The First Time in His Life

On the brink of despair, separated from life's withering by no more than a thread, Wang Xuan had already smelled death. In such a predicament, he triggered his Super-Sense state. Although his spiritual perception had become astonishingly sharp, he still felt that he would be hit. He had no confidence in escaping this calamity.

But since his perception had surged amid desperate circumstances and he had seen the Inner Scenery Realm, he had no need to make any other choice. He swiftly rushed inside.

He had not rushed in to increase his strength. He only wanted to draw in the Mysterious Factor, allowing his severely injured and exhausted body to recover quickly.

The Void and Silence Land was still the same, steeped in Death Qi all year round, without the slightest sound. If one could not trigger Super-Sense, then no matter how much time one spent, one would never reach this place. Standing at the highest meditative state, a few minutes outside amounted to years here.

Standing here, Wang Xuan did not hesitate. He circulated the Root Method recorded on the Pre-Qin Bamboo Slips. Although time flowed very slowly here, outside, he was only a thread away from death. He could no longer stay here for years as he usually did.

He sighed. Though it was somewhat regrettable, he had no regrets. After all, the most urgent matter in triggering Super-Sense and entering this place was preserving his life.

He stood amid the clear and tranquil flow of time, drawing in Mysterious Matter. It drifted down soundlessly into the Inner Scenery Realm, rapidly invigorating and strengthening his spirit.

Outside, his body was likewise flooded with dense Mysterious Factor. The vitality of his flesh surged, and strength returned to his exhausted body in an instant.

Wang Xuan stood within the Inner Scenery Realm and frowned. Before the time was up, could he rush out? He had never tried taking the initiative to do so.

After all, entering this place was an opportunity, and not an easy one to obtain. He had never considered ending it early.

In the end, after Wang Xuan tried it himself, he discovered that leaving was not difficult. His spirit withdrew and returned to his physical body.

After his brief stay in the Inner Scenery Realm, it was as though time outside had not yet begun to move. Once again, he felt every vital point on his body locked on, as if blood-dripping spears were pressed against him.

The difference was that his body was no longer exhausted and depleted. Instead, it brimmed with reborn strength. In an instant, he made his judgment and rolled in one direction.

Yet he felt he was still too late. There was no time left, and bullets from certain directions were impossible to evade.

But at the most critical moment, he made certain choices. He absolutely had to avoid areas such as his head and heart.

Furthermore, he deliberately avoided the places where his body felt especially piercing pain. He suspected those might be super-special bullets, a single shot enough to destroy a person's chest and abdomen.

The earth and rocks where he had been exploded apart, mud and water splashing everywhere, while shrubs and other vegetation burst apart.

At the same time, Wang Xuan's rolling body was hit by two bullets in succession. The enormous impacts made his body tremble without end.

The clothes on his chest exploded, followed by the successive collapse of three layers of bulletproof vests. One bullet was blocked during this process, while the other reached his body and burrowed partway into his flesh.

But it was ultimately stopped. A streak of blood flowed from Wang Xuan's body. With a slight exertion of force, the bullet head burst out and fell to the ground, while a stream of blood shot far away with it.

They really were special bullets, and their power was astonishing. Recently, he had been wearing three layers of bulletproof vests, and with the fourth layer of the Golden Body Art added on, he had finally managed to block them.

Not far away, some bullets were even more powerful, along with beams fired by energy guns. They blasted apart the area where Wang Xuan had been lying earlier.

With a whoosh, Wang Xuan shot out. Using rocks and the massive Black Howl to shield himself, he then revealed an icy glint in his eyes. There were six experienced snipers in total. Their timing had been too precise—they had waited until his strength was exhausted and he could scarcely evade before shooting to kill him.

The man in black lay on the ground, not yet dead. He witnessed the scene with his own eyes and found it unbelievable. That young man had clearly been in terrible condition, his body nearly exhausted, yet at the very end he had become as lively as a dragon and tiger again. He escaped the sniping and even withstood two bullets head-on. It was truly shocking.

