Chapter 518 Part 2

Chapter 518 Part 2: Return to Peach Blossom Villa (2)

"….. Do not hesitate when you hear about the strong side effects of forbidden martial arts; remember, the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method has always been one of the Qiao family’s most famous skills."

The elderly man with slightly gray hair continued:

"The human body is very amazing; slightly breaking limits can actually help the body improve, and this is the foundation of all body-forging techniques, led by the Heavenly Demon Forging Body Method."

"Martial artists grow by breaking their limits in small ways over and over again…"

The old martial artist is not talking about a specific skill but about a deeper understanding of martial arts.

Qiao Mu’s eyes moved slightly as he recognized the person.

"Hai Boping is the second-ranked martial artist in Peach Blossom Villa," Xue Changhe explained nearby.

"Even Wushu Shushan, the first martial artist in the Jiu Province armory, cannot compare to him in understanding forbidden techniques and breaking through limits in body training."

"However, he has limited talent; his early aggressive training harmed his foundations, and now he has not yet reached the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, so he cannot use the Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique."

At this moment, some martial artists in the audience spoke up:

"Master Hai, I have always had a doubt. The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method of the Qiao family, which is a forbidden technique in martial arts, can instantly multiply internal strength and True strength several times."

"So, where does this sudden increase in power come from?"

Hai Boping nodded slightly and began to answer.

"Nature does not create power out of thin air. The explosive forbidden techniques in this world do not come from nothing."

"Explosive forbidden techniques are not without foundation. In my view, vital energy is internal strength, and internal strength is vital energy… The explosive forbidden techniques are actually a way of self-damage transformation."

"The so-called four aspects of martial artists—strength, skills, spirit—can also be seen as vital energy, skills, and spirit. The first three are the foundation of a martial artist, while skills are the way to apply a martial artist’s powerful vital energy in real combat…"

"Vital energy is internal strength, and internal strength is vital energy…" Qiao Mu repeated, a bit surprised.

He had already reached unparalleled understanding of martial arts forbidden techniques, even fifty years later, no one could compare to him.

However, today’s martial arts in Jiu Province indeed grew different branches from the same trunk.

The level is another matter, but it does serve Qiao Mu today in a certain way.

"It seems that this Peach Blossom Villa has indeed gained strength," Qiao Mu nodded.

Many years ago, he tried to establish Peach Blossom Villa in order to gather the talented martial artists of Jiu Province to share their ideas.

Let these talented martial artists come up with wonderful ideas, while he spends a great deal of time perfecting each idea into a complete martial skill.

This not only helps pass the long hours in his dreams but also explores ways to continue improving his martial arts.

Now, looking back, the tree he planted fifty years ago has grown into a towering tree, even inspiring him today.

"Perhaps I should try to sit down and discuss martial arts with the current martial artists of Peach Blossom Villa."

The young ancestor of Long Life Gate can also be seen as the founder of Spiritual Refining Martial Art.

The martial arts tree he planted in Jiu Province includes members of the Xue family, the Qiao family of Heyang City, and many more spiritual refining martial skills.

The martial arts tree planted by Qiao Mu is Peach Blossom Villa.

After a thousand years of hardship and sacrifice, the Blood Origin Skill and the mature martial fruit Xue Changhe gradually emerged from the first tree.

Meanwhile, the martial arts tree planted by Qiao Mu is also growing rapidly under the pressure of celestial forces, and at this moment, it has already become lush and full of leaves.

He paused for a moment, then walked over to Hai Boping, who was sitting by the riverbank, and spoke:

"I happen to have some insights about the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method…"

At first, everyone just paid little attention, thinking he was another martial artist entering Peach Blossom Villa.

But as they listened to Qiao Huo’s story, the martial artists gradually became absorbed in it…

……………..

After all, Qiao Huo was not Qiao Shuangtu, nor Qiao Yao, and certainly not the long-lived Master Qiao Xin of Peach Blossom Villa; he was a new identity with a different name.

Qiao Huo had no personal ties with Hai Boping and the other martial artists; they were strangers meeting for the first time.

After Hai Boping and the others realized Qiao Mu’s identity, they felt a bit awkward, but as the discussion of martial arts continued, they gradually forgot about their differences.

Martial arts became a bridge for communication between these martial artists from different eras; on this path, "Qiao Huo" was a pioneer, and they naturally grew close.

Time passed, and more people gathered by the stream.

Wushu Shushan, who hadn’t been seen for many years, joined them.

He was once the fourth of the seventy-two wise men, and now he is a superb martial artist, mostly focused on studying martial arts at the mountain villa, where he is now the leading master of martial arts.

It is different from fifty years ago.

This time, the discussion about martial arts is not just Qiao Mu speaking alone; he and Wushu Shushan, Hai Boping, and others exchanged questions and answers, creating a collision and exchange of martial arts from different times, fifty years apart.

