Chapter 802: Chapter 700: Zhenwu Mountain
"Senior, Senior... how did this happen?"
Xun Heihu stood under the moonlight, hands behind his back, looking out over the great river with the demeanor of a master, yet his heart was in turmoil.
"Why is Fairy Tian Xin clinging to me? Yu Yan will throw a fit when I get back..."
"Haha..."
Within the True Martial Talisman, Fang Xing laughed heartily: "I’ve told you before, the True Martial Visualization Method is most taboo when idolizing others... In desperate times, you implanted the visualization image you cultivated into someone else’s heart. What else could happen? But... Fairy Tian Xin isn’t foolish; she’s actually very clever. She has greatly offended all sects in the Martial Arts world by helping a tyrant. If she doesn’t find a powerful backer, she might be harmed. Among those present, is there a bigger backer than you?"
Xun Heihu was taken aback.
Indeed, among the grandmasters present, what kind of beauty haven’t they seen?
Even if Jingxin Temple has its wondrous methods to cultivate a goddess-like aura, constructing a world-class beauty image... in reality, it’s just talk!
This time, Goddess Tian has offended everyone greatly, and if she faces repercussions, the temple might be annihilated!
Thus, she can only seek protection from him.
’I knew it... Even implanting a True Martial deity image centered on me wouldn’t instantly bind lives together, at most inducing some affection... After all, I’m not some Panwu Evil God...’
Xun Heihu sighed inwardly as he looked at Goddess Tian, or rather, Fairy Tian Xin.
Seeing her now, he noticed a trace of unease and even determination in her eyes!
If he did not accept her, this woman might very well end her life to prove her resolve.
"Forget it... You can follow me for now."
Xun Heihu sighed.
"Thank you, Lord."
Fairy Tian Xin smiled sweetly, causing martial artists like Du Qiankun to momentarily lose themselves...
...
In the year 1150 of the Jiuzhou calendar, Xun Heihu emerged unexpectedly, using his Super Grade ’Void Realm’ cultivation to slay Master Black Lotus.
Many of Black Lotus Sect’s experts and strongmen from the demon army fell into madness, becoming martial maniacs.
Although the ’True Martial Visualization Map’ circulated later on was barely effective in aiding martial artists who had not deeply entered madness to restore their nature, these martial maniacs still caused terrifying casualties.
Even so, being a scattered force, Black Lotus Sect quickly fell.
After this battle, only one out of ten masters from the Dragon-Tiger Ranking remained, prompting the scholars of Jiuzhou to reorder the ranking, with Xun Heihu indisputably claiming the top spot.
From then on, the name Black Tiger shook Jiuzhou, causing deep regret for the Five Beasts Sect and Azure Dragon Sect that did not recruit him back then...
...
Time passed in a flash.
In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed.
Manzhou.
Zhenwu Mountain.
This mountain was originally nameless, but has a peak rising like a giant snake, next to a massive stone resembling a lying tortoise.
One day, Xun Heihu visited here, and in a moment of inspiration, settled down, naming it ’Zhenwu Mountain’ and founding the ’True Martial Tradition.’
By now, he had taken in seven disciples, with masters like Fairy Tian Xin acting as protectors, gradually overshadowing the later-rebuilt Great Black Temple of Qing Yong, becoming one of the nine major sects.
There were even some enthusiasts attributing the reputation of the world’s foremost power to Zhenwu Mountain.
Of course, ’Zhenwu Mountain’ was still very weak, with no more than ten core members.
"By now... the remnants of Panwu’s influence have been mostly eradicated, right?"
Xun Heihu looked at the True Martial Talisman in his hand, somewhat wistfully: "I probably now understand how Master Black Lotus felt."
In the past, he relied on his Golden Finger, cultivating with unparalleled success, reaching even the Super Grade with ease, as if omnipotent.
But after breaking through the ultimate peak, he found himself at a dead end.
What kind of despair was this?
Especially when he wasn’t even fifty years old yet, with over nine hundred more years to live.
Nine hundred years without advancement in Martial Arts, without strong will, might drive one insane?
"It’s the world’s limitations..."
Fang Xing also sighed: "To cleanse Panwu, you even spread the ’True Martial Visualization Method,’ a mental technique aiding martial artists to develop their Sea of Consciousness or achieve an undying spirit... Yet today, how many more grandmasters are there on the Dragon-Tiger Ranking?"
"Yes... the world."
Xun Heihu swept his sleeve, standing in the sky.
He roamed with the mountain wind, hiding in the white clouds, and arrived at the backyard of Zhenwu Mountain.
There he saw two young men and women practicing martial arts.
Their cultivation technique was indeed ’Xuanwu Stake,’ with Jiang Yu Yan sternly supervising, scolding her two children into lament.
"Yu Yan has limited aptitude, with ordinary resources, she’d likely only break through the Mountain-Destroying Realm in this life..."
Xun Heihu glanced and sighed: "She has changed a lot, even when I brought Fairy Tian Xin back, she didn’t make a scene, accepting it calmly..."
"That’s naturally because you surpassed her too much..."
