Success! Falling Flowers and Flowing Water, Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person!

The sudden challenge from Yu Tunzhou left the Jin Household disciples looking at each other in bewilderment, thinking they had misheard.

Even the elders of the Jin Household were somewhat taken aback.

In this situation, the challenge would definitely be a regular sparring match, and it's impossible for it to escalate to the point of using special Dharma Aspect. So, what could Yu Tunzhou use to fight against Xiongfei, Late Divine Ability Stage?

Jin Qingshui was also stunned, but saw that Young Hero Yu's expression was calm and composed, not like he was joking.

Jin Moyuan paused slightly in his teacup, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, but he remained silent, simply toying with the teacup.

However, the old woman beside him glanced at Jin Moyuan with surprise.

Was this also arranged by this guy?

What exactly is Yu Tunzhou plotting by challenging Jin Xiongfei?

Jin Xiongfei narrowed his eyes, his smile unchanged, but his gaze turned colder.

If what I said just now was merely a suspicion...

Now, it is certain that Yu Tunzhou and Zhuang Yuan are connected.

After a moment of silence, Jin Xiongfei said with a faint smile, "Since Young Hero Yu has such an interest, I, Xiongfei, will certainly accompany him."

He walked slowly back to the training ground, his steps unhurried, yet each step caused the stone slabs on the ground to tremble slightly. An invisible sense of oppression emanated from him, spreading towards Yu Tunzhou like a surging tide.

Jin Moyuan put down his teacup, looked at the arena with interest, and said loudly, "Since this is a friendly spar, let's stop when we've reached our goal. Xiongfei, don't use your Divine Ability powers. Just have a friendly fight with Tunzhou."

Jin Xiongfei paused, then nodded in agreement.

He stood in the training ground, his sleeves billowing, exuding a powerful Gang Qi.

"Young Hero Yu, make your move," he said loudly, revealing no unusual emotion.

Yu Tunzhou showed no mercy, taking a step forward that cracked the stone slab beneath his feet. His aura instantly surged to a terrifying height, like a mountain collapsing. He threw a punch straight at Jin Xiongfei's face.

This punch, seemingly simple and direct, actually reveals his understanding of boxing techniques, aiming for a dignified and upright stance.

Jin Xiongfei casually met the attack with a palm strike.

His palm strike was as solid as a mountain. Even without using Late Divine Ability Stage Divine Ability, his cultivation level was still high enough that the Gang Qi contained in his palm was condensed and did not dissipate, like an invisible shield in front of him.

Fist and palm meet.

"Bang--!"

The sound was like thunder, causing many of the younger generation to cover their ears. It was the sound produced by the collision of Gang Qi and Blood Qi, powerful yet piercing.

The Gang Qi scattered, transforming into a visible shockwave that spread outwards, stirring up the rubble and dust on the ground and scattering it everywhere.

Yu Tunzhou's body jolted, and he was sent flying backward.

He took several heavy steps and stopped.

The martial artist at the Late Divine Ability Stage indeed possesses incredibly powerful and profound Gang Qi!

"Impressive boxing technique," Jin Xiongfei said casually, but a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He had used half his strength in that palm strike, thinking it would be enough to make Yu Tunzhou back down, but he didn't expect the other party to actually withstand it.

At this moment.

Jin Moyuan's voice suddenly rang out. "Xiongfei, you are only allowed to use 30% of your Gang Qi from now on. This will balance the two sides. Let me see if your martial arts skills have deteriorated due to managing clan affairs over the years."

Jin Xiongfei paused, took a deep breath, and nodded in agreement.

The two clashed again.

At the elder's request, Jin Xiongfei suppressed his Gang Qi, no longer giving Yu Tunzhou the feeling of being unable to defeat him. The exchange between the two instantly shifted from realms of cultivation to fist techniques.

Everyone quickly realized that Yu Tunzhou was actually fighting Jin Xiongfei to a standstill, rather than it being a one-sided battle!

Jin Xiongfei's decades of martial arts experience were actually no match for Yu Tunzhou?!

Jin Qingshui's eyes gleamed. Just now, during their fight, Young Hero Yu had actually kept so much!

