Chapter 95

Not long after, Kou Zhong recovered, deeply understanding what it means to be forced to lower one's head under another's eaves, and he respectfully inquired:

"Master, surely you also understand that even a clever woman cannot cook without rice; since you want to see us break the Black Heaven Tribulation, you should teach us martial arts to forge body-training and qi-refining foundations."

"Didn't I say it already? The first test looks at your comprehension, relying on what you already have." Zhuang Buran's smile grew thicker.

"Judging by your luck, I believe you can rely on yourselves to make up for your lacking martial foundations."

Seeing the blue-clad youth fall silent, the two were so angry they were speechless, their bodies trembling slightly; obviously they understood something.

They truly had nothing to say, immediately walked to the other side, pondered for a long while, after which Kou Zhong produced the Longevity Secret from his waist.

Now they are utterly destitute, so they can only start from this martial arts manual.

After looking for a while, Kou Zhong shouted: "The sixth diagram is the most useful; better not look at the others first."

Xu Ziling flipped through, examined all seven diagrams, and found he inexplicably felt something for the last one, while viewing the sixth diagram felt just like the others, with no particular sensation.

Over the next ten days, aside from normal eating, drinking, and relieving themselves, each practiced seated meditation according to the diagrams; perhaps because they had cultivated the Black Heaven Scripture, they possessed an extraordinary constitution and incomparably keen perception of heaven and earth, or perhaps their fate was already with them.

One day, Kou Zhong, as if awakened, closed his eyes and walked through the valley following the diagram's walking posture, while Xu Ziling needed to lie down to feel at ease; one moving, one still, each found their own interest.

One strolled through the valley, the other immersed in the creek with only his face exposed; soon they sank into a state of forgetting self and object, half-asleep half-awake, a strange realm between waking and sleeping.

However, not long after entering that fine state, Xu Ziling felt heat in the soles of his feet, like fire scorching, then the heat surged upward, thousands of threads rushing into all major and minor meridians.

If it weren't that the sensation differed completely from the pain of the Black Heaven Tribulation that had erupted a few days prior, he would have almost sought the blue-clad youth to dispel the imminent heavenly tribulation.

But this pain could be likened to the Black Heaven Tribulation—equal to a fate worse than death—yet perhaps the previous tribulation had increased his tolerance for pain, or perhaps the icy creek water could somewhat ease the suffering; he simply resorted to a desperate measure, focusing his mind and holding onto unity.

Now, early death or late death makes little difference; if he cannot survive this tribulation, he would actually suffer less.

Kou Zhong likewise suffered indescribable pain, feeling an extraordinarily cold true qi pierce his crown and flow into all his major and minor meridians, freezing him near death; he involuntarily began to run, keeping his blood and qi flowing.

After enduring for two hours, both completely lost consciousness.

The blue-clad youth merely watched coldly, taking no action.

At noon, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling awoke in succession, suddenly feeling their perception of heaven and earth become ever clearer, as if they had become part of heaven and earth.

Originally, one needed the Hidden Meridian Tribulation Force to have light legs and swift movement; now, a mere thought of intent makes the body light as a swallow and steps as swift as flight, while within flows a pure true qi that wanders through the limbs and bones.

"Not bad; having grasped the essence of the Longevity Secret, you have cultivated innate true qi from the outset."

Hearing a voice with a hidden smile, they involuntarily turned toward the sound and saw the blue-clad youth leisurely speaking:

"In the world, most martial artists train external arts to strengthen the body, then cultivate internal heart methods to accumulate postnatal true qi, break through postnatal constraints, open a single aperture of the Mystic Gate, allowing true qi to return from postnatal to innate, resonating naturally with heaven and earth, reaching the realm of endless internal force."

"And through the Longevity Secret, you have produced innate true qi from the start; before long you will be able to compensate for deficiencies in body-training and qi-refining foundations."

Overjoyed, Kou Zhong hurried forward, bowed, and asked:

"May I ask, Master, do we now have a chance to resolve the Black Heaven Tribulation?"

Zhuang Buran smiled and said:

"At the postnatal stage, one is merely an ordinary martial artist, like a nameless passerby, countless in the jianghu."

"But an innate martial artist can make a name for himself, counting as a first-rate expert in the jianghu, initially able to hold his mind steady, settle his emotions, grasp his intent, and reach the realm of entering the subtle."

"Entering the subtle is both a process and a result; when one reaches a certain degree of subtlety, every situation is known as well as the lines on one's palm—this realm is called entering the subtle, and understanding each situation's process is also called entering the subtle."

