Chapter 18
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Chapter 18: Reverence
As Gao Wenqi and the others took two steps forward, Shi Xuan leaped forward with agility, empowered by the talisman, and darted towards them like a ghost, swift and elusive.
Having experienced many battles, Gao Wenqi and his companions remained remarkably calm. Gao Wenqi attacked with a sword as bright as the sun, aiming directly at Shi Xuan’s vital points, while Cao Chuyu and Peng Tianxiao positioned themselves on either side, blocking any evasion attempts by Shi Xuan.
Having overheard Liang Shenglou mentioning Gao Wenqi’s nickname as the "Sun Sword Master," Shi Xuan was already on alert. With slightly closed eyes and a deft step to the right, he moved in.
Gao Wenqi saw Shi Xuan ignoring himself and Peng Tianxiao, but still attacked Shi Xuan’s left rib cautiously, wary of any unexpected moves.
Cao Chuyu’s sword moved swiftly towards Shi Xuan’s right chest, but Shi Xuan dodged slightly and the sword only grazed him. Cao Chuyu felt hopeful, but found it hard to make an impact. Seizing the opportunity, Shi Xuan struck out towards Cao Chuyu’s chest, disregarding the attacks from behind.
Cao Chuyu was alert after Shi Xuan’s previous move, but was too slow to react to Shi Xuan’s attack. He watched helplessly as Shi Xuan’s strike broke through his defenses and shattered his heart. Despite Shi Xuan’s limited energy, he managed to overpower Cao Chuyu with sheer physical strength, leaving him defeated.
After defeating Cao Chuyu with a strike, Shi Xuan swiftly moved forward, evading Peng Tianxiao’s blade but getting stabbed in the back by Gao Wenqi’s sword. Using the momentum from the stab, he leaped forward and swiftly turned around to face Peng Tianxiao.
Reflecting on how Shi Xuan’s body felt like steel, Gao Wenqi was filled with fear. Despite his skill, his attack would have drawn blood from even the most skilled fighters. Confused by Shi Xuan’s mysterious power, Gao Wenqi hesitated for a moment before warning Peng Tianxiao and deciding whether to flee or help.
Seeing Shi Xuan rushing towards him, Peng Tianxiao decided not to engage head-on. He feinted an attack towards Shi Xuan’s neck, preparing to dash towards Gao Wenqi.
Shi Xuan was concerned about Peng Tianxiao evading his attacks, knowing that time was running out. The power of his talisman was waning, and the swords had already depleted much of its strength. As Peng Tianxiao attempted an attack, Shi Xuan deflected it effortlessly and advanced towards him.
As Peng Tianxiao attacked, Shi Xuan deflected his strike and moved closer to him. Startled, Peng Tianxiao tried to react but was struck by Shi Xuan’s powerful blow, causing his head to explode.
Gao Wenqi barely managed to warn Peng Tianxiao before witnessing Shi Xuan deflecting the blade and attacking him, resulting in Peng Tianxiao’s death. Reacting swiftly, Gao Wenqi turned to flee using his light-footed skill.
After Shi Xuan palm-struck Peng Tianxiao, red and white things scattered all over the place. Fortunately, he cast the Rain Avoiding Spell on himself, otherwise he would’ve been really dirty. Without stopping, he leaped towards Gao Wenqi. Seeing Gao Wenqi turning to flee, Shi Xuan felt relieved. He worried that Gao Wenqi wouldn’t run, as the power of the talisman was almost gone. Luckily, he had experimented with the talisman before and knew its effects well. If Gao Wenqi had fought back, his internal strength and defense would have been weaker, leading to potentially wasting another talisman. With Gao Wenqi fleeing, under the influence of the talisman, Shi Xuan’s light skills were much superior, making it easier to catch him.
With a dash and a jump, Shi Xuan caught up with Gao Wenqi, using a move called the Black Dragon Playing in Water from The Ten Dragon Subduing Demon Fist. Gao Wenqi was extremely fearful of Shi Xuan’s "Protective Body Technique" and didn’t think of counterattacking. He held his sword horizontally behind him, continuing to advance, hoping to endure the blow and escape to the outside world in the heavy rain.
This was the first time Shi Xuan had used The Ten Dragon Subduing Demon Fist in combat. The move Black Dragon Playing in Water felt so good, combining his physical strength and internal energy into his fist, hitting Gao Wenqi’s sword with an unstoppable force. Gao Wenqi’s precious sword instantly shattered into countless pieces, but couldn’t stop the momentum of the punch.
