Chapter 78: Boundless Power, Entering the Gate Once More

He brought liveliness, yet the liveliness did not belong to him.

Outside, the world was in uproar.

The entire city of Pingyang was restless.

Cheers erupted everywhere.

Banners, slogans, and all manner of celebrations abounded.

Especially among the classmates.

After waves of excitement, each of them felt a complex jumble of emotions.

“Should I be happy or feel dejected? We’re in the same class, taught by the same teacher—how can the gap be so vast? I haven’t even reached the threshold of subtle strength, and he’s already the number one in the entire federation.”

“Who wouldn’t envy that? It’s maddening.”

“Do you think if Jiang Ming just blew a breath, he could blow us all away?”

“That’s a question for the girls.”

“The boys too, honestly… But if we tease him like this, will he smack us to death with a single palm?”

“Fatty Wang, Fatty Wang, you’re his best buddy—you have to save us!”

“Get lost!”

This particular excitement belonged only to Class Three and Four.

“Sigh, the phone’s ringing again.” Fatty Wang wore a pained expression. “That’s already the two hundred and fifth call. Jiang Ming, that rascal, just took off, and now everyone’s coming to me.”

“Just turn off your phone,” Qin Zhiyan said irritably.

“You just don’t get it.” Fatty Wang suddenly looked smug. “All those bigwigs, those people who used to look down on everyone, now they’re all groveling, trying to find out news about Jiang Ming through me. Some even offered me hundreds of thousands in credit—just to pass along a single word. Hundreds of thousands! I was almost tempted. Tsk tsk, this feeling is just too wonderful.”

“That’s the effect of power,” Qin Zhiyan sighed.

Fatty Wang nodded in deep agreement.

In another classroom, the students hadn’t dispersed yet; all were furiously discussing the martial arts exam, with most of the talk focused on Jiang Ming.

First in the martial exam.

The champion of the federation.

To be in the neighboring class brought them all a sense of pride.

One boy wore a peculiar expression. “His strength is truly overwhelming—not only that, but his insight into people’s hearts is uncanny. Who would have thought that this federation champion would let me see through a woman’s heart?”

“He’s destined to become a martial arts powerhouse, to shake the federation.”

“But I’ve fought him before—traded blows for several rounds, and I struck first!”

“Maybe, in the future, my name will also spread across the land—after all, I’m one of the few who’s battled him.”

He fell into a daydream.

On the other side, Yun Xiyao cupped her cheeks in her hands. “We practiced together in the park—that’s fate; he gave me pointers at the school gate—wasn’t that a sign he liked me? Why is he ignoring me now? Is he playing hard to get? Or maybe he wants to surprise me?”

“Now that he’s famous and accomplished, shouldn’t he be getting in touch?”

“Why haven’t I heard from him yet? Is he just shy?”

“Maybe I should give him a chance—take the initiative for once?”

“Men! Hmph, I’ll give you this one chance.”

But she soon realized she didn’t have any way to contact Jiang Ming.

The world outside was in chaos, but Jiang Ming paid no heed.

After the interview, Jiang Ming first checked his system.

Having earned the provincial champion achievement in the preliminary selection, the Soul Sovereign talent was now truly and permanently solidified.

Unconsciously, his understanding of the path of the soul rose to a new level; his soul grew more refined, his spiritual power more formidable.

There was a world of difference between temporary and permanent solidification.

Afterward, Jiang Ming arrived at Elder Tang’s residence—a spacious courtyard with excellent privacy.

“You live here alone?” Jiang Ming asked, surprised. “At least you ought to have a housekeeper!”

“My children are all out in the world, busy with their own lives,” Elder Tang replied with a smile. “As for a housekeeper? I prefer the peace and quiet.”

“What about laundry and cooking?”

“Once a martial artist becomes strong enough, it’s easy to stay spotless—what need is there to do laundry? Cooking? For a martial artist, it’s hardly a chore. Besides, if I want a meal, a single phone call brings it to my door.”

“In the end, isn’t it more comfortable to have someone to tend to you?”

“Haha, that’s a habit you picked up in the secret realm. You need to change that.”

“Indeed,” Jiang Ming agreed wholeheartedly. “We live in a civilized society.”

He poured Elder Tang a cup of tea, then asked, “Could you tell me in detail about the concept of Intent? What are World Intent, Infinite Intent, Causal Intent, Soul Intent?”

“Your ambitions are truly boundless,” Elder Tang remarked, and then explained, “The path of causality is ethereal—more elusive even than the power of time. Even now, I have little grasp of it. You can try pursuing it in the future.”

“Infinite Intent? That’s an extremely pure and potent force. Once comprehended, it bestows terrifying power. Infinite—endless power. Especially for the path of the physical body, its augmentation is fearsome.”

