Chapter 111: Heavenly-Human Sympathy, Enlightenment and Clarity of the Heart

Chapter 111: Heavenly-Human Sympathy, Enlightenment and Clarity of the Heart

At that moment, Su Qiming's expression changed dramatically, and after a long pause, he said, "Old Ge, Diao Xingyun from Xuan Tian Daochang... is a match for Brother Ji!"

Ge Hong's face turned pale, and he rushed into the spectator seats of Ji Jingqiu's arena.

...

After several consecutive battles, Ji Jingqiu shook his head inwardly. His opponents were too weak and couldn't give him a sense of pressure.

Without even feeling pressure, there was no chance for him to sharpen his skills.

He casually selected the next opponent, and Ji Jingqiu had already thought of leaving. Rather than continuing, he might as well return to the seventh layer to take a beating and fight back.

This was an excellent whetstone! In an instant, the two of them exchanged over a hundred moves,

In the 16th book, a look of surprise flashed across his face.

The day he broke through the sixth limit, it was this sound of the blade! He gripped his spear tightly, and with the momentum of a meteor, he attacked. This spear move was even more powerful than the previous one! As the spear shadow and the blade light intertwined,

But to be honest, the martial arts of the seventh layer's opponent were too high, surpassing the heavens. Even though his martial arts had progressed rapidly, he still couldn't touch the other person. He relied solely on his physical strength to withstand the other's martial arts realm, at least at the peak of 【Enlightenment of the Heart】! He entered another arena.

You could say he was flamboyant, but he was also restrained and heavy.

Sometimes he was like a towering mountain, calm and thick; sometimes he was like a vast marsh, broad and deep; and sometimes he was like a tenacious and unyielding tree rooted in the abyss, yet still reaching upwards, striving to touch the sky...

During these days, he had borrowed the martial arts library of Longhu Daochang and had mastered over a hundred sword techniques. Some were majestic and powerful, some were fierce and domineering, and some were mysterious and unpredictable, hiding deadly intentions...

Unconsciously, the sharp edge that Ji Jingqiu had revealed seemed to be restrained, replaced by a calm and thick aura. However, beneath this calmness, there was an indescribable quality.

Before it dissipated, Diao Xingyun laughed and said, "Brother Ji, this blade's refinement is complete. It's time to ascend the tower!"

Pure strength and pure speed, in this fellow's hands, were the embodiment of the Great Dao's simplicity. Wasn't this also a manifestation of martial arts?

What was his martial arts path? Initially, it was about survival, but now it was mixed with more elements. Humans were indeed greedy creatures, and after improving, they would seek even better things.

Previously, he had heard Su Qiming mention this name!

Diao Xingyun's eyes burned with intensity, and his battle intent surged forth like a spring.

At first, it was extremely light.

No one knew how much time had passed.

Numerous scenes seemed to flow in the stream of time, then gradually disappeared.

He had confirmed that Ji Jingqiu's martial arts were not exquisite, but his strength was indeed fierce. His palms were going numb, and he tried to lure the enemy deeper.

"This is the realm after Body Intent, and only the top geniuses among the various dojos can step into the 【Enlightenment of the Heart】!"

Diao Xingyun sighed inwardly.

...

This sharp intent continued to rise, upwards, as if it had no end, just like its roots had already penetrated deep into the soil during a past period, laying the most solid foundation.

【Soaring Above Others】: If my guess is correct, Ji Jingqiu's next step into the Bai Yu Jing System will be the day he ascends to the eighth layer. I can't wait!

Diao Xingyun's gaze focused, and his spear swept aside the long knife, directly striking the yellow dragon. The spear's momentum was overwhelming, and this spear's chill and sharpness seemed to force its way through even a mountain in front of it! Ji Jingqiu didn't defend against the counterattack, and it still seemed like a flawed knife slash, but in the end, it forced Diao Xingyun to withdraw his spear to defend.

