Beginning with the Five Animals Fist to Become a Saint

Chaosheng Pavilion.

Trendy Life.

A somber atmosphere permeated the place, like the calm before a storm, the air still and heavy.

Jing Wuming and Chen Wang felt extremely heavy-hearted.

A shocking clash could happen in the next instant.

"Does Your Excellency know what a first-rank official is?" Just then, Chen Canghai's voice rang out, breaking the clash of their auras and the heavy silence.

Before Jiang Ning could answer, Chen Canghai said, "A first-rank official can be a match for a thousand troops, making him a celestial being, beyond human capabilities. Marquis, you should think carefully. Do you really want to be my enemy?"

“If you were the Black Dragon King back then, I certainly wouldn’t dare come here,” Jiang Ning said calmly.

At first glance, he could tell that even after thirty years of recuperation, Chen Canghai had not returned to the first rank, had not become a Hunyuan, and had not entered the first rank.

Their energy and spirit are inevitably still in a state of imbalance.

He couldn't tell whether the imbalance was caused by insufficient essence and blood or by weak qi and spirit.

However, one thing he was certain of was that Chen Canghai had fallen from the First Grade Unity Realm to the Second Grade Divine Intent Realm Grandmaster, and was still at the Second Grade Divine Intent Realm Grandmaster.

"Although I have not been able to return to the first rank, I am not at the level that can be described as second rank!" Chen Canghai stood with his hands behind his back, his expression still indifferent: "I do not want to be enemies with the Marquis, but the Marquis should not make a mistake. In many cases in life, choices are more important than anything else. Once the arrow is released, there is no turning back."

After he finished speaking, Chen Canghai continued.

"I will tell you the truth, my lord. After thirty years of seclusion, although I have not been able to return to the first-grade unity realm, the injuries I sustained back then have been completely healed, and my energy and spirit are not much weaker than they were back then."

“My strength is far beyond what someone like Ji Mingzhou can compare to. You should know this from this junior.”

As he finished speaking, Chen Canghai's gaze fell on Jing Wuming.

Jing Wuming suddenly felt an immense pressure on his body.

His memory returned to a few days ago, to the scene of Chen Canghai appearing and fighting him, recalling his defeat in ten moves.

He knew very well that if Chen Canghai had murderous intent at that time, he would not be able to leave the territory of Chaosheng Pavilion.

At this moment, Jiang Ning's expression did not change at all after hearing Chen Canghai's words.

Facing the river breeze, he calmly met Chen Canghai's dragon-like eyes.

"Are you finished?" Jiang Ning spoke, his voice not loud, but clear enough to pierce through the sound of the tide: "You still only have two choices. Either take your people, leave everything behind, and leave Guangning Prefecture. Or, you will suffer the same fate as the Duxian Sect."

Chen Canghai's indifference was finally replaced by a hint of anger. His gaunt face twitched slightly, and the light in his eyes intensified.

"Lord Dongling, I admire your courage, but I regret your lack of discretion. Do you really think that by crushing a Duxian Sect that is barely clinging to life with its array formations, you can act arrogantly in front of me? Do you really think that, burdened by a curse and with only half of your strength remaining, you can still defeat me?"

He slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers loosely clenched, and the misty water vapor around the platform was instantly drawn in. Countless tiny water droplets gathered in his palm and condensed into a black water dragon about a foot long in an instant.

Although small, the water dragon had scales and claws that were clearly visible, making it extremely ferocious. It exuded a chilling and domineering aura that made people's hearts tremble, and the surrounding temperature suddenly dropped a few degrees.

"I'll give you one last chance," Chen Canghai said coldly. "Retreat now, and for the sake of the Martial Saint, we can part ways. You go your way, and I'll guard my own. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?" Jiang Ning interrupted him, taking a step forward.

Boom—

As my foot landed on the ground, the rocks beneath my feet trembled, and the mountain itself seemed to radiate a powerful sensation.

Chen Canghai's pupils contracted slightly.

At this moment, he understood the strength of Jiang Ning's physical body and his power.

He immediately understood where Jiang Ning's confidence came from.

I understand why Jiang Ning, despite being cursed, still possesses such courage.

The next moment, the solemnity in his eyes turned into a cold killing intent.

"Otherwise, today, or this day next year, will be the anniversary of your death."

Before he finished speaking, the black water dragon in his palm let out a silent roar, suddenly expanded, and transformed into a black torrent like a bolt of lightning. It opened its dragon head and, with a force that could devour everything, crashed into Jiang Ning's chest!

Wherever the black torrent passed, the air groaned under its own weight, and the stone slabs on the ground cracked inch by inch, creating a terrifying spectacle!
"My lord, be careful!" Jing Wuming called out from behind.

He could tell at a glance that Chen Canghai's attack was full of thunder and domineering power.

He made his move without any probing, clearly intending to end the battle quickly.

"Perfect timing!"

Jiang Ning shouted.

Golden light burst forth from his body, a faint golden light enveloping him, and he struck out with his palm.

