Chapter 211
Chapter 211: The Stranger… The Big and Small Three Realms
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
“Hu, hu, hu, hu…!”
Junior Leopard panted heavily, feeling as if his lungs were ripping at his heart with every breath he took. It was not that he was very tired, but that he had been given quite a scare by the figure in the clouds.
Zhou Bao, a person with a wealth of experience, had a deep understanding of how the world operated. In fact, he had seen two worlds in his two lifetimes, so naturally he knew how much power thunder had.
He had learnt from science class in middle school that thunderbolts could generally reach 100 million volts. As for the extremely powerful ones, they were at least a hundred billion volts, or even a trillion volts and higher.
This was the power of thunderbolts!
Though this world was different from his previous, some basic physical laws regarding lightning were the same. In his previous life, he had heard stories of people who had survived a lightning strike. But that was totally nonsensical in this world. One could not be more dead after being struck by lightning no matter how high his cultivation was. This showed that the thunderbolt in this world was much more powerful. But what about now?
He was watching a guy, standing in the air, right beside the dark clouds, still being struck by the thunderbolts. Oh, no! The guy was blocked by the dark clouds. He wasn’t able to see clearly what was happening inside. But even so, he had seen with his own eyes that this man had been struck by two flashes of lightning.
He was really freaked out!
“Are there actually Immortals in this world?!” Junior Leopard’s heart was beating fast and the words “Pulse-Fixating, Blood-Changing, Marrow-Cleansing” kept flashing through his mind.
Everyone knew cultivation could be divided into three realms: Skin Toughening, Bone Forging and Tendon Changing!
Every realm had three levels so there were nine levels in total. Above Level Nine, there was the legendary Mysterious Realm!
But what was the Mysterious Realm actually like?
Few people knew!
In fact, among people Junior Leopard knew, no one would know except Wang She whose cultivation had already reached Level Nine!
But Junior Leopard somehow knew in his heart that this Mysterious Realm above Level Nine must have something to do with Pulse-Fixating, Blood-Changing and Marrow-Cleansing. Even more likely, these were the dividing standards of the Mysterious Realm.
“Forget it. I’ll just let it be, it’s no use thinking about Level Nine or The Mysterious Realm now. I’ll think about it when I reach Level Seven!” Junior Leopard said to himself. He raised his head and looked at the dark clouds which covered the sky. Listening to the roaring thunder, he sighed softly and turned to leave.
No matter who it was in the sky, it was none of his business. He didn’t want to have anything to do with him now, either.
“Ah—!”
Just as he turned around, he cried out in alarm and retreated backwards 10 meters. With Internal Qi circulating inside his body, he stared straight ahead in horror.
In front of him, or behind him, stood a man. Even with his cultivation, Junior Leopard could not figure out when the man had appeared there.
“There is indeed someone watching me. But I didn’t expect a boy like you!”
The man wore a golden robe; he had a plain face and bright eyes. Junior Leopard could see clearly that he was the Stranger who had been struck by the thunderbolts just now. The man raised his hands moving to seize Junior Leopard.
Of course, Junior Leopard would not stand there and await his doom. Seeing the man’s hands coming, Junior Leopard bellowed and his feet pushed into the ground as he prepared to step back again.
…
…
“Oh no!”
When his feet moved, Junior Leopard felt something was wrong. The two big hands which seemed to move freely shrouded everything like a huge cover. No matter in which direction Junior Leopard retreated, he could not avoid the hands. Shocked, both his hands pushed forward suddenly. He didn’t dare to hold back his strength anymore. With red light glowing, three Fire Dragons flew out from his body and headed for the big hand.
“Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire! You are a disciple of Tian Long Taoism?!” Seeing Junior Leopard release three Fire Dragons, the man seemed slightly surprised, but he didn’t stop. Instead he grasped the Fire Dragons in his hands. To Junior Leopard’s horror, the man crushed the Fire Dragons with little effort. At the same time, an invisible power arose and constrained Junior Leopard’s movements. His expression changed. A red light flashed between Junior Leopard’s eyebrows and then a red sword Qi shot toward the mysterious man.
