Chapter 4, The Primordial Protocol
The characters 驭 (yu) and 御 (yi) differ significantly in their meanings. 驭 refers to the act of driving or controlling, which requires considerable effort from the one in a superior position. In contrast, 御 denotes the act of commanding or directing, akin to the ease of using one's fingers, clearly indicating that it does not demand as much effort as 驭. Mastering the art of swordsmanship, a three-foot blade becomes as agile as one's fingers, striking precisely where directed. It can be said that the body and mind are present, the mind and sword are united, achieving a state of oneness between the person and the sword.
The art of sword control is indeed more powerful than the art of sword mastery, yet it differs somewhat from the latter. To be more precise, the art of sword control is primarily a technique for rapid flight, allowing one to fly on a sword. Naturally, the art of sword control can also be used against enemies, and its power surpasses that of sword mastery.
The vast land is desolate, with grass growing taller than a person and trees reaching over a hundred zhang. In the wilderness, ancient beasts roam freely, mountains and rivers stretch into the clouds, and monstrous creatures run rampant. As his gaze swept over the scene below, Fengyun Wujie gradually understood the plight of humanity. After spending some time in the temple, he had begun to grasp the truth of the situation: whether it be demonic beasts, magical creatures, or demons, they are inherently stronger than humans, and the longer time passes, the more powerful the demons become
I regret to inform you of a matter: due to the overly domineering nature of the martial arts you have practiced, it has become exceedingly difficult for others to absorb the vital energy from the heavens and the earth while you are cultivating this particular skill. Consequently, as long as you continue your martial studies, others will be unable to cultivate normally. Therefore, in accordance with the regulations of the Sanctuary, although you have not yet spent three years here, you must leave and open the Sacred Mountain. Since you have not yet completed three years in the Sanctuary, we are granting you special permission to select a location near the Sacred Mountain for your free cultivation. Until the completion of the three-year period, your safety in the vicinity will be protected by the Sanctuary.
So it is, I did not expect this young man to choose such a perilous martial art. It is said that those who practiced this martial art did so a million years ago. According to legend, that individual reached the sixth transformation of the Nine Turns of Life and Death, and at that time, there were only a handful of people in the entire ancient world who could defeat him. Unfortunately, he perished while attempting to practice the seventh transformation. The person who practiced this secret record was once hailed as a martial arts genius with divine talent, yet he met such a tragic end after pursuing this profound skill. A robed man, seemingly well-informed, remarked upon hearing the right attendant mention that the 'Nether Eye' had seen through this person's martial arts prowess.
Fengyun Wujie listened to the words of the attendant without saying anything, and turned to soar down the mountain. He had already felt that practicing martial arts atop the sacred temple could not be fully realized; even the cultivation of the Nine Transformations of Life and Death was somewhat restrained, as if there were prohibitions set within the temple. Therefore, having completed the first transformation, he had already made up his mind to leave the temple, and at this moment, hearing the attendant's words was naturally more in line with his intentions.
Yes. Feng Yunwuji nodded.
The left attendant looked up to the sky and sighed deeply, saying: "Survival of the fittest. Ever since Lord Yinghuo mysteriously disappeared, the status of our clan has been declining. I also hope that a master capable of contending with the gods and demons will emerge from our clan. However, the Nine Transformations of Life and Death is the most difficult martial art to practice among all, with the most stringent conditions. Moreover, as stated within, practicing this skill is fraught with peril, and it is likely to be very difficult to achieve success."
The two attendants behind Feng Yunwu appeared somewhat surprised by his actions; they had originally prepared to engage in some bargaining with him, but this young man seemed quite straightforward.
"My lord, the martial arts of the temple exceed a hundred million. I wonder which type of martial arts this young man is practicing, as it possesses such immense power, almost devouring the essence of heaven and earth like a whale. We have never seen anything like it." As the two attendants arrived beside Feng Yun Wu Ji, a beautiful woman pointed at the whirlwind and inquired.
The servant on the left opened his eyes, and a faint blue aura emerged from the whites of his eyes. After a moment, he sighed and said: "The martial arts that this person practices, although you may not have seen it before, you should have heard of it. 'Nine Transformations of Life and Death', this is the name of the martial arts he possesses. In the 12,564th martial arts sacred site, it is inscribed in the secret record of martial arts. I believe some of you must have seen this record."