"Our dojo's Senior Brother Song is like this. In the first half of the year, he forged the 【Heavenly Han Dao Body】 and successfully stepped into the Stellar Domain!"

In Ji Jingqiu's knife intent, there was a faint shadow of the seventh layer's opponent, which was likely due to the influence of numerous silent exchanges during their previous battles.

Ji Jingqiu was puzzled. Did this person know him? Seeing Ji Jingqiu's confused expression, the man suddenly clenched his fist and slammed it into his palm, seeming very dissatisfied. "Damn it! So you don't recognize me, but I recognize you? You got there first!"

Outside the arena, the crowd wondered why the two in the arena had stopped fighting.

At this moment, Ji Jingqiu slowly closed his eyes.

"This is a bit outrageous... Lord Diao's 'Swimming Dragon' didn't even pierce his shoulder? He must have held back!"

...

"What a heavy knife! This guy seems to be following the path of the Great Dao's simplicity, with few changes in his knife techniques, but it's extremely fast and heavy! Wow—indeed, it's overwhelmingly powerful! Lord Diao's hands seem to be shaking!"

A sharp edge, intangible and immaterial, pierced through his body.

But Ji Jingqiu didn't dislike this aspect of himself.

Listening to the sound of the spear tip and the bones, which seemed like the clashing of metal, Diao Xingyun calmly retracted his spear.

Diao Xingyun smiled and said, "It seems that I, Diao, have a reputation that exceeds my abilities. Of course, I've also heard of Brother Ji's name!"

...

Ge Hong's eyes widened, and he was shocked by the second step of martial arts, 【Enlightenment of the Heart】?...

Diao Xingyun shook his head and smiled, gazing at the setting sun outside the window. His battle intent didn't diminish; instead, it grew stronger.

"I've seen this person before. With one knife, he slashed Qing Lin Business Association's Qiu Zhong, leaving him completely overwhelmed!"

The audience discussed in whispers.

"Please give me guidance!"

Diao Xingyun raised his spear and pointed it at Ji Jingqiu. His battle intent soared, and his spear intent was unrestrained, with sharp intent soaring upwards.

"Good!"

Ge Hong, who was among the crowd, had a face flushed with excitement, and he shouted inwardly, "I know! My brother Ji! A real man!"

【Sword Heart Enlightenment】: Not bad, I was also thinking the same thing when I watched the battle earlier.

"Could this be... Enlightenment and Clarity of the Heart?" Su Qiming muttered, and suddenly his eyes lit up, and he exclaimed with excitement, "Brother Ji has accumulated for a long time, and his heart has felt something. In one morning, he has an epiphany, achieving Enlightenment and Clarity of the Heart!"

Then, he took large strides and left.

Ji Jingqiu's response was also straightforward and concise.

No way, no way, he had just casually said a few words...

Without the previous uncomfortable sharp edge, he now felt more oppressive.

Indeed, in their eyes, physical strength was inferior to martial arts, as the latter was a synonym for martial wisdom.

"I need to return to the company and meditate for two days. You guys do as you please."

"This guy follows the path of the Great Dao's simplicity. Although his martial arts are not as advanced, when combined with his exceptionally pure strength and speed, he can minimize his disadvantages!"

Ji Jingqiu stood in his original position for a long time, holding up his long knife. From the side of the knife, he saw his own reflection in the blade.

"He must have held back."

And...

This was himself.

Diao Xingyun felt like slapping himself, but his eyes burned with intensity, and his chest was filled with battle intent.

Although his words were incomprehensible, the sharpness of his aura was like a lightning strike about to erupt at any moment. He was not an ordinary opponent!

【Fen Qin Zhu He】: Tsk, so it's settled then? Fine, we'll see who's better after the cultivation body!

No one knew how much time had passed.

Satisfied with his progress, satisfied with his increasingly fervent aspirations for life, and even satisfied with his greed and thirst for all things beautiful.

Ji Jingqiu was left puzzled by this person.

