Outside the Shuangqi Inn.
A towering figure approached, walking into the sand-filled wind.
He was not on horseback, but on foot.
However, his speed was extreme, and his strides were remarkably uniform.
Each step covered three zhang—no more, no less!
In just a few moments, he arrived before the Shuangqi Inn.
He wore a python robe, his features square-jawed and handsome, his profile as if carved from stone. He carried no weapons.
However, the moment he arrived, an invisible pressure began to spread.
It caused the breathing of the chaotic, fighting crowd to catch in their throats.
"Quite a lively scene."
He spoke calmly, his voice soft.
Yet, to Yan Hongqing and the others, it boomed like a clap of thunder!
The Innate Realm Martial Artists with weaker Cultivation were forced to their knees, only to be cut down on the spot by the Jinyi Guard.
Even Yan Hongqing's form wavered, and she was nearly struck down by the blade of Jinyi Guard Households Commander Liao Guangyun!
Just then,
the Daoist strode slowly out of the inn and said:
"Chen Tiangang, what's the point of bullying juniors? I, this old Daoist, have been waiting for you for quite some time."
Chen Tiangang gazed at the Daoist, his eyes calm.
"Ming Xu, I spared you once for Master Zhang's sake. I never thought you'd dare to show your face again. I'm afraid you won't be leaving today."
Daoist Ming Xu chuckled.
"Chen Tiangang, so many years have passed, yet you're still as hypocritical as ever. You couldn't defeat me back then, yet you claimed it was for my master's sake. Well, let's have another go today. Let this old Daoist see if you've made any progress over the years."
Chen Tiangang shook his head.
"As you are now, you are no longer worthy of my attention."
Ming Xu narrowed his eyes.
"Worthy or not, we'll only know after we fight!"
As his voice fell,
Ming Xu took a step forward, duster in hand. His entire body seemed to merge with Heaven and Earth as a tide of surging Inner Strength erupted, sweeping across the land.
Not far away,
Wang Xiao watched Ming Xu make his move, a sharp glint in his eyes.
This Daoist Ming Xu was even stronger than he had imagined, having already surpassed the Grandmaster states of Immaculate and Unbreakable by God.
He had taken the first step toward becoming a Martial Saint by merging his own Martial Arts with Heaven and Earth!
Once his Martial Arts fully resonated with the rhythm of this world, becoming one with it, he would be able to perfectly control Heaven and Earth and enter the realm of a Martial Saint!
In other words, Daoist Ming Xu was only a single step away from becoming a Martial Saint.
No wonder he dared to lay a trap for a Grandmaster!
With his current strength, an ordinary Grandmaster would truly be no match for him.
[Analysis successful. Acquired: Tai Chi Primordial Technique]
In that instant,
the method for circulating the Tai Chi Primordial Technique and the ways to execute its moves were all instantly mastered by Wang Xiao.
This was the Martial Arts that Daoist Ming Xu had created himself.
With Wang Xiao's current power, analyzing such a Martial Arts technique was a trivial matter.
'Daoist Ming Xu's comprehension is truly extraordinary. He actually used Wudang Tai Chi as a core, integrated various Inner Power arts, and created a completely new Inner Power system. That can be considered a true innovation.'
As Wang Xiao comprehended the Tai Chi Primordial Technique in his mind, he felt his own Martial Arts improve slightly.
This Tai Chi Primordial Technique was enough to be ranked among Upper-Grade Martial Arts.
However, to become a Martial Saint, creating an Upper-Grade Martial Arts technique was merely the most basic requirement.
The most important thing was to make that Martial Arts resonate with the rhythm of Heaven and Earth, thereby allowing oneself to perfectly control them!
That was the most crucial step to becoming a Martial Saint.
While he was lost in thought, Ming Xu had already appeared before Chen Tiangang.
Under the force of his immense Inner Strength, the duster in his hand began to spin relentlessly.
Finally, it formed a Tai Chi Diagram.
Each strand of the duster seemed to represent a different Martial Art, radiating unparalleled fluctuations of Inner Strength!
When Ming Xu attacked, it was as if ten thousand Grandmasters were striking simultaneously. The sheer force of it was so immense that it sent the wind and sand reeling backward, forming a dust storm.
This was the terrifying aspect of the Tai Chi Primordial Technique: the ability to unleash a wide variety of Martial Arts at the same time!
Even a Grandmaster might not be able to withstand it!
Faced with this ferocious attack,
Chen Tiangang neither dodged nor evaded, a faint hint of mockery even appearing in his eyes.
An aura so violent it seemed capable of annihilating everything suddenly surged from within him.
BOOM!
A heaven-shaking crack, like a peal of thunder, suddenly echoed between Heaven and Earth.
Countless grains of sand went berserk, swirling wildly around Chen Tiangang.