"Young Hero Yu, do you know the pain of losing a child?"

During the fight, a secret telepathic message reached Yu Tunzhou's ears.

It was Jin Xiongfei's voice.

Yu Tunzhou's gaze remained calm. "You should ask the villagers of Apricot Blossom Village about that; they would probably understand you quite well."

Jin Xiongfei understood; he was indeed from a commoner background and not one of them.

He immediately changed his approach, slowly saying, "Young Hero Yu, yesterday Elder Moyuan sought me out to inquire about the Qianyang Grotto-Heaven. With the elder's influence, the Jin Household has always—"

They will be your allies, and they will be allies of the Northern Dark Continent. You have no reason to trust a group of outsiders. Do you really know the truth?

Yu Tunzhou remained silent. His first stop upon arriving in West Xuan Commandery was a branch of the Gold-Wielding Guard, where he learned the truth from the deputy commander Xiao He.

Zhuang Yuan might be lying to him, but Xiao He had no reason to lie to him.

"Young Hero Yu, I will be the future head of the Jin Household. You and I should join hands; we should be allies."

"How can your fists be straight if your heart is not upright?" Yu Tunzhou said calmly. "Brother Jin, are you really in the Late Divine Ability Stage? Your fists are too slow and too soft."

Jin Xiongfei snorted coldly, flipped his wrist, and hooked his five fingers toward Yu Tunzhou's fist.

But the next moment, he grabbed nothing at all.

The figure and Fist Intent of the person in front of him seemed to spread throughout the world, causing him to tense up abruptly.

This feeling made him mistakenly believe that he was fighting against Elder Moyuan!

[Mind Wanders the Heavenly River!]

The Yu Tunzhou Fist Intent precedes the body's movement; the fist's power is invisible, Jin Xiongfei only able to parry for a time.

Originally, at his level, his Gang Qi was so powerful that with a single thought, a several-foot-long wall of energy would appear around him, making him impervious to swords and spears, and unaffected by water and fire.

Even if Yu Tunzhou's invisible force was unpredictable and difficult to harm him, the clan elder only allowed him to use 30% of his internal Gang Qi. With both sides having equal strength, he was unable to withstand the young man's punches!

Jin Xiongfei took a deep breath, and his palm strikes suddenly accelerated.

His palms moved like butterflies flitting among flowers, their shadows overlapping, as if encompassing all directions, leaving no openings. For a time, even Yu Tunzhou would find it difficult to penetrate.

The two were locked in a tug-of-war. Jin Xiongfei constructed an invisible barrier with his impenetrable palm strikes, while Yu Tunzhou continuously penetrated, probed, and struck with his formless and intangible Fist Intent.

One defended flawlessly, while the other attacked relentlessly.

Jin Xiongfei's expression grew increasingly grim.

He realized he had made a mistake.

He had thought that even after suppressing his Gang Qi, his decades of martial arts experience would be enough to easily suppress the young man before him.

But the reality was quite the opposite. Without the advantage of his skill level, he not only couldn't gain an advantage in boxing, but was also constantly restrained.

Yu Tunzhou's Fist Intent spread throughout the heavens and earth, each punch seemed to come from all directions at the same time, making it impossible for Jin Xiongfei to judge the true direction of the attack.

This feeling of "scattering into the heavens and earth," making it impossible for opponents to lock onto or catch, is very similar to the experience of fighting against Jin Moyuan!

Did Elder Moyuan secretly give him special guidance?

Was Yu Tunzhou's challenge to him today at the behest of Elder Moyuan?

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Jin Xiongfei's movements became uncontrollably flawed.

Yu Tunzhou followed up with a punch that landed squarely on Jin Xiongfei's forehead, causing the latter to stagger back several steps, which drew gasps and uproar from the audience.

Uncle Xiongfei actually lost to Young Hero Yu in martial arts?

Yu Tunzhou did not pursue, but instead took a step back, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Brother Jin, you are too kind."

Jin Xiongfei took a deep breath, still feeling uneasy and uncertain.