With a clear whistle, Diao Xingyun pointed his spear diagonally at the sky, his gaze calm and profound. His momentum suddenly surged, like a towering spear piercing through the clouds. The spear moved like a dragon breaking through waves, relentless and unyielding. With this strike, Ji Jingqiu felt the unique martial arts will of Diao Xingyun—

"This guy is absolutely a natural-born martial genius. Like the one on the seventh floor, he's had some extraordinary encounters. His physique is beyond exceptional, enough to make up for any technical disadvantages. Even a middle-tier battle body might not be his match."

A tall and straight young man appeared on the opposite side of the arena. Upon seeing Ji Jingqiu, he smiled and laughed, leaning on his waist.

To be honest, his martial arts skills were far inferior to the one on the seventh floor. If it were solely based on skill, he would only be on the receiving end. But this opponent was just right!

He exited the virtual arena, and under the fiery gazes of Ge Hong and Su Qiming, who looked as if they had seen a deity, he calmly said:

It was like a dormant volcano beneath the deep sea, seemingly calm and wave-less, but with hidden currents flowing. In this tense and restrained atmosphere, one could sense the grandeur hidden beneath.

Was this the Heavenly Human Sympathy, the enlightenment of the heart and the nature?

At this moment, Diao Xingyun had a slight realization.

【Xian Lai Wu Shi】: Another matter, the eighth floor remains unchanged, proving that the previous statement was incorrect. To leave an impression on the eighth floor, trickery is out of the question. There's only one way—to defeat the seventh floor fairly and take over the eighth. Diao Xingyun's eyes gleamed, and after a moment of thought, he said, "That person has had extraordinary encounters, and before the cultivation body, he attained the Martial Dao God. In terms of martial arts, we are not his match. Only Ji Jingqiu has the most hope!"

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Ji Jingqiu exhaled slowly, "Thank you, Brother Diao, for your assistance. Although I still have a little way to go, I've already found my path."

With just this one strike, his understanding of Diao Xingyun had deepened, even though they had never met before.

The oppressive feeling Ji Jingqiu gave him was similar to the one on the seventh floor, yet distinctly different.

...

In the end, it seemed flawless, relying not on his own martial arts cultivation but purely on his physique.

Although the wound was healing, it was slow, as it contained a special power.

He took a breath, held his spear, and watched as Ji Jingqiu's shoulder healed. It seemed like a demonstration, and his expression remained unchanged as he said, "Brother Ji, have you understood?"

Someone said he lacked vigor?

【Fen Qin Zhu He】: We're not blind. We saw your hand trembling like a quail, and you hid it in your sleeve. I'm asking about the feeling of the last strike.

Vigorous, fervent, like a blazing fire cooking oil and fresh flowers, yet without a trace of shallowness.

He thought he had reached the pinnacle of refining the 'self,' but he had overlooked the refinement of the 'self.'

He had never seen such a peculiar vigor.

Good! Diao Xingyun's eyes lit up, and he thrust his spear forward, but was startled by Ji Jingqiu's sudden burst of speed.

Diao Xingyun's face darkened.

Unfortunately...

A life, a season, a wish for a grand and passionate life, for the pursuit of justice, and never bowing down!

Because in that strike, he felt an extremely strong personal touch, Diao Xingyun's spiritual will. He finally understood what he lacked.

The one on the seventh floor was a martial arts powerhouse, seemingly punching without any special technique, but in reality, he had grasped the unchanging rules within the variations of moves. His every punch was flawless, and Diao Xingyun's spear was full of flaws in front of him.

Diao Xingyun's face turned solemn, and his grip on the spear tightened. Was this also vigor?

But like a thunderclap in a silent place, it arrived in an instant! This domineering and flamboyant sound echoed in the ears of all spectators, as if reaching the depths of their souls, boldly asserting its presence.

He sighed sincerely.

It was a pure and flawless vigor.

The group fell silent for a moment.