“Soul Intent is very subtle. If you follow the soul’s path, it’s much easier to grasp; otherwise, forget it. If you do pursue the soul’s path, study, reflect, read about spirits and ghosts, absorb knowledge, and when you reach a certain level, you’ll eventually comprehend it naturally.”

“This Intent is also very peculiar—once your cultivation is sufficient, the power of Intent merges quietly into the soul, hidden yet incredibly strong. If you master certain secret arts, in the art of assassination, nothing can compare—not the Shadow Intent, nor Darkness, Silence, or Concealment Intents.”

“As for World Intent? That’s extremely special—akin to Life and Death, Yin and Yang, formed from the fusion of many Intents. Of course, it can also exist as a single force. But comprehending it alone is unimaginably difficult.”

“Wood, fire, earth, metal, water, wind, lightning—if you comprehend all seven, and then merge them, you can form World Intent. But how to merge them, that’s as hard as reaching the heavens.”

“Seven Intents, plus the fusion—there’s a method, but it’s just too difficult.”

Elder Tang gave a detailed explanation.

He also briefly described the ten other types of supreme Intent—each formidable and rare.

“If you can comprehend even one of the ten supreme Intents, you’re a peerless genius with limitless potential. But, even in a generation, there may not be one who achieves this,” Elder Tang added. “It’s just that hard.”

“It truly is,” Jiang Ming nodded in agreement, thinking to himself: I still haven’t comprehended them all.

Luckily, he didn’t say this aloud; otherwise, even Elder Tang might have been driven to despair or rage.

“In the fourth stage of martial cultivation, you need to focus on accumulation. Even if you perfect one Intent, don’t rush to break through, because this stage is far too important, too unique,” Elder Tang said seriously. “This is a stage about foundation. Compared to comprehending Intent, breaking through is much harder.”

“Why? Shouldn’t higher cultivation mean faster comprehension?” Jiang Ming was puzzled.

“I don’t know,” Elder Tang shook his head. “Maybe it’s the way of the Dao, maybe it’s the shackles between realms. My strength is limited; I can’t see through such mysteries.”

Jiang Ming understood.

He also realized that Elder Tang was holding nothing back—every question answered in detail, every crucial point explained clearly, even without prompting.

“The fifth stage, Grandmaster Realm, is a fascinating stage. To enter it, you first need to perfect one Intent, because only with perfected Intent can you measure and open your acupoints,” Elder Tang continued.

Moreover, there had to be order in opening the acupoints, or progressing to the sixth stage, Celestial Phenomena Realm, would be impossible.

There were nine Principles, twelve Zodiac, eighteen Towers, twenty-four Heavens, thirty-six Heavenly Stars, forty-nine Heavenly Ways, seventy-two Fiendish Stars, eighty-one Returns to Origin, one hundred and eight Small Perfections.

Some even spoke of one hundred and eighty, two hundred and forty, three hundred and sixty-five cycles of the heavens, and so on.

Nine Principles meant nine acupoints—the minimum required to break through to the Celestial Phenomena Realm.

These nine acupoints had to form an internal cycle, becoming a small world within, serving as the framework to reflect one’s heart upon the heavens, thus stepping into the Celestial Phenomena Realm.

If the nine acupoints weren’t connected, it would not work.

Only by opening the required number of acupoints and linking them in a self-sustaining cycle could one fulfill the breakthrough conditions.

Elder Tang spoke earnestly; Jiang Ming listened intently.

He then explained the sixth stage, Celestial Phenomena, the seventh, Human-Immortal, and the eighth, Golden Core, in great detail.

Outside, the world roiled with hidden currents, but Elder Tang kept it all at bay.

Even a martial exam champion at the regional stage was of immeasurable value, especially one from humble origins.

Advertising agencies swarmed in.

Countless consortia tried every trick, offering astronomical training fees, but none dared set foot in Elder Tang’s home.

Only phone calls made it through.

At first, Jiang Ming answered many calls, but soon switched off his phone.

He only checked the class group occasionally, chatting with Fatty Wang, Qin Zhiyan, and a few others.

The rest of his time was spent immersed in cultivation, digesting all he had gained.

June third, morning.

Jiang Ming sat in the courtyard, drinking tea.

Elder Tang came over.

“Your discipline has improved greatly!” he observed Jiang Ming with satisfaction.

“After a bout of fierce combat, I had the perfect chance to temper myself, digest and accumulate, and naturally reaped great rewards,” Jiang Ming replied, standing and pouring tea for Elder Tang. “Elder Tang, do you know much about the path of the soul?”

“I have some knowledge—what is it you wish to know?” Elder Tang’s eyes brightened slightly.

“I just wanted to learn about the manifestations of Lunar and Solar aspects,” Jiang Ming said.

“Lunar and Solar—the roots of the soul’s path,” Elder Tang became noticeably more serious.