"Young Hero Yu's fist techniques are exquisite; I, Xiongfei, am truly impressed," Jin Xiongfei said, cupping his hands in respect. "I'm afraid even Yang Che, ranked eighth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, might not be a match for Young Hero Yu."

Jin Qingshui opened her mouth in surprise. Was what her father said true?

Jin Moyuan laughed and stood up. Just as he was about to say something, a Lineage guard hurriedly entered the training ground and whispered a message to Jin Xiongfei.

Jin Xiongfei gave Yu Tunzhou a deep look.

Jin Xiongfei turned and cupped his hands to Jin Moyuan, saying in a deep voice, "Elder, something has happened at the manor outside the city, Xiongfei I need to go and take care of it."

Jin Moyuan frowned slightly. "What is it?"

"Some forces within the county are secretly working together against us," Jin Xiongfei said, his eyes deep and unfathomable. "However, they are all under Xiongfei control and pose no serious threat. Xiongfei back."

Jin Moyuan remained calm and waved his hand, saying, "Go."

Jin Xiongfei lowered his head, turned around, and strode away from the place.

Yu Tunzhou glanced at his retreating figure, his expression unchanged.

He has done his best to get this far.

I hope everything goes well for Great Hero Zhuang.

The blade rubbed against the edge, producing a piercing metallic whistle and sparks flying.

Jin Ting's arms were trembling violently, his tiger's mouth was already split open, and blood flowed down the hilt of the knife, staining both of their hands red.

"You—" Jin Ting gritted his teeth, squeezing out each word slowly, "You think—killing me—is the end of it?"

Zhuang Yuan's eyes were cold, unwavering in the slightest. The long sword sank even deeper, slicing into Jin Ting's shoulder.

"Some things are indeed decided by the King of Hell," Zhuang Yuan said in a low, angry voice. "And what I need to do is send people like you to meet the King of Hell!"

Jin Ting let out a scream as his sword could no longer hold on and was crushed by Zhuang Yuan's longsword. The blade cut into his shoulder blade, severed his collarbone, and continued downwards until it disappeared into his chest.

Blood gushed out, splattering all over Zhuang Yuan's face.

Jin Ting's body stiffened, his eyes widened, and his mouth opened, but he couldn't make a sound.

He lowered his head, looking at the long sword embedded in his chest, then raised his head to look at Zhuang Yuan.

In those eyes, there was no fear, no regret, only an almost insane obsession.

Do you think this matter can end here?

He gripped Zhuang Yuan's arm tightly, his voice suddenly rising, sharp and almost hysterical, "You're wrong, Zhuang Yuan, you were wrong from the very beginning! We lowly people, having broken the rules to kill a young master of the Aristocratic Clan, have no chance of escaping unscathed!"

"Zhuang Yuan, this matter will never end as long as you live!"

As the last word fell, the light finally faded from Jin Ting's eyes.

His hand was still gripping Zhuang Yuan's arm tightly.

Zhuang Yuan stood still, staring at Jin Ting's lifeless face, momentarily lost in thought, recalling the day the two of them had embarked on their journey from their hometown into the martial world.

They were from the same hometown, came from the same martial arts school, and left their hometown on the same day, wanting to make a name for themselves in the martial arts world, but they didn't know when they went in the opposite direction.

"Jin Ting, you've disappointed your past self."

Zhuang Yuan finally spoke, his voice very soft.

He pried open Jin Ting's fingers, and as the last finger loosened, Jin Ting's body finally fell, lying face up in a pool of blood, his eyes still open, gazing at the gray sky.

Zhuang Yuan wiped the blood from his face and turned to join the ranks of those besieging Zhao Heng.

Zhao Heng continued to put up a stubborn resistance, but he was already suppressed by Yuan Mengzhou. After Zhuang Yuan and others joined the fight, he suffered a series of defeats and was soon overwhelmed and completely captured.

"Wait—" Zhao Heng opened his mouth, wanting to beg for mercy.

Yuan Mengzhou ignored him and threw a punch with the force of thunder, shattering his heart.

"Time is of the essence! Saving lives is the priority!" Zhuang Yuan said in a deep voice.