A figure slowly transformed into a shadow and descended.

"Why aren't you fighting?"

【Jian Xin Tong Ming】: The strongest in ten thousand years... indeed worth the wait!

【Xian Lai Wu Shi】: Just got two pieces of news. One, Fang Buyu of Tianfang Daochang passed the eighth floor not long ago.

This was his martial arts.

Upon seeing this news, Diao Xingyun's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Every choice at the crossroads had shaped who he was today.

This guy had been holding back! Ji Jingqiu, with his sudden burst of speed, quickly closed the distance, and his long knife slashed diagonally, scraping past the spear handle, causing sparks to fly.

Diao Xingyun? Ji Jingqiu's eyes gleamed, "Diao Xingyun of Xuan Tian Daochang?"

"Brother Ji, look closely. This is my path, my martial arts path is one of unwavering advancement, bending but never breaking!"

Under this strike, he had the same aura as the one on the seventh floor. Ji Jingqiu's eyes burned with fervor, and he abandoned dodging, allowing the spear to pierce his right shoulder, piercing the copper skin, and being stopped by the bone.

Bian Rong was right; there was no need to compete before the cultivation body.

Ji Jingqiu slowly opened his eyes.

He insisted on using this vigor as the foundation, condensing his martial arts, proving the Yang Master's theory.

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't imagine another young martial artist appearing who could rival Ji Jingqiu and the one on the seventh floor.

This person's strength far surpassed the previous ones!

Diao Xingyun took a step back, holding the spear with his left hand and hiding his right hand in his sleeve. He said loudly, "Brother Ji, your knife still lacks your personal touch. I see the shadows of many people in your moves, even the one on the seventh floor, but not yours!"

Ji Jingqiu placed his hand on the knife handle, skipping the formalities, and his aura burst forth as he said solemnly:

Ji Jingqiu suddenly realized that the audience in the arena had increased from several dozen to over a thousand.

After a moment, he opened the group chat, and as expected, the discussion had already begun.

"Who is this person? Does anyone know their background?"

His face lit up with joy, and without hesitation, he delivered a powerful and domineering strike, maintaining his simple and direct approach.

However, it lacked the smoothness and perfection of his previous moves.

Diao Xingyun took a breath, and in an instant, countless spear shadows appeared, forming an endless chain with subtle variations, each containing a flaw.

Certain scenes and objects slowly passed through his mind...

With a brilliant flash, he seemed to have the power to split heaven and earth!

This surprised him, and he instinctively realized that he had finally encountered a worthy opponent.

His voice was so soft that even Diao Xingyun, who was standing close by, almost didn't hear it.

"Of course, of course, Brother Ji is indeed one of us. You're so straightforward!"

"Forgive my bluntness, but before my battle with him, the only ones in the group who had a chance to defeat him before his body formation were me, Xiao Yin, and Bian Rong. Unfortunately, my battle with him helped him overcome his final weakness. Now, no one in the group can defeat him before his body formation..."

He placed his hand on the hilt of his knife and stood still, even closing his eyes.

"Also, the final knife scream confirmed that this guy was the one who helped Elder Zhuang break through. There's no mistake."

Diao Xingyun's heart trembled, and he was right!

"You took the wrong path. The second step after refining a hundred techniques is to refine the unique 'One' that belongs to you!"

The helplessness of his parents during his childhood, his own struggles and refusal to compromise over the years, the satisfaction of lying on a roadside bench after clearing out the snack street, the joy of successfully visualizing the Hellfire Buddhist Prison, the decision to save someone during a terrorist attack, Li Buyi's courage before his death, the tall tree rooted in the ground in front of the lower-level residential building, the guilt and admonitions of his grandfather at dusk, the criticism that he lacked determination, the vigor when he broke through the fifth limit, the silence upon learning about Elder Zhuang's unfair treatment, and the final knife that broke through the sixth limit...

As expected, Ji Jingqiu seemed to be unaware, and his long knife struck straight forward!

