Is this the legendary Mountain Town Unique Skill from Dragon Tiger Mountain, known as the Demon-slaying Sword?
To perform this sword move "Three and Five Male and Female Sin Slashing Swords", is required to generate the maximum power.
Although the old Taoist master is only utilizing two Thousand-Refined Divine Weapons, the provoked impact is earth-shattering, causing countless people to tremble in their souls.
Initially, it is assumed that after Pei Xuanjing released his sword strike that seemingly embodied Heavenly Punishment, it was the most powerful sword in the world.
But astonishingly, the sword of the old Taoist master is comparable to Pei Xuanjing's Shenxiao Heavenly Will Sword.
The overwhelming sword aura enveloping the evil-slaying and demon-purifying golden light, were more than enough to make those disguised and concealed demonic martial arts experts shudder, so much so that they're having difficulty breathing.
Boom!
Like a ferocious wave sweeping across all four sides, the multitude of martial artists watching from the perimeter of the Practice martial arts field, felt a dreadful earth-shattering sensation. Immediately after, the waves were compared to a broken Heavenly River dam which led to an incessantly leaching Heavenly River water that threatened to engulf them.
The unrivaled sharpness of the sword aura, the violently swaying True Qi, the boiling hot Blood Qi, all these intertwined elements were horrifying and caused many people's faces to change color.
Retreat!
It was the first thought that crossed many people's mind!
Innumerable martial artists were in perfect harmony, while they maneuvered their True Qi and Blood Qi to resist the shockwave, they aggressively retreated.
As the dust settled, the figures of the two were revealed.
Pei Xuanjing looked somewhat regretfully at the Shenxiao Sword in his hand which was broken into two: "It is a pity."
Ever since Xuanfu obtained this Divine Weapon, it has relied on the sharpness of the Divine Weapon to overcome many opponents and risking dangers. Yet, it was unexpected that it would be ruined on Dragon Tiger Mountain today.
The Shenxiao Sword couldn't bear the duel between the two and thus snapped. The two Divine Weapons in the hands of the old Taoist master were inferior to the Shenxiao Sword, hence naturally they were also broken.
However, even though the destruction of the Divine Weapons was regrettable for the old Taoist master, the spoils from this fight far exceeded his expectation.
The duel between the two had already exceeded the limit of what the current Heaven and Earth could bear. If it were not for this Practice martial arts field being constructed of Mysterious Iron, Dragon Tiger Mountain would probably be reduced by one layer.
Because of this, the two had an epiphany in the final moment, and understood a multitude of things.
In that fleeting moment, their minds seemed to meld with Heaven and Earth, they sensed an unfathomable force in the atmosphere that could not be articulated.
Unity of Heaven and Man!
Both of them understood that this is the state of Unity of Heaven and Man that Daoists pursue.
They saw the path ahead, saw how to break through the first-grade realm…
A faint smile of joy could be seen on Pei Xuanjing's face. Although the time of Unity of Heaven and Man was brief, merely lasting a few breaths, it also helped him affirm his hypothesis and paved the way for his future.
Martial Arts cultivation involves tempering muscles and bones, refining internal organs and marrow, then after all this, transforming oneself by casting off the old, there by reaching the ultimate limit of martial arts.
Such practice, before the Tang Dynasty, was known as Mortal Realm.
Only by breaking the shackles and entering the Spirit Realm, can one truly step onto the path of Cultivation.
With this in mind, Pei Xuanjing looked at the old Taoist master whose eyes glimmered with a hint of a smile, understanding that the other party had also made significant gains from the duel.
The two could not help but smile at each other.
"Having the opportunity to exchange moves with you today is an honor," he said.
"You are too kind, I am grateful for your instruction today, Master." The two were all smiles as if they had never crossed swords.
Those watching around them had peculiar expressions on their faces.
"Greetings Master, and greetings to True Person Longevity." Yu Yangzi stepped forward and addressed them.
While speaking, Yu Yangzi found it strange to look at the young face in front of him, and after some thought, came up with this respectful title.
Truthfully, Pei Xuanjing's strength could be comparable to the old Taoist master's, however, he is extremely young, so this senior Yu Yangzi didn't have the heart to call him out.
"Greetings, Elder Yu Yangzi." Pei Xuanjing nodded his head in return.
The old Taoist master nodded his head as well, then turning towards his disciple, he guessed his disciple's intention and asked, "Are you wondering who won?"
Yu Yangzi nodded his head. The old Taoist master glanced at Pei Xuanjing and said, "I'd say it was a tie."
