Chapter 326: Master of Martial Arts! (2)

People know that martial artists can’t beat cultivators easily, except for the Qiao family member who is brave enough to fight with cultivators.

"Being weak as a Spirit Refining martial artist doesn’t mean you’ve chosen the wrong path," Qiao Mu said deeply.

"Most 3rd rank martial artists with strong spiritual refining abilities only have a few Eye Attacking Techniques."

"Most Spirit Refining martial artists rely on their instincts in battles and can’t convert their willpower into combat abilities."

"It’s not the weakness of Spirit Refining martial artists, but the lack in martial arts!"

"That’s why we have the Qiao family’s ‘Divine Transformation Technique’."

"By merging Qi and spirit, True strength is formed."

Qiao Mu pointed his finger and formed it into a sword shape.

He secretly used the "Qi Sword Finger" technique, creating a sharp white sword light from his fingertip that extended three feet long.

After internal strength transforms into True strength, it becomes a tangible thing, greatly enhancing one’s control ability and the range of shooting power into the air.

This Fragmented Virtual Finger, originally like the Six Meridian Divine Sword, shoots out finger force into the air from the fingertips, displaying profound fingertip skills in attacking acupoints from a distance.

But in today’s hands, a three-foot-long white light sword is formed out of thin air, solidifying and sharp.

As Qiao Mu waves the energy sword in his hand, the three-foot sword light slashes down, the sword light roaring nearly a hundred meters, cutting the distant lake water.

Next to the peach blossom forest, with this strike through the air, the lake water unexpectedly splits in two from the middle, the water swirling and rolling downward.

People can even glimpse the exposed riverbed soil from the split surface of the lake water.

"Splitting a lake with one sword? Mr. Qiao Xin’s reputation is well deserved!"

"This isn’t even a sword, he doesn’t even need a sword, just a point out of thin air?!"

"That’s the lake water a hundred meters away; the rumors are indeed true."

With this move, everyone was amazed and praised.

Rather than saying that Qiao Mu was a master of martial arts, it is better to say that he exceeded the limits of martial arts known to these martial artists in the world.

The Martial Saint was among the crowd, witnessing this scene.

"In Jiu Province, has such a talented martial artist finally emerged?"

He lowered his eyelids and remained silent.

Many years ago, he had witnessed the power of the Immortal Sect Leader’s cultivation at the Soul Changing Stage. Qiao Mu’s display today was surprising, but not enough to truly impress him.

"It appears that Qiao Xin truly lives up to his reputation. He has indeed deep knowledge in the path of superb internal strength, however—"

At that moment.

Suddenly, Qiao Mu waved and greeted an old man with grey hair, who approached the hill.

Martial Saint’s gaze sharpened.

The old man walking up the hill was thin and frail, with white hair like a thin layer of snow covering his head.

The left side of his face had normal skin with deep wrinkles and age spots, but the right side was a grim scar, as if it had been consumed by flames. His right eye was just an empty hole, and most of his ear had been burned off, leaving only a faint outline.

His appearance made ordinary people unable to look directly at him.

Martial Saint, however, stared steadily at the old man’s intact half of the face.

Martial Saint recognized this person.

It was Li Changge’s brother Li Changshi from the military camp of yesteryears, also one of his generals.

They had briefly met outside Zhong Province Great Qin City in the past.

Now, after several months, Li Changshi had fewer wrinkles on his face and looked about ten years younger.

Instead of looking young, Li Changshi’s biggest change is that he seems much more spirited now, as if some unknown transformation has taken place. He doesn’t have the usual signs of aging and instead appears enthusiastic.

"My name is Li Changshi, and I am at the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period in martial arts," Li Changshi said with a faint smile.

"As you can see, my vitality has long since declined, and I don’t have much internal strength left, but…"

He gently exhaled, and his skinny palm struck forward.

A blueish energy burst through his palm, striking a huge rock dozens of meters away.

