Chapter Thirty-Eight: Ten Realms of Meaning, Yin and Yang, Unparalleled Through the Ages

Name: Jiang Ming
Qi Cultivation: Third Level (Gang Qi Realm)
Body Cultivation: Third Turn
Techniques: Yin-Yang Arts, Dragon-Elephant Overlord Body Technique; River Sword Intent, Raindrop Sword, Furious Thunder Saber, Six Meridian Divine Sword, and others
Innate Gifts: Hundredfold Comprehension, Nirvana Rebirth, Soul Dominion (temporarily solidified)
Task: Become the provincial top scorer in the preliminary round of the Martial Examination
Status: Largely unchanged.

In the main world, his cultivation stood at the third level of martial arts. Even with his comprehension of intent, it still fell within this realm. The Dragon-Elephant Overlord Body Technique had been cultivated to the peak of the fifth layer, equivalent to the third turn in the main world. As for the sixth layer? Upon careful analysis, he found it riddled with flaws; achieving success was impossible. He tried deducing and perfecting it, but could not break through to a higher level—not for lack of ability, but because of the world’s suppression.

He had already abandoned the Guiyuan Sutra.

The Yin-Yang Arts were something he reverse-engineered from the Lesser Yin and Lesser Yang classics, deducing the Nine Yin and Nine Yang, and then merging them. But because time was short, and because he wished to create a peerless technique, it remained incomplete. Even so, the quality of the transformed true qi improved significantly. Within his dantian, the true qi circulated endlessly, like a taiji diagram: one yin, one yang, turning without rest, suffusing his entire body in ceaseless cycles.

It even automatically formed protective gang qi.

There were many other marvelous applications as well.

He hadn’t comprehended many supreme techniques, but he had further refined River Sword Intent. This, fused with the intent of water, enabled a single sword strike to surge like a great river, as if the Milky Way was falling from the heavens—unmatched and unstoppable.

Most importantly, his innate gift of Nirvana Rebirth had solidified, for he had comprehended ten types of intent: wood, fire, earth, metal, water, wind, gravity, suppression, ice, mist, and sharpness.

Gravity and suppression were essentially facets of earth intent, but also specific in themselves, while sharpness belonged to metal intent.

“Barely passable!” Jiang Ming murmured, a smile on his lips.

As his cultivation advanced, his will was tempered, and his being was sublimated; even his basic comprehension had improved. Add to that the power of a hundredfold? The results defied all logic.

With Soul Dominion as well, comprehending intent was as easy as drinking water.

Once he crossed the threshold and directly grasped what true intent was, everything else became simple—drawing inferences, connecting concepts. For Jiang Ming, it was effortless.

He also realized that as his strength grew, these two innate gifts became increasingly terrifying.

Unfortunately, the Soul Dominion gift he obtained at the second martial level had not yet solidified, much to his frustration.

Nirvana Rebirth was also incredibly powerful; when cultivating, he seemed tireless, his strength inexhaustible, his endurance so immense that even he was astounded.

One day, he tested this by taking a treasured blade and slicing a deep gash in his own arm. Before the blood could flow, the wound had already healed.

“Beyond human!”

Jiang Ming often marveled at his own abnormality.

Within the manor, beneath the gazebo, he perused a volume of books—one of many delivered by the Ninth Princess, numbering far more than three thousand, including countless techniques and treatises.

Bai Yunfei had also visited, bringing the true copy of the Old Yang Classic and leaving an invitation: next year, Master Zhang’s centennial birthday, to which Jiang Ming was invited.

The other elders had also gifted him true copies. It was an unexpected delight.

With each passing day, Jiang Ming’s foundation grew deeper, his accumulation more profound.

“This is the true wealth of the secret realm world: knowledge, the distilled wisdom of countless geniuses across the ages.” With a sigh, Jiang Ming set the book aside, took the tea Xiaolan offered, sipped, and said, “You should find time to cultivate as well.”

“My lord, I only wish to serve you well!” Xiaolan sat nearby, peeling grapes and placing them in a small green bowl.

“Be sensible—make time to cultivate. Otherwise, staying by my side will only make you a burden.” Jiang Ming was forced to speak harshly.

Xiaolan’s face changed and she quickly replied, “My lord, I will cultivate diligently!”

At this moment, Head Constable Jin strode in from outside.

She often dropped by for a chat, swaggering in, and upon seeing the peeled grapes, picked up the small bowl and poured them into her mouth.

“Miss Jin, those were prepared for the young master!” Xiaolan protested, displeased.

“You’re clever and nimble, just peel some more.” Head Constable Jin sat down, looked at Jiang Ming, and remarked, “Brother Jiang, the rumors about you have suddenly taken a new turn.”

