"He actually grasped a curse-type fist technique on his own? No, should it be called a curse-type magical art?" Even with how experienced and knowledgeable the senior brothers were, they were taken aback.
The dao of curses fell under the domain of karma. In the cultivation world, karma and time were universally acknowledged as the most difficult divine abilities to comprehend, learn, and resolve.
Who would have thought this Junior Brother Meng, at such a young age, would self-teach and comprehend such a cruel curse art?
"To actually ask whether this counts as a fist technique or a magical art—one look is enough to tell you didn't pay attention during Eldest Senior Sister's lectures!" A Soul Formation stage senior brother looked disdainfully at the Nascent Soul stage junior sister who had just cried out in surprise.
"Ignorant and undisciplined! Going on like this, how do you expect to advance to the Soul Formation stage in the future?"
The Nascent Soul junior sister stammered, at a loss for words. Out in the wider world, she basked in unrivaled glory, renowned for her vast erudition and revered by many as a 'prodigy.' But within the Dao Seeking Sect, such halos were entirely useless.
Who dared claim to be widely read and knowledgeable in the Dao Seeking Sect?
"Eldest Senior Sister has emphasized time and again not to draw such rigid lines between fist techniques and magical arts! A fist technique is an art, and a magical art is an art. All arts converge on the same truth! If you separate them like oil and water, how do you ever expect to let one art unlock them all in the future?
"It's precisely because so many people hold the same misconception you do that they end up mastering exceedingly powerful magical arts—vastly outmatching their opponents in raw might—only for the opponent to find an opening, close the distance, and defeat them."
Cultivators who specialized in magical arts feared melee combat above all else. They honed their spells over the long term, leaving their physical constitutions unremarkable. Once an enemy closed in and entangled them, not only did they lose the chance to cast, but they couldn't even guarantee their own safety.
The Soul Formation senior brother instructed her earnestly, "So the ideal state is to channel magical arts through fist techniques. That way, whether engaging in ranged spell duels or up-close brawl, you leave no openings. Isn't that right?"
The Nascent Soul junior sister nodded. When put that way, it truly made sense. Although she was energetic and cultivated both fist techniques and magical arts simultaneously without neglecting either, hearing her senior brother's words made her realize she really ought to reflect on herself.
"Eldest Senior Sister even praised Junior Brother Lu Yang, saying he managed to achieve this very feat, showing inkling signs of all arts converging. In that regard, he is far better than the likes of you or me.
"Though I don't know how far Junior Brother Lu Yang has taken it, for him to earn Eldest Senior Sister's praise means he must have accomplished something substantial!"
The senior brothers and sisters queuing up to beat Lu Yang was one matter; acknowledging his talent was quite another.
……
Lu Yang, Tao Yaoye, and the others were thoroughly dumbfounded to see Meng Jingzhou attain enlightenment and comprehend a lineage-ending fist technique.
Was there any justice left in this world?
If anyone was the most shocked, it had to be Qin Yanyan.
Before coming to the Dao Seeking Sect, she had possessed a measure of pride, believing that Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had merely cultivated a bit faster. If she worked hard, she might well catch up.
She was two months older than Li Haoran, and her cultivation level was on par with his. Li Haoran's talent comfortably placed him among the top ten of the younger generation, and she was not far behind him at all. She was fully qualified to become a disciple of the Five Great Immortal Sects.
It was only because she had Su Yiren guiding her that she had no need to join one.
She had believed that even if a gap existed between herself and apex talents of the younger generation like Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, it wouldn't be very wide. By watching from the sidelines, she could always learn something.
Looking at them now, only a ghost could learn anything from this!
No wonder her past-life father possessed the purest Fire Spiritual Root yet could only rank fifth in their batch.
The top four spots were truly impossible to breach.
Besides, the first rank threw an Arhat Fist that made people bald, and the second rank threw a Bachelor Curse Fist that condemned people to lifelong bachelorhood. Were these two really from the Dao Seeking Sect, or did they belong to the Hanging Temple?
Witnessing Meng Jingzhou's fist technique, the Immortal Fairy couldn't help but sigh with emotion. "So this is what they mean by 'In every generation talents arise, each dominating the stage for centuries.'"
