Gold Gives Birth to Water

The next day, Luo Feng went back to endure the "force-feeding" training, while Thunder God returned to the Thunder Dojo.

Hong sought out Yin Congyang. "Let's go out for a stroll, get some fresh air. There's something I want to talk to you about..."

The two flew out of Hongning Base City together. After flying for a long while, they stopped high in the air, gazing down at the towering mountains and winding rivers below. Hong smiled. "Congyang, your talent is exceptional—far greater than mine when I was at Planetary Level first stage. But I've lived a few more years than you, especially after reading many ancient Chinese texts. I've gained some insights that have helped elevate my state of mind.

I called you out today mainly to talk about your axe technique. Your axe method is extremely advanced—I feel it surpasses even the basic techniques of Black Ink Star. Especially after you started cultivating it, it's become overwhelmingly fierce, sharp, and masculine, which is why you were able to comprehend the Domain of Gold.

Have you ever heard the saying, 'What is rigid cannot last; what is yielding cannot hold'? Or another: 'A dragon at its peak has regrets; fullness cannot endure.' (Note 1) Both speak of balancing hardness and softness. When you wield your axe, it's purely yang, purely hard—fierce and sharp—but it lacks that balance of hardness and softness. Perhaps this is also tied to your comprehension of the Domain of Gold. But the nine levels of domains grow increasingly difficult. If you only pursue hardness, it may be hard to sustain!

Of course, this is just my own understanding of martial arts. It may not suit you personally. Your physical constitution is extremely strong—far stronger than mine was at Planetary Level first stage—so perhaps you can sustain it.

I didn't want to say too much, but we're brothers. If I felt something was wrong and didn't speak up, it would stick in my throat like a fishbone—I had to get it out... I'll head off now. Think it over yourself. If you feel what I said has no merit, don't dwell on it."

After hearing Hong's words, Yin Congyang was stunned for a long time, not even noticing when Hong left. Ever since breaking through to Planetary Level, the first time he had poured his full mind and spirit into the Strange Light Point in his dantian, he had immediately comprehended the Domain of Gold. Back then, he was overjoyed, thinking his future domain cultivation would be extremely fast. But when he later tried to enter the Strange Light Point again, although it still boosted his cultivation, the effect was minimal—only slightly faster than cultivating on his own. He had assumed the Strange Light Point only worked for the first level of the domain. Now, he realized he had been mistaken. The Strange Light Point did still greatly accelerate cultivation, but first, his domain had only just been comprehended and lacked the process of settling, and second, his cultivation direction was wrong.

Hong was right. The Thirty-Six Heaven-Opening Axes themselves emphasized balancing hardness and softness. Otherwise, if it only pursued pure hardness and fierceness, how could it surpass the basic martial arts of Black Ink Star? But Yin Congyang had been obsessed with studying and pondering the Domain of Gold, believing that the Domain of Gold should be purely yang, purely hard, and supremely sharp. So he had never even considered the direction of balancing hardness and softness, or yin and yang complementing each other.

Hong's words today were like a sudden enlightenment, making Yin Congyang feel he had gained a completely different understanding of the Thirty-Six Heaven-Opening Axes. He wished he could practice them hundreds of times immediately.

Thinking it, doing it. Yin Congyang took out the Heaven-Opening Axe and began to execute the techniques move by move. At first, the axe shadows flew wildly, extremely fierce and sharp. But when this fierceness reached its peak, it indeed became difficult to maintain that peak state continuously.

Yin Congyang's mind stirred. He continued executing the axe techniques but gradually withdrew his strength, bit by bit, until he was using only one-tenth of his power. Then he slowly increased it again, back to full power, cycling back and forth. He ended up practicing the axe techniques in the air for over ten hours.

When he stopped, Yin Congyang couldn't help but let out a long, hearty roar, clearly feeling immensely satisfied.

"'What is rigid cannot last; what is yielding cannot hold.' 'A dragon at its peak has regrets; fullness cannot endure.' These truly embody the supreme principle of balancing hardness and softness, yin and yang complementing each other." Yin Congyang praised greatly. "Brother Hong is truly a grandmaster of martial arts. That one sentence has saved me from taking many detours!"

"Right, actually, when I broke through, both my soul power and Origin Energy Planet appeared in five colors. That means I should be able to comprehend the domains corresponding to metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Among the five elements, metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, and earth generates metal—this itself is a perfect cycle. Metal is supremely yang and hard; water benefits all things without contending. Doesn't that perfectly correspond to balancing hardness and softness?"

Having figured this out, Yin Congyang turned and flew back to the dojo. On the way, he sent Hong a message: Thank you!

In the dojo, Hong saw the message from Yin Congyang and smiled slightly, but didn't reply, focusing on his own cultivation instead.

Yin Congyang returned to his room in the dojo and rested for a while. After all, he had practiced the axe techniques for over ten hours. Though he still had some strength left, he was quite tired. Once both his mind and body had recovered to their peak state, he once again sank his mind into the Strange Light Point in his dantian.

Familiar with the process, he manifested the Heaven-Opening Axe within the Strange Light Point and began executing the Thirty-Six Heaven-Opening Axes based on today's insights. This time, the feeling was completely different from his previous practice sessions. Soon, his entire mind and spirit were immersed in the execution of the axe techniques, losing track of time.

