Chapter 1786 - 147: Reunion with the Martial Saint, Secrets of the Martial Saint Realm! (2)

"No need!" The old man gestured for Jiang Ning to sit down, then picked up the teapot and poured him a cup.

"Try it, the tea I use to sustain my life."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning respectfully received it with both hands and took a sip.

The tea had a slight bitterness upon entering, but left a sweet aftertaste. A warm current slid down his throat, then blossomed with vitality within his body, nourishing his organs.

"Good tea." He nodded in admiration.

The old man smiled.

"You came today for a reason, I presume?"

"You have sharp eyes, elder!" Jiang Ning put down the teacup, then stood up and respectfully bowed to the old man: "I came today to seek your advice on the matter of ’limitless flesh and unbound spirit.’ Recently, I’ve made some progress, but I’m still clueless about this."

Looking at the respectful demeanor of Jiang Ning, the old man nodded: "Indeed, you are now ranked second in the world, and your Martial Arts have stepped into Unity Realm Great Success, essentially reaching the current end of the Martial Arts path."

"You have sharp eyes, elder." Jiang Ning said respectfully.

"It’s normal for you to seek a higher realm now, and it’s indeed the time!" The old man nodded again, showing approval.

Then, he raised his hand slightly.

"Sit down and we’ll talk!"

"Yes, elder!" Jiang Ning cupped his hands and then sat down.

The old man picked up his teacup, took a gentle sip, and looked at Jiang Ning, then continued speaking.

"Deep within the human body lies a great secret!"

"A great secret?" Jiang Ning was taken aback.

The old man nodded: "In the Ancient Era, Martial Arts was truly a narrow path, known as Body Cultivation, and this path was considered beneath notice in the great sects of both righteous and demonic ways."

"All of this is because once a cultivator reaches the Human Dao Domain Peak, to take another step forward, they must abandon their natural mortal flesh and condense an Immortal Body in order to ascend and become an Immortal, reaching the Immortal realm."

"With the need to abandon the mortal flesh and ascend as an Immortal present, no matter how you temper the body, it becomes meaningless, a waste of time."

At this moment, Jiang Ning quietly listened to the old man’s recounting without interrupting or making any sound.

The old man paused, glanced at Jiang Ning, then continued.

"I became such a special existence, an anomaly, stepped into a new world, a new level, because I wasn’t qualified for the immortal path. I could only continue on the Martial Arts road! Also because, with the succession of eras, the era no longer belongs to the Immortal Dao."

"Eight hundred years ago, I took that step, and he knew that they were all wrong."

"Deep within the human body lies a great secret, a true treasure trove."

"The body is not a burden, but the foundation that carries everything. The spirit is not illusory, but the key that allows you to tap into explosive potential."

Jiang Ning’s heart trembled. He vaguely felt that the old man was about to reveal the key that troubled him for so long.

The old man raised his bony fingers, lightly tapped his chest.

Bang bang—

The fingers gently tapped on the chest, yet emitted a sound as muffled as a drum, the sound was dull, but caused the space to reverberate.

"Inside lies the treasure."

"Elder, what is the treasure?" Jiang Ning couldn’t help but ask.

The old man shook his head: "I cannot tell you."

"Cannot tell me?" Jiang Ning was puzzled.

"Yes!" the old man nodded, then continued: "Over eight hundred years, I’m still unfamiliar with this path! I once told several individuals my discovery, those people, in my eyes, whether in foundation, potential, or comprehension, seemed superior to me. But they all failed!"

"Even if their bodies were exceptionally strong, their spirits vast like the sea, they still failed! They still could not find what I described."

"Now, I cannot speak it out!"

He raised his hand, pointing to the top.

Jiang Ning followed his gaze upward, it was a vast and endless sky.

The sky was blue as if washed, no concealment, nothing noteworthy.

"I suspect, that if I speak of my discovery, you will forever not find the existence of that thing."

Upon hearing these words, Jiang Ning’s pupils contracted.

He seriously looked at the old man, noting the expression and tone were not faked.

His mind rapidly flashed through past events, the old man’s help to him, his attitude.

He instantly judged in his heart, he was not deceiving him, nor had a reason to deceive him.

He looked up again at the sky, that vast and void sky.

Then he took a deep breath, suppressing the speculation and shock in his heart.

"Elder’s meaning is that the treasure, elder’s discovery, or the essence of this path, cannot be expressed in words?"

The old man looked at Jiang Ning and nodded, expressing agreement.

"Once spoken, perhaps you’ll be forever shielded from this path!"

As the words fell, the old man paused again.

"Of course, this is my current understanding, perhaps it could be wrong! Limitless flesh, unbound spirit, perhaps as long as you go far enough, no one can restrict you from taking this step!"

Jiang Ning heard this, remained silent for a moment, then solemnly cupped his hands: "I understand. Thank you, elder, for your guidance."

The old man nodded slightly, "Go on. You have little time, I have little time too. If you can take that step before I pass away, perhaps this world might change."

"I cannot hold on much longer! But before I leave, I will do some things."

Upon hearing the old man’s calm words, Jiang Ning’s heart trembled.

He knew the old man’s ’some things’ won’t be simple.

After all, this was a terrifying existence who suppressed the world for over eight hundred years.

As his power and perspective improved, he understood more, deeper about this realm.

He held even more admiration for the old man.

He deeply bowed to the old man.

"Elder, I take my leave!"

With the words falling, he turned and left.

Upon exiting the thatched hut, his figure twisted, ripples slowly spread in the void, then he walked out of this world.

...

At the peak.

Above him is a sun that is not yet blazing.

Jiang Ning’s figure quietly appeared, his robe fluttering in the fierce mountain wind.

He looked up at the sky above.

In his perception, the grotto entrance quietly vanished.

"Limitless flesh, unbound spirit..."

He repeated these eight words internally, his mind echoed with the old man’s words.

The treasure lies in the deepest part of the human body, yet cannot be expressed in words.

Once spoken, it can never be found again.

His gaze became more solemn.

This visit to the Martial Saint, although he didn’t get the answer he most wanted.

It was still exceedingly significant for him.

At least it gave his heart a clear and defined path.

The body expands limitlessly, the spirit elevates infinitely.

Someday, he will reach the realm described by the Martial Saint.

Since words cannot convey, he can only use his body to feel, his spirit to touch, through each breakthrough to approach that path.

He took a deep breath, the cold wind at the mountain top filled his lungs, his heart became even clearer.

In the next moment.

His figure shimmered, transformed into a long rainbow woven in black and white, soared to the sky, pierced through the sky, and vanished at the end of the sea of clouds in an instant.

...

On the other side.

Outside the Li River palace.

A middle-aged man stood atop a large tree, his gaze swept over the high crimson walls surrounding the palace, looking towards the tranquil island at the heart of the lake.

The lake surface sparkled, the buildings on the island vaguely visible.

"This must be the place where King Luoshui retreats for cultivation." He murmured in a low voice, his expression steady, "Well, a fengshui treasure land, perfectly suitable for being buried."

He reached into his bosom, his fingertips touched the cold silver armored talismans, instantly giving him immense confidence and assurance.

Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers, the standardized secret treasure of the heavenly court in Ancient times.

One Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier equates to half the power of an Immortal.

Two Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers combined form a heaven and earth net; even an ordinary Immortal must retreat.

He carefully placed those two cold silver armored talismans back into place.

Then landed on a thick tree trunk, sitting cross-legged, regulated his breathing, completely concealed his aura, quietly waiting for that figure’s return.