deathly silence fell; one felt that the blue-clad youth's martial prowess was not inferior to the so-called three grand masters of the age, and the reason for this certainty lay in the reputation of the Number One Sword Hand under Heaven, whose deterrent power is not less than that of the three grand masters.

Since his debut, he has never tasted defeat; in the past twenty years, no one has dared to challenge him, showing his stature in the martial world—even though the Demonic Sect produces many experts, they still obediently avoid the Lingnan region.

Thus, under the influence of the Heavenly Blade, how could one not understand the might of a grand master?

Meanwhile, on the small boat, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling sat dumbfounded, unable to believe that martial arts could reach a godlike level, seeming like immortal magic or demonic arts, leaving them feeling incredulous.

Their gazes toward the blue-clad youth became crystal clear, to the point where they felt they had no certainty left, and they should remember the words "lie low".

Five days later, at dawn.

In the outskirts of Danyang Commandery, a clear spring flowed through a valley where birds sang melodiously.

Between two trees that could be embraced together, a vine was strung, upon which a blue-clad youth lay leisurely.

Beside him on the grass lay a youth about one or two years older than himself.

Just after waking, the two sat up with a dazed expression, then suddenly showed astonishment, feeling that the whole world had become much clearer—not only were colors richer, but they also sensed every minute detail they usually overlooked.

Even the slightest changes in the wind's sound, usually unnoticed, could not escape their keen hearing.

They suddenly felt something odd about their bodies; Kou Zhong lowered his gaze to his hands, while Xu Ziling reached up to touch his eyes.

"These past few days, the martial art I have taught you is called the Black Heaven Scripture." the blue-clad youth said with a smile.

"Fu Junyun should have taught you how to identify the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and the locations of various important acupoints, and said that cultivating internal energy should first temper the nature; the art I teach you differs from ordinary martial arts that flow through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and other superficial meridians—it works on the body's hidden meridians."

"Training requires one slave and one master; the trainer is the calamity slave, and if the calamity slave borrows too much calamity power, they must receive internal energy from the calamity master."

Upon hearing the word "calamity slave," Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over them, giving them an extremely ominous premonition, and they sat stunned in place.

"The calamity master sends internal energy sequentially into the calamity slave's thirty-one hidden meridians; once opened, that acupoint feels like a bottomless abyss, with the body's qi and blood gathering as the will directs, draining away from that point, leaving the body empty and oddly itchy, unbearable."

At this moment, the calamity lord sent a small stream of true qi into the aperture; once the true qi entered the body, not only did the pain vanish, but both body and mind were filled with great joy.

Later, the calamity slave, following the method of nurturing the spirit and refining qi, trains aperture by aperture; once the Black Heaven Scripture is mastered, a calamity sea arises in some part of the body, strengthening that part's function under the influence of calamity power, forming various divine abilities—specifically the Four Body Penetration and the Five Divine Abilities.

The Four Body Penetration excels in strength; once achieved, one can move heaven and earth, with boundless force.

The marvel of the Five Divine Abilities lies in divine intention; mostly not used in combat, but they can grant extraordinary talents—such as unparalleled culinary skill, the ability to hear any sublime sound in the world, an uncanny sense of smell, or perfect recall.

Moreover, there is the Heaven-Mending Calamity Technique, acclaimed as neither bodily nor spiritual, yet both bodily and spiritual, reaching the highest heavens and extending to the yellow dust below; it can be said to possess tremendous power.

Zhuang Buran said this, then turned his head to look at Kou and Xu:

I must say, your luck is excellent; most of the calamity arts produced by mastering the Black Heaven Scripture have drawbacks.

If the calamity sea is in the brain, although one gains perfect recall, the head will swell as large as a measure and the hair will thin.

If the calamity sea is in the ears, while the hearing becomes miraculous, the ears will grow as large as palm-leaf fans; if it is in the nose, the nose will likely resemble a pig's snout.

Now one of you has it in the hand, the other in the eye—your fortune is indeed excellent.

Kou Zhong rose to his feet, suppressing the anger in his heart, and said:

This is clearly a demonic art that enslaves people.

With a bang, a surge of energy struck him, sending him flying three or four zhang away, where he crashed heavily to the ground.

