Chapter 359: Dragon Cave Enlightenment

What is this?!

Li Yan's heart tightened, his hairs stood on end, his muscles tensed, and he scanned his surroundings.

These reactions came entirely from bloodline instinct.

As if something deep within had been awakened.

Like those ancient ancestors, hiding in caves, constantly sensing and guarding against threats from the dark.

Then, light and shadow swirled before his eyes.

Everything inside the cave became clear once more.

Li Yan looked at the stone wall; even the smallest cracks and specks of dust expanded in his vision.

He turned to the cave's entrance, where the fierce qi and malevolent energy rose, faintly taking the shape of a colossal dragon's head, surging toward him.

All of this felt like the awakening of the Divine Eye.

Such a novel sensation made Li Yan grow even more cautious.

The first of the Cave God's Five Precepts: Do not covet the Five Colors.

He forced himself to calm his mind, rooted his stance, sank his qi to his dantian, treating all he saw as illusion, ignoring it utterly.

Here, Li Yan had begun to grasp the secret of the True Martial Dragon Cave.

This special place amplified the five senses to near-spiritual levels.

Yet all of it was but a mirage; once leaving the True Martial Dragon Cave—or if the Daoists above ceased activation—it would revert to normal.

If one could not hold to the original heart, it was merely a waste of time.

Indeed, soon after, various sounds reached his ears.

Li Yan heard Sha Sha Li Fei's startled, ragged breathing from the adjacent cave, even the thudding of his heartbeat, crystal clear.

Wang Wang Daoxuan, by contrast, remained relatively quiet.

The second precept: Do not covet the Five Tones.

Li Yan suppressed all other thoughts, forcibly gathering his spirit.

No wonder the Cave God's Five Precepts must be strictly upheld.

Without adapting to these, how could one use these suddenly amplified senses for martial cultivation insight?

Fortunately, he had already endured the Heart-Testing Hall of Baotong Chan Temple; his spiritual fortitude far surpassed ordinary people, and he quickly adapted to these changes.

Then came a flood of scents into his nostrils.

Li Yan already possessed the Divine Nose; now it was doubled, tripled—he merely breathed lightly and immediately detected the scents of every person within the cave.

Moreover, he smelled the dragon-shaped patterns above.

These appeared to be natural rock formations, lifelike, yet concealing deeper mysteries.

Different mineral veins of jade seemed to form bones and flesh; the five primordial qi of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth flowed within them, spreading throughout the entire True Martial Dragon Cave.

This time, Li Yan was truly stunned.

This scene was nothing short of stealing the creative power of heaven and earth.

Could it truly be the petrified remains of an ancient dragon?

Of course, he dared not dwell on it now.

With the five senses amplified, the mind became a monkey, the will a galloping horse; holding the heart became immeasurably harder than usual.

Only by holding the heart could one gain insight.

Sha Sha Li Fei was the first to break. Not only could he not hold his heart, the chaotic flood of sensations nearly made him vomit blood.

"To hell with this!"

Sha Sha Li Fei cursed, immediately rolling out of the cave.

His face bore clear disappointment.

The True Martial Dragon Cave clearly had no destiny with him.

Soon after, Wang Wang Daoxuan also grimaced, struggling to crawl out.

His cultivation of stillness and inner peace was decent—he could endure the other sensations—but finally, his bodily perception was amplified to its limit.

Itchiness, pain… even the feel of his feet touching the ground revealed every unevenness, let alone the aches and pains within his body.

He was not skilled in fist or footwork; these sensations were unbearable.

"To hell with this!"

"To hell with this!"

Curses came from behind.

It was Wu Ba, leaping and bounding inside the cave like a beast, staring wildly in all directions, every hair on his body standing erect.

Though he was a human xiao, under Lu San's instructions he knew what to do; his constant curses were reminders to himself, to avoid being consumed by wild instinct and losing his mind.

Wang Wang Daoxuan, quick-witted, instantly understood the reason and whispered to Sha Sha Li Fei: "Let's leave first. Let Lu San enter. Wu Ba may gain insight."

As for Li Yan, they had no concern at all.

Because Li Yan, at that moment, was rooted in stance, eyes closed in contemplation, slowly moving his fists and palms—clearly beginning his enlightenment.

The two hurriedly left the cave.

The Five Dragon Temple Daoists waiting outside were not surprised.

They naturally knew what was happening inside.

Even they, upon their first entry, struggled to adapt, requiring repeated heart-testing and precept-keeping before gaining any insight.

Of course, outsiders could not endure long.

At Wang Wang Daoxuan's instruction, Lu San quickly ordered the little fox and the two rats, set down the demon gourd, and hurried into the cave.

Seeing Wu Ba's state, Lu San stood outside the cave, muttering in the ancient tongue above.

Wu Ba's senses were now amplified, extremely sharp; though Lu San lowered his voice as much as possible, to Wu Ba it rang like temple bells.

