Chapter 239 - 211: Unrestrained (Part 2)

The countless, seal-forming hands of the Thousand-Handed Bodhisattva suddenly pushed forward. Brilliant, blinding light flared, shimmering like treasured jewels. The user’s intent coalesced into a massive seal that hurtled toward Zhao Xuanqi.

This was the strongest Seal Technique Pan Hong had mastered: the Revolving Wheel Seal!

One’s Spirit, coiled and knotted through a specific Meditation Method, formed a great, ever-generating net. Legend said it was a technique used by masters of the Esoteric Sect to subdue the Supreme Celestial Demon, trapping their foe in an endless cycle of reincarnation with no hope of escape.

Among the five attackers, Pan Hong’s Revolving Wheel Seal was a Spiritual Secret Technique, so it arrived first. Its purpose was to weaken and bind Zhao Xuanqi’s will, damage his Spirit, and prevent him from using his full strength.

But just as the seal was about to strike, a silver light flashed across Zhao Xuanqi’s body. The form of a Qilin appeared and let out a great roar toward the heavens.

The silver light erupted. Before the Revolving Wheel Seal could even get close, it exploded instantly, without the slightest pause.

Pan Hong’s spirit was shattered. His face flushed red as his Qi and Blood surged uncontrollably, and he staggered backward.

At the same time, though the Spiritual Secret Technique had failed, the other four’s attacks arrived one after another.

These four were masters among masters. Although they had never specifically trained in a Combined Attack Technique, their joint assault covered every part of Zhao Xuanqi’s body. Their strikes were timed to land simultaneously, making them impossible to evade.

Yu Huang: a palm strike aimed at Zhao Xuanqi’s left ribs.

Ruan Daohua: using the stealthy power of his Three-Section Finger, he circled behind Zhao Xuanqi and thrust out a finger.

Lv Mingsheng: a palm strike straight down the center, seizing the midline.

Huang Zhankui: Samadhi True Fire wrapped around his Sword Gang as he slashed toward Zhao Xuanqi’s right ribs.

Enemies surrounded him on all sides.

Just as the attacks were about to land, Zhao Xuanqi suddenly unleashed his Force.

CRACK! CRACK!

His body bent in an unbelievable way.

But the others had already witnessed Zhao Xuanqi’s ability to freely change his form. This time, their attacks formed an exceptionally cunning blockade, leaving him no room to contort his body and evade.

Suddenly, Zhao Xuanqi’s body transformed.

From his back, his shoulder blades bulged out, erupting with Inch Force. With the hardness of bone and the power of Inch Force, it was like a great spear or divine sword thrusting through the air. This met Ruan Daohua’s Three-Section Finger from behind—it was the Thrusting Sword Technique of the Divine Ape Immortal Sword.

At the same time, his palms swelled to different degrees. His left hand balled into a fist, which morphed and expanded until it was as large as a grown man’s chest. He swung it to the side, unleashing the Hammer Shocking Force of the Vermilion Ape Form.

His other hand, meanwhile, became an open palm. It transformed, growing long, thin, and wide like the wing of a bird. His body temperature soared, and his sweat evaporated, forming a Gang Blade of white mist as thin as a cicada’s wing. This was the Bi Fang’s Form.

Finally, his chest seemed to turn to soft cartilage in an instant. His muscles rippled like a great wave, undulating as his Qi and Blood circulated to meet Lv Mingsheng’s Fist Technique Surge.

BOOM!

The five figures were locked in a momentary stalemate. Yu Huang and the other three had not retreated, but they hadn’t harmed Zhao Xuanqi in the slightest.

A look of utter disbelief appeared in their eyes.

’One body, unleashing four different types of Force!’

’And each type of Force is countering our own signature attacks!’

Even so, Zhao Xuanqi had met their killing blows head-on and remained completely unharmed.

This level of bodily transformation, Fist Technique control, and Force eruption... they couldn’t believe it came from someone who had just entered the Harmony realm!

It was as if they were facing an undefeated, top-tier Grandmaster who stood at the pinnacle of the world, in perfect command of his body!

With his true will liberated, having reached the realm of Harmony, Zhao Xuanqi could now display the peak abilities of his past life in every aspect, from technique to control. The only area where he still lagged behind his former self was in raw Physical Ability and power.

WHOOSH!

After taking the four attacks, Zhao Xuanqi inhaled sharply. The air swirled, rushing into his mouth and nose like two long dragons.

At the same time, he generated power from his waist and spun violently.

In that instant, the four men in contact with him felt a multitude of Force techniques layered upon one another.

Sticking, blocking, grabbing, shaking, coiling, shocking, penetrating, propping, flinging...

Dozens of different types of Force erupted at once. The four men felt their bodies go light for a moment before they were lifted off the ground and sent flying back four or five meters, with no chance to resist.

They stood where they landed, silent for a long time.

"Such divine mastery of Force, a body that changes like a god’s... To think such Skills and Martial Dao exist in this world. It has truly opened my eyes," Yu Huang said with a sigh.

