Martial Dao True Intent

Ever since Zhengyang Martial Arts School suffered grievous losses, obvious changes had taken place within the school. Qi Zhengyang issued missions more frequently than before, strengthening the maintenance of the areas under their protection.

The major powers of Jiujiang Commandery each had fishing districts they were responsible for guarding. They enjoyed the profits from them, but also bore the responsibilities that came with them.

If changes occurred and one of those powers weakened to the point where it could no longer continue guarding its territory, it had to relinquish that territory.

Guarding a place was no child's play. The slightest carelessness would bring disastrous consequences. If you were incapable, then do not drag others down with you—this was also an unspoken rule among the various powers of Jiujiang Commandery.

The three villages guarded by Zhengyang Martial Arts School had all been hard-won in the past. The benefits obtained from them sustained the school's operations, so naturally they would not easily give up those villages.

Thus, Zhengyang Martial Arts School had been wildly flexing its muscles lately, intensifying patrols through the lands under its protection and telling everyone that even if the school's strength had suffered some losses, it was still the Zhengyang Martial Arts School of old.

This left the school's disciples exhausted. In particular, the elite disciples who had already broken through to the Inner Force Realm were frequently sent out on missions. Even Li Yuan, a newly promoted elite disciple, was no exception.

Qi Zhengyang had originally believed that Li Yuan had only just broken through and that his strength had yet to stabilize, so he might struggle to keep up. Yet reality exceeded his expectations. Li Yuan was stronger than he had anticipated, completing several dangerous missions flawlessly. This made Qi Zhengyang even more satisfied with him.

Li Yuan had already spent a year at Zhengyang Martial Arts School. Qi Zhengyang had taught him the Cinnabar Palm, and so these past few days, he taught Li Yuan another mid-grade martial art—the Poison Dragon Palm!

Among all martial arts and cultivation methods, low-grade martial arts were the most common and simplest. They had little potential and were mostly used to lay a foundation for martial artists.

Mid-grade martial arts, on the other hand, were far more precious. Not only could they greatly strengthen the physique, with lethality far surpassing low-grade martial arts, they could also cultivate inner force!

Zhengyang Martial Arts School had deep foundations, with several mid-grade martial arts available for its disciples to study. It even possessed two even more precious and powerful high-grade martial arts!

High-grade martial arts contained methods for condensing Martial Arts True Qi. Once Martial Arts True Qi was condensed, one's combat strength would exceed that of the Inner Force Realm by more than tenfold. How precious were such methods? They would never be taught lightly.

After receiving the Poison Dragon Palm from Qi Zhengyang, Li Yuan was especially excited. During this time, he had come to understand Divine Wisdom more and more deeply. No matter what martial art or cultivation method it was, once he got his hands on it, he could quickly reach the realm of perfection and instantly transform the method into combat power.

The Poison Dragon Palm Qi Zhengyang taught him this time was stronger than the Cinnabar Palm from before!

This technique had been created by a martial arts senior who, in a sudden burst of inspiration, fused the Black Snake Fist with the Azure Water True Scripture to create the Poison Dragon Palm.

Although both the Black Snake Fist and the Azure Water True Scripture were mid-grade martial arts, incomparable to high-grade martial arts, there was much more to it than met the eye.

The Azure Water True Scripture belonged to water among the five elements and was a type of poison art. Its poison was extremely potent!

When combined with the Black Snake Fist, it unexpectedly produced a wondrous reaction.

Just as a flood dragon snake entering water could transform into a dragon!

Thus, the Poison Dragon Palm was born!

Not only was the Poison Dragon Palm's palm force far superior to the Black Snake Fist, its poison was even more terrifying than that of the Azure Water True Scripture. An ordinary person would die upon touching it, and even most Evil Creatures could not withstand the corrosion of the Poison Dragon Palm's poison!

After obtaining the Poison Dragon Palm, Li Yuan immediately returned to his small courtyard.

After practicing the Poison Dragon Palm several times, he quickly raised it to the minor achievement realm and successfully cultivated the Poison Dragon Palm's inner force, Poison Dragon Palm Force!

The Poison Dragon Palm was no ordinary mid-grade martial art. Even among all mid-grade martial arts, it belonged to the very finest tier. The Poison Dragon Palm Force it cultivated was stronger than Shocking Force!

At that moment, another important function of Divine Wisdom revealed itself.

Different cultivation methods with different attributes would not clash with one another.

It embraced all things, allowing every method to merge as one.

Two kinds of inner force now circulated through Li Yuan's body: Shocking Force and Poison Dragon Palm Force. These two inner forces, whose natures were clearly different, did not conflict in the slightest!

His extraordinary martial wisdom and unparalleled mastery of cultivation methods allowed Li Yuan to easily control two completely different powers!

Such a situation was unimaginable for other martial artists.