“Someone’s slinging mud?” Jiang Ming asked.

Most news from outside reached him through her.

Lu Yuan also brought word of some rumors, but he spent most of his time wandering elsewhere.

“Yes.” Head Constable Jin nodded. “Until recently, everyone said you were the rarest martial prodigy in ages, unmatched in a thousand years, dazzling all under heaven—so young, already a grandmaster, slayer of Xuanming the Elder, making waves across the world, idolized by countless youths.”

“You were even willing to exchange supreme techniques with others—a boldness no one could rival, not even Master Zhang.”

“But now, new rumors claim you’re a bandit, a villain guilty of every crime: you wiped out the Xiao and Liang clans, whose legacies spanned centuries in Keshan City, and slew dozens of disciples from prestigious families. They say you’re an agent of the Sun and Moon Demon Sect, infiltrating the orthodox world in preparation for overturning it.”

“They accuse you of massacring villages, destroying families, committing unspeakable acts—the list goes on.”

“To them, you’re the ultimate villain, the arch-demon, an unpardonable criminal!” Head Constable Jin’s face showed indignation as she spoke.

“They’re slandering you!” Xiaolan fumed.

Jiang Ming, however, only laughed. “Will the righteous sects band together to crusade against me now, to rid the world of evil?”

“You’re sharp, Brother Jiang!” Head Constable Jin gave a thumbs-up. “There really are voices calling for a crusade against you.”

“The Grand Forest Temple leading the charge?” Jiang Ming asked with interest.

“Brother Jiang, why do you say that?”

“Didn’t I kill their top disciple, the genius heir?”

“That’s true. That’s certainly one reason. Or perhaps they don’t want to see another powerful force rising in the martial world to threaten their status. But for now, it’s just clamor from various factions. The Grand Forest Temple hasn’t agreed or refused—their stance is ambiguous.”

“They’re probably waiting to see the other sects’ responses!” Jiang Ming smiled. “Let them jump around for now.”

“You’re not afraid?” Head Constable Jin asked curiously.

“Afraid?” Jiang Ming shook his head with a smile. “On the contrary, I’m looking forward to it. If they come, I’ll have a reason to storm their sects.”

A chill crept over Head Constable Jin’s heart.

“My grandmaster status is unchangeable, and I stand alone. Has no one from above tried to recruit me?” Jiang Ming gestured upward.

Head Constable Jin immediately understood he referred to the princes, since the old emperor’s days were numbered.

The princes’ rivalry was fierce—surely a powerful new figure like Jiang Ming would be sought after.

“I’ve heard that a few were indeed interested, but just as they were about to make a move, the Ninth Princess sent word: you despise evil and injustice, cannot tolerate the oppression of the innocent, which is why you destroyed the Xiao and Liang clans. Coupled with the rumors about a crusade, perhaps this dissuaded them.” Head Constable Jin’s expression was somewhat odd.

“None of them are good sorts,” Jiang Ming sighed.

Head Constable Jin made no reply, pouring herself another cup of tea.

After she left, Jiang Ming pondered in silence.

A crusade?

He truly didn’t care, but he did need to devise some killing moves—if he really were besieged, he could unleash a massacre.

“And as for the Dragon-Elephant Overlord Body Technique, this body-tempering method is ultimately too shallow, far from bringing out the body’s full potential.”

This was not mere illusion, but something his powerful spirit and soul had sensed. With the immense vitality granted by Nirvana Rebirth, if he didn’t temper his body to the utmost, he’d be wasting his unique gifts.

“And then there’s true intent! I must strive to fuse the five elemental intents into one, incorporate it into my swordsmanship, and also attempt to comprehend lightning, light, darkness, life and death, yin and yang, and so forth.”

“I should also experiment with space!”

“And with the purest sword intent. Using sword intent as the foundation, then blending in other intents should raise my swordsmanship by several levels.”

Jiang Ming mapped out a simple plan.

Time flowed quietly onward. Head Constable Jin continued to bring news from the outside.

For the crusade against the arch-demon Jiang Ming, some sought the help of the True Martial Sect, but were refused; the Pure Yang Sect stayed out of it, and the Divine Sword Manor paid it no heed.

“Brother Jiang, the Demon-Slaying Alliance has been formed!” One day, Head Constable Jin rushed in with the news, her face grim, unable to hide her worry.

Demon?

She knew better than anyone that Jiang Ming was the true paragon among all the martial world—and that most of the others were nothing but self-serving hypocrites, a tacit alliance of interests hiding behind the banner of justice.

“I hope they come soon, so I can stretch my muscles a little!” Jiang Ming’s eyes lit up with anticipation.

Head Constable Jin…