Star Martial Soaring Cloud

The land of Kyushu is connected by twelve mountain ranges. The fourth range is the Lishan Mountain Range, which stretches for thousands of miles and has nine main peaks. The third Lishan Mountain is the main battlefield for this trial to compete for opportunities.

The path of spiritual practice begins with the leaping of a fish.

The core of this realm lies in body refinement and transformation, forging one's limbs to be full and powerful.

The entire body, from the waist and legs to the back, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and palms, is connected as one.

Flexibility and coordination have been honed to the extreme.

Ultimately, they rise like the wind and fall like an arrow, achieving what ordinary people cannot.

But these are all about developing the body's potential, which can be achieved through mental and physical effort.

However, the human body has its limits. If one wants to go further, one must draw strength from the heavens and earth and transform that strength into skill.

The foundation for this step is opening up the sea of ​​primordial energy.

The Sea of ​​Vital Energy is located three inches below the navel in the human body; it is a natural spring that gathers the vital energy of heaven and earth.

With the opening of the Sea of ​​Primordial Qi, cultivators' sensitivity to the elements of heaven and earth strengthens. They can then choose the element with the strongest sensitivity to resonate with, ultimately transforming these elements into a mysterious power, namely, supernatural abilities.

The elements of heaven and earth are divided into eight categories: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, light, thunder, and ethereal. The supernatural evolution of each category of elements contains completely different profound mysteries of the Great Dao.

The Dragon Gate Divine Realm is an important step towards "supernatural powers." In this realm, one will break through the world as understood by ordinary people, perceive the divine consciousness, and completely master the elements of heaven and earth that ordinary people cannot control, truly stepping into the extraordinary realm.

The opening of the Sea of ​​Primordial Energy is only the beginning. To stably connect with the elements of heaven and earth, a "Jianmu" tree needs to be nurtured within the Sea of ​​Primordial Energy.

In ancient times, there was a divine tree called Jianmu, which connected the heavens above and the netherworld below, serving as a ladder for the gods to ascend to heaven.

For cultivators, the Jianmu tree in the sea of ​​primordial energy is the bridge between themselves and heaven and earth—its rooting, sprouting, branching, spreading leaves, flowering, bearing fruit, and even its ultimate eternity are all part of the path of cultivation.

Therefore, the fish leaping three steps can also be distinguished by the situation of the Jianmu tree.

The sea of ​​primordial energy is opened up, the seed of the Jianmu tree takes root, and the fish leaps to achieve small success; the Jianmu tree sprouts and grows into a tree, which can be described as the fish leaping to perfection.

Once Yu Yue has cultivated to the extreme of power, he can begin to open up the sea of ​​primordial energy.

This process is long and perilous, and the understanding of the elements of heaven and earth requires a gradual and cumulative approach.

The laws governing the universe and the natural cycle of life are quite different from those governing human beings. Only by finding a way to reconcile the two can we achieve harmony between humanity and nature.

The opening of this sea of ​​primordial energy is inseparable from a spiritual stone—the Eight Elements Stone, in which the eight elements of heaven and earth gather in one stone.

Over the long years, there have been many veins of Eight Elements Stone, but most of them have been firmly controlled by aristocratic families and the imperial court, making them difficult for ordinary cultivators to find.

Although the Central Plains is prosperous, it is relatively scarce in resources. Ninety percent of the spirit stones and other resources are transported from other regions.

This pattern was completely broken with the emergence of a supreme treasure—the He Shi Bi, the number one spiritual stone in the Nine Provinces, which broke through the ground in Jing Mountain in the Central Province.

People were then astonished to discover that beneath the mountains of Central China lay abundant spiritual stone resources.

This sparked a wave of mountain-opening fervor that swept across central China.

Amid this frenzy, the Xuanyuan family was the first to discover that Mount Li contained an astonishing amount of Eight Elements Stones.

Even more surprisingly, the Xuanyuan family did not keep this treasure for themselves. Instead, they made a decision that shocked the entire land: to share the Eight Elements Stones of Lishan with all cultivators in the world and to hold the Lishan Trial every year, providing cultivators with the opportunity to open their sea of ​​primordial energy.

