Beichen Sword Sect's Headmaster's Secret Records

Chapter 356 The Heaven-Burning Righteous Law
"Yi'er, today I will teach you the secret techniques of the Zhen Su Star Army, the Fire Decisive Battle Technique, the Heaven-Burning Righteous Law."

"Fire Technique? Father, the罡拳 (Gang Fist) can also ignite fire?"

"Of course it is possible. Gangsha Qi is originally one. It may originate from the muscles and bones, or be attached to the spirit, or reside in the lungs and internal organs. The ancient Qi cultivators could use Dao Qi to drive the Crimson Fiend Wildfire, and the secret methods of guiding and controlling lightning and thunder were originally derived from the four orthodox methods of my Zhenxing Constellation Guard, Fire, Thunder, Fighting Plague, and so on. The principles involved are naturally the same."

However, without strengthening the body and building up muscles and bones, even the most refined Qi cultivation is like water without a source or a tree without roots—it cannot last. Therefore, although I have taught you this technique, you must not neglect the practice of Gangquan even for a single day. Do you understand?

"Yes, Father, please rest assured. I will never dare to slack off in the Gangquan body training."

"Alright, I'll teach you the Crimson Fire Talisman first. This talisman can be drawn on arrows, swords, and spears, drawing upon a breath of Daoist Qi to ignite a fire. Then, practice using the Qi of the Gale to fuel the combustion."

You should start by studying and practicing techniques like Flame Arrow and Flame Sword. With time and diligent practice, when you unleash a punch that pierces the air, you will naturally be able to unleash the true essence of our sect's teachings, the Heaven-Burning Flame Fist.

But remember, the Flame Fist is too fierce and intense. The Body Tempering of the罡拳 (Gāngquán) requires at least the fortieth level, the ability to release and control the罡风 (gāngfēng) freely, before one can cultivate it. Otherwise, one will inevitably attract fire and harm oneself!

"Yes, Father, please rest assured, I will definitely work hard and master the Flame Fist!"

"Hmm...sigh, actually it's not a big deal if you can't master it. The so-called imbalance of Yin and Yang and the burning of the five Qi will damage the heart, lungs, liver and intestines, cause loss of essence and confusion, and cause the three burners to be reversed and the soul to fly away. Although this Flame Fist is extremely powerful, it is actually a fighting method used in the great battle against the demons, where one burned oneself to death with the opponent. Unless it is a last resort and a death sentence, it should not be used lightly."

Moreover, with forty levels of the罡拳 (Gāngquán, a type of martial arts technique), what can't be broken by a single punch? Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer people willing to put in the effort to diligently practice. To reach forty levels of power is enough to be a pillar of the nation, protect the court, be ennobled as a marquis or general, and bring glory to one's ancestors.

"Yes, Father, please rest assured, I will study diligently and practice hard to slay demons and monsters! I will serve the court and never bring shame to the Huangfu family!"

"There's no need to go that far. The current court... sigh, you're sometimes too honest, that's why I'm a little uneasy..."

Alright, it's good for a young person to have their own ambitions. Yi'er, your talent far surpasses mine. You must study this Flaming Fist Orthodox Method diligently and strive for perfection.

After all, only by mastering the four orthodox methods can one have a chance to break through the 120th level of the罡拳 (Gangquan) realm and reach the threshold of the 斗神将 (Dou Shen Jiang) level.

"One hundred, one hundred and twenty layers... Gang Fist, can it really withstand one hundred and twenty layers? Is there really anyone who can cultivate to that level of Battle God? Uh, apart from Immortal Venerables..."

"Of course you can, besides, even the 120th level is just the beginning, not even qualified to be a gatekeeper..."

However, reaching that level of cultivation is extremely difficult. Besides the authentic transmission of the true teachings, diligent study and practice, and the indispensable innate talent and comprehension, it also requires favorable timing, location, and external assistance.

While the Gang Fist can unleash potential and multiply combat power, you must possess the necessary aptitude to unleash it. If your physique is insufficient, even the most arduous training will only deplete your own essence and blood, inevitably leading to backlash and injury. The Yan Fist's depletion is particularly intense and rapid; eight or nine out of ten of my Fire Division warriors have succumbed to its own power and died from this very move.

Those warriors who fought back then, able to cross this threshold, all fought day and night against demon gods and lords, devouring demon hearts, dragon marrow, and demon bones, growing stronger with each battle, and fighting even more fiercely until they conquered the world. Over the course of ten thousand years, they nearly wiped out the demons, leaving no way for later generations to survive.

