Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Chapter 562 Authority, Laws, Inner World

"Heaven and earth have their own laws. People are born old and die from serious injuries; the sun and moon alternate, and the stars shift; water flows downhill, and flames rise upward."

These are not rules set by any one person, but they have been so since the beginning of the world.

"The foundation of these principles is Qi."

Swain extended his hand.

A drop of dew flew up from a nearby leaf and hovered in his palm.

"Countless types of energy arrange, merge, and clash, resulting in different outcomes."

Why can fire boil water? Because the heat enters the water, raising its temperature.

Why can water extinguish fire? Because water vapor absorbs heat, suppressing the flames.

His five fingers were slightly closed.

The dew in my palm boiled silently, turning into a cloud of white mist.

The next instant, the white mist condensed back into water droplets, and a thin layer of ice appeared on the surface.

There was no significant fluctuation in strength throughout the entire process.

It was as if that drop of water was meant to change in that way.

"The power cultivated by extraordinary individuals also originates from the energy of heaven and earth."

Initially, tempering the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones is merely about making the body a more robust vessel. The higher one progresses, the more cultivation involves more than just physical strength.

"Wind, fire, water, earth; light, darkness, life, and death."

Every road is a study of the laws governing a certain direction in nature.

Xilun stared at the drop of water and vaguely understood something.

"So-called power and authority simply means mastering the rules?"

Not entirely.

Swain flicked the water droplets off the cliff.

The water droplet flew several feet away, suddenly transforming into a tiny bolt of lightning in the air before dissipating.

"Only beings at the ninth level or even higher dare to say that they truly understand the laws of heaven and earth."

The power that the fourth level possesses can only be considered as using one's own energy to manipulate the laws of the outside world.

"Once the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones are fully developed, the body has reached the end of a certain stage."

To continue improving, you need to build your own little world within your body.

Xilun's eyes narrowed.

"A little world?"

"good."

Swain placed his hand on his chest, "Based on strength, and bounded by spirit and body, construct a complete inner vision."

Some people contemplate volcanoes, some construct oceans, and some transform themselves into a hell of lightning.

The more complete the inner world is, the more it aligns with the laws of the outer world, and the stronger the power it can mobilize.

"This is the prototype of power."

"To influence the larger world outside through one's own small world."

A morning breeze blows.

The fog behind Swain suddenly stopped.

It's not that it's slowing down.

Instead, it became completely still.

Hundreds of water droplets floated in the air, and the waterfall that was flowing in the distance seemed to freeze at this moment.

Immediately afterwards, countless water droplets elongated, transforming into transparent spears, all pointing towards Xilun.

Xilun's skin suddenly tightened.

An extremely strong sense of crisis rose from the bottom of my heart.

He felt as if he were facing not Swain, but a vast ocean transformed into a line of guns.

Every drop of water, every gust of wind, even the dampness in the stone slabs beneath his feet could pierce him in the next moment.

However, in just a moment, all the strange phenomena disappeared.

The waterfall continues to flow.

The morning mist was still drifting.

Xilun slowly exhaled, a thin layer of sweat already seeping from his back.

"Is this the teacher's little world?"

"It's just a little outward manifestation."

Swain stood up. "Starting from the fourth tier, in addition to building an inner world, we also need to further develop our bloodline."

The human body is far more complex than one imagines. Many vital energies lie dormant deep within the bone marrow and internal organs, only truly awakening when the inner world is initially formed.

Bloodline development.

Xiren immediately recalled his Stormblood lineage and the remnant of the evil god that was parasitizing his right arm.

Thunder Spirit, Profound Yin Coldness, the Breath of the Styx River, and even the newly acquired Great Tendon Dragon-like Formation have all formed their own cycles within his body.

If an inner world is built in the future, how can these very different forces coexist?

ocean?

Thunderclouds?

Or is it a desolate, lifeless Styx River?

Xilun remained silent for a long time.

Swain noticed his thoughts.

"It's too early to think about these things now."

"Although your skin and flesh are strong, your tendons have only just recovered, and your bones have not yet truly reached the third stage of perfection."

First, refine your body until it is without flaws, then think about your inner world.

"Yes."

Xilun solemnly agreed.

Swein turned and walked toward the furnace.

"No need to go out today. Demonstrate your hunting process of sea monsters from the beginning. Since your tendons have changed, you need to readjust your marksmanship."

Xilun picked up the black iron spear.

He took one last look at the rushing mist outside the cliff, and the vague outline of power in his mind finally became clearer.

Construct an inner world with one's own vital energy.

Then, using the small world, we can change the outer world.

