Star Martial Soaring Cloud

The summit was spotless, with only a thousand-year-old peach tree standing there, its branches and leaves flourishing, its blossoms in full bloom, the petals layered upon each other like a pile of pink clouds.

Beneath the ancient peach tree, a figure in black sat quietly, his hands caressing a zither, from which a beautiful and melodious tune flowed, bringing a sense of tranquility to the listener.

He was surrounded by a faint mist of peach blossoms, obscuring his face, yet exuding an aura of domineering power—even though he had sealed his cultivation, the foundation of a powerful cultivator in the Divine Sense Void Realm had not dissipated.

Beneath that domineering aura, there is a unique quality that is like a gentle breeze. Anyone who looks at him will feel that he is so familiar, as if he were the older brother next door who accompanied them as they grew up. No one can deny his goodness. Under the sunlight, the radiance he reflects is more dazzling than the sun itself.

Such a person inspires goodwill in anyone who meets him.

The exquisite music he played flowed like a clear spring, like moonlight cascading down, and the melody painted a picture-perfect scene, attracting bees and butterflies to dance in its wake.

"It's been a long time since I've seen such an interesting little guy." The figure in black spoke, his voice deep and resonant like an ancient bell, causing the surrounding petals to tremble slightly.

"Thank you, senior. To be able to fight against a hero of the Nine Provinces like you, Wang Xiao has no regrets even if he dies!" Wang Xiao stopped three zhang away from the ancient peach tree, his back straight and his expression calm and undisturbed.

"A hero?" The figure in black chuckled softly, and the mist slowly dissipated, revealing a face with sharp features, sword-like eyebrows, and bright eyes. "The world calls me a bandit, but you call me a hero."

"Even thieves have their code of honor." Wang Xiao met his gaze frankly. "Senior, you rob the rich but not the poor, you disturb the city but do not kill. Compared to some hypocritical sects and families that prey on the people, you are far superior."

Upon hearing this, a murmur of agreement arose from the crowd watching down the mountain. Many merchants, recalling how they had suffered heavy losses during their robbery but had escaped with their lives intact, looked at Song Qing with a more complex expression.

A hint of surprise flashed in Song Qing's eyes, and a touch of admiration appeared in her gaze as she looked at Wang Xiao.

He has courage, strategy, insight, and a sense of the big picture; he is truly a formidable young man.

"You're quite the charmer with words, but I wonder how much skill you actually possess?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the elegant melody suddenly changed tune, like a sudden storm, as if a thousand troops were roaring in Wang Xiao's ears.

Song Qing, who had been smiling at Wang Xiao, suddenly narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint flashing between his eyelids!

Boom!

His clothes fluttered wildly, and his body moved like a swimming fish or a flying dragon, instantly closing in on Wang Xiao. He then chopped down with a palm strike aimed at Wang Xiao's head.

The melody stops, the battle begins.

"I advise you to unleash your full power sooner rather than later, or you'll be dead!" The harsh words fell beside Wang Xiao's ear, and the aggressive tone gave him no chance to hesitate.

The raging, forceful palm strike enveloped Wang Xiao like a hurricane.

Since he began cultivating, Wang Xiao's path has been unique. His spiritual sense has far surpassed that of others at the same level. There is no room for sneak attacks against him. As soon as Song Qing made his move, Wang Xiao also moved at the same time.

retreat!

Refund again!

Facing Song Qing, Wang Xiao dared not be arrogant, and under such circumstances, he would not confront him head-on from the start.

Song Qing was not surprised when his attack missed; instead, he looked at Wang Xiao with great interest.

"A good opportunity!" After a moment's hesitation, Wang Xiao stopped his retreat and instead moved forward, punching out with his right fist and immediately following with his left.

Her delicate fists unleashed streaks of blazing golden light, dancing like golden snakes. The immense power seemed to distort space itself, as if to tear apart the void around the fist shadows.

A deafening collision resounded atop the mountain, unleashing an immense and powerful surge of energy.

Wang Xiao and Song Qing have officially clashed.

As their fists clashed, Wang Xiao was quite surprised to find that he, who had just entered the Fish Leap stage, already possessed the strength of ten cauldrons.

One cauldron weighs a thousand catties, and ten cauldrons weigh ten thousand catties!

With such strength, he believed he could dominate his peers, which was why he dared to challenge Song Qing, who was of the same level.

However, when he fought Song Qingyi, he was surprised to find that his opponent was no weaker than him at the same level.

Ordinary people only possess the power of ten cauldrons when they reach the Great Perfection of the Fish Leap, while the two people fighting at this moment have only just entered the Fish Leap stage.

