Wizards begin with Occlumency.

Chapter 347 Chaotic Fate

Link has never given up on cultivating the Human Immortal Martial Arts.

However, one thing must be admitted: as more and more memories are unlocked and more and more secret techniques are created under the inspiration, Link is increasingly trying to be perfunctory when practicing the Immortal Martial Arts.

Especially during this period, when he was fully immersed in the "construction" experiment, this was even more so.

He seemed to have forgotten his original plan to use the Human Immortal Martial Arts to break through to the Void Realm and indirectly experience the fourth-level Sage Realm of the Wizarding World.

It wasn't until today, when he encountered a battalion of government troops from the Dayong Dynasty outside the Valley of the Dead, that Link suddenly realized what was happening.

We must grasp both aspects firmly.

We must not forget the World Martial Arts Tournament eight years from now.

So, Link returned to the new base and observed the subsequent performance of the three qualified finished products, collected data, summarized the content of implanting "constructs" to enhance the combat power of Immortal Martial Arts practitioners, designed a brand new and optimized set, pondered how to make "constructs" help Immortal Martial Arts practitioners cultivate, and diligently practiced the Immortal Martial Arts taught by his master Li Shuwen.

The stones from other mountains can be used to polish jade.

After his mindset changed, Link's self-created secret technique actually benefited his cultivation of the Immortal Martial Arts.

And it wasn't just a random little thing; it was very helpful.

The four realms of martial arts for immortals are: Qi Strength, Condensation of Truth, Return to Oneness, and Penetrating Void.

The Qi-strengthening process involves refining the body in four stages: skin and flesh, tendons and bones, blood and marrow, and internal organs. It progresses from the outside in, and ultimately combines the internal and external to generate true Qi.

The process of circulating true qi in the Condensing True Realm is divided into four stages: sensing qi, opening the meridians, the Small Heavenly Circuit, and the Great Heavenly Circuit. First, one senses and captures the true qi, then unblocks the meridians, and finally opens the Ren and Du meridians, resonating with heaven and earth, where the true qi transforms into liquid and generates true essence.

The Pure True Essence of the Unity Realm has no stages. Regardless of sect or school, in this realm, the only way is to increase the quantity and purify the quality of True Essence. There is no other path.

The reason why it is difficult to advance to the Void Realm is that there is a strong sense of separation between the Unity Realm and the Void Realm.

When true essence is purified to its extreme, it will transform into true qi, enhancing offensive capabilities.

But what the Void Realm requires is to penetrate the great "Void," comprehend the great "Reality," and perceive the laws of Heaven and Earth—a mystery beyond mystery.

Link had only a vague understanding of it before, but looking back now, he has discovered a very interesting point.

In the Wizarding World, it is extremely difficult for a level three wizard to advance to level four wizard/sage.

However, the difficulty is far lower than that of a martial artist in the Unity Realm advancing to the Void Realm.

The reason lies in the period of transformation.

A level three wizard undergoing transformation needs to maintain their true nature and not pretend or suppress their emotions, precisely in order to better resonate with the will of the wizarding world.

In this world, martial artists who practice the Human Immortal Martial Arts lack a transitional "transformation period" between the Unity Realm and the Void Realm, thus creating a strong sense of disconnect.

Having figured this out, Link naturally focused his energy on improving his Immortal Martial Arts.

In the blink of an eye, another fifteen days have passed.

These fifteen days are equivalent to seclusion, where one is completely oblivious to the world around them.

Unbeknownst to him, Link's Immortal Martial Arts had reached the late stage of the Unity Realm, only one minor level away from the Void Realm: "Perfection".

If he continues his seclusion, Link believes that with his current vigorous and diligent progress, he will be able to cross this small level in less than a month.

But things have changed, and Link has to come out of seclusion.

After sending all three thousand martial artists who had gathered outside the Valley of the Dead into the Valley of the Dead, and still finding nothing, the imperial court actually issued a summons to the entire martial arts world!

All cultivators above the Unity Realm, regardless of whether they practice human immortal martial arts or mechanical martial arts, are ordered to assemble at the Valley of the Dead and report for further orders.

If they do not comply, the local garrison can be mobilized to wipe out the sect, martial arts school, or association in the area.

Even the reclusive Mingxin Sword Sect received an angel who delivered a decree.

Driven by the desire for the Valley of the Dead and the Peach of Longevity, the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors were showing signs of madness.

Master, Mistress, Senior Brother Shi, and several senior sisters and brothers who have reached the Unity Realm have arrived in the provincial capital.

It was the re-entry of the mark on Brother Shi's body that awakened Link, who was engrossed in experiments and cultivation.

Before going to see his master, mistress, and fellow disciples, Link made a point of learning about the recent situation, which is how he learned about the above information.

With a flash, Link quietly appeared in the inner courtyard of the provincial branch of Bajiquan Martial Arts School.

"Master, it's me."

Link knocked on the door and said softly.

"Come in, I spotted you a while ago."

Master Li Shuwen's voice came from the room.

Link was not surprised by this.

The last time I went back to the Bajiquan Martial Arts School in Fuli County to ask my master for guidance, I was discovered.