The news caused a stir throughout the world.

Since the Lishan Trial began, countless heroes and warriors have successfully opened up the sea of ​​primordial energy here and entered a new realm of cultivation.

This trend attracted a huge number of cultivators, especially unaffiliated and independent cultivators—for them, Lishan was a shortcut to changing their fate.

Few people know that the real allure of Lishan is not the Eight Su Stones, but the legendary secret stone that is said to exist there.

Once you obtain ancient cultivation techniques from the secret stone, you might rise to prominence. The Purple Qi Palace and the Sumeru Sect rose to prominence rapidly by relying on the supreme cultivation techniques inherited from the secret stone. The secret stones they possess are the kings among secret stones—the Nine Secrets of Taoism and the Six-Character Mantra of Buddhism.

Imagine if the secret stone in Lishan contained one of the nine secrets of Taoism, or one of the six words of the Buddhist mantra, it would surely trigger a frenzy of fighting among cultivators across the Nine Provinces, and no force would be able to remain uninvolved.

But all the secret stones possess a spirit, and they only recognize those who are destined to be with them.

Although the Xuanyuan family had occupied Lishan for hundreds of years, they had never been able to find any trace of the secret stone.

So he simply went with the flow and shared Lishan with the world. It seemed selfless, but in reality, he had other plans. This was not about abandoning Lishan, but about turning it into a tool to strengthen himself.

The Xuanyuan family set a rule: all cultivators who participate in the trial must hand over 50% of their trial results; or 30%, but in return, they must be employed by the Xuanyuan family and serve them for three years.

Using this rule, the Xuanyuan family developed the resources of Lishan with the help of cultivators from all over the world, making a fortune and increasing their power and fame. They were on the verge of becoming the number one family in the Nine Provinces.

The Xuanyuan family's foundation is even more extraordinary.

They once dominated the land of Kyushu, establishing a dynasty that ruled the land for three hundred years—the Daqing Dynasty.

Later, due to the tyrannical and cruel rule of the Daqing Dynasty, which lost the hearts of the people, it was overthrown by the Daqian Dynasty.

Strangely, as a former royal family, the Xuanyuan clan was not purged. In fact, many members of the clan held high positions in the Daqian Dynasty. All six Ministers of Rites in the Daqian Dynasty came from the Xuanyuan family.

The Ministry of Rites was in charge of matters concerning rites, music, education, and religion throughout the realm, demonstrating the importance the Great Qian Dynasty placed on them.

"Kid, you've got to treat me to a hundred chicken legs this time. Lishan is huge, these past two weeks have been exhausting!" On a deserted path not far from Lishan City, Kung Pao Chicken greeted Wang Xiao, handing him a whole bunch of information about Lishan's layout and various documents. "You're really something now, kid. You became a legend in the battle of Zhongyun City, and now many cultivators in Lishan are talking about you. I heard that many cultivators who have already opened their Sea of ​​Yuan Qi have come all the way to Lishan."

"So what if you've opened up the Sea of ​​Primordial Qi? You're still just a Fish Leap cultivator." Wang Xiao, slightly disguised, replied indifferently.

"Kid, now that we've finished the important business, I'll take you to get some experience!" Kung Pao Chicken patted Wang Xiao's arm with its wing and winked.

"Where to?"

"Is that even a question? Of course, we'll go to the biggest brothel in Lishan City!"

"Huh? What are you going to a brothel for?"

"Need I say more? Of course, it's about challenging the greatest rival a man can face in his life!"

"You call this growing up?"

"As the ancients said, women are the most dangerous creatures. Isn't facing danger enough to grow? A man's greatest destiny in this world is to conquer women! They are a man's lifelong rivals. No matter how strong or how monstrous they are, we have only one goal—to bravely defeat them and make them submit to our feet."

"Shut up, you've never even caught a wild pheasant."

As Wang Xiao approached Lishan City, he sensed a sense of history and dominance. Although the city was not large, it exuded a solemn and ancient atmosphere, as if it had existed since time immemorial.

