Chapter 10: The Realm of Martial Arts

After Feng Qingyang's explanation, Linghu Chong understood that he had already broken through his shackles and ascended to the mythical level of the martial arts legends. However, Linghu Chong vaguely sensed that this mythical level was by no means the ultimate destination of martial arts, as he felt that he was still continuously making progress

Those so-called friends of yours likely possess no real abilities and have no qualifications to engage. Feng Qingyang said with a smile, "The martial arts elder Bai Xiaosheng has made a detailed classification of the experts in the martial arts realm."

Unknowingly, it was already the morning of the second day. A ray of dawn slowly rose, and a wisp of purple aura came from the east. Linghu Chong felt a stir in the golden elixir within his dantian, and an inexplicable realization surged in his heart, making him suddenly aware that another opportunity had arrived.

The inner strength is as deep as the sea, the swordsmanship is profound and unfathomable, the martial arts techniques are executed with utmost freedom, and the skills are mastered to perfection. The level of martial arts cultivation has reached the realm of transformation. Such masters are referred to as first-rate experts in the martial world, and only the elders of major renowned sects possess the foundation to attain this level. Your master’s wife, Ning Zhongze, reached the pinnacle of this realm five years ago. The Thirteen Guardians of Songshan and Liu Zhengfeng of Hengshan, like your master’s wife, also belong to this realm.

Indeed, those who survive great calamities are bound to receive future blessings; this time, it truly is a case of fortune arising from misfortune

"You young man, do not aim too high; that kind of realm has not been attained by anyone for thousands of years. I have been trapped at the pinnacle of the unparalleled realm and the *Tu* *Shu* Peak for twenty years, and have not made the slightest progress. " Feng Qingyang lamented, "However, you possess extraordinary talent. At such a young age, you have already reached the peak of an unparalleled master. Perhaps you might truly break through the shackles of martial arts, shatter the myths of the martial world that have persisted for millennia, and attain the highest mythical level of existence"

As the Northern Underworld's Nine Suns Divine Skill operated at full capacity, the primordial energy of the surrounding ten miles surged towards the summit of the Thought-Over Cliff, gathering at a speed even faster than the last time.

A vast amount of spiritual energy surged into Linghu Chong's heavenly gate, beginning to circulate through the meridians in a great cycle, and finally flowing slowly into the dantian. At this moment, the true qi in the dantian had been compressed to the utmost, almost about to transform entirely into liquid true essence. Just then, the first ray of sunlight shone upon Linghu Chong, accompanied by a strand of purple energy that entered his dantian.

However, Linghu Chong had no time to ponder these matters. At this moment, he was immensely grateful for the lightning, wishing he could erect a tablet to worship it. As he witnessed his internal energy being drained, he was on the verge of having his own essence absorbed. This bolt of lightning penetrated his body, and the energy contained within the power of heaven and earth was too pure and domineering; ordinary people would undoubtedly perish if they attempted to absorb it, certain to explode and die without a complete corpse.

It is a pity that countless extraordinary heroes over the millennia have ultimately reached the pinnacle of excellence, yet have been unable to break free from their shackles, living with regrets throughout their lives. In today's martial arts world, there was originally only one Dongfang Bubai who had the hope of breaking these shackles, and now there must be another, you. "Feng Qingyang sighed, 'The path is ruthless, understanding the way is difficult, more difficult than ascending to the heavens'

Perhaps due to insufficient energy, the golden elixir in the dantian firmly absorbed the majority of the true essence within the dantian, leaving only a trace of purple true essence coursing through the meridians. Although the quantity is small, the energy contained within it is several times greater than before

However, this Thunderbolt is like a life-saving elixir for Linghu Chong at present. It is not the great energy that is feared, but the lack of energy. As soon as the Thunderbolt enters his body, the purple-gold elixir trembles violently and immediately reacts, crazily absorbing the energy as if dry vegetables meet fierce fire, or a lecherous man encounters a lustful woman. Finally, the elixir, having absorbed the power of the lightning, has grown to the size of a yellow bean, and the white true essence in the dantian has transformed into purple, settling down.

A peerless master, having converted all internal energy into true qi, has broken through from the acquired realm to the innate realm. All meridians within the body are fully opened, allowing true qi to circulate smoothly and unobstructed. The recovery speed of internal energy is three times that of an ordinary top master, and one can also absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to transform the body, achieving a rebirth and extending life by fifty years. In the martial world, only five individuals have reached this level: myself, Dongfang Bubai of the Sun-Moon Holy Cult, former sect leader Ren Woxing, Fang Zheng of Lingjiu Temple, and Chongxu of Wudang. Now, I must also add you, this anomaly!