"In the innate realm, entering the subtle allows control and use of true qi to reach the utmost finesse; as true qi travels through the meridians, one must precisely regulate its amount and direction to ensure accurately striking an opponent's weakness, thereby enabling one's full combat power to be unleashed in combat."

"Upon reaching the master level, entering the subtle manifests in the application of one's heart method: besides finely manipulating internal true qi, martial techniques return to simplicity and authenticity, a seemingly simple strike containing countless variations, adjustable at any moment according to the opponent's response."

"Thus, through minute movements of one's own body, one can confuse the opponent and create lethal openings, while also perceiving the trajectory of the opponent's true qi in the meridians and even anticipating their subsequent actions."

"Further still, at the grand master level, martial prowess reaches its peak, intent becomes complete, with no flaw anywhere in the body, initially glimpsing the way of heaven-human unity."

"Above the grand master lies the heaven-human realm: from mastering one's own true qi's subtlety to merging with the vast power of heaven and earth, the core is a qualitative transformation of spiritual cultivation, enabling communion with heaven and earth's energy, achieving the heaven-human resonance."

"At this stage, techniques are no longer limited to internal force or skill, but draw upon natural power for attack or defense; a warrior of this realm is not bound by set moves and may even create a martial system approaching the Dao."

Hearing this, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's expressions shifted slightly, a glint of interest appearing in their eyes, as if recalling the sensory changes upon waking just now.

"Isn't it exciting? Having just entered the martial path, you've cultivated innate true qi from the outset and sensed a divine fusion with heaven and earth—suggesting hope of resolving the Black Heaven Tribulation."

The blue-clad youth's words immediately caused Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's faces to freeze, making them feel that before this person they had no secret whatsoever, laid bare.

The《Longevity Art》transmits the technique of seizing the essence of heaven and earth, consolidating the foundation and nurturing the primordial, which goes against the cultivation ways of the various sects today; first, the practitioner must not have even a trace of internal force; second, the practitioner must cultivate with an unintentional intention.

Zhuang Buran couldn't help laughing and said:

I was just saying your luck is extremely good; this Daoist treasure tome is as if tailor-made for you, not to mention that the calamity force differs from true qi, and you are also situated within the thirty-first hidden meridian.

You also know nothing of the various gates and apertures of martial arts, nor do you know what cultivation deviation is; be aware that those who practice martial arts obtaining this book, because they already possess internal force within, the two techniques clash, thus they cannot cultivate it.

Those who do not practice martial arts obtaining this book, because they deeply know this book is extraordinary, even deliberate effort cannot achieve the state of unintentional intention.

Moreover, the entry to cultivating the《Longevity Art》is through absorbing heaven and earth's spiritual qi via the apertures, thereby replenishing oneself.

The process of directly cultivating innate true qi closely resembles the situation of cultivation deviation; anyone with even a slight understanding of the martial way dares not continue cultivating.

Thus, although it has been passed down through generations, those who can obtain it, due to preconceived notions, after one unsuccessful attempt, dare not continue practicing.

Xu Ziling's pupils contracted slightly, and he spoke in astonishment and uncertainty:

You merely flipped through the《Longevity Art》once, yet you actually comprehended this treasure tome that no one has penetrated for thousands of years!

As the words fell, a surge of force suddenly arrived; even though Xu Ziling possessed the Grand Void Eye, able to perceive the minutest details and see through a person's qi mechanism and flaws in martial arts, and also had a calamity technique that severs wisdom and confuses the spirit,

yet he could only watch helplessly as that force pressed him down, forcing him to half-kneel with his knees bent, his five viscera churning incessantly.

You actually dare to look down on your master; you truly have no idea what it means to respect the teacher and value the Way.

"Master, Ziling was merely momentarily excited, with not the slightest disrespect," Kou Zhong hastily said:

After all, the《Longevity Art》has been lost to the outside world to this day, with no one able to unravel its mysteries; moreover, the foremost expert of Yangzhou City, Tui Shan Shou Shi Long, having secluded himself for three years of contemplation, still gained nothing.

Now, having witnessed the existence of a master such as you, who is erudite in heaven and man, it is inevitable to speak without restraint; please, Master, do not take offense.

At this moment, the complacency that had arisen in both of their hearts vanished in an instant, blown away by the mercurial blue-clad youth.

"Ziling knows his fault; please, Master, be tolerant."

"I as master just like your appearance of mouth-obeying but heart-not-obeying; once you have fully set foot on the martial path and witnessed the wonders of the jianghu, I fear you will never again see this scene, only because you will."

Zhuang Buran sighed somewhat ruefully and said:

Respect me as you would a god, fear me as you would heaven!

(End of chapter)