The world of martial cultivation has its own rules.
Those who roam the martial world are all hardened warriors who live on the edge of a blade, caring little for life or death. Who would bother with respecting elders or cherishing the young? Rankings in martial cultivation naturally belong to the strong, and there is never any room for luck.
Therefore, the Heaven-Omen Chart, Earth-Origin Chart, and Hero Chart are all based purely on strength, without any special categories such as the Young Heroes and Heroines Chart.
As long as one possesses extraordinary martial skills, whether a toddler or a man in his dotage, they can stand shoulder to shoulder with other heroes!
After witnessing Wu Ming defeat Xiang Kun, who ranked 355th on the Hero Chart, with a single palm strike, the entire hall of martial cultivators fell into stunned silence.
“A hero of such youthful age on the Hero Chart? A prodigy indeed!”
“He must have consumed some rare and precious treasures!”
Despite feelings of envy and jealousy, the onlookers could not deny that a new star of martial cultivation was about to rise in Xingwu Prefecture.
“Let’s go!”
Wu Ming paid no heed to the surrounding crowd and directly said to Lin Xinlan.
“Wait a moment!”
Xiang Kun struggled to his feet, shaking off the helping hand of Miaoniangzi, who had rushed forward: “He cannot leave!”
At his words, even the spectators could not help but show expressions of disdain on their faces.
A true man’s promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold! Heroes and warriors of the martial world should especially uphold this principle!
“I admit my inferiority and acknowledge my defeat, but…”
Xiang Kun pointed at Lin Xinlan: “I will not hold her accountable today, but he cannot leave!”
His expression turned grave, even solemn: “Speak! Where did you steal and learn the Solar Palm technique from?!”
At this accusation, the entire hall immediately erupted into uproar.
After all, stealing martial techniques is considered extremely disgraceful in the martial world, even to the point of being universally condemned. No one would want their secret arts to be learned by others.
“Solar Palm?”
A faint smile appeared on Wu Ming’s lips, like a hunter seeing his prey take the bait.
“That’s right! The Thirty-Six Forms of Solar Palm are exclusive to our Sanyang Sect, with no other branches in the entire world!”
Xiang Kun shouted: “If you don’t explain yourself clearly today, don’t even think about leaving this city!”
“What if I say I learned it from you? Would you believe me?”
Wu Ming replied candidly.
The reason he had entered the arena to play around with Xiang Kun was precisely to steal his techniques.
He already had a solid foundation in internal energy. As for other martial techniques, they were merely matters of meridian circulation. After watching a few times, he could master them directly.
After all, he had already reached the sixth level in the cultivation of the Immortal Dao. With such a high vantage point, studying martial arts, even those from another world, was as easy as picking fruit from a tree. Ultimately, no matter how many different paths there are among the 3,000 great Dao, they all lead to the same destination.
“You admit it?!”
Xiang Kun was astonished. Although he did not believe that anyone could learn his lifelong martial art, his most treasured technique, in a single exchange, he still shouted: “Surround him!”
Clang!
A large group of Sanyang Sect disciples immediately drew their swords and blades. Some even wore light armor and had prepared crossbows.
Seeing this scene, some of the martial artists in the crowd’s hairs stood on end as they quickly retreated.
Armor, crossbows, swords, and blades—all of these were military and national weapons. If they were deployed in sufficient numbers, even experts at the Earth-Origin level would be reluctant to confront them head-on.
With the current might of the Sanyang Sect, hundreds of elite warriors could easily surround someone. Perhaps only a Heaven-Omen level expert could calmly break through such a formation, while Earth-Origin level experts would have to rely on guerrilla tactics in alley fights to carry out decapitation strategies. As for heroes on the Hero Chart, they would generally have no choice but to surrender.
“Hehe… Sister Lin, don’t be in such a hurry to leave. Sister still wants to have a little heart-to-heart chat with you!”
