Warhammer Cultivation: Cultivating the Tao Te Ching in the 40K Universe

The air was filled with a smell that was a mixture of ozone, circulating fluid from the filtration system, and cold metal—a smell that belonged to "machinery."

This is the most secret lair of the Imperial Regent Macado, the place where his "shadows" who walk in the darkness are born and slumber.

This is also the new "home" that Hector chose for his thirty followers who carried all of Monachia's sorrow and hatred.

As he traversed a grand corridor wide enough for two Land Raider tanks to drive side-by-side, finally arriving at the central training ground, codenamed "Rock," at the heart of the dungeon, he saw his Dao Guards.

Thirty figures dressed in gray monk robes sat cross-legged in the center of the vast training ground, which was paved with the same black alloy and was as flat as a plain.

Their aura was more intense and dangerous than when they left Terra.

The experiences of the Third Legion, and the brief but dangerous confrontation with the Iron Fathers under the Iron Hand, were like a trial of "inner demons," tempering their already resilient hearts, forged by the ashes of Monakia, to become even purer.

At the very edge of the training ground, in an area shrouded in deeper shadows, stood another group of figures. They were the true "masters" of this cellar—Macardo's shadow agents.

They wore black combat suits that could block all scanning, and metal masks that did not reveal any features on their faces.

They simply stood there silently, like statues blending into the darkness, but Hector's "aura-gazing" technique could clearly "see" that the "aura" emanating from them, sharp as a poisoned dagger and full of "secret" and "killing" intent, was remotely locking onto those "new neighbors" in the center of the arena who were completely out of place with them, with a scrutinizing and curious attitude.

When Hector appeared at the entrance of the training ground, all the Dao Guards opened their eyes at the same instant.

Chapter 96 Fighting with Dao Wei

It wasn't because they heard footsteps. In this cellar that could swallow all sound, any mortal hearing had lost its meaning. They "sense" it.

They sensed that familiar, tranquil yet vast aura of the "Tao," like a pillar stabilizing the sea.

Barrow, the leader of the Dao Guard, slowly rose to his feet. His face, bearing hideous scars, was expressionless, but a glint of fire ignited in his eyes.

The remaining twenty-nine Dao Guards also rose at the same time. Their movements were uniform and disciplined, yet carried a sense of harmony that followed the natural way. They did not perform the chest-touching salute like the Imperial soldiers, nor did they kneel in prayer like the Word Bearers.

They simply bowed deeply to Hector.

That was the oldest form of etiquette a student used to greet a teacher, belonging to another time and space.

Hector calmly accepted their greeting. Then, he slowly walked to the center of the training field.

"It seems you're doing quite well here." His gaze swept across the face of each of the guards. His "Qi Observation Technique," like the most sophisticated scanner, instantly revealed the changes in each of them.

He saw that Barona's "qi," which was as steady as a rock, had become even more profound.

That black flame, born of hatred, was no longer a raging, outward-burning "karmic fire," but rather, he had used basic stance training to firmly lock it deep within his Dao heart, transforming it into the most fundamental "furnace fire" that drove his life.

He saw another agile Taoist priest who had demonstrated amazing deflection skills when confronting Father Iron.

His agile "qi" became even more elusive and elusive. He transformed that hatred into a "strong wind" that could tear everything apart invisibly, like the winds across the grasslands.

They are all growing in their own way.

“But,” Hector’s tone shifted, a sharp glint flashing in his dark pupils, “it’s not enough.”

He glanced around at the Dao Guards, who had instantly become incredibly focused because of his words, and calmly said:

“Your ‘Dao’ has already taken root. Your hearts are also strong enough to resist most of the inner demons’ corruption. But your ‘techniques’, your methods of transforming ‘Dao’ into ‘power’, are still too… crude.”

"Today, I have come here to give you this last and most crucial lesson."

He didn't offer any further explanation. He simply raised his chin slightly, pointing towards the weapons racks at the edge of the training field.

"Take up your swords."

Without any hesitation, the guards turned around and took their standard swords from the weapon rack—just ordinary, unmodified imperial creations.

“Mentor, you…” Barrow looked at Hector, who was still unarmed, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

Hector smiled and gestured "please" from afar to a shadow agent in the distance.

The agent paused for a moment, seemingly not expecting this mortal to dare to communicate with them. But after a brief silence, he took a black, unmarked longsword from the weapon rack on his back and flicked it with his finger.

