Watching Kong Ji get blasted away like a shooting star, Ning Heyuan's mind completely locked up.
So... so strong? To swat a Rank One Grandmaster a full ten li away with a single palm, all without injuring him in the slightest?!
Just how had Xiahou Yang managed to exchange hundreds or thousands of blows with Huang Tian back then? Or had Huang Tian's strength grown even further over these past days?
In his view, if any other Rank One Grandmaster had been on the receiving end of Huang Tian's strike, the outcome would have been the exact same—blasted flying into the distance.
Could power like this even be called Rank One combat prowess anymore?
Could it be that Huang Tian was already bordering on the realm of a Celestial Being?
Just as Ning Heyuan was inwardly reeling in shock and doubt, ten li away in the sky, Kong Ji finally came to his senses. With a stomp of his foot, a boom resounded, trailing a long streak of white vapor as he flew back toward the drill grounds.
*Boom!*
Amid swirls of dust, Kong Ji landed back on the ground.
Ning Heyuan stepped forward and asked, "Brother Kong, you aren't injured, are you?"
Kong Ji smiled bitterly and shook his head. "No. Not a scratch."
"Then—"
"There is no need to continue sparring. I am utterly convinced and concede wholeheartedly."
Kong Ji walked up to Huang Tian. After hesitating for a few breaths, he finally spoke: "Brother Huang, was that just now... divine intent?"
Huang Tian replied, "Almost."
Kong Ji's heart trembled. "Almost"—that meant it was on the verge of taking form, lacking only the slightest catalyst!
And once one comprehended divine intent, the realm of a Celestial Being was no longer out of reach. By polishing one's vitality and true qi to perfection, one could step into the Celestial Being realm and enjoy a lifespan of three hundred years!
But!
Wasn't Huang Tian only at Rank Three? How could a Rank Three be on the verge of comprehending divine intent?! Throughout history, countless Rank One Grandmasters had failed to grasp it. Could his comprehension truly be so monstrous?
Kong Ji thought of himself. Decades of bitter cultivation and study, yet he was still nowhere close to nurturing divine intent; in this lifetime, he would likely never become a Celestial Being. A deep sense of defeat welled up within him.
Yet in the blink of an eye, he adjusted his mindset. *People are ultimately different after all; one cannot judge everyone by the same standard. Besides, while I view Huang Tian as a peerless prodigy, don't others view me as a hero of the age?*
As one of the only two loose Grandmasters in Qin Province, countless martial artists regarded him as a genius among geniuses; otherwise, he could never have reached Rank One without attaching himself to a major power.
*A man must learn to be content. In this life, reaching Rank One and enjoying three jiazi of life is already a stroke of immense good fortune. As for the realm of a Celestial Being, if I can achieve it, so be it; if not, that too is my destiny.*
With this thought, tranquility gradually settled over his heart, and a peaceful aura emanated from his body, giving the impression of a serene valley.
He had calmed down, but Ning Heyuan exclaimed in shock, "Divine intent? Brother Huang, you're close to nurturing divine intent?!"
"A hair's breadth away," Huang Tian said. "Yet that hair's breadth could be crossed in the next breath, or it might elude me for decades."
Ning Heyuan shook his head. "With your comprehension, Brother Huang, I refuse to believe you couldn't grasp it. Besides, even if it takes decades, that is still remarkable. After all, you are still young."
At sixteen or seventeen years of age, let alone spending several decades, what would even a century matter?
With a vast lifespan remaining, one could take things at leisure!
Kong Ji smiled faintly. "Perhaps after reviewing the spiritual secret arts this old man brought, Brother Huang might even see right through it."
Huang Tian chuckled softly. "Then I shall take Fellow Daoist Kong's auspicious words to heart."
"The sparring match is concluded. Let us have some tea," Ning Heyuan suggested.
"Excellent."
"Very well."
The three walked together to a hexagonal pavilion and sat down. Amid artificial rockeries, flowing water, and the fragrance of blossoming flowers, sipping fine tea was wonderfully relaxing.
Over tea, they shared some of their martial insights with one another until parting ways two hours later. Before leaving, Kong Ji gifted all the spiritual secret techniques he had brought to Huang Tian. "I hope these can be of some assistance to you, Fellow Daoist."
"Many thanks, Brother Kong."
Carrying the manuals, Huang Tian returned to the residence arranged for him by the provincial yamen. He sat cross-legged and nurtured his spirit for a moment before flipping open the books one by one.
With each book he opened, his inspiration deepened, and tiny ripples spread across the lake of his mind...
*Whoosh—*
Seated atop the wind eagles, the capital of Qin Province was already visible in the distance.
Princess Jingning suddenly grew nervous. Her slender, fair fingers instinctively gripped her sleeves, and she pursed her lips tightly.
Seeing this, the Fourth Prince said gently, "Do not be nervous. The more you overthink things, the harder they are to handle. Just let everything take its natural course."
Princess Jingning nodded slightly, relaxed her fingers, looked down at the provincial capital below, and let out a soft breath.
*Screeech!*
A sharp screech rang out above the provincial yamen. Ning Heyuan, who was handling official duties inside his chamber, raised an eyebrow. Stepping outside, he looked up and saw two enormous wind eagles circling in the sky, with several figures seated on their backs.
