This contradicted the information Qin Feng had. The ancient text he'd read made no mention of such a complication.
It only said that after a disciple of the Qin Family stumbled into the underground palace and found nothing of value, he reported the ruins' location to Qin Fang. Subsequently, Qin Fang discovered the Pill Furnace for refining the Mystic Turtle Divine Pill and consumed the pill.
'Could the future records be wrong? Or did the Mystic Black Tortoise Divine Venerable of that era, Qin Fang, intentionally conceal some details? What could his motive have been? Was it because of the two fist techniques on these copper tripods? That would make sense. Two Spirit Martial Level Fist Techniques are exceptionally precious. It would have been disastrous if word of them got out!'
Qin Feng was completely baffled. A ripple of uncertainty flickered in his eyes. 'Perhaps there's a hidden catch to this underground ruin.'
'Whatever. I'll master these fist techniques first. I've encountered both of them before, so achieving Great Success shouldn't be too difficult!'
Qin Feng let his gaze sweep clockwise across the six great tripods once more.
The tripods changed again. A lifelike representation of a fist manual appeared before his eyes. Tiny figures materialized in the Void, moving like a Spiritual Serpent, demonstrating the various finer points of the Spiritual Snake Demon Subduing Fist Technique.
'Incredible! The Spiritual Snake Demon-Subduing Fist is a True Martial Level Boxing Technique designed to train limb flexibility. Once I master it, my limbs will be as supple as a Spiritual Serpent, granting me a new level of agility!'
The more he watched, the brighter Qin Feng's eyes grew. He discovered this version of the Spiritual Snake Demon-Subduing Fist was far more complex than the one he knew. It possessed an additional, ineffable spiritual essence. This trace of essence was the masterstroke, the finishing touch that brought a painted dragon to life. In his mind's eye, a writhing Spiritual Serpent appeared, battling an ancient demon.
A vast, profound intent washed over him, and he couldn't help but begin to move in concert with the Spiritual Serpent.
"Spiritual Serpent Emerges!" Qin Feng's entire body coiled upward like a Spiritual Serpent, mimicking the first posture from the technique's diagrams. But the moment he moved, his brow furrowed. A stiff, obstructive sensation shot through his legs and waist, as if his very sinews and bones were being crushed. His legs went numb. He had barely begun the motion when he saw stars, feeling as if every bone in his body was about to crack and his muscles were tearing apart.
'This is no good. Jumping right into a fist technique that demands such extreme flexibility is too much of a strain. Forcing the cultivation will only be counterproductive!'
Relying on his immense willpower, he struggled back to his feet and assumed the opening stance of the Clear Wind Spirit Refining Stake. His entire skeleton began to vibrate with a mysterious rhythm, slowly dispersing the stagnant Blood Qi and driving away the agonizing numbness.
An hour later, Qin Feng opened his eyes, feeling better than ever. The pain from before was completely gone, and it even seemed as if his sinews and bones had been tempered in the process.
"Again!" Elated, Qin Feng resumed practicing the Spiritual Snake Demon-Subduing Fist. His form danced along with the Spiritual Serpent. This time was slightly easier; he managed to complete one more posture, leaving only seven of the first diagram's nine postures to go.
This time, Qin Feng did not collapse. He suppressed the pain with sheer willpower and immediately began performing the Clear Wind Spirit Refining Stake.
Once, twice, three times, four times... more than a dozen times in all.
It took Qin Feng an entire afternoon to finally master "Spiritual Serpent Emerges," the first diagram. He rested for a while, went outside to hunt a few fat rabbits for a hearty meal, and then began his cultivation of the second diagram.
The second diagram was even more difficult. He spent the better part of the night cultivating it, finally succeeding after an indescribable ordeal. He was so exhausted he nearly collapsed several times. However, Qin Feng also discovered this was not without its benefits. By mastering the second diagram, his potential was unexpectedly unlocked through this oppressive style of cultivation, bringing him ever closer to the Martial Arts Second Realm Mid Stage.
Qin Feng had a feeling that if he could successfully master all six diagrams, his breakthrough to the Martial Arts Second Realm Mid Stage would come as a matter of course.
His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths as a mountain breeze blew past. It was now late into the night. Qin Feng was exhausted. Despite his strong will, his body was reaching its limit after such prolonged cultivation. He was tired and drowsy, feeling as if his entire body had liquified. Glancing at the dim, dark sky, Qin Feng decided to just lie down beside the six great tripods for a quick nap.
The next day, the third diagram, the fourth diagram...
