I followed Xian Tian Dao Ren to Tai Zheng Hall. His movements were light and efficient, and I wondered if this was the effect of the secret lightness skill of Wudang Sect, Ji Yun Cong (Assist Cloud Follow). Upon arriving at Tai Zheng Hall, I saw the entire view of the hall, which was a building of ordinary size with about 5-6 people gathered for training.
The internal disciples were not currently visible. When I asked Xian Tian Dao Ren, he said,
"Those children have been sent to the main mountain of Wudang for a situation briefing. They were sent yesterday, but they should be back no later than nine days from now."
"Even your disciples have learned the secret martial arts of Wudang Sect, wouldn't they be helpful in the extermination of the heretical sect?"
He shook his head.
"If you see the demons, you won't say that. They are not the kind of creatures that can be handled by numbers of inexperienced people. It would only increase the number of sacrifices."
"......?"
"Those children have not been cultivating for long, and none of them have reached the first-class level. I cannot put the future pillars of Wudang Sect in danger."
Clank
Xian Tian Dao Ren entered the room and served tea. The aroma of the tea was very fragrant, indicating it was of high quality. He sat down, sipped the tea lightly, and said,
"In short, we just need to exterminate the strange man with the flute who controls the demons and the fanatics."
"Hmm... Has he also learned martial arts?"
Xian Tian Dao Ren smiled wryly.
"That's a tricky question."
"Tricky?"
"I couldn't even get close to the area because of the demons and fanatics he controls. I could have approached by risking my life, but the danger was too great, so I retreated. I couldn't confirm his martial arts skills."
"......"
His answer seemed somewhat humorous, but I realized the situation was quite serious.
No matter how much the fanatics' combat power had increased due to their madness, a top expert is still a top expert. Xian Tian Dao Ren should have been able to penetrate with an invisible lightness skill and strike the leader with sword qi. The fact that he couldn't even approach the flute man suggested that the power of the demons and fanatics was formidable.
'Well... Did I step into something I shouldn't have?'
But then again, this was a unique situation that I wouldn't often encounter. I had a gut feeling that passing up this opportunity would be a big mistake. After some thought, I asked a question.
"Is the strange man a man or a woman? And what is his or her purpose?"
"He was only playing the flute, and I could only confirm his human form. He didn't say a single word."
"You've been monitoring the village for quite some time. What's the current state of the village?"
"... I don't even want to imagine it. When I entered, the entire village was already in a state of madness, so it probably hasn't changed."
"......"
I felt the need to steel myself. If the first infiltration involved a ritual where hearts were ripped out of living people, it wouldn't be surprising to find human corpses scattered on the streets and cannibals roaming around now. Even though I was used to brutality, such a scene could still be mentally devastating.
'Oh, right...'
I realized I had hit on an important point, not just a trivial question. I shared my thoughts with Xian Tian Dao Ren.
"Isn't the heretical sect trying to expand its influence by increasing the number of people who worship them? Yet, even after their true identity was revealed to you, they haven't taken any significant action."
Xian Tian Dao Ren nodded in admiration.
"Yes, you've pointed out something crucial. I've been monitoring the village for a few days, but I haven't seen a single person leave. Even when I enhanced my vision from the top of this mountain, there was no change."
I frowned.
"The strange man with the flute must be planning something."
"Indeed. If he guessed my identity, he must have anticipated that an extermination force would soon be organized. Yet, if he hasn't raised or unleashed his forces... he's probably preparing even more sinister black magic within the village. He might be building his power through more evil spells or creating even more ferocious demons."
"Delaying is not good."
"Agreed."
I understood why Xian Tian Dao Ren, despite the urgency, had brought me into this situation, even risking the leakage of Wudang Sect's secret martial arts. Even a top expert like him couldn't easily find someone with such formidable inner strength. Moreover, it wasn't easy to recruit such experts overnight, so he had no choice but to rely on me.
I took a sip of tea. The warm tea soothed my throat and calmed my mind.
"By the way, what exactly are these demons? What do they look like and what powers do they have?"
"That's a tough one to explain. Let me gather my thoughts."
Xian Tian Dao Ren thought deeply. Then he took out a brush and ink from a nearby table and began to draw slowly. From the way he handled the brush, I could tell he was quite skilled.
"They looked like this."
After a while, he completed the drawing. When I saw the finished picture, I was speechless, staring at it in disbelief.
"......"
What on earth is this? Does something like this even exist in the world?
It had a shape like a lump of squishy meat, covered in bubbling, boiling flesh, with countless eyes floating on its surface. It also had tentacles that looked like hundreds of hands, wriggling and sprouting. Xian Tian Dao Ren sighed when he saw my expression.
