Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Zhao Qingtan, Gu Yu, and Shuangjiang remained puzzled, wondering what Chen Zhan was planning to do.

Chen Zhan didn't beat around the bush and said to himself, "I will establish a sect in the martial arts world under a new identity, named Huangting Holy Sect. I will appear in the martial arts world as the Xuan Yang Holy Master to handle Buddhist affairs."

"The Twenty-Four Towers have also gone completely underground and ceased all public activities in order to avoid being targeted by Buddhist disciples and implicated."

"Huang Ting Sheng Jiao?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qingtan's eyes flashed with surprise. She had never imagined that Chen Zhan would establish another sect: "Brother Zhan, where do you plan to establish the sect?"

"Well then, let's take Zhongnan Mountain as our training ground."

Chen Zhan gazed into the distance and said, “From now on, Zhongnan Mountain will be mine. When you return, tell the young emperor to place Zhongnan Mountain under the jurisdiction of the Huangting Holy Sect and not allow anyone to interfere in the affairs of the mountain.”

"Okay, sure." Zhao Qingtan agreed without hesitation.

Let alone just asking for Zhongnan Mountain, even if Chen Zhan wanted half of the Song Dynasty's land, she would dare to agree on Zhao Xu's behalf.

Chen Zhan is now unparalleled in both power and martial arts. Zhao Xu's throne is secure only because Chen Zhan has no interest in it.

"Then let's arrange it that way."

Chen Zhan stood up and said decisively, "I will set off today to go into seclusion at Zhongnan Mountain for a period of time. Gu Yu and Shuang Jiang, the two of you will come with me to Zhongnan Mountain to handle the establishment of the sect. It doesn't need to be too magnificent. Just build some simple houses that can be used for living and holding meetings."

"Yes, Master!"

Gu Yu quickly agreed, her face full of excitement.

The agreement was reached, and the group went their separate ways.

Chen Zhan was the first to leave the Song Dynasty's central military camp. On the way, he also explained many matters concerning the establishment of the sect to Gu Yu and Shuang Jiang.

Moreover, he has no intention of taking on disciples.

Using the existing team makes it easier to cover one's tracks.

The three men, Jingzhe, Qingming, and Lidong, remained near Xixia to assist General Liu in eliminating the remaining Tibetan forces within Xixia territory and pursuing the two royal families who had fled to Tibet. As instructed by Chen Zhan, they continued until the various Tibetan tribes submitted their surrender documents, acknowledged their allegiance, and paid tribute before returning to the capital.

Bai Lu was ordered to return to Kaifeng, disband the Twenty-Four Towers, and secretly send all the remaining personnel and property of the Twenty-Four Towers to Zhongnan Mountain, where they were incorporated into the Huangting Holy Sect as the foundation of the early Huangting Holy Sect.

The disciples of the Twenty-Four Towers are all elites with high martial arts skills. With their assistance, the establishment of the Yellow Court Holy Sect can be twice as effective with half the effort.

The group parted ways, with Chen Zhan leading Gu Yu and Shuang Jiang, speeding towards Zhongnan Mountain.

Along the way, the traces of war gradually faded, and people began to resume their livelihoods.

A few days later, the three finally arrived at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain.

The Zhongnan Mountains stretch endlessly, with steep slopes and overlapping peaks. From afar, they resemble a fairyland, exuding a sense of tranquility and solemnity.

Chen Zhan reined in his horse, his gaze fixed on the towering Zhongnan Mountain, and said in a calm tone: "I will be in seclusion in the mountains for a while. You two will handle the establishment of the sect. Be cautious in everything you do. If you encounter any trouble, don't be reckless. Wait until I come out of seclusion before dealing with it."

Gu Yu and Shuang Jiang nodded quickly: "Disciples will remember!"

As soon as they finished speaking, Chen Zhan's figure had already disappeared when they looked up again.

As darkness fell and a cold wind began to blow, snowflakes started to drift down from the sky.

Fine snowflakes fall on the mountains and on the ancient trees, creating a thin layer of white frost.

Chen Zhan did not use any martial arts skills or any true energy. He simply walked up the mountain, step by step, slowly ascending the stone steps.

His steps were steady, and his expression was calm, as if he were taking a leisurely stroll rather than climbing a mountain.

His mind was completely absorbed in his body, sorting out his martial arts insights over the years.

At first, there were some woodcutters in the mountains carrying firewood down the stone steps. When they saw Chen Zhan alone, hiking up the mountain without any luggage and with a calm expression, they all showed some doubt.

But none of them approached to speak; they simply brushed past each other in a hurry.

The higher you go up the mountain, the more precipitous the terrain becomes, the steeper the stone steps become, the thicker the mountain fog becomes, and the lower the visibility becomes.

The woodcutter's figure gradually disappeared, and there was no one else around, only towering ancient trees and falling snowflakes, in complete silence.

The snowflakes gradually grew larger, transforming from tiny snow grains into a flurry of snowflakes dancing in the sky.

The snow fell in abundance, landing on his hair and clothes, and in an instant, it turned his hair white and covered his clothes with a thin layer of snow.

