Playing with fantasy beasts in the martial arts world

Chapter 184 The First Wave of Island Attack Has Arrived! (A Long Chapter of 7,000 Words)
Since the concept of swordsmanship was born in the martial arts world, the debate between the "swordsmanship of emotion" and the "swordsmanship of ruthlessness" has been ongoing.

Broadly speaking, it can be loosely expanded into the Sword Intent School and the Sword Technique School.

The Sword Intent School prioritizes the sword, using emotion to control the sword, with the sword following the heart. Therefore, there is emotion involved. This emotion does not only refer to the petty love between men and women, but can also be national ambition, compassion for humanity, and of course... it can also be something other than emotion. Hatred, loathing, evil, anger, and all the seven emotions and six desires of human life can be incorporated into the sword.

The Sword Intent School does not disregard the importance of sword skills, but rather believes that the core of swordsmanship is intent, while externally restrictive sword techniques are unimportant; one should grasp the intent and forget the sword itself.

In contrast, the Sword Technique School... also known as the Ruthless Sword Way, is about having nothing but the sword. It is about being sincere in one's heart, sincere to oneself, and sincere to the sword. Man and sword are inseparable; the sword is a part of man. Naturally, the so-called sword intent is exceptionally pure, simple, and direct, yet it is the most ruthless and decisive, just like the natural operation of all things in nature.

To kill with a sword is not killing, but rather the natural cycle of life. Since it has come to this, the swordsman who kills is acting on behalf of Heaven to carry out the cycle of life.

The so-called ruthlessness, on a small scale, means extinguishing one's emotions and nature, disregarding life and death, and being unfettered by feelings, making one's swordsmanship sharp and decisive. If a person can even understand their own life and death, then even if their swordsmanship is third-rate, they can become a first-rate master. On a grand scale, it is like interpreting the Way of Heaven, raising the perspective to look down on all living beings from the perspective of the ruthless Way of Heaven. Naturally, life and death are impermanent, and impermanence is ruthlessness.

That's all there is to it!

Therefore, the Sword Sect and Qi Sect of the Huashan School seem like a joke. The root of the problem is that what you believe in is not important, but choosing a side is very important.

However, the debate between "feeling" and "unfeeling" in swordsmanship is truly a matter of different directions and philosophies. Forcibly merging "feeling" and "unfeeling" will lead to a situation like Dugu Jian, who was trapped in this dilemma for half his life and could not extricate himself from it, always lingering in a state of confusion.

Although the Holy Spirit Sword Technique is indeed one of the most terrifying and dreadful sword techniques, Dugu Jian is no longer the most powerful or terrifying swordsman.

Of course, 99% of swordsmen are just blindly imitating others, and talking to them about the way of the sword with feelings or the way of the sword without feelings is like casting pearls before swine.

Only a very few swordsmen can break free from the constraints, elevate the principles of swordsmanship to a philosophical level, and embrace them, thereby unleashing their spirit and making their swordsmanship transcend the ordinary, reaching a superhuman realm.

If it were an ordinary swordsman facing Ximen Chuixue's current predicament, he would either bury himself in rigorous training in hopes of breaking through and winning again, or simply give up and accept defeat without dwelling on whether he was sentimental or heartless.

Only Ximen Chuixue, before he could walk, learned to wield a sword. He mastered basic swordsmanship at the age of three, became proficient in the exquisite swordsmanship of various schools at the age of ten, and surpassed more than 90% of swordsmen in the world at the age of eighteen, becoming a true master of the sword. Few in the martial arts world could withstand three of his sword moves without being defeated and killed.

His life had long been intertwined with the sword; he was born to be the embodiment of the 'ruthless sword'.

He then encountered Lang Fanyun, an even more overpowered sword prodigy.

There are indeed many masters in the Huang faction, and quite a few of them are at the Void Shattering (Life Breaking) level. However, most of these beings who can shatter the void are related to the Four Great Books: the Longevity Manual, the War God's Record, the Heavenly Demon Strategy, and the Compassionate Sword Manual, which permeate the entire Huang faction martial arts world.

