Chapter 4
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Chapter 4: The Ancient Covenant
“Your Excellency,” a melodious voice pierced through the stillness, belonging to a woman of striking beauty as she gestured towards the swirling vortex, “the martial arts housed within the temple are innumerable. What style has this young man mastered to wield such formidable power, as if he were a whale devouring the very essence of the heavens and the earth? It is a spectacle we have never before witnessed.”
The attendant to her left opened his eyes, revealing an ethereal green glow within the sea of white. After a brief pause, he uttered a sigh, “The martial art he practices may be unfamiliar to your eyes, but its name should resonate in your memories. ‘The Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Skill,’ such is the title of the art he bears. It is inscribed within the 12,564th Holy Land of Martial Arts, a secret record etched in stone that some among you may have glimpsed.”
“Ah, I see,” the woman murmured, realization dawning on her features. “To think that he has chosen this perilous path, one fraught with the risk of life itself. The last to tread this ancient art was a tale from ten million years past. It is said that he reached the sixth turn of the Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Skill, becoming one of the few in the ancient era who could challenge him. Alas, his quest for the seventh turn led to a tragic end. Even one with the divine gift of a martial prodigy could not escape the cruel fate of this profound skill,” a man cloaked in a long robe, well-versed in ancient lore, lamented after witnessing the attendant’s ‘Ming Eye’ piercing through the veil of the young man’s martial secrets.
“If you aspire to learn ‘The Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Skill,’ seek out the 12,564th Holy Land of Martial Arts. Upon the 1,800th stone step, you shall find the heart of this technique. As for this art, I possess some insight. The first step in mastering it is to let go of all that you have learned, to disperse your skills as if they were but clouds of mist,” the attendant continued, his voice heavy with the weight of the knowledge he bore.
“Dispel our skills? After dedicating endless effort and time to our cultivation, how could we forsake it all for a mere set of techniques? Your Excellency, is this man newly ascended to our realm?”
Nods of understanding rippled through the crowd, and as the murmurs of realization subsided, they dispersed one by one.
Fengyun Wuji, sensing the true energy within him now as thick as a little finger, ceased his practice. Following the heart method of the first turn, he had achieved a significant milestone. As he opened his eyes, he found the two temple attendants standing before him.
“Fengyun Wuji, the martial art you possess is ‘The Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Skill,’ is it not?”
“It is.” Fengyun Wuji affirmed with a nod.
“I regret to inform you that the martial art you practice is so domineering that it disrupts the balance of the heavenly essence when you train. As such, while you are cultivating, others are unable to draw upon the energy of the world. By the temple’s rules, even though you have not yet completed three years within our sanctuary, you must depart from the Holy Mountain. Given that your time here is less than three years, we grant you the privilege to choose a place nearby to continue your practice freely, and you will remain under the temple’s protection until the three-year mark.”
Without a word, Fengyun Wuji turned and swiftly made his way down the mountain. He had always felt constrained by the temple’s presence, as if its very air suppressed the full extent of his cultivation, even with a skill as profound as ‘The Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Skill.’ With the completion of the first turn, he had already decided to leave the temple. The attendant’s words only solidified his resolve.
The attendants were taken aback by Fengyun Wuji’s swift acceptance, expecting a negotiation, but he seemed resolute in his decision.
“Left Attendant, do you believe he has the potential to master the entirety of ‘The Nine Turns Profound Skill’?” the Right Attendant inquired with a hint of concern once Fengyun Wuji was out of earshot. “If a new master proficient in this skill were to emerge among us, it could be a boon to our current plight.”
The Left Attendant sighed deeply, gazing towards the heavens. “Survival of the fittest is the law of nature. Since the mysterious disappearance of Lord Lan Di Mei Chen, our standing has been in decline. I too hope for a master capable of contending with the divine and demonic beings, yet ‘The Nine Turns of Life and Death Profound Skill’ is the most challenging and demanding of all martial arts. As the saying goes, it is a path where nine out of ten perish. It is a difficult road to tread.”
“Alas, if before the next divine and demonic war, we fail to produce a master of the divine realm, the covenant we share with the divine and demonic beings may need to be reconsidered!”
