Sea View Tower.
The number one power in the North Sea!
It controlled the trade and transport across most of the North Sea's waters.
It was said that even a passing fish had to give up a piece of its flesh to Sea View Tower.
Even the Great Xuan Court's navy had to show them deference and dared not offend them!
The reason Sea View Tower had grown so immense was not just its complex web of connections, but another, more important factor.
Its master, Li Tiange.
In recent years, Li Tiange's reputation in the Jianghu far surpassed that of Master Zhang of Wudang and Zen Master Hui Zhen of the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple.
He was second only to Wu Shengtiang!
The reason for this, aside from the vast commercial empire he ran, was even more significant.
It was his age and his power!
Currently, Li Tiange was only sixty-five years old.
Compared to a Martial Saint, who could live to be one hundred and fifty, he was in the prime of his life.
Before Wang Xiao's sudden rise to prominence, Li Tiange was hailed as the Martial Saint most likely to surpass Wu Shengtiang.
This was because he had created his own Upper-Grade Martial Arts, the Tidal Divine Fist, and broken through to the Martial Saint Realm at the age of forty-five.
The Jianghu called him "Divine Fist Invincible"!
Relying on his formidable power and unyielding methods, Li Tiange founded Sea View Tower, unifying and consolidating all the powers of the North Sea.
He was, for all intents and purposes, the uncrowned emperor of the North Sea.
When Wang Xiao arrived at the North Sea, a party was already there, having waited for a long time.
The man in the lead looked at Wang Xiao and said, "Wang Wusheng, our Master has been waiting for you on Penglai Island for some time."
A glint flashed in Wang Xiao's eyes.
'Sea View Tower certainly lives up to its reputation. I kept a low profile the entire way, avoiding any fanfare, yet I still couldn't escape their spies.'
"Lead the way," Wang Xiao said coolly.
"Wang Wusheng, please follow me."
Soon, Wang Xiao followed the group and boarded a Battleship.
The Battleship cut through the wind and waves at incredible speed. It sailed past rows of docked merchant ships and massive vessels, carrying Wang Xiao deep into the North Sea.
「Half an hour later.」
An island spanning several thousand acres appeared before Wang Xiao's eyes.
Ancient, towering trees covered the island, interspersed with all manner of pavilions and palaces, making it seem like a lost continent.
The most eye-catching structure was the tower at the island's center!
By some unknown means, it had been built to be over a thousand feet high.
Even Wang Xiao, who was used to seeing skyscrapers, was struck with awe at the sight of this structure.
From the top of the tower, it seemed as if one could take in the entire North Sea at a glance.
'This Li Tiange certainly loves his pomp and pageantry. No wonder his reputation in the Jianghu is so great.'
Wang Xiao's eyes flickered.
That's just how the Jianghu was. If your display of grandeur was impressive enough, others would show you respect.
However, to Wang Xiao, pomp and face were nothing but fleeting clouds.
He only hoped that Li Tiange would live up to his name and help him successfully break through the Martial Saint Realm!
When the Battleship was a few hundred yards from Penglai Island, it slowly came to a stop.
On a massive reef in front of the Battleship, a figure was sitting.
The figure was dressed in robes whiter than snow and looked to be in his forties. He had sharp, sword-like brows and eyes like stars, exuding an aura of someone who looked down upon the world.
He held a fishing rod, quietly angling.
The turbulent waves crashed against the reef, sending up bursts of spray, yet not a single drop landed on him.
"The Young Martial Saint. What a resounding title."
"This old man has heard that you have already visited the other two Martial Saints, seeking the path forward. I wonder, what was the outcome?"
The voice washed over Wang Xiao's ears like the tide.
Wang Xiao knew this white-robed figure was "Divine Fist Invincible," Li Tiange!
His expression was calm, and he did not hide anything. "I discussed the Dao with Master Zhang for half a year and exchanged insights with Zen Master Hui Zhen for a year. I have naturally made some gains. I have come to visit Master Li this time only to take the final step."
"Tsk. After only a year and a half, you dare to speak of taking the final step. You're even more arrogant than I was in my youth. I'd like to see for myself if your Celestial Flying Immortal is as astonishingly brilliant as the legends say."
The moment his voice fell, Li Tiange flicked the fishing rod in his hand!
SWOOSH!
The fishing line shot out like a sharp arrow, flying straight toward Wang Xiao!
Wang Xiao watched the line, his gaze calm. He didn't even move.
Just as the line came within a few yards of him...
SHHHNK!
The fishing line disintegrated, as if it had been cut by something.
"Hm?"
Li Tiange's eyes narrowed slightly, and he slowly stood up. "Worthy of the name Young Martial Saint. You truly have some skill. I didn't even sense the circulation of your Inner Qi. How did you pull that off?"