However, Lang Fanyun's ability to shatter the void had nothing to do with the Four Great Books. He didn't even have any remarkable lineage or background. He learned from the waters of Dongting Lake and created the Overturning Rain Sword Technique. His emergence caused a sensation in the martial arts world, and then began his legendary life.

With such talent, Lang Fanyun surpassed even Ximen Chuixue. It's understandable that Ximen Chuixue, who hadn't yet reached his peak, was repeatedly defeated by Lang Fanyun, even having his Dao heart damaged.

At this moment, everyone was at a loss as to how to comfort Ximen Chuixue, who was chugging down bottles of wine.

If it were Lu Xiaofeng who was feeling down, giving him a few jars of wine and bringing over two beauties would have calmed him down in no time. But this is Ximen Chuixue. Even if his Daoist heart is unstable, he probably wouldn't be so dissolute.

"Then... Ximen, you've only ever lost to Lang Fanyun?" Cha Nan thought of shock therapy. If his Dao heart was shattered by Lang Fanyun, the representative of the sentimental sword path, then if he were to find a representative of the ruthless sword path to defeat him a few times and mend it, wouldn't that be enough?

Upon hearing this, Ximen Chuixue paused slightly, then continued to pour wine.

"You've hit a nerve. After losing to Lang Fanyun, he met an old man who called himself 'Gu Mutian.' The old man told him a lot about the benefits of the Sentimental Sword Dao and even defeated him..." Lu Xiaofeng said.

"Ah!" Cha Nan was speechless. Was Ximen Chuixue really that 'lucky'?
Cha Nan didn't immediately recognize the name Gu Mutian, but after a few seconds, she remembered.

The master of the goddess dragon, that strange old man who could easily sweep through the martial arts world and kill Bantianyue with two slaps, yet still had to watch his apprentice suffer enough, but who would always pop up to heal the protagonist group whenever they were in dire straits!
This old man is truly a player in the martial arts world, because he treats even his apprentices as part of the game.

The main point is that although my apprentice is in a terrible situation, I just enjoy watching it.

Anyway, I'm not really going to die.

"This is a double blow!"

"I need to think of someone who can comfort Ximen Chuixue!"

"First of all, his swordsmanship must be better than his, Nameless...?"

"Uh! The Nameless Sword is also a sword with feelings?"

Cha Nan quietly took out a Paluka. Don't misunderstand... there's no other meaning. He just wanted to see what the capture success rate would be for Ximen Chuixue in this state.

"Nine percent?"

"Is it really that high?" Cha Nan looked at the capture probability and had to admit he was very tempted.

If it weren't for Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou, and Sikong Zhaixing, those three troublesome guys...

"Damn it! Damn it!" Cha Nan immediately kicked the evil thought away. Although he often imagined things, he had never actively harmed a 'righteous' person so far.

After all, complete subjugation is not about signing an 'equal contract'; it changes a person's perceptions.

"What are you thinking?"

"Why are you laughing so strangely?" Lu Xiaofeng asked, staring at Cha Nan.

Cha Nan shook his head: "It's nothing. I was just thinking if there are any experts I know who have excellent swordsmanship and I could exchange skills with Ximen."

"And then?" Lu Xiaofeng asked with concern.

“There are a few… but they are not pure swordsmen. Their swordsmanship may be very good, but when it comes to discussing the way of the sword, I’m afraid… they are not quite up to the task!” Cha Nan said frankly.

The theory of swordsmanship may sound mysterious, but if you don't fall into this trap and just use it as a tool, it's actually quite feasible.

Does Yan Kuangtu know swordsmanship? He definitely does, and he's very good at it, but his strength goes far beyond just swordsmanship.

Even if Ximen Chuixue were to face Yan Kuangtu, he would definitely not be a match for him.

"That's a pity!" Lu Xiaofeng said regretfully.

But then he added, "By the way, among your magical beasts, do any know swordsmanship?"

Upon hearing this, Cha Nan thought carefully: "It seems like...no?"

Although there are two mythical beasts, the Wave Blade Samurai and the Demon Blade Samurai, they actually use samurai swords, which the Japanese call "Kendo," but it is not the same as the Kendo of the Central Plains.

Of course, it would also be appropriate if it refers to bladed weapons in general.

