Chapter 384: The Possibility of a Martial Dao Feat of Merit

Wang Ping left the side hall in a huff.

'Ah, this water qi is to blame for everything. Everyone projects their stereotypes of water qi onto me, convinced I'm some scheming villain.'

'If this keeps up, they'll all be on guard around me. How am I supposed to fool anyone then?'

At this thought, Wang Ping felt a wave of bitterness. Of course, compared to his days in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, his situation was entirely different now.

'At least they explain things to me now.'

Back when he was an outer sect disciple and then an inner sect disciple, he hadn't even been treated as a person. In their schemes, he had been used directly as a pawn.

They hadn't explained a thing.

This time, however, wearing the identity of the Xuan Yi Dao Child, Mingde treated him as a peer and one of their own despite possessing a higher cultivation base.

That was why Mingde had taken the time to lay out so much context before issuing the mission. Most of what he shared were secrets, proving his deep sincerity. As for the place he had mentioned—located within the Heavenly Market Enclosure where many ancient lineages converged—it was a wondrous realm within Cosmic Deep Space.

It was called the Graveyard Star Sand Sea.

'That realm houses the largest Graveyard Star Profound Hole in Cosmic Deep Space. At every moment, it devours everything around it, transforming it into trillions of grains of star sand.'

Star sand was a marvel of the Cosmos.

Depending on the worldly qi it contacted upon its creation, different grains of star sand possessed different mystical properties. Some could rip away a person's soul, while others were lethal poisons to the Immortal Dao.

The Graveyard Star Sand Sea was just such a wondrous realm, ranking as a premier perilous land in the current age. Under the terrifying intake of the Graveyard Star Profound Hole, the star sand formed an ocean that practically covered the Cosmos. A cultivator at the Tribulation Transcending stage would die almost instantly if they fell in; only someone at the Qi Refining First Tier could survive there briefly.

But if they stayed too long, they would still die.

Only Daoists from ancient lineages, or even Dao Lords, could establish a Dao arena with their own Dao arts to secure a stable foothold within this sea of star sand.

'And unlike the Immortal Gate...'

'Though these ancient lineages were forced to gather together, they fought over the Dao in the past. They all look down on each other, and their conflicts are no small matter.'

Under these circumstances, the cultivation environment of the Graveyard Star Sand Sea naturally couldn't compare to the stable operations of the Immortal Gate. Ruthless infighting among cultivators was basically the norm.

'Of course, if a Qi Refining practitioner appears, they will still unite against the outsider... Right, that's why the True Monarch gave me the Scripture of Nurturing Qi, Forgetting Words, and Guarding the One. It's so I can transition into a Corpse Dissolution Immortal and disguise myself as a qi-nurturing method cultivator, avoiding being recognized as a disciple of the Immortal Gate.'

Meticulous. The True Monarch was too meticulous!

Just as Wang Ping was internally praising his True Monarch for being as meticulous as a strand of hair and arranging everything perfectly from start to finish, a lazy sigh drifted over from beside him.

"It's finally over."

Turning around, he saw Lian Ruzhao yawning as she casually added, "Let me know when you're about to leave. I'm going with you."

"Really!?"

At these words, Wang Ping immediately tossed his True Monarch to the back of his mind. After all, a distant magistrate couldn't compare to the boss right in front of him; he felt the First Seat was still a bit more important.

"Of course it's true."

Lian Ruzhao looked Wang Ping up and down and shook her head. "Look at you now. Your steps are loose, and your fists lack power. Do you even look like a martial artist anymore?"

"It seems I need to properly drill you."

"Come with me."

With that, Lian Ruzhao reached out and grabbed him. Wang Ping was entirely powerless to resist; his dharma power, Divine Powers, and destiny form all fell into dead silence.

Then, he was once again scooped up and tucked under Lian Ruzhao's arm.

Immediately after, Lian Ruzhao's figure blurred, carrying Wang Ping back to the main hall where they had started. Along the way, her small hands constantly kneaded his muscles and bones.

