My Arts Evolve When Perfected

Before the southern gate of North Border City, over a thousand Martial Artists from Sang Island had gathered. They arrived just in time to witness their Young Master fall to Jiang Qiu’s spear, his hundred-foot-tall Dharma Aspect dissipating with him, leaving them utterly shaken.

Setting aside Xia Country, with the might of its eight great provinces, Sang Island was considered a first-tier power on the world stage. Even the Belli Family of North Border City wouldn’t dare to offend them.

And yet, a genius from such a powerful force—one with Eighth Rank Nether Dark Jade Sinews, the likes of whom had not been seen in a century—had just been instantly killed by some unknown from Xia Country.

How could they not be terrified?

When these men faced their Young Master, it was as if they were facing a phantom of the great Lord Eight-headed Snake King himself. Their hearts would pound with terror, and they wouldn’t dare harbor a single stray thought. But now that this oppressive presence had vanished in an instant, they were even more panicked.

"The Young Master is dead! What do we do?"

"Can we even escape?"

A few of them had just started murmuring when a Dharma Realm Martial Artist at the lead roared, "Flee? You think you can escape? We’ve all been marked by the blood of the Eight-headed Snake King! If you abandon the Young Master and run, you’ll be hunted for the rest of your lives!

Instead of fleeing like cowards, we should make a stand! Half of the Belli Family inside North Border City has already sided with us. North Border City is certain to fall today. We must break through!

Besides, Jiang Qiu’s Dharma Aspect is only ten feet tall, yet he forced himself to use Spear Intent—an ability exclusive to the Grandmaster Realm! The toll on him must have been immense. In that fight with the Young Master, he must have exhausted nearly all of his Fiery Flame Spirit Charm.

"All we have to do is...!"

Before the man could finish, a long spear flew from the distance. A Flaming Azure Dragon materialized and instantly crushed his head, which burst like a watermelon. His mangled flesh was then set ablaze.

SPLATTER...

His shattered body fell like chunks of glowing red coal. The Sang Island Martial Artists, already terrified beyond measure, all swallowed hard in unison.

As they watched the long spear fly back as if pulled by an invisible hand, the crowd’s eyes bulged. They shuffled backward on their heels, ready to scatter in all directions at a moment’s notice.

After all, judging by the power of that last strike, Jiang Qiu clearly had Spirit Charm to spare. His oppressive aura was like that of an Azure Dragon, looking down upon all living things as if they were insignificant specks of dust.

"And you still dream of breaking into North Border City?"

Jiang Qiu snorted. A cold glint flashed from his spearhead as his Fiery Flame Spirit Charm blazed.

’True, the Fiery Flame Spirit Charm stored in my body was almost completely exhausted in the fight with Sakai Yoshiei. But the Dragon Spirit still holds a near-endless supply, and it’s converting it for my use right now.’

’I have to admit, that one bath I took back in the Celestial Xin Hall built up a truly immense reserve of Fiery Flame Spirit Charm. Even now that I’ve reached the Dharma Realm, I can’t seem to use it all up!’

’And when I think about it... there were Nine Great Hot Springs back then, each representing a different type of Spirit Charm. Just how powerful has the Demon King [辰] become after absorbing the Spirit Charm from eight of them?’

’Being born an Ancestral Great Demon was probably just a minor head start. The reason it could advance so quickly is likely because it was digesting all that Spirit Charm from the springs.’

’After all, that was a century’s worth of resources gathered by the Kunlun Demon Clan—everything they had!’

’So many of the ingredients in there were unrecorded, things that simply can’t be found anywhere else. The quality of the Spirit Charm they contained was on a completely different level—practically divine.’

’In other words, the Demon King [辰] is terrifyingly powerful right now. If I don’t get stronger, and fast... how can I ever hope to compare to a rival who absorbed the Spirit Charm of eight entire springs right from the start?’

’That’s a foundation eight times greater than my own!’

At this thought, Jiang Qiu activated his Ancient Martial Spear Intent once more. The Fiery Flame Spirit Charm stored within the Dragon Spirit surged into the shaft of his spear, and behind him, the Flaming Azure Dragon Dharma Aspect materialized again.