Wang Xiao said,
"That involves the realm beyond the Martial Saint. If Master Li wishes to know, you can use your Tidal Divine Fist."
Li Tiange laughed heartily.
"Excellent!"
With a step, he hovered above the water's surface, walking on the waves until he reached Wang Xiao's Battleship.
Seeing Li Tiange's actions, the faces of everyone on the Battleship changed drastically.
"The Master is about to go all out! We need to get out of here!"
SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH!
One after another, the men on the Battleship jumped into the water.
At that moment, Li Tiange raised his fist. A surging, tide-like Inner Qi began to roil like the ocean.
In that instant, he seemed to merge with Heaven and Earth, with the great sea itself. The entire ocean felt like his wellspring of power!
BOOM!
He threw a punch. It boomed like thunder as furious waves surged forth!
The entire surface of the sea seemed to be torn apart, churning violently to either side to clear a path for Li Tiange's fist!
The punch was like the tide, with each successive wave stronger than the last, constantly stacking on top of one another.
By the time the fist reached the Battleship, it had transformed into a heaven-shaking blow, like the wrath of a sea god!
BANG!
The Battleship was instantly blown to pieces. The sharp force of the punch pressed down on Wang Xiao!
In that moment, Wang Xiao felt as if the entire ocean was rushing toward him.
He let out a light breath, sensing the rhythm of the Heaven and Earth around him, and instantly drew the sharp sword at his waist!
A vast wave of Inner Qi erupted violently.
It actually formed a Sword Shadow behind him!
Suddenly, this Sword Shadow merged with Wang Xiao, becoming one!
CLANG!
A sword hum that sounded like a dragon's roar echoed out.
No one saw how Wang Xiao executed his strike.
They only saw the surface of the sea suddenly split in two.
Immediately after, Li Tiange was forced back by an invisible power, sent flying back onto the reef.
Only when Wang Xiao sheathed his sword did Li Tiange react. He looked at the tiny wound on his fist, his pupils constricting slightly. "Is this the realm beyond the Martial Saint? Incredible... What realm is this?"
He had just felt Wang Xiao wield the entirety of Heaven and Earth to strike at him with a single sword slash!
It left him completely unable to react, let alone defend.
This power had far surpassed that of a Martial Saint; it had reached another level entirely.
Wang Xiao said, "Beyond the Martial Saint is the ability to make the Power of Heaven and Earth your own. For now, I call it the Martial God Realm!"
In the past year and a half of exchanging insights and sparring with Master Zhang and Zen Master Hui Zhen, he had finally found the path to break through the Martial Saint Realm!
A Martial Saint resonates their own power with Heaven and Earth.
By doing so, they can borrow the Power of Heaven and Earth to multiply the might of their techniques!
A Martial God takes it a step further. By condensing the prototype of their own Martial Arts, they make the Power of Heaven and Earth their own!
If you compare Heaven and Earth to a sword hanging in the air...
A Martial Saint uses a special method to make the sword shake continuously to strike a target.
A Martial God, however, directly grasps that sword in their hand.
The power the two can wield is naturally worlds apart.
Of course, grasping the sword of Heaven and Earth was not so simple.
First, one needed to condense the prototype of their Martial Arts.
To do this, one must continuously compress their Inner Qi until it becomes tangible.
After that, the Inner Qi must be constantly polished and refined until it aligns with one's own Martial Arts, eventually taking form.
The prototype of one's Martial Arts is the very essence of a Martial Artist.
At this stage, the Inner Qi transforms and sublimates, allowing one to make the Power of Heaven and Earth their own.
Currently, Wang Xiao had already compressed his Inner Qi until it was tangible.
However, he was still some distance away from it fully taking form.
"Martial God... what a fitting name for a Martial God!" Li Tiange savored the words.
The ability to freely wield the Power of Heaven and Earth was truly a feat worthy of an Immortal.
Martial God... yes, that was apt!
"This old man thought himself a prodigy. I believed that with enough time, I might even be able to defeat Wu Shengtiang. But to think... the new generation truly surpasses the old."
"Come with this old man to the island. If my Sea View Tower can give birth to the first Martial God in history, it too will be remembered for millennia."
「Great Xuan, Year 224.」
Wang Xiao entered Sea View Tower to discuss the Dao and spar with the last Martial Saint, Li Tiange.
「For over a year after.」
Wang Xiao followed Li Tiange, plumbing the depths of the five oceans and watching the rise and fall of the tides, continuously polishing the prototype of his Martial Arts.
「Until the winter of Great Xuan, Year 225.」
「Within Sea View Tower.」
A sharp sword presence that seemed capable of piercing the heavens erupted, scattering the swirling snow.
That year, Wang Xiao entered the Martial God Realm!