"This is the Sacred Heart Technique? It really is powerful," Daniel muttered to himself as Emperor Shitian attacked.
As soon as Emperor Shitian unleashed his move, Daniel immediately felt the temperature around him drop precipitously. The speed of the drop was unparalleled—faster than anything Daniel had encountered before. Even the icy abilities of Aokiji's Ice-Ice Fruit or Esdeath's Imperial Arms paled in comparison.
Had an ordinary person been present, they would have frozen to death in an instant. Even a first-tier martial artist would have been hard-pressed to resist such terrifying cold. Emperor Shitian's two thousand years of cultivation might have been somewhat exaggerated, but his power was undeniably formidable.
"If you didn't believe what I said, you wouldn't have attacked me so aggressively. Wood Release!" Daniel's hands came together in a seal, and a massive wooden shield sprang up in front of him, intercepting the barrage of ice blades Emperor Shitian had sent his way.
"One more thing you might not know," Daniel continued as he walked out from behind the wooden shield. The shield was riddled with nearly a hundred ice blades, their sharpness evident. "Wu Wudi isn't dead. In fact, his martial arts have reached even greater heights."
Hearing the name Wu Wudi caused Emperor Shitian to unconsciously take a step back. If the mention of Xiao Sanxiao (Smile Three Smile) meant little to him, then Wu Wudi's name was nothing short of a nightmare. Emperor Shitian, with his two millennia of cultivation, had nearly been obliterated by a man who had only trained for a few decades.
Had it not been for his Phoenix Blood and the Sacred Heart Technique, Emperor Shitian might have died on the spot. Even so, his battle with Wu Wudi had left him severely injured and depleted much of the Phoenix Blood's essence. Before that battle, Emperor Shitian only needed to occasionally retreat to his icy cavern to stave off aging. After the battle, however, he had to spend far more time in his frozen sanctuary to maintain his vitality.
"You're lying! That man has been dead for years!" Emperor Shitian snarled. Perhaps realizing that stepping back had undermined his composure, he took a deliberate step forward, his expression now cold and emotionless. His gaze turned icy and piercing, devoid of any warmth or humanity.
In that moment, Daniel felt as though Emperor Shitian's entire being had been reduced to nothing but those emotionless, terrifying eyes. However, before Emperor Shitian could press his advantage, he let out a sudden, guttural scream. Clutching his face, he staggered backward, and cracks began to spread across his icy mask. Blood seeped through the cracks in his mask, dripping from between his fingers as he clutched at his injured eyes.
"Did you seriously try to match spiritual power with me? Emperor Shitian, you've really brought this upon yourself," Daniel said, smirking as he watched the self-proclaimed god writhe in pain.
Emperor Shitian had just attempted the Soul Piercing Gaze, one of the Sacred Heart Technique's "Four Sacred Calamities." While this technique was enough to instantly incapacitate nearly anyone in the Wind and Cloud world—including figures like Xiongba, Jue Wushen, or even the Heavenly Emperor—it was laughably ineffective against Daniel.
Daniel had trained extensively in the mystical arts of Kamar-Taj, where soul and spirit were fundamental. No matter how ancient Emperor Shitian was, his spiritual power couldn't hold a candle to Daniel's.
The Soul Piercing Gaze was a rare move in Emperor Shitian's arsenal, one he seldom used. It was akin to the Sword Saint's Sword 23—incredibly powerful, but fraught with limitations and consequences. Just as Sword 23 required perfect concentration and could be disrupted by the slightest interference, the Soul Piercing Gaze was equally risky.
Had Emperor Shitian simply relied on his Sacred Heart Technique, Daniel might have had to expend more effort to subdue him. But Emperor Shitian had chosen poorly, essentially handing victory to Daniel on a silver platter.
"Let me show you whether Wu Wudi is truly dead or not," Daniel said, his voice calm but brimming with confidence.
In a flash, Daniel closed the distance between himself and the injured Emperor Shitian. He raised his fist, channeling immense energy into it, and unleashed the Mountain and Sea Fist Scripture, one of the most powerful techniques in the Ten Supreme Martial Arts.
"Mountain and Sea Fist Scripture," Emperor Shitian murmured in shock as he sensed the overwhelming power emanating from Daniel's fist. The sheer weight and force of the attack instantly brought back memories of his fight with Wu Wudi. Panicking, Emperor Shitian momentarily ignored the pain in his eyes and hastily gathered his remaining strength, activating the Sacred Heart Technique's ice aura. A layer of freezing energy enveloped him in a protective shield.
BOOM!
Daniel's punch collided with Emperor Shitian's icy barrier, shattering it instantly. Just as his fist was about to connect with Emperor Shitian's chest, the latter's body seemed to dissolve into thin air and reappear seven meters away.
"That wasn't teleportation... it's more like his body disassembled and reassembled," Daniel muttered, analyzing the situation.