You talk about body forging skills, the peak of martial arts where one’s intention replaces the will of heaven.

I talk about the No Move No Thinking Skill, and the transformation of the body evolving from the Shape Changing Skill to that of the giants of the Kuafu tribe.

At this point, with Wushu Shushan leading, martial artists deeply immersed in Jiu Province’s martial arts are naturally convinced:

A member of the Qiao family from fifty years ago has indeed returned.

Every member of the Qiao family from that time was a person with a very strong foundation in martial arts. Even Xue Changhe, who stood at the peak of martial power in Jiu Province, could not compare with a member of the Qiao family; the difference was one of great magnitude.

This is something others cannot imitate.

If Founding Emperor Yan and Xue Changhe are like monsters of power with abilities far beyond ordinary martial artists, then members of the Qiao family are like great star beasts.

His skills in the four great martial arts were far beyond those of ordinary martial artists, making him a well-rounded powerhouse.

Realizing this, Xue Changhe could not help but think:

"The peak of martial arts in present-day Jiu Province is a realm where I act as the will of heaven, showing the inner world in the outer world."

"This is indeed an unattainable peak for ordinary martial artists, but for a member of the Qiao family with strong foundations… it seems just a matter of time."

Xue Changhe had great confidence in the Qiao family ancestors; in his eyes, they were unmatched geniuses, and even Wu Mingkong seemed less impressive in comparison.

In those days, Xue Changhe had a thousand years of internal strength accumulated, and when his martial skills transformed, it was a powerful release, striking down the Immortal Gate Elder.

Now that the Qiao family members have returned, it is surely another chance for progress in the martial arts world, and it seems the same for Qiao Huo.

………………………………………..

Until the sun had moved to the west and night was settling in, this exchange barely came to a stop.

Wushu Shushan and the others were still enjoying the conversation.

Mostly, it was Xue Changhe who stepped forward at this time, looking apologetic as he said he had important matters to attend to.

"Are you going to Southeast Province to deal with the Soul Predicting Path?" Qiao Mu naturally guessed.

"Let’s stop here for today. If there is a chance in the future, we can continue, but for today, let’s talk about important matters first."

After fifty years, Qiao Mu returned to Peach Blossom Villa once again and met many old friends.

However, there were still some old friends he did not see.

Like Qing Li, who has returned to her pure-blooded Jingwei form and was born from the spirit of Black Mountain’s mountain girl, as well as Li Gongde, the former Moon Xuan Envoy of Zhong Province, and Li Changshi along with over three hundred white-headed soldiers who came from the lonely city.

Qiao Mu has learned Qiao Canxue’s whereabouts through the message from Immortal Diyuan; she is still in the Qingming Medicine Valley, not far from here.

"Li Changshi leads three thousand Immortal Slaying Army; they are currently in Southeast Province."

"The same goes for Undead Demon King Qing Li and others," Wu Mingkong explained.

The situation in Jiu Province affects the whole area; Xue Changhe’s attack on Long Life Gate has echoed throughout the world.

At that time, Li Changshi led the three thousand Immortal Slaying Army to Southeast Province, and they are still there now.

"The reaction of Soul Predicting Path is very strange." The Earth Sword Immortal’s wooden sword vibrated slightly, and then Lu Yanbei’s voice came out:

"Normally, they should not just watch Long Life Gate perish."

"Soul Predicting Path has a Tao Achieving Stage cultivator, their strength is greater than that of Long Life Gate. If they wanted to, Li Changshi and the others alone cannot stop them."

"Who knew the fall of Long Life Gate would be so smooth… Could it be that they were happy to see this happen?"

If the Nine Immortal Gates were still around and one great Immortal Gate was defeated by the martial artists of Jiu Province, the other Immortal Gates might even be happier than those martial artists. They would quickly swallow up the former to gain greater benefits.

But if only the last two Immortal Gates remained in the world, the situation would not be the same.

When the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold. After the fall of Long Life Gate, Soul Predicting Path, being the only remaining Immortal Gate in Jiu Province, could potentially become an unprecedented super Immortal Gate, but it also risks falling.

"Does Soul Predicting Path really have everything planned?" the crowd wondered.

Strange events often have strange causes.

After the fall of Long Life Gate, Jiu Province was left with only one great Immortal Gate. The Inhuman War, which had lasted for nearly a hundred years, had reached its final stage.

However, Lu Yanbei and other martial artists who were still opposing the Immortal Gate instinctively felt that there was something more to this matter.

But strange or not, they still had to go.

Qiao Mu did not try to keep them from leaving, nor did he think highly of his own skills. He said, "Let me handle this; everyone else, please step back." Xue Changhe had already shown his feelings earlier.

He said that the matters of the world should be decided by the people of the world.

The struggle between immortals and mortals is a war between cultivators and ordinary people, not a war between cultivators and members of the Qiao family.