Chapter 19: Chapter Nineteen: The Grand Void Is I

Talismans and devices—

They are techniques suited only for Qi Condensation cultivators.

For every use of a talisman or device, one must expend fetal breath; low-grade talismans are manageable, but mid- and high-grade ones consume vast quantities.

Especially for fetal breath cultivators—

They have not yet opened the bridge between inner and outer heaven, and cannot draw spiritual energy from the void or external elixirs to nourish and strengthen their fetal breath… That single spark of primordial fetal breath within them is lost forever with every bit used, irrecoverable.

The clearest example is that of martial arts Grand Masters.

Years of battlefield combat leave them no room to hold back, nor time to nurture their nature or prolong life; often, after just three to five years of warfare, their fetal breath is entirely depleted.

In the end, though their full lifespan should be one hundred and fifty years, few live past sixty.

This is all because they have not reached Qi Condensation, yet have squandered their fetal breath too early.

Due to the limitation of fetal breath, talismans, Daoist arts, and alchemical or array techniques cannot become the primary combat methods of fetal breath cultivators.

What they truly rely on for combat is still mortal martial arts.

Yet, whether in physique or perception, fetal breath cultivators are no longer human; even mortal martial arts, in their hands, become something entirely different, almost a rebirth.

But within the True One Dharma Realm—

Chen Hang need not fear the aftermath of exhausting his fetal breath.

After all, it is merely a mental projection; it cannot affect his true body in the outside world, so he can do as he pleases.

“Go!”

Chen Hang pointed a finger.

The Thunderfire Lightning Pearl in midair instantly became a streak of light, hurtling toward Xu Zhi’s head; as it moved, a thread of Chen Hang’s fetal breath was consumed.

Puff!

Xu Zhi leapt backward, instantly skipping six zhang away, but the Pearl relentlessly pursued him; he could only pour all his fetal breath into his iron sword and hurl it with all his strength.

With a thunderous roar, the iron sword shattered and exploded; Xu Zhi’s half-body was a bloody mess, yet this mental projection did not cease—it seized the broken hilt from within the thunder and fire in the split second, twisted its form, and lunged again at Chen Hang.

“Think you can close in? Not so easily!”

Chen Hang flicked his wrist; the Pearl shot out again, striking Xu Zhi’s lower back.

This time, the Pearl erupted mid-flight with countless red-and-white thunderbolts, terrifying in power, one crash following another.

Xu Zhi had nearly closed within five zhang of Chen Hang, but suddenly a thunderbolt struck him, forcing him to dodge—daring not to parry.

After evading twelve thunderbolts in succession, Xu Zhi was finally caught; a thunderbolt capable of melting gold and slicing iron shot upward, striking straight for his heart!

Boom! Like a massive boulder crashing to earth, dust scattered in all directions, rolling flames and lightning radiating outward.

“This…”

When the dust cleared and he saw the scene, Chen Hang’s face showed slight surprise.

Xu Zhi looked utterly ravaged, half his body drenched in blood, his pale blue Daoist robe torn and scorched with fire and lightning marks.

But upon closer inspection, these wounds were from earlier; the thunder aimed at his heart had caused him no harm.

Above Xu Zhi’s head, a faint barrier formed of condensed fetal breath pulsed continuously—it was this that had blocked the thunder capable of melting gold and slicing iron.

“Can a Qi Condensation cultivator’s fetal breath, merely manifested as a single layer, block a strike from a mid-grade talisman?”

Though he knew his own fetal breath was too limited to fully unleash the Thunderfire Lightning Pearl’s power, Chen Hang was still astonished.

“Pity, pity… Brother, you’ve neglected your cultivation; if you had even one talisman in hand, plus a few Daoist arts, how could I possibly defeat you?”

Chen Hang sighed regretfully, then pointed again at the Thunderfire Lightning Pearl: “Come, let’s see how many thunderbolts your Qi Condensation sixth-layer fetal breath can withstand!”

As he spoke—

Dozens of red-and-white thunderbolts erupted from the Pearl, “whoosh, whoosh,” slamming into Xu Zhi’s protective barrier, making the fetal breath within churn and roil.

After enduring over ten strikes, a crisp sound like shattering glass rang out—the barrier instantly collapsed.

Boom!

