The rain still fell, the woods were dark, and the Black Howl lay trembling on the ground. It was not completely dead yet; its vitality was tenacious, but it was no longer capable of hurting anyone.
The man in black stood opposite him, swaying as he swiftly set his broken bones back in place. He did not hide his astonishment. "Although the Golden Body Art is formidable, very few people practice it. First, it takes effect incredibly slowly—one can spend decades before achieving anything. Second, the slightest mistake can cause serious problems in the body and injure oneself."
He stared at Wang Xuan. The other man had clearly cultivated the Golden Body Art to the late fourth level, which should have taken at least thirty years. Yet Wang Xuan was only in his early twenties.
"How did you cultivate it?" His eyes shone brightly, and he could not calm the turmoil in his heart. An intense desire seized him; he desperately wanted to know.
"Who sent you to kill me?" Wang Xuan asked coolly. He did not know this man in black. The man was over fifty, and the two had never crossed paths before.
He believed someone stood behind the man in black. This man had acted on another's behalf to kill him and was still not the true mastermind.
The man in black's expression remained calm. "If you win today, don't investigate this matter any further. Let it end here. I was the one who hired the Gray Blood organization to kill you, and I was the one who personally made the final move. You may consider me the mastermind behind it all. In fact, that is indeed the case."
A faint golden gleam flashed and vanished in the depths of Wang Xuan's eyes. It was evidence of his success in the Golden Body Art, making the man in black thirst even more to know how Wang Xuan had reached this stage.
The man in black did not want to cultivate the Golden Body Art itself. He wanted to determine whether there was some secret method or shortcut. If he could truly figure it out, Old Arts might be able to blaze forth with brilliant radiance again in this era.
He had cultivated Old Arts for decades and struggled his way to this point. He was already one of the few great experts in this field, yet he understood deeply that, once one reached this level, the road was more or less at its end.
Wang Xuan said coldly, "You came to kill me and still refuse to reveal the person behind you. Why should I tell you anything?"
The man in black stretched his body and loosened his muscles and bones. "As someone who practices Old Arts, I offered you kind advice only because you reached this stage at such a young age. If you are the one who leaves here alive in the end, stop once your investigation reaches me. The matter should more or less end there. Live out the rest of your life peacefully. Don't think about uncovering anything, and no one should target you again."
Anger rose in Wang Xuan's heart. He kept a low profile and normally did not like causing trouble, but after being assassinated again and again, he was expected to endure it in the end, refrain from investigating on his own, and only then be able to stay alive in peace?
The man in black sighed softly. "Those of us who walk the Old Arts path truly have it hard, especially in this era. The road has completely ended, and New Arts are about to replace us in every respect. I am unwilling to accept it. Clinging to an unrealistic dream, I wanted to blaze a trail, so obsessed that I nearly became possessed."
It was clear that he was not putting on an act. He truly felt something, and his obsession with the road of Old Arts ran deep.
The man in black did not rush to attack. He continued, "Ever since I learned that a certain legendary scripture from our field of Old Arts had appeared, only to be shelved away as part of their collection of antiques, I could no longer hold myself back. I wanted to get close to it, hoped to obtain it, glimpse its true meaning, and uncover the secrets of the Ascension True Immortal."
Wang Xuan did not speak. He listened quietly.
"So I deliberately approached them. I learned that someone in that family had expressed dissatisfaction with you in conversation and wished they could kill you. I took the initiative to draw close, tactfully suggesting that, as a scholar and professor, I could 'educate' you, while also hinting that I wished to take a look at the ancient volume in their home."
Upon hearing this, Wang Xuan frowned. He thought back over the people he knew, but still could not figure out who it was. He had never formed any deep, irreconcilable hatred with anyone.
Even now, he did not know whom he had offended so badly that they insisted on killing him.
At the same time, he was somewhat surprised. The man in black was actually a scholar, a professor. His identity appeared rather complicated.
The man in black seemed to see what he was thinking. "For a period, Old Arts had not yet declined completely. As a researcher of Old Arts, I taught some students at universities on New Star. Sometimes, I was even invited to explain health preservation to certain Old Men of unusual status. You could say I had some reputation back then."