“Yin and Yang Heavenly Sword?!”
The man’s expression turned somewhat strange, but he was still cautious about the Extreme Yang Through Sky Sword that shot toward him. His golden robe sleeve closed slightly and the powerful Qi of the Extreme Yang Through Sky Sword was gathered to one side.
POOF! A red light flashed. A thin sword Qi pierced through his golden robe and then disappeared, making him raise his eyebrows.
“This is indeed Extreme Yang Through Sky Sword condensed by Qi of Blood Essence Evil Yuan! There is also a single Fiery Eye used as External Elixir! Oh, no, you have one more External Elixir – the skull of Dragon Chimera from primitive times. And you have even refined the kindling of the Dragon Chimera! Interesting. This is quite interesting!”
He took one glance and his expression became weird. After all, few people in this world could have had the same luck as Junior Leopard did. Besides, Junior Leopard had two External Elixirs which were both of the highest quality.
Seeing that the man could know so much about himself with only a glance, Junior Leopard’s face turned white. Except for his Fiery Eyes, the man had known everything else about him, even things he didn’t know. The so-called Dragon Chimera from primitive times must be the strange earthworm he had met in Misty Mountain.
At the sight of Junior Leopard’s white face, the man laughed unexpectedly. He said, “Don’t be so nervous. I don’t have much intention to do harm to you!”
Don’t have much intention to do me harm? That means there is at least a little intention. Though it was just a little, Junior Leopard was not willing to bear any from such a powerful person.
“I disturbed your practice without knowing it. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me!”
“At first I was just curious about how you could see me from such a distance. Now I understand, seeing that you have a Fiery Eye as External Elixir. It must be that your eyes have absorbed some powers from Fiery Eye. Though not as good as the Fiery Eye, you can see farther than common people. It is no wonder that you could see me!”
“You are absolutely right!” Hearing his words, Junior Leopard breathed a secret sigh of relief. Though this man had an eagle eye, he hadn’t discovered that he had the bloodline of Fiery Eyes. Maybe the External Elixir between Junior Leopard’s eyebrows had thrown him off. Thinking of this, Junior Leopard became even more cautious.
“Your cultivation is only at Level Four, but you’ve already practiced the second state of the Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique and even condensed the Extreme Yang Through Sky Sword with Qi of Blood Essence Evil Yuan. That’s quite an amazing achievement!”
“It’s just luck!” Junior Leopard said hastily. Under these circumstances, he dared not speak even one extra word.
“Luck is also part of cultivation. It’s also because of luck that I have the cultivation I have now!” The man thought for a moment and said, “It seems that you have inherited the whole Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique. Are you a disciple from Tian Long Taoism?”
“I came from the Wu Family. And what I learned is indeed Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique!” Junior Leopard didn’t dare to lie before such a person, so he told the truth. “Chief Wang She from Tian Long Taoism taught me the complete Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique method!”
“Wu Family?” The man frowned slightly. It seemed that he had never heard of it. Then he asked, “How did this Wu Family you mentioned know the secret method of Tian Long Taoism?!”
“Uh?!” Junior Leopard broke into a sweat. He smiled wryly and said, “What the ancestor of the Wu Family who came from Tian Long Taoism practiced was exactly this Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique method.”
“Well, that makes sense!” The man nodded and said, “I’ve been away from the world for years and know little about what has happened in Jianghu. I’d never thought that Tian Long Taoism would let others learn the Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique!”
Away from the world for years?
Junior Leopard sucked in a breath quietly. The ancestor of the Wu Family had built up his reputation and established the foundation of the Wu Family 500 years ago. How could this man have not heard of it? If this was true, then he must be from over 500 years ago. Though Junior Leopard had heard that your lifespan would increase dramatically once your cultivation reached a certain extent, it was totally different to actually see it. In his previous life, he had heard that UFOs would appear in many places, but he was dubious about it as he had never seen it happen.
