Chapter 546 - Young and Reckless

The shopkeeper who “Dreamflower” summoned was of no use to the battle situation; Zhongxuan Sheng half collapsed on the ground, frantically regulating his Path Origin, trying to restore the chaos within the Tongtian Palace to its original order so he could join the fight and stand beside Jiang Wang, but it was easier said than done!Time was needed, but time was of the essence!

Of course, he had heard of such terrible Divine Skills as the Soldier Slayer.

It was precisely because he knew how terrible it was that he was in such agony.

Was there anything more painful than feeling utterly helpless?

Be calm, he told himself, he must be calm, he must erase those emotions.

“Use your wits!”

Zhongxuan Sheng knocked on his temples.

He assessed his situation minutely.

He divided the chaotic Path Origin and chaotic elements within his body into extremely detailed areas and then rapidly calculated the fastest recovery path to regain combat strength.

Disregarding the protection of his body’s foundation, he chose whatever would restore his combat strength the fastest.

He had always done such things, making the right choices in numerous dire situations.

But the progress was still slow.

He wished he could come up with a solution, but a good wife can’t cook without rice.

In such dire straits, where else could he find resources or opportunities to exploit?

Even the only shopkeeper still alive had been “used” by him!

“Jiang Wang, hold on.

Hold on just a bit longer!”

He shouted in his heart.

But the real world did not shift with his will.

The hundred cavalry who emerged from the towering Soldier Slayer could very well be considered one hundred Transcendent cavalry.

In the battlefield, what does it mean to have well-trained, battle formation-ready Transcendent cavalry?

They could almost break through any enemy lines, the absolute elite, the trump card.

And at this moment, all were summoned by Wang Yiwu alone.

Though only a hundred cavalry, their formation and momentum were greater than a thousand troops.

A hundred quietly silent cavalry, only the tips of their spears raised high flickering with cold light.

And then in the next moment, their hooves tread on air.

Charging towards Jiang Wang!

The massive army surged forward, aiming to kill just one.

To take down that youth with finely drawn brows!

Jiang Wang’s hand rested on his sword, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow, his heart neither shocked nor afraid.

Having just achieved the number one position in Ascending Dragon, at least in Qi Country, his confidence was at its peak.

The world abounded with talented individuals, yet he needed no humility, for he was among the heaven’s chosen!

In the Ascending Dragon Realm, he could face and defeat Wang Yiwu, reach the Inner Mansion, and pluck Divine Skills.

Why couldn’t he now?

The charge of the hundred cavalry approached in an instant, like the wrath of a tempest or the collapse of hills and ridges.

Wherever the spear pointed, everything would be annihilated.

But at that moment.

A thread of fire ignited within his heart.

A thread of fire ignited within his kidneys.

A thread of fire ignited within his bladder.

The three threads of fire converged, you within me and I within you, intertwining with each other, merging into one.

Jiang Wang raised his index finger, and at its tip, a flame as small as a bean flickered into existence.

The firelight was dim, yet stubbornly ablaze, tenaciously burning.

With his finger raised before him, Jiang Wang’s lips parted slightly, and he blew a breath of air upon it.

The tiny, bean-sized flame then flew forward, meeting the charge of the hundred cavalry as it went.

Confronting the boundless killing intent and the pressing sharpness, it flew forward.

The heart is the sovereign fire, also known as Divine Fire, its name, Superior Darkness;

The kidneys are the minister fire, also known as the essence fire, its name, Zhong Mei;

The bladder, that is the sea of qi below the navel, the commoner fire, its name, inferior darkness.

Samadhi, is Superior, Medium, and Inferior, represents sovereign, minister, and people, they are spirit, essence, and qi!

They are, Samadhi True Fire!

This tiny flame lightly landed on the body of the charging knight.

And suddenly exploded!

Exploded into a sea of fire!

This fire was so intense, so domineering.

The noble knights, after merely a brief struggle, were burned back into their original form of Soldier Slayer.

And it didn’t stop there; the raging Samadhi True Fire spread along with the Soldier Slayers.

As it burned them, it reached out towards Wang Yiwu’s real body!

Everything under the heavens can burn.

Wang Yi Wu could only hastily sever the connection between Soldier Slayers and stop the Samadhi True Fire before him.

Jiang Wang looked at his unsightly complexion and said coldly, “I may not let down the divine skills of your Soldier Slayer, but it seems you’re ill-suited for my Samadhi True Fire.”

