Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh!
Fifteen minutes later, a dozen flying cars and aircraft descended upon the battle-scarred Flame Tiger Mountain Gate.
Personnel from the Safety Bureau, the Military, and the Red Guard had all arrived.
"My word..."
A Golden General standing at the aircraft's door gazed down, his eyes wide with shock and awe.
The entire mountainside of Dwarf Mountain looked as if it had been bombed by fighter jets, utterly devastated.
Giant cracks and deep craters were scattered everywhere, making it hard to believe this destruction was caused by a mere fight.
"Master, was that really just a Pinnacle Realm Master?"
A Golden General couldn't help but ask. Sun Ling, who had led the team, barely managed to regain his composure.
He doubted he could have caused such devastation himself, even if he had unleashed his full firepower and expended all his special energy.
For a moment, he was almost grateful that he hadn't been too harsh or condescending when he had gone to the Martial Hall to question Grandmaster Chen.
"Master?"
"Alright, let's get to the investigation."
Shaking his head, Sun Ling forced himself to suppress his lingering thoughts.
He ordered his subordinates to descend with their investigation equipment. As he watched the Military's Modified Humans and Cyborgs arrive, he couldn't help but wonder about the Evil God Cult's audacity in appearing so openly.
And...
He glanced at the crowd of figures clustered together in the distance.
Elders from various factions of the Martial Arts World, councilors and directors from Nanjiang and nearby cities, and representatives from ultra-large conglomerates—all these figures of considerable status had gathered here. It was only thanks to Grandmaster Chen's intervention that everyone's lives had been spared.
Otherwise...
Sun Ling shook his head, unwilling to dwell on the thought. He quickly went to confer with the military officials to discuss cooperation and immediately began the detection and investigation of the Evil God Cult's activities.
"Senior Brother, the military experts have arrived."
"Senior Brother Zhang and the others are short-handed. I'll go help them out."
In the rear courtyard of the Mountain Gate, only a few intact courtyards remained.
Xu Tingxiao spoke softly, and Chen Feng, using his Perception, saw the arrival of the Red Guard and the military. He nodded.
Everyone had witnessed his battle with the Batfolk, so there was no need for him to appear again for records or interviews.
As for the guests, shaken by the battle and lacking suitable accommodations, some chose to leave, their hearts still pounding with fear. Others were undergoing energy detection and screening by the military.
Soon after Xu Tingxiao departed, only seven or eight figures remained in the courtyard: Master Li Tong, along with Grandmasters Ju Xiang and the other two. In addition, there were Han Chao, Old Leader Zhang, and the others.
"If I'm not mistaken, Grandmaster Chen should have already taken a crucial step, right?"
Old Leader Zhang didn't waste time on pleasantries. As soon as he sat down, he got straight to the point.
At these words, the three Giant Elephant Grandmasters exchanged puzzled glances, while Zhou Wuren and the woman in the white Martial Arts Uniform exchanged knowing glances, their expressions deepening with respect.
"Once we reach the Pinnacle Realm, we feel as though the limits of the human body are like shackles of heaven and earth, impossible to break."
"At the end of the martial arts path, there's a cliff with no road ahead. Yet, there are always brilliant minds who refuse to accept this fate and strive to forge a new path."
With a slight smile, Old Leader Zhang saw the Giant Elephant Grandmasters' confusion and didn't hide his meaning.
He scanned the three of them, finally fixing his bright gaze on Chen Feng, as if he already had the answer.
"But this new path is often exceptionally difficult."
"The so-called 'critical step' is the initial breakthrough to shatter those shackles."
As his words fell, the three Giant Elephant Grandmasters were visibly shaken, including Li Tong, who was taken by surprise.
All eyes turned to Chen Feng. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke.
"Perhaps."
Having guessed what Old Leader Zhang meant, Chen Feng knew he was mistaken in thinking he had broken through the Pinnacle Realm bottleneck.
He didn't bother to explain or deny it, content to let the other man draw his own conclusions.
"Truly worthy of being the one who ended the internal strife in the Southern Martial World."
Old Leader Zhang, who had long seen the Giant Elephant Sect and other sects submit to the Flame Tiger Sect's alliance and dominance, nodded with a smile, praising Chen Feng once more.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, everyone began discussing Martial arts realms and related secrets. Chen Feng pondered for a moment and then seized the chance to ask the question that had been on his mind.
"Senior Zhang," he began. "In my opinion, the Saint Sect's New Martial Arts should have already taken a crucial step, wouldn't you say?"
He didn't mention anyone by name. He had already heard of Liu Duanyun's formidable power and sensed the old man before him, who stood firmly on the threshold of the Sixth Tier, radiating a profound and boundless aura.
Compared to that, the New Martial Arts piqued his interest even more. He was curious whether Liu Duanyun had truly discovered a path similar to Transcendence.
"Indeed," Old Leader Zhang nodded lightly, not denying it.
Seeing the confusion and curiosity in everyone's eyes, he gestured with a wave of his hand. Zhou Wuren stepped forward.
Buzz!