However, times have changed. Now, the demonic calamity has risen again, plunging the world into chaos and causing immense suffering. But this may be your opportunity to rise. Yi'er, with your talent and temperament, you might truly be able to refine the Gang Fist to over one hundred and twenty levels. I imagine that when that time comes, they will come to see you…”

"they?"

"Indeed, they are the true masters of the Celestial Palace, and only by meeting them will you have the chance to witness the true nature of the world..."

"Cough cough cough, cough cough cough... Ptooey, ptooey ptooey..."

Exhausted of his Qi, Huangfu Yi, who had temporarily lost consciousness, seemed to hear something. He was quickly awakened by the intense heat and scorching heat, spitting out the dust and ashes that had splashed into his mouth as he climbed out of the lava pit.

Looking around, everything was in ruins. Rolling heat, streams of flame, fiery tornadoes, and gusts of fire scorched the surrounding vegetation into torches. Clusters of Dao flames were blown by the heat and spiraled upwards, illuminating the night sky.

The walls of the mortuary were swept directly by the shockwave and collapsed amidst the roar of the explosion. The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) was now just a pile of incomplete, unrecognizable remains. Even the mule pulling the cart was blown three zhang away, half of its body landing on a tree with a bunch of intestines hanging down, the flesh already cooked. The scene was beyond description.

Well, the situation just now was extremely critical. Seeing that he was about to be whipped on the head and had no way to dodge or escape, Huangfu Yi was also driven to desperation. That's why he forced out his potential and tried his best to condense his Qi to protect his body, so as to at least block the whip and avoid being blown off his head.

Who knew that in a moment of nervousness, he would actually unleash the Flame Fist...

Indeed, the Flame Fist, one of the four combat techniques of Fire, Thunder, and Plague, each has its own unique variations in fist energy. And the Flame Fist is the cornerstone of the Fire-based combat techniques!

It should be noted that even the basic Gangquan (罡拳) requires layer by layer to develop strength. When exerting force and punching, one must accumulate power. If you find that your muscles are throbbing and your whole body is bleeding, then you know that you are about to reach your limit and you should stop and not force the fight.

But the Flame Fist is formidable, leaving no room for hesitation or regret! With a whoosh, it ignites the very essence of his body! It unleashes his inner energy like a raging fire! Offense without defense! Burning himself to the bone! He unleashes an incomparably scorching, boundless, and domineering punch! Devastating! A fight to the death! And then, another punch!
So he punched it and smashed it to pieces...

Huangfu Yi was startled, then suddenly realized what was happening. He looked down and examined his body, touching here and there, trying to move his limbs to make sure he wasn't missing any arms or legs.

Surprisingly, nothing happened?

Is everything really alright? Completely unharmed? How is that possible??
After trying breathing exercises and expending energy, Huangfu Yi finally figured it out.

Alright, I see. It's because this fiery fist strike was the Qi he had diligently cultivated and refined for ten years. Meanwhile, the century-old Dao Qi that the demoness had poured into his body was still lingering in his Qi Sea.

Because this Qi had never been refined, it was naturally uncontrollable. As a result, by a twist of fate, it became a protective barrier, isolating him from the counterattack of the Flaming Fist Qi and indirectly saving his life.

Realizing what had happened, Huangfu Yi was filled with lingering fear.

Wow, a century of cultivation, and it's terrifying! And the power of the Flame Fist, which is only ten years old, is also so terrifying!
If it weren't for this layer of true qi protecting him, that punch would have surely caused him to explode and die. No wonder his father repeatedly warned him not to act rashly unless absolutely necessary.

But if that's the case, doesn't that mean he can now unleash his Flaming Fist recklessly? After all, with a century's worth of internal energy protecting him, he can use this move without any worries.

Wait a minute, isn't this a huge benefit, leaving me indebted to that vixen? Am I really going to have to follow in her footsteps and become her partner?
Huangfu Yi quickly shook his head, banishing these chaotic thoughts from his mind. He first searched the corpse, piecing together a set of seven or eight-pound cowhide chainmail, with cowhide and rhinoceros hide covering his chest and back, and finely crafted iron rings connecting his waist and shoulders, forming a dense net. He then used a hip robe to cover his body and a leather belt to bind his waist.

After dressing up, he also collected the bodies of the five bodyguards and buried them all in the backyard of the mortuary. Then he tore apart and ate the roasted donkey meat, finally filling his stomach and replenishing his energy. Finally, he found a wooden box in the overturned and wrecked carriage.

