Chapter 20: The True Art of the Heavenly Firmament Sacred Body
Page 1 of 3
Faced with the disciples’ confusion, Li Yu explained, “This matter concerns the Second Branch, so naturally they must be involved. However, their mission differs from ours. They are to confront the demonic cults, while our task is to rescue the disciples of the Second Branch. After being attacked by demonic cultivators, those disciples were scattered, which is why our assignments are more dispersed.”
Zhou Bo spoke up, “Why did the Second Branch disciples go into the lands of the demonic sects?”
Li Yu did not hide the truth. “They discovered the secret abode of a powerful cultivator from the Supreme Hao Sect. The disciples organized an expedition to explore it, but were set upon by demonic cultivators.”
Supreme Hao Sect!
A stir went through the assembled disciples of the Third Branch at the foot of the steps. Clearly, all had heard the name before.
Fang Wang leaned toward Gu Li beside him and asked quietly, “What is the history of the Supreme Hao Sect?” At this point, he was sure it was Fang Hanyu and his group who had run into trouble.
“The Supreme Hao Sect was a mighty sect a thousand years ago. The entire Great Qi Dynasty and the surrounding kingdoms were once their domain. For reasons unknown, the sect collapsed, and the current nine great cults only rose after its destruction. All parties, both sects and noble houses, still pursue everything about the Supreme Hao Sect, especially its legacy.” Gu Li replied.
Truly, those from great families know much.
As Fang Wang hesitated inwardly, Li Yu’s voice rang out again: “According to intelligence from the Second Branch disciples, they discovered the legendary Heaven’s Might Saint Physique True Art. The reward for investigating this art is the greatest—anyone who obtains it can be promoted directly to a personal disciple. This is a task open to all disciples of the nine branches, but there are few concrete clues, making it extremely difficult.”
Heaven’s Might Saint Physique True Art?
It sounded overwhelmingly powerful.
Fang Wang’s natal treasure spirit was a long weapon, so he had decided to focus on strengthening his physical body in the future. This Heaven’s Might Saint Physique True Art sounded like just what he needed.
He asked Gu Li again, “Is the Heaven’s Might Saint Physique True Art really that powerful?”
Gu Li nodded, longing in her expression. “Legend says the Heaven’s Might Saint Physique can move mountains and overturn seas. In ancient myths, it was among the gods, a symbol of strength. The True Art is the method to cultivate such a body—it was one of the Supreme Hao Sect’s mightiest arts. In the cultivation world of Great Qi, tales of it have never ceased.”
Move mountains and overturn seas!
Fang Wang’s heart was stirred, as were the other disciples, though none yet stepped forward to take the mission.
After a moment’s thought, Fang Wang strode up to Li Yu.
Not for Fang Hanyu, but for the Heaven’s Might Saint Physique True Art.
“Senior Brother, I want to take the mission!”
He stood before Li Yu. At these words, Li Yu hesitated, but with all the other disciples watching, he could only send a warning by voice transmission: “Junior Brother Fang, this mission could be very simple or extremely dangerous. As for the Heaven’s Might Saint Physique True Art, it may be nothing more than a rumor. As a personal disciple, you need not take such risks—let the lower-ranked disciples gain experience.”
Fang Wang did not reply by voice transmission, but spoke aloud instead: “I have a clansman in the Second Branch who is likely involved—his name is Fang Hanyu. Do you have any information about him? I must go to his aid.”
At this, Li Yu had no choice but to acquiesce. He sent his spiritual sense into his storage pouch to search, and soon raised his right hand, revealing a piece of green jade in his palm.
“Fang Hanyu’s disciple token last transmitted spiritual energy to the sect at a location recorded in this Guiding Jade. It will lead you to that place; for now, there are no further clues,” Li Yu said.
Fang Wang accepted the jade and thanked him, then turned and departed.
Seeing Fang Wang take the mission, other disciples immediately surged forward to Li Yu to claim their own assignments.
Gu Li approached Fang Wang and asked, “Would you like my help?”
Fang Wang shook his head. “I’m not doing this just for the mission. You needn’t get involved. Focus on your cultivation. I’ll wait for you at the ninth level of the Spirit-Shaping Realm.”
Gu Li nodded, and without further words, the two made their way to their dwellings.
Upon returning, Fang Wang began packing. Once done, he sent his consciousness into the green jade, and his awareness was plunged into darkness. Instinctively scanning his surroundings, he saw a distant light.
Page 2 of 3
This was the direction he was to follow!
The cultivation manual mentioned this jade before—it was called the Guiding Jade. This was Fang Wang’s first time using it, and he was quite curious.
He wasted no time. After confirming the direction, he placed the Guiding Jade in his storage pouch, rose, and left.
After exiting his cave, he did not leave the Grand Abyss Sect at once, but first made his way to the Pill Hall to collect a half-year’s worth of sect elixirs and buy additional healing medicines, just in case.
Half an hour later.
Riding his flying sword, Fang Wang left the immense city, preparing to descend the mountain.
“Wait! I’m coming with you!”
A voice called out. Fang Wang turned to see Zhou Xingshi hurrying over.
Seeing him, Fang Wang realized he was being watched—Yang Yuanzi must have asked other disciples to keep track of him, perhaps out of concern, but he still couldn’t let his guard down.
“Who told you to come?” Fang Wang asked.
Zhou Xingshi flew alongside him, answering, “Your master asked me. He was worried you’d run into trouble your first time down the mountain. The two of us together can look out for each other.”
