Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

boom!
Astral projection!

Chen Jie entered an extremely mysterious state, his primordial spirit solidified and he stood suspended in mid-air.

but,

His body did not stop cultivating even though his primordial spirit left his body.

at this time,

He continued to use the Dragon Claw Hand and Wuji Sword Technique moves.

It blends strength and agility, sometimes as swift as thunder, sometimes as gentle as the wind.

The Dragon Claw Hand and the Limitless Sword Technique complement each other, allowing for both offense and defense.

Under normal circumstances, once the spirit leaves the body, the body will be in a static state.

Even after Chen Jie's primordial spirit left his body, his physical body continued to perform martial arts.

"This is not a state of astral projection, but rather a state of unity of mind and spirit!"

"My cultivation of spirit has only just broken through to the first stage of sitting in oblivion, and I haven't even reached the unity of spirit and mind yet. What's going on?"

He clearly felt that this state of his was completely different from his usual astral projection.

He was completely stunned.

It turns out that for a martial artist to achieve the ability to simultaneously project their spirit into their body and perform martial arts techniques, they need to reach a state of unity between mind and spirit.

After the divine consciousness separates, it merges back into the physical body.

In Taoist terms, it's called the primordial spirit possessing the body!
Unbeknownst to them, their primordial spirit left a trace of its divine will within their physical body.

However, Chen Jie's spiritual refinement realm has only just broken through to the first stage of sitting in oblivion—faith and reverence.

He hasn't even mastered the first stage of sitting in oblivion, let alone the second stage of severing ties and the third stage of calming the mind.

Generally speaking,
To achieve unity of mind and spirit, one usually needs to break through to the level of "gathering the mind" or higher in the realm of spiritual refinement.

Therefore,
Given Chen Jie's current level of spiritual refinement, it would be almost impossible for him to use martial arts while his primordial spirit is separated from his body.

The key is,
Chen Jie could clearly feel that no divine thoughts remained in his body.

Even in his current state of astral projection, his body can still perform Dragon Claw Hand and Limitless Sword Technique, completely subverting the norms of martial arts.

You could even say that this is a form of cultivation in a state of no-thought.

"The mind is clear and empty, silent and still, without desire or want, without laws or thoughts. Although the whole person is in a state of emptiness and clarity, they can still use martial arts!"

suddenly,
Chen Jie recalled that there seemed to be such a record in the martial arts inheritance of the Wuji Sword Saint.

original,

The moment he broke through from the Refining Spirit Realm to the Sitting in Oblivion Realm, his body unknowingly entered a state that every martial artist dreams of.

My mind is clear and bright!

This is a martial arts state that is a level higher than 'enlightenment' and 'meditation'.

Within the Shaolin Temple, some martial monks train arduously from a young age and are known as ascetic monks.

They had no distractions; their entire focus was on practicing martial arts.

Over the years, this creates a kind of habitual way of thinking.

Even while they are sleeping, their bodies will unconsciously begin to perform moves, as if they are sleepwalking.

This is a habitual movement formed by the body at night after practicing martial arts during the day.

Every move will be executed with all one's might, unleashing astonishing power.

but,

They were completely unaware of it, as if they were in a dream.

This is the state of mental clarity and emptiness.

I was in a daze, not knowing where I was or what I was doing.

It seemed as if his mind was completely blank, but his body was performing martial arts.

In this wondrous state, the progress in martial arts training is far better than ever before.

My mind is clear and bright!

Jian Wuming once told Chen Jie that he entered the realm of Sword Saint at the age of fifty-eight by relying on the martial arts inheritance of Kunlun Sword Sect, taking many spiritual medicines, and taking many shortcuts.

Only by frequently entering a state of sudden enlightenment can one break through to the level of a sword saint before the age of sixty.

but,

He had never entered that state of 'clear and empty mind'.

For any martial artist, a state of mental emptiness is something that can only be encountered by chance.

Jian Wuming once remarked with great emotion that if one could enter a state of "clear and tranquil mind" to practice martial arts, over many years, one could push the true meaning of martial arts to its limit and break the shackles of human martial arts.

They might even eventually break through the peak of Martial Saint, achieve enlightenment and ascend to heaven, breaking the final shackles of heaven and earth.

For those who practice martial arts, if their primordial spirit and physical body cannot reach the state of unity of mind and spirit.

Then,

His martial arts skills can at most reach the level of a beginner-level Martial Saint, and he cannot step into the threshold of a mid-level Martial Saint.

but,

If, by chance, one is able to enter the 'clear and empty mind' state, then it may be possible to directly cross this threshold.

"The sun rises and the moon sets, day and night alternate, unchanging through the ages; born in the morning and dying in the evening, stars rise and fall, in endless cycles!"

"Yin and Yang give rise to each other, waxing and waning transform into one another, and the beginning and the end are the same! In the world, where is there a need for divine thoughts to govern everything in the human body?"

After seeing his primordial spirit leave his body, he lost control of his divine will over his body.

but,

He entered a state of 'clear and tranquil mind'.

With a claw, a sword, a punch, and a kick, he practiced his martial arts one by one.