The longsword, like a black lightning bolt, shot precisely at Hector with a piercing whistling sound!

However, Hector simply extended two fingers and, just as the sword was about to strike, lightly pinched it like a dragonfly skimming the water!

A crisp, clear sound, like the gentle tapping of jade, rang out. The sword, sharp enough to pierce through terracotta armor, was held firmly in mid-air by his two seemingly delicate fingers!

The violent tremors on the sword caused by its high-speed flight subsided instantly upon contact with the invisible true energy at his fingertips, which was filled with the meaning of "stillness," just like a stone thrown into a deep pool.

This move caused the pupils of those "shadows" of Makado in the distance, hidden beneath their masks, to shrink sharply!

"Thirty men, attack together."

Hector gripped the hilt of his sword, casually twirling it with a fluid, natural grace: "Hold back. Use your strongest power, your fastest speed, and the burning hatred in your hearts that can consume everything, to... defeat me."

“Otherwise,” a stern look, like that of an ancient iceberg, flashed in his eyes, “you will forever be nothing more than pathetic creatures enslaved by hatred.”

"Roar--!!!"

These words were like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly igniting the raging fury that had been suppressed to the extreme in the hearts of the thirty Dao Guards, a fury originating from the ruins of Monakia!

No formation, no tactics!

Thirty gray figures, like thirty primordial beasts that had been completely enraged and broken free of all shackles, launched a primal and deadly attack from all directions towards the tiny, lonely figure in the center of the training field, carrying a terrifying killing intent capable of tearing space apart!

Thirty chainsaw swords were activated simultaneously! The signature, teeth-grinding energy hum coalesced into a symphony of destruction and death!

Thirty pale blue energy arcs, like thirty venomous snakes ready to devour their prey, blocked Hector's escape route from every tricky angle!

This is a net woven from pure violence and hatred, leaving no blind spots... an inescapable trap!

In the shadows in the distance, the "shadows" of Makado, whose logic cores had undergone countless battle simulations, instantly concluded that the target would be completely dismembered within 0.3 seconds.

However, despite this seemingly divine retribution, Hector showed no fear whatsoever.

He simply... closed his eyes.

At this moment, the ocean of true essence within his body began to circulate at an unprecedented speed, following the "small circulation" trajectory that connected the Ren and Du meridians! A pure Daoist aura instantly spread from his body!

Just as those thirty sword lights were about to strike his body, at the critical moment—

His first action was neither a block nor a dodge.

Instead, it is "sinking".

His feet, like the roots of an old tree, stomped on the smooth alloy ground! A steady, profound, and seemingly integrated "root" force, as if pulsating with the core of the entire Terra, instantly flowed from the soles of his feet, through his spine, and into every part of his body!

Immediately afterwards, his body, like a willow swaying in the wind, gracefully "spun" within the impenetrable net of swords, following a trajectory that defied all physical laws and was full of "harmony"!

Chapter 97 There Should Be Skill in Preaching

Martial arts technique – “Flowing Water”!

The jet-black longsword in his hand was no longer a weapon of slaughter. It had become an "axis" that stirred the entire universe.

The thirty powered swords, carrying the force of thunder, were like thirty uncontrolled planets caught in a giant nebula vortex!

"Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!"

A series of rapid, crisp sounds, like raindrops pounding on banana leaves, instantly resounded throughout the entire training ground!

Barrow's sword was powerful and heavy, like a giant axe, but when it came into contact with Hector's sword, which was as light as seaweed, that terrifying power that could split a tank was drawn by a wonderfully ingenious "gravity" and uncontrollably slashed at the sword of another Dao Guard beside him!

Another agile Dao Guard, whose sword was as fast as lightning and cunning and ruthless, was like a piercing air that could never be touched in the face of Hector's ghostly movements!

Every seemingly inevitable thrust would be met with a subtle, yet deadly, slowing effect from Hector's ferocious attack by gently tapping the "weak point" of his wrist with the end of his sword hilt.

Hector moved with the ease of a stroll amidst the encirclement of thirty men.

He didn't retreat a step, nor did he take the sword head-on. He simply spun around, manipulated, and... used the opponent's force against them within that storm of blades built of death and hatred!

He was like a master conductor, using his "baton" to forcefully incorporate these thirty independent "musicians" filled with discordant noise into the movement he himself composed, a movement called "Chaos"!

The angrier the Dao Guardians became, the more ferocious their attacks became! And the more ferocious their attacks, the more deadly the collisions between them, guided by Hector's skillful manipulation, became!