The wooden box was covered with layers of talisman paper and thick cinnabar, sealed with the seal of the Weiyuan Escort Agency. It was a flat, flat piece, and it was unclear what kind of magical artifact it was. It seemed to be the goods that this group of people were escorting to the Pei family mansion in Jiangzhou.

Huangfu Yi looked at the wooden box, thought for a moment, then clasped his hands in a fist salute towards the bodyguard in the grave.

"Gentlemen, today's events were originally a misunderstanding. In the martial world, everyone relies on their own abilities, and there's nothing more to say now that things have come to this. However, if I were to rob your goods, I would truly become a murderer and robber."

"In that case, I will deliver this shipment on your behalf, so that heaven and earth may know that I, Huangfu Yi, am a true man who has acted with a clear conscience."

So Huangfu Yi didn't open the box. He wrapped the wooden box in cloth, tied it to his body, carried a slingshot, a spear, and a nine-section whip, and started walking down the mountain along the forest path.

They traveled swiftly, day and night, until the sun was high in the sky, when they came into view of a prefectural city, with the words "Jiangzhou" written on the gate tower.

Looking at the fluttering banners and the beautiful white birds upstairs, Huangfu Yi was also shocked.

White Phoenix and Swan? How did they end up in the Qian Kingdom? This is truly divine intervention...

"I am Bai Yi from Weiyuan Escort Agency, here on assignment as the head escort."

Unable to figure it out for a moment, Huangfu Yi used the dart to enter the city. The city gate guards didn't notice anything amiss and even gave him directions.
"Prime Minister Pei's residence is in the south of the city. Walk along the main road to the end, pass through the commercial district, and you'll find the largest estate there." "Thank you."

Huangfu Yi also heard that Jiangzhou was now the territory of the Demonic Sect, and the local area was managed by powerful clans. They not only sent their clan members to the mountains to seek the Dao, but also sent tons of offerings to the mountains every year, completely ignoring the orders of the Immortal Palace.

With a nearby deity protecting them, it's certainly more effective than a distant celestial emperor. At least in the city, while it might not be considered a place of great peace and prosperity, it's certainly not like Lingwu Town, where demons roam and chaos reigns. The turmoil of war doesn't seem to have yet befallen the people of Qianzhou.

But it should be soon. Entering the market town along the main road, the pungent stench of blood filled the air from afar. Turning a corner, one saw a massive demon mountain piled high with corpses. A group of merchants were gathered before the demon mountain, negotiating with several cultivators, some dressed in Taoist robes and others in monk's robes. They were exchanging gold, silver, copper, iron, herbs, and jade for demon beast materials. Once a deal was struck, strongmen and laborers would come to select the demon beasts, skinning, butchering, and butchering them on the spot.

Huangfu Yi also passed by and took a few more glances. He knew that most of these people were mountain people from small sects or independent cultivators who were not in good health. Because their sects lacked resources and they were busy cultivating, they would hunt demons and sell them in the human market to exchange for resources from the powerful families and cultivation clans living in the city.

Since most of these cultivation families have disciples cultivating in nearby sects, many offerings are eventually sent to the mountains. Therefore, the local sects tacitly approve of these transactions by independent cultivators.

Huangfu Yi originally didn't want to cause trouble. He just wanted to get around the mountain of demonic corpses. But as he passed through the crowd, a large hand suddenly reached out and grabbed the package on his back!

"You thief, how dare you!"

Huangfu Yi reacted instantly, turning his spear around and thrusting it back, striking the palm of the hand.

"Ping!"

Unexpectedly, the hand flicked its finger, striking the tip of the spear. A strange force shattered the spear tip into pieces! It almost knocked the spear shaft off both hands!
"Ah!"

Fortunately, with a century of internal energy protecting him, Huangfu Yi was not directly swept away and coughed up blood, but his Qi Sea was still shaken and he tumbled and rolled like a hawk, spinning several times on the ground before the force dissipated.

"Hmph! Interesting!"

Before Huangfu Yi could even land and steady himself, a cold snort came from behind him, followed by a gust of wind that whistled past his ears. Clearly, his earlier resistance had enraged his opponent, who immediately attacked! Without giving him any chance to catch his breath, a fierce blow came straight at his head!

"Ah!"

Fortunately, Huangfu Yichang was in the north and was already used to the battle rhythm of being suddenly attacked by demons. He did not show any weakness when the killing calamity began!

He immediately roared! Using the wind to pinpoint his location, he simultaneously thrust the broken spear in his hand behind him and swept the nine-section whip horizontally to his side!

"Bang!" "Huh?"