Miaoniangzi smiled sweetly as she blocked Lin Xinlan’s path: “Sister is not a member of the Sanyang Sect, so I’m not bound by any rules. If you want to leave, dear sister, you’ll have to get past me first!”
“Sigh…”
Wu Ming looked at the cold crossbows and pretended to sigh: “Why is it that so many people in the world always insist on rushing to their deaths?”
“Daredevil! Capture him!”
Xiang Kun was so alarmed by Wu Ming’s gaze that his hairs stood on end. He quickly backed away, trying to get inside the armored formation.
But in the next moment, Wu Ming appeared in front of him like a flash of light.
Honestly speaking, even in his wildest dreams, Xiang Kun had never imagined that his Eight Steps Shadow Stepping technique could have so many variations and be so fast—nearly faster than lightning!
Bang! Bang!
Wu Ming struck out with both palms. Two armored guards in front of him were instantly sent flying backward, their chests caved in, surrounded by a ring of blackened marks.
Hiss! Hiss!
Arrows rained down like rain, but he casually took off his outer robe and swept it through the air. The powerful yang energy instantly transformed into a gentle force. The soft outer robe, which could be easily cut by ordinary swords and blades, spread out like a full sail, filled with true energy. It was no less effective than a golden silk armor and easily caught all the arrowheads.
In just an instant, Wu Ming broke through two layers of defense and stood before Xiang Kun.
“You!”
Xiang Kun only managed to utter a single word before he was grabbed by the neck by Wu Ming and lifted to his face: “Do you want him to die?”
The disciples of the Sanyang Sect hesitated. A deputy leader-like martial artist stepped forward, looking at the pitiful Xiang Kun, whose face looked as if it had been slashed by a knife: “A warrior would rather die than surrender! If you think you can use Elder Xiang Kun as a hostage to force us to let you leave the city, you’re just dreaming!”
“Very well!”
Wu Ming came to a banquet table and sat down comfortably, “What if I don’t leave?”
“This…”
The leader could never have imagined that the opponent would respond in such a way. Hesitating to act for fear of harming the hostage, he dared not move.
Even the most obtuse among them knew that today’s matter was beyond his capability to resolve. With a glance, a disciple quickly ran out, the sound of horse hooves swiftly fading into the distance, obviously going to call for reinforcements.
Lin Xinlan stood there, watching the scene in a daze. Suddenly, she recalled Wu Ming’s earlier words about wanting to meet the Sanyang Sect’s sect leader. A thought flashed through her mind like lightning: “He… he did this on purpose!”
“He didn’t feel like going to see the Sanyang Sect’s sect leader, so he made Ding Jiao come to him personally!”
“This person is simply… simply… incredibly bold!”
For some reason, seeing Wu Ming like this gave Lin Xinlan a sense of confidence instead.
She turned around, not leaving, but instead coming to stand behind Wu Ming, as if this place was the safest of all.
Miaoniangzi glared fiercely at Wu Ming, her eyes filled with caution, and indeed dared not step forward again.
…
“What? Elder Xiang Kun has been captured? The culprit is still at the Qingfeng Pavilion?”
Ding Jiao, the sect leader of the Sanyang Sect, known as the Flame Palm Master, was already fifty years old. However, his internal kung fu was profound. His hair was jet black, his skin smooth and glowing, making him look no older than thirty. His eyes, slightly tinged with red, exuded a deep and unfathomable majesty—a phenomenon that only occurs when one has reached the pinnacle of cultivating the Sanyang Sect’s secret manual, the “Triple Burner Yang Mystique.”
Upon hearing the report, he immediately furrowed his brows: “Who is the enemy?”
“A young man, calling himself Wu Ming… his martial arts are strange and unheard of…”
“Since he dares to challenge us in Boyang City, he must possess genuine skills. Call upon Elders Qian, Hua, and Miao, and have Elder Li mobilize the sect’s army for support. I will personally go to meet him!”
A determined look flashed across Ding Jiao’s face.
With the sect leader’s command, the orders were swiftly carried out.
Before long, he arrived at the Qingfeng Pavilion with three elders who were listed on the Hero Chart.