At this moment, Wang Xiao did indeed possess the strength of ten cauldrons, but this did not mean that every strike he made actually possessed the strength of ten cauldrons.

Now, half of the power in each of his attacks is consumed, and at most, only about 60% of his vital energy is actually utilized.

Once you reach a certain stage in your cultivation, your strength will stop increasing. You will reach the limit of your strength, and you will not be able to transform your strength into techniques. You will not be able to overcome the insurmountable barrier of the Dragon Gate, and you will be stuck there.

Cultivators at the Fish Leap Realm focus on how to gather power, and then on how to better use and control it, ensuring that every bit of their strength is delivered effectively.

Therefore, the higher the cultivation level of the cultivators in a duel, the less damage they will cause to the surrounding area, as long as they are willing.

A strong wind surged, its force overwhelming, dust and sand flying everywhere. The clothes of the two people billowed in the wind, and their hair flew wildly in disarray.

Wang Xiao knew that he would lose most of his power with each punch, but he came up with a way to make up for it: change his fist to his fingers.

When you can't overcome all obstacles with sheer force, you have to plan for a long-term, gradual approach.

He had no choice but to do it; Song Qing was putting too much pressure on him.

"what……"

With a long roar, Wang Xiao's vital energy surged, and his body emitted a faint golden light.

He channeled his energy into his right index finger, and specks of golden light and faint glow appeared at his fingertip. In an instant, his right index finger became crystal clear and dazzling, comparable to a sword being drawn from its sheath.

With a flash of light, Wang Xiao pounced like a ghost, incredibly fast, his palms and fingers, as clear as jade, piercing towards Song Qing's brow like a sharp sword.

Song Qing remained calm and composed. Before Wang Xiao could close in, he took a half step back with his left foot, then used his left heel as a fulcrum to perform a 360-degree spin, gathering power in his right palm.

This move not only evaded Wang Xiao's attack but also launched a counterattack at the same time. The attack and defense were executed seamlessly without any hesitation, demonstrating the user's rich experience in dealing with enemies.

During the battle, Wang Xiao was highly focused. As his right hand moved his fingers, his left hand had already used the same method to gather power in his index finger.

Seeing Song Qing's attack following closely, Wang Xiao quickly retracted his right hand, while his left index finger shot out like a snake reaching out its head. In the short distance, a shrill shriek like a ghost's wail rang out.

The two concentrated their vital energy into one point, like two incomparable divine swords clashing, emitting a piercing explosion that made people's eardrums buzz.

The immense impact sent both of them flying, but after a brief separation, they quickly charged toward each other again.

Wang Xiao's subtle and persistent attempts to win Song Qing's favor were completely ineffective.

Not being proficient in finger techniques, he couldn't throw a punch as naturally as he could.

Since this path is blocked, then defeat him before his vital energy is exhausted. He then changed his finger to fist.

The punches rose and fell as if wielding two massive mountains, their force heavy and unstoppable!

Song Qing moved with incredible agility, like a tiger hunting a sheep or an eagle swooping down on a rabbit; his figure was faster than lightning.

After a brief exchange, the two figures separated and reunited, advancing like a nimble dragon and retreating like a nimble snake, their energy sweeping across all directions and raising clouds of dust.

Wang Xiao knew he couldn't afford to delay and had to finish the battle quickly. He focused his energy and brought his power to its limit, causing golden light to emanate from his body, as if a raging fire was enveloping him.

In an instant, a fierce wind arose, sand and dust covered the sky, golden light shot everywhere, and intense energy surged in every inch of space!

Accompanied by a rumbling thunderous sound, a dazzling light, as bright as the sun, burst forth from Wang Xiao's fist. The powerful energy fluctuations were enough to make anyone's heart tremble.

Martial arts follow the heart, and the punches that follow are not only beautiful but also powerful. Wang Xiao gracefully stretches his body, and as his right arm swings, there is a sense of lightness and naturalness.

It is very aesthetically pleasing, but when the fist is thrown, it is so violent.

Each punch unleashed a burst of intense white light, pulverizing rocks and trees upon contact. The combined power of ten punches was as terrifying as a colossal wave.

Song Qing leaned back, like an inverted bow, with his hands on the ground and his feet kicking like a shark pouncing on its prey, at an astonishing speed.

He braced himself on the ground with both hands, walking upside down, blocking Wang Xiao's attack with his right foot. Then, he slapped the ground with both hands, using the momentum to rise up, his body bursting out like an arrow released from a bow. His left foot quickly approached, aiming straight for Wang Xiao's heart.

