Chapter 75: The Ultimate Physique, The Strongest Ten Paths

The rhythm of the heavens and earth exists there, regardless of the path you walk; it remains, whether you comprehend it or not, without any true limitation.

Silently, a wondrous and mysterious door opened before Jiang Ming.

A Mind Master commands their weapon, their speed unrivaled. With the addition of the Wind’s Intent, Jiang Ming witnessed the terror of ultimate velocity firsthand. If not for his powerful soul and mental strength, even he would struggle to track the flying sword’s movements.

It was too fast.

So swift it surpassed ordinary reaction.

Jiang Ming’s sword was fast as well; each stroke stirred the space, causing subtle ripples—imperceptible yet imbued with incredible power. These ripples blocked the flying sword and warped its trajectory.

From afar, the flying sword spun rapidly around him, attacking incessantly yet unable to breach the invisible barrier ahead. There was not even the slightest collision.

“If this is all, you will stop here in this trial,” the black-clad figure atop the stone pillar remarked coolly. “Because you do not have enough time.”

“Why not grant sufficient time?” Jiang Ming asked. “At this level, everyone’s strength is immense, the intensity sustained. And this layer has ten trials—how can one clear them all? It seems unreasonable!”

“This is a martial examination,” replied the black-clad figure. “Only this way can strength and weakness be swiftly distinguished.”

“That’s true. Are you real?”

“Real or false, none will hold back.”

“Hold back?” Jiang Ming laughed.

If his opponent truly held back, it would not be a martial exam.

But the other’s words were correct: the time allotted to him was scant.

He had barely delved into the spatial sword path; though his impromptu defense was effective, prolonged resistance would inevitably fail. Should the foe catch a flaw, it would be a fatal strike.

“Then let it be a decisive kill!” Jiang Ming narrowed his eyes; the yin and yang energies surged from his body, transforming into endless sword aura, forming a rapid, spinning shield.

While defending with one sword, he leapt toward the black-clad figure.

Clang, clang, clang...

The flying sword tore through his protective sword aura, producing an ear-piercing noise. Though it could not fully penetrate, it slowed the sword’s speed. The spinning yin-yang sword aura distorted its trajectory, further restricting it.

As he neared the stone pillar, the black-clad figure soared into the air, hovering high above, gazing down.

Jiang Ming paused, feeling a pang of frustration.

The hallmark of a Mind Master is flight.

Initially, they require a weapon as a vessel; as their strength grows, they can directly use mental force to fly.

“How can I fight this?” Jiang Ming muttered in resignation. “I’ll just be worn down!”

“If it were an enemy, you would either flee or die!” The black-clad figure’s voice was cold.

Jiang Ming fell silent.

Though it was a martial exam, he saw its cruelty.

The earlier trials were easier.

The deeper he went, the stronger and more ruthless the opponents became. Take Xue Family Fortress: if one harbored compassion and lacked decisiveness, that trial could not be passed.

Now, facing a Mind Master, perhaps it was a warning for brave, ambitious candidates. He was strong? There were always stronger ones—even despair-inducing foes, within the same realm.

“But it doesn’t matter to me!”

Barely holding off the flying sword, Jiang Ming narrowed his eyes, stomped hard, leaving a deep pit as his figure soared into the air.

“It’s useless!” The black-clad figure above continued to rise, nearly reaching the drifting clouds. Jiang Ming approached his limit, but the examiner sensed a surge of intense mental force from him, bolstering his body and greatly increasing his speed.

“Not good!” The examiner was startled, wanting to ascend further, but Jiang Ming had already reached attack range.

“Slaying Immortal Sword!” Jiang Ming’s sword erupted with a destructive edge—slaughter, death, annihilation—resonating through the sword’s rhythm, making it terrifying.

Just as in the secret realm.

The same sword, but after further accumulation, its power had multiplied.

A single slash split the sky, as if the heavens themselves would be severed.

“Sword Shadow Storm, defend!” The black-clad figure raised his fingers, summoning the flying sword back at the critical moment. The sword shadow split into sixteen, spinning to form a shield, infused with the power of wind—a defensive formation.

Alas, it was cleaved by a single strike. Sword aura howled, and the examiner could not evade; his arm was severed.

Jiang Ming gave no quarter, pursuing and finishing him with another sword strike.

