Chapter 282 - 281: Deathbed Legacy, Dao Entry

The instant [Chen]’s black Realm shattered, inundated with Thunder, the Martial Artists of Gao Yuan City took notice. As a spear tip of Thunder pierced through, Luo Beixing’s figure emerged from the blast, using his last breath to return to the top of the Martial Arts Building.

The Grandmasters all rushed to surround him. Jiang Qiu had also just disengaged from his own battle. A Martial Artist specializing in healing hurried forward to treat his injuries, but Luo Beixing waved him away.

"Don’t... Don’t waste your Spirit Charm. This is just a final resurgence. My time is up."

He gasped heavily for air, his Peak aura plummeting rapidly—from Half-Step Fusion Realm, to Top Tier Dao Entry Realm, to High Tier Dao Entry Realm, to Low Tier Dao Entry Realm...

As he emerged, he saw everyone was still there, and that Jiang Qiu stood undefeated after single-handedly fighting eight Demon Marshals. He breathed a silent sigh of relief, his frantically pounding heart finally starting to calm.

The fact that he could still see them all meant Gao Yuan City hadn’t been completely wiped out, which was already an excellent outcome.

"Elder Luo, your body..." Jiang Qiu’s brows furrowed deeply as he watched Luo Beixing’s body age at a rate visible to the naked eye. Like a leaking balloon, his flesh and blood wasted away, and his skin began to wrinkle.

This was even worse than Lin Yu’s condition. That Grandmaster had merely exhausted his Spirit Charm and hadn’t yet crossed the threshold of death. But Luo Beixing was already shrouded in the aura of death, his Life Force steadily slipping away!

"[Chen]..." Luo Beixing barely had the strength to speak. He shook his head, a silent response to Jiang Qiu’s concern, then forced the words out with his last breath. "[Chen] is severely wounded and can’t take action for the time being. The last hope for Gao Yuan City... I’m entrusting it to you—Jiang Qiu."

As the breath from his last word faded, Luo Beixing’s drooping eyelids flickered open for one last look at Jiang Qiu. Within his murky, blood-flecked gaze was a glimmer of undying hope and trust.

In an instant, his body dissolved into streams of white light, like the dying embers of a star.

Jiang Qiu’s pupils shrank. He reached out to grasp at the light, but it slipped through his fingers. A single point of profound light, however, traveled up his fingertips, fused into his blood, and flooded his mind—

’Today, we call the Path of Cultivation "Martial Arts," and there is nothing wrong with that. The ancient tomes unearthed in the Secret Realms all depict a grand path of cultivation, one that seeks self-breakthrough.

’Martial Arts is the pursuit of breakthroughs. The Path of Cultivation is also the pursuit of breakthroughs.

’Most cultivators pursue external breakthroughs. They place their faith in the power of flowers and trees, of wind and rain, of thunder and lightning. They can sense the world, glimpse the Great Dao, and attempt to fuse with it.

’But a tree cannot forget its roots, and the Path cannot forget the self.

’I practiced traditional spear techniques for over thirty years, and people called me a Grandmaster of my generation. Even when the Kunlun Mountain Secret Realm reawakened, plunging the world into a frenzy of similar awakenings and causing all living things to transform, I continued to practice my Spear Technique.

’I was in my forties then. Following the methods recorded in ancient texts, I forged my Thunderous Jade Sinews. I also refined the traditional Spear Technique to suit the new era, naming it the Ancient Martial Spear Technique.

’Within three years, I made a name for myself as a Martial Arts Grandmaster of the new era. Within five, I comprehended the Spear Dao Realm. I slew countless Great Demons and gradually began to perceive the contours of the Great Dao.

’Unfortunately, a barrier always remained between me and the Great Dao, and I was never able to break through to a higher Realm. That is, until I discovered a forbidden Secret Technique in the ruins of a Secret Realm—[Reverse-Life Fusion Dao].

’By using my life as fuel, I took a Half-Step into the Realm that had eluded me for so long. Only then did I finally understand... one cannot rely on external things. My Dao *is* the Great Dao...’

[Absorbing all of Luo Beixing’s comprehension of the Great Dao]

[Peeping Dao Realm - Top Tier]

[Great Dao: 1/1]

[My Dao]

[Description: While three thousand Great Daos contend for supremacy, My Dao stands above them all. It is founded on self-comprehension, allowing one to enter a personal Great Dao Realm. However, upon stepping into the Fusion Realm, one will face rejection from all other Great Daos.]