While running, Gao Wenqi suddenly spurted out a mouthful of blood, took a few more steps, and then collapsed, leaving a deep fist mark on his back.
Shi Xuan calmly withdrew his right hand, feeling waves of emotions inside. The Ten Dragon Subduing Demon Fist truly lived up to its ancient secret reputation, its unimaginable power. He hadn’t intended to deliver a fatal blow, just gradually weaken the opponent. When it rained, with his Night Vision Spell and Rain Avoiding Spell, that would be the perfect time to strike.
Witnessing the battle between Shi Xuan and the three top experts, the people from the escort agency were terrified. Even He Xiangshan, usually composed, was shocked when Shi Xuan deflected Peng Tianxiao’s sword with his neck. He Yuqing felt like she was witnessing a myth, her heart pounding in a mix of nervousness and excitement.
He Dahai quickly regained his composure, running towards Shi Xuan. He hesitated on whether to address him as Master or Elder, considering Shi Xuan’s martial arts resembled the Golden Bell Shield, one of the four famous Zen martial arts. Unsure of its exact power, He Dahai hesitated but eventually said, "Elder, do you need our help with anything?"
Shi Xuan was contemplating whether to search the dead bodies for silver coins and whether to review the secrets from the Long Life Treasure Book he had overheard earlier. As a high-level outsider, how could he personally engage in such activities? He Dahai’s words made Shi Xuan feel comfortable, and he instructed, "Yes, search the items on the bodies on the ground and show them to me."
After giving orders, Shi Xuan sat by his campfire, watching the people from the escort agency rummage through the belongings of the black-clothed individuals and Liang Shenglou. As for Du Yuhan and Chengying, they were left lying there while Shi Xuan sent a bodyguard to ask if their acupuncture points should be released.
Shi Xuan nodded, indicating that these people’s martial arts skills combined couldn’t match half of Peng Tianxiao’s, so there was nothing to worry about. Of course, they still needed to be cautious, as there were many pitfalls to avoid.
He Yuqing approached Du Yuhan and prepared to squat down to help him with his acupressure points. She saw his handsome face covered in dust and a fearful expression that turned to surprise upon seeing her. Seeing him in such a disheveled state, she felt a sudden disgust, wondering why she had ever thought he was nice before.
Du Yuhan lay on the ground listening intently, feeling worried and fearful about the Taoist he had offended. When He Yuqing approached, he felt relieved and exclaimed with surprise, "Miss He, it’s you! Please help me release the acupressure points."
He Yuqing, suppressing her disgust, released Du Yuhan’s acupressure points and then walked back to Shi Xuan’s side, acting like a servant. When Du Yuhan got up, he carefully checked Shi Xuan’s expression and saw that Shi Xuan wasn’t even looking at him. He quickly moved away with his servant Chengying to a secluded spot.
Shi Xuan enjoyed the warmth of the fire and watched as the people from the escort agency laid out various items they had found, such as silver, handkerchiefs, tobacco pouches, hidden weapons, bottles, and several secret manuals. Finally, He Dahai presented a secret manual he had found from Liang Shenglou, with four large characters inscribed on it, "Long Life Treasure Book."
Shi Xuan knew that He Dahai hadn’t eavesdropped on their previous conversation outside the temple, so he understood He Dahai’s excitement upon finding the "Long Life Treasure Book" and casually asked, "Do you know about this manual?"
"According to the elders, every time this exceptional manual appears, it brings about chaos and bloodshed. We, the younger generation, have all heard of it. Although many have obtained the manual, they were unable to successfully cultivate it. However, it is said that the last person who successfully cultivated this manual, Hermit Guangyang, broke through the void and ascended." He Dahai didn’t understand why he was asked this question but still answered honestly.
After receiving the manual, Shi Xuan thought about something. He often heard stories in the martial world about people breaking the void and ascending, yet their cultivation level was only a step higher than the Microcosm Realm, known as the Qi Gathering Stage according to the Treasure Record. This level of cultivation indeed allows one to break through the void, but it has nothing to do with ascending.
Breaking the void here doesn’t refer to breaking through space, as only beings at the level of Original Soul Immortal and above can achieve that. Considering the effects of the Microcosm Realm’s martial arts, which are light years away from being able to break through space, it’s impossible to suddenly break through realms and accomplish that. The concept here has two meanings: the first refers to external factors, metaphorically breaking the barriers between the body and the world, allowing the soul to directly connect with the universe and the body to absorb the essence of the world; the second refers to internal aspects, breaking the void within the mind, thereby reflecting the body internally and conducting a detailed introspection of the body.