What Daniel didn't know was that this was one of the Sacred Heart Technique's abilities, Seven Absolute Domains. This technique allowed Emperor Shitian to break his body down into particles and reform elsewhere, making it one of the most potent defensive moves in his arsenal. However, it wasn't without its flaws—it consumed enormous amounts of energy and had a very limited range. Compared to Kamui or other forms of spatial manipulation, it was far less versatile.
"Room: Slaughterhouse!" Daniel declared, activating the powers of the Op-Op Fruit.
As Emperor Shitian prepared to launch a counterattack, Daniel used his ability to swap Emperor Shitian's position with a chunk of ice he had created moments earlier. Before Emperor Shitian could process what had happened, he suddenly found himself standing directly in front of Daniel, his guard completely down.
Caught off guard and still reeling from his earlier injuries, Emperor Shitian was too slow to react. Daniel delivered a precise palm strike to his chest, sealing his internal energy and immobilizing him.
"Quite impressive, Xu Fu," Daniel said, smirking as he restrained Emperor Shitian.
With Emperor Shitian subdued, Daniel used the Dual Mind Reading Technique to delve into his memories. While two millennia of memories were far too vast to sift through entirely, Daniel focused on extracting the most important information—specifically, the Sacred Heart Technique's training methods.
Even with a brief scan, Daniel gleaned insights into Emperor Shitian's life. In the beginning, Xu Fu had not been evil. His initial act of stealing the elixir of immortality had been motivated by a desire to prevent Emperor Qin Shi Huang from achieving eternal life—a goal many would have deemed noble. Fearing Qin Shi Huang's wrath, Xu Fu had stayed away from the Central Plains for centuries before finally returning.
During his early years back in the martial world, Xu Fu had taken on numerous identities, learning martial arts from various sects and even serving as the Wulin Alliance Leader at one point. During this period, Xu Fu genuinely fought for justice.
However, as time passed, Xu Fu's outlook began to change. Watching everyone he loved and cared for die, over and over again, took a toll on him. The realization that he could not escape the ravages of time—even with immortality—drove him to establish the Heavenly Gate and begin his research into halting aging entirely.
In the process, Xu Fu merged the countless martial arts he had learned into the creation of the Sacred Heart Technique. It was during this time that he adopted the persona of Emperor Shitian, a villainous alter ego meant to contrast with the righteous hero personas he occasionally assumed. His grand plan was to stage a story of good versus evil, with himself as both hero and villain.
However, his plan had been derailed by the unexpected arrival of Wu Wudi, who had dismantled his schemes before they could fully unfold.
"Your mindset is your greatest weakness, Xu Fu," Daniel remarked after reviewing his memories. "Look at someone like Xiao Sanxiao. He's lived for over four thousand years, yet he hasn't fallen into the same depravity as you."
Daniel didn't deny that Xu Fu's circumstances were tragic. Humanity wasn't meant for immortality, and without the right mindset, most people who achieved it would eventually descend into madness or despair.
But Daniel was different. Unlike Xu Fu, who had remained confined to a single world, Daniel had the ability to traverse countless worlds. This variety ensured he would never grow bored or stagnant. Xu Fu's downfall served as a reminder for Daniel to maintain perspective and never lose sight of what truly mattered.
Moreover, Daniel couldn't help but feel that Xu Fu's talents had been wasted. With his expertise in alchemy and medicine, Xu Fu could have achieved so much more if he hadn't been consumed by his obsession with control.
Among Xu Fu's creations, Daniel discovered numerous miraculous pills and elixirs—some capable of enhancing internal energy, others capable of rapidly healing injuries, and even some that extended lifespan by a few years. Compared to Xu Fu's alchemical prowess, the so-called Divine Doctor seemed like a mere amateur.
"I'll keep the useful knowledge," Daniel mused as he organized Xu Fu's treasures, discarding techniques like the Five Thunder Extinction Palm, which were far too destructive and dangerous.
As Daniel sorted through the Heavenly Gate
's resources, he also found several fascinating techniques and artifacts that would prove useful in his travels. Some, like the Dragon Subduing Divine Leg, were rare martial arts he decided to record for posterity. Others, like Xu Fu's research into the Four Divine Beasts, offered intriguing possibilities for future experiments.
"Let's see if I can fully integrate Phoenix Blood into my body," Daniel thought, eyeing the purified Phoenix Blood he had extracted from Xu Fu. Unlike Xu Fu, who had only partially merged with the blood, Daniel aimed for complete absorption. If successful, it would become a permanent part of his being, rather than something that could be lost or transferred.
With Xu Fu's life at an end, Daniel turned his attention to the future. His time in the Heavenly Gate had been fruitful, but there was still much to do. Among his many plans, one involved using Xu Fu's research to create artificial "divine beasts"—a project that could prove invaluable in his ongoing quest to explore and understand the multiverse.
As for the remnants of the Heavenly Gate, Daniel decided not to let such a powerful organization go to waste. With the Sacred Heart Technique mastered, he could easily assume the mantle of Emperor Shitian and use the Heavenly Gate's resources for his own purposes. The question was, to what end?
------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!
Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]