Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Chapter 166 Fulfilling the Promise (Please, all my godfathers, subscribe!)

The third day after the Chang family was destroyed.

Morning light streamed through the carved wooden windows, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone floor of the Xingyi School's main hall.

Inside the hall, only the lingering aroma of tea mixed with the mountain breeze mingled, washing away the blood and violence that remained from three days ago.

The five sect leaders sat on either side.

Compared to the tense atmosphere during the last blood oath ceremony, the atmosphere in the hall was now more resolute and peaceful.

Only Cen Qianfan, seated in the main seat, remained calm and composed, his Xuanqing sect leader robe hanging loosely as he glanced indifferently at the palace gate.

Steady footsteps echoed outside the hall.

Chen Jianghe, dressed in a dark blue outfit, strode into the hall.

A fiery red ball of fur perched on his shoulder was Chi Huo, whose body had shrunk after his bloodline reverted to its ancestral form.

The little guy, wearing those silver-red boxing gloves, cautiously scanned the people in the hall. Seeing that they were all familiar faces, he lazily shrank back, leaving only his pair of scarlet-gold eyes darting around.

Chen Jianghe stood in the hall, clasped his hands in a salute to Cen Qianfan in the main seat, and then bowed to the four sect leaders on both sides in turn.

Even when facing five True Yuan Realm experts, he showed no sign of hesitation. His aura remained calm and profound, a stark contrast to his bloody battle three days prior.

At that time, he also gained a more restrained sharpness.

"Chief Chen, how have you been?"

Lie Qingyang, the leader of the Lieyang Sect, was the first to speak. Dressed in a crimson robe, he sat at the head of the left side. As he finished speaking, he took out a brocade box from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table in front of him.

The moment the brocade box was opened, a burst of intense heat wafted out. Inside lay a fist-sized crystal, its entire body a fiery red, with flowing fire-like patterns slowly circulating within—the very Fire Element Crystal he had promised.

Lie Qingyang raised his hand and pushed the brocade box to the center of the long table. His gaze towards Chen Jianghe was somewhat complicated, containing resentment over his son's defeat, admiration for the young man's ability to fight beyond his level, and also his commitment to the Five Sects Alliance.

"When we swore our blood oath that day, I promised that if you could return alive from Wild Wolf Valley, this Fire Element Crystal would be yours." Lie Qingyang's voice was still deep and resonant. "This crystal was formed over a hundred years from the underground fire veins of the Lieyang Sect, and it can help you solidify your foundation."

Chen Jianghe solemnly clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Sect Leader Lie, for keeping your promise."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Zhengyang, the head of the Tai Chi School beside him, slowly stood up. This gentle and refined old man, dressed in a moon-white robe, held a yellowed silk scroll in his hands, the edges of which bore the marks of time.

"Chief Chen." Lin Zhengyang walked to the long table, gently placed the silk scroll down, his voice gentle yet weighty, "This is the 'Theory of Yin-Yang Balance' handwritten by the sages of my Tai Chi School throughout the ages. What is recorded in the book are the profound principles of the mutual support of Yin and Yang and the generation and restraint of the Five Elements, not offensive martial arts techniques."

He paused, his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and expectation: "Chang Wanshan made a wrong decision and went astray."

Lu, I am heartbroken. But you, so young, have managed to maintain your integrity amidst the bloodshed, seeking the true path of martial arts with righteousness. This is truly rare.

This scroll is given to you; I hope you can glean its true meaning from it.

Chen Jianghe took the scroll with both hands; it felt warm to the touch.

He bowed again and said, "Thank you for your generous gift, Master Lin. Jianghe will certainly live up to the hard work of our predecessors."

"Hahaha! It's my turn now!"

A deafening laugh shattered the silence in the hall. Tie Xiong, the leader of the Iron Fist Sect, suddenly stood up, his bare arms bulging with muscles, and strode into the hall.

He was holding a ceramic wine jar that was half his height. The jar was engraved with five powerful characters that read "Centennial Tiger Bone Wine". Even though the seal was not broken, a faint aroma of wine was already wafting out from the cracks in the jar's mouth.

Tie Xiong walked up to the long table and, without saying a word, slapped the mud seal on the wine jar.

"Snapped!"

The red clay shattered, and the rich, mellow aroma of wine instantly filled the entire hall.

The aroma carries the strength of tiger bone and the warmth of medicinal herbs, and smelling it makes one feel a warm sensation throughout the body.