Gradually, Wu Ba grew quiet.

He lay on the ground in a strange posture, legs bent, muscles taut, sharp claws digging into the earth, resembling a beast poised to pounce.

Strangely, Wu Ba had closed his eyes.

His heart pounded, his muscles swelled, syncing with his heartbeat—as if he had discovered something delightful.

Lu San, seeing this, finally exhaled in relief.

Within this team, each cultivated differently.

Wang Wang Daoxuan followed orthodox Daoist mysticism; Li Yan was mysterious, long transcending ordinary understanding; Lu San seemed a shaman from the wilds.

As for Wu Ba, he was pure wild instinct.

Clearly, he had gained some insight.

Seeing Wu Ba steady, Lu San glanced at Li Yan, confirmed he was unharmed, then entered another cave.

The astonishing sensory enhancement appeared again.

Lu San, outwardly quiet, was naturally cold and aloof, often wandering the wilds; his spiritual cultivation was no weaker than Wang Wang Daoxuan's.

The amplified senses did not confuse him.

Soon, Lu San entered his state.

He too sensed the anomaly in the dragon-shaped patterns above, but unlike the others, the flow of primordial five-element earth qi within them sounded in his ears like dragon roars, recounting ancient tales.

Lu San struggled to steady his spirit, yet unconsciously, he was drawn by the dragon roars, constantly wanting to lean in and listen.

He forcibly focused, using the amplified senses to practice the animal-form fist he had learned since childhood.

Yet the dragon roars never ceased.

Lu San's fist movements changed accordingly.

His style imitated the pounces of wild beasts across mountains and rivers; though he had learned the Dragon Form Fist from the village guardian, he had never truly mastered it.

After all, the dragon was too illusory.

Now, without realizing it, his entire fist form had transformed into the Dragon Form Fist, his body gliding like a coiling dragon.

Sometimes leaping into the air, claws poised to strike,

Sometimes shifting his steps, moving fluidly along the ground.

Moreover, it carried a hint of shamanic dance rhythm.

Something seemed triggered; the fierce qi and malevolent energy within the True Martial Dragon Cave grew fiercer, the interior shrouded in a hazy white mist.

This change was immediately sensed by others inside.

Some Five Dragon Palace disciples meditating suddenly felt chest oppression, as if submerged in deep ocean, gasping for breath, hastily ending their practice and fleeing the cave in disarray.

A few others struggled to hold on, pupils losing focus, unconsciously practicing fist forms—clearly gaining insight.

Li Yan felt it most acutely. At this moment, his five senses expanded again; he sensed mounting pressure within the True Martial Dragon Cave.

The dense mist formed by the fierce qi and malevolent energy grew heavier, as if a natural great array were refining those within.

Finally, the remaining Five Dragon Palace disciples could no longer endure; they scrambled out of their stone chambers and ran toward the exit.

"Something's wrong—the True Martial Dragon Cave has changed!"

"Quick, notify the Master!"

Yet when they burst out of the cave, they froze in shock.

Outside the True Martial Great Hall, a crowd had gathered.

At the five wells, white mist and vapor erupted like whirlwinds, roaring wildly.

All five Dragon Sons, including Gu Yu Linzi, stared blankly, like walking corpses, standing motionless beside the wells.

"What… what's happened?"

One of them couldn't help asking.

!.

"Shh!"

Immediately, five Dragon Palace disciples signaled them to be silent, then looked on with envy and whispered: "The abbot said Brother Gu and the others have reached their opportunity."

The disciples who had emerged quickly turned to look.

Indeed, the Five Dragon Palace abbot, Yu Yu Longzi, had appeared, standing atop the steps outside the Zhenwu Hall, gazing at the five disciples with a solemn expression.

The scene before them exceeded the disciples' understanding, but since the abbot had not spoken, none dared ask further.

Yet Sha Sha Li Fei paid no heed to this; he rushed over and cried urgently: "My lords, where are our companions? Why…?"

Before he finished speaking, Lu San and Wu Ba burst out of the cave, drenched in cold sweat, their entire bodies trembling.

Clearly, they could no longer hold on.

Sha Sha Li Fei panicked: "Where's Brother Yan?"

"Don't worry."

Lu San took a deep breath and shook his head: "Brother Yan has found his opportunity. He told us to leave first—he said the chance is once in a thousand years."

"That's good, that's good."

Sha Sha Li Fei exhaled in relief, then whispered: "What exactly happened inside? Did you guys cause it?"

Lu San's face stiffened slightly as he shook his head.

To be honest, he didn't fully understand either.

He sensed it might be connected to him, but the truth remained a mystery.

On the distant steps, Yu Yu Longzi's ears twitched slightly—he had heard their words—and gazed thoughtfully toward the Yin Xian Rock.

…………

"Roar!"