When Lady Black Crow used his body to unleash her power, the sky, the thunder, and even the senses of everyone around him were forcibly incorporated into her influence.

That might be the true power.

But he still has a long way to go before he reaches that point.

But at least he now knows where to go.

Xilun followed Swain to the training ground behind the cave.

There is no magnificent sea of ​​clouds like at Thunderclap Cliff; all around are gray-black rock walls.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of iron stone, and in the center stood more than a dozen gun stakes, each covered with holes and cracks of varying depths.

Swain stood to the side with his hands behind his back.

"From the moment the sea monster was discovered, not a single detail was missed."

Xilun nodded.

A long spear of black iron was held horizontally in front of him.

He did not directly replicate the moves, but first recalled the water flow on the White Stone River, the angle at which the sea dragon burst out of the water, and the state of his own tendons at that time.

The next moment, he shifted his foot to the right.

The spear tip angled upwards.

The heavy, black iron spear tore through the air with a low whistling sound.

Xilun closed his eyes, as if he were standing on the surging river once again.

The sea dragon lurked underwater, its massive tail stirring up waves, while its sharp claws and teeth attacked from the side.

He thrust forward, twisted his waist, and stepped back.

The spearhead changed direction three times in quick succession.

His innate talent for developing strong tendons was quietly activated, and there was no longer any sluggishness between his legs and waist.

Each change of direction was like a natural turn in the flow of water, seemingly gentle, yet the power contained in the tip of the spear did not diminish in the slightest.

Swain initially appeared indifferent.

After a dozen or so moves, a strange light appeared in his eyes.

"stop."

Siron immediately put away his gun.

The 480-pound black iron spear came to a sudden stop in his hand, its tip less than an inch from the stone pillar.

"Let's do it one more time."

"What's wrong?"

"I'll let you do it again if there are no problems."

Swain walked over to Siron and tapped his left shoulder with his finger.

"When you left yesterday, the force here was still a fraction slower. Now it's gone."

Xilun truthfully stated, "After hunting the sea dragon, Da Jin underwent some changes."

"Bloodline talent?"

"That's one way to understand it."

Swain did not inquire about the specific source.

On the chaotic sea, even the extraordinary have their own secrets.

As long as Xilun is not corrupted by evil gods and does not do anything to harm the monastery, he will not forcibly investigate.

"Strength hasn't increased, but coordination has improved significantly. This kind of talent is even rarer than simply increasing brute strength."

Swain took an ordinary wooden gun from the weapon rack.

"Attack me."

Xilun didn't stand on ceremony.

He pushed off the ground with his feet and instantly leaped forward.

The Xuan Tie spear moved slowly at first, then swiftly, its body shimmering with water, while the thunderous energy was hidden in the deepest part of the water.

When it reached within a few feet of Swain, the spear suddenly veered to the left, like a river parted by rocks.

Swain's wooden gun tapped lightly.

The spear tip landed precisely where the lightning energy of the Xuan Tie spear was about to erupt.

Xilun twisted his wrist.

In the past, if the water flow was cut off in advance, he could only force a change of tactics.

Before the thought even arose, the large tendons in the waist and abdomen reacted, causing the heavy spear shaft to sink downwards. The lightning energy retreated along the spear shaft in an instant and then surged out from the water on the other side.

Snapped!

The two spears clashed.

The wooden gun was intact.

The black iron spear was pulled to the side by a gentle force.

"good."

This was the first time Swain had given a clear affirmation in his teaching.

"The Thunder Spear Technique is not a dead end. Water has no fixed shape. The more coordinated your body is, the faster the water and thunder will transform."

But it's still a little short.

"What's the difference?"

"You still only see naval mines as your own strength."

Swain stepped forward.

The wooden spear thrust out horizontally.

The movements are slow and lack even much strength.

But before Xilun's eyes appeared a rushing river, with water vapor from all directions being drawn in by this single shot.

He clearly saw the trajectory of the gun, yet he felt as if he had nowhere to hide.

Xilun parried with his spear.

The wooden spear twisted slightly before making contact, grazing past the iron shaft and stopping between his brows.

"The gun is the riverbed, and the water vapor from heaven and earth is the river water."

Swain put away his gun. "When you stop using only your own water vapor and start drawing water from the outside into the gun, then you'll have truly grasped a bit of its essence."

This is subtly connected to the inner and outer worlds explained in the early morning.

Xilun seemed to be deep in thought.

He did not leave the cave for the next few days.

Every morning, he would practice the Overturning Sea Technique to strengthen his tendons; in the afternoon, he would practice the Thunderous Spear Technique; and at night, he would use the Moon Memory Meditation Method to recall every demonstration by Swain.