He laughed at himself, then shook his head.
Wang Xuan understood. Before New Arts were fully revealed and rose to prominence, Old Arts had indeed been valued for a time. The Pre-Qin Bamboo Slips and other relics from Old Earth had all been carved up by the financial conglomerates and major research institutes.
For several years, New Star had hoped to use Old Arts to trigger supernatural power and connect it with New Arts. Thus, it was only natural that the man in black had become an honored guest of certain financial conglomerates. It was not strange that he possessed the identity of a scholar and professor.
"After I made my intentions known that day, that person truly took out the unique copy of the scripture from his home in secret and showed me its first page. I was immediately drawn in, because I knew it was a priceless treasure. It matched the path I had explored for so many years, directly puncturing a layer of window paper for me and opening a new window. That was only the first page, yet it encompassed the efforts and pursuit of most of my life. How astonishing would what followed be? In those people's hands, it was like pearls and jade covered in dust. Though they had studied it, they simply could not cultivate it through. But my desire only grew stronger, because I was certain I could make that legendary scripture bloom with the most dazzling brilliance again in this era when the Old Arts path had reached its end."
As he spoke, the man in black's gaze burned hot, as though flames danced within his eyes. His emotions were exceedingly agitated.
"Unfortunately, I only saw the first page!"
Only at the end did he gradually regain his calm. The fire in his eyes died out, and he looked at Wang Xuan again. "I seem to have discovered something even more extraordinary in you. Did you cultivate the Golden Body Art from childhood, with some unfathomable shortcut to follow, which is why you reached the fourth level at this age? Or is it even more astonishing than I imagined?"
Two intimidating beams shot from his eyes. "According to my investigation, Zhou Mingxuan gave you that secret copy of the Golden Body Art at a gathering. You reached the fourth level in such a short time? There is absolutely something seriously wrong here!"
Wang Xuan remained calm and said nothing. In this era, no one had been able to enter the Inner Scenery Realm for a long time.
In ancient times, after those on the Old Arts path first triggered Super-Sense, they needed the aid of Pre-Qin Daoist practitioners or the guidance of figures on the level of patriarchs before they could enter the Inner Scenery Realm.
When Wang Xuan entered for the first time, he had not been guided in by anyone. He had stepped into that domain himself. If word got out, those who knew the truth would be shaken to their core.
"Because of my obsession, I became somewhat possessed. For the sake of that legendary scripture, I did not hesitate to stir Killing Intent and wanted to kill you in exchange for it. Thinking about it now, the main reason people like us on the Old Arts path do such things is because we cannot see any hope. It is somewhat tragic."
The man in black sighed, then stared at Wang Xuan. "That is why I urge you not to investigate any further. That person might be saying they wanted to kill you only out of momentary anger and resentment. They may not pay attention to this matter again afterward. Just pretend nothing happened. Some people and forces are far beyond the sort of people you and I can touch or contend against. After all, this is no longer the Pre-Qin era when Daoist Masters bloomed with the immortal light of Ascension Immortals."
Suddenly, his aura changed. Two rosy beams shot from his eyes, and his five viscera actually began to resonate, producing thunderous roars. A faint radiance emerged in the blood within his body, and his entire person seemed to acquire a halo. In an instant, he vanished from where he stood, moving at the utmost speed as he pounced on Wang Xuan to kill him.
Although Wang Xuan felt that this man possessed a genuine obsession in the field of Old Arts and was not merely pretending, he did not lower his guard. Human nature was complex. The man in black might be devoted to Old Arts, but that did not mean he was purely good.
At the very least, his Black Howl had been severely injured and was nearly dead, yet he showed no reaction at all. It was obvious that his heart was hard as iron.
Boom!
Wang Xuan swiftly dodged, pushing the Golden Body Art to its limits as he prepared to contend with the man.
That person appeared where Wang Xuan had just vanished from. With a thud, his feet stomped a huge pit into the ground. The force was truly terrifying, even more astonishing than not long ago.
