Chapter 96 – Instructor Hong Xi

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“Does Senior Apprentice Brother happen to know what Senior Apprentice Brother Ling’s martial intent is?” Lin Ming didn’t know anything about these strange cultivation states, so he asked now to gain a better understanding.

“I do not know much, I only know that Junior Apprentice Brother Ling’s martial intent is named ‘Ashura’. I think it is related to concepts of death and slaughter. He can willfully enter this state of cultivation, that’s why his strength grows so quickly! He is much stronger than the second-ranked Junior Apprentice Brother Ta Ku! However, his cultivation is actually inferior to Junior Apprentice Brother Ta Ku. Junior Apprentice Brother Ta Ku has already entered the Bone Forging stage, but Junior Apprentice Brother Ling is only at the peak Altering Muscle stage.”

So that’s how it was… it seems there were many types of martial intents, and they varied from person to person. Lin Ming wondered how his ‘ethereal’ martial intent compared to Ling Sen’s ‘Ashura’. Would it be better or worse?

As he returned to his residence, Lin Ming felt as if his body was as light as a swallow. The three and a half hours of continuous high-strength cultivation hadn’t left him with any feeling of exhaustion. Carrying the Penetrating Rainbow on his back also felt light, and didn’t hinder any of Lin Ming’s motions.

“During my three and a half hours of training, I wasn’t able to break through to the second level of the ‘True Primal Chaos Formula’, but I felt I had touched the threshold. If I can enter the ‘ethereal’ martial intent state again, then I should be able to make a complete breakthrough! When that time comes, my strength will experience a huge leap, and I probably won’t be too far off from Ling Sen!”

“Because I cultivate the ‘Chaotic Virtues Combat Meridians’, strength is my strong point, but strength does not represent the entirety of one’s battle prowess. I wonder what Ling Sen’s strong point is?”

“Since Ling Sen can enter into the Ashura martial intent state at any time, I wonder when I too will be able to enter into the ethereal martial intent state when I want to?”

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As Lin Ming’s cultivation increased by leaps and bounds, Zhu Yan was similarly carrying out a hellish cultivation regimen. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the match he would have a month from now would be his life’s most important battle!

He absolutely could not lose!

Zhu Yan held a longsword, and the sword light was like a bright spider web around him. In front of him, the golden soldiers formed from energy exploded one at a time as they came. From the seven major killing arrays of metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, and thunder, this array represented metal. This was the Golden Soldier Hall!

In the Ten Thousand Killing Array and the Exquisite Pagoda, the enemies one faced in the trials were only illusions. Outside, one wouldn’t actually be disturbed or even moved. But the seven major killing were different, they were true killing arrays. All of the golden soldiers were real forms given shape by energy!

In here, if one was not careful, they could be injured!

The array itself had a limited conscious and ability to judge the situation in the array. If the they judged than the situation in the array was too dire, then it would automatically cease attacking. But in the history of the trials, there have been those that were severely wounded, and even those who were killed by accident!

Of course, those who died were in the minority. Therefore the Golden Soldier was not as effective in improving cultivation as Ling Sen’s ‘Ashura’.

“Senior Apprentice Brother is just too fierce! He was at the tenth level of difficulty, but he also persisted inside for such a long time! Mmm, it’s already been three quarters of an hour. The array doesn’t have any sign that it’s weakening, which proves that Senior Apprentice Brother Zhu hasn’t yet been injured, nor is he having troubles with his true essence!”

“This Lin Ming actually wants to defeat Senior Apprentice Brother Zhu in one month. I think it will be too difficult!”

“Mm. This Lin Ming is truly an monstrous genius, but Senior Apprentice Brother Zhu isn’t some vegetable to be pushed around. I think Senior Apprentice Brother Zhu will win. This is the tenth level of difficulty! As soon as I entered, I would be killed!”

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Time passed day-by-day. The ruckus over the match between Lin Ming and Zhu Yan in one month did not only not cool down, but the mood and atmosphere was increasingly fierce.

