Strongest War Emperor

Chapter 490: Chapter 476: Unity of Heaven and Man

The Fist Technique Shen Lang was demonstrating was called "Fiery Fire Thunder Fist." It was a technique he had given to the Sect Leaders of the various Sects long ago for them to practice.

And because they had all practiced it before, seeing Shen Lang use it now with such terrifying power made their hearts pound with uncontrollable excitement.

"Power originates from the root, rises through the spine, is unleashed from the shoulder, and delivered by the palm..."

Shen Lang’s figure moved across the lake’s surface as fluidly as drifting clouds and flowing water.

As he threw his punches, he explained the essentials and key points of the Fist Technique one by one.

The crowd by the lake stared intently at his every move, not even blinking.

Meanwhile, looks of utter astonishment appeared in the eyes of Zhuge Xian’Er and Yuan Bupu...

Aside from the two of them, everyone else here only had the Cultivation of the Spirit Martial Realm. And though those at the Spirit Martial Realm were incredibly talented, what they perceived was completely different from what was seen through the eyes of a King Martial Realm expert.

What Jun Qiluo, Chen Tianci, and the others saw was the ingenuity of Shen Lang’s Fist Technique and his meticulous, nuanced control over his power.

They saw Shen Lang’s Fist Technique, as fierce as thunder and as fast as wind; they saw a momentum that could split mountains, crack stone, and sweep through a thousand-man army.

But Zhuge Xian’Er and Yuan Bupu, as King Martial Realm experts, saw something on an even higher level... Momentum!

Heaven and Earth have Momentum. The blade has Sword Momentum, the sword has Sword Momentum, and arrays have the momentum of arrays.

"Momentum" is a level higher than the Realm and is something of even greater Profound Mysteries.

It is the rules of the world, the Heaven and Earth Rules!

An Array borrows the Trend of Heaven and Earth, calling upon the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

However, most Arrays are things that predecessors spent countless hours of time and energy to research. They can be taught to people, allowing them to be learned, but they are not, after all, comprehended by the Martial Artist themself.

If a Martial Artist could touch the edge of "Momentum," could comprehend its mysteries, and integrate it into their Fist Technique or Sword Skill—even just a tiny bit—the power could increase tenfold, even a hundredfold!

Back when Shen Lang was discovered spying on Yuwen Huaji collecting Beast Souls at the grassland altar, Yuwen Huaji had casually used a "Blood Handprint" to try and kill him.

Under those circumstances, the gap in Cultivation between the two was simply beyond measure.

And the Magical Treasure in Shen Lang’s hand was not powerful enough to resist an expert at the Xuanwu Realm Ninth Heaven...

In the eyes of Yuwen Huaji and Xu Daolin, who was beside him, Shen Lang was absolutely "dead for sure."

But even in that "dead for sure" situation, Shen Lang saw through the flaw in the Blood Handprint, borrowed the "Trend" of Heaven and Earth, and used power far weaker than Yuwen Huaji’s palm strike to shatter the Blood Handprint and escape with ease.

At that time, Shen Lang had only recently merged with the War Emperor’s memories and was basically still on the fringes of "Momentum," not having fully understood many things.

Yet he already possessed such soul-shaking power.

This just showed how powerful "Momentum" was.

It was said that only the legendary Peak Powerhouses could possibly touch the edge of "Momentum."

Only they could possibly touch the rules of the entire Heaven and Earth!

Once one comprehended "Momentum," even just a little, one could easily lay down an array formation that borrowed the Heaven and Earth Power and erupt with world-destroying might, even without having studied Arrays;

One could also use extremely little power to fight against a much greater force!

And now, Zhuge Xian’Er and Yuan Bupu were seeing that "Momentum" in Shen Lang!

His every punch and every movement did not seem overly complex, but they were all secretly in tune with the Trend of Heaven and Earth, creating an indescribable sense of beauty.

As he moved, people would suddenly forget that he was standing on the surface of the water...

