The Heart of Martial Dao

Wang Ping had an epiphany.

Within the peach blossom grove, he drew his bow and nocked an arrow, his expression tranquil as his essence, energy, and spirit surged outward without end. Countless ingenious ideas and flashes of inspiration came flooding forth at once.

"Boom!"

With a tremendous blast, the Black Chi Bow trembled. Dazzling heavenly light bloomed from its string and shot straight into the clouds, stirring up billowing waves of air. It truly possessed the force to pierce clouds and shake the heavens.

With Madam Su's help, he had finally loosed this arrow.

[Cloud-Piercing Heaven-Shaking Bow], mastery achieved!

Military arts enhancement, [One Arrow Frost Chill]!

Who knew how much time had passed before Wang Ping's surging essence, energy, and spirit gradually subsided. His arms began to ache and tingle, while his body showed signs of having been hollowed out.

"What a secret art!"

Wang Ping was astonished. With his perfected mastery of the Iron Ox Skill, he had only practiced it once, yet he was already feeling somewhat fatigued.

This showed that although he had only circulated the secret art once, it was actually the result of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of accumulated efforts erupting all at once. No wonder this unorthodox art placed such demands on one's physique. If an ordinary martial artist with insufficient constitution insisted on cultivating it, they might even suffer a sudden death in the saddle.

At that thought, he looked toward Madam Su again.

The beautiful woman still had a fine sheen of sweat on the tip of her nose, breathing out slowly. She had clearly been exhausted as well. The chicken wrap had not been made properly; it was salty enough to choke.

Seeing Wang Ping look over, she finally smiled.

"Congratulations, my lord. Your martial arts have advanced another step."

"You've worked hard, Madam."

Wang Ping affectionately squeezed Madam Su's shoulder and said with a smile, "Rest assured, Madam. With Old Brother Liu's pace, there should be results within half a month."

These words had originally been meant as comfort.

After all, once Liu Ye reached the Su Household in the capital and delivered the news, Madam Su's friends and family from her years in the capital would immediately come rushing over. Her safety would then be assured.

Yet there was no joy on Madam Su's face.

Quite the opposite—she suddenly grasped Wang Ping's hand, turned toward him, and said quietly, "Can't we not go? Let's hide together for half a month."

Wang Ping shook his head. "Half a month is too long."

By his estimate, Xu Bingzheng would stabilize his injuries within a week at the latest. Even if he could not fully recover, he would still be able to come forward and issue orders.

When that time came, they would be facing the entire Longxing County yamen.

And in martial combat, two fists could never defeat four hands.

Faced with the pursuit of over a hundred constables from Longxing County yamen, no matter how profound his Inner Force was, it would eventually be depleted. Not to mention that he would also have to divide his attention to protect Madam Su.

In other words:

"We have a week at most. If we want to extend that time to half a month, or even longer, someone must make a certain sacrifice."

Either he abandoned Madam Su and roamed alone, fighting guerrilla-style. That would actually make things simple—forget a hundred constables, even several times that number would not trouble him. Or he sacrificed himself, letting Madam Su hide while he went to fight Xu Bingzheng to the death. Win or lose, Madam Su would certainly survive.

A very simple choice.

"I can have countless chances to start over, but other people only get one life. Since that is so, how can I let someone else die because of me?"

His conscience would not allow such a thing to happen.

Besides, he still had a blank scripture scroll. If he could die a little more heroically and then take in his own corpse, perhaps he might strike the jackpot.

"Don't worry."

Wang Ping patted Madam Su's shoulder and said with a smile, "My conscience may weigh heavily, but my luck is good enough that I can barely manage to carry it."

Madam Su's expression grew even heavier.

At that moment, she was even somewhat lost. She felt that the man before her had completely exceeded her understanding. Why could he speak so lightly of matters of life and death?

She had shown him no kindness.

To put it bluntly, she was merely a body and a few martial arts manuals. What did those count for in the eyes of an ordinary martial artist? No one would gamble their life over such things.

Could it be that he had truly fallen in love with her?

But even if that were so, could it make him disregard life and death for her sake?

Madam Su could not help imagining it. If it were Chen Haoyan instead—that villain who claimed to love her beyond all else—would he go this far for her?

The answer surfaced almost immediately.

"He wouldn't."

If it were Chen Haoyan, he would certainly flee overnight. He probably would not care about whether she lived or died, much less risk life and limb for her.

With that thought, she looked at Wang Ping again.

At that moment, without Wang Ping doing anything at all, she was already feeling hot. It was as though a ball of fire were burning within her heart, spreading through her limbs and every inch of her body.

"Wang Ping... my lord, take me."

For the first time, she called Wang Ping by name. Before her words had even faded, she impatiently bit down on him, even taking the initiative to reach out and launch a counterattack against Wang Ping's body.

"Eh? No, Madam, please have some restraint..."