Instantly he felt his qi and blood surge, his tendons and bones go soft, his five viscera and six bowels producing a pain like seas overturning, making it impossible for him to rise.

Little Zhong!

Xu Ziling hurried over.

As your instructor, I will first teach you to be obedient; lacking the power to protect yourselves, you must learn to be sensible and listen, and must not show any disrespect.

This minor punishment serves as a warning; if there is a next time, out of consideration for our teacher-student bond, I will let you choose between losing a hand or a foot.

The blue-clad youth spoke unhurriedly:

On the martial path, one first refines essence, which is to temper the body; then one cultivates qi, nurturing internal true qi; only when the acquired transforms into the innate can one refine the spirit.

This art of mine lets you skip tempering the body and cultivating qi, entering directly the realm of spirit refinement—how could it not be considered a divine art?

Since you lack the foundation of tempering the body and cultivating qi, you must now borrow true qi from me to dispel the calamity of the Black Heaven.

Xu Ziling helped Kou Zhong to his feet, walked to the side of the blue-clad youth, with a respectful expression.

May I ask, instructor, if we later acquire the foundation of tempering the body and cultivating qi, will we be able to free ourselves from the so-called Black Heaven calamity?

Forgot to mention, my this martial art can also be called demonic art. Zhuang Buran feigned realization, said:

Once the Black Heaven Scripture is mastered, one becomes subject to the Four No-Laws.

The first law is No Master, No Slave: it concerns the relationship between the calamity lord and calamity slave—any calamity slave cannot leave the calamity lord, and if the calamity lord dies, the calamity slave dies.

The second law is Borrow and Repay: it states that calamity power must not be used without borrowing; if borrowed and not repaid, it will provoke the Black Heaven calamity, requiring the calamity lord's true qi to resolve it.

The third law is Never Rest, Never Cease: after the thirty-one meridians are cultivated, one no longer trains, and the internal calamity power circulates on its own like the heavenly stars; since calamity power never perishes, the Black Heaven calamity is likewise endless.

The fourth law, the most vicious, is There Is Going and Coming: it means that if the parents are calamity lords, the children are also calamity lords; if the parents are calamity slaves, the children are also calamity slaves.

Although calamity power gradually weakens, when parents as slaves pass it to one generation of children, the power is reduced by half; by the grandchildren's generation, eight or nine times out of ten they can escape the calamity.

He sighed softly.

But the master-slave lineage lasting three generations, the Black Heaven Scripture bringing calamity for a hundred years—even I, the founder, feel that this art leaves a scourge for three generations, truly the most vicious method throughout the ages.

Kou and Xu, hearing this, only felt their hands and feet turn cold, all thoughts reduced to ashes; even though they knew the master they had sworn to was a person of deep demonic nature, they had originally planned to endure and bide their strength, waiting for the right moment, but unexpectedly they ended up dooming three generations of descendants.

Earlier on the great vessel, did not Master Song say that our Cihang Jingzhai is a major orthodox sect?

Xu Ziling forced a smile and said:

Therefore, how could the supreme art transmitted by our instructor be demonic art? You should know that you too have cultivated this art.

The blue-clad youth spoke indifferently:

My self-created kung fu, naturally, is that I myself am both the calamity master and the calamity slave, having broken the Four Laws of Existence and Non-existence; the true qi and calamity power within my body form a cycle of their own, mutually supplementing.

Upon hearing that the Four Laws of Existence and Non-existence could be broken, Kou and Xu were both shaken in spirit.

If a calamity slave's own cultivation reaches the Refining Spirit Realm, with the manifest and hidden meridians unblocked, they should also be able to free themselves from dependence on calamity power.

I see that you two have excellent aptitude and keen perception; I wonder if I can give you a surprise, relying on your own strength to resolve the heavenly calamity—this is precisely the first gate that my New Quiet Studio disciples must undergo.

The blue-clad youth said calmly:

Anyone who enters my door, if their perception is poor, shall be a slave for life and suffer calamity for three generations.

Upon hearing that there was still hope, Kou and Xu relaxed a little, though their hearts remained heavy.

Although not as desperate as before, the overwhelming anxiety and regret made them feel as if they were walking on the brink of an abyss; one misstep would bring eternal calamity.

Just thinking that this was still the so-called first gate made them feel like dying; they did not know what further calamity awaited them.

(End of chapter)