Chapter 117: Chapter 116: Grade 9 Martial Arts
The faces of those who persisted grew as pale as snow. The immense spiritual pressure emanating from the Eight Kings Map relentlessly assailed their minds.
"Ah, forget it, forget it," Zhang Hua sighed, finally looking away.
Wen Xu didn’t last much longer either, giving up after a short while. However, his gaze kept darting between the Eight Kings Map and Wen Shibei. In his mind, Wen Shibei was the most talented person present and the one most likely to comprehend the Fist Technique. He couldn’t help but pin all his hopes on him.
Wen Qingye slowly gazed at the eight figures on the Eight Kings Map. The pressure was spiritual in nature, a test of one’s mental fortitude. Moreover, the Eight Kings Map also tested one’s ability to comprehend.
WHOOSH!
Suddenly, Wen Qingye’s clothes began to stir, though there was no wind. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as a vast, magnificent aura slowly unfurled around him.
As if sensing Wen Qingye’s Primordial Spirit, the Eight Kings Map suddenly erupted with a brilliant golden light, dazzling everyone present.
"What’s going on? What does it mean that the Eight Kings Map is glowing?"
"Look at Wen Qingye! His aura is incredible!"
...
Everyone looking at Wen Qingye had the illusory feeling of being crushed by a great mountain, a sensation that was nearly suffocating.
Ling Jiao’s lovely eyes flashed as she watched Wen Qingye. His loose strands of hair fluttered in the wind, and his aura, which had risen to its absolute zenith, gave him a unique, captivating grace.
"Hm?" Wen Qingye looked at the scroll, a little perplexed. ’There’s a remnant soul in this Eight Kings Map?’
The golden light pulsed. Unseen by the crowd, within a hazy, chaotic expanse, a golden figure appeared. Clad in golden armor and radiating a boundless golden light, it looked down on Wen Qingye with a majestic air and asked, "Who are you?"
Wen Qingye tilted his head back and said coldly, "You dare speak to me in such a manner?"
BOOM!
Wen Qingye unleashed his immense Primordial Spirit Power. Even though his Primordial Spirit was incomplete, it was far beyond anything the figure before him could ever hope to match.
Abruptly, a boundless, overwhelming wave of Primordial Spirit power crashed down upon the golden figure. In a single instant, Wen Qingye’s gaze seemed to envelop the entire world.
Sensing that boundless power, the figure’s face contorted in shock. Its body began to tremble, and its illusory form started to fade.
’Who in the world is this person!?’
The golden figure was both terrified and astounded!
After an unknown amount of time, the golden figure finally recovered its wits. It stammered, "Pl-please, Senior, calm your anger."
"Who are you?" Wen Qingye asked in return.
The golden figure replied, "I was a Prince of the Celestial Martial Country, from the year 10,723 of the Celestial Martial Calendar. During my cultivation, I grew greedy and reckless, ultimately suffering a fatal deviation. Only a sliver of my soul remained, which I had no choice but to infuse into this Eight Kings Map."
"Life and death are determined by fate. If you cannot live, it is better to enter the cycle of Reincarnation sooner rather than later."
"I beg you, Senior, help me..."
...
The crowd stared blankly at Wen Qingye and the golden light emanating from the Eight Kings Map, completely clueless as to what was transpiring.
"BLECH!"
At that very moment, Zhang Hui, Yao Qi, and Wen Shibei simultaneously felt a sudden, intense surge of pressure from the Eight Kings Map. A tightness constricted their chests, and they all involuntarily spat out a mouthful of blood.
After recovering, Zhang Hui took a deep breath and shot an indignant glance at the Eight Kings Map. ’Why did its pressure suddenly get so much stronger?’ When she saw that everyone else was also shaking their heads in defeat, she felt slightly better.
But just then, she noticed one person still standing tall against the pressure.
His aura was steadily climbing, as if it was about to overwhelm the Eight Kings Map itself.
He stood tall before the crowd, his gaze upon the Eight Kings Map like a god surveying mortals, radiating an air of boundless dominance.
Zhang Hui grit her teeth. "How can this be? How is Wen Qingye’s mental fortitude this strong?"
Ling Jiao stared, somewhat mesmerized, at Wen Qingye’s proud stance. In that instant, everyone else in attendance paled in comparison to him.
The others present were disheveled, their hair flying wildly and their faces as pale as paper, creating a stark contrast with Wen Qingye.
As Gao Yuerou looked at Wen Qingye, a trace of gentle, water-like tenderness filled her eyes.
Liu Ling said in astonishment, "Is that really Wen Qingye?"
Wen Qingye clasped his hands behind his back and nodded. Just then, the light from the Eight Kings Map abruptly dimmed, and then, before the astonished eyes of the crowd, it crumbled into dust.