Movement and stillness are interdependent, emptiness and fullness alternate, and the cycle continues endlessly;

One opening and one closing, one change and one transformation, the great way is natural.

His primordial spirit remained suspended in mid-air, seemingly in the void.

suddenly,
Chen Jie finally understood the true meaning of the state of 'clear and empty mind'.

The moon waxes and wanes, its phases endlessly alternating between new and dark.

Throughout the world, the cycles and movements of nature never cease because of the appearance of any one thing.

Following the order of the heavens and the constant cycle of the sun and moon, it forms its own realm!
In this world, there is no divine power that can control everything.

Go with the flow!

This is the law of nature, and also the law of heaven and earth.

"Observe the cycle of the sun and moon, understand the reincarnation of all things, and thus prove the Great Dao!"

Chen Jie understood this principle, and his understanding of the path of martial arts became increasingly clear.

Without thinking about the inertia of his physical training, Chen Jie relied on his clear and enlightened state of mind to integrate the martial arts cultivation of the 'Taiping Jing'.

As he channeled his primordial spirit, ripples and fluctuations appeared continuously in the void.

This is the power of the laws of heaven and earth!
All the power continuously converged on the primordial spirit, and the illusory image of that primordial spirit reappeared, becoming as pure as crystal.

Vajra Moonflower Indestructible Body!
boom!
In a state of mental clarity, the speed at which the 'Vajra Moon Essence Undying Body' is condensed is several times faster than before.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the primordial spirit had already solidified, becoming crystal clear.

From a distance, one could even see the surface of the primordial spirit, radiating a faint glow.

Like moonlight, it shimmered in the dark night.

"The War Spear of the Asura King!"

After Chen Jie felt his primordial spirit solidify, his Vajra Moon Essence Undying Body became even more powerful.

When the primordial spirit and physical body become one, the person appears more agile, domineering, and sharp.

hum!
next moment,
His mind raced, and a fleeting thought suddenly popped into his head.

No, it should be called malice.

"Full of evil thoughts, he neither kneels to heaven nor to earth, nor respects gods or Buddhas, but only believes in the spear in his hand—this is the Asura King!"

"Subdue him, and he may become a protector of the Asura!"

Chen Jie's primordial spirit condensed, instantly subduing the sliver of evil thought that had arisen in his heart.

This is a demon in my heart! I just broke through from the Refining Spirit Realm to the Forgetfulness Realm, and I never expected that demonic thoughts would arise in my heart.

After he subdued the evil thought, he allowed it to surround him.

After a while,

This evil thought of the inner demon transformed into an enormous battle halberd.

boom!
The next moment, Chen Jie's primordial spirit manifestation changed instantly.

The Vajra Moon Radiance Undying Body, as transparent as crystal, manifested its Dharma form, and a battle spear appeared in its hand.

This is the weapon of the Asura King, filled with malevolent energy.

The halberd exuded an incredibly strong aura of evil, giving off an extremely terrifying sense of intimidation.

This halberd was formed by condensing the power of one's primordial spirit and fusing it with moonlight and the power of one's primordial spirit.

but,

However, it is completely different from the Vajra Moon Essence Indestructible Body that he has condensed.

Within the transparent, glass-like image of the dharma body, a dense aura of malevolence flowed.

Anyone who sees the battle halberd in Chen Jie's primordial spirit form will feel fear.

It was even filled with an evil aura.

Chen Jie knew very well that this was the battle halberd in the hands of the Asura King.

A halberd formed from the power of inner demons, exuding a murderous aura.

It is formed from one's own evil thoughts, complementing the Vajra Indestructible Body, one righteous and one evil.

"This battle halberd is refined and can be called a spiritual weapon; it can injure a person's primordial spirit!"

Chen Jie took a deep breath and stared at the battle halberd he had just condensed.

He quickly realized that this halberd was the same as the Overlord Bow and the God-Devouring Arrow, capable of harming the primordial spirit.

Especially for a beginner-level Martial Saint, who has only recently condensed their primordial spirit.

This halberd can annihilate the primordial spirit of a beginner-level Martial Saint!
Even when fighting against the primordial spirit of a mid-level Martial Saint, it can still injure the opponent.

In the state of forgetting oneself, one's divine thoughts condense the great power of heaven and earth, becoming unpredictable, formless, and intangible.

Chen Jie suppressed his evil thoughts and condensed them into the Asura King's battle spear.

this moment,
He knew in his heart that he had truly entered the state of forgetting worldly desires.

The Asura King's Battle Spear, formed from the power of the primordial spirit, is completely different from the Asura King manifested in the Dharma form.

The Asura King manifested as a Dharma form, or even a divine dragon, or a sword-wielding Dharma form, are all formless and intangible, only able to assist themselves and exert a strong deterrent on the opponent.

From another perspective, the power of manifesting the Dharma form is merely a form of mental suppression.

Once you encounter someone with extremely strong willpower, the power of manifested Dharma forms becomes useless.

but,

The Asura King's halberd, formed from malevolent thoughts, exudes a murderous aura.

It has a physical form, just like the God-Devouring Arrow, and can be seen with the naked eye; it possesses extremely great power.