"Young man, this jar of wine was personally sealed by the previous sect leader when he was thirty years old. It's been hidden in the cellar for a full century; it's my most prized possession!" Tie Xiong patted the jar, his copper bell-like eyes brimming with hearty laughter. "Centennial tiger bone wine, it tempers bones and strengthens blood and qi, perfect for your body-refining path! Your Vajra Skill has reached the Golden Marrow Realm; drinking this jar of wine will surely allow you to advance even further."

One floor!

Chen Jianghe looked at the jar of wine, then at Tie Xiong's rugged yet sincere face, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

He clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Master Iron."

The last to get up was Jiang Liu, the leader of the Chasing Wind Sect.

This slender sect leader was always meticulous and taciturn.

At this moment, he slowly walked to the long table and took out a brocade pouch from his sleeve.

Upon opening, a jade stone the size of a pigeon's egg lay quietly inside, its entire surface a vibrant green, with fine, flowing patterns inside.

"This is the Wind Spirit Jade." Jiang Liu's voice was clear and cold. "This item contains the wind spirit energy of heaven and earth, which can help cultivators temper their minds and comprehend the essence of martial arts. When you previously fought against the True Yuan Realm with the peak of Gang Jin, you relied not only on your physical body and spear technique, but also on your mental fortitude far exceeding that of others at the same level. This jade is just right for you."

He placed the brocade bag on the long table and added, "My Chasing Wind Sect's 'Shadowless Step' is the world's top movement technique. If you are interested, you are welcome to come and see it at the Chasing Wind Sect's Scripture Pavilion at any time."

The four precious gifts were neatly arranged in the center of the long table.

Each of these items is a priceless treasure coveted by everyone in the martial arts world, yet they have all now come into the possession of Chen Jianghe, a twenty-year-old martial artist at the peak of the Gang Jin realm.

All eyes in the hall were on Chen Jianghe.

There was admiration, envy, and also a degree of apprehension towards this young prodigy.

At the peak of the Gang Jin realm at the age of twenty, he can kill a half-step True Yuan cultivator even if he is of a higher level, and he can make the leaders of the five sects fulfill their promises at the same time.

This achievement is unparalleled in the century-long history of Changxi Prefecture.

Just then, Cen Qianfan, who was in the main seat, slowly stood up.

Dressed in a dark blue sect leader's robe, he slowly walked to the long table and took out a thread-bound booklet from his sleeve. The booklet was bound with black brocade and embroidered with the emblem of the Xingyi Sect, with worn edges showing signs of years of repeated reading.

"These are the notes written by the successive leaders of Xingyi Sect when they broke through to the True Yuan Realm." Cen Qianfan handed the booklet to Chen Jianghe, his voice steady and profound. "From the founding of Xingyi Sect to the present, the seventeen leaders have recorded in this book the key points they encountered, the detours they took, and the true meanings they realized when they broke through to the True Yuan Realm."

Chen Jianghe accepted it with both hands; it was warm to the touch, as if it still retained the warmth of the brushes used by previous sect leaders.

That is not just a notebook, but also the essence of Xingyi School's thousand-year-old heritage.

Cen Qianfan looked at him and continued, "The selection for the Divine Form Sect is coming soon. At that time, the geniuses of the seventy-two prefectures of Yuzhou will gather, and the peak of Gang Jin is just the threshold. With your Five Elements Root Bone, it is already ten times more difficult for you to break through than others. This handbook can help you avoid many detours."

He paused, his gaze deep: "I won't force you to achieve any particular ranking. I just hope you remember, no matter what, stay true to yourself and come back alive. Xingyi School will always be your support."

Chen Jianghe held the notebook in his hands, bowed deeply to Cen Qianfan, and bent over completely.

"Disciple Chen Jianghe kowtows to express his gratitude to the Sect Leader for his kindness and to the Xingyi Sect for its cultivation." His voice was not loud, but every word was firm and resounding. "Disciple will do his utmost to live up to the Sect Leader's expectations and the trust placed in him by the Xingyi Sect."

In the quiet room of Lingmuyuan.

Chen Jianghe sat cross-legged on the dry couch, his fingertips pinching the emerald green Wind Spirit Jade.

The moment the jade touched his fingertips, a cool and warm aura rushed through his meridians and into his consciousness, like a gentle spring rain, slowly washing away the fatigue accumulated from days of battle.

The sea of ​​consciousness, tempered by the Soul Infant Fruit, became increasingly clear and lucid under the nourishment of the Wind Spirit Jade.