Seeing this, the Sang Island Martial Artists, who had already lost their nerve, panicked and fled for their lives, turning into black blurs as they escaped into the distance.

Those who could fly scrambled back the way they came, scattering like a swarm of startled locusts. They were moving more than three times faster than when they had arrived!

But the Dharma Martial Artists still within his Realm were not so lucky. After all, if even their Young Master couldn’t escape this Realm, how could they possibly hope to?

"Damn it! Let’s fight him to the death!"

"Fuck it, I don’t believe he still has enough Spirit Charm to fuel that Spear Intent! Everyone, charge!"

"He’s just bluffing!"

Amidst a chorus of furious roars, twenty-one Dharma Martial Artists summoned their Dharma Aspects in unison. All of them were serpentine. And though they were slightly weaker than their Young Master’s and lacked its kingly aura, they were by no means small—many were fifty or sixty feet tall, and some even surpassed seventy!

The sight of so many Dharma Aspects appearing at once was like watching an army of Celestial Generals and Divine Officers descend upon the battlefield. Before them, Jiang Qiu’s Flaming Azure Dragon Dharma Aspect looked utterly miniscule, creating a staggering visual contrast.

"Can Jiang Qiu win against them?"

"There are so many Dharma Realm experts... Even a true Grandmaster wouldn’t want to face them head-on, would they?"

The refugees below the city wall murmured amongst themselves, clenching their fists and praying for the battle to end.

In their eyes, simply being a Martial Artist was a symbol of high status. Those who could summon a Dharma Aspect were, without exception, great figures one would never normally encounter. A single move from such an expert was enough to shake the very heavens and earth.

Just now, Jiang Qiu had killed so many Dharma Realm experts; the toll on him must have been immense. Now he had to face an attack from so many at once. If he made a single mistake, it would be all over!

Most of the city’s defenders present were men of the Belli Family. If Jiang Qiu were to be seriously injured or killed, the city gates would likely be thrown open. That would mean the southern flank of North Border City would fall!

And if that happened, the Northern Wilderness would be doomed!

"Jiang Divine!"

Lin Wei also clenched his fists, gazing up at Jiang Qiu as he single-handedly faced off against more than twenty Dharma Realm experts.

The young man’s bearing was completely different from before. Back in Gao Yuan City, he could still spar with him, could witness the might of his "Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven."

’To this day, I’m still just a fledgling youth who hasn’t even reached the realm of Martial Arts and Weapon Integration.’

’And yet Jiang Qiu is here, defending North Border City for the sake of the entire Human Race!’

A storm of emotion swelled in Lin Wei’s chest. His heart hammered like a bomb, and blood roared through his veins.

’A Martial Artist with weapon in hand should be unrivaled, fearless, and able to stand alone against an army!’

’The enemy’s strength is just hearsay. You’ll never know who will win or lose until you fight!’

’Jiang Qiu, with a Dharma Aspect of only ten feet, dared to challenge Sakai Yoshiei’s hundred-foot one. He’s hovering there alone, facing down all the Martial Artists from Sang Island. What an awe-inspiring display of power!’

’So why can’t I do the same?’

’Is the Spirit Body Realm necessarily weaker than the Bright Soul Realm? Am I, with my Seventh Rank Thunderous Jade Sinews, really any worse than those inhuman dogs from Sang Island?’

’No!’

Suddenly, a realization struck Lin Wei. Spirit Charm erupted from his body, and his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear crackled with Thunder. He turned his eyes to the distance. Most of the Sang Island Martial Artists had fled, but some had stopped after running a safe distance away, choosing instead to watch the battle unfold.

They thought they were at a safe distance from Jiang Qiu.

They were wrong.

Running far won’t save you!

BOOM—

Lin Wei shot forward like a bolt of lightning. A thunderous afterimage faded where he had stood as the tip of his spear blossomed with a cold, deadly light.

"All students of Northwest Martial University, follow me! Hunt down the Sang Island Martial Artists!"