Lu Yang raised an eyebrow, wearing a conflicted look. That was indeed how the poem went, but didn't quoting it here feel a bit off?
"Does this fist technique have no restrictions?" Tao Yaoye wondered aloud. Man Gu's All-Ancestors Core remained within reasonable bounds; it didn't elevate his cultivation to match that of his ancestors. Could Meng Jingzhou's fist technique truly disregard cultivation levels altogether?
If so, wouldn't anyone who saw him turn and run?
Eldest Senior Sister watched the smug Meng Jingzhou on the arena for a brief moment before withdrawing her gaze. Shaking her head gently, she explained to the group, "It is not as exaggerated as you imagine.
"Meng Jingzhou is at the Golden Core stage, so his fist technique can only be used against cultivators at or below the Golden Core stage. Moreover, he must be wary of karmic backlash."
"Backlash?"
"Yes. Take Li Haoran as an example. Li Haoran's fiancée is Su Yiren, and Su Yiren is a Body Integration stage cultivator. Li Haoran's karmic bond of marriage is tied to Su Yiren, and that kind of bond cannot be severed by ordinary means.
"If Meng Jingzhou were to use the Bachelor Curse Fist on Li Haoran, he would suffer backlash because his own power cannot overcome Li Haoran's karmic marriage bond."
"What happens to Meng Jingzhou if he suffers backlash?" Lu Yang asked curiously. Could it force Meng Jingzhou himself to become a bachelor?
In that case, wouldn't backlash make no difference to him at all?
Eldest Senior Sister pinched her fingers to deduce the karma, then said, "He would likely lose all karmic connections with women for a period of time. In practice, during that period, he would be unable to come into contact with any female. Through various coincidences, he would find himself steered away from women, or women would end up avoiding him through strange happenstances."
The Bachelor Curse Fist sounded heavily restricted and fraught with the risk of backlash, but on second thought, who else was like Li Haoran, having a Body Integration stage fiancée at such a young age?
Listening from the side, Li Haoran asked in bewilderment, "Isn't the greatest backlash of Senior Brother Meng's fist technique that he'll be hunted down by people after using it?"
Lu Yang: "..."
On second thought, Lu Yang realized he had a point. Meng Jingzhou's fist technique couldn't kill anyone, but saying that whoever got hit by it would hold a grudge until death was putting it mildly.
"Just now, Senior Brother Meng said his fist technique came naturally with his Golden Core, but I've never heard of a Bachelor Golden Core carrying such a technique," Li Haoran said, perplexed. To prepare for his own Core Formation, he had read numerous accounts and insights, and descriptions of the Bachelor Golden Core were naturally among them.
Lu Yang pointed out the flaw in Li Haoran's thinking: "You've overlooked one detail. The core Meng Jingzhou formed wasn't just a single Bachelor Golden Core—he formed an unprecedented pair of them."
Li Haoran: "???"
Lu Yang continued, "Seniors with Bachelor Spiritual Roots in the past never comprehended this technique, which only proves their degree of bachelordom wasn't as profound as Meng Jingzhou's."
"Lu Yang, you're slandering me again! This is clearly proof of my extraordinary comprehension!" Meng Jingzhou leaped down from the stage, glaring furiously at Lu Yang.
Lu Yang spread his hands, acting as though he hadn't said a thing.
Man Gu slowly came to, gazing blearily at the noisy surroundings. "Did I lose?"
After invoking the ancestors to possess him, he had no memory of what followed.
Lu Yang said earnestly, "Your ancestors were worried about cutting off their sole surviving lineage, so they surrendered."
"Huh?" Man Gu blinked, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
To defeat him, had Brother Meng resorted to underhanded moves like Monkey Steals the Peach?
Surely not...
"Lu Yang, come back with me."
Leaving behind only that single sentence, Eldest Senior Sister headed straight back toward Tianmen Peak.
The spectating Dao Seeking Sect disciples all dispersed. Some returned to cultivate, some headed to the Scripture Pavilion to read, and some went off on dates with junior sisters—each had their own business to attend to.
Lu Yang jogged along, keeping pace with Eldest Senior Sister.
"Eldest Senior Sister, has the Fairy's kitchen been moved back?"
"Mm."
Inside the spiritual space, the Immortal Fairy's eyes lit up.
Chapter 314