Chen Tiangang splayed his fingers, then clenched them into a fist. It was as if he had seized the whole of Heaven and Earth in his hand!
Then, he threw a punch!
The punch exuded a boundless power, as if it had shattered Heaven and Earth in that single instant.
Everyone's vision was completely filled by this one punch, leaving no room for anything else!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The mere aftershock of the punch caused all the Innate Realm and even Grandmaster Martial Artists to collapse, unable to get back up.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The moment the punch was thrown,
the duster in Ming Xu's hand broke apart inch by inch, and the Tai Chi Diagram it had formed was shattered by the fist!
It was as if nothing in the world could withstand the power of that punch.
POW!
Ming Xu spat out a mouthful of blood. His body flew backward like a broken kite, carving a massive trench in the ground before crashing straight through the Shuangqi Inn behind him!
"A… a Martial Saint… Chen Tiangang has become a Martial Saint!"
Yan Hongqing struggled to her feet, her eyes filled with terror as she stared at the towering figure in the distance.
That power to control Heaven and Earth just now… it was definitely that of a Martial Saint.
Otherwise, there was no way he could have defeated her master in a single blow!
"The… the Chief has become a Martial Saint!"
"Haha, I knew it! The Chief would never let us down."
"From now on, we Jinyi Guard can hold our heads high again!"
Seeing this, all the Jinyi Guard were visibly thrilled.
A Martial Saint! This was a Martial Saint!
There were only four Martial Saints in this world.
And their Chief was the fifth!
Most importantly, besides Wu Shengtiang, the Court now had another Martial Saint. This was bound to turn the tide of their increasingly dire situation!
In contrast to the excitement and joy of the Jinyi Guard,
Yan Hongqing and the others wore looks of despair.
Before a Martial Saint, they didn't even have the courage to run!
"Cough, cough, cough… Chen Tiangang, you actually took the final step. I, this old Daoist, have no complaints about my loss."
Amidst the swirling sand and wind,
Ming Xu shakily got to his feet, forcing himself not to fall.
This seemed to be the only way he could maintain his dignity.
"Master, are you alright?"
Zhang Yuanzhu went to Ming Xu's side and helped him up.
Ming Xu sighed. "Yuan Zhu, I'm afraid we will die here today. Do you regret taking this old Daoist as your master?"
Tears welled in Zhang Yuanzhu's eyes. "Without you, Master, I would still be a beggar. Everything I know was taught by you. How could I have any regrets? A true man is born between Heaven and Earth; to die a worthy death is nothing to be afraid of!"
Ming Xu laughed wildly. "Good, good! You are truly this old Daoist's good disciple."
Then he turned to Chen Tiangang and said, "Chen Tiangang, if you want Shen Tianshan's Treasure Map, then let my two disciples go. You can have this old Daoist's life."
"Master, if we die, we die together! How could I abandon you!" Zhang Yuanzhu immediately cried.
Ming Xu sighed. "Silly child, the Taiping Army needs you. The countless common folk need you. My death doesn't matter, but the oath we swore to restore the world cannot end here. Someone must carry it on!"
Chen Tiangang walked through the howling sandstorm and stopped before Ming Xu.
"I've heard the name Zhang Yuanzhu. He is a formidable man. Letting him go would be like releasing a tiger back to the mountains."
"We Jinyi Guard make it our business to nip any danger in the bud!"
"Therefore, all of you will be taken back to the Jinyi Guard's Imperial Prison to await judgment."
"As for the Treasure Map… once you're in the Imperial Prison, there's nothing the Jinyi Guard can't find out."
"Of course, before that, I need to cripple your Martial Arts!"
Hearing this, a look of despair appeared in Ming Xu's eyes.
His heart swelled with bitter resentment.
'Why? Why was Chen Tiangang able to break through to become a Martial Saint?'
'Could it be that this decaying dynasty's fate is not yet sealed?!'
Even before Chen Tiangang could strike, Ming Xu's aura began to decay.
At that moment, he completely lost the qualification to ever become a Martial Saint.
"A pity."
Seeing this, Chen Tiangang couldn't help but shake his head.
However, his hand did not pause in the slightest as he pressed it toward Ming Xu's Dantian!
However, in the next instant, his palm suddenly froze in mid-air.
A sword scabbard had blocked it.
"Hmm?"
Chen Tiangang raised an eyebrow, feeling an undisguised, heaven-piercing Sword Intent coming from ahead.
He looked forward and saw a handsome youth with bright, piercing eyes staring at him.
"Commander, I have a sword. I would like to ask for your guidance!"
As the youth spoke, he drew the sharp sword from its scabbard.
"This sword is called Celestial Flying Immortal!"
For six years, the sword was hidden in its sheath.
Today, it is drawn for one reason alone: to become a Martial Saint!