On the morning of the fifth day, Xilun finished his meditation and walked out of the meditation room.

Two people walked towards us from the other end of the corridor.

One of them was Bruno, who had a heavy black gun slung over his shoulder.

He saw Xilun and a simple, honest smile appeared on his face.

"Third junior brother, the master said your gun will be ready today, and he sent me to call you."

Bruno was accompanied by a young man whose face was unfamiliar.

The young man was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, tall and slender, with two short guns slung across his back, and the sleeves of his clothes were embroidered with the mine-like patterns unique to Swain's school.

"This is Genna, the new disciple the master accepted yesterday. He will temporarily follow me to learn basic spear techniques."

Bruno then introduced the young man: "This is Siren, the teacher's third disciple."

Genna's expression turned visibly solemn, and he took the initiative to bow.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Xilun."

"Um."

Xilun nodded in response.

He had no connection with Gna and didn't ask any further questions.

Swain had previously stated that there were still several inner court disciples who had not yet formally become disciples this year, and he planned to select two of them to teach spear techniques.

Personal instruction is different from being a disciple, but since you've entered the same school, you'll inevitably have some contact with each other in the future.

The three walked into the courtyard.

The stone door on the other side opened, and a man in his thirties came out.

The man was not tall, had an ordinary face, and a very faint scar below his right eye.

But with each step he took, the surrounding moisture would naturally part to the sides, his aura contained yet not revealed, giving Xilun a feeling of unfathomable depth.

Bruno immediately stood up straight.

"Senior Brother."

Xilun realized who the other person was.

Alvin, Swain's most senior disciple.

He had been on a mission abroad and only recently returned to the monastery.

"You're Xilun?"

Alvin's gaze fell on Xiren, and after observing him for a moment, he took the initiative to extend his hand.

Xilen shook hands with him.

The opponent's palms were rough, and the area between his thumb and forefinger was covered with thick calluses, but he had restrained his strength very well and did not deliberately test him.

"Your teacher mentioned you in the letter."

Alvin chuckled. "A 21-year-old at the third rank, mastering the Azure Thunder Spear Technique in seven days, and daring to unleash the Breath of the Styx in front of Tinos. Not bad, but his actions are somewhat risky."

Siron remained calm.

"There was no better option at the time."

"Being able to survive means that the choice wasn't wrong."

Alvin didn't put on airs as the senior student. "But if you encounter any problems in the future, you can come to us first. The teacher has fewer students, so there's no need to compete for resources or form factions like in other departments."

Bruno nodded repeatedly from the side.

Although Genna was only a nominal disciple, he was visibly more relaxed.

Xilun was somewhat unfamiliar with this kind of relationship.

After escaping from the Southern Continent, he got used to shouldering all the dangers himself.

Even when cooperating with Elena, he always maintained sufficient vigilance.

Swain's students seem to be more direct.

Those who are from the same school are from the same school.

There's no need for too much pretense or testing.

"Did Senior Brother return this time for the Star Ring Ranking Battle?" Bruno asked.

Alvin's smile faded slightly.

"good."

"Did the teacher allow you to participate?"

"It just means I'm allowed to compete for a spot."

Alvin gazed toward Thunderclap Cliff, a hint of undisguised longing appearing in his eyes.

"The younger generation of the five major powers will all be present. The Sea Demon Temple, the Deep Blue Academy, the Holy Light Monastery, and the true geniuses of the two major powers in the outer sea."

After cultivating for so many years, I should finally see how far I am from them.

Bruno scratched his head.

"But Senior Brother hasn't reached the fourth rank yet, has he?"

"Ranked matches are never just about tier."

Alvin said, "If someone at the third-tier extreme realm can reach the rudimentary form of power ahead of time, they may not be unable to defeat someone who has just entered the fourth tier."

Moreover, ranking matches are not simply life-or-death battles; rules, terrain, and weapons can all influence the outcome.

Xiren recalled that Fisher had also said before leaving the Black Abyss Forest that he was going back to the Sea Demon Temple to prepare for war.

Will Aldridge participate?

"certainly."

Alvin glanced at Xilun. "He's one of the strongest in the Sea Demon Temple this generation. He cultivates both lightning and fire, and his physical body and strength are near perfection. Rumor has it he's already touched the threshold of the fourth rank. What, do you have a grudge against him?"

"no."

Siren made no mention of Elena.

With his current strength, there's no point in getting involved too early.

Alvin didn't press the matter. He patted Bruno on the shoulder and continued walking outside.

"I'll go find the teacher; you all go to the furnace room first."

Both parties nodded to each other and then parted ways.

