Cultivation: Start From Simplifying Martial Arts Techniques

Searching the Heavens and Earth

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Four bell chimes rang within the Heavenly Illusion Valley, except for those in closed-door cultivation in the Mountain Sea Realm, all gathered in the main hall.

Five cultivators from the Mountain Sea Realm fell in an instant. Even top-tier forces like the Heavenly Illusion Valley would struggle to withstand such losses, especially with one of them being Chi Shengsheng, a prodigy possessing three Divine Palaces and two innate talents.

Half a day later, Jiang Yuming, the peak expert of the Heavenly Illusion Valley’s Mountain Sea Realm, arrived at Feihuang City. According to the information obtained by the Heavenly Illusion Valley, the final location where Chi Shengsheng and his companions were last seen was in Feihuang City.

Even today, people from Feihuang City had extended invitations to Chi Shengsheng and his companions.

Half an hour later, Jiang Yuming and his entourage left Feihuang City, finally stopping at a mountain range eight hundred miles outside the city.

“Master, were Junior Brother Chi and the others murdered here?” Xia Junlin asked softly, standing nearby.

Jiang Yuming remained silent, his eyes gleaming faintly. Some lingering soul imprints suspended in mid-air were forcibly extracted by Jiang Yuming, then transformed into human forms.

True Illusion Technique!

It was the pinnacle inheritance of the Heavenly Illusion Valley, which Zeng Huaizheng had also practiced. However, compared to Jiang Yuming, Zeng Huaizheng’s mastery of the technique appeared quite immature.

However, even with Jiang Yuming’s expertise in the True Illusion Technique, the figure derived from the current soul imprints appeared extremely vague.

Too much time had passed, and soul imprints were already highly prone to dispersing, especially since they had been deliberately cleared.

If it weren’t for Jiang Yuming standing here right now but someone else from the Heavenly Illusion Valley, it’s likely that even the figures couldn’t be manifested.

In the midst of the air, the four figures collided several times, with three of them disappearing, leaving only one figure lingering for a moment before slowly dissipating.

Xia Junlin watched attentively, vaguely discerning that the three figures that disappeared first should be Saint Xizhou, Qi Yunhong, and Zeng Huaizheng, while the other figure was the one who had slain Saint Xizhou and the others.

But it was truly just a silhouette, too indistinct to observe anything.

Jiang Yuming waved his right hand, bringing Xia Junlin a hundred miles away.

Activating the True Illusion Technique once again, Jiang Yuming continued to extract the lingering soul imprints in the air, manifesting three figures.

The outcome seemed to have little difference from before; as the three figures collided, two of them dissipated.

Xia Junlin frowned as he watched the scene before him. Cheng Haixiong hardly put up any resistance and was slain with a single move.

Chi Shengsheng, on the other hand, resisted for a moment, but it was just a moment. The time from the start of the battle to the determination of the victor was too short, a complete one-sided suppression.

“The culprit is at least in the mid-stage of the Mountain Sea Realm?” Xia Junlin found it difficult to judge.

Because only those in the mid-stage of the Mountain Sea Realm could cleanly slay Chi Shengsheng and his companions like this. But there was a paradox: knowing that the opponent was in the mid-stage of the realm, why would Chi Shengsheng and his companions track them?

There are significant differences between the early and mid-stages of the Mountain Sea Realm.

It’s not just about the number of Divine Palaces and innate talents; it’s also about the formation of an array within the body after breaking through to the mid-stage of the realm, with the first three Divine Palaces condensing into it.

Yes, an array!

Depending on the intricacy of the cultivation method each individual practices, the arrays formed by connecting the three Divine Palaces can vary greatly.

But regardless of the array, when the three Divine Palaces are connected, they can unleash a much stronger power from the Mountain Sea Realm.

It’s precisely because of this that one’s strength increases so much after breaking through to the mid-stage of the realm, creating a significant gap between them and those in the early stage.