But now he was seeing it in person! A strange thought came to his mind. He said to himself, “I wonder how much I need to cultivate to reach his level!”
He didn’t suspect the man’s words. He knew the man had no need to lie to him.
Judging from the grasp he’d made just now, Junior Leopard was sure that his cultivation must far exceed Level Nine. He must have reached the legendary Mysterious Realm.
Though Junior Leopard’s cultivation was only Level Four, he had fought against experts at Level Eight face to face and even bombarded them to death with his skills. Even experts at Level Eight could not resist the devastating power of the Extreme Yang Through Sky Sword. But this man had destroyed the devastating sword Qi of the Extreme Yang Through Sky Sword with a slight roll of his robe sleeves and extinguished three Fire Dragons with a gentle grasp! An expert at Level Nine was not able to do this, let alone that at Level Eight. What was more, he had also seen this man sitting in the cloud being struck by thunderbolts. Of course, this did not mean that the man was tired of living.
A man like this had no reason to lie to him.
He had no need to, either.
“Since the Wu Family was established by a disciple from Tian Long Taoism, and you’ve come from the Wu Family and even gained instruction from the chief of Tian Long Taoism as well, you can also be considered a disciple of Tian Long Taoism!” The man said after a thought. He didn’t notice Junior Leopard’s expression.
“Uh… That makes sense.”
“Well, I owe Jadedragon Granny a favor and I’ve never found a good chance to pay it back for so many years. Now that I’ve met you today, maybe I can settle a wish of mine. The method of general principles of the Nine Heaven Yuan Yang Technique from Tian Long Taoism was lost 5000 years ago. 300 years ago, I inherited the complete method of this technique by coincidence when I was outside of the East Sea. I will now entrust you to bring this back to Tian Long Taoism, so that I can return Jadedragon Granny’s favor!” Before his words were finished, his finger touched Junior Leopard’s forehead. Then an abstruse concise formula was transferred to Junior Leopard’s mind. The feeling was quite similar to the time he received the Dragon Flying Technique.
“Wow, am I really so lucky? How could such a good thing happen to me?!”
After getting the pithy formula of the Nine Heaven Yuan Yang Technique, Junior Leopard still felt as if he was dreaming. He knew this Nine Heaven Yuan Yang Technique was the most advanced technique of Tian Long Taoism. The technique had marvellous power. For centuries, this technique could only be inherited by the Leader. How did he inexplicably get it today?
Suddenly his expression changed. Indeed, this Nine Heaven Yuan Yang Technique could only be practiced by Leader of Tian Long Taoism. As he was only a disciple of the Wu Family and not even a formal disciple of Tian Long Taoism, he could not bring the technique back like this. Though it was complete, it would still get him into trouble because Tian Long Taoism would never let a disciple of the Wu Family master this highest technique.
“You don’t need to worry. What I passed you just now was only the lost part of the formula, not the whole method. You aren’t naive enough to think that with that part of the pithy formula, you can cultivate the Nine Heaven Yuan Yang Technique, are you?”
The man said with a smile. It seemed that he had seen through Junior Leopard.
After hearing this, Junior Leopard’s anxiety lessened, knowing that he was thinking too much. Of course, it was impossible. How could the highest technique of Tian Long Taoism have only the one section of pithy formula? The formula he had received, though it was just one section, was quite profound and difficult to master. With one glance, he knew there contained in it infinite principles which would benefit his cultivation a lot. The Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique he practiced belonged to the same system as the Nine Heaven Yuan Yang Technique. These two techniques integrated together would undoubtedly be beneficial to him.