A person's energy was ultimately limited, and talent for martial arts was an enormous threshold. Martial arts were easy to learn but difficult to master. The energy and talent of countless practitioners could only support the cultivation of a handful of martial arts and methods; being able to achieve something with them was already a blessing.

For someone like Li Yuan to so easily grasp two kinds of inner force, the news alone would be enough to make jaws drop all over the ground.

When Qi Zhengyang had taught Li Yuan the Poison Dragon Palm earlier, it had merely been a reward and encouragement. Li Yuan had run himself ragged for the school and fought without rest. As the school master, Qi Zhengyang had to show some appreciation, didn't he?

Qi Zhengyang had not expected Li Yuan to achieve much with the Poison Dragon Palm. He merely wanted to give Li Yuan a new cultivation method to broaden his horizons, enrich his martial foundations, and provide some help for condensing Martial Arts True Qi in the future.

Qi Zhengyang probably never would have imagined that Li Yuan would once again perfectly master a new kind of inner force!

After the Poison Dragon Palm reached minor achievement, Li Yuan did not stop. He continued practicing and soon brought the technique to the major achievement realm.

The Poison Dragon Palm Force within his body swelled severalfold, greatly improving in both quality and quantity!

After the time it took to burn an incense stick, Li Yuan thoroughly pushed this technique to its peak, reaching the realm of perfection!

Then, a strange change appeared!

Twisted black phantoms coiled around Li Yuan's body!

Looking closely, those black phantoms were actually snakes!

This change startled Li Yuan. "What is this...?"

The system's notification sounded as well.

Poison Dragon Palm has broken through to perfection!

Mastered Martial Dao True Intent... Dragon's Bloodshed!

"Martial Dao True Intent?"

"Dragon's Bloodshed?"

What was Martial Dao True Intent?

A flood of memories surfaced from the depths of his mind. Back when he had been learning martial arts at the school, Qi Zhengyang had mentioned the existence of Martial Dao True Intent.

Martial artists trained endlessly, constantly advancing.

If one trained a martial art to profound heights, completely comprehended its essence and true meaning, and possessed a sufficiently powerful and tenacious will, then one might comprehend Martial Dao True Intent!

Martial Dao True Intent was vastly different from something like inner force.

It was a power born from the realm of the spirit, with all manner of incredible uses!

The Sword Intent, Blade Intent, Fist Intent, and so on that martial artists spoke of were all forms of Martial Dao True Intent. Dragon's Bloodshed, which Li Yuan had learned, was a type of Fist Intent!

Qi Zhengyang had also said that cultivating Martial Dao True Intent was extraordinarily difficult. Only those with exceptional talent could cultivate it. Martial Dao True Intent was both a kind of power and a realm!

It was a martial realm difficult for ordinary martial artists to ever touch!

There were many martial artists in Jiujiang Commandery City, yet among all of them, only the Young Commander of Jiujiang Commandery's Special Capture Division had cultivated Martial Dao True Intent. Countless martial artists admired her, and whenever they spoke of that esteemed figure, who did not feel honored by association?

Yet now, no one knew that in an inconspicuous courtyard within the commandery city, a young man had likewise cultivated Martial Dao True Intent!

If word of this got out, it would be enough to set all of Jiujiang Commandery boiling!

Li Yuan raised his palm. A black, snake-shaped phantom coiled around his arm, slithering between his fingers and palm.

The corners of his lips lifted slightly. "So this is Martial Dao True Intent?"

"Interesting."

After mastering this unique power, Li Yuan continuously circulated his Martial Dao True Intent and became increasingly familiar with this newly emerged force. Before long, he could wield it freely, and he soon figured out some of Dragon's Bloodshed's wondrous uses.

Because Martial Dao True Intent represented a realm, it could amplify the power of cultivation methods!

The Poison Dragon Palm had already reached the realm of perfection, and the technique's power had already reached its limit. Yet while circulating Dragon's Bloodshed, the power of this palm technique could actually rise another level, becoming even more terrifying!

Furthermore, because Martial Dao True Intent was a power born from the spiritual realm, martial artists who possessed it could greatly suppress martial artists who did not!

Under the pressure of Martial Dao True Intent, an opponent might not even be able to display half their strength.

Mastering Martial Dao True Intent could be said to give one every advantage.

But the Cinnabar Palm had also been raised to perfection before, so why had he not mastered that technique's Martial Dao True Intent?

Li Yuan pondered it and roughly guessed the reason.

The Cinnabar Palm's potential was limited, and its conception was too low.

Therefore, it could not yield a corresponding Martial Dao True Intent.

The Poison Dragon Palm was entirely different. It possessed immense potential and belonged to the finest tier among mid-grade martial arts. Its conception was lofty, which was why Li Yuan could successfully comprehend Dragon's Bloodshed.

As for high-grade martial arts, which were even stronger than the Poison Dragon Palm, every single one of them could yield Martial Dao True Intent!

Divine light flickered in Li Yuan's eyes. "It seems I'll have to find a way to get some stronger cultivation methods in the future."