"Are those... the imperial court's wind eagles?"
He was somewhat astonished. He had seen these rare beasts twice when traveling to the Imperial Capital to report on his duties; they were among the few flying rare beasts in the world that could be tamed.
*Whoosh—*
A fierce wind swept across the area as the two wind eagles landed on a broad clearing within the provincial yamen, and the four passengers stepped down.
With a leap, Ning Heyuan arrived beside the wind eagles. "Fourth Highness? Sixth Princess?"
He was slightly taken aback, not knowing why the two had suddenly come to Qin Province. Moreover, among the two attendants standing beside them, one had a deep, steady aura that exerted a faint sense of pressure—clearly a Rank One martial artist!
The Fourth Prince smiled courteously at Ning Heyuan and said, "Provincial Governor Ning, Jingning and I have come to Qin Province this time to deliver a promotion order to Assistant Commissioner Huang Tian. This is Personal Guard Commander Ji Fan, who has accompanied us for our protection."
Apart from the Black Armor Army, the Great Gan imperial family possessed another force—the Emperor's Personal Guard. It had five great commanders, every single one of whom was a Rank One Grandmaster!
Ning Heyuan's gaze lingered on Ji Fan for a few seconds. The man stood straight as a spear, with stern features and a sharp yet calm gaze—truly bearing the bearing of the military.
"Provincial Governor Ning," Ji Fan cupped his fists in salute.
Ning Heyuan returned the greeting, then turned to the Fourth Prince and Princess Jingning beside him. "Having traveled from afar, Your Highness and the Princess should rest a while to wash away the dust of the road."
The Fourth Prince waved his hand. "No need. Please introduce me to Assistant Commissioner Huang first, Provincial Governor Ning, so I may confer the promotion order upon him."
Ning Heyuan hesitated. "Assistant Commissioner Huang seems to have had an epiphany recently and is currently in secluded cultivation. It would not be wise to disturb him."
The Fourth Prince paused in surprise, but he was not angered. Instead, he smiled. "Then let it be. There is no rush. Jingning and I shall stay in the provincial yamen for now and wait until Assistant Commissioner Huang emerges."
If it were anyone else refusing to see him because of seclusion, though he might understand, he would inevitably feel a trace of annoyance. Yet before Huang Tian, not a shred of dissatisfaction crossed his mind.
For no other reason than this: in this world, strength reigned supreme. Though he was the fourth son of Emperor Gan and of noble birth, and a Rank Three martial artist himself, he still dared not put on airs before a Rank One Grandmaster like Ning Heyuan—let alone Huang Tian.
Seeing that the Fourth Prince was sensible, Ning Heyuan breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "I shall immediately have accommodations prepared for Your Highness and the Princess."
"My thanks for your trouble, Provincial Governor Ning."
Before long, news of the arrival of the Fourth Prince and Princess Jingning spread inside and outside the provincial capital.
"I heard the Emperor sent a prince and princess here to confer a promotion order upon Assistant Commissioner Huang?"
"If he's promoted again, what post will it be? Vice Commander or Commander?"
"Fool! It has to be Commander! With Assistant Commissioner Huang's current strength, naming him Vice Commander would be an insult. How could the court be so foolish?"
"A Commander! One of the four most powerful people in an entire province!"
"Power is nothing; only the power of fists is real! Don't you see that even a princess came for Assistant Commissioner Huang?"
"A princess... That's right. If it's just to deliver a promotion order, why would an imperial prince and princess come?"
"To win Huang Tian over, of course! If Assistant Commissioner Huang and that Sixth Princess take a liking to each other and wed, the imperial court will gain another immense pillar of support!"
"Heh heh, that's an old tactic of emperors: father many children, then marry off the daughters to the direct heirs of major aristocratic families and exceptionally gifted heroes..."
In the blink of an eye, several days flew past.
The stir caused by the arrival of the prince and princess from the Imperial Capital had only just subsided.
When another sudden, even more earth-shattering piece of news swept across all of Qin Province: the armament master of the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler had appeared in a small town twenty li outside the commandery seat of Kunyun Commandery in Qin Province!
The moment this news spread, it immediately caused a sensation across Qin Province and several surrounding provinces!
Months ago, rumors had circulated that a divine armament had emerged in Kunyun Commandery. Back then, it had drawn a crowd of martial artists searching high and low, but after months with nothing found—neither hide nor hair of the divine armament or its armament master—some had assumed it was false news.
To think it was actually true!
The Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler truly had emerged, and its armament master had never left Kunyun!
All at once, countless experts rushed toward Qin Province and Kunyun.
Inside the provincial yamen, the atmosphere was solemn.
Ning Heyuan, Yan Zhong, the Fourth Prince, and Ji Fan gathered in one hall.
"To think this divine armament was real after all. I had thought it was merely a rumor..."
Ning Heyuan's brow was deeply furrowed. "Before long, experts from every province will surely descend upon Kunyun. A massive upheaval will likely be unavoidable."