Within the Strange Light Point, after an unknown period, Yin Congyang naturally came to a stop.

Withdrawing his mind from the Strange Light Point, Yin Congyang opened his eyes. The same sense of vicissitude as the first time he exited washed over him, then faded the next second.

Yin Congyang paid it no mind. He checked the time—this time, it had taken two days.

He stood up, took out the Heaven-Opening Axe, and began executing the techniques. This time, the execution was different from before. His control over hardness and softness had reached the perfected state of doing as he pleased—hard when he wanted hard, soft when he wanted soft.

In fact, before breaking through to Planetary Level, that axe strike that cut Sago at Luo Hua's house had already carried a hint of extreme yang giving birth to yin. Unfortunately, Yin Congyang hadn't pondered it deeply, which led him to take a slight detour in elevating his axe technique realm.

Slowly, the golden secret patterns of the Domain of Gold appeared around him. Compared to when they first appeared, there were many more patterns, showing that Yin Congyang had made considerable progress in his domain.

Suddenly, within the golden patterns, faint traces of light blue secret patterns emerged, emitting a subtle glow. In their fine details, they seemed to be engraved with extremely complex lines.

As the axe techniques continued, the blue patterns kept increasing. When the blue patterns fully stabilized, they intertwined with the golden patterns, appearing magnificent and mysterious—the Domain of Water had been derived from the Domain of Gold.

Yin Congyang sensed this combined domain of gold and water. In terms of power, it could almost rival Hong's Domain of Water at the second level.

Yin Congyang's Domain of Gold hadn't even reached the peak of the first level, and the Domain of Water had only just been comprehended. Yet, combined, they could already almost match the power of a single domain at the second level. If he cultivated both domains to the peak of the first level, their combined power should surpass a single domain at the second level.

After a long while, Yin Congyang washed up and went to bed, completely satisfied.

When he woke up, he felt refreshed, full of energy, and spirited—wait, wrong channel!

After eating and drinking his fill at the dojo, Yin Congyang unhurriedly went to find Hong. He happened to run into Thunder God, who had also come to see Hong.

Seeing Thunder God, Yin Congyang's eyes lit up. "Brother Thunder, perfect timing! Brother Hong gave me some pointers a few days ago, and I've gained some insights. I was just thinking of testing them out with you. How about a spar?"

Thunder God grinned. "Sure, sure! Come on, little Yang, let me dominate you again..."

The two went together to Hong's training room, where Hong was indeed cultivating inside.

Thunder God smiled at Hong. "Brother Hong, Congyang says you gave him some pointers a few days ago, and he's improved. He wants to test himself against me. You should join in later."

Hong smiled and nodded. "I just said a few words—hardly pointers... You two go to the sparring room first. I'll be right there."

Yin Congyang and Thunder God entered the sparring room. Yin Congyang took out the Heaven-Opening Axe and said to Thunder God, "Brother Thunder, let's go."

Thunder God also took out his Thunder Blade. Now, with the domain's enhancement and having fully mastered the basic techniques of Black Ink Star, Thunder God had not only reached Planetary Level eighth stage and achieved major success in the first level of his domain, but his force amplification had also broken through to nine times.

Thunder God beckoned to Yin Congyang. "Come on."

Yin Congyang began executing his axe techniques, and at the same time, a gold-blue domain spread out from his body. Thunder God stared at the gold-blue domain in shock. "What's up with your domain? It can even change color? Feels pretty powerful..." As he spoke, he also unleashed his Domain of Thunder and executed the Nine Layers of Thunder Blade, clashing with Yin Congyang.

The two tumbled and rolled, exchanging dozens of rounds. Initially, Thunder God had suppressed his strength to Planetary Level sixth stage, but he found himself constantly constrained and at a disadvantage, especially in the domain, where he was severely outmatched.

He gradually raised his strength to Planetary Level seventh stage, expecting to turn the tables and suppress Yin Congyang. But instead, Yin Congyang's gold-blue domain suddenly surged, breaking through Thunder God's Domain of Thunder and closing in on him in an instant. Yin Congyang moved with his axe, the domain's power infused into a single strike.

Thunder God yelped, realizing that if he didn't go all out, he might lose this time. He stopped holding back, raised his strength to Planetary Level eighth stage, and met the strike with his Thunder Blade at nine times force amplification.

"Clang~~"

Thunder God's blade was sent flying high by the Heaven-Opening Axe, and he himself was knocked backward over ten meters.

Thunder God stared blankly at Yin Congyang. "You held back at the end...?"

Yin Congyang rolled his eyes. "It's a spar, Brother Thunder. Do you want me to make you spit blood before you're happy?"

Just then, Hong entered the sparring room. Looking at the two, he said, "Looks like I missed the best part!"

Ps: Note 1: "What is rigid cannot last; what is yielding cannot hold" comes from Zhou Botong's "Empty Bright Fist" technique; "A dragon at its peak has regrets; fullness cannot endure" comes from Hong Qigong's "Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms" technique. Both are from The Legend of the Condor Heroes. A tribute to the late master Jin Yong!