Pfft!

A great deal of blood sprayed from his mouth and nose. His breathing temporarily became smoother again, but his body was in agonizing pain. The fist-sized hole in his chest meant he could only lie on the ground, gasping endlessly.

Wang Xuan ignored him. Without the slightest hesitation, he entered the Inner Scenery Realm again, because he discovered that the Super-Sense state had not yet faded, though it was about to.

Even in the ancient era when Old Arts shone brilliantly, this was an exceedingly rare opportunity. If anyone triggered it, figures at the level of patriarchal masters would personally assist them, guiding them into the Inner Scenery Realm.

Not long ago, Wang Xuan had exited because he had no choice. Now, he seized the time to enter again, quickly calmed his mind, and began practicing the Golden Body Art over and over, continuously strengthening himself.

He did not practice the five pages of Golden Book left behind by Zhang Daoling. The diagrams carved upon them were far too profound. The first diagram alone was enough to occupy him for quite some time.

At his current level, he estimated that he could only use the first diagram from the five pages of Golden Book. During the life-and-death battle not long ago, he had only activated it briefly, yet it had left him utterly exhausted and even caused his five organs to ache intensely.

He felt that if he continued for a while longer, his five organs might be torn into four pieces and five fragments. This physical art was too tyrannical; it was not something he could fully touch upon and operate at his current stage.

Of course, he acknowledged the diagram's exquisite profundity and power. It had actually released a novel secret force, causing his strength to leap dramatically and allowing him to block and severely injure the man in black.

One had to know that the man in black had practically been in a godlike state at the time, also activating a secret inherited supreme art. Its power had been absurdly immense, worthy of being called terrifying.

If Wang Xuan had not mastered the opening stance left behind by Zhang Daoling, he would certainly have died today. Even the fourth level of the Golden Body Art could not have blocked the man in black's fists and kicks.

The man in black had only seen the first page of that scripture as well, and what he had learned was limited. One could imagine just how unfathomably profound that scripture was.

Within the Inner Scenery Realm, Wang Xuan continuously practiced the Golden Body Art, improving himself.

Time was abundant here. He estimated that even if the six snipers blasted the massive Black Howl to pieces, they would not be able to harm him for the time being. Several enormous rocks also blocked this position.

Unless they approached him or moved to higher ground, it would be difficult for them to shoot him dead.

At the same time, Wang Xuan understood that if he took the initiative to leave the Inner Scenery Realm again this time, his Super-Sense state would most likely fail. It would be difficult to enter again today.

This time, his efficiency seemed exceptionally high. Wang Xuan stood amid the clear and tranquil flow of time, nearly forgetting himself as he repeatedly practiced the Golden Body Art. Only when he grew tired did he stop, practice the Root Method, and draw Mysterious Matter down into the Void and Silence Land.

Whenever he stopped, he carefully sensed the situation outside. Right now, he was completely racing against time.

Not far away, the man in black's heart trembled. He saw Wang Xuan's state—radiance pervaded all over his body, and he moved slowly. He immediately knew what it was.

"Entered the Inner Scenery Realm? Is he now in the highest meditative state?"

The man in black was, after all, a great expert in the field of Old Arts. Moreover, he was someone with an obsession in his heart, someone who wanted to forge a path of his own. Naturally, his knowledge was broad.

He immediately understood why Wang Xuan had reached such heights at this age. Everything became clear to him.

But there was also something he did not understand. In this day and age, where could one find Pre-Qin Daoist practitioners? There were no longer any patriarchal masters either. Who could guide Wang Xuan inside, allowing him to remain permanently amid the clear and tranquil flow of time?

Earlier, he had failed to figure it out precisely because of this reason. Such conditions no longer existed in the present world. It was difficult for anyone to set foot in the Inner Scenery Realm again.

Only after a moment did he sigh. Wang Xuan had entered by relying on himself?!

"Someone like him cannot die. Perhaps he truly can, in this era... forge a path for Old Arts!" An unusual light bloomed in his eyes.