“With the general principles of Nine Heaven Yuan Yang Technique, you will make great progress in practicing the Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique. As you have condensed the second state now, it won’t be hard for you to condense the third state!” The mysterious man stopped briefly at this. “Once the Nine Forms of Real Dragon are condensed, the power of this Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique won’t be weaker than that of the Nine Heaven Yuan Yang Technique. So I’d like to ask you a favor. Would you do it for me, please?”
“Huh?” Junior Leopard froze for a moment and then he said hastily, “You don’t need to say that. I’m honored to have the chance to serve you. Just tell me what you need me to do. As long as I can do it, I’ll try my best to do it for you!”
“Haha. You’re such a sweet talker. When you have finished cultivating the Nine Forms of Real Dragon, you’ll have the chance to get a secret mental cultivation method of the Ancient Dragon tribe. If you do get that, could you share it with me? I’ll surely return this favor to you.”
“Secret mental cultivation method of the Ancient Dragon tribe?” Junior Leopard was stunned. He thought of the mental cultivation method of the Dragon Flying Technique. Then he looked up at the stern-faced man whose eyes seemed to have seen through him.
“I don’t dare to keep this from you, sir. Several months ago, when I condensed the third state of the Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique, I was lucky enough to get a mental cultivation method whose name was Dragon Flying Technique. I wonder whether it’s the secret method of the Dragon tribe you mentioned?”
“Really?”
This time, the man’s countenance changed visibly. He said, “You have really condensed the third state and got a mental cultivation method?”
“Yeah!”
“Great! Excellent!”
The man seemed quite excited and said, “Tell me about the Dragon Flying Technique!”
Junior Leopard didn’t hide anything and told him the entire mental cultivation method of the Dragon Flying Technique. The man listened with radiant eyes.
“So that’s it. That’s it. That’s the secret mental cultivation method of the Dragon tribe. I got it, I got it—!” The man shouted repeatedly. His voice was so loud that it caused tremors in all directions. It seemed that he was filled with ecstasy. His golden robe danced with the wind and his face was covered with an air of madness.
Junior Leopard was frightened secretly and thought to himself, “Is this guy mad? It’s just a mental cultivation method. Even if it’s the legendary method of the Dragon tribe, what’s the big deal? It’s just a method of controlling the wind. Though there is something marvelous about its operation, it can’t enhance or condense Internal Qi. Why is he so excited?”
The man laughed madly for a while. When he stopped, his face was not expressionless anymore but full of joy instead. “I can’t believe that I have encountered such a good thing, when I’ve only been out for a while! Haha. Body of Nature, now that I can also condense the Real Dragon’s Nine Acupoints with the secret method of the Dragon tribe, I’d like to see how you can beat me this time!”
Junior Leopard lowered his head, pretending he had heard nothing.
“Boy, I still don’t know what your name is?!”
“My name is Zhou Bao.”
“Zhou Bao. Though this name is a little tacky, it sounds quite awesome!” The man nodded and continued, “Zhou Bao, since you passed me the Dragon Flying Technique, which did me a great favor, I will definitely pay it back to you. But you have great luck. The method you practiced, the special techniques and External Elixirs you own are all the best. Even what I’ve practiced is not better than yours. So I don’t know what I can give to you. What do you want now? I’ll satisfy you if I can.”
“That’s really kind of you!” Junior Leopard was glad, but then he scolded secretly, “How the hell do I know what you can do. But since you let me, then I won’t hesitate. I won’t let you get My Dragon Flying Technique for nothing!”
So he answered, “My cultivation is quite shallow now, so I dare not ask for too much. What I need is some body-strengthening punching skills. Even if I’m lucky enough to reach Tendon-Changing Realm, I don’t know how to strengthen my body!”
“Body-strengthening punching skills?!” The man frowned and said, “Just for this, I can’t. Well, I could pass you the punching skills, but their value is far below that of the Dragon Flying Technique. I would still owe you a favor. That’s not right. Think again. What else do you want to learn?”