Though Yu Yangzi's face remained unchanged, his heart was a turmoil. Even though he had cultivated for many years, he remained calm on the outside, but both Pei Xuanjing and the old Taoist master noticed his unusual behavior.
However, the old Taoist master didn't seem to care about his disciple's thoughts, he suggested to Pei Xuanjing, "Why don't we change our clothes and then carry on with our discussions?"
Pei Xuanjing chuckled and nodded: "That sounds great!"
The two left arm in arm, leaving a bewildered Yu Yangzi behind.
Just as the crowd in the distance was trying to figure out who won, a faint crack could be heard.
Creak!
Yu Yangzi's face changed subtly as a trace of regret appeared in his eyes. He looked at the Practice martial arts field under his feet, which cost countless money to construct and had already become a prized treasure of Dragon Tiger Mountain himself.
Continuous sounds rang out as countless cracks appeared on the once sturdy arena.
Crash!
The Practice martial arts field suddenly exploded into countless fragments that flew in all directions!
"Hmm!" Those witnessing this event were overjoyed.
'Everyone, this is the property of Dragon Tiger Mountain, please…" Before Yu Yangzi could finish his sentence, someone shouted out.
"Quick, if you can get a fragment that has sword marks on it, you will be able to comprehend the sword techniques of these two highest cultivators.."
In fact, no one needed to be reminded. At the moment the fragments burst out, clever individuals immediately took action to seek those fragments marked with sword strokes.
For everyone present, these sword marks were invaluable treasures, greatly beneficial to their martial arts practice.
Even powerful figures like Zhao Baiyang and the Ghost Emperor of Fengdu did not hesitate to seize them.
To them, even if they did not need to learn the swordsmanship contained within, these fragments bearing the martial arts traces of Pei Xuanjing and the old heaven's teacher could be used to comprehend martial arts, producing gains.
So, nobody paid attention to Yu Yangzi's words; no one was listening, each acting on their own accord to steal the fragments.
The one cannot be responsible for the many.
Moreover, Yu Yangzi understood that the existence of this practice martial arts field was envied by major forces such as True Martial Sect, Chunyang Sect, etc. These forces were itching for action but due to their identities, they dared not speak out, and could only watch helplessly.
Now that there was an opportunity, these forces would not be polite; they wanted to snatch all these fragments, leaving nothing behind.
Therefore, Yu Yangzi immediately abandoned the idea of stopping them. Meanwhile, he ordered the powerhouses of Dragon Tiger Mountain to seize the fragments with sword marks to minimize losses.
The next morning, as the sun rose, atop a peak of Dragon Tiger Mountain.
Pei Xuanjing was sitting on a cloud platform, his eyes slightly closed, his breath long and leisurely, absorbing Zi Qi from the morning sun.
As he absorbed the Zi Qi, Pei Xuanjing's mind was working fast, recalling the enlightenment he gained during the brief moment of Unity of Heaven and Man from the day before.
Having had that profound experience, he now knew what path to take and he had an approximate idea of the Spirit Realm cultivation.
As he had previously deduced, at the peak of the Mortal Realm, martial artists could enter the Spirit Realm through refining essence, refining Qi, or refining spirit.
Refining Essence involves transforming the body. A martial artist uses the forces of nature to temper and refine his body, allowing it to transform. Once the body is fully spiritualized, one naturally steps into the Spirit Realm.
If you continue to practice the Way of Essence Refinement after entering the
Spirit Realm, it should involve solidifying the body's acupoints and constantly strengthening the body. After all acupoints in the body are solidified, the body can reach the Realm of Immortality.
The Path of Qi Refinement primarily involves solidifying True Qi. According to Pei Xuanjing's memory and knowledge from his past life, it should involve breaking the barrier between the body and heaven and earth, allowing Heaven and Earth Essence Qi to enter the body and continuously merging and transform with one's own True Qi into Primordial Qi. After all the True Qi in the body has been transformed into Primordial Qi, one has progressed to the Spirit Realm.
The practice thereafter should involve continuously compressing and purifying the Primordial Qi, letting one's own Primordial Qi continuously blend with
Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, and ultimately reach a stage where one can use Primordial Qi to manipulate the forces of Heaven and Earth.
The practice of Refining Spirit, as Pei Xuanjing understands it, is to use the true intention of martial arts as a foundation, continuously strengthening one's will, transforming the intangible will into a mysterious Divine Soul, which would then signify stepping into the Spirit Realm.
As for how to practice after advancing to the Spirit Realm along the Refining Spirit path, Pei Xuanjing did not have any clear understandings yet. He only supposed that continued strengthening of one's Divine Soul would allow it to transform into a Primordial Spirit, as per legends.