“Greetings, Sect Leader!”
The disciples of the Sanyang Sect, seeing their leader come in person, were all invigorated.
“Where is that person? Tell me every detail of what happened!”
Ding Jiao asked with a frown.
“He is still in the main hall, having ordered another banquet!”
The deputy commander wiped the cold sweat from his brow, recounting the situation in detail, not daring to omit a single word.
After listening, Ding Jiao directly entered the Qingfeng Pavilion and soon spotted Wu Ming, who was acting as if nothing was happening, pouring himself a drink.
If it weren’t for Xiang Kun lying at his feet and Lin Xinlan standing beside him, Ding Jiao would have gladly approached to have a few cups with him.
But under the circumstances, he could only step forward and bow: “I am Ding Jiao. I wonder what Wu Ming’s intentions are in detaining my sect’s elder?”
“Flame Palm Master?”
Wu Ming calmly picked up a bite of food with his chopsticks before finally glancing at Ding Jiao.
He saw a man who was full of vitality and energy, as if constantly radiating heat. Above his head, the internal energy formed a golden-yellow aura, brimming with power.
“An Earth-Origin level expert, comparable to a martial saint in the Zhou Dynasty’s world, at the fourth level of martial cultivation…”
Wu Ming inwardly muttered: “Even a mere prefecture has a martial saint guarding it. No wonder most of the previous reincarnators were wiped out, even fourth-level reincarnators died…”
The same fourth level, one being heavily suppressed, the other able to fully exert their strength, even commanding thousands of martial artists to form an army for encirclement and annihilation. It’s no wonder those reincarnators ended up failing!
Although the forms and manifestations of destiny’s aura may vary, they are still external expressions of the secondary world’s power, and can generally be used to measure an expert’s strength with reasonable accuracy.
“The Earth-Origin Chart’s power should equate to the fourth level of martial cultivation, while the Hero Chart corresponds to the third-level Grandmasters…”
Wu Ming glanced at Lin Xinlan behind him, feeling quite helpless to see that the girl’s martial cultivation aura was only faintly red. However, within her external aura, a trace of green remained, indicating not only a long-lasting blessing but also suggesting she might have extraordinary encounters in the future.
“That is indeed me!”
Ding Jiao was unaware that with just a single glance, the other party had completely seen through his foundation. Yet, meeting Wu Ming’s gaze, he felt an equal sense of wariness.
“Sect Leader!”
At this moment, Xiang Kun, who was under Wu Ming’s foot, suddenly shouted: “This person has stolen our Sanyang Sect’s Thirty-Six Solar Palm Techniques. He absolutely cannot be forgiven!”
“Annoying!”
Wu Ming slightly increased the pressure with his right foot, and Xiang Kun was immediately silenced.
“Whether Elder Xiang’s accusation is true or not, you have treated our sect’s elder in such a manner. Today’s matter cannot be easily resolved!”
Ding Jiao raised his hands.
Whoosh!
A wave of intense heat radiated outward. Starting from his wrists, his entire hands turned crimson red, emitting an astonishing temperature that even caused Lin Xinlan to instinctively retreat.
“This is the might of an Earth-Origin level expert. They can already display part of their own unique phenomena. If they can externally manifest their internal power and manipulate the surrounding small-scale environment, they would become a Heaven-Omen level expert!”
She took a few steps back, her beautiful eyes involuntarily filled with concern as she looked at Wu Ming.
“The Triple Burner Yang Mystique?”
With just a glance, Wu Ming knew that with his current martial cultivation abilities alone, he could not even slightly harm this Earth-Origin level expert: “Attack!”
“Hmm?”
Seeing Wu Ming still sitting there so casually, without even moving his right foot that was stepping on Xiang Kun, Ding Jiao felt a surge of anger inside. He rubbed his hands together.
Whoosh!
In an instant, two balls of flame appeared in his palms. With a forward push of his hands, scorching fireballs surged toward Wu Ming.
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