After a full day and night, Qin Feng had finally mastered the Spiritual Snake Demon Subduing Fist Technique.
Before the gates of the cold and desolate ancient temple, all was silent. The Silver Moon hung high in the sky, a silver platter casting its light upon the earth until it shimmered like frost.
His aura surged. His bones, muscles, and meridians had grown denser. Under the Moonlight, his bare torso had taken on a bronze-like texture. With each rise and fall of his chest, his breath plumed like pale frost. His skin seemed to be covered in fine, smooth scales, hinting at an underlying resilience. Now, when he performed the Spiritual Snake Demon-Subduing Fist, there was no trace of stiffness. Every punch and every move was executed with effortless grace. His long shadow danced before the ancient temple, a Spiritual Serpent under the moon—*Spiritual Serpent Emerges*, *Spiritual Serpent Coils*, *Spiritual Serpent Worships the Moon*... His aura was subtle, yet agile.
Unsurprisingly, he had broken through to the Martial Arts Second Realm Mid Stage. But in terms of combat power, now that he had mastered the Spiritual Snake Demon-Subduing Fist, he was confident he could contend with experts of the Martial Arts Three Heavens.
Although he had not yet cultivated the Spiritual Snake Demon-Subduing Fist to the state of Great Success, he had, for all intents and purposes, successfully learned this Spirit Martial Level fist technique.
Next, he began practicing the Profound Turtle Sea-Suppressing Fist.
This was a fist technique that focused on one's foundation. The essence of Profound Turtle Suppressing the Sea was stability and weight. Only with such immense power could one quell the ever-changing ocean. With a single punch, no matter how clever the opponent's moves, they could not escape the Profound Turtle's suppression.
If the Spiritual Serpent represented control through motion, winning with the devious unpredictability of Spirit Fire, then the Profound Turtle represented suppression through stillness, using overwhelming power to quell the tumult of the four seas, its mind as placid as still water, without a single ripple of disturbance.
The Profound Turtle Sea-Suppressing Fist also consisted of six diagrams. It took him two days to master them.
As he mastered this fist technique, his cultivation in the Martial Arts Second Realm Mid Stage progressed another small step. He was now just a stone's throw from the Late-stage Martial Arts Second Realm.
He gained an even clearer understanding of the interplay between motion and stillness within the fist techniques. His every palm and punch now carried a unique power—as swift as lightning in motion, as vast as a placid sea in stillness, capable of neutralizing, absorbing, and suppressing all things.
His combat power soared!
Qin Feng tried to lift the tripods again, but he still failed. Although his strength had more than tripled since he first arrived, the power of the Profound Turtle and the agility of the Spiritual Serpent combined were not enough to budge the six great tripods.
Left with no other choice, Qin Feng returned to his original spot to observe the images on the great tripods. This time, however, the images had changed.
As his gaze swept clockwise and then back counter-clockwise, the figures began to merge and transform, taking on a new meaning.
This was something Qin Feng had never noticed before. To be precise, without having first mastered both the Spiritual Snake Demon-Subduing Fist and the Profound Turtle Sea-Suppressing Fist, it would have been impossible to decipher these previously hidden meanings.
It seemed another fist technique was hidden within the merging of the diagrams. After studying them meticulously hundreds of times, Qin Feng finally uncovered the secret.
It was a composite fist technique! The deepest mystical meaning was hidden within the diagrams of the two styles. It was a supreme fist technique that encompassed how to unleash the powers of motion and stillness to their absolute limits, how to merge them, and how to combine them into the perfect harmony of Tai Chi Unity.
Xuanwu Yin Yang Dao!
As if guided by some unseen force, Qin Feng's mind connected with a fragmented piece of mystical meaning transmitted from the diagrams, and the name of a fist technique appeared in his thoughts. It was a True Martial Level Boxing Technique, one that contained a trace of the Martial Arts True Intent of the Ancient Divine Beast Xuanwu.
Xuanwu: the head of a dragon, the body of a turtle, possessing both scales and a shell. 'A Spiritual Serpent and a Profound Turtle combined... isn't that a Xuanwu?'
Qin Feng jolted in shock. Below lay the Mystic Turtle Divine Pill; above was the legacy of the Black Tortoise Divine Fist. In the future, Qin Fang was known as the Mystic Black Tortoise Divine Venerable. 'Could this be the secret he deliberately concealed?'
'Is it only by mastering the Black Tortoise Divine Fist that one can truly unlock the secrets of this ruin, refine the Mystic Turtle Divine Pill within, and obtain Xuanwu's Power?'