Fang Wang nodded and asked no more, focusing on the journey.
The two passed through boundless snowfields, their figures quickly vanishing from sight.
...
In the western reaches of Great Qi, beneath blue skies and white clouds, green mountains and clear waters formed a beautiful scene.
In a mountain valley, overgrown with flowers and thick with shade, Fang Hanyu leaned against a tree trunk, hidden by the foliage. His robes were filthy and tattered, his eyes covered by a strip of cloth.
He tried to circulate his energy, but was seized by violent coughing, even spitting up blood.
“Don’t move. You’ve been poisoned by the Green Cicada Valley’s venom. Even with my treatment, you’ll need years of rest,” a girl’s voice sounded.
A young woman perched on a nearby branch, dressed in green and wearing a fox mask. Judging by her figure, she seemed no more than fifteen or sixteen.
Unable to see, Fang Hanyu asked, “When will I be able to walk?”
“Wait three more months. Your bones and tendons were all broken. You’re lucky to be alive—stop pushing yourself, will you?” the green-robed girl replied impatiently.
Fang Hanyu fell silent.
He clenched his fists inside his sleeves, a wave of frustration welling up.
In that moment, he thought of Fang Wang, Zhou Xue, and the other clan members in the Grand Abyss Sect, and of the Fang family in Nanqiu City. He strove to calm himself, to keep going—he could not fall here.
A piercing cry passed overhead, startling the birds in the forest.
The green-robed girl looked up and saw a massive demon bird gliding above the valley. Clicking her tongue in wonder, she said, “What on earth has happened to make so many demonic cultivators stir? They seem to be searching for something. Could it be you? Are you hiding something they want?”
Fang Hanyu did not reply, leaning against the trunk as if asleep.
“Hmph, if you won’t say, so be it. I don’t want trouble either. Just pray they don’t find this place. If they do, I won’t be able to protect you—I’ll abandon you without hesitation.”
So saying, the girl lay back on the branch to nap.
Fang Hanyu raised his head slightly, as if to look at the sky, but it had been a long time since he’d seen the light.
Page 3 of 3
...
Night fell.
In the woods, Fang Wang and Zhou Xingshi sat before a campfire, their shadows stretched long by the flames.
“The seasons in the Grand Abyss Sect are so different from the mundane world,” Fang Wang remarked.
They had been traveling for five days since descending the mountain, and were now near the location indicated by the Guiding Jade. Fang Wang did his best not to dwell on the possibility that Fang Hanyu might already be dead.
Zhou Xingshi nodded. “All nine great sects have their own spiritual arrays. With so much spiritual energy gathered, even the heavens and earth behave differently than in the mortal world.”
Fang Wang asked, “Have you cultivated the Body-Guarding Divine Shield or the Great Heaven Lightning Summoning Technique?”
Zhou Xingshi gave a wry smile. “Those two arts are extremely profound. Without decades of hard practice, it’s almost impossible to master them.”
Fang Wang’s interest was piqued. “How many techniques do you know, and how many have you truly mastered?”
“Seven spells, but only one is truly mastered—and that’s a family inheritance. On the path of cultivation, just accumulating energy and building up one’s foundation takes immense time. I’m lucky to have one art perfected,” Zhou Xingshi replied honestly, stealing a glance at Fang Wang.
He could never forget the sight of Fang Wang standing alone against fifty-one cultivators—the sword strike that cowed Gu Li must have been a consummate sword art, and that terrifying blaze was evidently a perfected technique as well.
Hearing this, Fang Wang felt a bit more at ease. After all, others did not have a Celestial Palace; even Spirit-Shaping Realm cultivators had only a few arts at mastery. Beside the grade of his natal treasure spirit, he also had an advantage in combat techniques.
He had perfected the Profound Sun Divine Sutra, the Soaring Rainbow Divine Sword Technique, the White Rainbow Escape Art, the Body-Guarding Divine Shield, and the Great Heaven Lightning Summoning Technique—offense, defense, and escape, he had it all.
“Following this route, we may pass near Green Cicada Valley and Yellow Prison Mountain. Green Cicada Valley belongs to the poison-using demon sect, while Yellow Prison Mountain is more versatile. The two are rivals and often at odds. We must be careful not to reveal our identities,” Zhou Xingshi cautioned.
Fang Wang nodded. “I’m only looking for my clansman. I won’t cause trouble.”
He wondered just how powerful the Heaven’s Might Saint Physique True Art truly was.
The Profound Sun Divine Sutra was an internal art; the Heaven’s Might Saint Physique True Art was likely external. With both, his strength would soar.
Zhou Xingshi fell silent, sitting cross-legged to absorb energy.
Fang Wang did the same.
Night deepened, and the occasional howl of wolves rang out.
In a flash, three days passed. Fang Wang and Zhou Xingshi arrived at a mountain village, both having changed back into their pre-sect attire—Fang Wang in a fitted white robe and a conical hat Zhou Xingshi had given him, looking every inch the wandering swordsman.
Zhou Xingshi sent a voice transmission, “The spiritual energy here is denser than elsewhere—probably a market established by cultivators. When gathering information, don’t mention that Fang Hanyu is from the Grand Abyss Sect, only describe his appearance.”
Fang Wang had already learned the voice transmission technique from the cultivation manual. He replied, then began observing the passersby.
Almost everyone in the town had a spiritual aura, though most were below the fifth level of the Qi Nurturing Realm—not a threat.
According to the Guiding Jade, Fang Hanyu’s disciple token last contacted the sect from this very town.