Although there are no mythical beasts that know swordsmanship, there are lightsabers in the tech tree, and even Terra Prisms (light prism swords) that can cosplay as flying swords. If this thing is developed, Ximen Chuixue's Dao heart will be completely shattered.

After all, the struggle between swords with and without emotion can still be considered a struggle between traditions and paths.

However, relying solely on external forces or the power of weapons is definitely considered evil cultivation.

If they continue to mass-produce them... all sword cultivators in the world will have their Dao hearts shattered.

"What a pity! The blueprints for the Prism Sword have to be found in the Terraria Rift, and the crafting materials are also quite advanced. I definitely can't make it now! Otherwise, carrying a Prism Sword on my back would make me look like a sword immortal descended to earth, so cool!"

Seeing the strange smile creeping onto Cha Nan's lips, Lu Xiaofeng shook his head and tilted his head back to drink.

The topic gradually shifted away from Ximen Chuixue and instead Lu Xiaofeng and Sikong Zhaixing started performing a two-person folk song.

While they were undermining each other, they also talked about a lot of anecdotes from the martial arts world, which made for a great accompaniment to their drinks.

After a hearty meal and drinks, and as the conversation died down, the guests were settled into their accommodations. Cha Nan, however, took advantage of the lingering effects of the alcohol to return to the fantasy world, preparing to study diligently for another two days.

Now that he's already created the Overturning Dragon, and there's hope of unlocking various high-level mythical beasts, he can't just give up or become a couch potato.

The combination of King Qilin and Sea Dragon yields the result... Hayate Falcon!
With Monarch Melpa and Sea Dragon, you get Firebird, which is pretty good! It's a decent flying mythical beast with decent fire-type attack capabilities, so it's worth training.

After all, air combat units usually have the upper hand.

No matter what kind of opponent it is, facing a large flock of fire-breathing monster birds will be a major headache.

Then, with the Firebird and the Seadragon, we got Cagliari, not bad! A lucky break, now we have a meat shield.

Keglis is a dual-type earth and grass mythical beast. Although its attack power is relatively average among high-level mythical beasts, its defense is truly astonishing. It has a suit of gold and black armor and looks like a large beetle.

In the game, these mythical beasts mainly appear in the later maps, the Fallen Lands. However, in the real-world mythical beast world, Cha Nan really had no idea where to find these mythical beasts. Now, he has tried to breed them and it has been quite successful.

Cha Nan was having a bit of a headache figuring out how to create a formula that combined all the defensive attributes.

The incubation period for a Firebird is five to six days, while that for a Cagliari is ten days. If we rely solely on the breeding attributes of high-level mythical beasts to select and gather them generation after generation, the time required would be far too long.

I really can't stand it!

For now, we can only take one and train it to make do.

Looking at the two-meter-tall, burly, and fierce-looking Cagliari, Chanan patted its sturdy and heavy armor and said, "From now on, you will be called Optimus Prime! You will be my meat shield, responsible for standing in front of me and protecting me from all dangers."

Keglitz stared blankly at Chanan, his small eyes filled with a fierce glint, clearly indicating that he wasn't particularly intelligent.

They started again, pairing Cagliari with the Sea Dragon. Two days later, Chanan obtained a large, hot Palu egg.

After another seven days, the Lava Beast, a mythical beast with fire and earth attributes, was hatched.

He's good at mining and starting fires, and he can also be a meat shield, but he's not as good as Cagliari.

Overall, it's suitable as a working pet, but not really suitable as a main pet in the team.

Cha Nan planned to clean up the team list, putting Bai Sun and Kuai Huo Wang on the Beast Island to manage some affairs and keep an eye on the island. This would be more valuable than having them follow Cha Nan.

The only grandmaster-level expert they had been with for a long time was Liang Xiao, because Liang Xiao was useful and truly a versatile talent.

The remaining spots are all given to the mythical beasts.

Currently, Yunhailu occupies one spot, Fuhailong occupies one spot, and Keglis occupies one spot, leaving one vacancy.

Cha Nan wants to find a mythical beast that has a certain degree of dominance on the ground.

