Qingyun’s rear cliff.
After Ye Ping unleashed the Four Thunders Sword Force, he involuntarily let out a breath of turbid air.
With half a day’s effort, Ye Ping had already mastered the Four Thunders Sword Force in its entirety.
Spring Thunder Sword Force, Summer Thunder Sword Force, Autumn Thunder Sword Force, Winter Thunder Sword Force—the four could be merged into one, or separated apart.
When the sword forces merged, they became the Four Thunders Sword Force, with the greatest power—the very sword force Ye Ping had just displayed.
If separated, their power would weaken, but each sword force’s unique characteristics could be brought out.
He wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead.
Ye Ping revealed a gratified smile.
“Now that I have thoroughly mastered the Four Thunders Sword Force, what I lack is the Four Thunders Sword Intent.”
“Though Eldest Senior Brother never said how difficult it is to comprehend sword intent, I understand that sword intent represents the will of a sword art. I absolutely cannot be too hasty. Otherwise, failing to comprehend it would be a small matter; if I comprehended the wrong thing, that would be trouble.”
Ye Ping thought to himself. Although Su Changyu had never told him the details about sword intent, Ye Ping was more than capable of filling in the blanks on his own.
The reason he thought this way was not entirely baseless speculation, but something he had inferred from the Primordial Godfiend Body-Tempering Art.
“This secret manual—Eldest Senior Brother gave it to me neither earlier nor later, but precisely at this critical juncture. Clearly, he was afraid I would grow too impatient and comprehend the wrong sword intent.”
“That’s why he gave me a copy of the Primordial Godfiend Body-Tempering Art, to make me settle my mind, focus on my physical body, and gain another trump card, another method.”
“Eldest Senior Brother truly has far-reaching vision.”
Ye Ping murmured inwardly.
But very soon, he put away his thoughts and took out the Primordial Godfiend Body-Tempering Art from his robe.
He carefully withdrew this cultivation method, his manner exceptionally solemn.
The secret manual was blue, bound with thread, and looked extremely ancient. Its edges had yellowed, and at every moment it exuded a simple, archaic air.
Yet the more it was so, the more excited Ye Ping became.
He opened the first page, and soon lines of small characters appeared, arranged from right to left.
[Primordial Godfiend Body-Tempering Art]
I am Dao Venerable Moxuan, born before the birth of Heaven and Earth. After three hundred and sixty million kalpas, I ultimately comprehended Creation and became one with Heaven and Earth.
This mental cultivation method was something I obtained by chance while comprehending Heaven and Earth.
All things under Heaven know only of the path of spiritual cultivation, yet they do not know the might of body cultivation. They regard moving mountains as the limit of body cultivation.
However, a true body cultivator can grasp the sun and moon and pluck down the stars, can cross the myriad heavens with the fleshly body, can annihilate all things in the world with a single punch.
As for the highest realm of body cultivation, I believe one should emulate gods and demons: divine viscera and demonic body, possessing the inner organs and essence blood of a god and the body of a true demon. Only then is it the body of a godfiend.
To cultivate this method, one must endure exceedingly painful tempering. It is not something ordinary people can learn. Only those with great will, great perseverance, and great wisdom may master it.
Are you prepared?—
This was the opening explanation of the Primordial Godfiend Body-Tempering Art.
After Ye Ping read this explanation, he even forgot to breathe.
These words were simply too domineering.
Divine viscera and demonic body, grasping the sun and moon and plucking down the stars, shattering space with the fleshly body, annihilating all things in the world with one punch.
That’s right.
That’s right.
This was absolutely an peerless cultivation method. No, this was not a peerless cultivation method—this was a Great Dao-level cultivation method.
Ye Ping did not know what words he should use to describe the power of this cultivation method.
One word.
Peerless.
He took a deep breath.
Ye Ping did not open the second page. Instead, he fell into contemplation.
He was contemplating whether he had made his preparations.
The cultivation method stated it very clearly: if one wished to cultivate it, one had to endure suffering ordinary people could not endure. Only those with great will, great perseverance, and great wisdom could master it.
If he had not prepared himself, then he truly could not act recklessly.
A full incense stick’s worth of time passed.
At last, Ye Ping made his decision.
“I am prepared.”
An incomparably resolute voice sounded in Ye Ping’s heart.