"The real thing is even worse. They are also very large, unlike anything I've seen in the Shan Hai Jing (Classic of Mountains and Seas)."
"Are there several of these?"
"There were three in total. However, they moved very quickly, were extremely powerful, and sword strikes didn't seem to affect them much. Their bodies seemed fluid, like a liquid. It would take all my strength to bring them down."
Three demons that could make a top expert like Xian Tian Dao Ren contemplate death!
But given the description, it was understandable. If I encountered such creatures unprepared, I might lose my mind. Xian Tian Dao Ren's deep cultivation in mental discipline allowed him to observe the enemy's characteristics and escape calmly. I understood why he said that even such experts would struggle.
I looked at Xian Tian Dao Ren.
"Surely you don't mean to engage these things head-on?"
"Of course not. To defeat these demons, we would need at least a thousand troops. We only need to take down the strange man with the flute."
"Do you have a plan?"
Xian Tian Dao Ren spoke with confidence.
"At noon, the strange man appears in the center of the village and plays the flute. He then performs a human sacrifice on a strange altar. When he performs the sacrifice, he is vulnerable, so we can ambush and take him down."
"What about the demons?"
"The demons only appear after the human sacrifice to consume human blood and flesh. They won't show up before that."
"What do I need to do?"
Xian Tian Dao Ren hesitated for a moment before speaking seriously.
"Clear the way for me to strike the strange man's neck."
"......"
This was the answer I expected, and it made me hesitant.
In other words, Xian Tian Dao Ren's plan was to quickly ambush and cut off the strange man's head before the demons appeared. My job was to eliminate the fanatics and protect Xian Tian Dao Ren so he could reach the strange man. The thought of risking my life was terrifying.
'What the hell. Should I just back out now?'
I didn't want to face my fourth death in such a place. Even if I died gracefully and reincarnated, what if I was captured by the heretical sect, had my belly slit open, or was tortured? In such a case, even if I could reincarnate, my mental strength might be shattered, driving me mad.
Maybe I should just run.
But the temptation of Wudang Sect's secret martial arts was too great.
After much deliberation, I said,
"... Alright. But before that, you need to guide me in my martial arts."
"What do you mean? Your inner strength is already at a world-class level, isn't it?"
"That's the thing..."
I sighed briefly.
"Let's see."
I led Xian Tian Dao Ren to the training ground of Tai Zheng Hall. I picked up a nearby weapon and, without using much of my inner strength, performed a series of techniques: Leiling Bashi (Thunder Ling Eight Styles), Leiyin Jianfa (Thunder Yin Sword Technique), Leiyun Zhangfa (Thunder Cloud Palm Technique), and Leiyin Bao (Thunder Yin Treasure). I tried to show my best form to demonstrate my level.
Swoosh...
The energy surged late. The training ground was filled with a faint thunder aura, as if a rain of thunder essence was about to fall. This was also a manifestation of my Leilong Yiqigong (Thunder Dragon One Qi Skill) reaching its peak.
Xian Tian Dao Ren, who had been watching my demonstration seriously, sighed deeply after a moment.
"Hehe...!! Your inner strength is more than three times mine, yet your martial arts level is barely above second-class! How can such a disparity exist?!"
His voice was filled with amazement and shock. Indeed, a top expert like him could accurately assess my skills. I sheathed my sword with a somewhat embarrassed expression and said to Xian Tian Dao Ren,
"That's why I'm hesitant to help you. My inner strength is strong, but my understanding of martial arts is low."
"Hmm... It seems you've had a stroke of luck. Probably from a spirit medicine. I thought you were a hidden expert who had undergone a transformation to regain youth."
"Rejuvenation is something that only happens in martial arts novels..."
"However, your inner strength is so powerful that it can only be explained that way. The only person in the current martial world who could match you in inner strength is probably the leader of the White Lotus Sect."
Xian Tian Dao Ren chuckled after a moment.
"Hehe! To think you were really a teenager... This is quite a surprise, Yuan Shi Tian Zun."
Although Xian Tian Dao Ren muttered his title, he didn't seem too upset. After all, it was better than teaching a rejuvenated old man of unknown origin. He had good judgment and also evaluated my other martial arts.
"Your spear and sword techniques seem to be from a well-established martial family's secret skills. However, your achievement is low, and you're not fully utilizing your inner strength. You're probably only using about 30% of your true inner strength."
"30%?"
Lower than I expected. Xian Tian Dao Ren nodded.
"Of course. Your inner strength is unparalleled, but your control and focus of qi are too clumsy. A skilled master could read your qi flow and block it, easily subduing you. No matter how strong your power is, if it doesn't hit or is deflected, it's useless."
"Indeed."