Therefore, even though Chi Shengsheng had five people, they shouldn’t have been so reckless in pursuing someone in the mid-stage of the Mountain Sea Realm.

Moreover, it was Zeng Huaizheng and the others who left Feihuang City first, while Chi Shengsheng and the others followed shortly afterward. Facing someone in the mid-stage of the realm, they definitely wouldn’t have acted in such a manner.

But if it’s not someone in the mid-stage of the Mountain Sea Realm, how could someone in the early stage of the realm effortlessly slay Cheng Haixiong and the others one by one?

Leaving aside the others, Chi Shengsheng himself possesses three Divine Palaces and is at the pinnacle of the early stage of the Mountain Sea Realm. Yet he was still crushed as if he were nothing. What kind of early-stage cultivator could achieve this?

A Sacred Land Prodigy?

But why would Chi Shengsheng and the others pursue a Sacred Land Prodigy? It doesn’t make sense!

Jiang Yuming’s expression turned solemn. The soul imprints left at the scene were too fragmented; one couldn’t see their cultivation level, the characteristics of their cultivation methods, or anything else.

“Return to Feihuang City!”

Jiang Yuming, accompanied by Xia Junlin, returned to Feihuang City after a brief moment.

Although the repeated departure and return of Jiang Yuming surprised the members of the Feihuang Sect, they still warmly welcomed him.

They only learned about the deaths of Chi Shengsheng and the others after Jiang Yuming’s arrival.

However, the deaths of Chi Shengsheng and the others occurred outside Feihuang City and had no connection to the Feihuang Sect.

Both being top-tier forces, although the Feihuang Sect was slightly weaker than the Heavenly Illusion Valley, they didn’t need to worry about being blamed by the Heavenly Illusion Valley for this incident.

“It’s troubling for your sect. Could you provide information on who among the Mountain Sea Realm left the city around the time Saint Xizhou and the others departed?” Jiang Yuming asked Luan Qinghui.

“Naturally,” Luan Qinghui replied without hesitation.

With the existence of the Tree King, almost everything within Feihuang City was under the control of the Feihuang Sect.

Finding out how many people left Feihuang City within a specific timeframe was easily achievable for the Feihuang Sect.

And if they were just looking for those in the Mountain Sea Realm, it was even simpler, as they were already under the surveillance of the Feihuang Sect within the city.

In a matter of moments, a jade slip was handed over, and Jiang Yuming thanked Luan Qinghui before heading to the courtyard where Saint Xizhou and the others had resided.

After a brief inspection, Jiang Yuming arrived at the tavern where Zeng Huaizheng had been staying.

Standing on the eaves of the tavern, Jiang Yuming surveyed the surroundings before turning to Xia Junlin. “Have the Feihuang Sect provide information on the Mountain Sea Realm cultivators residing within a radius of twenty miles, within the past six months!”

“Yes!”

Xia Junlin bowed and swiftly flew towards the Feihuang Sect. In just a quarter of an hour, Xia Junlin returned, presenting a jade slip to Jiang Yuming.

Jiang Yuming divided his focus and probed into the two jade slips. After a moment, he pinpointed several individuals, ultimately focusing entirely on one person.

Xia Junlin respectfully stood by. The True Illusion Technique possessed formidable tracking abilities, and Jiang Yuming was undoubtedly the best tracker in the Heavenly Illusion Valley.

Several peak experts of the Mountain Sea Realm within the Heavenly Illusion Valley specifically assigned Jiang Yuming to investigate this matter for this reason.

Given Jiang Yuming’s current expression, it was likely that he had identified the culprit.

Jiang Yuming swiftly flew to the Xianglang Inn, which was about a dozen miles away, and entered a guest room directly.

As Jiang Yuming glanced around, his brow furrowed slightly.

The occupant of this room had stayed here for several months. Normally, even if there hadn’t been a battle here, there should still be plenty of soul imprints left behind.