Junior Leopard was indeed very glad, but he dared not show it. After thinking carefully, he found that he didn’t know what else he needed to learn. It seemed that except body-strengthening punching skills, he had enough mental cultivation methods for practicing and condensing Internal Qi, special techniques and even secret skills. Moreover, he hadn’t mastered what he was practicing yet. More techniques and skills might not necessarily improve his combat capability. There might be a chance that they would disrupt his practice. So he said, “I really have no other needs. But I lack knowledge and experience. I wonder if I could ask you things about cultivation when you’re free. I only know there are three realms and nine levels. Above Level Nine, there is the Mysterious Realm of which I have only heard but know nothing of. Could you tell me about it?”
“These are all trifles!” The man said, “But now your cultivation is only at Level Four, you don’t need to know that much. Besides, as an inheritor of Tian Long Taoism, someone will tell you all you need to know when you reach Level Seven. If you can’t reach Level Nine, then all this knowledge is useless. I’d better not take someone else’s job, or there will be gossip!”
“Gossip?!” Hearing this, Junior Leopard almost kicked out. He thought to himself, “My master’s cultivation is about the same as mine, below Level Seven. As for the First Elder, the most powerful person in the Wu Family, he has only reached Level Seven. He hasn’t even condensed Gang Qi and might not be able to beat Dragon Granny. If he doesn’t know this himself, how could he tell me?!”
So he smiled wryly and said, “You may not know, but the Wu Family I come from is just a branch of Tian Long Taoism. If I hadn’t accidentally done a favor for Chief Wang, I might not have been able to inherit the Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique. Even if I’m lucky enough to reach Level Seven, I’m afraid no one will tell me, so…”
“Well, OK. I have no time to discuss it with you now. In that case, I’ll teach you a method which is of the same value as Dragon Flying Technique. I’ll also give you some common knowledge about matters above Level Seven. This way, I’m not taking advantage of you!” While speaking, his fingers touched Junior Leopard’s forehead like before. So much information flooded into Junior Leopard’s mind that he had no time to absorb it. After receiving all the information, he opened his eye before he had time to go through everything carefully. Then he found that the sun had risen, and the man had disappeared into thin air. If not for the information in his head, he would have suspected that he had just had a dream.
Indeed it was like a dream!
“Moon-evil Painted Skin Punching Skill… Blood Evil Harden Bone Fist… I never expected that these two body-strengthening punching skills are actually high-level skills. I wonder where the master got the Moon-evil Painted Skin Punching Skill!” Junior Leopard was absorbing the massive amount of information in his head. At the same time, he could not help thinking that Xu Yong, though an Elder in the Wu Family, had no way to get such high-level skills with a cultivation at Level Four or Five.
But this question only flashed through his mind once because the mysterious man had left too much information in his head. There were dozens of body-strengthening punching skills led by the Moon-evil Painted Skin Punching Skill and the Blood Evil Harden Bone Fist he practiced.
“It turns out that body-strengthening punching skills only need to be practiced into Bone-Forging Realm. Once I reach Tendon-Changing Realm, I need to strengthen my body by circulating Internal Qi, which is the so-called Inner Building Technique. And my Internal Qi of Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire is one of the best types of Internal Qi to strengthen body. I just didn’t know it before!”
Thinking of this, Junior Leopard’s smile became even wryer. It was true that cultivation required chance and luck. If he hadn’t practiced Dragon Flying Technique accidentally today, he wouldn’t have met the mysterious man whose cultivation was far above Level Nine. In that case, he wouldn’t have known how to walk the path in front of him. He used to think that Level Nine was the peak and once he entered the Mysterious Realm, he would be Immortal.
“Outside of Three Realms. there is another Three Realms. Skin Toughening, Bone Forging and Tendon Changing are only the small Three Realms. Pulse-Fixating, Blood-Changing and Marrow-Cleansing are the big Three Realms. Only after going beyond these big Three Realms, can one say that he has jumped out of the three realms!”