Clouds gathered and rain ceased; spring was just right.

Wang Ping held Madam Su in his arms as they leaned against a peach tree. He listened as the beauty in his embrace recited a passage of incantation word by word in a husky, magnetic voice.

"This is... martial arts?" Wang Ping was somewhat surprised.

"More or less."

Madam Su lazily curled a little deeper into Wang Ping's embrace before explaining, "More accurately, it is a martial art improved from an unorthodox art."

"Because that unorthodox art was too overbearing and its price too great, few even among Transcendents had mastered it. Yet its power was unbelievably great, so the imperial court specifically allocated funds and invited three Great Grandmasters to deduce it together. After forty-nine days and nights, they finally simplified it successfully."

Having said that, Madam Su raised a finger and wrote six large characters upon the ground:

[Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art].

"This art is overbearing. None below an Inner Force Martial Master can use it."

"That is because what it disintegrates is not the body, but the cultivated body of an Inner Force Martial Master. It uses the self-destruction of one's martial arts in exchange for Inner Force several times, even dozens of times greater than normal."

The more Madam Su spoke, the softer her voice became. She could not help hugging Wang Ping tightly.

"My lord's journey will be difficult. I cannot help you with much, so I can only give you this art. Martial arts lost can be cultivated again. I ask only that my lord return safely..."

Wang Ping felt his scalp go a little numb.

Damn, it seemed he had overdone it. At a time like this, there was no way he could say something like, Actually, I won't die. I can revive.

Of course, even if he could say it, he would not.

After all, he could not stop moving forward and live some peaceful life with anyone. With his way of doing things, being alone was the most suitable state.

Let this life's matters end within this life; it was best if all karma and debts were settled cleanly.

Soon, another seven days passed.

Before dawn, Wang Ping had already packed his things and dressed himself neatly. Carrying his bow on his back and his saber in hand, he walked out of the wooden hut within the peach grove and looked toward Longxing County in the distance.

Over these seven days, Madam Su had helped him practice the secret art [Knocking on the Immortal Sect] every day, using it to assault the perfected realm of [Cloud-Piercing Heaven-Shaking Bow]. Unfortunately, that secret art was not all-powerful. Seven uses of [Knocking on the Immortal Sect] had still failed to let him break through the bottleneck, merely allowing him to faintly touch the threshold.

Fortunately, Wang Ping was not in a hurry.

He had a premonition that the final little bit he lacked was neither comprehension nor cultivation, but blood. As martial arts, how could they reach perfection without seeing blood?

"My lord, are you leaving?"

Wang Ping turned around. At some unknown time, Madam Su had awakened as well. She leaned against the doorframe, her beautiful eyes glimmering as she looked at him, clearly wanting to speak but hesitating.

Seeing this, Wang Ping waved his hand briskly.

"Madam, remember this: do not enter the city these next few days. I have prepared dry rations and water for you. Before long, news should come..."

After giving his final instructions, Wang Ping turned around without looking back.

"Alright, I'm off."

Madam Su said nothing. She merely stared fixedly at his receding figure, her eyes stretched thin with longing, watching as he left the peach grove and vanished from sight.

Longxing County.

In the early morning, the air still carried a damp scent. It should have been the season when all things revived, yet the county city was filled with an indescribable killing chill.

This was the seventh day.

Seven days ago, nearly every martial artist in the city who had reached External Arts Perfection had heard that battle. Yet no one had dared investigate; all had pretended to know nothing.

However, after that night, everyone realized something was wrong. After Chen Haoyan's death, the position of chief constable had been vacant, and County Magistrate Xu Bingzheng, Lord Xu—who had previously appeared at the yamen every day—had suddenly vanished without a trace. No one knew where he was. He had disappeared overnight.

Why was that?

Everyone keenly sensed a possibility: could it be that the county magistrate had lost that night, perhaps even suffered severe injuries he could not let others see?

No one dared ask, but the secret probing gradually increased. As seven days passed, the entire county city had become a powder keg on the verge of exploding.

All it lacked was a spark to set the whole city ablaze.

And now, he had come.

At the county gate, the cold wind howled.

With every breath Wang Ping took, the sinews and bones within his body rang in unison. Clouds of vapor rose from him and drifted with the wind. Faint sounds of dragons and tigers could be heard spreading outward.

Very quickly, the sound spread from within his body to the weapons he carried. The Ox-Tail Saber at his waist continuously gave off sonorous saber cries within its sheath, while the Black Chi Bow on his back seemed to contain a hornless dragon giving low roars. There was also the soft armor on his body, his belt, and even his Heart-Guard Mirror...

This was the manifestation of his martial arts.

It was also a process every Inner Force Martial Master had to undergo: integrating the Mortal Weapons under their control that corresponded to their martial arts, making them resonate with their cultivated body.

Put simply, it was a set.