Forcing down the discomfort of his fetal breath being drained, Chen Hang summoned his last ounce of spirit and drew another thunderbolt from the Pearl, striking Xu Zhi.

Sizzle!

The red-and-white thunderbolt struck Xu Zhi and reduced him to ash—no movement remained.

After completing this, Chen Hang could no longer hold himself up; he collapsed to the ground, utterly drained.

The Thunderfire Lightning Pearl, deprived of its master’s control, dimmed instantly and rolled lifelessly to the ground, its spirit deeply hidden.

“My fetal breath…”

It took half a cup of tea before Chen Hang gradually recovered.

He rose, dizzy and heavy-headed, his body weak, feeling as if he stood on a pile of cotton—soft, yielding, insubstantial.

“So this is what it feels like when fetal breath is exhausted? Quite peculiar.”

His Cold Battle True Qi, freed from the restraint of fetal breath, surged again; after taking a few steps, he fell to the ground and simply sat cross-legged.

Mid-grade talismans consume heavily; though he had barely won against Xu Zhi using it, he had also drained all his fetal breath, leaving his spirit troubled and his chest heavy, nearly vomiting blood.

Yet his body remained as hard as gold and iron, his strength—capable of matching three horses with a single arm—unchanged.

But now his sensation was like a naked man lying flat in empty space—above, below, left, right—all void, nothing to cling to, nothing to rely upon.

Pure and unadulterated, steadily rising and moving.

Chen Hang frowned, contemplating this change, unaware how long he sat.

Suddenly, his gaze flashed, his expression shaken.

“Inner observation reveals no mind; outer vision reveals no form; transcend the body and the body endures; forget the form and the form endures!”

He tried to rise, but his knees, frozen stiff by Cold Battle True Qi, gave way; he collapsed face-first to the ground.

“So this… this is the Void described in the Divine Chamber Pivot Splendor Daoist Lord’s Discourse on the Primordial True Scripture! This Void is not that Void! Yes! Yes!”

Chen Hang did not care—he laughed aloud on the ground:

“The Grand Void is I! First empty the body; once the body is empty, it becomes True Void… This is how it should be! I understand! I understand!”

What had begun as an ordinary duel had, through the exhaustion of his fetal breath, allowed Chen Hang to accidentally comprehend the true meaning of “Void” in that Qi Condensation scripture.

The wonder of fate in this world is nothing compared to this.

Having penetrated the words “Grand Void,” he was now close to fully understanding the Divine Chamber Pivot Splendor Daoist Lord’s Discourse on the Primordial True Scripture; Qi Condensation was within reach.

This realization—

How could Chen Hang not be ecstatic?

After several long laughs, he barely calmed his surging emotions, re-entered meditation, and began to carefully ponder.

But this time, not long after—

The anomalous movement of Cold Battle True Qi jolted him awake again.

Chen Hang looked at his legs; the muscles there had begun to turn blue. When he touched them, he felt no flesh or blood—only the cold, dry texture of wood soaked in icy water.

“What a nuisance…”

Chen Hang slashed his own head off with his sword.

When he reborn, he said nothing, immediately summoned Xu Zhi, and bombarded him relentlessly with the Thunderfire Lightning Pearl.

Once his fetal breath was spent again, he closed his eyes and meditated anew; when Cold Battle True Qi stirred once more, he raised his sword again.

Dueling, meditating, suicide…

He repeated this cycle endlessly, unaware how long it lasted.

During this time—

Except when his physical body’s hunger and thirst forced him to withdraw his spirit from the True One Dharma Realm to hastily swallow some water and dried meat, he poured all his energy into it.

Naturally, his cultivation advanced visibly.

He now wielded the Thunderfire Lightning Pearl with greater fluency, no trace of clumsiness.

He had fully comprehended the entire Divine Chamber Pivot Splendor Daoist Lord’s Discourse on the Primordial True Scripture, leaving only the final step before entering Qi Condensation.

And that final step held no barriers or dangers.

All he needed was to calm his mind and, with patient, steady effort, practice for a few more months—and success would come naturally, cultivation complete.

…

One day.

As Chen Hang continued refining within the True One Dharma Realm, a sharp pain stabbed his third eye, and he suddenly sensed something.

“What’s happening?”

Chen Hang shifted his spiritual intent, connected with Jin Chan, and exited the True One Dharma Realm:

“Why did my true body in the outside world give a warning?”