The leg force tore through the air, producing a piercing screech.

At this moment, Wang Xiao's old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet emerged, making it the perfect time to launch a counterattack.

Wang Xiao was not afraid at all. He shouted and pulled his fists down to protect his heart. But Song Qing's kick was extremely tricky. Halfway through the kick, the speed suddenly increased unbelievably.

Suddenly it rose upwards, then slammed down with tremendous force, changing from a kick to a chop, aiming straight for Wang Xiao's face, like a venomous snake suddenly lunging to harm someone, arriving in front of him in a flash.

Wang Xiao's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile. In an instant, he transformed into an extremely powerful source of light and appeared before Song Qing.

Like a newly born star, it can burn everyone's eyes—this is the inspiration Wang Xiao gained after observing the sun.

All martial arts under heaven originated from the Seven Stars, and the martial arts of the Seven Stars can learn from all things.

I have been a disciple of Qixing Mountain for over ten years.

What he learned over the past ten years was truly the transmission of knowledge, instruction, and guidance, leading him to embark on a completely different path of spiritual practice.

I still remember when I first entered the monastery, my master asked me, "Do you know what the most important thing in spiritual practice is?"

"Is it talent?"

"No."

"Is that diligence?"

"No, not at all."

"It's about 'keeping the green hills so there's always firewood to burn'! In short, fight if you can win, run if you can't, and run as fast as you can."

"Huh? This..."

With this principle in mind, every mountain path and every dense forest on Qixing Mountain became his training ground.

From initially stumbling and struggling along the mountain paths, he eventually mastered the "Seven Star Rain Steps" technique, leaping and gliding with ease, even walking with his eyes closed without a single leaf touching him, his movements as fluid as the wind through the forest. He honed the technique to perfection. But what impressed him most about Seven Star Mountain was that "everything can be a teacher."

Ancient sages advocated "education for all," but Qixing Mountain has achieved "teaching according to aptitude," even overturning his understanding of "inheritance."

"Do you know why so many ancient and powerful techniques, which shook the ages, ultimately vanished into the long river of time?"

Before he could answer, the master replied, "That is because it is the 'Dao' of a great being, which cannot be replicated by others. This Dao is only suitable for him, or for someone whose temperament and innate qualities are completely in harmony with him. If someone in later generations can comprehend this Dao, the techniques will naturally be passed down; this is why some sects suddenly rise again—it is simply because someone has thoroughly understood the 'Dao' of the founder, or perfected their own 'Dao' based on it."

"But among the countless cultivators in the world, how many have truly inquired about their own 'Dao'? Are all disciples of the Sword Sect necessarily suited to practicing swordsmanship? But for certain obsessions in their hearts, they will certainly practice swordsmanship. Most lineages in the world are like this, only grasping the form but straying from the essence. Therefore, the cultivation world is always bound to favor the past and belittle the present, all because later generations have not grasped the 'Dao' and are merely futilely cultivating the 'form'."

"Therefore, you should take all things as your teachers, seek your own 'Tao,' and find a cultivation method that suits you!"

Even now, recalling those unbelievable remarks still sends shivers down Wang Xiao's spine. It was from that moment that he embarked on a cultivation path that appeared bizarre and unconventional to others—

He observed how ordinary people quench iron and comprehend the "Nine Heavens of Ice and Fire" body-refining method; he observed how a blind snake, though eyeless, could perceive its surroundings and comprehend the spiritual techniques of sound-based location identification and sensing objects with qi; he heard the folk saying that "cats have nine lives" and studied the techniques of neutralizing and deflecting force, and striking at weaknesses and avoiding strength...

At this moment, Wang Xiao transformed his own vital energy into a burst of intense light; the previous golden glints were gathering power for this attack.

The dazzling golden light was so intense that it was hard to look directly at it, and Song Qing's attack slowed down as a result. However, the intense light had no effect on Wang Xiao, as he had already become accustomed to it.

Immediately afterwards, Wang Xiao swung his right fist again, unleashing a powerful shockwave that, along with a raging wind that swept everything away, was hot enough to melt the heavens and earth, heading straight for Song Qing.

The force of the incoming punch far exceeded expectations, like a giant boulder weighing millions of pounds crashing down on his chest, forcing Song Qing's protective energy to the brink of collapse in an instant.

The decisive punch didn't land on Song Qing. To Wang Xiao's disbelief, Song Qing vanished, leaving only the incredibly powerful punch that whipped up countless rocks and broken pieces of wood.