From the primordial chaos of the universe to the present day, spanning trillions of years, countless powerful demons have emerged within this universe. It is no easy task for humanity to survive among these bloodthirsty demons. It is also unknown what formidable beings have arisen among humans, capable of devastating the world with a mere gesture, beings that even the demons fear greatly. These beings have compelled the demons to sign certain agreements with humanity. Specifically, humans are allowed to maintain certain dimensions in which they can reproduce and thrive, and the ancient human race is prohibited from intervening in these dimensions or imparting advanced martial arts to them. Similarly, the demons are also forbidden from entering these dimensions at will. However, as a condition of exchange, the demons may feed on some humans without destroying the entire dimension. The world from which Fengyun Wujin hails is such a dimension, one that raises humans like livestock. Every human who ascends from this dimension is recognized as a true ancient human. All ascendants can safely reside in the sanctuary for three years, during which time the demons are not permitted to attack the new humans within the sanctuary. However, after three years, this protection no longer applies. The ancient humans are not exempt from protection, and the relationship between the ancient humans and the demons follows the laws of the universe: the weak are preyed upon by the strong, and demons may hunt humans, just as humans may hunt demons.
Alas, if our clan has not produced a master of the divine realm before the next war between gods and demons, the agreement signed with the gods and demons is likely to be altered
"Fengyun Wujie, the martial arts you possess must be the Nine Transformations of Life and Death, right?"
However, with the method of flying with a sword, he found himself without a sword. Originally, before his ascension, Feng Yun Wuji had already reached the realm of letting go of the sword, where every blade of grass and every tree could serve as a sword in his hand. Thus, with a thought, he plucked a slender blade of grass, and with a slight tremor of his two fingers, the originally drooping blade of grass became as straight as a long sword, as firm as steel, and as sharp as a blade. With both feet lifted off the ground, he stepped onto the blade of grass, and Feng Yun Wuji glided through the air like a streak of light, sweeping down towards the holy mountain.
The two attendants nodded, and upon hearing this, everyone displayed expressions of understanding, after which they departed one by one
"Dispersing power! We have devoted countless efforts and time to our practice until now. How could we possibly disperse our power for such a mere technique? My lord, is this person a recent ascendant?"
Feng Yun Wu Ji felt that the true energy within him had reached the thickness of a little finger, so he stopped. According to the principles of the first transformation, it could be said that the first transformation was a great success. Upon opening his eyes, Feng Yun Wu Ji discovered that the two attendants of the sanctuary were standing before him
If you also wish to learn the 'Nine Transformations of Life and Death' technique, you can go to the Martial Arts Sacred Ground No. 12564, where you will find the essence of this skill at the 1,800th level of the stone steps. I have some understanding of this martial art as well. The first step in practicing the Nine Transformations of Life and Death is to disperse the energy.
This agreement appears to be fair, but in reality, it is not fair at all. Regardless of the fact that the number of demons is counted in the hundreds of billions or trillions, the ancient human race is less than one hundred million. From the moment they are born, demons possess advantages that the ancient human race cannot compare to. They do not need to undergo training to attain formidable strength, whereas humans must continuously practice for many years to accumulate the power necessary to contend with the demons.
"Left attendant, do you think he has the ability to master the complete set of Nine Transformations of Profound Arts?" The right attendant spoke only after Feng Yunwuji had left, his voice subtly tinged with concern: "If our clan could add a new master who has perfected the Nine Transformations of Life and Death, it would certainly help alleviate our current predicament."
The art of sword control is more profound than the technique of sword mastery, thus requiring a longer period of practice. After three months, upon awakening from meditation, Feng Yunwuji had only mastered half of the art of sword control, specifically the ability to fly with the sword
Until the edge of the Holy Mountain, Fengyun Wujie discovered a fact: the edge of the Holy Mountain was surrounded by cliffs thousands of zhang high. With Fengyun Wujie's strength, it was impossible to soar through the air like other martial artists from the ancient era. Initially, the Holy Mountain seemed to assume that everyone ascending it possessed the ability to fly. At this moment, Fengyun Wujie faced a dilemma; he wanted to return to seek help from the two attendants but felt too embarrassed to do so. After much contemplation, he realized that only the third layer of the Sword Control Technique from the first level of the Mind Sword Body Great Method could be of assistance. Fortunately, the Sword Control Technique was merely a sword skill and did not involve internal energy cultivation, so it would not affect others. Thus, Fengyun Wujie sat cross-legged at the edge of the cliff, hands resting on his knees, and began to practice the third layer of the Sword Control Technique.
The two attendants revealed a hint of sorrow between their brows, standing quietly in the square. After a moment, they sighed deeply, waved their sleeves, and turned back to the entrance of the temple, where they sat cross-legged.