In that instant, Jiang Qiu’s body filled with Dao Charm. An invisible ripple from his Realm bloomed outward, and the scratches he had sustained in the battle began to heal slowly.

[Dao Entry Realm - Initial Tier]

[Realm: 1%]

The dead cells within his body suddenly erupted with an even more vigorous Life Force. Spirit Charm from a ten-thousand-meter radius began to spiral inward, filling the void within Jiang Qiu. The sky-spanning [Rain Tribulation] was caught in this gale and instantly pulled in, all of its Spirit Charm pouring into his body.

His aura surged, and a pressure unique to the Dragon Race began to rise. In that moment, countless members of the Demon Race stared, wide-eyed. The heavily wounded Martial Artists raised their heads and gazed in astonishment. "He broke through to the Dao Entry Realm?!"

Comprehending the Great Dao required not only massive resources but also exceptional aptitude. Theoretically, as long as one was enlightened, a transformation within the Peeping Dao Realm was possible.

But a breakthrough of such astonishing speed was simply unheard of!

’Elder Luo, the flame of Gao Yuan City will not be snuffed out.’

Gripping his spear and clenching his fist, Jiang Qiu’s eyes shone with a resolute light. He could feel his body had grown far tougher; the amount of damage his Dragon Body could endure had risen by a huge margin.

If the combined assault of several Demon Marshals could only inflict superficial damage before, then now, barring a few strange and indefensible Secret Techniques, he would likely remain completely unscathed.

Moreover, his Spirit Charm was replenished, allowing him to sustain high-intensity combat for some time longer.

He took a deep breath and recalled the inheritance Luo Beixing had left him. It included a forbidden, life-sacrificing Secret Technique: [Reverse-Life Fusion Dao].

It was unclear who created it, but the Secret Technique’s potential was immense. It could help someone in the Dao Entry Realm temporarily break through to the higher Fusion Realm. Even someone at the Initial Tier of Dao Entry could step into the Fusion Realm. The price, however, was death and the complete disintegration of one’s Soul.

The duration was directly proportional to the user’s willpower. If the enemy was overwhelmingly powerful, death would come swiftly. But if one could contend with their foe, the effect could last for about a day.

The Fusion Realm was the level of a Demon King. In the ancient Celestial Profound Great Realm, such a being would have been the strongest in their clan, second only to a Demon Emperor.

If someone at the Dao Entry Realm successfully broke through to the Fusion Realm, they would be virtually invincible. It wouldn’t be impossible for them to crush scores of Grandmasters with a single finger.

However, the Demon Kings of the modern era weren’t true Demon Kings in the traditional sense; the title was merely one of convenience.

’But for some reason, despite using such a powerful forbidden Secret Technique, Elder Luo still hadn’t broken through to the Fusion Realm. He only reached the Half-Step Fusion Realm. If he had broken through to the Fusion Realm as the Secret Technique described, the Kunlun Demon Clan attacking Gao Yuan City might have been completely wiped out. But now isn’t the time to be thinking about this.’

SWOOSH—

Jiang Qiu flicked his spear and shot forward, a lone figure facing tens of thousands from the Demon Race. A piercing, cold light glinted in his Dragon Eyes.

This single movement sent a huge swath of the Demon Race reeling back a thousand meters in terror. Even the Demon Generals fell back to a position behind [Chen], who was surrounded and protected by nine Demon Marshals.

In truth, the Martial Artists of Gao Yuan City were all but wiped out, a spent force with nothing left. Only Jiang Qiu, having just broken through to the Dao Entry Realm, remained standing strong. But his mere presence was an overwhelming force in itself.

[Chen] narrowed his eyes, his expression impassive. ’Luo Beixing passed on all of his comprehension to Jiang Qiu before he died.’ He slowly raised his right hand and gestured downward. "Retreat. We will recuperate for a while. There’s no need to sacrifice any more of our kin."

’Too many of our people have died. This will impact our preparations for the coming calamity.’

’When Jiang Qiu was at the Peeping Dao Realm, he was already difficult to kill.’

’Now that he has entered "My Dao," he’ll be even harder to kill!’

’And I am now severely wounded. If we continue the assault, not only will we fail to take Gao Yuan City, but we will also suffer even greater losses...’