It made Wang Ping utterly uncomfortable, and he couldn't help but squirm.

Gah! Don't squeeze there!

"Stop moving."

Seeing this, Lian Ruzhao furrowed her elegant brows and slapped him. "If I don't personally feel your bones and muscles, how am I supposed to gauge the level of your martial arts?"

"Before, I only met you through Divine Intent. While I could get a rough idea, getting my hands on you is much more accurate. Don't move. Let me see how your Thirteen Grand Protectors Hard Qigong is progressing, if you have any vulnerable points, your Martial God Pictorial Record, and your Grand Master of the Five Weapons..."

As Lian Ruzhao spoke, she began a hands-on inspection.

Wang Ping's face instantly flooded with blood, flushing beet red. His qi and blood were entirely under her control, and he felt as if his body had been completely hollowed out as she felt him up from head to toe.

Clang!

The Battle-Victorious Demon-Quelling Blade fell to the ground. It was the only Magical Treasure he had that could respawn and move in sync with his physical body, but now it had been pulled out by Lian Ruzhao.

Right at this moment, an aged voice rang out:

"Mm, the weapon was forged quite well."

Wang Ping turned his head and saw a hunchbacked old man. His wrinkled face was full of smiles, yet deep in his eyes, it seemed as if tens of thousands of weapons were howling.

He had simply appeared out of thin air behind Lian Ruzhao.

Wang Ping instantly recognized him.

'One of the four at the Martial Dao Great Grandmaster Rank... the Tomb Guardian of the Corpse Liberation Ground...'

Realizing this, he hurriedly cupped his hands. "Greetings, Senior."

"Good boy."

The Tomb Guardian nodded slightly and chuckled. "Truly, the student surpasses the master. We old fogeys are no longer your match at all."

"Indeed. This speed is even faster than Little Zhao's back in the day."

"Every generation brings forth new talent."

Another figure appeared along with those sighs. It was a burly man clad in heavy armor—and most importantly, Wang Ping actually recognized that suit of armor.

'The Jade-Sea Profound Rhinoceros Armor.'

'It's someone else at the Great Grandmaster Rank, the King of Linjiang from Guanchao City.'

Wang Ping continued to bow.

Right then, he suddenly felt a second pair of hands join in on probing his muscles and bones. The palms were thicker, broader, and even a little prickly...

"The muscles are trained well."

A second later, a muffled voice sounded by his ear. "The Great Law of the Azure Sky is being used well. The martial arts of my cult are far stronger than some Tathagata Divine Palm."

"I can't pretend I didn't hear that."

As the voice faded, an old monk walked up to Wang Ping and offered a faint smile. "Benefactor possesses roots of wisdom. It is excellent that you have not been shaken by those demonic heads."

Chan Master Longshu and Daoist Tianxin.

'So that's how it is...'

Utter comprehension filled Wang Ping's mind in that moment. 'No wonder not a single trace of these four at the Great Grandmaster Rank could be found anywhere in the world. They've been following the First Seat this entire time!'

They were inside that Martial Drill Platform!

At this thought, Wang Ping grew even more astonished. 'What divine weapon Martial Drill Platform? It's practically a Grotto-Heaven! How else could it hold living people?'

For a time, the four experts at the Great Grandmaster Rank chattered happily, tossing comments back and forth as if they had just run into a beloved nephew. This level of care completely exceeded Wang Ping's comprehension. Ever since his transmigration, this was the first time he had been treated like this, and his expression instantly contorted.

How should he put it?

It felt like being holed up in a dark little room for ages, only for someone to suddenly rip open the curtains, leaving him wholly unaccustomed to the warm sunlight beaming onto his face.

After quite a while of this, Lian Ruzhao, having thoroughly felt Wang Ping up inside and out, finally stood up and called a halt to the relentless coddling of the four experts at the Great Grandmaster Rank.

"Mm, not too bad."