The city walls were covered with axe marks and sword holes, the ancient ruins mottled and adding to the desolation. The Xuanyuan family knights patrolled back and forth, each with a powerful aura. When they rode their beasts, they were like a steel torrent, shaking the earth slightly.

"Private duels are forbidden in Lishan City. Violators will be killed!" The cold shout echoed at the city gate, intimidating every cultivator entering the city.

After registering at the designated location, Wang Xiao received an iron token engraved with the name Xuanyuan. One day later, by using this token to step onto the Xuanyuan family's teleportation array, he would be teleported to Lishan, and the trial would officially begin.

Facing the rising sun, Wang Xiao followed the flow of people towards the central square. A dense mass of heads surged in the same direction; a rough estimate suggested that at least several thousand cultivators were participating in the trial.

Suddenly, a rumbling sound like thunder came, and dozens of riders charged in like a tidal wave. These men were extremely arrogant, galloping along the main road. Amidst the roars of wild beasts, a fierce wind howled past, ruffling the hair of many pedestrians. Many glared angrily, but the knights paid no heed to the pedestrians' discomfort.

"It's someone from the Xuanyuan family! They've also sent representatives to participate in the trial?" After recognizing the rider, most of the crowd chose to remain silent. The fact that the Xuanyuan family directly sent someone to participate undoubtedly put immense pressure on the other cultivators.

"So what if they're from the Xuanyuan family? They're here to participate in the trial anyway. If they're afraid, why come here?" Verbal disputes among cultivators are common, but Wang Xiao found the voice somewhat familiar.

He turned his head and saw a young man dressed in black, carrying an ancient long sword, staring coldly at him from a high platform not far away—Yan Yigong Ye Changtian, whom Zhong Yuncheng had met once before.

Ye Changtian noticed Wang Xiao's gaze, slowly stood up, the long sword at his waist trembled slightly, and an intense fighting spirit emanated from him. He didn't say a word, but only made a "slash" gesture at Wang Xiao, the provocation in his eyes was undisguised. If it weren't for the city's ban on private duels, he probably would have already pounced on him.

"Hey, isn't this the hothead who wanted to practice his sword with you?" Kung Pao Chicken sneered. "Besides him, Xiao He from the Haoqi Pavilion is here too, but that guy named Xuanyuan is nowhere to be seen."

"Hehehe—it seems this trial is getting more and more interesting!" A chilling laugh faded, and a strange figure appeared before everyone. It was a demon, resembling a giant cat, covered in scales, strong and powerful; its sharp claws were a foot long, and its teeth gleamed like daggers.

"Even demons are joining in the fun? Be careful, this place might become your burial ground!" The insulting words immediately filled the air with murderous intent. The demon named Black Pupil's eyes flashed with ferocity, his sharp teeth revealing a chilling glint. If it weren't for the prohibition of Lishan City, a life-or-death battle would probably have already broken out.

"It's him, Young Master Lianhua of the Hua family!" Clearly, someone recognized the provocateur.

Following the sound, Wang Xiao saw a soft chair being carried by several people down the street. Reclining on the chair was an extremely effeminate young man, gently swirling a glass of wine in his hand, with two beautiful young women standing on either side. One of the women was wiping wine stains from the corner of his mouth with a clean white silk handkerchief. His face was pale, and his eyes were dark-rimmed, clearly the result of excessive indulgence.

For some reason, this complete stranger, the Flower-Loving Young Master, looked at Wang Xiao with hostility.

"It seems this trial is indeed quite lively." A sharp glint flashed in Wang Xiao's eyes. He came to Lishan to hone himself and prepare for the battle against the Demon Island.

If anyone insists on courting death, he wouldn't mind granting their wish. This Lishan Trial Grounds, with its vast, deep mountains and dense forests, is to him nothing less than a tiger returning to the mountains or a dragon returning to the sea. He wants everyone to see what true combat is all about.

At this moment, a maid dressed in a light green silk dress quietly walked to Wang Xiao's side, curtsied, and said in a soft voice, "Young Master Wang, my Holy Maiden invites you. She has prepared a small feast at the villa on the side of the mountain."