The underground furnace chamber of the workshop was extremely hot.

Even before the stone gate was opened, a metallic clang could be heard continuously from inside.

Each time a sound rang out, the ground would tremble slightly, and the moisture seeping from the cracks would be mixed with fine lightning.

Swain stood in front of the furnace.

A long spear, supported by blazing white flames, slowly rotated in mid-air.

The original color of the golden spear has changed. The spear body is still based on dark gold, but a deep blue water ripple runs from the tail of the spear through the spearhead.

On both sides of the water ripples, there are dense blue-white lightning marks.

The Blue Tide Sword has completely disappeared.

Lei Lingshi was nowhere to be found.

Both were melted into the gun, intertwining with the original crimson patterns, yet remaining distinct.

"You've come at the perfect time."

Swain waved his hand.

The blazing white flames in the furnace suddenly contracted, disappearing completely into the gun barrel.

The entire spear emitted a long, resonant hum.

Moisture from the four walls of the furnace chamber converged at the same time, forming a blue water ring.

Immediately afterwards, the lightning swam along the water ring and was completely swallowed by the gun barrel.

Swain loosely clenched his fists.

The spear flew out instantly and stuck into the iron stone ground in front of Xilun.

hum!

The butt of the gun sank half a foot into the ground.

The surrounding cracks did not spread outwards, but were firmly suppressed by a layer of water.

"Give it a try."

Xilun stepped forward and grasped the gun barrel.

The moment he got his hands on it, the Thunder Spirit within his body trembled violently.

The power of the Overturning Sea Technique also surged.

He no longer needs to consciously maintain the balance between water and thunder as he did before.

The deep blue water ripples naturally carried the lightning energy, and the spear seemed to become an extension of the body, able to adjust itself according to changes in energy.

Xilun drew his gun.

The gun was considerably heavier, weighing about 520 pounds, but it didn't feel clumsy.

The tendons move like dragons, naturally distributing weight evenly along the arms, waist, abdomen, and legs.

He took a step to the side and thrust his spear horizontally.

There was no harsh, piercing sound.

Only a faint ripple spread across the tip of the spear.

The water rippled over the iron and stone spear posts three zhang away.

Initially, nothing changed.

Half a breath later, a muffled thud suddenly came from inside the gun post.

Bluish-white lightning burst forth from the cracks in the rocks, splitting the entire spear post into several pieces from the inside out, but the cut surfaces were made exceptionally smooth by the water vapor.

Bruno's eyes lit up.

"Great gun!"

Xilun also felt a significant difference.

The water's force concealed the explosive power of the lightning, making it difficult for the enemy to determine the true landing point through sound and breath.

The gun's ability to withstand the force of naval mines far surpasses that of the Xuan Tie Long Spear.

If he were to use this spear to fight the innocent prince again, he would not need to repeatedly attack the same wound; a single, complete Azure Thunder Spear Technique would be enough to pierce through the opponent's skin.

"The Blue Tide Sword is made of water veins, the Thunder Spirit Stone is made of thunder cores, and the original gun body retains the power of the Crimson Star."

Swain said, "The three elements are combined, and the grade is still third-tier, but within the third-tier range, ordinary weapons will find it difficult to collide head-on with it."

"The two properties of the water mine can be transformed according to your strength. If you only use water energy, the gun body is flexible and has a strong ability to absorb force; if you infuse it with thunder energy, it will become fierce and sharp."

"As for the Red Star Spear—"

Swain glanced at Xilen, "Use it sparingly. Just because this gun can withstand it doesn't mean your body can."

"Disciple understands."

Xilun stroked the gun's body, where dark gold, deep blue, and bluish-white patterns intertwined.

"It doesn't have a name yet."

Swain casually said, "Take your own weapon."

Xilun pondered for a moment.

"It is called the Azure Thunder Spear."

The name is straightforward and perfectly matches the characteristics of the weapon.

Moreover, it retains the characteristics of the golden spear: it is soft.

As before, it is coiled around the waist for easy carrying.

Swain had no objection.

Xilun raised his gun again.

This time, he did not attack the spear stakes, but practiced the Cang Lei Spear Technique in the open space of the furnace room.

As the spearhead swept across, the surrounding moisture moved, and lightning flashed intermittently.

The teacher's explanation of power and authority from a few days ago resurfaced in my mind.

The gun is the river.

Strength does not come solely from oneself.

Xilun suddenly slowed down his movements, no longer deliberately drawing in the water vapor, but instead put himself in the perspective of when he had possessed Lady Black Crow.

At that time, she did not compete with the surrounding thunder.

She simply reached out her hand.

Heaven and earth naturally responded.