Inside the Zhenwu Dragon Cave, direction was now utterly unrecognizable.

Thick streams of gangsha energy surged forth, turning into boiling white mist; the entire cave had become like a pressure cooker.

Such a condition is typically called a great calamity site.

The gangsha energy was so dense it manifested strange phenomena—within the nearly solid white mist, five invisible colossal dragons seemed to rage and churn.

Hiss!

On the cave floor, a massive claw mark suddenly appeared.

Inside the cavern, Li Yan was also drenched in sweat.

His five senses had been amplified to an astonishing degree; he had long since awakened and sensed the growing peril.

But at that moment, he noticed something unusual.

The gangsha energy within the Zhenwu Dragon Cave appeared wild and violent, yet followed discernible patterns—it moved according to the primordial Five Elements.

Li Yan now stood firm, forehead slick with sweat, muscles trembling, as streams of gangsha energy surged into his body, only to erupt out from other directions.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

His body's surface erupted repeatedly.

This was why he had chosen to stay.

What better condition for practicing the Immortal Seal Art than astonishing five senses, gangsha energy shifting according to the Five Elements?

The pressure of the gangsha energy was fiercer than dark force.

Yet whenever it entered Li Yan's body, he used the Five Elements' borrowing method, his sinews and membranes quivering, to expel it again.

Of course, such training had drawbacks.

Gangsha energy penetrated every pore; his body soon sustained damage—sinews tore, internal organs suffered severe hidden injuries.

Yet Li Yan ignored it all, immediately repairing himself with the Great Luo Body Art, using his astonishing senses to carefully observe these changes.

Unconsciously, cracks multiplied across the Great Luo Body.

But Li Yan had entered a strange state—under this near-insane pressure, he continuously expelled the gangsha energy that invaded his body.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The explosive sounds across his body now merged into a continuous roar.

Eventually, after the Great Luo Body repaired itself once more, it held far longer before new injuries appeared.

At this point, Li Yan finally comprehended the Immortal Seal Art.

With his astonishing senses, he clearly perceived every change in his sinews and membranes; his entire aura became perfectly unified.

Finally, he began to move his body.

Huh~

At Baotong Chan Temple, he had already grasped "fist momentum," but now, when he wielded it, it was different.

As he struck out a palm, the surrounding gangsha energy surged in response.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Like a palm strike through empty air, the cave wall ahead collapsed with a thunderous crash!

"Gang force!"

Li Yan stared in disbelief.

After transforming force, energy gathers in the dantian, naturally unified—this is dan force, enabling prolonged combat.

When reaching gang force, one can shield the body with gang energy and even manifest techniques like blade gang and palm-strike-through-air.

In that instant, he understood.

The secret of gang force lay in using fist momentum and blade momentum, guided by powerful spirit, to manipulate gangsha energy for attack!

At that moment, a furious wind suddenly howled through the cave.

The gangsha energy rapidly receded; the thick white mist it had formed vanished just as swiftly.

Li Yan looked up quickly and saw the mist swirling like a dragon drinking water, drawn into five dragon-shaped carvings on the cave ceiling.

In an instant, the Zhenwu Dragon Cave became an ordinary cavern.

The Daoists above must have ended their ritual.

Li Yan paid it no mind; following his previous sensation, he gathered his fist momentum, stepped forward, and slammed a punch into the air ahead.

Boom!

The force vibrated, formidable in presence.

Yet even the stone wall three steps away, nearly shattered, remained utterly still.

Li Yan chuckled wryly and lowered his fist.

Indeed, it had been like a temporary trial pass.

With the Zhenwu Dragon Cave closed, he was instantly thrown back to his original state.

But his gains from this journey were immense.

The Immortal Seal Art was now fully mastered; he had glimpsed the nature of gang force; the path ahead was now visible—he only needed to walk it with resolve.

Thinking of this, Li Yan's spirits lifted, and he strode quickly out of the cave.

"Brother Yan, are you alright?"

Sha Sha Li Fei and the others rushed over.

Li Yan smiled: "Don't worry—I'm fine. The Zhenwu Dragon Cave truly lives up to its reputation!"

Wang Wang Daoxuan and the others exhaled in relief and asked no further questions.

Judging by Li Yan's demeanor, he had clearly gained much.

Many Five Dragon Palace disciples, seeing him emerge, stared in surprise but did not press further; instead, they whispered among themselves, glancing toward the Zhenwu Hall.

Li Yan frowned slightly and asked quietly: "What happened?"

"Something strange occurred."

Sha Sha Li Fei quickly recounted what he had seen: "Those five Daoists, after waking up, were like different people—they were called away by the abbot, and no one knows what they're saying…"

Lu San's expression turned grave as he whispered: "When those men woke up, they emitted a sound—exactly the same as the one I heard inside the Zhenwu Dragon Cave!"

(End of Chapter)