Testing Three Supreme Arts on Mount Zhongnan

Mount Zhongnan stretches Guanzhong, from Qinlong in the west to Lantian in the east, a distance of 800 li.

The ancients said that among the great mountains, besides the Taihang, none surpasses the Zhongnan Mountains.

The terrain here is incredibly complex and diverse, arguably the most diverse in the entire Nine Provinces region.

In some places, towering peaks rise and deep valleys are dotted with numerous karst caves, from which cold winds occasionally blow out, the source of which remains unknown.

Some are towering mountains, their peaks covered in snow, with sparse trees and only grasslands on several peaks, and deep pools at the foot of the mountains that are green and the water flowing in that direction that is blue.

Chu Tianshu and Hai Donglai walked along the water's edge, looking at the sky reflected in the water, and then looked up at the real blue sky.

When people look up at the sky in such mountainous terrain, the blue sky seems exceptionally high and distant.

The white clouds seemed to be thousands of miles away, hanging in the sky, one by one, in patches.

From one's eyes to one's lungs, one can feel that freshness, as if a vast coolness permeates the body and mind.

Chu Tianshu walked on the flat ground in the mountains. Compared with the surrounding peaks, the path under his feet seemed to be the lowest point in the terrain.

But as he walked, he turned slightly onto a small hill and found himself on a high cliff.

Outside the cliff, clouds and mist drifted by.

With his eyesight, he could see through the clouds and mist and reach a low-lying mountainous area more than ten miles away.

The hills there are generally not high, but lush and green, and hundreds of large and small houses have been built on them.

From the mountaintop to the mountainside, houses are scattered like stars in the sky, orderly and bustling with thousands of people moving about in and out of the mountains.

Within the large flat area enclosed by several hills were rows of fighting arenas.

A man-made canal, more than ten feet wide, draws water from the surrounding mountains. When it reaches the flat land, it branches into a series of circular waterways.

Ensure that each arena is surrounded by a water channel with clear, rippling water that flows continuously.

"That's the Seven Martial Competition Mountains."

Hai Donglai didn't use an umbrella; he held it in his left hand behind his waist. His voice was slightly hoarse, carrying a sense of nonchalance, yet also an unforgettable feeling of reminiscence.

"The seven mountains offer scenic views from their mid-slopes to their summits. Once the Martial Exhibition of All Nations officially begins, people can enjoy a clear view of the competitors from their elevated positions."

"The entire international martial arts competition, though complex in its procedures and details, can be broadly categorized into three types."

"A contest of strength, speed, and endurance."

"The flat arenas in the middle of the seven mountains are all places for fighting. The Heavenly Craft Canal, Directorate of Construction of the Emperor, can dissipate and neutralize all the residual energy released when people below the rank of Plain King fight, so as not to easily damage the venue."

"Beyond the seven mountains, the flat roads that encircle the seven peaks are where speed becomes the contest."

"As for the items for testing patience, they haven't arrived yet today."

"The main things to be found include a charcoal-fired copper furnace, Ten Thousand Needle Iron Coffin, and a vat for melting bones with icy poison, etc. It's a test of who can endure in them the longest without losing their life."

Chu Tianshu had heard Su Xian and others mention it briefly before.

During the competition among nations, although the envoys of the great powers were almost always led by Plain King, they did not personally participate in the competition.

The main participants in the competition were those who were only a step away from becoming Plain King.

These outstanding individuals received the true teachings of the most powerful masters from various countries.

The competition between them can basically reflect the level of their mentors and teachers in various aspects.

The weaknesses that emerge during the competition, and the strengths that are observed in others.

All of these will be compiled and organized into a coherent text, becoming new ideas for their teachers and powerful figures to improve their own cultivation techniques.

Of course, since this competition was being held directly in the Great Tang, the venue and equipment for the contest were all provided by the Great Tang.

Afterwards, the records obtained by the Great Tang would be the most comprehensive and accurate.

This is also a hidden benefit of hosting international competitions.

Let's go.

Hai Donglai tapped his shoulder with his umbrella, turned and left. "Our martial arts practice isn't suitable for that area. We need to find another place to avoid disrupting the Directorate of Palace Construction's hard work."

Chu Tianshu smiled and followed, chatting casually.

"You seem quite understanding of them, so why don't you see the diligent and hardworking Nie Hongxian around?"

"If I see her, I'll have to take over the diligent work."

Hai Donglai chimed in, his tone somewhat helpless.

It wasn't that Nie Hongxian was unfilial, but rather that she insisted on dragging a 147-year-old man along to help her with official business.

On the contrary, Nie Hongxian is too obedient.

Of all the disciples and followers Hai Donglai, he had personally taught very few. Among those he had personally taught, Nie Hongxian best met his requirements.

Often, Nie Hongxian's work completion rate was even higher than the standards set by Hai Donglai.

Even Nie Hongxian's Weapon Soul is the type that becomes more capable of working the more severe the injury.

Whenever Hai Donglai saw her, he couldn't help but help her with some official business.

Alas! "The sea of blood surges, the Red Emperor Donglai." In his youth, a man who earned such a ruthless reputation could never have imagined that he would have such a soft heart.