A somber expression clouded their faces as they stood silently in the square, before with a heavy sigh, they turned and returned to their positions at the temple’s entrance, resuming their meditative stance.
Only upon reaching the edge of the Holy Mountain did Fengyun Wuji realize the predicament: the edge was lined with cliffs towering thousands of zhang high. With his current abilities, he could not fly as the ancient warriors once did. It seemed the Holy Mountain had been designed under the assumption that all who ascended possessed the power of flight. Fengyun Wuji now faced this awkward situation, torn between returning to seek help from the attendants and preserving his dignity. After much deliberation, he concluded that the ‘Sword Intent Body – First Layer, Third Level: The Art of Sword Commanding’ might offer a solution. Fortunately, this technique was a sword skill, not an internal cultivation practice, and thus would not disturb others.
With this in mind, Fengyun Wuji seated himself at the cliff’s edge, hands resting on his knees, and began to practice the third level of the Art of Sword Commanding.
The Art of Sword Commanding surpasses the Art of Sword Driving in power, yet it differs in its essence. More accurately, it is an incredibly swift method of flight. To command a sword in flight is, of course, not only a means of transportation but also a formidable combat technique, its might eclipsing that of the Art of Sword Driving.
The distinction between ‘driving’ and ‘commanding’ is clear upon examination. ‘Drive’ implies control, demanding mental exertion to maintain dominance. ‘Command,’ in contrast, suggests a more effortless use, akin to directing one’s own limbs. Mastery of the Art of Sword Commanding renders a three-foot long sword as agile and obedient as an arm, embodying the unity of body, mind, and sword.
The Art of Sword Commanding is more profound than the Art of Sword Driving, requiring a longer period of cultivation. After three months of dedicated practice, Fengyun Wuji awoke from his meditation having only half-mastered the technique, specifically the aspect of sword flight.
Armed with the knowledge of sword flight but lacking an actual sword, Fengyun Wuji, who had previously reached the state of ‘swordlessness,’ where every blade of grass or twig could serve as a sword, plucked a slender blade of grass. With a subtle vibration of his fingers, the limp grass stood erect, as rigid as steel and as sharp as a blade. Lifting off the ground, he stepped onto the grass as if it were a flying sword, tracing a streak of light as he descended towards the base of the Holy Mountain.
The vast expanse below was desolate, with grasses taller than a man and trees soaring hundreds of zhang into the sky. In the wild, primordial beasts roamed, and among the clouds, monstrous creatures lurked. As Fengyun Wuji’s gaze swept over the landscape, he began to understand the plight of humanity. During his time at the temple, he had gradually uncovered the harsh truths: regardless of whether they were beasts, magical creatures, or demons, they were born stronger than humans, and with time, their power only grew. Over the countless eons since the universe’s inception, countless powerful demons had emerged. The survival of humans in the midst of these bloodthirsty creatures was a daunting challenge. Yet, there must have been figures among humanity, capable of such awe-inspiring feats that even demons feared them, compelling the demons to forge certain pacts with humanity.
These agreements allowed humans to maintain dimensions for their survival, but the ancient human race was forbidden from interfering and could not impart advanced martial arts to their descendants. In return, demons were not allowed to casually enter these dimensions. However, as part of the bargain, demons could feast on humans without destroying entire dimensions. The world from which Fengyun Wuji ascended was one such dimension, a pen where humans were raised like livestock.
Each human who ascended from such a dimension was recognized as a true ancient human. All ascendants could safely reside within the temple for three years, protected from demonic attacks. But after three years, the protection ceased. Ancient humans were no longer shielded, and the relationship between ancient humans and demons was governed by the universal law of the jungle, where the strong preyed on the weak, and demons could hunt humans, and vice versa.
This pact, seemingly fair, was in reality, anything but. The sheer number of demons was incalculable, while the ancient human race numbered less than a hundred million. Demons were born with inherent advantages that ancient humans could not match; they possessed formidable power without the need for cultivation, whereas humans had to tirelessly train for years to amass strength capable of contending with demons.
…