"I have met and even sparred with Harmony masters before," Lv Mingsheng lamented, "but their techniques and control of Force were nothing compared to yours, Mr. Zhao. It is truly admirable."

The other three nodded in agreement. This time, they were utterly convinced. Martial Arts at this level were simply divine, almost subverting their entire understanding of the world.

This was the Profound Technique of the Hundred Beasts Fist: to forge the strongest possible body. At the Harmony realm, the first signs of its true potential were already emerging.

"You are all too kind," Zhao Xuanqi said to the five with a smile. "Your own Martial Daos are also rarely seen in this world. That we could meet is fate. Please, let’s talk inside. The members of our Jinmen Martial Arts Association have been waiting to receive you, to discuss important matters of the Martial Dao."

"Please!"

The five replied in unison. Entering this house signified their agreement to ally with the Martial Arts Association. This was something that would normally require careful consideration, but after witnessing Zhao Xuanqi’s strength, they no longer had any doubts.

Zhao Xuanqi led everyone inside. The Three Elders also led members of the Martial Arts Association forward to greet them. However, everyone was looking at Zhao Xuanqi a bit strangely; his performance just now had been simply too incredible to believe.

Everyone entered the house, took their seats, drank tea, and began to discuss the alliance.

In the end, the five great schools decided to use their influence to gather the local folk Martial Arts Schools in their respective regions and have them join the Martial Arts Association’s World Hall. They would join forces to resist the pressure from the Warlords. Furthermore, they promised to send a group of masters to be temporarily stationed in Jinmen to supplement the Martial Arts Association’s manpower and help it through this difficult time.

In return, the Three Elders promised them corresponding channels and benefits.

The conversation was lively. They went from discussing the initial cooperation to the current state of their respective schools, their personal Martial Dao journeys, and their insights into Martial Arts.

Everyone present was a top master in the civilian Martial Arts Realm with a deep understanding of Martial Arts. Under the pressure of the Warlords and the current circumstances, it seemed they were all willing to set aside the divisions between their schools and communicate openly. Everyone felt they had benefited greatly from the exchange.

But what concerned everyone most was, without a doubt, the seemingly insurmountable Harmony realm.

"I have been practicing martial arts for forty-five years," Huang Zhankui said with a sigh. "At eighteen, I achieved Great Success in Cross-Training and had Qi Circulation Throughout the Body. At twenty, I began Inner Cultivation. Seven years later, I reached the Realm of Five Qi and Profound Understanding. Another three years after that, with my Qi and Blood surging and my Physical Ability at its peak, I could use a Secret Technique to briefly merge my consciousness and body, reaching the Half-Step Harmony Realm. I originally thought reaching Harmony would be a natural next step for me, but I never imagined that fifteen years would pass, and I still wouldn’t have broken through."

"It’s a celestial chasm, impossible to cross," Lv Mingsheng of the Bichao Sect couldn’t help but exclaim. "I’ve been stuck at this hurdle for twenty years, unable to find the way to achieve the Unity of Knowledge and Action, to have my Intent permeate my body, to become extraordinary from the ordinary. The Harmony realm... it’s hard! Harder than ascending to the heavens!"

"Harmony... for one’s consciousness to merge with the body down to the finest detail, to be one with it at every moment... just how does one reach such a state?" Yu Huang said. "Mr. Zhao, you are not yet twenty, yet you’ve managed to break this barrier. You are truly a divine being. I wonder, Mr. Zhao, could you share some of your experience with us?"

Everyone’s eyes turned to him. This was what they were most concerned about.

"The Harmony realm..."

Zhao Xuanqi seemed to drift back to the time of his past life.

Back then, he had achieved great success in the Martial Dao. His master had passed away, and he had no choice but to descend the mountain. He had grown up there since childhood, taught the forms of a hundred beasts by his master, and had almost no contact with modern society.

When he arrived in the modern world, he was like a monster.

Comprehensive rules, sound laws, advanced technology... pure Martial Dao had been forgotten by the masses. Even the so-called fighting competitions were just contests held within a framework of rules, like a tiger that had been declawed and defanged.

This was not an era that belonged to him, nor was it an era that belonged to the Martial Dao.

He was an outcast who didn’t fit in with the world. Having grown up in the mountain forests, he could no longer integrate into this society. Everything he did felt like being entangled in silken threads of fate, pulling ever tighter, suffocating him.

He was lost and powerless, unable to find the meaning of his life or a place to belong.

Until one day, he suddenly understood.

’This world, its secular rules, the judgment of others... what do they have to do with me?’

’Why should I submit to the rules of others? Why should I force myself to adapt to this world?’

’I just need to do what I want to do. Even if it means going against the entire world, as long as it is true to my own heart, that is enough.’

’The crowd is but a flock of sheep.’

He had grasped his own Dao.

Unfettered, standing at the pinnacle of the world, just like a lion standing at the peak of the forest.

And so, he reached the realm of Harmony.