The palm pierced straight into the dragon's head.

Boom—

Palms facing each other.

The river burst open, and waves of air surged.

Ten miles away, Liu Teng immediately saw the tidal wave burst open in a circular shape and continue to spread.

at the same time.

Jiang Ning felt a chilling, domineering, yet unpredictable force surge into his arm like a tide.

As the force entered his body, his blood froze, and his right arm felt as if it were in a freezing cave, causing him to stagger backward.

next moment.

His vital energy erupted like a volcano within him, and the icy coldness within him instantly melted away like snow meeting ice.

"What a magnificent Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique!" Jiang Ning thought to himself. "It is domineering and insidious, with strength on the outside and gentleness on the inside, combining both. If my body had not undergone multiple trials to break limits and become extraordinary, this palm strike would have crippled the arm of an ordinary second-grade grandmaster."

A thought flashed through his mind, and he took a few steps back before stopping.

He looked at Chen Canghai with slightly narrowed eyes.

At this moment, Chen Canghai did not take advantage of the situation to approach, but stood with his hands behind his back, showing a calm demeanor.

Then, looking at Jiang Ning's unchanging expression, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Although he didn't use his full strength in that palm strike, he still used eight-tenths of his power, unleashing a combination of strength and gentleness. Even a true first-grade cultivator would have their blood and qi churning for a moment after receiving that palm strike.

Jiang Ning's expression remained unchanged at this moment.

Clearly, the force that had entered his body had been neutralized by Jiang Ning.

"He's indeed not to be underestimated! No wonder the immortal realms are so wary of him!" The thought flashed through Chen Canghai's mind.

"Would the Marquis be willing to coexist peacefully and withdraw from here?" Chen Canghai asked again.

"His foundation was damaged, and with age and declining health, he was ultimately weakened by three points and lost three points of his domineering power!" Jiang Ning commented.

"Since that's how it is, Lord Marquis, then take another palm strike from me!" Chen Canghai said, slowly raising his arms as if embracing the ocean.

Behind us, the roar of the raging river suddenly intensified!
It wasn't that the river water actually became louder, but rather that the water vapor between heaven and earth was being frantically drawn and gathered by his energy.

Behind Chen Canghai, countless water droplets detached from the river surface and rose from the air, transforming into a hazy sea of ​​mist. The sea of ​​mist churned and quickly solidified, transforming into a gigantic wave, ten zhang high and as wide as the platform, in just two or three breaths!

Although the giant waves were formed from water vapor, they were as heavy as a physical object, and the waves made a rumbling sound as they rose and fell, as if a raging sea had really been moved to the cliff.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning's expression turned serious.

The scene he had witnessed immediately flashed into his mind.

The scene of Lu Zhan, the Prince of Huai'an, fighting against Pang Yunhai.

Although Chen Canghai's move was not as powerful as the one used by the Prince of Huai'an, it still possessed a certain imposing force.

"Black Dragon Devours Whale - Tsunami!"

Chen Canghai pushed his palms forward.

The ten-zhang-long giant wave responded to the sound, like a mountain collapsing and the sea overturning, carrying the momentum to sweep across the heavens and the earth, and crashed down towards Jiang Ning! This strike was no longer a simple release of internal force, but rather it drew upon the power of the water element of heaven and earth, turning the illusory into the real, and overwhelming people with its momentum.

Before the waves even arrived, the strong wind was already biting like a knife. The broken stones on the platform rolled around, and Chen Wang and Jing Wuming in the distance were forced to retreat repeatedly, their faces filled with horror.

Jiang Ning looked up at the illusory image of the giant wave that blotted out the sky.

In an instant.

Countless golden rays burst forth from his body, gathering and expanding around him.

"What is that?!" Jing Wuming was shocked as he looked at the golden giant being swept away by the giant wave.

The golden giant was sixteen feet tall, its entire body resembling gilded glass, enveloped in golden light, like a creature that had stepped out of mythology.

"drink!"

The next moment, a thunderous shout exploded.

The golden giant threw out his right fist straight out.

There are no fancy moves, only the purest power and speed.

As the fist passed, the air was compressed rapidly, producing a sharp explosion. A golden fist aura, condensed to the point of being tangible, burst out and met the towering wave head-on.

boom--!!!
The golden fist energy collided head-on with the giant wave.

In an instant, the platform shook violently, with a sound like thunder.

The golden and black energies violently annihilated and crushed each other, and the dissipated energy plowed countless furrows into the platform's ground. The rocks near the edge could not withstand the force and collapsed in large chunks, falling into the roaring river below.

The giant wave was torn apart by the fist's energy, but it did not completely dissipate. The remaining water elemental power still swept towards Jiang Ning like a raging tide.

Jiang Ning neither dodged nor avoided the attack, nor even adopted a defensive stance.

He let the aftershocks of the massive wave, which contained the power to shatter mountains and split rocks, wash over his body.

The golden light on its surface shone and changed, emitting a "hissing" sound, as if cold water was poured on a red-hot iron block.