One of the Dao Guards' power swords was blocked by his companion's sword and flew out of his hand uncontrollably, soaring high into the air!

Another Dao Guard, having exerted too much force, was gently pulled by Hector's sword spine, causing him to slam into the other Dao Guard like an out-of-control spinning top, and both of them rolled to the ground!

In just over ten seconds, that seemingly flawless net of heaven and earth became... riddled with holes due to the internal chaos!

In the distance, in the shadows, those "shadows" of Macado were already deathly silent.

Their cold, hardened combat instincts, honed through countless modifications, were utterly overturned at this moment!

They couldn't understand.

They cannot analyze it.

This is no longer a "battle".

This is a kind of... art.

A martial arts style they had never heard of before, one that manipulated chaos itself with ease!

"There is more than enough to defend."

Hector's voice, calm and serene, echoed in the ears of every guard, "But your attacks are still nothing more than... mere reckless courage."

As soon as he finished speaking, his movements, which had been as fluid and graceful as water, suddenly changed!

An extremely sharp and powerful force, like a volcanic eruption, suddenly burst forth from his seemingly thin body!

He no longer "leads" or "unloads".

He began his "attack"!

His first target was the core of the formation, Barrow!

Just as Barrow had that one-hundredth of a second of vulnerability due to the exhaustion of his old power and the absence of new power, Hector's figure moved as if shrinking the distance to an inch, closing in instantly!

The longsword in his hand was not used for slashing or thrusting. Instead, it was used for "ramming"!

Martial arts technique – “Mountain Collapse”!

He transformed himself into a fully drawn bow! He concentrated all his immense Foundation Establishment realm true essence at the end of the sword hilt and, with an explosive, one-inch force technique from the Sandworm Dynasty's "Divine Form Fist," slammed it hard into Barona's rock-solid chest!

"boom--!!!"

A terrifying, muffled thud, unlike anything that could be produced by flesh and blood, resembling a battering ram striking a city gate!

Baron's massive body was struck head-on by a charging Fenris wolf; his feet left the ground, and he was sent flying uncontrollably! The chainsaw sword in his hand let out a mournful cry of despair and slipped from his grasp instantly!

One strike! Just one strike!

The most solid "rock" of the Dao Guardians was completely shattered!

Immediately afterwards, Hector's figure, without the slightest pause, merged into the sword light that was instantly thrown into chaos due to the loss of its core!

His sword was as fast as lightning! But the blade never aimed at any vital point.

The sword's spine struck the wrist of a Daoist guard holding a sword, causing his arm to go numb and the sword to fall to the ground!

The sword hilt struck the other Dao Guard's ribs, causing him to stiffen and instantly lose all his strength!

The sword, like a snake flicking its tongue, weaves through the dense sword light. Each seemingly casual "stick" and "stick" causes a Dao Guard to lose his balance uncontrollably!

He was like an elegant tiger that had broken into a flock of sheep!

He did not bite or kill.

He simply used his unparalleled strength and skill to easily pin down those seemingly ferocious "sheep," one by one.

When the last Dao Guard was gently struck by Hector's sword, causing his blood to surge and him to stagger and fall to the ground, the entire "Silent Cellar" once again fell into a deathly silence.

Thirty chainsaw swords lay scattered across every corner of the training ground.

Although all thirty Dao Guards were wounded, none of them were seriously injured.

They struggled to their feet, looking at their instructor—who remained standing in the center of the training field, his breathing perfectly steady—with an awe and fervor that seemed to regard him as a god.

Hector slowly sheathed his sword, flicked his wrist, and the jet-black standard longsword, as if it had a life of its own, drew a graceful arc in the air and flew precisely back to the shadow agent in the distance, where it slammed into the ground with a clang.

The shadows were suddenly startled! When... could this sword be inserted into this metal ground?

Hector guided the air back to the sea, feeling incredibly refreshed—it had been a long time since he had stretched his muscles like this since leaving the Solar Arsenal.

He looked around at his followers, whose eyes burned even brighter despite their defeat, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Now, do you understand?" His voice echoed in everyone's hearts. "Hatred is the most powerful 'fuel' in the universe. But a craftsman who doesn't know how to control the engine will ultimately be blown to pieces by the power he himself created."

“From this day forward,” his voice became incredibly solemn, “I will formally impart to you the methods of ‘technique’.”

Chapter 98 Embracing Yuan Stance