Seeing the Eight Kings Map disappear, Yao Qi immediately roared, "Wen Qingye, what did you do?"
Yao Qi had planned on inviting Ling Jiao to study the Eight Kings Map together tonight. If he had managed to comprehend an Eighth-Grade Martial Art, not only would his power have soared, but Ling Jiao would have looked upon him with new respect. But now that the Eight Kings Map had turned to dust, his plans were ruined.
The disintegration of the Eight Kings Map was clearly related to Wen Qingye.
A member of the Yao Clan immediately shouted, "Wen Qingye, do you have any idea how precious that Eight Kings Map was?"
Wen Qingye paid no mind to the accusations from Yao Qi and the Yao Clan. Instead, he took out a piece of scrap cloth. With a light wave of his hand, the cloth was instantly covered in a dense array of markings.
Wen Qingye handed the cloth to Liu Tianli. "Grand-uncle, this is the Celestial Star Fist Technique. You should keep it."
"Th-The Celestial Star Fist Technique..." Liu Tianli said, subconsciously taking the cloth.
Hearing Wen Qingye’s words, everyone was shocked, their eyes fixed on Liu Tianli with envy.
"Did Wen Qingye just comprehend one of the Eighth-Grade Martial Arts?"
"No wonder, no wonder his aura was so powerful!"
"Heavens, Liu Tianli is so lucky! He just got an Eighth-Grade Martial Art for free!"
The expressions of Zhang Hua, Wen Xu, and Gao Ming changed simultaneously. A bitter feeling began to well up inside them.
Ling Jiao frowned. "Celestial Star Fist Technique? Why have I never heard of such a technique among the Eight-Star Boxing Skills of the Eight Kings Map?"
Yao Qi had been feeling miserable, but hearing Ling Jiao’s words, he snorted coldly. "Hmph! Wen Qingye, stop trying to play to the gallery. You didn’t comprehend any fist technique from the Eight Kings Map, so why put on this pathetic act?"
Doubt began to creep into the minds of many as they looked at Wen Qingye.
Wen Qingye shot Yao Qi a disdainful look, a cold smirk on his face, but said nothing.
"This... This isn’t an Eighth-Grade Martial Art!" At that moment, Liu Tianli’s hands trembled as he stared at the cloth, overcome with excitement.
Yao Qi jeered, "I told you so! How could Wen Qingye possibly grasp the true essence of the Eight Kings Map? That map was priceless! Your pathetic life, Wen Qingye, isn’t worth a fraction of its value!"
Liu Tianli suddenly burst out laughing as he looked at the cloth. "This is a Ninth-Grade Martial Art! HAHAHAHA! My Liu Family has a Ninth-Grade Martial Art now!"
A Ninth-Grade Martial Art!?
You could count the number of Ninth-Grade Martial Arts in the entire Celestial Martial Country on one hand.
Suddenly, the surrounding crowd fell silent, leaving only the sound of Liu Tianli’s laughter echoing through the air.
Liu Ling quickly ran over. "Grandfather, is it really a Ninth-Grade Martial Art? Is it real?"
Liu Tianli was overjoyed. "With my eye for these things, I can tell this is absolutely a Ninth-Grade Martial Art! There’s no mistake!"
Yao Qi, naturally, refused to believe it. "Hmph," he sneered. "You’ve never even seen a Ninth-Grade Martial Art in your life. Wen Qingye just hands you a tattered rag, and who’s to say if it’s really what he claims?"
Ling Jiao looked at Wen Qingye, her curiosity piqued. A radiant smile touched her lips. "Young Master Wen, would you be willing to give us a demonstration? I, for one, would love to see this Ninth-Grade Martial Art from the Eight Kings Map."
Wen Qingye raised an eyebrow, his gaze landing on Yao Qi. "Fine. Then I’ll use the Eldest Young Master Yao here to test out this Ninth-Grade Martial Art."
As Wen Qingye finished speaking, the surrounding Primordial Qi began to ripple like water. An unparalleled aura surged forth as he thrust out his fist. The force at its center was like a giant boulder crashing into the sea, the momentum like a meteor falling from the heavens.
"Celestial Star’s Descent!"
The Celestial Star’s Power! It crashed down!
Wherever the force of the fist passed, the very air seemed to crackle. CRACKLE! POP!
Yao Qi was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected Wen Qingye to be a man of his word and attack so suddenly—and him, of all people. He hastily threw his own punch to counter.
BANG!
Yao Qi had already been injured by the backlash from the Eight Kings Map. Despite his cultivation at the Refining Essence Eighth Layer Heaven, he was caught completely off guard. Unbalanced, he was sent stumbling back four or five steps, his face turning deathly pale.
Everyone who saw this was stunned.
’This fist technique... Was it from the Eight Kings Map?’