However, when the Lava Beast was paired with the Sea Dragon, it completed the closed loop.

They gave birth to the Sea Dragon.

Cha Nan's bizarre grandson-grandfather pairing has to come to a temporary end here.

He must try many other things.

The results were both good and bad.

Sometimes, when two high-level mythical beasts are combined, the offspring may not necessarily be a high-level mythical beast, but rather a mid-level or even low-level mythical beast, and the probability of this is not low.

Not only that, Cha Nan's skills have also reached their limit.

He now possesses internal energy equivalent to approximately 75 years of normal cultivation, after which his internal energy stops increasing.

It's obvious that if he doesn't break through to the Innate Realm, his power will be locked for seventy-five years. Forcibly injecting more power will cause his body to burst.

Perhaps by practicing some physical training techniques, one could raise their potential even further, but there is no need for that.

For Cha Nan, cultivating hard skills right now is too inefficient. He could use that time to break through to a higher level, find suitable magical beasts to enhance his physical attributes through synergy effects, which would be far more worthwhile.

After all, most hard skills are acquired through hard work and perseverance, and they don't rely on talent or comprehension. What they require is the investment of resources, as well as their own endurance and patience.

Just like the eighteen bronze men of Shaolin Temple, they used secret medicine to cleanse their bodies from childhood and also cultivated the Golden Bell Cover. When they grew up, their bodies would turn golden bronze, making them invulnerable to swords and spears, and impervious to water and fire. This is one of the secret protective techniques of Shaolin Temple.

After all, monks who can truly master Shaolin's unique skills and become top masters of their time are not necessarily produced in every generation, but there will always be someone who can learn the arduous skills of the Eighteen Bronze Men, which rely solely on resources and endurance.

With such a foundation, even if Shaolin Temple encounters great calamities, it can still preserve some of its incense offerings and start anew once the storm has passed.

"I just don't know if the Great Shift of the Universe and the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill will be of any benefit to me!"

"What a pity, we didn't capture the Golden Wheel Monk earlier!"

Feeling dizzy and disoriented as he walked out of the fantasy world, Cha Nan stood in front of the beach and let out a long sigh of relief.

After nightfall, under the cover of darkness, Cha Nan quietly released the two sea dragons into the sea.

They have been upgraded and are all level 25. Even if their strength in the sea is not as great as that of a Grandmaster, they can still rival one or two.

It's not that Cha Nan doesn't want to upgrade them to a higher level, but it's really not easy.

Leveling up your mythical beasts isn't simply a matter of killing other mythical beasts.

Rather, it's more like a challenge breakthrough; that is, when their opponents gradually lose their challenge and value, the speed and frequency of upgrades will also slow down.

Therefore, the upgrade is very fast in the early stages, but gradually becomes slower and slower, less and less noticeable, until it comes to a standstill.

Cha Nan didn't understand the underlying principles, but so far, the highest level he could raise Ao Bing to was level 30.

Ao Bing was the first sea dragon hatched by Cha Nan, and also the dragon with the strongest combat power boost in the ocean.

Cha Nan will definitely not release these two sea dragons completely, but will keep them fixed in the work area.

They are the guardian beasts of Fantasy Beast Island. If anyone is foolish enough to attack the island, they will show the intruder what fear is.

After all, such a massive creature, which can stretch for twenty or thirty meters when extended, has an extremely terrifying ability to attack in groups when it rolls and creates waves in the sea.

After a period of seclusion in the world of fantasy beasts, Cha Nan returned to the world of martial arts and chose to enjoy life.

He doesn't have any imminent crisis right now, and with Fu Hailong as a safety net, he's pretty much set, so of course he won't be working himself to the bone.

During this time, they returned to Xiangyang City once via the Palu terminal.

Xiangyang City has become bustling again, and even Mongol merchants have begun to appear in the city, which is quite unusual.

Cha Nan didn't understand the governing policy of the leader, but he was certain that the leader was relying on a debate.

However, there was nothing that could be done.

This is not his city after all. Even if he could take it by force, what would happen after he took it?

He didn't want deserted ruins.

Xiangyang City is not Fantasy Island.