In the eyes of the crowd, Shen Lang at this moment was the entire world... or rather, he had already merged with Heaven and Earth, achieving the Unity of Heaven and Man!

Yuan Bupu had originally been a Demon Beast, enslaved by humans for several thousand years. In the end, his Divine Soul was nearly devoured and his physical body was taken over... But with Shen Lang’s help, he was able to awaken. Furthermore, by using the Star Moon Bodhi Prayer Beads, he absorbed the Spiritual Power of more than ten King Martial Realm experts, as well as the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi drawn by that Grand Array.

The great ups and downs of his life had made him silent and reserved ever since he arrived at the Profound Dao Sect.

At the Profound Dao Sect, he trusted only Shen Lang and Zhuge Xian’Er...

Under these specific circumstances, watching Shen Lang demonstrate the Fist Technique, Yuan Bupu felt a stir in his heart and couldn’t help but begin to move along with Shen Lang’s motions.

Zhuge Xian’Er knew that such an opportunity was exceedingly rare. Seeing Yuan Bupu’s unusual state, she took a deep breath, cast aside all distracting thoughts, and focused her entire mind on Shen Lang.

At that moment, the two of them seemed to merge into one with Shen Lang, their minds following his every move as they sought to fathom the Trend of Heaven and Earth.

Power wasn’t everything. The stronger one’s Cultivation became and the further one progressed, the more the comparison between experts relied on "Momentum" to be judged.

"Momentum" was both the Heaven and Earth Rules and the Martial Arts Rules.

To fathom the Trend of Heaven and Earth was to comprehend the Heaven and Earth Rules.

In a sense, it was also the ultimate rule of how to apply power!

After finishing the Fist Technique set, Shen Lang flicked his wrist and brought out a Single Saber, then began to demonstrate a Sword Skill.

"Dragon-Riding Slash!"

It was, again, a Sword Skill that everyone had already practiced.

"In the primordial chaos of Heaven and Earth, a single blade strike splits the sky; I alone am supreme!"

"Ride the dragon, devour the heavens! Let your energy surge through mountains and rivers, as ten thousand blades hide in the sky!"

"Sword Intent, Battle Intent, and the will of the heart merge into one! All who stand in your way shall be scattered, for nothing is indestructible before you!"

The style of the Dragon-Riding Slash Sword Skill was expansive and bold, incomparably fierce and peerlessly domineering.

Driven by Shen Lang’s ferocious Sword Momentum, the lake water surged in tumultuous waves, churning and rushing as if a dragon were playing in the water.

"Martial Arts is not just about the Cultivation of power. It is a philosophy for mastering the mind and body, a path to exploring the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. Sword Skill, Fist Technique, Spear Skill—though they have countless variations, their essence is the same, and all can be integrated and mastered as one!"

As soon as Shen Lang’s voice fell, the "Nine-Phased Divine Dragon Spear" he had taken from the Qian Luo Disciple appeared in his hand. A blood-pumping Spear Skill filled with Profound Mysteries unfolded before the crowd.

This Spear Skill was as wild as the wind and as fierce as the waves, brimming with Killing Intent and an aura that shook the heavens.

It was also as fast as lightning and endlessly variable, with every single move being lethal.

When unleashed, it was like an Evil Dragon constantly roaring, tumbling up and down, maneuvering freely amidst a storm of its own making!

Just like that, Shen Lang switched from weapon to weapon—saber, spear, sword, and halberd. He matched each one with a different Combat Technique, yet every technique seemed to share a mysterious connection.

But as for what that connection was, or what Profound Mysteries it contained, that could only be grasped by intuition and was impossible to put into words.

In a daze, those who normally used swords found a rather absurd idea rising in their hearts: to use the sword in their hands to perform Spear Skills or other Sword Skills...

...

Shen Lang had only demonstrated for a little over two hours, but afterward, the crowd spent a full three days comprehending and reflecting on it.