He had made his preparations and feared nothing. Though the process might be somewhat bitter, only by enduring the bitterest of hardships could one rise above others.
Thinking this, Ye Ping opened the second page.—
[Primordial Godfiend Art: Main Text]
Very good. When you open the second page, it proves that you possess great will. As for whether you possess great perseverance and great wisdom, that will depend on your own fortune.
Next, there will be an image of a godfiend. Upon it is the Godfiend Body-Tempering Diagram I comprehended from Heaven and Earth. Examine it carefully.—
Seeing the second page, Ye Ping could not help but give himself a nod of approval.
At the same time, he was deeply shaken. This mental cultivation method was indeed extraordinary. The opening alone contained a great test. If not for his firm mind, he likely would truly have been defeated.
Thinking this, Ye Ping wasted no words and began to look at the godfiend diagram that followed.
The third page.
Heaven-Gazing Diagram.
[ ]
The illustration appeared in Ye Ping’s eyes. Though it seemed very simple, Ye Ping looked extremely serious.
He kept examining this diagram.
Moreover, there was a detailed explanation beneath the diagram.
[This diagram is named the Heaven-Gazing Godfiend Diagram. Stretch both hands open and become one with Heaven and Earth. This is the introductory method of the Primordial Godfiend Art. After mastering it, one may condense the power of Heaven and Earth: the azure sky as the hammer, the great earth as the furnace, tempering the physical body and shaping the body of a godfiend.]
[If you are unable to comprehend it, then you have no fate with this method. Insufficient comprehension means insufficient wisdom. At the same time, you must cultivate diligently day and night. Those of outstanding talent may comprehend it at a glance; those of dull talent may find it difficult to comprehend even in an entire lifetime.]
After reading the annotations,
Ye Ping could not help but nod. Then he began to assume the Heaven-Gazing posture.
He closed his eyes, forgot everything, and in his mind there was only that image.
At the same time,
Chen State, Yan’an Commandery.
Inside a residence, a woman in purple was writing with sweeping strokes beneath an oil lamp.
The oil lamp flickered in the wind. The woman’s brows were sometimes furrowed, sometimes relaxed. Back and forth it went, and after a total of three shichen,
at last, the woman tossed the brush aside and looked at the ancient book on the table with great delight. In passing, she picked up the wine pot on the desk and took a large gulp straight from it.
It was at this moment that a voice sounded from outside the door.
“Fairy Mo, are you done yet? It’s almost the yin hour already. If you don’t turn in the manuscript soon, things will get troublesome.”
A urging voice rang out from outside.
Inside the room, the woman in purple stood up, picked up the manuscript she had just finished writing, then opened the window and casually tossed it to the person outside.
“Here, it’s done. Take a look.”
The woman seemed extremely casual.
“You’re done? Let me see.”
The middle-aged man outside the door received the manuscript, then quickly flipped through it. After a while, the middle-aged man’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed.
“Good, good, good. Fairy Mo, your writing is getting better and better. This book will definitely sell well. Good, good, good.”
The middle-aged man laughed heartily.
“Cut the nonsense. You still haven’t finished paying the remuneration for the last book. Pay it now.”
The woman said indifferently.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry, Fairy Mo. Would I ever cheat you in business? Here are banknotes worth a total of one thousand taels of gold. It’s your share from the Tenfold Spirit-Gathering Art.”
“That book, the Primordial Godfiend Body-Tempering Art, simply couldn’t sell at all. From start to finish, fewer than three copies were sold. Fairy Mo, in the future, please don’t write that kind of secret manual anymore. It’s too exaggerated, and no one believes it. Cultivators these days all prefer something simple and straightforward.”
“Look at that book on the bestseller list right now, How to Make a Single Spirit Stone Produce Tenfold Results—just look at how popular it is.”
The middle-aged man rambled on outside the door.
“Enough, enough, I know. Right, did you find out about the matter I asked you to inquire into?”
The woman waved her hand, looking somewhat impatient.
“I found out. The Ten Nations Academy will officially begin enrollment next year. Fairy Mo, I’ll head back first to handle the manuscript. If anything comes up, have someone contact me later.”
The middle-aged man said with a smile. After leaving these words behind, he departed.
As for the woman in purple, she said nothing more and returned to the desk as before, beginning to write another secret manual.