There are three paths: Essence, Qi, and Spirit.
Each path taken to the extreme corresponds to Body Immortal, Indestructible Qi, and Immortal Soul respectively.
Pei Xuanjing even guessed that if someone indeed reached the extreme in all three paths, they might be no less than the Fairy Gods depicted in stories.
Of course, this was all speculation by Pei Xuanjing. The final results needed further exploration. It was important to remember that he was still a martial artist who had reached the peak of the Mortal Realm. He had just started body spiritual transformation and was not yet in the Spirit Realm, let alone the legendary Fairy God Realm.
However, Pei Xuanjing was not at all discouraged. After all, compared to many martial artists whose pathway was still unclear, he had already found his own path and was further able to identify the direction to work towards, which in itself was a significant fortune.
"But, if this is really the case, then there is a conflict and contradiction with the Immortal concept extrapolated from the previous information I obtained." He thought to himself.
According to the information Pei Xuanjing had originally obtained and his own extrapolation, there were five types of immortals: Heaven, Earth, Man, God, Ghost.
Yet, if the paths of Essence, Qi, and Spirit taken to the extreme could indeed lead to Becoming Immortal, there were only three types, which was in conflict with the previous extrapolation.
Exhale!
Long after, Pei Xuanjing expelled a turbid breath, stopping his breathing exercises. He slowly opened his eyes, their depths flickering with divine light. Although many puzzles and difficulties were not yet solved, he didn't care much.
The inheritance of cultivation was cut off, and the desire to resume the cultivation path was indeed filled with difficulties, but all of this was within his expectations.
The enlightenment and pursuit of truth were already filled with hardships and uncertainties along the way.
If Pei Xuanjing could easily comprehend the method of becoming an immortal at this stage, then the achievement of becoming a god might be too simple. This would trivialize the countless talents and accomplished figures of the past.
He was already very pleased to have found a clear path to break through to the Spirit Realm thanks to the opportunity of Unity of Heaven and Man.
What's more, with the simulator at hand, Pei Xuanjing had countless opportunities to try and fail. As long as he kept moving forward step by step, he believed that he could definitely carve out his path to becoming an immortal..
Suddenly, Pei Xuanjing's eyes flickered slightly and he chuckled, "Is this how you always keep your comings and goings a mystery, Zhao?"
Pei Xuanjing was not at all surprised by Zhao Baiyang's appearance. During their fight yesterday, he had already sensed the energy of several exceptionally powerful Martial Artists concealed in the crowd.
Even though these people had managed to disguise themselves, when Pei
Xuanjing was duelling with the old Master, their energy inevitably leaked. Despite being fleeting, both Pei Xuanjing and the old Master were able to capture it.
He had originally thought that Zhao Baiyang had left with the other Martial Artists. He did not expect him to still be on the mountain, peeking at him.
"Ha haha ha!" Zhao Baiyang appeared tens of feet away. Thought he had hidden himself well, he was easily exposed by Pei Xuanjing.
However, even if his stealth was exposed, he didn't care, and laughingly said,
"Your performance yesterday was so dazzling, Pei. It made me envious!"
Before witnessing the battle, Zhao Baiyang thought highly of Pei Xuanjing's strength but did not think Pei Xuanjing was a match for the old Master.
The strength that Pei Xuanjing exhibited yesterday, without a doubt, showed
Zhao Baiyang what "Give respect to a man who has lain down for three days!"
The strength of the other party far exceeded his imagination, it exceeded him and equal to the old Master's strength.
Pei Xuanjing remained indifferent to this, his eyes flashing with a different color, and he softly said, "Aren't you afraid that I might keep you here?"
As he spoke, his previously gentle demeanor completely disappeared, his momentum gradually rising, locking his energy onto Zhao Baiyang, showing signs of a possible conflict.
"Huh?" Zhao Baiyang also couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, unsure whether Pei Xuanjing was serious or joking.
After all, the current Pei Xuanjing was not the same as before; he really might have the ability to keep him here and so he became vigilant.
However, despite his wariness, this was not the time to show fear. With an exaggerated swagger, Zhao Baiyang spoke, "If you're interested, I wouldn't mind sparring with you, so I can experience the techniques of the future's number one."
Despite the proclamation of an even match from Yu Yangzi's yesterday, it still caused a huge ripple.
Looking at them again, one having lived for over two hundred years, was gradually declining, and the other one, just past thirty, was rising like the sun. Speaking of who would be more formidable in the future, there is no need to say more.
Thus, after yesterday, many took to using the title of future's number one as a compliment to Pei Xuanjing. Their intent to form an alliance was obvious and undisguised.