Apart from the pirates and their families, the entire island of Fantasy Beasts was blank, so he could draw whatever he wanted.

However, Xiangyang is an ancient city and has always been an important town. The people here are deeply rooted, and various relationships and interests are intertwined. If Cha Nan does not use ruthless methods, he will only be dragged into the quagmire. But if he is too ruthless, he will inevitably destroy the city.

So... let's wait for the Mongols to come!
I'm conflicted!
He wanted to wait for the Mongols to sweep through the city before saving it from disaster and seizing it for himself. After all, the prosperity of Xiangyang and the isolation of the Phantom Beast Island were truly complementary and mutually beneficial.

But then I felt that doing so would cause widespread suffering and numerous deaths, which would not be a good thing.

Although Cha Nan's mindset has changed a lot since he first transmigrated, he is still the same person. Although he is selfish and egotistical, he still has a conscience and retains his morality.

After one night, Ximen Chuixue began to teach Cha Nan swordsmanship.

Cha Nan's talent for swordsmanship is neither good nor bad, only above average, a point Yang Guo had mentioned before.

What he lacks is not physical talent, but keen intuition, the insight and inspiration to seize the opponent's weakness in an instant. After all, although there are slashing moves in swordsmanship, the main focus is on thrusting!
While thrusting out a sword may seem simple, the timing, gaps, and rhythm required are all crucial.

If you can't control it, you'll be at a disadvantage in the blink of an eye when you encounter a master.

In short, what Cha Nan lacks is the intuition that a top swordsman should have.

Fortunately, Cha Nan was quick, and speed could make up for it.

Therefore, Ximen Chuixue did not teach Cha Nan how to use the sword accurately, but rather how to wield the sword quickly.

If one strike misses, then strike ten times in succession, using quantity to compensate for the lack of precision.

As for the "Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens" technique that Cha Nan coveted, Lu Xiaofeng had shown it to Cha Nan before, and had also revealed some of the incantations, but then nothing more was said. Cha Nan asked Ximen Chuixue for advice, but he told Cha Nan to first lay a solid foundation and not to learn from Lu Xiaofeng.

Lu Xiaofeng's "Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens" technique only reaches about 70-80% of its original power because his foundation is not solid and he is not a true swordsman.

However, if you lay a solid foundation and find your own rhythm in using the sword, and then learn the Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens, its power may be far less than that of Lu Xiaofeng at first, but its potential is undoubtedly greater. It has the probability of being comparable to Ye Gucheng's Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens, or even surpassing it.

Midway through, Cha Nan learned the "Forty-Nine Styles of Returning Wind and Dancing Willow Sword" passed down by Gu Daoren of Bashan from Yuan Suiyun. Although this sword technique does not only pursue speed, the sword moves are light, graceful, and unpredictable, which can cover up Cha Nan's lack of keen intuition through changes.

Under Ximen Chuixue's guidance, Cha Nan gradually integrated this sword technique with the sword techniques previously taught by Yang Guo and Qi Shaoshang, and gradually developed his own style.

As for why we only learned the Returning Wind and Willow Sword and not the Thirteen Styles of Qingfeng from the Huashan School?

That's because the Returning Wind and Dancing Willow Sword technique is passed down through a single lineage, so even if Cha Nan learned it, it would be difficult for the other party to come knocking on her door to demand an explanation. However, the Thirteen Styles of Qingfeng from the Huashan Sect are a bit more troublesome.

It wasn't that Cha Nan was afraid of getting into trouble, but rather that there was no need to.

He has many martial arts skills he can learn, but he doesn't have to learn them all. He can just learn some and draw inspiration from them.

It's not worth ruining your reputation for a martial art that isn't even truly top-notch.

After teaching Cha Nan for two months, Ximen Chuixue took his leave.

Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou then left as well.

As for Sikong Zhaixing, he had already left on his own, and when he left, he stole a bag of Paru mineral fragments from Cha Nan.

Three days after Lu Xiaofeng and the others left, a total of eight warships arrived near the Island of Illusions.

On the largest bronze warship with animal heads, Qiao Beiming and the Sixth Prince, who had been frightened away earlier, stood on the deck, holding monocular telescopes and peering at the fantastical beast island that was under construction.

