Becoming a Saint by Touching Corpses

Chapter 591: Chapter 568: True Meaning of Martial Arts

As the saying goes, “Break through iron shoes and search in vain, gaining without any effort.”

Lou Yi came to this world precisely for the fate of a Grandmaster, and without a doubt, he chose the third option.

In this world, the greatest difference between a Grandmaster and an ordinary Martial Artist does not lie in the strength of Inner Strength, but rather in whether they can entirely integrate everything they’ve learned throughout their life and comprehend the true essence of Martial Arts.

The domain of Grandmasters beyond this is also one of the expanded applications of the true essence of Martial Arts.

In the skill column of the Attribute Panel, a new item appeared: Martial Arts True Essence·Emotional Wound·Remnant (Not Started 0/100)

Consume some Energy to increase it directly to the limit:

Martial Arts True Essence·Emotional Wound·Remnant (Not Started 0/100) → Martial Arts True Essence·Emotional Wound·Remnant (Started 0/300) → Martial Arts True Essence·Emotional Wound·Remnant (Proficient 0/1000) → Martial Arts True Essence·Emotional Wound·Remnant (Mastered)

Unfamiliar memories appeared in his mind.

In the memory, Lou Yi became an eight or nine-year-old village boy, who along with other peers, was selected to join the martial arts sect ’Qingfeng School’.

“Qingfeng Swordsmanship, unrivaled in the world.

But only those with sincere hearts have the opportunity to learn, remember to study hard and practice diligently, no tricks or cunning…” A gray-robed elder, with hair half white and a stern countenance, became the guide for all the boys and girls.

Thus, he remembered the elder’s teachings, fulfilling both day-and-night tasks with dedication, never daring to slack off.

At first, the other young pupils were just as serious as he was.

But as time flowed, the elder continued to teach them only the stance of horse-riding and lifting stones—tedious and boring exercises; tasks like sweeping houses, pulling weeds from fields, cleaning latrines, doing all kinds of odd jobs.

Years passed without a change.

Most began to doubt if they would ever receive the True Inheritance, became lax, worked perfunctorily, neglected their stances, and even plotted to leave the sect and descend the mountain.

“Five years have passed, the True Inheritance hasn’t come, the answer is always that the timing isn’t right.

Do we have to wait another five years, how many five years does one have in life?”

“We’ve wasted our best years sweeping, weeding, and fetching water on such useless things.

We’d better go down the mountain early and find a job that can support ourselves!”

Most wavered.

Only he remained unwavering with his intent, unchanged.

“Brother Yi, what do you think?” a soft female voice came from beside him.

“Don’t think, just practice,” he replied with a steadfast voice.

“Alright, I’ll follow you,” the female voice carried a hint of coyness.

From that day onward, Lou Yi gained a little shadow, following him closely every day, inseparable.

Three more years passed, he along with the girl named ’Alan’, and a few who persevered and passed the test, were accepted as formal disciples of Qingfeng School, taught the sect’s martial arts ’Qingfeng Swordsmanship’.

Due to his diligent practice and outstanding talent, Lou Yi quickly stood out among the disciples, gaining the sect’s attention and the elders’ focus.

The only constant was the girl Alan, who remained glued to him all day.

“Brother Yi, you’re amazing, you’ve mastered the sixth move of the sword technique so quickly!”

“Brother Yi, wipe your sweat, take care of your health, don’t overexert yourself.”

“Brother Yi, the peach blossoms in the back mountain are about to bloom, can you go see them with me?”

Another three years passed, Lou Yi’s progress was incredible; he swept aside any opponents of the same rank, even defeated many uncles in the sect, and was accepted by the Sect Leader as a closed-door disciple, with great expectations.

“Ah Yi, you’re the most promising person in our sect to comprehend the legendary thirteenth move of Qingfeng Swordsmanship.

According to our conjecture, once this sword technique emerges, it will move heaven and earth, no one can resist, no one will be invincible!

The task of revitalizing Qingfeng School falls on your shoulders…”

Consequently, Lou Yi became increasingly obsessed with practicing the sword, his whole being becoming more compulsive, with nothing else in his heart but the sword.