Yan Zhong gently tapped his fingers on the table. "Only because Yong Province has drawn away many experts, otherwise our Qin Province would be in even greater chaos."
The Fourth Prince chimed in, "With Provincial Governor Ning, General Yan, and Commander Ji here in the provincial capital, we needn't worry about anything happening here. It is Kunyun that poses the problem."
The provincial capital required at least one Rank One Grandmaster to hold down the fort. Earlier, the Qin Province Martial Restraint Guard Commander and the Six Doors Rank One Divine Constable had both gone to reinforce Yong Province, leaving only Ning Heyuan and Yan Zhong behind. At most, only one of the two could be deployed to Kunyun to suppress the situation.
And a single Rank One Grandmaster, facing the ferocious influx of martial artists from all provinces, would undoubtedly find their strength lacking.
Ji Fan had intended to say that he could accompany them to Kunyun to provide support and perhaps try to contest the divine armament, but considering his duties, he thought better of it and held his tongue.
"Hm?!"
Just then, Ning Heyuan seemed to sense something. His expression shifted, and he turned his gaze outside the room. Immediately afterward, Yan Zhong and Ji Fan also reacted. The three exchanged glances, burst out of the room simultaneously, and vaulted high into the air.
Leaving behind only the Fourth Prince, who looked on in bewilderment, not knowing what they had sensed. After hesitating for a few seconds, he leaped into the air after them.
"That is... Assistant Commissioner Huang's quarters!"
High in the air, Ning Heyuan hazarded a guess and exclaimed in shock, "Could he have... comprehended divine intent?!"
"Divine intent?"
The moment the words were spoken, Ji Fan was left completely dumbfounded. What in the world? A Rank Three martial artist comprehending divine intent?
*Whoosh—*
Ning Heyuan moved, swiftly sweeping down to wait outside Huang Tian's residence. The other two followed closely behind, their faces etched with shock and uncertainty.
*Whoosh, whoosh—*
An inexplicable gust of wind surged outward from the room where Huang Tian was situated. Closely following the wind came an indescribable aura.
Engulfed by this aura, the bodies of the three instantly stiffened, and they fell into a trance at the exact same moment.
*Swish—*
Opening his eyes in bewilderment, Ning Heyuan beheld a boundless expanse of "purple"!
Tens of millions of li of purple qi surged and roiled, filling everything as far as the eye could see. Amid the rolling purple qi, the roars of dragons, cries of phoenixes, and resonant Daoist chants echoed faintly.
And at the very center of that vast purple qi sat an imposing figure whose majestic stature defied words. He was like the incarnation of this boundless heaven and earth, the supreme ruler over all creation!
His crown hung like draped rosy clouds.
His imperial robe was like the surging Milky Way.
With each breath, the boundless purple qi ebbed and flowed...
With merely a single glance, Ning Heyuan felt an overwhelming sense of insignificance welling up within him, compelling him to fall to his knees and bow.
"Is this... a pill furnace?"
Unlike Ning Heyuan, what met Ji Fan's gaze was an ancient pill furnace towering into the heavens!
The sky was the burning furnace wall, and the earth was the furnace base flowing with Dao patterns.
Between heaven and earth, a pill furnace of unimaginable proportions suppressed the void. Its body was ancient and unadorned, etched with the sun, moon, and stars, flowers, birds, insects, and fish, as well as gods, demons, immortals, and Buddhas—as though encompassing everything in the mortal cosmos.
The furnace lid was not sealed shut; whenever it parted by a sliver, hundreds of millions of brilliant rays erupted, accompanied by chilling roars, sighs, Buddhist chants, and demonic whispers!
Merely hearing these sounds shook his mind and sent cold shivers down his spine!
Yet Yan Zhong witnessed an entirely different spectacle:
An endless expanse of Fengdu palaces stood silently, exuding an aura of chilling solemnity.
Countless bewildered spirits converged into gray rivers, pouring into the depths of those dark, looming palace halls.
Ghostly figures flitted about, yet all was in strict order.
Behind these palaces was the colossal phantom of a slowly turning wheel.
It was woven from massive halos of six different colors, endlessly shifting. Some were radiant and serene, some blazing and chaotic, some ignorant and dim, while others were steeped in endless pain and struggle...
Yan Zhong could almost hear the sounds of countless souls passing through those six halos—some sighing and weeping, others laughing in relief.
And beyond the halos, one could faintly glimpse flowers blooming and withering, the rise and decay of the seasons, the birth and passing of all living things...
"What has happened to Provincial Governor Ning and the others?"
The Fourth Prince stood suspended in midair far off. He had intended to fly to Huang Tian's residence alongside Ning Heyuan and the others to investigate, when suddenly he saw the three freeze in place as if placed under an immobilizing spell. He was immediately alarmed.
These were three Rank One Grandmasters! What kind of thing could leave all three petrified and motionless?!
Surprised and apprehensive, the Fourth Prince paused in midair for several breaths. Instead of flying over to investigate, he backed away even further, watching the scene below from across the open sky.
A full several dozen breaths passed.
Only when that aura permeating the surroundings of the residence gradually receded did Ning Heyuan and the other two snap back to their senses. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with utter terror and shock!
Chapter 132