Those scenes of fierce battle etched into their very bones, those nerves that had been taut for so long, finally relaxed completely at this moment.

Chi Huo squatted on his shoulder, its fluffy little body curled up in a ball, its little head resting in the crook of his neck, mimicking him by closing its eyes and feeling the coolness of the wind spirit jade, making satisfied purring sounds in its throat.

Once his mind had completely calmed down, Chen Jianghe put down the Feng Lingyu and carefully unrolled the scroll of "The Theory of Yin-Yang Balance".

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"Yin and Yang are the way of heaven and earth, the guiding principles of all things. The Five Elements are the transformations of Yin and Yang, mutually generating and restraining each other, in an endless cycle."

Forcibly separating primary and secondary elements will inevitably lead to imbalance; guiding the flow with the natural order will achieve harmony.

As Chen Jianghe read line after line, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He had previously practiced the "Five Elements Returning to the Origin Technique," but he was always trapped in the framework of "taking wood as the origin and governing the other four elements," and he always felt that there was an invisible barrier blocking his way.

However, the arguments in "The Theory of Yin-Yang Balance" completely shattered his preconceived notions.

The Five Elements have no inherent hierarchy.

It is not about suppressing the other four elements with one, but about allowing each of the five elements to follow its own path, mutually generating and supporting each other, like an endless cycle, in order to truly achieve the return of the five elements to their origin.

Chen Jianghe closed his eyes and focused his mind on his dantian.

The five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth flowed slowly within his dantian. This time, he didn't deliberately guide them, but allowed them to rotate naturally according to their generating cycle. Water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, and metal generates water, forming an endless, interconnected cycle.

The five forces flowed together without the previous clashes and chaos, but instead became more harmonious and smooth.

He brought up the system panel and scanned the text on it:

[Destiny: Diligence is rewarded by Heaven; success is inevitable]

[Current Skill: Five Elements Return to Origin Technique (Minor Success 37%)]

【Five Elements Hunyuan Fist (Beginner Level 72%)】

【Hun Yuan San Ti Zhuang (Beginner Level 81%)】

In just half a day of comprehension, the progress of the cultivation technique has made such a great leap.

Chen Jianghe opened his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The red fire on the shoulder also woke up, its little paws pawing at the scroll, its little head craning over to stare at the words on it for a long time. Although it couldn't understand a single word, it still pretended to shake its head.

Chen Jianghe chuckled and reached out to rub its fluffy little head: "You, by the time you can understand these things, you'll probably be able to transform into human form."

Chi Huo blinked, stuck out her little tongue and licked his fingertips, then snuggled closer to him.

Just then, the door to the quiet room creaked open.

Liu Shuling, dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, strode in. She held a secret report in her hand and saw Chen Jianghe sitting cross-legged on the couch, his aura even more composed and restrained than three days ago. A hint of relief flashed in her bright eyes.

"Well done, kid. You've gotten quite steady in your breathing after being locked up for so long." Liu Shuling walked to the desk and slammed the secret report on it. "I just got the latest information from the secret guards. Take a look for yourself."

Chen Jianghe picked up the secret report and quickly scanned it.

With the help of the Broken Jade Ointment, Lie Fangxu's injuries have long been healed. Three days ago, he entered the forbidden area of ​​the Lieyang Sect for secluded cultivation, aiming directly at the True Essence Realm.

As for the Demonic Sect, Shi Zhongshan of the Underworld Hall disappeared after the destruction of the Chang family, and Li Fengxing of the Dark Moon Hall and Su Yunshang of the Nether Spring Hall vanished as if they had disappeared into thin air. The three sects' secret guards searched the area within a hundred miles of Changxi Mansion, but could not find where the few were hiding.

Chen Jianghe put down the secret report and tapped his fingertips lightly on the table.

Liu Shuling looked at him, her brows furrowing slightly: "That kid Lie Fangxu is already at the half-step True Essence realm. This time, he's in seclusion, and he'll most likely be able to step into the True Essence realm. And those persistent ghosts from the Demonic Sect are clearly planning to ambush you on the way. This trip to Yuzhou is probably going to be very dangerous."

Chen Jianghe raised his eyes and looked out at the rolling mountains. His gaze fell on the Fire Element Crystal on the table and the century-old tiger bone wine, his eyes calm and resolute.

"First solidify the foundation, then strive for breakthroughs."

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable certainty: "If Lie Fangxu wants to enter the True Essence realm, then let him. My path is different from his. He may not be my match either. What I need to do is use this time to thoroughly solidify my Five Elements foundation. As for the Demonic Sect, if they dare to come, I dare to kill them."