“A Mind Master caught at close range is much easier to kill!” He gained some insight.

If the examiner had heard this, he would surely have sneered.

Easy to kill at close range? Then Mind Masters would not be known as invincible among peers.

Jiang Ming twisted his body, landing upon the mountain ridge ahead.

Fifth layer, ninth trial.

This time, a young man stood there, bare-chested, muscles knotted, more robust than the mightiest divine ox.

Over two meters tall, his mere presence seemed immovable.

Blood coursed through him like roaring rivers, his heartbeat echoing like ancient war drums.

Seeing Jiang Ming land before him, a column of blood vapor erupted from his head, reaching the sky and dispersing a white cloud.

“The path of body refinement!” Jiang Ming’s expression grew grave; his sword spun back into its sheath.

“Correct!” The young man’s voice was like a bell; his fists met with a clang like metal striking metal.

The collision burst out a wave of air, like a sonic boom.

“Well done!” Jiang Ming’s body shook; his own blood energy exploded, surging upward as a rainbow.

He no longer concealed his powerful physique.

His blood rushed like a thousand horses, his heartbeat strong enough to shake his clothes.

Every movement was imbued with the strength to shake mountains.

“Your body refinement method is impressive, your physique strong, but ultimately your level is lower—there’s a significant gap!” The young man said calmly. “I am at the peak of the fifth transformation in orthodox body refinement—no particular strengths or weaknesses.”

“Die!” With a roar, the young man attacked.

One punch shattered the air, as if piercing space, arriving instantly.

“Good!” Jiang Ming’s eyes flashed with excitement.

Body refinement experts were too rare.

Meeting one now stirred his hunter’s heart.

No hesitation—kill...

Bang...

Excited, Jiang Ming collided fist-to-fist, instantly realizing trouble: the terrifying force made his muscles groan, bones strained to breaking.

As he was knocked back, his entire arm felt crippled.

Fortunately, his vital energy circulated, reinforcing muscles and bones, stabilizing him.

“So strong!”

Stomping through rocks, barely steady, Jiang Ming was shocked.

“Of course!” The young man pursued.

With extreme explosive power, his speed was astonishing.

“Inch Punch!” Jiang Ming’s pupils shrank to pinpoints; he unleashed his powerful punch technique, stacking force in inches, but still could not stop his opponent.

He was repeatedly knocked back, smashing a huge boulder behind him.

“Among equals, Soul Masters are invincible, Mind Masters undefeated, vital energy balanced—if strong, invincible; if weak, ordinary. But body refinement...” The young man’s eyes gleamed fiercely. “Once close, I am invincible; even at a distance, facing a Mind Master, hard to kill. Body refinement pursues a body unbroken through countless tribulations, eternal and indestructible.”

“You fight only with your body—you will stop here.”

With that, both fists became war hammers; in an instant, eighty-one strikes sent Jiang Ming crashing into the mountain behind.

Rocks cracked, peaks trembled.

Boom...

Within, a terrifying wave erupted; the small peak exploded, stones flying, the young man knocked back.

“A punch infused with intent—a true punch meaning. Excellent, truly excellent!” The young man steadied himself, battle fervor rising.

“Again!”

He charged at the newly-emerged Jiang Ming.

“Let’s go again!”

Jiang Ming’s blood boiled, his thick martial intent infused into his fists, blending with his blood energy—each punch’s power surged.

This was inspired by the previous trial’s Mind Master.

If a Mind Master’s flying sword could be infused with intent, why not pure physical strength?

It worked.

They clashed again, a brutal melee.

The hard rocks beneath their feet were crushed into deep pits.

Many stone pillars nearby were shattered.

Low peaks nearby were not spared from destruction.

Both were far stronger than imagined.

Yet Jiang Ming kept being forced back.

“Though I keep developing my body, exploring potential, I have only recently stepped into the fourth transformation, while he is at the fifth’s peak. Even with intent infused, I’m no match.”

Jiang Ming pondered.

“Excellent, very excellent!” The middle-aged man suddenly spoke. “Let me show you the true terror of physical secret arts.”

“Triple Force!”

The young man landed; his muscles swelled, tendons taut as bowstrings, bones grinding audibly.

With a punch, he pierced the air into a vacuum.

Jiang Ming’s pupils contracted.