This realm belongs only to legends; once attained, one can no longer be called human. Even referring to it as becoming a terrestrial immortal would not be an exaggeration. According to ancient texts, once a master breaks through the unparalleled realm and enters the mythical realm, an infinite amount of heavenly spiritual energy will enter their body, transforming their bloodline and bone structure, making them a perfect innate body. The true energy within will nearly liquefy into true essence, and even more remarkably, a golden elixir may form in the dantian, granting them immortality and allowing them to roam freely between heaven and earth.

"Master, what realm exists above that of a master?" Linghu Chong asked curiously, as he felt that he was not in the same realm as Feng Qingyang.

The two extraordinary figures from the Huashan School, one old and one young, engaged in a lively conversation. As they talked, they unexpectedly sat down on the ground, showing no decorum. Initially, their discussion was fine, as they exchanged and validated their martial arts experiences and theories. However, as the conversation progressed, it gradually strayed off topic and became increasingly absurd, eventually leading to discussions about sneaking alcohol and visiting brothels in their childhood. It was at this moment that they realized they were truly kindred spirits, soulmates, and lamented that they had met too late.

The golden elixir within the dantian was pierced and fused by the essence of the sun and the purple energy from the east, resulting in an instantaneous qualitative change. The elixir, originally the size of a mung bean, suddenly compressed to the size of a grain of rice, and its color transformed from golden yellow to purple-gold. A terrifying suction force instantly radiated from the dantian, and the influx of spiritual energy from the heavens and earth was rapidly absorbed. The range of spiritual energy had expanded to a radius of fifty miles, and all the spiritual energy was frantically drawn into Linghu Chong's body.

Those in the martial arts world who have not cultivated internal energy within their bodies and rely solely on external brute force are referred to as unorthodox practitioners, with over 90% of martial artists falling into this category. Martial artists who have cultivated internal energy and possess combat abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people are known as third-rate masters. This level of mastery is relatively common in the jianghu, accounting for nine-tenths of the remaining 10%.

Above first-rate masters are peak masters, whose martial arts have reached a level that can be termed as martial arts grandmasters. At this level, a master’s internal strength is nearly perfected, transcending mere techniques; even the petals and leaves can serve as weapons. Currently, there are only a few individuals in the martial world who have attained this level, primarily the leaders of several prestigious sects. Your master, Yue Buqun, and Zuo Lengchan of the Songshan Sect are at the pinnacle of this realm. If they have the opportunity, they may break through and ascend to the ranks of unparalleled masters.

"Master, please protect me, I am about to break through again," Linghu Chong suddenly called out to Feng Qingyang, then dashed out of the cave like the wind, sitting cross-legged at the top of the Cliff of Regret, facing east and meditating, as the internal energy began to circulate within him

Half an hour later, all the true energy in Linghu Chong's dantian was compressed into liquid true essence, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was completely absorbed into his body. However, the golden elixir in the dantian seemed still unsatisfied, continuing to expand and exert a tremendous吸力. This could be fatal; without spiritual energy, it could only plunder from within himself. The internal force circulating in his meridians was entirely drawn back to the dantian. If this continued, it would be terrifying as Linghu Chong might be drained of his life force and blood energy.

At that moment, a sudden thunderclap descended from the clear blue sky, striking the crisis-ridden Linghu Chong with great force. Folklore suggests that only those who are utterly wicked, devoid of conscience, and worse than pigs and dogs can enjoy the treatment of being struck by lightning

A remarkable phenomenon has emerged within a radius of fifty li, with fierce winds raging in the sky, purple clouds filling the heavens, and a crimson sun hanging above the peak of the Thought-Reflecting Cliff, astonishing all living beings

Feng Qingyang spoke eloquently, stating: "Only those whose internal martial arts have reached a certain level, possessing at least ten years of internal power, and who have mastered the sword techniques with skill and finesse, can be regarded as second-rate masters. Such individuals are even rarer in the entire martial world, and it is not an exaggeration to call them as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Only the elite disciples of prestigious sects have the potential to reach this realm, while ordinary martial artists and small sects do not qualify to attain this level"

It turns out that I have already become a legend in the martial arts world. This means that in the realm of "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," there are no rivals left. Hehe, should I let my esteemed master know about this?" Linghu Chong felt quite pleased with himself and silently thought, "It would be better not to discourage him, lest he suddenly suffers from a heart attack or a stroke due to old age.