"I originally planned to wait until he finished building it before taking it over, but if I act now, I'll suffer a huge loss!" The Sixth Prince's voice was wicked and arrogant as he said with a cold laugh.

Qiao Beiming coldly said, "As agreed before, I only want half of the phantom beast and Cha Nan's life, the rest are all yours."

"Tsk tsk tsk! How ruthless! They even gave you two Iron Fist Apes, yet you want their lives!" the Sixth Prince said sarcastically.

Qiao Beiming stared at the Sixth Prince, his eyes growing increasingly cold.

Just before he was about to make his move, a voice interrupted: "Don't start fighting among yourselves. Our primary objective now is to take over the Phantom Beast Island. We can deal with everything else after we've taken it."

The newcomer was dressed entirely in black, with a black mask covering his face, obscuring his true appearance. His voice was also clearly modified with internal force, sounding exceptionally deep and unlike a normal voice.

As they approached the Island of Mythical Beasts, some shark boys surfaced, their eyes gleaming with ferocity.

However, although the barrels of sleeping pills poured into the sea from the warship were quickly diluted by the seawater, they could not be completely digested and absorbed by the sea in a short period of time. Therefore, within a certain range, the concentration of sleeping pills was not low, and many shark boys were drugged and lay flat on the sea surface, drifting with the waves.

On the island's tower, Iron Fist Ape, who had been keeping watch, struck a gong and drum, warning that enemies were approaching.

Then, in the next instant, a barrage of siege bolts burst forth, piercing the tower and hurling the Iron Fist Ape out of it.

More gongs and drums sounded, and the well-trained mythical beasts began to line up in preparation.

Even the few pirates who had been tamed picked up weapons and prepared to fight.

Then, a barrage of arrows was hurled from these warships.

Arrows rained down on the beach, and many phantom beasts without group combat experience were hit and died on the spot.

Of course, the mythical beasts also retaliated with their skills, but it was somewhat chaotic and did not cause any real damage to the attackers.

A large number of small boats were released, and the attackers, under the cover of a hail of arrows, boarded the boats and prepared to go ashore.

Just then, a huge wave surged on the sea, and then a large dragon head rose up.

All the attackers were stunned the moment they saw the dragon head.

"Dragon... Dragon... Dragon!"

Someone stammered out, but couldn't get the rest of their words out.

In this vast world, there are indeed all sorts of strange beasts. Some are intelligent, some can speak, some know martial arts, and some are even treasures from head to toe. Eating them can greatly increase one's power, make one immune to all poisons, or bring the dead back to life. The list goes on.

But the dragon!

This is still a species found in myths and legends. Countless people firmly believe in its existence, but few have actually seen it.

Now, I've seen it!

But it seems... this isn't a good thing.

The enormous dragon head took a deep breath, swallowing a torrent of seawater.

Then it suddenly sprayed out, and the high-pressure water swept across the warship. Although it failed to capsize the warship, it knocked the people on the deck into the sea.

In the sea, some of the sharks that had been lightly drugged regained consciousness. Recalling what had happened, their ferocity intensified, and they dragged these people who had entered the sea to the bottom, where they tore them apart.

Most people, though skilled in martial arts on land, lose seven or eight tenths of their abilities once they reach the seabed, making them no match for the shark boys.

"There's an ambush!"

"I never expected that he would actually be hiding a dragon!" The Sixth Prince's voice didn't seem to be entirely filled with anger and fear; it also carried an undisguised joy.

However, Qiao Beiming had already jumped out of the deck area, holding a one-eyed bronze figure, and rushed into the air towards the deep blue dragon.

dragon?
Today, Qiao Beiming will slay the dragon, seize its inner core, and cultivate himself into a supreme grandmaster.

Under the golden eyes of the Sea Dragon, Qiao Beiming's figure rapidly approached. Its long tail, which had been hidden beneath the sea surface, suddenly erupted, whipping out of the water and slapping towards Qiao Beiming.

Qiao Beiming dodged and weaved in the air, avoiding a direct attack. Then, like a fly, he clung to the tail of the Overturning Sea Dragon and sprinted towards its head.

(End of this chapter)