He didn’t ask Jiang Ming why he was interested in this topic.

He simply answered.

“The path of the soul is, in some cases, called the path of cultivation. Soul power is also known as spiritual force. To cultivate the Dao is to seek the way of Heaven, to observe sun and moon, to comprehend Yin and Yang, and the outcome is the soul itself,” Elder Tang explained. “In some secret realms, cultivation is the primary force. The sun and moon serve as the foundation, as deities, as sources, and from this evolved many wondrous cultivation methods, ultimately condensing into the diagram of Yin and Yang.”

“In general, the moon is Lunar, but its manifestations vary. Sometimes it’s just a bright moon over a great river, or the moon rising over flowing tides. In some cases, within the moon a laurel tree is formed. Laurel represents the moon—it is the spirit and soul of the moon.”

“If you realize the Moon Laurel Diagram, it’s best to have the laurel bloom; perhaps then, it will evolve into an even more powerful manifestation. As for how, I’m not entirely sure.”

“In some legends, aside from the laurel in the moon, there are also the Jade Rabbit, Golden Toad, Moon Palace, Moon Goddess, and so forth—very mysterious.”

“The sun is simply the Great Sun.”

“Yin and Yang oppose, yet unite—they represent ultimate hardness and yang. The source of fire, origin of light, bane of all that is extremely yin or evil.”

“In certain secret realms, it is recorded that the sun contains the Fusang tree, upon which perches the three-legged golden crow, or that within the sun are born fiery dragons, sun god pools, sun palaces, and more—a tangled web of myths.”

“But if you dig deeper, you may uncover unexpected gains.”

“Jiang Ming, if you pursue the path of the soul, do not attempt this lightly. The soul is the root—should you make a misstep, the consequences will be dire.”

Elder Tang gave a stern warning.

Jiang Ming nodded.

He was no fool; without certainty, he would never attempt such things lightly.

“Here’s what I’ll do,” Elder Tang said, “within my authority, I’ll gather some rare books for you. If you’re truly interested, study them carefully. Also, I’ll compile resources on the path of the mind, body refinement, acupoint diagrams, and so on. The more you know, the better. At least, when you face an enemy one day, you’ll have a general idea. But remember, if you truly want to attempt anything, be sure to focus. Man’s experiences are limited—one cannot have it all. If you’re ever unsure, ask me. Even if I don’t know, I’ll find someone who does.”

Jiang Ming was deeply grateful.

He began absorbing vast amounts of knowledge—far more detailed and plentiful than anything his own permissions could grant.

Elder Tang even procured for him many secret techniques and ancient records, to his immense delight.

This truly made up for his lack of experience, giving him a solid foundation of knowledge.

Meanwhile, Lord Song asked what reward he wanted.

Jiang Ming did not hesitate to request access to all kinds of rare and secret tomes. Though his strength could not match Elder Tang, his status was different, and he had other channels.

This time, his horizons truly broadened.

June fifth, dawn.

Jiang Ming quietly entered the Tower of Ten Thousand Worlds.

This was the fourth floor.

Aside from himself, only Elder Tang and Elder Song were present.

“You’re really going?” Elder Tang asked, for the umpteenth time, “You really don’t have to. With your talent, even if you cultivate step by step, your future achievements will be earthshaking. But venture into the secret world, and it’s a different story. You might gain plenty of time to train, but it’s fraught with danger. A single mistake, and you may die there.”

“That’s right—there’s no need. If you lack anything, Elder Tang and I will get it for you,” Elder Song chimed in. “With your current strength, you have a great chance of becoming number one in the end. Even if you don’t, every martial arts university in the federation will open its doors to you, even the elite training camps, the Martial Sage preparatory classes, and so on. Why risk it? It’s not worth it.”

“Elder Tang, Elder Song, I want to win first place with absolute certainty, and I want to temper myself in the secret world,” Jiang Ming replied with a smile. “No need to persuade me further. If I don’t even dare to venture into a secret world, how could I ever step onto the battlefield of all worlds in the future?”

“Sigh, you stubborn mule,” Elder Tang said helplessly. “Go then, but remember—lay low and focus on developing yourself. Only after you’ve digested all your knowledge should you seek benefits.”

“Don’t worry!” Jiang Ming strode forward. “See you in an hour!”

He stepped into the world gate.

For the sake of the talent of Master of Space, he had no choice.

“With his talent and strength, he’ll be fine in an ordinary secret world. The real worry is if he ends up somewhere special,” Elder Tang and Elder Song said, both looking anxious.

This is the fifth update today, and all are major chapters.

Writing so fast is making me numb.

Recently I’ve had to deal with driving exams and writing—my head is splitting.

That’s all for today. After dinner, I’ll continue writing in preparation for tomorrow.

Dear friends, your support is appreciated.

With respect!

(End of chapter)