All Heavens: Dual Cultivation of Magic and Martial Arts Starting from the Republic of China

The old Taoist priest waved his whisk, his spiritual energy constantly condensing into an invisible barrier to resist Fu Ze's frenzied attacks.

Unfortunately, spiritual energy isn't meant to be used like that!

The spiritual energy within a Taoist sorcerer is used to connect with the unseen rules of heaven and earth, thereby enabling them to perform various magical techniques through different mediums.

There are five types of mediums for casting spells: talisman, incantation, seal, magic, and artifact.

A talisman, or talisman paper, needs to be made using special methods.

A spell is a mantra, which can be expressed in words or language.

A seal is a hand gesture, which can be represented by a picture or by directly forming a seal with your hands.

Gang, or stepping on the Big Dipper, is a special kind of footwork. It is divided into various types such as the Five Elements, the Seven Stars, and the Eight Trigrams, each with different power and function.

The implements, or ritual implements, are diverse and all-encompassing.

Practitioners use five mediums—talismans, incantations, seals, protective energy, and artifacts—to infuse their spiritual energy into these mediums in a special way or according to certain rules. When these mediums combine, they can unleash magical spells.

If not using these five spellcasting mediums, can spiritual energy be used alone?

of course can.

However, the effect was only so-so.

Spiritual energy is like a key!

If you use the key as a weapon, its power will naturally be greatly reduced.

Moreover, the vast majority of sorcerers don't possess a large amount of spiritual energy...

Right now, this old Taoist priest is simply releasing spiritual energy to form a defensive barrier, which doesn't even qualify as magic.

It wasn't that he didn't want to cast the spell, it was that he simply didn't have enough time!

How fast is a master of internal strength?

He can lunge five or six meters in a single leap, delivering seven or eight punches in a second. His movements are as swift as the wind, his power as imposing as a mountain.

For an ordinary sorcerer, once a master of traditional Chinese martial arts gets close, their life hangs by a thread.

The old Taoist priest was already quite formidable, managing to condense spiritual energy to defend himself and slow Fu Ze down while dodging. He simply didn't have the mental energy to unleash any real magic.

Fu Ze gathered a wisp of spiritual energy in his eyes, and the originally invisible spiritual energy barrier took shape in his eyes. Like translucent glass panes, it floated beside the old Taoist priest, protecting him.

boom! boom! boom!

Fists and feet collided with spiritual energy, producing a series of muffled thuds.

Fu Ze's punches landed precisely on the spiritual energy barrier. With a burst of hidden force, the power penetrated the barrier, causing it to crack and shatter like glass before disappearing completely.

The old Taoist priest was forced to retreat repeatedly, staggering as his robes fluttered in the wind from the punches, his face filled with disbelief.

"You...you not only know magic and have a strong foundation in spiritual energy, but your martial arts are also incredibly powerful! How did you do that at such a young age?"

The old Taoist priest was truly astonished.

In the path of cultivation, magic and martial arts have always been difficult to master simultaneously.

The former cultivates the spirit and refines the qi, while the latter strengthens bones and tempers muscles; their paths are completely different. To master even one is already remarkable, yet this young man has already reached a high level in both!

Although none of them can be considered top-tier experts, they are already quite remarkable.

At least within the five counties of Fuling, there are already quite a few experts.

The old Taoist priest retreated all the way to the temple gate, barely managing to stand by supporting himself on the doorframe. His chest heaved as he gasped for breath.

It's pitiful that he's a mage; although his physical condition is much better than that of ordinary people, he is, after all, old.

Normally, when he battles evil cultivators or slays demons, he calmly and methodically employs esoteric arts, appearing unhurried. He's never been so disheveled as he is today.

Seeing that the old Taoist priest had stopped fighting, Fu Ze also withdrew his fist and stood still.

His face was cold, and he spoke with suppressed anger.

"Old Taoist, you know absolutely nothing about whether I am an evil cultivator or whether I kill indiscriminately!"

He pointed to the scarred man behind him, who had wet himself in fear, and the rest of the human remains.

"These men are all cowardly thugs. Today, just for their amusement and to vent their anger, they beat a poor, innocent grandmother and grandson to death in Sanshui Town!"

"These scumbags don't even spare the elderly, weak, women, and children. I killed them to uphold justice! I destroyed their souls to prevent them from becoming vengeful ghosts and harming others!"

"As a Dharma Master, you should know very well that evil people are more likely to become ghosts than normal people. This is because evil thoughts are themselves a kind of obsession."

"You attack without distinguishing right from wrong, spouting words of compassion yet blind to the suffering of the world, blind to the innocent deaths—is this what you call the righteous path of Taoism?"

"From what you're saying, you're from Mount Luofu, right? Mount Luofu is considered a major sect in Lingnan, and it's also part of the Shangqing lineage. But such recklessness and indiscriminate behavior seem unworthy of its reputation. It's far inferior to me, a wandering cultivator from the common people."

Fu Ze's words gave the old Taoist priest a sudden jolt.

He only saw the end, not the whole process.

He was by nature a person who hated evil and loathed cultivators who abused their power to commit crimes. So when he saw Fu Ze brutally killing these people, he was somewhat prejudiced.

Judging from Fu Ze's words, there seems to be more to the story?

Seeing Fu Ze's angry expression and sensing his open and honest demeanor, the old Taoist priest's heart wavered somewhat, and his tone softened as he spoke.

"Even if their crimes are heinous and the law will decide their fate, young friend, you shouldn't have executed them on your own. You shouldn't have been so cruel as to destroy their souls; it's truly against the principles of Heaven."

"The law?" Fu Ze scoffed, his eyes full of mockery.

"I was too strict with the law at the beginning, which led to the deaths of that poor grandfather and grandson!"

"Now I realize that in this chaotic world, with warlords carving up the land and bandits running rampant, where is the law? Where is justice?"

"That grandmother and grandson were brutally murdered in the street, who will uphold justice? Who will avenge them!"

"By the time the so-called law comes to govern, innocent people will have died a hundred times over, while the vicious criminals will have already gone unpunished!"

One man and one woman faced off in the dilapidated temple.

The old Taoist priest's hand holding the whisk trembled slightly.

His gaze toward Fu Ze had changed from initial reproach and disdain to shock, solemnity, and a hint of guilt.

Having lived most of his life and cultivated for decades, this was the first time he had encountered such a troublesome young man.

His magic is not weak, his martial arts are top-notch, he has a firm mind, and he clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment. He is by no means an evil cultivator.

He was indeed too arbitrary just now, judging only by appearances before rashly taking action to teach a lesson.

Now that I've calmed down and thought about it, I realize that I really did not live up to the demeanor of an elder in the Taoist sect.

The mountain god temple fell into a deathly silence, with only the stench of blood and the two people's slightly heavy breathing remaining.

Scarface on the ground was already terrified out of his wits. He didn't even dare to howl. He could only cower in the corner, trembling, afraid that the fight between the two would affect him.

At the same time, a sliver of hope lingered in my heart: what if I just forgot about him?

But when Fu Ze glanced at him again, the scarred man knew that he was doomed!

Fu Ze withdrew his gaze and looked back at the old Taoist priest, his tone still icy.

"Old Taoist Master, do you still think I'm a heretical cultivator who indiscriminately kills innocent people?"

"Are you still going to stop me and talk about so-called compassion for these beasts?"