Just then, the sound of a carriage came from outside the manor; this was arranged by Yuan Mengzhou and his group.

Dealing with Jin Ting and his men is secondary; the most important thing is to evacuate the people. The villagers are all ordinary people and must be moved as soon as possible, otherwise, if Jin Xiongfei comes after them, everything will be over.

Soon, the four men, along with Yuan Mengzhou and his fellow disciples, rescued all the villagers from the cellar.

Seeing the villagers' weakened state after several days without food or water, the crowd was filled with rage, but they couldn't worry about anything else; escorting everyone away from this place was the most important thing.

"Hurry! Hurry!" Jiang Cheng urged, "That Jin Xiongfei could arrive at any moment!"

For a master at the Late Divine Ability Stage, second only to the External Scenery, ten miles is not a long distance.

Soon, the group loaded the weakened villagers onto oxcarts and horse-drawn carts and headed towards the river. They had prepared boats, knowing they would be caught sooner or later in the mountains and forests, as the cart tracks were too obvious; only in the water would they leave no trace.

Seeing the weakened villagers, Jiang Cheng roared in fury, "These beasts! I really want to show those bastards from the Gold-Wielding Guard what they're made of! Laozi refuse to believe they'd dare to cover for Jin Xiongfei!"

"It's good that the person has been rescued." Yuan Mengzhou's eyes flashed coldly. "This matter isn't over yet. Once that garrison commander of the Gold-Wielding Guard returns from the Divine Capital, have Old Zhuang lead the villagers to find him! I want to see if this garrison commander is any good!"

Fang Zhengchu frowned and said, "This is a bit risky. Let's settle the villagers first."

"You don't understand," Yuan Mengzhou said decisively. "There's no reason to guard against thieves for a thousand days straight, unless I can endure five years until I advance to the Late Divine Ability Stage. At that time, I won't be afraid of that bastard Jin Xiongfei!"

"Xie Xie you, Great Hero Zhuang!"

In another carriage, a frail old man grasped Zhuang Yuan's hand and slipped a note inside, saying, "These people asked me to give this to you—"

Those people? The Jin Household?

The contents of the note came into view:

[Qingping County, Heavenly Yang Martial Arts School]

Zhuang Yuan's mind went blank for a moment.

That beast Jin Ting told Jin Xiongfei everything about their origins!

He finally understood the meaning of Jin Ting's last words.

--

This matter will never be over as long as he lives!

The Jin Household.

Jin Moyuan was very satisfied with Yu Tunzhou's boxing skills, saying that he saw the shadow of Huaiqing from back then in him.

In the past, Lu Huaiqing was known as the purest martial artist, and the purity and vastness of his Martial Intention was something that even Jin Moyuan today could not forget.

"Your Fist Intent lacks that 'I am the only one who can do it' spiritedly."

Jin Moyuan commented and offered advice, "It's not a big problem. After all, you've only just reached the Form Refinement Perfection, and you haven't experienced enough of the martial world and haven't seen much bloodshed. Once you've honed your skills and defeated all your peers, that indomitable spirit will naturally take shape."

"Huaiqing was like that in the past, or rather, any martial artist is like that."

At this point, a sharp glint appeared in Jin Moyuan's eyes, as if he were recalling his glorious past.

"Go, prepare well for the upcoming matches." Jin Moyuan snapped out of his thoughts and said meaningfully, "If anything happens during this time—"

Feel free to ask me any questions.

Yu Tunzhou in a fist salute and returned to the courtyard.

That night.

He received a note with only one line of small print on it:

[The mission is accomplished, the person has been rescued, and Mr. Zhuang will forever remember this great kindness!]

Yu Tunzhou smiled knowingly. That's good. It seems I've been of help after all.

Immediately, he placed the paper into the candle flame to ignite it, and continued to refine his acupoints and cultivate the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art.

Two days later.

He traveled to the Clear Water Sect in a carriage arranged by the Jin Household.

Today is the day of his duel with the Clear Water Sect Shen Si.