Pei Xuanjing looked at Zhao Baiyang with a nonchalant smile. "Since you're interested, then it's only natural that I shouldn't refuse."
His momentum continually rose; his wrist moved slowly but steadily. The Innate Thunder Gang Qi circulated inside his body. A purple and green thunder light gathered in his palm, and a chilling aura began to emanate from him.
Zhao Baiyang's eyes narrowed slightly, his hands hanging behind him slowly lowered, his fingers flexing, vibrant energy flowing around him, creating visible ripples around his body.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
On top of the peak, the storm intensified; a big fight was imminent.
"Cough, cough…"
The voice came before the person.
From afar, came the coughing voice of the old Master from everhead slowly came, "Do you two want to ruin this mountain peak that I use for meditation?"
A figure descended in the middle of the two. The gentle aura separated the their wildly fluctuating True Qi.
Seeing the old Master's appearance, the two quickly stopped their techniques.
"The Master is joking." Pei Xuanjing said with a smile.
This mountain peak is originally the old Master's cultivation site, and today it was merely lent to Pei Xuanjing for use.
"Pay my respects to the Master!" Zhao Baiyang cupped his fist towards the old Master and saluted.
The old Master glanced at the two, and cheerfully said, "Could you two give me some face and stop the duel today?"
Pei Xuanjing never had the intention of starting a fight and chuckled, "When the Master speaks, how can one not comply?"
"Guests follow their host's lead; we're under the Master's command."
Zhao Baiyang came here today to tell Pei Xuanjing something and didn't have the intention to fight with Pei Xuanjing. Since the Master made his intentions clear, he wouldn't go against it.
The conflict was resolved, the old Master then made a suggestion to discuss cultivation and compare notes. Pei Xuanjing was fine with that; he had originally intended to discuss cultivation with the old Master, to validate his learning.
Thinking of the Martial Studies followed by the Maitreya Sect Leader, he couldn't help but smile at the corners of his mouth, showing no signs of refusal.
Zhao Baiyang eyes flashed with pleasant surprise. He had not expected to encounter such good fortune when he came today. Naturally, he was willing to participate and wanted to discuss cultivation with these two, who were arguably the best in the world of martial arts.
The three of them each chose a giant rock to sit on, forming a triangle.
The old Master spoke first with a smile on his face, he asked Pei Xuanjing, "I am assuming that you entered the Unity of Heaven and Man realm yesterday, weren't you?
"Correct!" Pei Xuanjing nodded.
Unity of Heaven and Man!
Intense envy flashed in Zhao Baiyang's eyes. He hadn't imagined that the grand battle yesterday would offer such an opportunity to enter the legendary Unity of Heaven and Man realm.
Seeing Zhao Baiyang's envy, the two did not elaborate further on the matter.
With a light sigh, the old Master said, "I recall my relentless cultivation for two hundred years to reach the peak of Martial Arts. Only then did I understand the bitterness of our forefathers. Knowing that there is a future, but being bound by heaven and earth and unable to move forward, is truly unfortunate and regretful. "
Sometimes, what is most regrettable is not being unable to see the future.
The most regrettable thing is that you can clearly feel or see the future, but due to the constraints of heaven and earth, you can never move forward. In the end, you can only watch, that's absolutely regrettable.
Since the Tang Dynasty, one can't count the number of individuals with extraordinary talents who end up sitting in despair. How regrettable indeed!
Pei Xuanjing hasn't been cultivating for long, he is constantly improving and doesn't have a deep understanding of this.
On the other hand, Zhao Baiyang nodded slightly as he could relate to the feeling.
Before the world changed, although transitioning from Mortal Realm to Spirit Realm was challenging for a Martial Artist, it was not truly nine deaths and one life; otherwise, there wouldn't be so many cultivators.
At his level, he had also felt the restraints of heaven and earth. If it weren't for these restraints, given his talent, he would have already stepped into the Spirit Realm.
Over the years, Zhao Baiyang has been continuously collecting fragments of the White Lotus Sect to find his way.
No one wants to stand still forever, especially with the temptation of immortality.
"Today, I am bold enough to follow the ancient sages and invite you both to sit and discuss the way. Discuss without considering grudges, right or wrong. Only cultivation and the pursuit of the way will be discussed. I wonder who amongst you would like to start?" the old Master said slowly.
Pei Xuanjing and Zhao Baiyang glanced at each other, and instantly made a decision.
Zhao Baiyang gave a hearty laugh, "Today I've had the good fortune to discuss the way with both of you.. Why don't I start by laying the first brick?"