But he's getting old, and he'll have to retire eventually.

Constantly interfering in the affairs of the Inner Guard will inevitably affect Nie Hongxian's prestige within the Inner Guard.

As they spoke, both of them quickened their pace.

Although it seemed like a leisurely stroll, the surrounding mountain and forest scenery rushed by in a flash.

A short while later, they arrived at another mountainous area.

Hai Donglai stopped in his tracks. "What do you think of this place?"

Chu Tianshu looked around and saw a different kind of landscape in this mountainous area.

Not only are the trees sparse here, but there is also little grass; everywhere you look there are jagged, angular boulders.

There was even a Shitou on the riverbank that was bigger than a house.

The surrounding dozen or so hillsides and cliffs have large amounts of grayish-white stone exposed to the air.

The bluish-green color on the mountainside is not grass, but rather moss.

"I used to practice martial arts here too."

Hai Donglai to a cliff and reached out to touch the rock.

This cliff is fifty or sixty feet high and more than two miles wide.

"I heard you talk about the various realms of martial arts before, Mortal Transcendence Great Accomplishment, the Threefold Leakless, Returning Light and Rebirth, etc., and I felt that I gained a lot from it."

"The technique you described is indeed profound and mysterious, but I've discovered that it actually emphasizes internal cultivation. You can achieve results simply by sitting there without moving."

"The martial arts of Heart and Blood Martial Dao) require practical experience. Only by drawing upon the diverse structures and properties of all things in heaven and earth can one truly understand the profound mysteries of internal force through hands-on practice."

Hai Donglai shared his insights on practicing boxing.

"For example, my ' Mountain Collapse and Water Extinction Palm, the concept of Water Extinction, originally originated from the Four Garrisons of Anxi, and came from the people's understanding of the Protectorate General of Anxi back then."

"But the power to Water Extinction still comes from observing the process of extinguishing great rivers."

"Many river embankments, which seem well-constructed and capable of withstanding floods, sometimes collapse suddenly amidst seemingly ordinary tidal waves, causing widespread devastation."

"That's the wave-like force created by the ebb and flow of the tide, which happens to fit the structural material of the dam, so the damage it causes to the dam is much more ferocious than a flood."

"Conversely, all bodies of water possess their own unique wave-like force."

"If the force I exert coincides with the trough of each wave, it can naturally break the water apart and disintegrate into water vapor with minimal loss."

"Like this..."

Hai Donglai pushed against the cliff beside him.

Click! Click click click click!!!

Numerous cracks spread outwards from where his palm was pressed.

When the crack had spread to a length of more than ten feet, it seemed that the force had been exhausted.

Suddenly, from the end of each crack, a sharp, whistling sound like steam emanated.

The stones crumbled and collapsed, and cracks spread rapidly and densely.

Originally, there was only a semi-circular crack pattern on this cliff, with a center close to the ground and a radius of several dozen feet.

But in the instant after the steam erupted, the radius of the pattern expanded to thirty zhang.

Moreover, the density of cracks in this newly expanded area is much higher than before.

Hai Donglai suddenly retreated, withdrawing a great distance.

Rumble!!!

Hundreds and thousands of rocks broke off from the cliff, crashed to the ground, and rolled with a rumbling sound, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

The stones ranged in size from as small as a fist or a washbasin to as large as a water buffalo or an eight-immortal table.

The highest Shitou fell from a height of thirty feet, shattering the boulder that had already hit the ground.

Chu Tianshu's eyes changed slightly, and he also floated up and retreated in mid-air.

Thirty zhang, one hundred meters high.

Compared to this scene of flying rocks, a normal person's size is like that of an ant.

Even if he could fly, his robes billowing and billowing, he would still appear like a small leaf beside a waterfall of rocks in the face of such a scene.

The sound of the rocks crashing was like thunder, and the impact on the ground was like a roar!

Stone chips flew everywhere, filling the air.

Chu Tianshu caught a wisp of air in mid-air.

His internal energy restrained the moisture in the air, turning it into a small white ribbon of mist that felt scalding hot to the touch when held in the hand.

Under the force of the Hai Donglai, the water in the mountainside trembled and collapsed in an instant, its volume surging dramatically.

By prying open all the existing cracks in the rocks, such an amazing scene was created in the blink of an eye.

The rubble gradually subsided, but stone chips and dust still lingered.

Chu Tianshu looked up and saw the cliff that was originally flat and full, but now protruded slightly outward.

At this point, a large section of the lower part of the cliff face was recessed, and the ground was covered with scattered rocks.

"Mountain Collapse and Water Extinction Palm!"

Chu Tianshu was both surprised and delighted, and laughed, "I already knew how brilliant it was from your explanation before, but seeing it with my own eyes is definitely more intuitive."

The Hai Donglai from the east, its sound echoing across the land.

What you just saw was just Water Extinction.

The figure in red robes suddenly flashed by.

With a deafening roar, his figure swept past all the rocks, then suddenly turned at the bottom of the cliff, denting the air several times, until he reached the upper half of the entire cliff face.

In the blink of an eye, his figure appeared at the top of the cliff, his body flipping over as he slammed down with a palm strike.