Zhuge Xian’Er and Yuan Bupu, in particular, gained a great deal. Their Realms advanced significantly, and they achieved a deeper understanding of "Momentum."

Although they had yet to truly touch the edge of "Momentum," they could at least faintly perceive that level they had previously only heard of in legends.

This kind of rare, unmissable opportunity was, for Shen Lang, nothing more than a few casual movements.

Even someone as intelligent as Zhuge Xian’Er was now filled with curiosity about Shen Lang’s secrets.

As for Yuan Bupu, although he remained silent, his reverence for Shen Lang had clearly deepened.

This was not the kind of respect born from gratitude for Shen Lang saving his life, but one that carried many other meanings... including a heartfelt admiration for a supreme expert.

Although the current Shen Lang was far from the level of a supreme powerhouse—he even needed to rely on the Ghost King’s power just to fly.

...

「Three days later.」

Shen Lang once again gathered everyone.

"I have something to tell you all. I’ll be leaving first. We will meet in the Imperial Capital in ten days."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then the crowd immediately broke into an uproar.

Nalan Ziyun couldn’t wait to ask, "Why aren’t we going together? Where are you going all by yourself?"

Shen Lang was silent for a moment, then glanced at the crowd and said, "I have some things I need to take care of."

"The world is changing, the Nine-Star Linked Pearls have appeared, heaven and earth are being overturned, and the world is falling into chaos... I believe you’ve all heard about this; the Elders of your various Sects have already mentioned it to you."

"Having everyone train hard here wasn’t just for the trial in the Yumu Cave Blessed Land. It was to make you stronger, to help you all survive the great chaos to come."

"Fissures and cracks have already appeared in various regions of the world. The Supreme Yin Qi is surging forth, demons and devils are running rampant, the turmoil has already begun, and darkness is about to fall. Whether it’s in the Yumu Cave Blessed Land or elsewhere, the dangers you face now are ten, even a hundred times greater than before."

"Without great strength, without the cooperation of your companions, you will die. You will vanish like smoke."

Shen Lang’s words made the faces of the once-laughing crowd turn solemn.

"In the past, the trial in the Yumu Cave Blessed Land, or other large-scale trials, were seen by many as opportunities to gain fortune and make a name for themselves. But I hope you will all change that way of thinking and treat this trial as a true baptism of blood and fire!"

"This trial will be filled with bloodshed and cruelty."

"Face that bloodshed and cruelty head-on and use this trial to improve yourselves. Use this trial to thoroughly comprehend everything you have learned over these past few months."

"An age of chaos is coming. Even the major Sects can no longer be your safe havens. They asked me to lead you all into the Yumu Cave Blessed Land, hoping to use my power to protect you. Originally, I refused."

"Because I have no desire to be a babysitter, and I also don’t think you need one... Over these past few months, the improvement in many of your Cultivations has surpassed that of the previous few years. The Sects have provided you with unimaginable Elixir Pills and powerful Spiritual Artifacts. They paid a great price to equip everyone with Flying Spiritual Artifacts, all so that you could learn to protect yourselves."

"In the end, you must rely on yourselves!"

"The day you become strong enough to, in turn, protect your Sect, to protect your family and companions... that will be the greatest success."

Shen Lang sighed and said, "I’m sorry. Among these several hundred people, there are many whose names I don’t even know. But I consider you all my companions. I cherish your friendship, and I cherish every moment we’ve spent together..."

"Someone once told me that whether it was her or my other companions, none of them actually want to stand behind me and be protected..."

"She hopes that one day, she can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me, fight together, live together, or die together."

As he said this, the sorrowful face of Xue Shiyin once again appeared in Shen Lang’s mind.

’In this period of time, this remarkable woman has appeared in my thoughts even more frequently than Xue Dangdang...’

After a moment of silence, Shen Lang turned to Zhuge Xian’Er and said, "Xian’Er, why don’t you tell everyone about some of the recent events? Let them get a better understanding of the current situation."