In the first clash between Samadhi True Fire and the Soldier Slayer, it was still Jiang Wang who emerged victorious!

The divine skills they gleaned from opening the first Inner Mansion were all derived from the Heavenly Abode Secret Land.

However, the Heavenly Abode Secret Land itself doesn’t create divine skills; it simply illuminates each person’s innate talents, turning ‘possible’ into ‘inevitable.’

When in the Heavenly Abode Secret Land, the ancient dragon’s horn Wang Yi Wu received was even older than what Jiang Wang obtained.

That’s why the Heavenly Abode Secret Land gave more ‘enlightenment’ to Wang Yi Wu.

The strength of divine skills can sometimes be murky, and some can’t be compared head-on; most of the time, it depends on the owner’s level of development.

But at least from the perspective of the Heavenly Abode Secret Land, “Soldier Slayer” should be stronger than “Samadhi True Fire.”

However, the “Soldier Slayer” divine skill needs to grow through real warfare, most suited for its role amidst battle between armies.

In a one-on-one fight, it might not have an advantage over “Samadhi True Fire.”

But even knowing that the “Soldier Slayer” might have broader potential, and even being fully aware that without the trial of real warfare the “Soldier Slayer” cannot show its true strength…

Even with this knowledge, how could the proud Wang Yi Wu accept another defeat?

Defeated in a one-on-one duel, once again.

Indeed, he sought the long-term invincibility and wouldn’t be deterred by short-term failures.

But defeated in the Ascending Dragon Realm, defeated in the Inner Mansion Realm, how could he talk about being unbeatable?

His momentum plummeted.

And Jiang Wang directly drew his sword and advanced, expressing through action that Wang Yi Wu was unworthy of using divine skills.

This sword strike, like the sun and moon across the sky, like a long rainbow piercing the sun.

The ultimate show off, the ultimate arrogance.

After achieving the world’s number one Ascending Dragon Realm, and once again using divine skills to break Wang Yi Wu’s divine skills in the Inner Mansion Realm, Jiang Wang felt incredibly exhilarated.

His thoughts were coherent, and his spirit, intent, and energy all reached their peak.

He used this to nurture a new human sword technique.

Ever since his arrival in Qi Country, Wang Yi Wu had been an everpresent pressure before him and Zhongxuan Sheng, impossible to avoid—as insurmountable as mountains and rivers.

Back in the Heavenly Abode Secret Land, Wang Yi Wu dominated the scene.

Although Zhongxuan Sheng wouldn’t concede verbally, his presence was clearly weaker.

Wang Yi Wu dared to bully and beat him at any time, yet they couldn’t provoke him on their own.

The reason was simple: a gap in strength!

Wasn’t Wang Yi Wu the world’s number one Tongtian, a historical figure noted in the annals of cultivation history?

Who were they?

What were they?

Now Jiang Wang could say that he was the world’s number one Ascending Dragon, a prodigy who even surpassed Wang Yi Wu in the Inner Mansion Realm!

This was not arrogance.

It was a fact.

This was not showing off.

It was the edge unique to youth.

It was a young man’s temperament.

Because of his experiences and environment, Jiang Wang had always been mature, self-controlled.

Yet, hadn’t he longed for the life of the flamboyant?

Once, the Maple Forest Five Heroes used to swagger through towns, drinking merrily from large bowls and laughing with beauties.

Youth is wasted on the young who are not frivolous!

Thus was born this human sword technique four, Youthful Vigor!

All past experiences and choices have shaped the ‘me’ at present.

But my heart will always remember, that youthful fervor.

“Travels are hard, the road is tough.

This body only aims for higher grounds.

Boasting of reaching for the moon isn’t enough, shattering the Star River is where the heavens bound.

From this peak, worldly affairs out of sight, what can this ultimate pinnacle be likened to?

A common man’s rage draws the sword, seas of clouds churn for tens of thousands of miles!”

An unabashedly vibrant and fierce wave of the sword light easily shattered Wang Yi Wu’s punch.

A sword slashes towards his neck!

ps: The verses at the end of the chapter are from “A Difficult Journey,” a poem I wrote, and it’s also the source of this volume’s title.

The full poem is available on my Weibo @Qingheyishen’s Stupid Sayings.

Search for “A Difficult Journey” to find it.