Lian Ruzhao nodded in satisfaction. "Your constitution is quite good, and your foundational qualities as a martial artist are excellent. It's just that your Martial Dao has grown a bit rusty."

Truthfully, Wang Ping was also well aware of this.

Take, for instance, his self-created Heavenly Martial Conquering the Profound Saber Art. Gathering the supreme techniques of the four experts at the Great Grandmaster Rank, it had been his trump card for a very long time.

Unfortunately, times had changed.

Even with the augmentation of the Heavenly Martial Campaign Profound Armor, the might of that slash was merely at the level of an ordinary Tribulation Transcending Third Layer. It was far from being able to keep up with the current Wang Ping.

Not to mention—

"One's state of mind changes."

Seeming to read Wang Ping's thoughts, Lian Ruzhao said softly, "That slash of yours was a product of being trapped deep within a True Person's scheme, born after a spirit of rebellion arose in your heart."

"Yet today, you are a Dao Child of the immortal realm. You've broken free from those past adversities. Can the current you still grasp the same spirit and saber intent you held back then?"

Once martial arts reached the pinnacle of perfection, it was always the intent that mattered, not the form. Moves and stances lost all significance. As long as the saber intent remained, one could unleash the ultimate saber light even using a chopstick. However, Wang Ping had to admit that, by now, the blade in his heart had indeed grown somewhat dull.

"It's hardly surprising."

Lian Ruzhao waved a hand. "You've already been thoroughly marinated by the Immortal Gate. Inside and out, you are a dyed-in-the-wool cultivator. There's barely any martial artist left in you."

Despite her words, there was little disappointment on her face. Instead, she said calmly, "But that's not a major issue. After all, you're still holding fast to your true heart."

"The Martial Dao lies within the 'Self'. As long as the 'Self' hasn't changed, everything else is just a minor detail."

Lian Ruzhao chuckled lightly.

"Besides, this isn't without its benefits. States of mind change, and people grow. That is the way of the world. From this moment on, you are finally formally practicing martial arts."

"You progressed far too quickly before. The path that took Chenlong decades to traverse, you finished in a few short years. It's not a bad thing to settle down and consolidate now. This so-called 'Self' fundamentally requires experiencing the joys and sorrows of the vast mortal realm, seeing all the myriad faces of life, before it can truly be forged."

Reaching this point, she patted Wang Ping's shoulder again.

"Moreover, I am counting on you to walk a path distinct from mine on the road of the Martial Dao Great Grandmaster Rank, and even become a Martial Saint in the truest sense of the word."

Hearing this, Wang Ping paused in surprise. A Martial Saint in the truest sense?

Could it be that she wasn't one yet?

"I am a special case." Seeing his reaction, Lian Ruzhao shook her head. "If I were the standard, not a single person would ever be able to become a Martial Saint. My path is not one others can walk."

"I need a universal path."

"In this regard, you hold more of an advantage than I do. I will pass all my experience down to you, and the four seniors will also discuss it with you. We'll pool our wisdom."

"This..." Wang Ping was somewhat reluctant.

'I still need to cultivate immortality, you know.'

Seeing her beloved disciple about to stray onto the orthodox path again, Lian Ruzhao hurriedly brought out the pitch she had prepared well in advance:

"Furthermore, forging the path between the Great Grandmaster Rank and the Martial Saint in the truest sense will also bring you immense benefits. It's highly likely to become a great feat of merit."

...Hm?

At these words, Wang Ping immediately snapped back to attention, his interest thoroughly piqued.

After all, by this point, he knew the importance of feats of merit. Not only in Qi Refining, but even in future truth cultivation, feats of merit would play a monumental role.

Naturally, he would never complain about having too much of such a good thing.

Which led to the real question.

What kind of feat of merit would forging the path between the Martial Dao Great Grandmaster Rank and the Martial Saint bring him? If he only looked at the associations, it might be—

[Great Grandmaster Rank]?

...