That punch brought mortal danger.

He dared not be arrogant—his martial intent flowed into his fist, vital energy reinforced his whole body, especially his fist—yet he was still sent flying.

He crashed a hundred meters away, embedded in the cliff.

The next moment, he charged out, his arm trembling, bones groaning.

“That punch had the flavor of my Inch Punch, but it was clearly different—he multiplied his strength, no, tripled it!”

“Triple Force—three times the strength.”

Jiang Ming grew extremely solemn.

He recalled the power techniques from his past life’s cosmic fantasies.

“This world can use them too?” He was truly surprised.

Martial arts, soul arts, mind power, and now force techniques?

Strangely, he felt a headache—but also more excitement.

“This is the real use of body refinement. Your previous fist technique was a dead end!” The young man attacked again, faster, more explosive, more dominant. “Fivefold Force!”

Boom...

Jiang Ming was blasted back once more.

“Eightfold Force!” Jiang Ming’s arm nearly collapsed under the strain.

“In pure body refinement, I am not his match—truly not!”

He had to admit it.

He had not devoted much effort to body refinement.

“If this continues, I’ll be killed—enough!”

As he retreated, his sword rang out, drawn from its sheath, executing a sword technique. Yin-yang sword aura flowed, forming a sword domain, enveloping the charging young man.

Spinning, it dissipated his force, constrained his movement, suppressed his speed; endless yin-yang sword aura sliced at his body, producing shrill sounds and a string of sparks.

“This...” Jiang Ming’s pupils shrank in shock. “I can’t break his defense?”

“This is the true strength of body refinement—invincible attack and unparalleled defense.” The young man’s blood energy exploded again, forcibly pushing aside the sword aura.

“Unparalleled defense? Just my attack isn’t strong enough!” Jiang Ming’s eyes sharpened; endless sword aura condensed into a single sword.

Swish...

He stepped forward, thrusting at the opponent’s throat, making the young man’s hair stand on end; his feet shook out cracks ten meters long as he dodged.

Jiang Ming knew: the opponent could not sustain a long chase, but his close-range burst was terrifying.

To kill him, he’d have to suppress his reaction and speed.

“Stars Shift!” Jiang Ming applied spatial fluctuations to his feet, twisting his form like blue smoke to the young man’s side, slashing at his neck.

Unable to dodge, the young man’s arm was sliced open, blood streaming; yet in the next moment, muscles writhed, the wound turned, healing swiftly—until the residual sword intent exploded again, reopening the wound.

“Sword aura condensed, intent infused, creates terrifying lethality. Excellent, excellent—great strength, incredible insight.” The young man ignored his injury, continuing the fight.

Yet, in the end, he was defeated and slain by Jiang Ming.

“Too difficult!”

Staring at the corpse, Jiang Ming exhaled.

“What if he fled?”

“What if he mastered a self-destructive secret art?”

“With my current strength, killing him would be even harder.”

“The path of body refinement is no trivial matter.”

Jiang Ming took a deep breath, his thoughts racing; he rapidly absorbed the experience from this fierce battle.

A powerful body, indestructible physique, strength-multiplying secret arts, and more.

He gained countless benefits.

Unknowingly, his horizons expanded, his foundation deepened.

Turning, he looked toward a white-robed figure meditating in the distance.

A sword stood planted beside him.

Whether it was the same man from before or another, Jiang Ming’s face brightened; using his movement technique, he arrived in an instant, sensing the terrifying power hidden within this figure. An obscure yet overwhelming force of Dao rhythm emanated from him, agitating Jiang Ming’s mind, filling him with a sense of endless darkness, a feeling of being trapped, helpless, his life and death not his own.

“Darkness Intent!”

He quickly steadied himself, extracting his consciousness from the other’s Dao rhythm, at once understanding the nature of this power. He had studied dark intent, but only to a modest degree.

Far inferior to his opponent.

An idea struck Jiang Ming, prompting him to ask, “All Intents are of the same nature, belonging to the power of heaven and earth’s Dao rhythm, but surely there are differences in strength. Senior, is there such a thing as the strongest Intent?”

“There is!” The white-robed figure nodded. “There are ten strongest Intents, which will become the ten most powerful True Intents in the future.”

Chapter Two, delivered.

(End of chapter)