Diao Xingyun thought for a moment and replied, "Who is this guy? How come I've never seen him before, and he can fight Lord Diao back and forth?"

At this moment, Ji Jingqiu relied on his overwhelming physical advantage, striking back with each knife faster and more powerful than Diao Xingyun's! Moreover, this guy's eyesight was sharp, and although Diao Xingyun could use his skills to turn the tables, he couldn't prevent his opponent from striking his weak points with each knife.

Diao Xingyun's pupils contracted, and he was startled. He felt that Ji Jingqiu's aura was becoming increasingly peculiar.

Most importantly, Ji Jingqiu was following the simple and direct path of the Dao, which not only perfectly utilized his physical advantage but also minimized his flaws! If Ji Jingqiu had chosen a more varied knife technique, he would have been at the mercy of Diao Xingyun's spear by now.

In an instant, he seemed to relive his entire life, like a revolving lantern.

"I am Diao Xingyun. Please remember me, Brother Ji!"

Ji Jingqiu's joy increased with each battle.

Ji Jingqiu took a step forward.

A long spear slowly rose in the newcomer's hand, its tip pointing diagonally, and his gaze was as sharp as an eagle's. A majestic aura rose from him, locking onto Ji Jingqiu.

Diao Xingyun exited the virtual arena and exhaled deeply. It had been a long time since he felt this thrilling surge of blood.

His tone was sincere, and in his opinion, Diao Xingyun's previous words were extremely precious self-realizations. Diao Xingyun's lips twitched; he had only spoken some profound truths casually.

This guy had truly attained enlightenment.

A little too high, a little too low.

[Sword Heart Enlightenment]: How does Brother Diao feel?

A knife scream suddenly rose.

It was a heart-to-heart connection, but it was much more than that.

The long spear resembled a dragon, its tip shimmering with cold light, and each flickering light formed a pear blossom, intertwining with the knife's radiance. The intense clanging sound caught the attention of the spectators.

But if you were to call him restrained and reserved, he also had a touch of wild and unrestrained energy.

Ji Jingqiu currently had the advantage in terms of physical strength, but in the later stages of martial arts, the influence of physical strength gradually diminished, and the understanding of the laws of heaven and earth was the true path.

On the contrary, he was satisfied.

Martial arts should speak through action.

Damn the White Jade Capital System! The trash spear it gave him could only barely injure this opponent with his ultimate move. If he had his [Western Hunt], Ji Jingqiu's physical strength, no matter how strong, would be no match for his spear! Ji Jingqiu looked down at the spear wound on his shoulder, where the spearhead was stuck deep in his flesh, and felt a sense of admiration.

Diao Xingyun's aura suddenly changed, and his body shot up like an arrow leaving the bow. He raised his spear and thrust it forward! Ji Jingqiu finally felt a sense of oppression!

A majestic and rising aura emanated from Ji Jingqiu's center, deep and dangerous, like the eye of a whirlpool beneath the deep sea, capable of endlessly containing and erupting with endless seawater.

"Hahaha! I didn't expect that Diao would be the first to win! Brother Ji, it's a pleasure to meet you. Let's exchange pointers later!"

"Let's cut the small talk. Let Diao be the first to witness your first knife after achieving mind enlightenment!"

He suppressed the urge to challenge him and carefully recalled the previous knife strike, slowly mimicking it: "The grandeur is indescribable. This is the ultimate expression of one's martial arts."

Both of them could be called ultimate masters.

However, after body formation, they still had a chance! But the thought of not reaching the eighth level made Diao Xingyun feel a bit disappointed.

That was...

The title of the strongest in ten thousand years! Sigh, there's no deliberate cliffhanger here. It's just that the author is a bit slow and not very bright, so they can't type fast. Continue typing, but the next chapter might not be released by midnight because it needs to be written in one go. If it's not finished, it will be delayed until tomorrow morning. Don't wait up tonight.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end