The man in black drew deep breaths. His Five Viscera thundered, faint radiance bloomed in his blood and flowed outside the body, causing a weak halo to truly appear around him. It was exceedingly strange, and it raised his strength by a tremendous margin.
Wang Xuan was greatly shaken. He guessed that this was very likely what had been recorded on the first page of the scripture the man in black craved.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Wang Xuan avoided his sharp edge and struck at his arm, body, and other places from the side. Even so, he could feel how absurdly powerful the other man was.
At this moment, the man in black was somewhat impossible to oppose. After only brief contact, the force shook all ten of Wang Xuan's fingernails loose. Blood streamed continuously, his arms nearly broke, and his finger bones ached unbearably. Even the Golden Body Art could not withstand it!
The situation was exceedingly dangerous. In the successive collisions, Wang Xuan was sent flying several times, coughing up blood by the mouthful. He was about to be completely and severely injured.
Seeing the man in black in this state, Wang Xuan immediately thought of a certain body technique he had also cultivated—the five pages of Golden Book left behind by Zhang Daoling. He had cultivated the first diagram in the Inner Scenery Realm. It had only been an opening stance, and at the time he had not felt it possessed much power.
Now, seeing the might of the man in black, he immediately sensed and touched upon a similar power. Both were connected to stimulating the vitality of the five viscera.
Boom!
Wang Xuan fought desperately. Blood flowed from the mouth as he fully activated the body technique recorded in that diagram, making his Five Viscera resonate violently. At this life-or-death juncture, he sensed something extraordinary. When his fleshly body was nearly unable to bear it and his Five Viscera shook so violently they were about to split apart, a novel power surged forth within him and rapidly expanded through his flesh and blood.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
He sensed how powerful his heartbeat was. His blood was stimulated like a great river, shining with a faint golden glow. He blocked the man in black's fierce assault, and his arms and finger bones were finally saved from shattering.
In the end, the man in black could not hold on any longer. After his Five Viscera resonated, he coughed blood by the mouthful. With a bang, Wang Xuan sent him flying more than ten meters away. His chest caved in, leaving behind a terrifying fist hole, and even light shone through his back.
Moreover, the secret power generated by the resonance of his Five Viscera had been too powerful. They were now on the verge of collapse, cracks appearing one after another. He had completely lost his ability to fight and was clearly about to die.
"I did not expect that you had also cultivated a similar scripture." Blood poured continuously from his mouth and nose. At last, he sighed. "You are still so young. Perhaps there is some hope. If, in the future, you can blaze a trail for Old Arts..."
He could no longer speak. His mouth was full of bloody froth, his breathing was difficult, and he weakened rapidly.
Wang Xuan did not feel well either. Even though he quickly stopped the body technique recorded in the Golden Book, he still felt agonizing pain in his Five Viscera. He had expended too much strength and was somewhat drained; he did not want to move at all.
But there were still snipers nearby. The danger was immense.
Sure enough, in an instant, he felt himself fall into a life-and-death predicament. His brow throbbed with agonizing pain, as though a sharp weapon were pressed against it and was about to pierce through it.
He had been locked onto. Someone was about to shoot him to death?!
Wang Xuan felt that death was not far away. Never before had he been so close to it. Enduring the intense pain, he struggled to roll over and barely evaded one fatal calamity. A bullet flew past, piercing through the spot where he had just been.
In an instant, he discovered that multiple parts of his body were in intense pain again. He had been locked onto from every direction.
But his condition was extremely poor, and it was difficult for him to react at the first time.
Was he going to die? He was deeply unwilling. The Root Method of the Pre-Qin Daoist practitioners began circulating automatically within him. He did not want to give up and still tried to roll over.
Boom!
Suddenly, he sensed something unusual. Time seemed to slow. His body was shrouded by the shadow of death, and under the extreme pressure that nearly suffocated him, he actually entered a state of Super-Sense.
Even so, could he escape this calamity? He still had no confidence.
Thanks to: Already a Plush Ball, Beached ovo, Lost in Thought, Reader 1394236070840274944, and Luochuan Netherworld.
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