Liu Shuling was taken aback for a moment, then grinned and said, "Great! With you saying that, I can rest assured!"

At dusk, at Liwu Cliff.

Chen Jianghe stood on the edge of the cliff, carrying the Broken Army Spear. The dark gold tiger stripes on the spear gleamed faintly in the setting sun.

Opposite her, Liu Shuling clenched her fists, already in the starting stance of the Twelve Forms Fist, her body surging with azure energy.

"Ready?" Liu Shuling grinned, her eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

"Senior sister, please."

The next instant, Liu Shuling took a step forward, and the ground exploded!

The ten-zhang distance was covered in an instant. She threw a punch, bringing the fierce and powerful Tiger Fist to its extreme. The fist energy was as solid as green steel, aiming straight for Chen Jianghe's face!

Instead of retreating, Chen Jianghe advanced! He didn't use his gun, but simply clenched his right fist and threw a punch!

Five-colored light flowed on the fist, and the power of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth perfectly merged, transforming into a chaotic fist energy that collided fiercely with Liu Shuling's fist energy!

"boom!"

A deafening roar resounded, and a violent shockwave spread outwards, cracking the bluestone ground inch by inch.

Liu Shuling took three steps back, and with each step, a deep crack appeared in the ground.

She looked down at her right fist, her knuckles tingling, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She was at the peak of the Gang Jin realm, having immersed herself in the Twelve Forms Fist for over a decade, yet in a pure clash of strength, she was actually forced back by Chen Jianghe's single punch. "You brat—" Liu Shuling raised her head, looking at the motionless Chen Jianghe opposite her, "In just half a day, how has your control over the Five Elements reached this level?"

Chen Jianghe put down his fist and stood up, smiling slightly: "I've only grasped a little bit of the basics from the 'Theory of Yin-Yang Balance'."

Before he finished speaking, the Broken Army Spear in his hand had already moved!

Five colors of light simultaneously shone from the tip of the spear, yet without the slightest disorder. The five colors—gold, blue, red, yellow, and indigo—blended perfectly, transforming into a dazzling spear beam that pierced the sky like thunder, aiming straight for Liu Shuling's throat!

This shot was more than twice as fast as the previous one; the spear's light was concentrated and did not disperse, and it could be fired and withdrawn at will.

Liu Shuling's expression changed drastically. She dodged to the side with all her might, throwing out both fists to meet the spear head-on!

"The clanging sounds of guns and fists colliding echoed like the beating of drums, reverberating for a long time on the cliff top."

Chen Jianghe's spear technique became smoother and smoother. The sharpness of the Tian Shu Po Zhen Spear, the harmony of the Five Elements Hun Yuan Fist, and the profundity of the Five Elements Returning to Origin Technique were completely integrated into one at this moment.

His spear moved like a dragon, his fists fell like tigers, and the five-colored qi was as easy to control as his own arm. Every thrust of his spear carried the continuous power of the five elements.

After ten moves, Chen Jianghe swept his spear horizontally, the shaft lightly touching Liu Shuling's neck before stopping.

The outcome is decided.

Liu Shuling lowered her fists, looked at Chen Jianghe, and laughed heartily: "Good! Good lad! It's hard to believe you've only been a disciple for three years."

Chen Jianghe holstered his gun and stood there, about to speak, when he saw a fiery red figure leap down from the rock beside him.

Wearing the silver-red boxing gloves, Chi Huo landed steadily on the ground, assuming a tiger-style starting stance. With his little head raised, he let out a soft roar at Chen Jianghe, looking like he wanted to spar with him.

Chen Jianghe couldn't help but laugh as he looked at its impressive posture.

He put down the Broken Army Spear, assumed the starting stance of the Hunyuan Three-Body Stance, and beckoned to Chi Huo with his finger.

Redfire's eyes lit up, and with a push of its short legs, it pounced forward in an instant!

The small fist was filled with blazing fiery energy. It threw a punch, which was the Tiger Fist that Chen Jianghe had taught it. It was powerful and fierce, and it already contained three-tenths of the fist intent!

Chen Jianghe neither dodged nor evaded, but instead unleashed a punch, using only a third of his physical strength, which lightly collided with its small fist.

Up.

"Bang!"

With a soft thud, Chi Huo was jolted back two steps, but did not fall.

It shook its little head, but instead of backing down, it became even more excited and pounced again.