“Cough cough, Brother Yi, the peach blossoms on the back mountain have bloomed, can you…”

“No time, I need to practice swordsmanship.”

“Brother Yi, you need to take care of your health, cough, cough.”

He ignored all the requests from the girl Alan and failed to notice that she started coughing, her complexion grew pale, and her words became fewer.

In pursuit of honing his swordsmanship, he resolutely left the mountain and ventured into the martial world.

With his solitary figure and sword, he swept through the Five Great Bandits, befriended the Celestial Mountain Hero, defeated the long-famous martial world expert ’Shadowless Sword’… quickly making a resounding name for himself, reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship, just one step away from the legendary thirteenth move of Qingfeng Swordsmanship.

But that step felt like a chasm, blocking the path of countless heroes in Qingfeng School’s history, including him, as he persistently failed to break through.

He had no desire to return to the mountain, continued to train in the martial world, but still couldn’t see any hope.

Until one day, he received a letter from Alan as usual, most of the handwriting had become blurred, only “Brother Yi” was still slightly clear.

He was suddenly struck by an ominous premonition, rushed back to the mountain, only to find a solitary grave on the back mountain.

In that moment, his insides burned, tears fell like rain.

Only after losing did he realize that the girl Alan was the most precious treasure in his life.

’The person is gone, even if the sword ascends to the ultimate peak, what does it matter?’

He practiced his sword before Alan’s grave, continuously for seven days and seven nights, the longing and regret unwittingly woven into his sword moves.

Until the last move, his emotions reached their limit, and he unexpectedly executed the legendary thirteenth move of the sword technique.

A crisp ’clang’ rang, the long sword broke, the intense emotions spread into the air, seeming to infect the surrounding, allowing the not yet blossomed peach buds before Alan’s grave to bloom.

’Only by reaching the extremity of emotions, can one reach the extremity of the sword, this sword technique… shall be named ’Emotional Wound’.’

And thus the memory came to an abrupt halt.

A large surge of cool, strange Energy flooded into Lou Yi’s body, eventually converging towards his head.

The red falcon in his mind suddenly widened its eyes, becoming incredibly excited.

It continuously devoured this Energy, rendering its body increasingly solid, with its eyes becoming brighter and flickering with a shrewdness far surpassing before.

While absorbing Energy, its form began to compress unceasingly.

Originally twenty-five zhang high, it ended up being compressed to only three or four zhang.

Its body became substantial, every feather vivid in color, the wrinkles on its claws clearly visible, as if it transformed into a real spirit beast.

’Screech!’

The falcon let out a piercing cry, bright red light emitted from its entire body, another dim, small humanoid light shadow shot from it.

It moved continuously in Lou Yi’s mind, like a slideshow, showcasing all martial arts moves mastered till now one by one.

Extreme Fist, Axe Skill, Spear Technique, Staff Technique… Surging Tide, Body into Sword, Sky Splitting Claw, Rising Dragon…

At the same time, the understanding of ’Emotional Wound’ in the memory engraved deeply in Lou Yi’s heart, awakened some of his deepest memories.

In the last life, mother’s pear soup, girlfriend’s hand-woven scarf… no going back…

In this life, friend Cheng Chen, Extreme Fist Sect Leader Wei Youdao… departed…

A faint trace of melancholic emotion suddenly surfaced from the heart, flying into the dim humanoid light shadow.

’Boom!’

The combination of the two triggered a violent chemical reaction.

The humanoid light shadow suddenly burst forth with brilliance, began to rapidly transcend, increasingly ethereal, stepping into an indescribable mystical realm in an instant.

Flying out from the top of the head, quickly merging into the surrounding void.

The next moment.

The void seemed to undergo a mystical change, lightly quivering with a ’buzz’, as if in resonance with the humanoid light shadow.

The range of resonant space wasn’t large, about sixty zhang in diameter.

But every so often it transmitted a faint sense of benevolence to Lou Yi, as if suddenly instilled with life.

“Set.”

With Lou Yi’s low shout.

The falling yellow leaves froze midair, the moving dust particles halted, gentle airflow and its fluctuations ceased…

In a daze, Lou Yi felt as though he could control everything, just within this space.

…