Integrate six [Mortal Weapons] to forge a [Fine Weapon] set, then unite it with the cultivated body. Only then could a Martial Master's Inner Force power be unleashed to its utmost.

Wang Ping had walked all the way from the peach blossom grove to the county city. The journey was not short, but he had remained unhurried precisely so he could complete this crucial step along the way.

"Who goes there?!"

With wind and clouds opening the way, dragons and tigers at his side, such a startling phenomenon naturally alarmed the guards outside the county city. In an instant, clamor erupted throughout the Grass Market outside the city.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

In a flash, the city gates shut. Figures darted across the walls as ballistae were rapidly put into position, all of them aiming at Wang Ping as he continued walking toward the county city.

At the same time, the general on duty this time wore a face full of fury.

"This is outrageous!"

"Those rebels outside the city again! Are they trying to storm the county yamen like that White Lotus Sect rebel leader last time? Lawless, utterly lawless...!?"

His voice came to an abrupt halt.

As Wang Ping drew closer, the general saw his face clearly. It was as if an invisible hand had seized him by the throat, strangling his words.

"It's... it's him!?"

Half a month ago, Wang Ping's title of [Great Dragon Spear] had been nothing more than a joke in Longxing County. But now, things were completely different.

After all, anyone in the city with even a little connection knew that the county magistrate had gone to the Su Family Estate that night, and [Great Dragon Spear] Wang Ping had been there. The magistrate had then vanished strangely afterward. Thus, the reasonable guess was that Wang Ping had most likely beaten the county magistrate into grave injury!

As time passed, Wang Ping's reputation within the county city had even become demonized.

Some said he was a spy from the northern tribes, some said he was an agent of the Capital Divine Constables' Bureau, and some said he was the true hidden leader behind the White Lotus Sect.

"Why has he come back? What am I supposed to do?"

For a moment, the general was at a complete loss. He froze for quite some time before nearly instinctively raising his hand and forcing out a voice from his throat.

"Fire... fire!"

Before his words had faded, the twang of bows and ballistae erupted like thunder. In the blink of an eye, a vast black mass descended over where Wang Ping stood.

Almost at the same instant, Wang Ping raised his head.

The next second, a shadow of death woven from hundreds of arrows swallowed the spot where Wang Ping had been standing. Yet not a single splash of blood could be seen.

What the general saw next nearly made him doubt his own eyes.

Looking over, he saw that the young man carrying a bow and saber had instantaneously appeared without warning at another position, roughly several dozen zhang away.

Then, he lifted a foot.

There had clearly been no movement, no warning, yet when that raised foot came down, his figure seemed as though several frames had been cut from reality.

With a single step, he had crossed another three to five zhang!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Three steps in succession, like the legendary unorthodox art of "shrinking the earth"—the young man crossed over the city gate just like that and effortlessly arrived atop the city wall!

Those three steps, so utterly contrary to common sense, made the general who witnessed them tremble from the depths of his soul. That trembling quickly spread from the depths of his mind into his physical body. Each falling step was like someone beating a drum against his heart, leaving him unable to bear it.

"This is... Divine Intent!?"

"How is that possible! No, wait... then it makes sense. He is also a Titled Martial Master and possesses Divine Intent, which is why he could gravely injure the county magistrate..."

At that thought, the general's vision suddenly went black.

It was not just him. Countless civilians in the Grass Market outside the city, as well as the soldiers guarding the walls, all became dizzy and collapsed to the ground.

Between heaven and earth, only the howling wind remained.

Then the man for whom wind and clouds opened the way, dragons and tigers following at his side, crossed over the city wall and entered the county city. Along the way, not a single person dared stop him.

This was naturally not Divine Intent.

It was Spirit Sense, a method Wang Ping had simulated with Spirit Sense after reviewing his battle with Xu Bingzheng. Its effect was only thirty or forty percent that of Divine Intent.

There was no helping it. His Spirit Sense was too weak. It came naturally with the physique of the [Desire-Realm Celestial Body]. Perhaps its quality far surpassed a Titled Martial Master's Divine Intent, but its quantity was overwhelmingly insufficient. So he could only bully ordinary people with it. If he truly stormed the county yamen, this move would likely still fall short.

That said, Wang Ping was quite satisfied.

"As they say, the essence of Martial Dao is preying on the weak with strength. So viewed from that angle, this move fits my heart of Martial Dao perfectly."

Raising his head, Wang Ping looked toward the county yamen.

Then his vision blurred again. In a daze, he saw a great roc bird curled deep within the county yamen, staring at him with hatred.

"...Ha ha." Wang Ping laughed loudly and rolled up his sleeves.

Sure enough, after only seven days, that dog official's injuries had not healed. Old, weak, sick, and crippled—he accounted for three of them. It was the perfect time to kick him when he was down and beat the drowning dog!