But Chen Zhan seemed completely unaware, continuing to walk upwards step by step, his gaze calm, his mind clear, undisturbed by any external influences.

He walked for more than ten hours, taking the wrong turn several times along the way.

Along the winding mountain road, going back and forth, I never showed the slightest impatience, but continued to move forward steadily, letting the snowflakes fall on my body and the cold wind blow on my face, remaining unmoved.

After nearly a day, Chen Zhan finally climbed step by step to the top of Zhongnan Mountain.

He stopped, slowly raised his head, and looked into the distance.

Snow fell on Zhongnan Mountain, covering thousands of peaks in white and frost in countless valleys. The pines and firs covering the mountains and plains were all draped in a thick layer of jade armor.

On the branches, crystals and snow hang down, resembling jade trees and flowers, a sight to behold.

The mountains are shrouded in mist, and the cold fog lightly shrouds the peaks. The distant villages are faintly visible, like ink dots scattered in the white snow, hazy and tranquil.

No human voices could be heard, only the wind rustling through the treetops, stirring up the falling snow and making a soft sound. The world was as quiet and still as an ancient scroll, clean and pure, without any worldly noise or the smoke of war.

The mountains here are quiet, and so is my mind.

Standing atop the mountain, overlooking the surrounding peaks, all the distracting thoughts in Chen Zhan's mind vanished, leaving only a sense of tranquility. His internal energy and blood flowed even more smoothly.

Zhongnan Mountain has been a gathering place for hermits and cultivators since ancient times, and countless legends have been passed down about it.

Legend has it that Jiang Ziya once lived in seclusion in Panxi Valley of Zhongnan Mountain, fishing with a straight hook and no bait, waiting for a wise ruler and not caring about worldly affairs. Later, he was discovered by King Wen of Zhou, who appointed him as Grand Tutor and assisted King Wu of Zhou in overthrowing King Zhou of Shang, pacifying the world, and establishing the Great Zhou Dynasty, creating a timeless legend.

Zhang Liang, one of the three heroes of the early Han Dynasty, assisted Liu Bang in overthrowing the Qin and Chu dynasties, unifying the country, and establishing the Han Dynasty.

After achieving great success, he took a detached view of fame and fortune and chose to retire gracefully, living in seclusion on Zibai Mountain at the southern foot of Zhongnan Mountain. He devoted himself to fasting and Taoist practice, cultivating his character and ultimately died peacefully, leaving behind the reputation of "retiring after achieving success".

Lü Dongbin and Zhongli Quan, two of the Eight Immortals of Shangdong, also practiced Taoism and lived in seclusion in the Zhongnan Mountains. Zhongli Quan taught Lü Dongbin the secrets of alchemy, and Lü Dongbin devoted himself to cultivation and eventually attained immortality.

He left behind countless legends about cultivating immortality and seeking the Dao, and was revered as a deity by later generations of people.

Chen Zhan chose to establish his sect in Zhongnan Mountain because he valued its remoteness from worldly clamor, making it ideal for secluded cultivation. Now it seems that Zhongnan Mountain truly lives up to its reputation; this serene and idyllic place, with its abundant spiritual energy, truly resembles a scene fit for immortals.

Chen Zhan pondered to himself that the Valley of Immortality that Xiaoyaozi described was most likely a blessed land, far removed from the secular world, rich in spiritual energy, and suitable for cultivation.

However, he wasn't particularly interested in cultivating immortality.

The path of martial arts is endless. His lifelong pursuit is to push his own boxing and martial arts skills to the peak and reach a level that no one can match.

As for cultivating immortality and achieving eternal life, it's too ethereal and unrealistic. Even if it were true, it wouldn't be what he desired.

Chen Zhan withdrew his gaze, stopped thinking about it, and found a flat boulder on the mountaintop, where he sat cross-legged.

Snowflakes continued to fall all around, and the cold wind continued to howl.

Having reached this stage in his martial arts journey, he is now immune to heat and cold, and practices abstinence from grains and food.

Chen Zhan sat cross-legged on a boulder atop Zhongnan Mountain, slowly closing his eyes and immersing his mind completely within his body, isolating himself from all external noise, leaving only a trace of spiritual awareness to examine his own meridians and dantian.

Within the dantian, true qi is as abundant as a river or sea, flowing slowly and connecting with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. With every gesture, one can draw upon the power of the world for one's own use.

This martial arts path leans towards the mysterious and esoteric, clearly aligning more closely with the path of immortal cultivation described in the Daoist canon.
Cultivate oneself and one's mind, follow the natural way, embrace heaven and earth, and pursue the state of harmony between humanity and nature.

But Chen Zhan was clear-headed and never intended to waste any more time on this path.

His current level of cultivation is not due to deliberately studying the path of immortality, but rather to the accumulation of decades of time.

Having traveled extensively throughout the years, witnessing the world and all living beings, his understanding of nature stems from practical experience and observation. He has never diligently studied Taoist classics; it is only because of his talent and ability to draw inferences from one instance that he has reached this point.

When asked about his talent, Chen Zhan thought to himself that perhaps he was not a born genius. His so-called talent was more of a natural affinity between martial arts and mental state.