As he vomited blood, he struggled and shouted with difficulty, "Stop... don't shoot him!"

However, he was too weak. His voice could not travel at all. His face flushed red from the strain, yet there was nothing he could do.

At that moment, Wang Xuan gained something in the Inner Scenery Realm. He had stepped into the fifth level of the Golden Body Art, but not because he had practiced here for many years.

The main reason was that he had long since reached the late stage of the fourth level of the Golden Body Art and was already extremely close to the higher level.

Now, it was merely a matter of water flowing into its channel. He rose into the domain of the fifth level. Although he had only just entered it, that was enough. After all, he had broken through. His physique improved in every aspect, and his spiritual power became even more vigorous!

He did not grow greedy and directly withdrew. Though he felt regret, the environment was unsuitable. Someone could creep over and shoot him dead at any moment, so this was all he could do.

He felt that under normal circumstances, the fifth level of the Golden Body Art should be enough to preserve his life. But if someone blew his head off while he was unconscious and unaware, he would still certainly die.

When Wang Xuan withdrew, he felt better than ever before. He shed a layer of skin. The bullet wounds expelled some tainted blood and had nearly healed. It seemed that in another two days, even the final traces would disappear.

Furthermore, his hands, which the man in black had earlier cracked open with his shock force, had long since stopped bleeding. The wounds had closed, and the torn injuries beneath his nails, which had been lifted by that terrifying force, had vanished as well.

Wang Xuan estimated that after another night or two, not the slightest trace would remain on his body.

This was mainly because he had just entered the Inner Scenery Realm, and the Golden Body Art had broken through once more, allowing his body to complete another transformation.

At the same time, it was related to the vigorous life force within him.

Wang Xuan heard the man in black's hoarse voice and could not help but be startled. The other man wanted the snipers to stop trying to kill him?

In an instant, he understood the man in black's intentions. This truly was someone deeply attached to Old Arts, someone who had once been filled with passionate blood and wanted to see the Old Arts path through. Perhaps the other man saw hope in him, which was why he wanted to preserve him at the final moment?

"The people trying to kill me are..." Wang Xuan spoke.

"Go, quickly! They have... an energy cannon!" The man in black shook his head and anxiously roared at him, spitting out another mouthful of blood.

Almost at the same moment, Wang Xuan felt the shadow of death close in again. The entire area where he stood was enveloped by it.

But he was currently in his strongest state. His spirit sensed the danger approaching, and he rushed out at once, plunging into the depths of the dense forest.

In the distance, those people had indeed assembled a small energy cannon and activated it at this moment.

They were complaining. If not for the rain, which had led them to mistakenly judge that Wang Xuan would not come, they would never have dismantled the energy cannon earlier, wasting time.

Boom!

At the original spot, the Black Howl was blasted apart and completely killed. Terrifying energy hurled rocks into the air, one of which smashed directly into the man in black's chest.

The impact forced a muffled groan from him, sending him rolling far away. Already severely injured, he was now in an even worse state, clearly beyond saving.

Very soon, his eyes dimmed, and he died.

Had it not been for that blow, given modern medical technology, he might still have been saved if taken to a hospital, though he would likely have needed artificial heart and lungs.

Wang Xuan raced through the forest, heading straight for the energy cannon's location. His body continuously changed routes, his agility and speed reaching their utmost limits.

Having mastered the fifth level of the Golden Body Art, he feared no thorns or other obstacles in his path. He charged straight through them. His physique was frighteningly powerful, and he soon drew close to that location.

"He... he's coming!" Someone's voice trembled. Although they had advanced instruments capable of catching Wang Xuan's figure and knew he was rapidly approaching, they could not lock onto him despite aiming several times. He was constantly changing positions.

The hunt ultimately became a counter-hunt!

Half an hour later, Wang Xuan left Great Black Mountain, his feelings exceedingly complicated. Those people were all dead. For the first time in his life, he had hardened his heart and killed his own kind.