Force surged, a unique energy signature belonging to the Shadowless Sect. It was a dark, lustrous black, like a shadow itself.
"Everyone, watch closely," Zhou Wuren said, clasping his hands in a respectful bow before vanishing from his spot.
When he reappeared, he was standing in the open space outside the courtyard hall. Dozens of meters away, ripples spread across the fishpond, and willow branches drooped over the stone edges of the pond.
Buzz!
Zhou Wuren immediately unleashed a palm strike.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The fishpond exploded, sending several water columns soaring into the sky.
This palm strike, delivered from a distance using Force techniques, only stunned the fish within the pond, leaving them unharmed.
"A Grandmaster at the Third Gate?"
Grandmaster Flying Eagle frowned slightly. He knew Zhou Wuren was at the peak of Grandmaster level.
But this demonstration... wasn't this the essence of Ancient Martial Arts?
As if sensing their confusion, Zhou Wuren struck again.
Boom!
A muffled explosion echoed as the air solidified into a sphere.
Dozens of meters away, the fishpond seemed to be lifted from its bottom by an immense force, the entire body of water surging upwards, forming a massive wave several meters high.
"This!"
Grandmaster Flying Eagle's expression was one of shock and disbelief. Giant Elephant Grandmaster, standing beside him, lost his composure and rose to his feet.
The power was clearly greater, the destructive force far more potent.
Yet, they were certain Zhou Wuren hadn't used any more strength than before. Everything was remarkably similar to his earlier palm strike.
The only difference...
"The power of water currents?"
Chen Feng frowned, gazing at the pond dozens of meters away.
The waves surged and churned, as if some creature was rolling within, creating the disturbance.
If one were to examine it more closely, they would see a Force sinking to the bottom of the fishpond, merging with the water flow to form a vortex that drove the entire phenomenon.
"That's right."
Zhou Wuren nodded, his expression one of admiration. He hadn't expected his secret to be discovered so quickly.
As the Force dissipated, the waves in the fishpond, like rootless duckweed, abruptly collapsed, returning to their previous calm.
Ripples still lingered, and the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the others barely regained their composure, clamoring to know how it had been done.
"This is the unique aspect of the New Martial Arts," Zhou Wuren declared confidently, returning to the courtyard house.
He left them hanging, so the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the others clasped their hands in respect and turned to Old Leader Zhang.
"This method was created by Duanyun," Old Leader Zhang explained. "When martial artists reach their limits, they are often constrained by their physical limitations, making further breakthroughs difficult. But..."
With a slight smile, Old Leader Zhang continued, "He discovered that if one's mental will is sufficiently strong and a specific technique is employed, they can briefly resonate with the world."
"By combining this resonance with the Force of a Martial Arts True Art, one can temporarily manipulate, even fuse with elemental forces, creating even more powerful techniques."
As he spoke, he subtly flipped his hand.
The Force emanating from Zhou Wuren's left palm was ordinary white light, appearing unremarkable.
But a wisp of flame gradually rose from it.
His right palm moved similarly. As the white light Force swirled, a howling wind swept through the courtyard.
Such techniques transcended the mortal realm, leaving the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and Li Tong and his three companions stunned. They had never imagined martial arts could reach such heights.
But soon, Chen Feng spoke, his voice calm: "Such techniques must come at a considerable cost, wouldn't you say?"
Old Leader Zhang's expression tightened, and the woman in the white Martial Arts Uniform behind him's eyes flickered.
"What makes you say that?" Old Leader Zhang countered, his flame and wind rapidly dissipating, the white light Force retracting into his body.
"Intuition," Chen Feng replied calmly, remaining seated on his pearwood chair throughout.
Indeed, such techniques did transcend the mortal realm, surpassing the limits of ordinary flesh and blood, Qi and Blood, allowing one to unleash power far beyond human limits.
Yet, with his Perception Talent, he saw it all clearly.
Zhou Wuren's breathing had become slightly heavier, and his body's energy magnetic field had momentarily faltered.
Old Leader Zhang, though seemingly fine, was clearly handling the Qi mechanism better than Zhou Wuren. Yet, there were still fluctuations in his Qi, as if he were bearing a burden or pressure.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.
The three Giant Elephant Grandmasters, who had been filled with excitement and anticipation, were brought back to their senses. Their eyes flickered as they settled back into their seats.
Seeing this, Old Leader Zhang sighed inwardly and finally nodded.
"Grandmaster Chen truly has sharp eyes and keen intuition."
He acknowledged the truth in Chen Feng's words, speaking in a low voice. "Resonating with the World Imprint is incredibly difficult, and the corresponding techniques still have certain flaws, making it impossible to sustain for long."
"Therefore, this path places immense demands on the individual, and not everyone is suited to cultivate it."
"Of course, if Grandmaster Chen is interested, you are welcome to visit our Saint Sect at any time to observe this technique."
As his explanation ended, he extended a sincere invitation.
Chen Feng shook his head.
He had already sensed Old Leader Zhang's evasiveness. The old man hadn't directly answered the specific cost of the technique.