Even with the optimization of the teleportation technique, the situation remains the same.

The area where a Void Realm martial artist resides is their martial arts domain, encompassing a certain radius.

Domain holders are the concentrated embodiment of rules.

Within the inner courtyard of the Bajiquan Martial Arts Academy, the limited space has temporarily increased Li Shuwen's access to the rules he can comprehend and master to the maximum.

No matter how small the movement, it could not escape Li Shuwen's perception.

Its subtlety is similar to the "Void Realm" used by sage-level wizards in the Wizarding World when fighting.

"When does the imperial court require Master to enter the valley?"

Once inside the room, Link didn't waste any words and went straight to asking questions.

"Ugh!"

Upon hearing this question, Li Shuwen couldn't help but sigh.

Human resources are sometimes limited.

Although he was a martial artist at the peak of the Void Realm, after witnessing Link's teleportation technique, he vaguely touched the edge of the legendary fifth realm, "Seeing God," but he still could not defy the imperial court.

The angel went to the Mingxin Sword Sect to deliver the imperial decree, but he was not alone.

To prevent martial artists like Li Shuwen, who were at the Void Realm, from overturning the table, they went with a large army.

The Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors truly mastered the art of wielding both power and wealth.

However, if all martial artists above the Guiyi Realm perish in the Valley of the Dead, what good will the gold, silver and resources bestowed upon the Mingxin Sword Sect and the Baji Martial Arts School by the imperial court do?

Whether it can be passed down is a question.

If Li Shuwen were a lone wolf, there would be nowhere in the world he couldn't go.

They could even break into the imperial palace in Beijing and assassinate the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors.

But Li Shuwen not only had disciples, but also family members.

This puts them under the control of the imperial court and the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors.

After sighing, Li Shuwen replied, "Three days from now, the first batch of Returning to One Realm warriors will enter the valley, including you and Gan Dang. If you haven't returned by then, your second senior sister and third senior brother will take your place. As for your master, I will definitely enter the valley only after all the Returning to One Realm and most of the Void Realm warriors have failed to emerge from the Valley of the Dead."

After a pause, Li Shuwen emphasized, "The key now lies not with me, but with you and your senior brother."

Link frowned slightly: "Did the imperial court hold the martial arts school unfairly because I was away from the school for a while?"

"I'm not overly critical, but I can't help but be sarcastic."

Li Shuwen shook his head slightly, "With me here, unless we really break off relations, we'll still have some face to save."

"Oh, right."

Changing the subject, Li Shuwen said, "Governor Hu has been released from prison and returned to Beijing to report on his duties. However, his two daughters, Hu Suqi and Hu Songqi, stayed behind and were specially requested by Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong to visit the valley."

"Um."

Link nodded.

He had found out about this before he came to see Li Shuwen.

This move by the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors was yet another test.

Although not directly involved, Link, as an observer, felt disgusted enough.

This is a repeated test of Governor Hu's bottom line, seeking an opportunity to push the PUA tactics to their extreme.

The so-called art of ruling emperors is essentially based on psychological manipulation (PUA).

"Don't worry, Master, I will take good care of Senior Brother Shi."

Subsequently, Link took the initiative to express his opinion.

"Okay, I'm relieved to hear that."

Li Shuwen was very satisfied with the fact that his disciples were friendly and respectful to each other.

Link thought for a moment and asked, "Master, do you have time to check on the preliminary results of the 'Construct' implantation experiment?"

Over the years, under Link's leadership, Bajiquan has vigorously developed various industries, a large part of which involve machinery.

Originally, Li Shuwen hated everything related to machines because of his love for mechanical martial arts. However, under pressure from his master's wife, he began to delve into the meaning of machines, their development and evolution, and their underlying philosophy...

Therefore, Li Shuwen was no stranger to terms such as "experiment" and "interim results".

He can now even understand the most cutting-edge research papers in the field of mechanics.

On several other occasions, upon seeing errors in papers on martial arts published by mechanical martial arts practitioners, they actually wrote articles under pseudonyms to refute them.

After several rounds of debate, the pen name "Shouzheng Shanren" actually became a banner.

There are different schools of thought within mechanical martial arts.

Conservatives condemned Shouzheng Shanren's remarks as heresy, while radicals regarded Shouzheng Shanren's ideas as the golden rule.

This result truly amused Li Shuwen himself.

To be fair, he's a peak-level martial artist in the Human Immortal Martial Arts Void Realm!

If the radical faction of mechanical martial arts knew the true identity of "Shouzheng Shanren," their Daoist hearts would probably shatter.

Based on this, Li Shuwen had actually been interested in Link's "construct" before, and now that he heard about the "interim results," he couldn't sit still any longer.

"You go first, I'll tell your teacher's wife, and I'll be there shortly."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shuwen disappeared from the room.

He can teleport too!

Link wasn't surprised by this, and he felt a pang of sympathy for his master's genuine fear... While respecting his master's wife, he flashed back to the base.

A moment later, Li Shuwen arrived, following the ripples in space created by Link's crossing.

"Your method of movement is fast enough, but not stealthy enough."