All five battles were chosen by the opponents at the time and place, but Shen Si chose his own dojo, which gave him a home-field advantage. Moreover, there weren't many outsiders watching, so whether he won or lost, he didn't need to worry about losing face.

Shen Si was at the Early Divine Ability Stage, and his Falling Flowers and Flowing Water Swordsmanship was renowned among the younger generation under thirty in West Xuan Commandery.

The carriage stopped in front of the mountain gate. Yu Tunzhou and looked up. Clear Water Sect was built against the mountain, with a babbling brook. It was a quiet place.

Shen Si was already waiting at the training ground.

He was a young man of about twenty-six or twenty-seven, dressed in a blue robe, with a long sword at his waist. He had a handsome face and a composed demeanor. When he saw Yu Tunzhou, he nodded slightly, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Young Hero Yu, I have long admired you."

Yu Tunzhou returned the greeting, saying, "Brother Shen, you're too kind."

Without exchanging any pleasantries, the two stood at attention.

Shen Si slowly drew his longsword; the blade was like a pool of autumn water, gleaming with a cold, clear light.

"Young Hero Yu, please."

Yu Tunzhou took a sword from the weapon rack and held it in his hand.

He was pondering that, in addition to boxing, he also needed to learn a weapon, and the sword would be perfect. The knife was too fierce, while the sword was just right and more compatible with Taiji.

Shen Si thrust out her sword first. The sword light flickered, like petals blown by the wind in spring, scattered here and there, seemingly chaotic, yet containing a certain rhythm.

Yu Tunzhou stared intently and realized that the sword lights were not feints; each one carried real sharpness. However, their trajectories were too unpredictable, making it impossible to determine which one was the true murderous intent.

The falling flowers perfectly capture the essence of "a riot of blossoms dazzling the eye!"

Shen Si's Swordsmanship was deeply ingrained in its essence. Combined with his Gang Qi, the tip of his sword trembled incessantly, unleashing countless sword flowers. Each sword flower was like a petal, spinning and falling in the air, layer upon layer, covering the sky and the earth.

Yu Tunzhou used his sword to execute Taiji defensive stance, drawing a circle to block the sword flowers from entering.

Shen Si, having gained the upper hand, pressed his advantage, and his swordplay changed once more.

After the fallen blossoms, comes the flowing water!

You can't cut water with a knife; the water just keeps flowing!

If the sword light just now was like fleeting falling petals, then now it is like a mountain stream, flowing continuously and endlessly.

Once the swordplay began, it never stopped, flowing like water, penetrating everywhere and surging from all directions, as if to swallow Yu Tunzhou. Before the aftereffects of the previous sword had faded, the next sword followed, each sword connected to the next, forming an impenetrable sword net.

Moreover, each sword strike is extremely cunning and unpredictable, coming from unexpected positions, making it impossible to defend against.

Several elders from the Clear Water Sect who were watching the match nodded in approval.

Shen Si's Swordsmanship has already begun to integrate the essence of falling flowers and flowing water, showing signs of being based on principles.

However, everyone quickly fell silent.

Because the Yu Tunzhou without retreating a single step.

If Shen Si's Swordsmanship is like falling flowers and flowing water, then Yu Tunzhou was initially like a rock, remaining steadfast despite the rushing water.

Then, he incorporated the Taiji True Intention into his Swordsmanship, and his Swordsmanship became more and more skillful. The sword became like a whirlpool in the water. The flowing water could not destroy it, but instead was swept up and spun by it, eventually losing its original direction.

Fine beads of sweat slowly appeared on Shen Si's forehead, and his breathing began to quicken.

His swordplay remained sharp, but his indomitable spirit had been largely diminished.

Yu Tunzhou's swordplay remained calm and unhurried, as if he were simply practicing in the courtyard rather than sparring with someone.

The Clear Water Sect disciples watching from below the stage exchanged bewildered glances, unable to believe their eyes.

Senior Brother Shen Si's Falling Flowers and Flowing Water Swordsmanship couldn't even break through the opponent's defense?

After several hundred exchanges, Shen Si sheathed his sword, clasped his hands in respect, and said, "Young Hero Yu's Swordsmanship is exquisite; I, Shen, am completely outmatched! Fifteenth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking and Tiger Ranking, I fear I have still underestimated Young Hero Yu!"