During this period, there were some interesting phenomena happening at the Seven Profound Martial House. The set of cultivation methods that Lin Ming had chosen at the Seven Profound Martial House depository had suddenly become the hottest items around town. Underneath the ‘Foundation Spear Technique’ was written four names, and underneath the ‘Foundation Movement Technique’ was written three names. Because of Lin Ming’s amazing performance, there were four junior disciples of the Human Hall that had decided to take up a spear as their own weapon.

However, no one questioned the martial skill that Lin Ming had chosen, the ‘Body Tearing Bone Shattering Fist’.

This was because these new disciples had not seen Lin Ming use or practice the ‘Body Tearing Bone Shattering Fist’.

The ‘Body Tearing Bone Shattering Fist’ was itself above a high-grade Earth-step martial skill. Even if it was complete it would still be extremely difficult to practice, not to mention that it was currently missing 70% of its contents. If Lin Ming had truly managed to cultivate this martial skill, then monstrously evil genius would be inadequate to describe him.

As the phenomena of some of the junior disciples choosing the foundation cultivation methods occurred, the depository elder could only nod at them with a forced smile. This stemmed from many junior disciples worshipping Lin Ming. As they said, love for a person extends even to the crows on his roof. These worshippers pursued Lin Ming’s cultivation methods and had even chosen his weapon. However, Lin Ming was strong not because of these things, but because of himself. How many junior disciples would choose a spear, and how many would be able to display the true glory of a spear?

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Early in the morning, the air in the world was rich with a fresh breeze. Lin Ming grabbed the end of Penetrating Rainbow with one hand. His arms stretched out horizontally to his sides and he closed his eyes. He opened his mind to the mountains and trees, and became calm and free of feeling.

He realized he could use neither high-level Soul Gathering Pellets nor true essence stones to help comprehend this ‘ethereal’ martial intent state. As long as he was able to enter the ‘ethereal’ state whenever he wanted, then that would be considered Small Success of Lin Ming’s martial intent.

In this silent and peaceful state, Lin Ming suddenly opened his eyes. In that moment he had felt the presence of someone. Although he was in the relatively secure Seven Profound Martial House, Lin Ming still kept vigilance. After all, he had made too many enemies.

“Mm. Your alertness is good.” A vigorous and deep voice came from nearby and resounded into Lin Ming’s ear. A man carrying a spear and wearing red armor appeared like a ghost, and both his feet fell on Lin Ming’s spear point.

As soon as the man fell on the spear point, Penetrating Rainbow curved downwards a bit. However, Lin Ming still held the spear end steady.

“Good arm strength!” The person exclaimed.

“Instructor Hong?” Lin Min asked with a hint of surprise. The man who fell on his spear point was his Earth Hall instructor, Hong Xi.

“You really gave me good face during the Ten Thousand Killing Array. Rank 62 and you challenged Zhu Yan! You really are bold!”

Lin Ming said, “Thank you Instructor Hong for the praise. But as for Zhu Yan, I’m not fully confident I can win against him.”

“Mm. This Zhu Yan is not a simple character. When he had entered the Seven Profound Martial House, his display of ability was just like Wang Yanfeng. Although he is far inferior to your monstrous talent, he has still been in school longer than you by two and a half years. In these two and a half years, he dramatically rose from the same strength as Wang Yanfeng to his present ranking. In another 1 or 2 years, when Ling Sen and those others have graduated, Zhu Yan will undoubtedly be in the top ten of the Seven Profound Martial House rankings, and maybe even in the top 5. Your opponent is a future contender for the top 5 ranks in the Seven Profound Martial House! You have chosen yourself a powerful enemy!”

Lin Ming naturally knew why Hong Xi was saying all this. He said, “Instructor Hong, I understand Zhu Yan’s strength. I also know that to surpass him in one month will be decidedly difficult. It was only that when the Deacon Senior Apprentice Brother asked me who I wanted to challenge and when, in my heart I had an intense desire to challenge Zhu Yan. I did not want to suppress this idea, so I decided to follow my nature and challenged Zhu Yan.”

“Haha, good! What a good ‘follow my nature’! Those that practice martial arts must follow their nature and desires! Only when you are satisfied with your mind and thoughts will your meridians be cleared, and your true essence flow unimpeded! Your choice is good; it has boldness! Starting today, I will teach you spear skills! If I am your instructor, then I do not want to see any soldier under me lose to others!”