"This is!!!" Chen Wang stared at the scene in disbelief.

"Buddhist supernatural powers!!!" Chen Canghai's pupils suddenly contracted.

With just one glance, he could tell what kind of methods Jiang Ning was using.

Just then, Jiang Ning made a move.

He took a step forward, and the rocks beneath his feet crumbled and scattered, sending up a burst of debris with a whooshing sound.

It was only for a fleeting moment.

Jiang Ning appeared right above Chen Canghai's head.

Then a palm strike landed.

The golden light dissipated, turning into countless points of light that vanished, revealing the figure beneath the golden giant.

"A great opportunity!!" Chen Canghai's eyes narrowed.

In a flash, he could tell that Jiang Ning's breathing was unstable, that he had consumed too much energy, and that he was clearly not up to the task.

He immediately raised both palms to the sky, from bottom to top, as if to overturn the sky above his head.

Just then, Jiang Ning withdrew and retreated, as graceful as a willow leaf swaying in the breeze.

“Chen Canghai,” Jiang Ning said calmly, “You once reached the first rank and glimpsed the scenery from a higher place. I wonder if you have ever seen this kind of power.”

As he finished speaking, he stepped back, his finger pointing out, a hazy gray light bursting from his fingertip.

Within the radiance lies the meaning of flourishing and decay.

This was his latest insight from a few days ago.

He had just considered it and decided to abandon the idea of ​​using force to intimidate others, instead using this opportunity to test the power of flourishing and decay he had gleaned from the changing seasons.

As the dim light appeared, there was no earth-shattering momentum, no overwhelming aura.

Only a ray of light pierced the sky.

At this moment, Chen Canghai suddenly felt a strong palpitation, and an inexplicable risk suddenly descended.

He instinctively unleashed all his power, pushing the Black Dragon Devouring Whale Technique to its limit. Black energy swirled around him, faintly forming a coiled dragon phantom that protected him.

However, in the next instant...

whoosh-

Before that hazy, gray light.

He discovered that all protective measures were futile, like a dream or a bubble, unable to block even the slightest bit of that hazy light.

In an instant.

As the dim light entered his body, he was horrified to discover that the vital energy and blood in his body, which had been slowly declining due to his physical problems and the increase of age, were now rapidly deteriorating like a flood!
This decline is not due to loss caused by injury, nor is it suppressed by external forces.

Rather, it is a more fundamental withering.

Just as a flower, after blooming, will inevitably wither one day.

Time seemed to accelerate within his body countless times, instantly traversing the transition from youth to old age. His muscles were relaxed, his bones were weak, his vital energy was depleting at an alarming rate, and even his soul was filled with fatigue and drowsiness.

"What kind of tricks are these?!" Chen Canghai was shocked and filled with fear.

He frantically circulated his cultivation technique, trying to stop this decline, only to find that his true energy was also rapidly declining, becoming sluggish, obscure, and difficult to mobilize.

In the blink of an eye.

Chen Canghai aged rapidly, his gray hair turned white, his skin wrinkled, his once upright body became slightly hunched, and his breath rapidly declined.

“Withering and flourishing.” Jiang Ning looked at Chen Canghai, his understanding deepening.

Chen Canghai was already in his twilight years.

Chen Canghai's later years were not like those of the Martial Saint, whose lifespan was nearing its end.

Rather, it was caused by an irreconcilable wound that damaged its very essence.

This also led to the possibility that Chen Canghai's energy and spirit would lose their balance.

As people age, even the strongest individuals will begin to experience a decline in their vital energy and blood.

This is also the thing that all those who have reached the first rank of power fear the most.

A thousand methods, ten thousand actions.

Once you reach a certain age, it becomes difficult to maintain that level of attainment.

Sooner or later, they will fall.

Chen Canghai stared intently at Jiang Ning, his eyes filled with disbelief, shock, and a hint of bewilderment.

After decades of arduous cultivation, experiencing life and death, reaching the pinnacle only to fall back into the dust, he lay dormant for thirty years, intending to revitalize himself and make a comeback with a precious treasure.

He thought that even if he was no longer as brave as before, his profound understanding of martial arts and his in-depth study of the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique would be enough to lead Chaosheng Pavilion to a new height, thus repaying the cultivation Chaosheng Pavilion had given him in the past.

He wished to dedicate the last glory of his life to Chaosheng Pavilion.

Unexpectedly, he was defeated so thoroughly and so strangely in front of this seemingly exhausted young man!
"Please, Lord Marquis, give me another chance and grant my disciples of Chaosheng Pavilion a way to survive." Chen Canghai lowered his head, his aura weak, as if he had aged twenty years in an instant, his tone full of pleading as he addressed Jiang Ning.

The platform was deathly silent.

The roar of waves crashing against the stone walls came from below.

Chen Wang looked at this scene with a deathly pale face.

Jing Wuming took a deep breath, his gaze towards Jiang Ning's retreating figure filled with profound awe. (End of Chapter)