Yu Tunzhou his sword and laughed, "Brother Shen's Falling Flowers and Flowing Water Swordsmanship has a profound artistic conception. I, Yu, have also benefited greatly from it by only defending and not attacking."

An elder from the Clear Water Sect exclaimed in admiration, "What a brilliant use of leverage! I've heard that Young Hero Yu's fist techniques are extraordinary; to achieve such an effect by incorporating fist into swordplay is truly astonishing!"

A short while later, at the enthusiastic invitation of the Clear Water Sect, Yu Tunzhou sat in the gate for an hour before being "released".

Watching the carriage depart, an elder of the Clear Water Sect sighed, "This person has clearly only recently begun practicing swordsmanship, yet he has managed to master it with his fists. His talent and skill are rare in this world. Si'er, you did not lose unjustly."

Another elder stroked his beard with satisfaction and said, "Young Hero Yu sat here for a full hour this time. Si'er was truly defeated after a long battle." In the future, when Young Hero Yu gains power, our Clear Water Sect will also be able to bring glory to our sect.

Upon hearing this, Shen Si was left speechless, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

After returning to the Jin Household, Yu Tunzhou declined the invitations from several Jin Household members and went back to the courtyard that Jin Moyuan had prepared for him to continue refining his acupoints.

That same night, he condensed 180 acupoints, which, combined with the nine acupoints, was more than half complete!

At this moment, the acupoints around Yu Tunzhou's body, which he had refined, could already sense the primordial power contained in the world!

This is an unprecedented experience.

It was as if the world was no longer something external to him, but rather an extension connected to his blood and breath.

He closed his eyes and looked inward, and saw 180 acupoints twinkling like stars in his body, each one trembling slightly, echoing a certain rhythm between heaven and earth.

Yu Tunzhou stood up and walked to the center of the courtyard.

The resonance between the acupoints in his body and the universe grew stronger and stronger, and he felt himself dissolving.

It is not the dissolution of the physical body, but the dissolution of a certain boundary.

The invisible wall between him and heaven and earth became transparent and thin at this moment.

It seemed that he was heaven and earth, and heaven and earth were him.

At this moment, Yu Tunzhou allowed himself to "scatter" into this world.

Just then, a night bird landed on a tree in the courtyard, tilting its head to look at the figure standing in the yard. It didn't feel any threat at all; on the contrary, it felt that the other person's aura was no different from that of the tree branches, the moonlight, and the night wind.

It nestled its neck in comfort, tucked its head into its wings, and drifted off to sleep in this peaceful moment.

It is unknown how much time passed before Yu Tunzhou finally woke up.

This feeling is mysterious and dangerous; those with weak minds may lose themselves in this near- Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person.

However, the strength of Yu Tunzhou's Primordial Spirit not only allowed him to anchor himself, but also enhanced this experience.

Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person!

This is what it feels like to Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person!

Yu Tunzhou's heart burned even brighter. He had a feeling that with his own Primordial Spirit cultivation, as long as he could open all his acupoints and enter the first level of the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art, he would be able to initially grasp the profound mystery of the Unity of Heaven and Celestial Person under the blessing of his Primordial Spirit!

Even now, he has gained some understanding, and feels that his grasp of legal principles has steadily improved by two or three levels!

With this in mind, Yu Tunzhou turned around and prepared to continue working overtime to try to condense the remaining acupoints as soon as possible.

But at that moment...

He suddenly looked to the side and heard some strange noises.

His courtyard was located on the outer side of the Jin Household mansion, in a relatively secluded and quiet place, yet someone actually climbed over the wall and jumped into his courtyard.

"Brother Yuan?" Yu Tunzhou recognized the other party immediately.

The latter then realized that Yu Tunzhou was standing there, but he had clearly not seen anyone when he looked around!

Yuan Mengzhou couldn't worry about that for the moment. He took a deep breath and transmitted his voice, "Brother Yu, if it's convenient, please come with me. Old Zhuang —he wants to see you again!"