I smiled bitterly. Xian Tian Dao Ren's critique resonated with my own experiences. The First Elder of the Iron Blood Sect, Gui Ying Jianke, had easily toyed with me and cut off my head, despite my inner strength being far greater than his. The outcome would likely be the same if I fought Xian Tian Dao Ren now.
Xian Tian Dao Ren pondered for a moment and then asked,
"What inner strength cultivation method have you learned?"
"It's called Leilong Yiqigong (Thunder Dragon One Qi Skill)."
"Fortunately. The cultivation method I will teach you is called Xian Tian Shen Gong (Mysterious Heaven Divine Skill). It is compatible with your skill."
"Why is that?"
He explained calmly.
"Your Leilong Yiqigong is a crystallization of thunder qi, which symbolizes earth in the Five Elements. Xian Tian Shen Gong, on the other hand, has the properties of metal."
"So it's the Five Elements theory of earth generating metal."
The Five Elements theory includes both generation (็ธ็) and overcoming (็ธๅ ). Since metal and earth have a supportive relationship, it means that cultivating both inner strengths together would not be problematic.
"You understand the Five Elements theory well. That's correct."
Xian Tian Dao Ren continued,
"If you cultivate Xian Tian Shen Gong, you will gain a powerful vitality and recovery ability to support the aggressive power of Leilong Yiqigong. Additionally, since they support each other, you won't suffer from mental corruption!"
"......!!"
"The transmission of Xian Tian Shen Gong's incantations will take only about an hour. The remaining time will be spent refining your spear and sword techniques."
I realized I had encountered another stroke of luck.
"Understood."
I would receive personal guidance in Xian Tian Shen Gong and other top martial arts from a top expert like Xian Tian Dao Ren. Although it was uncertain if I would learn the secret martial arts due to the heretical sect's extermination, his guidance alone would help me advance to the next level.
As Xian Tian Dao Ren said, the transmission of Xian Tian Shen Gong's incantations took only about an hour. It wasn't the entire Xian Tian Shen Gong, but a simple true qi guidance method to open the necessary meridians, making it straightforward. Xian Tian Dao Ren promised to teach me the full Xian Tian Shen Gong after the extermination.
Practicing Leiyin Jianfa (Thunder Yin Sword Technique) and Leiling Bashi (Thunder Ling Eight Styles) with Xian Tian Dao Ren was a truly novel experience. I practiced without using much of my inner strength, and every time my wooden sword clashed with his, it felt as if he could read my mind. Xian Tian Dao Ren's claim that he could read all attacks was not a lie.
Clang!
"Your wrist qi is too loose."
My wooden sword was knocked away by Xian Tian Dao Ren's. Despite the short time, I was drenched in sweat. Practicing without using much inner strength, I felt many weaknesses while sparring with him.
"Your qi is too slow."
"......!!"
"Having too much inner strength can make it difficult to control the flow of qi. To overcome hesitation, you need to memorize how qi flows within each technique."
Xian Tian Dao Ren said,
"You should have felt what was lacking just now. However, since I don't know your sword technique, I can't pinpoint the flaws. Think about what is lacking and why, and refine your techniques."
"Thank you."
As Xian Tian Dao Ren said, sparring itself felt like a form of study. Even without learning any special top techniques, my skills seemed to improve rapidly.
When I fought the elder of the Iron Blood Sect, he didn't hold back and exploited every weakness, leaving me floundering. But with Xian Tian Dao Ren, he was guiding me, understanding how to give me insights.
For about four days, I ate, slept, and practiced martial arts with Xian Tian Dao Ren. We needed to act as soon as possible for the heretical sect's extermination, so we couldn't afford more time. Occasionally, we would climb the mountain to monitor the heretical sect's movements, and the rest of the time, I focused on improving my martial arts.
As a result, I significantly reduced the flaws in my techniques and successfully reached a higher level of swordsmanship. At least with Leiyin Jianfa, I could now display a much stronger power. Xian Tian Dao Ren watched my progress with satisfaction and said,
"That should be enough. You can now probably display 50% of your true strength, not just 30%."
During the four days, Xian Tian Dao Ren not only guided me in refining Leiyin Jianfa but also taught me variations of Tai Qing Jianfa (Great Clarity Sword Technique), which would likely be very useful in real combat. I understood the deeper meaning in his words.
"Are you suggesting we go now?"
"Yes. If we delay any longer, who knows what other monsters might appear."
"......"
I thought for a moment and then answered,
"Let's go."
In my mind, I planned to help Xian Tian Dao Ren as much as I could, but if the situation turned bad, I would run. I owed him for the martial arts guidance, but I wasn't willing to risk my life.
Additionally, with the martial arts I had learned, I could easily slaughter the fanatics without much burden, gaining valuable combat experience. There was no reason to miss this opportunity.