According to Jiang Yuming’s previous observations, the culprit likely didn’t notice Zeng Huaizheng’s surveillance beforehand. After all, there were too many people within Feihuang City, and from a dozen miles away, it was impossible to sense anything unusual.

This was different from being discovered while tracking outside the city.

Therefore, normally, the murderer wouldn’t bother erasing their soul imprints left in the inn before leaving.

However, the current situation indicated an unusually cautious individual who deliberately erased the soul imprints from the guest room before departing.

Jiang Yuming had initially intended to collect the complete soul imprints of this person. Only by doing so could he continue tracking them.

Half an hour later, Jiang Yuming appeared in the Shanggong Hall of Feihuang City.

“The other party exchanged an incomplete cultivation technique with a Black Divine subordinate.”

Qu Shangzheng led Jiang Yuming to the place where he had previously spoken with Chen Fei.

However, this incident had occurred over half a year ago, and with people coming and going in the Shanggong Hall, it was even less likely that any soul imprints would remain.

Jiang Yuming nodded. He had already learned this information beforehand. His visit to the Shanggong Hall now was more for confirmation.

With the current lead cut off, Jiang Yuming needed more details.

“Do you have any other information about this individual, Brother Qu?” Jiang Yuming looked up at Qu Shangzheng.

“That day was the first time I saw this person, and I have no other information,” Qu Shangzheng shook his head.

Qu Shangzheng felt somewhat surprised that Jiang Yuming had pinpointed the culprit to that person. Based on what Qu Shangzheng had observed that day, the person was just an ordinary early-stage cultivator of the Mountain Sea Realm.

Although their cultivation technique was decent, it was just decent, not even reaching the level of top-tier techniques.

In the end, they had to exchange for an incomplete cultivation technique, the Purple Sky Thunder Technique, which revealed the ordinariness of their background.

For such an early-stage cultivator of the Mountain Sea Realm to first slay three peers of the same level, and then someone like Chi Shengsheng, a prodigy, it seemed utterly impossible no matter how one looked at it.

Even if that person had exceptional talent, high talent still required top-tier techniques to support it in order to become true combat strength. That person didn’t meet such conditions.

However, this was the Heavenly Illusion Valley’s affair, and Qu Shangzheng wouldn’t casually involve himself in it, even if he had his thoughts about it.

“Thank you!”

Jiang Yuming bowed to Qu Shangzheng before leaving the Shanggong Hall with Xia Junlin.

Qu Shangzheng watched their departing figures and shook his head. But whoever the culprit was, it would be incredibly difficult for the Heavenly Illusion Valley to find them now.

“Master, where are we going now?” Xia Junlin turned to Jiang Yuming.

None of the blood soul imprints on the bodies of the Saint Xizhou five had worked, indicating that the killer possessed extremely powerful soul techniques.

Xia Junlin also knew about the person who exchanged for a technique from the Black God Faction. If they didn’t even have top-tier techniques, where did they get rarer soul techniques from?

Even with Xia Junlin’s mid-stage power in the Mountain Sea Realm, it would be extremely difficult to erase those blood soul imprints. Could someone in the early stage of the realm accomplish it so easily?

“We’re going to find the culprit!”

Jiang Yuming’s voice echoed as his figure transformed into a shadow, reappearing inside the Xianglang Inn.

“Killing a member of our Heavenly Illusion Valley like this won’t go without a fight!”

Jiang Yuming formed hand seals, causing the elemental energy in his body to boil. The damaged soul imprints left in the guest room were forcibly gathered together, causing Jiang Yuming’s aura to drop significantly.

Even if it meant depleting his origin, Jiang Yuming was determined to try tracking down the murderer again. People from the Heavenly Illusion Valley couldn’t die so easily!

An imprint rose from the guest room and swiftly shot towards the city’s outskirts.

Spanning eight hundred miles, the imprint arrived at the location where Saint Xizhou and the others had died.