Not only can it damage the primordial spirit with its battle spear, but once solidified, it can even destroy the physical body.

Even if the opponent's Refinement Realm is higher than Chen Jie's.

Anyone struck by this Asura King's War Spear will inevitably suffer damage.

This is the difference between the manifestation of the primordial spirit and the manifestation of evil thoughts.

"Asura King, Rakshasa King, Netherworld King, Soul Devouring King, Army Breaker King, Greedy Wolf King, World Destroyer King, Annihilation King, Chaos King—!"

After Chen Jie entered the stage of meditation in the realm of spiritual refinement, his entire spiritual consciousness was completely different.

The legends recorded in the Taiping Jing and Buddhist scriptures swirled in his mind.

Unconsciously,
He gained a deeper understanding of some Buddhist and Taoist scriptures.

His Vajra Moon Immortal Body and Sword Dao Dharma Form became even more solid and perfect.

The sword saint techniques and sword laws within the way of the sword are becoming increasingly clear in his mind.

"The condensation of the power of the primordial spirit and dharma form is merely a cultivation technique; its power is not strong in battles between Saint-level experts!"

"If I hadn't fused my divine sense with the power of the ice barrier of the mid-level spirit sword, I wouldn't have been a match for Meng Lianhua at all."

"After entering the state of forgetting oneself, the strength of one's primordial spirit lies in the condensation of evil thoughts, which can harm the opponent's primordial spirit!"

"During the fierce battle with Meng Lianhua, my primordial spirit was imprisoned by the poisonous spiders that her Heavenly Net had conjured!"

"Even if I try my best to break free, it's all in vain."

"Although I have the [Martial Saint Sect] to ensure my primordial spirit is not destroyed, and she cannot truly harm me, there is almost no chance for me to break free from the restraints."

"Only in the end, in a fit of rage, did he unleash the wrath of the dragon, which was in fact an arousal of evil thoughts, and manifest the Dharma form of the King of Annihilation!"

"Breaking through the endless void, the wrath of the divine dragon truly annihilates everything in the world!"

The dragon's wrath burned fiercely, transforming it into the King of Annihilation, its murderous aura soaring to the heavens!
Chen Jie recalled his life-or-death duel with Meng Lianhua once again.

However, he dared not attempt to provoke the dragon's wrath with his anger, and he didn't even have the thought of visualizing the King of Annihilation in his mind.

When the primordial spirit condenses into evil thoughts, it is easy for it to backfire, given that his foundation is not yet completely stable.

Because his Refining Spirit Realm had only just broken through to the Forgetfulness Realm, he could only condense the Asura King's Battle Spear and barely solidify the baleful aura.

"Having broken through to the state of forgetting oneself, my primordial spirit will no longer suffer backlash and can condense the Asura King's battle spear."

"However, to completely transform the anger in one's heart into malevolent energy, to condense the malevolent energy of heaven and earth into one, and to manifest the true form of the inner demon, it is probably only possible to break through to the high-level Martial Saint level."

If one can manifest the true form of the inner demon and condense the true wrath of the dragon.

Then,

Chen Jie never imagined that anyone in the world could withstand his sword strike.

Of course, he can't do that yet.

"I have gained a lot from today's cultivation. My martial arts level has already reached the Saint level, and I have also entered a state of mental clarity."

"My Spirit Refinement Realm has also broken through to the Forgetfulness Realm. If I can advance further and break through to the second, third, or even fourth stage of Forgetfulness!"

"Then my combat power will be able to defeat Miyamoto Musashi, and I will truly be invincible under heaven."

boom!
With a turn of his cultivation technique, Chen Jie's divine sense returned to his body, and his primordial spirit returned to his body.

After his primordial spirit returned to his body, he immediately stopped practicing martial arts, which had been in a state of mental clarity.

this moment,
Chen Jie felt his blood and qi surging within him, his bones and muscles rumbling, and his muscles containing terrifying power.

More importantly, he was filled with boundless confidence and was in exceptionally good condition.

His mental energy was so abundant that he had reached his peak condition, far surpassing any time before.

Given his current state, he had a feeling that even without Jian Wuming's assistance, he would still be able to fight Meng Lianhua again.

but,

Instead of taking advantage of his peak condition to spar with Jian Wuming, he forced himself to calm down and sat down cross-legged.

He suppressed the fighting spirit that surged within him.

Then,

He kept taking deep breaths to relax.

The mind and body completely relax, the mind is free of any thoughts, and one enters a state of deep sleep.

When he woke up again, it was already the morning of the next day.

The east is bright!

As the morning sun rose from the east, the sound of a cold wind howling came from the courtyard wall.

The morning mist creates a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere.

He could clearly sense the ants in the corner of the yard constantly carrying food.

The Saint-Slaying Sword was placed in front of him, and Chen Jie bowed to the mid-level spiritual sword with utmost sincerity.

This is a connection between the mind and the sword.

Sacrifice the sword!

The goal is to achieve a seamless integration between divine sense and the spirituality of the Holy-Slaying Sword, establishing that extremely subtle connection.

Therefore, daily sword offerings will become a mandatory course during this period. (End of Chapter)