Hit!
Thanks to his experience in the martial world, Huangfu Yi gained valuable experience and had a small fight with the bodyguards. He realized that the people in the city were indeed cunning and treacherous, saying one thing and doing another. He was afraid that someone might attack him from the shadows at any time and outnumber him. Therefore, he was already on guard and swung his iron whip in a half-circle, sweeping it all over his body!

So the whip was clearly meant to sweep towards empty space, but suddenly a person appeared!
It turned out the opponent had indeed used a feint! They first made a show of force behind Huangfu Yi's back, tricking him into attacking from behind. In reality, they had already prepared an invisibility spell! A palm strike, silent and stealthy, was about to strike Huangfu Yi's forehead, but it was unexpectedly swept away by a whip!
"kill!"

Huangfu Yi roared and leaped forward, swinging his short spear in his right hand and his iron whip in his left! His arms swung like windmills! He used all his strength! He swung it straight at the man's face!

"You bastard, you scoundrel!"

That man also suffered a loss in silence. He was not weak in skill, knew a magic technique, and had the upper hand. He thought that snatching a bundle from this kid would be a piece of cake and there would be no big problem.

Who would have thought that this kid actually had some skill? He withstood the shock of his internal energy without being injured at all. Not only that, he also got incredibly lucky. While he was gathering his strength by making a hand seal, his whip suddenly struck the numb tendon in his arm!

For a moment, the man's hand went numb and his arm trembled, as if he had lost an arm. He could only use one hand to parry and block, struggling to resist Huangfu Yi's chaotic and disorderly attacks. However, he put all his strength into the long whip and iron rod that were being wildly and forcefully struck at Huangfu Yi's face! He was forced to retreat repeatedly and was caught off guard!
"Wow!"

Little did he know that his bad luck had only just begun! After all, the two were fighting in a bustling market, where people were trading and there was a lot of gossip. This guy had taken advantage of the crowd to launch his sneak attack.

Unexpectedly, the two started fighting fiercely, which startled the crowd and caused great noise. Distracted by the noise, the man accidentally stepped on the splattered demon blood and flesh and slipped and fell.
"Drink!"

Suddenly losing his balance, his defenses were wide open! The cultivator was terrified! He roared and unleashed his true energy wildly! His palm strikes swept in all directions! Instantly, sand and stones flew, and a fierce wind arose! The violent force blasted Huangfu Yi away! Many merchants and servants around him suffered undeserved misfortune! They were struck by the penetrating palm force and sent flying like trash! Their bodies were injured, bones were broken, and blood spurted from their mouths and noses!

"Bold maniac!"

"Who committed this crime!"

"Don't stop yet!"

There were already cultivators from local sects stationed in the market, and many independent cultivators were trading around. When they saw someone suddenly unleashing their true qi and causing trouble, they all gathered around to see what was going on and whether there was any opportunity to fight for. In an instant, they scanned the area with their divine senses and locked onto the person causing the trouble.

Upon realizing that his plan had failed and attracted the attention of many people, the cultivator no longer cared about Huangfu Yi. Without saying a word, he quickly made a hand seal, stepped on the ground, and began to fly into the air, intending to leave!

"die--!"

"What!!"

But where could they possibly go?
How could Huangfu Yi let the tiger return to the mountain!

Once you start killing, you have to die!

"Oh!"

The sixteenfold罡拳 (Gāngquán, a type of internal energy fist) accelerated! With all his might, he charged forward, sacrificing himself! The youth was like a cannonball, heading straight for the cultivator's chest!

"You bastard! A mere demon palace warrior!!"

They were given a way out but didn't realize it, and now they're coming back to die!

The cultivator was furious! With a single palm thrust, he condensed the palm wind into a giant hand, aiming straight for his head!
However, Huangfu Yi was no mere warrior from the Demon Palace...

It's the ultimate demon palace warrior!!!
"Practice makes perfect!! Take my Flaming Fist—!"

"boom!!!"

Flames engulfed the sky, blazing light pierced the earth, fiery fists exploded like stars, a single blow sent him to his death.

"Varied……"

The cultivator lowered his head, looking at his body, which had been shattered by a single punch, leaving only half of it, a crescent moon-like fragment. For a moment, it plummeted from mid-air like a kite with a broken string, then suddenly burst into flames, landing silently, leaving only half of its charred remains, which then turned to ashes in the dust and smoke.

The market fell silent for a moment, then the crowd erupted in uproar!

"...Good heavens!!! This kid killed a Core Formation cultivator with a single punch!!!"

(End of this chapter)