He devoted his life to cultivating qi and blood martial arts, and the higher his skill in boxing, the clearer his mind became.

The highest level of martial arts is to reach a state of utmost sincerity, to be able to perceive the secrets of heaven, to foresee danger, and to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune.

However, he has yet to reach that ultimate state of mind.

As for the path of true qi, even a genius like Xiaoyaozi couldn't find the way beyond the Tongxuan realm. He was still far from the Tongxuan realm and didn't need to consider that vague and uncertain future.

With his mind focused, Chen Zhan concentrated all his energy on the martial arts of qi and blood.

He recalled the "Refining Essence and Forging Blood Technique" that he had obtained from the monk Fa Ling. He had already burned the manual, but its contents were imprinted in his mind.

This technique, while considered evil, is not particularly dangerous without the assistance of a strange beast like the Three-Headed Blood Serpent.

In essence, it is nothing more than a secret technique that condenses one's own vital energy and blood, refines the essence and vital energy into true energy, and thus unleashes power far exceeding one's own limits in a short period of time.

However, the power of this secret technique ultimately depends on the physical foundation of the practitioner.

Even if an ordinary martial artist refines all their essence and blood, the power they can unleash is very limited. Instead, they will exhaust their own life force, which is not worth the loss.

Only those with strong physiques and abundant qi and blood can unleash the true power of this secret technique.

Even so, such an outburst is almost suicidal.

Once activated, it means sacrificing oneself for righteousness, exhausting one's vital energy, severing one's life force, leaving no way to reverse the situation, and certain death.

This technique has great hidden dangers, but the problem is that Monk Faling happened to encounter a strange beast called the Three-Headed Blood Serpent.

The strange beasts can absorb the blood and qi from ordinary people and martial artists, store it in the form of blood serpents, and then infinitely transmit it back to the mother body. This gave the magic spirit some unthinkable fantasies.

What kind of monsters can be created with an unlimited supply of vital energy and blood essence?

Chen Zhan knew in his heart that whether it was extending lifespan or curing diseases and saving lives, its true power was enough to destroy and overthrow a country.

The allure of immortality and freedom from illness and disaster is irresistible to almost everyone, from court officials to martial arts practitioners.

If the Dharma Spirit is allowed to develop for another five or ten years, it will absorb the blood and qi of the world with the power of the Three-Headed Blood Serpent.

He may be able to secretly control the entire Jiangnan region.

In the end, the phrase "Buddhist Kingdom by the Sea" will probably have to drop the first two characters.

Moreover, this does not even take into account the growth of Fa Ling's own martial arts skills.

His unlimited supply of vital energy and essence allows him to break through all realm barriers, enabling him to advance indefinitely without arduous cultivation, and his cultivation progresses by leaps and bounds.
However, Chen Zhan was not particularly worried about this aspect.

Even at his peak, Fa Ling posed no greater threat than Xiaoyaozi.

He fought against the two of them separately and felt it very clearly. The power of heaven and earth that Xiaoyaozi invoked was perfectly natural. In the blink of an eye, he could use the spiritual energy of at least a small area of ​​heaven and earth. It was natural and smooth, without any sense of stiffness. It was a true step towards the threshold of the unity of heaven and man.

However, the Tongxuan Heavenly Domain that Fa Ling unleashed carried a somewhat coercive connotation.

He used his own true energy to forcefully suppress a space, compelling the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to submit; those who refused would be destroyed.

Back then, when Chen Zhan was in that celestial realm, he could clearly sense that the spiritual energy within the space was not truly submissive, but rather forcibly imprisoned and unable to be controlled by the spirit, thus its foundation was unstable.

The path beyond the Profound Realm is beyond the reach of even the boundless true energy of the Dharma Spirit; perhaps, as Xiaoyaozi said, it is impassable.

But all of this had nothing to do with Chen Zhan. From the very beginning, he never intended to pursue the path of cultivating immortality through true qi.

The fact that he learned the "Refining Essence and Forging Blood Technique" was a perfect match.

His martial arts skills rely entirely on daily accumulation, honing his physique, and refining his qi and blood.

The process was already slow, but with this technique, after many days of study, he had figured out some of the tricks and was able to adapt them to his own use.

Originally, the Dharma Spirit could not directly refine the blood essence of others for its own use; it had to rely on the power of the Three-Headed Blood Serpent.

The core reason is that he lacks the cultivation method of Qi and Blood Martial Arts, and cannot separate and purify the Qi and Blood essence in other people's bodies. He can only rely on strange beasts to forcibly absorb and transfer it.

But Chen Zhan is different. He has gone further than anyone else in the world on the path of Qi and Blood Martial Arts. For him, it is not difficult to peel off and purify the Qi and Blood of others.

Now, the Qi and Blood Divine Tiger in his dantian has reached a bottleneck. The Qi and Blood are full to the extreme, but he still cannot make any further progress.

He didn't know what changes would follow after the breakthrough.

However, this method is ultimately somewhat cruel, as it involves using the life force of others to nourish oneself.

Chen Zhan thought for a moment and realized that targeting those wicked and corrupt monks would be perfectly acceptable. (End of Chapter)