Click!!!

The sound of the rock cracking this time was incredibly sharp and reached its peak of speed.

When Chu Tianshu heard this, he almost thought it was just a very brittle biscuit that had been broken.

However, at the top of the cliff, a crack, like lightning, plunges straight down.

The upper part of the cliff, with this crack as its main feature, also spreads out with numerous fine lines.

All the cracked stones suddenly plummeted downwards.

Layer upon layer of stones crashed down, piling up on top of the original rubble. Before they could roll far, the rocks above them pressed down on them.

Hai Donglai struck twice.

The first strike caused the lower half of the cliff to cave in, sending rocks tumbling far away and creating a chaotic mess.

The second strike pressed down on the upper part of the cliff, creating a steep and high pile of stones.

It seems to have filled in the gaps in the lower half.

As Hai Donglai's body fell, he spun in mid-air, turning his head to face the sky and his feet to the ground, before landing atop the pile of stones.

The entire mountain behind him looked like it had a columnar defect dented in.

"The second strike is Mountain Collapse, a force specifically designed to attack rigid objects."

The echoes of the stones beneath Hai Donglai's feet had not yet faded, but his voice remained steady and drawn out as he spoke slowly.

"All things in the world are subject to the principles of hardness and softness; changes in structure result in different waveforms when hard and soft forces are transmitted."

"Having mastered the nature of both hardness and softness, understood the subtleties of structure, and comprehended the waveform with the Fist Intent, one can, with only one-tenth of one's strength, cause complete disintegration."

Chu Tianshu fell into deep thought.

When he practiced boxing in the past, he actually paid great attention to the differences in the medium through which force was transmitted.

However, after practicing internal energy cultivation, he stopped caring about this matter.

Because internal force itself has a feeling of covering the original properties of things with its own characteristics.

For practitioners of internal energy cultivation, hardening a silkworm thread and hardening a leaf are essentially the same principle; it only depends on the amount of internal energy infused.

This is very convenient; you could say it's a versatile energy source.

However, this also means that when using internal force to cause destruction, it is difficult to accurately grasp the weaknesses of many things, making it relatively reckless.

For practitioners of the Heart and Blood Martial Dao, the force required to harden a silkworm thread is completely different from the force required to harden a leaf.

They can destroy external objects more efficiently and economically.

"However, mastering such highly efficient destructive techniques must be a much more complicated process."

Chu Tianshu said, "You need to understand the properties of almost every major category of matter, practice with all kinds of landscapes and phenomena in the world, and be able to handle any situation with ease?"

Hai Donglai simply smiled, "But we still have the Fist Intent. The heart precedes the blood."

"I have always believed that the martial artist's Fist Intent is not specifically used for some kind of long-range, invisible attack."

"It is used to sense the rigidity and flexibility of matter, and to capture the fluctuations of waves."

Chu Tianshu nodded, then a sense of curiosity arose. "So, are you truly Double Flawlessness now?"

Hai Donglai pondered.

"I had long ago achieved Leakless True Force, and seventeen years ago, I was only a hair's breadth away from Leakless Innate Nature."

"If I had truly and completely killed the Mountain King, I should have overcome that hurdle seventeen years ago."

"But back then, I had a vague feeling that something was still unfinished. Seven years ago, I learned about the Mountain King's association with locusts, which became a knot in my heart, and I still feel that something is missing."

The Leakless Innate Nature, and it truly places great importance on intention.

Hai Donglai and Mountain King were locked in a standoff for ninety years.

If the other side hadn't actually died, that would have been one thing, but they did die, and not all of them were.

No wonder it became a knot in my heart.

Chu Tianshu's mind was quick; he quickly shifted his attention away from the matter, pondered for a moment, and then smiled.

"Brother Donglai, move aside!"

Hai Donglai jumped down from the pile of stones and moved to the side to see what he was going to do.

Chu Tianshu's Heavenly Eye, located between his brows, suddenly opened halfway.

Jade-like patterns spread from beneath his feet, and hundreds of jumbled rocks in front of him suddenly floated into the air.

When it comes to detecting things, the Heavenly Eye is a professional. However, even though Chu Tianshu had used the Heavenly Eye for detection before, he had never systematically trained in it. He didn't know what kind of force he needed to use to achieve the desired effect.

Now that he has obtained the martial arts techniques summarized by Hai Donglai a hundred years, how effective will it be for him to use his internal energy and borrow some existing techniques?

"Yay!"

Chu Tianshu let out a low shout, channeled his energy into his palms, rising from his dantian and then pushing them out horizontally.

Hundreds of rocks suddenly began to spin, sending stone chips flying.

The originally irregular boulder was transformed into hundreds of stone cones in an instant by his internal force.

Chu Tianshu changed his palm technique again, his hands swirling and retracting before pushing forward once more.

The stone cone shot forward, penetrating half a foot into the rock wall. In the huge columnar gap in the cliff, it boomed and roared, forming four large characters.

A War of Nations!

"Hahaha."

Chu Tianshu's laughter rang out.

He only used 30% of his power just now, and the effect was really good.

(End of this chapter)