Fang Xing chuckled: "But... I hear some unspoken meaning in your words."
"Yes, I will die eventually, and the True Martial Talisman will be passed down." Xun Heihu said: "I plan to let A’ao inherit it... As for Biao’er? Her talent is better; she might ascend to a higher level even without assistance... Moreover, he can lend the True Martial Talisman to his sister, mother... This way, my family can accompany me through a millennium."
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
Fang Xing was somewhat surprised: "Although the world has limits, the power of the True Martial Talisman is beyond your imagination. If you persevere and practice within it for hundreds of years, you might even break through to the First Grade again... If you ascend beyond Super Grade, your lifespan will not be limited to just a thousand years."
"A thousand years is already long for me..."
Xun Heihu laughed: "I’m someone without other talents, just contentment... You mentioned, Senior, that there would be a future golden age of Martial Arts. But who knows if it’s hundreds of thousands or even millions of years away... By then, how would humans on the other side evaluate me?"
"Actually..."
Fang Xing thought for a moment: "You’ve already cultivated the True Martial Skill of Xuanwu to its peak. If you then focus on the ’Turtle Breath Technique,’ using the True Martial Talisman, and spend decades or even a hundred years breaking its limits, you could achieve a ’hibernation state.’ By then, you could go to the Extreme North and seal yourself in ten-thousand-year-old ice... You might survive until a million years later to witness the true golden age of Martial Arts!"
A million years!
This is actually negligible for the evolution of a planet.
But Fang Xing was never normal!
The essence of this world, leveraged through the Gate of All Heavens, was at the ’All Heavens’ level.
Therefore... the evolution of the world would be very fast!
It’s possible that billions of years later, it would be comparable to the Great Realm of Qing Yuan, the Da Xia Universe, and the True Immortal Realm...
Of course, when it develops to the point where a Dharma Master of the Thirteen Realms is born, Panwu will surely be resurrected on them first.
By then, no matter how high the world level is, it will be of no use.
Fang Xing also found this host satisfactory and wanted to promote him a bit.
If Xun Heihu can survive until a million years later, he might participate in the strife of the golden age.
By then, there might even be a chance to break through the Thirteen Realms Dharma Master!
"A million years later... will the golden age definitely come?"
Xun Heihu’s eyes held a hint of longing.
"I’m not sure, it might come earlier, or it might be delayed by a million years..."
Fang Xing said: "But the golden age of Martial Arts will definitely come... By then, there will be opportunities for immortality."
"Haha, even a thousand years seems too long, I must seize the day."
Xun Heihu laughed heartily: "Thank you for your kindness, Senior, but as an old relic, I won’t compete for fortunes with the younger generation... Besides, with my true talent, I might not even be able to succeed."
In his heart, he secretly thought: ’Breaking the limits of the Turtle Breath Technique is inherently unreliable... even if I seal myself for a million years, I might just die...’
’Moreover... to preserve myself and compete in the great age, I definitely can’t be in an aged state...’
Old age has a significant impact on a Martial Artist.
Even if he can live up to a thousand years, after eight or nine hundred years, it will surely affect breakthroughs.
It’s best to seal himself before he reaches five hundred years old.
Xun Heihu was not willing to, because if he fails, it would be too great a loss...
Moreover... getting to where he is has already satisfied him.
"Since that’s your decision, let it be so."
Fang Xing sighed.
He never forcibly interferes with the decisions of these hosts.
It’s just a bit of a pity.
If Xun Heihu kept the True Martial Talisman in hand, he might break through again.
If he chooses to seal himself, he could also live to a million years later.
Yet he plans to pass this treasure to his son, or even his wife...
This almost certainly means he won’t live past the thousand-year limit.
’Who knows... what will be the final outcome of this young lad?’
’Handing over the Divine Artifact rashly might not be a good thing.’
Fang Xing yawned and waved his hand.
Within the True Martial Talisman, the space changed once more, and a stone tablet emerged.
He prepared to enter deep closed-door cultivation to summarize the ’True Martial Dao.’
It was through those previous retreats that he could produce the current basic True Martial Technique.
Now, he needed to retreat again to comprehend Xun Heihu’s achievements and those in the current Martial Arts.
Of course, the surveillance of the outside world would still be on.
But he clearly had no mood to act as the grandfather for Xun Heihu’s wife, son, and daughter...
"I wonder what this world will look like after my next retreat?"
"And what will Xun Heihu’s fate be?"
Fang Xing’s expression was indifferent. With a thought, the True Martial Space was modified, leaving only a room’s space for the later generations.
Then, he began to comprehend the True Martial Dao...
...
"I hope I won’t regret..."
Zhenwu Mountain.
Xun Heihu called his wife and his son and daughter, seeing their admiring and affectionate expressions, his demeanor suddenly became extremely solemn: "What I’m about to say next concerns the greatest secret of my rise..."
Seeing the excitement on his wife and children’s faces, Xun Heihu chuckled and pulled out the True Martial Talisman from under his neck: "This is a Supreme Treasure passed down from the Martial Emperor of Da Xia, called the ’True Martial Talisman,’ it..."