Upon landing, Li Shuwen commented, "I wanted to tell you this last time, but I didn't have the chance. This time, I have to give you a proper explanation."

"Master, please speak. Your disciple is all ears."

Upon hearing this, Link immediately asked for his advice respectfully.

Those who achieve success come first.

Even without the emotional ties caused by his unrecovered memories of this life, Link must still respect a genius like Li Shuwen, whose extraordinary talent, limited by the lack of inheritance or the constraints of heaven and earth, has only reached the peak of the fourth realm.

"Space is like a lake filled with water. People move in space like fish swimming in water, with resistance from all sides. When a fish comes to the surface of the lake, it suddenly leaps up and jumps from one point to another, which is a completely new way of moving."

Li Shuwen gave a few analogies and then said, "To improve the stealth of such movement, we need to work on three aspects. First, minimize the noise when breaking out of the water; second, after breaking out of the water, prevent water droplets from falling off your body; and third, re-enter the water lightly, without splashing too much water. Do you understand?"

Lin Keli suddenly understood.

Many points that I didn't understand before became clear after Li Shuwen's guidance.

"Thank you for your teachings, Master."

Link bowed respectfully to express his gratitude.

"Um."

Li Shuwen accepted the greeting without hesitation. "Let's go see your results."

"Yes, Master, this way please."

Link gestured, leading Li Shuwen toward the base's underground laboratory.

The three qualified finished products were kept in three specially modified isolation rooms. Apart from cooperating with the experiment, they were not mistreated.

My mental state isn't great; I'm somewhat numb, but not to the point of complete collapse.

However, upon seeing Link, they all trembled with fear.

The one with the highest level of Qi Li Jing performed the worst, curling up in a corner and repeatedly saying, "The devil is coming."

"What did you do to them?"

Seeing this, Li Shuwen couldn't help but feel very curious.

Debating with conservative martial artists of mechanical martial arts across the distance through academic papers completely ignited Li Shuwen's innate spirit of research.

He now maintains a strong curiosity about all new and interesting things.

If he weren't worried about being too shocking, he would have liked to go and observe the daily training of mechanical martial arts practitioners up close.

"Nothing much was done, just some routine experiments."

Link responded calmly, without revealing the truth.

Although he couldn't recall how he used to suppress his emotions in the wizarding world, the bloodshed and cruelty of the experiments no longer affected his heart.

After a pause, Link emphasized, "The experimental subjects I captured were all heinous scumbags."

"Um."

Li Shuwen didn't care about any of that.

The number of people who died at his hands was at least eight hundred, if not a thousand.

In terms of cold-bloodedness, Li Shuwen is second to none!

Without wasting any time, Link immediately had the three qualified finished products displayed.

First comes the normal combat power without activating the set, then the explosive combat power with the set activated, creating a stark contrast.

After reading it, Li Shuwen fell into deep thought.

After leaving the underground laboratory and regaining his composure, Li Shuwen immediately said, "In terms of improving immediate combat strength, it is indeed very remarkable. However, there is one thing I am worried about: will it lead to dependency? A burst of power is ultimately unsustainable; we cannot put the cart before the horse."

Lin Ke understood what Li Shuwen was talking about.

Instead of giving a verbal reply, he invited Li Shuwen to his study and showed him his experimental logs, the design drawings of individual and complete sets of "construction" components, and his ideas for aiding his cultivation, asking him to look at them carefully.

In terms of understanding the martial arts of immortals, Link can't even come close to his master, Li Shuwen.

To perfect the "Construct" system in the Human Immortal Martial Arts version, it is essential to seek advice in this area.

Lin Ke eagerly awaited Li Shuwen's reply after reviewing the materials.

This might break the predicament of using auxiliary cultivation methods in one fell swoop.

I recommend a book called "After Going into the Sea, I Met the Witch."

[Recommendation]:

People are in a mysterious world; they open their eyes and find themselves already at sea.

You're framed right from the start, and after a difficult rescue, you discover the captain is a ruthless, indifferent witch. What to do?

Fortunately, I have a cheat code!

An unnamed, jet-black ship sculpture led Ryan on his journey through the heavens.

This shark is on the verge of death because it witnessed a highly private rendezvous. If you save it, in return, it will take you to join them.

This planet is dead, all life has been wiped out; it seems like a good source of material for a long-range warship?

-

My name is Freyne, and I am the captain of the "Black Rose." On the surface, I am a fledgling female pirate, but in reality, I am the fifth princess of the Augustus Dynasty who has just escaped, and a sea witch who has just awakened.

To escape the pursuit of the "Despicable Ones," I had no choice but to set sail, carrying the treasure map passed down through my family, to the depths of the ocean in an attempt to find the lost treasure and restore the dynasty!

On the way, I rescued a drowning person.

The good news is that this guy is very knowledgeable and can serve as the navigator of the "Black Rose".

The bad news is that this guy is really weird. Not only does he say things that are hard to understand from time to time, such as "Captain, what do you think it would be like if the sun were a warship?" and "Pirate King, here I come!", but he also brings back some strange and weird things every now and then!

-

Welcome to the Age of Exploration!

(End of this chapter)