Though he had his own suspicions, he didn't press the matter.
"Senior Zhang, may I ask if we three might have the opportunity to practice this technique?"
The three Giant Elephant Grandmasters standing nearby couldn't quite grasp the essence of the technique, but the temptation was too strong to resist.
After all, Zhou Wuren's earlier strike had been undeniably powerful. If he had unleashed his full strength, he might have temporarily surpassed the Grandmaster level.
For these three Grandmasters, whose potential had been exhausted and who found it difficult to break through the Gate of Spirit, this offered a significant allure.
"This technique was created by Duanyun," Old Leader Zhang chuckled, "and is subject to certain rules. If the three of you are willing to join our Saint Sect, of course you may."
The Giant Elephant Grandmasters' expressions shifted. Having spent most of their lives in the Southern Martial World, with their sects, industries, and connections rooted there, how could they possibly join the Saint Sect?
Whether they felt dejected or sighed inwardly, their thoughts remained hidden.
As the discussion about the New Martial Arts temporarily subsided, someone remembered the two Pinnacle Realm Masters present and brought up the name Yang Wudi.
"Yang Wudi might have also taken a crucial step forward," Old Leader Zhang said calmly, nodding. "Though he has some grievances with our Saint Sect, having injured over a dozen of our elders and disciples, and our positions differ."
"To be fair, for him to have come this far on his own, he truly deserves to be called a Martial Arts hero."
Old Leader Zhang spoke calmly, offering a few words of appraisal without any disparagement or resentment.
Chen Feng knew something of the history between the two sides. He had been caught up in Yang Wudi's conflict with the Saint Sect's Guardian Elder at Xiang Mountain.
"But... it's a pity."
Old Leader Zhang suddenly shook his head, leaving Chen Feng slightly puzzled.
He turned to Zhou Wuren and Han Chao, seeing the latter sigh.
"I was planning to tell you later, but this matter is also connected to the Divine Martial Alliance Leader."
Han Chao spoke softly, piquing Chen Feng's interest.
"For some unknown reason, Yang Wudi has been lingering in Niduo."
"A few days ago, intelligence reached us that he had fallen into a trap set by the Lion King in Botang City, Niduo. He was ambushed by the Gun King, Ge Lie, and the Divine Martial Alliance Leader."
With a regretful expression, Han Chao shook his head. "As of now, his whereabouts are unknown, and there's no trace of whether he's alive or dead."
Upon hearing this, the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the others' expressions shifted.
They had all heard of the Pinnacle Realm Martial Artists from other nations on Earth and naturally knew who these three names corresponded to.
Facing a combined assault from three Pinnacle Realm Martial Artists, their fate was already sealed.
The atmosphere grew tense, and a mix of emotions stirred within everyone's hearts.
Finally, after the idle chatter concluded, the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and his companions took their leave first. Han Chao gave a few instructions regarding the departure time and arrangements for Niduo before departing with Old Leader Zhang.
The courtyard fell silent for a few breaths, leaving only Li Tong and Chen Feng behind.
"New Martial Arts is about to shake the world," Li Tong said with a hint of worry, watching the military aircraft slowly ascend into the sky.
Old Leader Zhang had been amiable throughout their meeting, radiating goodwill. However, Li Tong sensed that he was acting as an Apostle for the Saint Sect, traveling the world.
Combined with the demonstration of New Martial Arts and the earlier invitation to the Grandmasters, Li Tong couldn't help but draw some conclusions.
"It's nothing to worry about," Chen Feng replied calmly, shaking his head.
As the aircraft gradually disappeared into the distance, his Perception Talent revealed the Whale Sect Grandmaster reappearing in the distance.
It seemed he had been waiting for Old Leader Zhang and the others along the way, and his intentions were obvious.
It was a pity.
"New Martial Arts... might not be the true path after all."
Chen Feng's eyes flickered as he withdrew his gaze.
He had already grasped the similarities and differences between New Martial Arts and the Method of Transcendence.
Both were attempts to resonate with the World Imprint.
However, the resonance in New Martial Arts seemed superficial.
He suspected that because they lacked the Legendary Imprint, their willpower couldn't withstand the pressure of the world, forcing them to take the shortcut of Force.
And the so-called manipulation of elements...
He couldn't shake the feeling that it was merely a crude imitation of the world energy that should have been absorbed directly into the body to strengthen both physical and spiritual aspects.
After a few moments of contemplation, Chen Feng shook his head, ultimately deciding not to delve deeper into the core of the matter.
He believed that the Method of Transcendence practiced in Qinggang City was the true path.
Because he had clearly seen the invisible, straight-ascending celestial ladder and the Martial Dao Throne suspended high in the sky.
External forces, no matter how powerful, were ultimately not one's own strength. Only a strengthened physical body and spirit formed the fundamental foundation for everything.
In a daze, he sensed another point of light appear in his mind, representing the legendary traces of today's earth-shattering battle and the countless witnesses.
Beyond that...
Concentrating his thoughts, he turned his gaze to the panel before him.
A series of new notifications appeared once more.
(End of the Chapter)
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