548 The Three Realms
In front of Wuji Mountain, numerous figures were bustling about. Carriage after carriage laden with packages streamed out of Qingzhou City, transported by the remaining martial artists of Wuji Mountain.
“I thought this battle would be our end,” said Kong Binghuang, looking towards the Thousand Divination Tower with Qin Huai at his side. “I didn’t anticipate that a game-changer like you would emerge. What did you use to win over old Tang Pi after gaining control of the blood sea? Does the blood sea have some special influence?”
He asked the question that had been bothering him, knowing that mere hatred and pride wouldn’t have persuaded Tang Pi to stand firmly against the Sacred Heart Sect.
“You can consider the blood sea a treasure trove, a concentrated essence of life. Training within it can enhance one’s aptitude, cultivation, and even bloodline…” Qin Huai didn’t hold back any information, revealing all the blood sea’s secrets to Kong Binghuang.
“The master of the Sacred Heart Sect is indeed a genius,” he said, a complex expression on his face. “He even intended to create a puppet in the king realm. I really wonder what goes on in that man’s mind.”
“What are all these items?” Qin Huai gestured towards the carts of goods departing from Wuji Mountain. He was unfamiliar with the items, but he knew that a substantial amount of secret manuals, pills, and artifacts from Wuji Mountain were being transported to Lingkou Pass and distributed across the ten counties of East Qingzhou.
“These are materials used for Wuji Mountain’s protective array. We’re taking them down and moving them to either Lingkou Pass or Jiang City,” Kong Binghuang explained.
“You can disassemble and reassemble it?” Qin Huai was intrigued. He hadn’t come across such practices in his extensive reading on arrays. Even the blood sea array and the protective array of Wuji Mountain contained minor variations not documented in the ancient texts.
Kong Binghuang laughed. “The world of martial arts is always evolving. While my own martial arts haven’t advanced much over the past ten thousand years, I’ve made considerable progress in alchemy, arrays, forging, talismans, and the like.” His laughter faded into silence.
“Is it because of the demons?” Qin Huai ventured a guess.
“Indeed.” Kong Binghuang sighed. “The eight royal families that once invaded Great You have now established themselves as its rightful rulers. They’ve spread throughout the sixteen states of Great You, occupying key positions everywhere. They fear the human race surpassing them and have resorted to killing prodigies and even severing the illusory fate of the human race.”
“Shouldn’t the True Path Sect, Buddhist Sect, and Confucian Academy be the only three major powers in Great You?” Qin Huai asked.
“Those three factions have only just regained some vitality after nearly a thousand years, giving them the strength to counter the eight royal families.”
“But centuries have passed,” Kong Binghuang continued, “Numerous loyal lackeys have emerged from the human race, diligently working against these three factions. Their relentless moves have made it difficult for us to gain momentum, hampering our efforts to resurrect our grand cause.”
Kong Binghuang sneered. “Many schemes the demons couldn’t even conceive of have been devised and shattered by these sycophants. What an irony. However, the core issue is the dispersion of fate and public sentiment, leading to a stagnation in Great You’s martial arts development. In the last ten thousand years, there has been no advancement in martial arts.”
“Are fate and the human heart truly connected to martial arts?” Qin Huai asked.
Kong Binghuang nodded, explaining, “Indeed. Those who are revered by the masses can perceive aspects that elude ordinary people. They can see the brilliant galaxy formed by human hearts and the dense power of faith. This power fuels the prodigies, continually driving them forward, and in the end, they repeatedly create what we call miracles. Hence, there’s a saying among the three factions: all miracles leave traces. This is the basis of our True Path Sect’s belief that the Heavenly Dao bears the weight of karma.”
At this, Qin Huai thought back to the scene at Lingkou Pass and the radiant galaxy formed by the ten counties when he entered the blood sea. Its splendor had stirred his heart. Now, thanks to Kong Binghuang’s explanation, he understood what those mysterious specks of light were.
“Unfortunately,” Kong Binghuang sighed, “these elements have been shattered by the eight royal families, making them impossible to reassemble.”
As they conversed, the large group from Wuji Mountain behind them had already started to withdraw. They didn’t dare linger, and promptly made for Spirit Gate.
“On another note, are you familiar with the spirit realm?” Qin Huai asked as they journeyed.
“The spirit realm… Oh, I nearly forgot.” Kong Binghuang slapped his forehead. “Tang Pi informed you, didn’t he?”
Qin Huai nodded in confirmation.
Kong Binghuang paused for a moment before explaining, “Martial arts encompass four realms. The first realm involves refining blood, where one uses martial arts to temper their blood and strengthen their body. The second, the bone pattern, involves incorporating martial arts into the body, tempering one’s bones and muscles, nurturing one’s qi, and accumulating energy. The third, the visceral prefecture, uses heavenly spiritual objects and living treasures as guides to open the body, essentially further tempering the organs to make them stronger.
“The aging and death of a person are actually due to the decrease in organ vitality as one’s lifespan increases. The visceral prefecture realm not only boasts an astounding lethal power but also significantly increases a martial artist’s lifespan. Free from illnesses and diseases, they can live for five hundred years.
“Ultimately, these three realms aim to train one’s physique and maintain physical vitality.”
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