With a loud rumble, the giant rock was struck by the energy, leaving a clear handprint imprint where it hit. The rock then suddenly split apart in all directions from the handprint, with the central area pierced through.

Li Changshi calmly said, "After three days of hard training, I have mastered the first superb rank True strength."

After saying this, he paused for a moment and corrected himself, saying:

"No, it should be… 1st rank True strength!"

Is this the strongest rank?

Shouldn’t it be called excellent rank?

The Martial Saint was first surprised, lost in thought for a moment.

This Excellent Martial Arts, first step is spiritual refining, second step is a transformation of internal strength, refining the martial energy.

This is a rare path that superb martial artists have discovered in nearly a hundred years.

But if he heard correctly, this Qiao family’s "Divine Transformation Technique" not only has found a clear path of true energy…

It has also lowered the threshold for refining true energy, even someone like 1st ranked martial artist Li Changshi can succeed in refining it?

"As you can see," Qiao Mu added.

"The martial arts of my Qiao family members is the true martial path of cultivating both skill and life."

"At the 1st level of Spiritual Refining Period, one can cultivate 1st level True strength."

"Moving from the 3rd rank to the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Realm is simply a gradual improvement of mindset and cultivation, without any fundamental breakthrough."

"Although I have not tried it, a 2nd rank or even a 3rd rank martial artist might be able to attempt our Qiao family’s Divine Transformation Technique, although it would be more challenging."

The words fell.

Like a big stone dropped into a lake, instantly creating a thousand ripples.

The martial artists were initially shocked.

The member of the Qiao family in front of them spoke boldly, first criticizing the shortcomings of Spiritual Refining Martial Arts and martial arts in general, but then surprisingly presented a refined Spiritual Refining Method.

Many martial artists in the peach blossom forest stared blankly at the cracked giant rock several meters away.

Developing tangible and qualitative True strength, able to pierce through a giant rock from several meters away with a strike… this was something that even the superb martial artists of the past practicing spiritual refining could not achieve.

The spiritual refining superb rank is just extremely intuitive without taking the second step.

If we go by what Qiao Mu said…

If the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period can achieve True strength, then there might be a chance for the 3rd rank as well…

So, does this mean that a martial artist who has practiced the Divine Transformation Technique at the 3rd rank has already surpassed the previous spiritual refining superb rank in the field of releasing energy and attacking from a distance?

"This is expanding the martial arts!"

"If this is true, then isn’t Qiao Xin the hero single-handedly advancing the martial arts in Jiu Province?"

"The Qiao family member truly lives up to their reputation," the people in the martial arts world praised.

"This person is a master."

A master?

The title of "grandmaster" is not a level of martial arts, but a respectful term for those who are the founders of martial arts schools.

The usually quiet Martial Saint shook his head slightly.

"He is not the grandmaster who founded a martial arts school."

Founding a martial arts school means establishing schools like the Shaolin Temple, Wudang Sect, and Godfire Sect, becoming the founding master, and passing down unique skills.

Martial Saint dominated the martial arts world in Jiu Province, defeating schools like Shaolin, Wudang, Huashan, and Kongtong, breaking their plaques.

Are the leaders of major sects or the so-called "first-generation ancestors" or "grandmasters" really amazing?

He has killed many people in the past.

Hasn’t Martial Saint seen rough seas and big storms?

But Qiao Mu in front of him is different.

"This person is not the founder of a martial arts school." Martial Saint said deeply:

"Instead, he pioneered the martial arts in Jiu Province, leading the entire Jiu Province martial arts forward… A master of martial arts!"

Master of martial arts!

Spiritual Refining Martial Art, with a history of hundreds to thousands of years, can be traced back to the founder of Wudang, Master Zhang, and the founder of Long Life Fist, Taoist Changsheng.

The path of true qi has a history of a hundred years, gradually explored by superb martial artists in the past hundred years and is still not perfect.

It may have been a hundred years… but before the rise of cultivators in the world, in an era, there were only about ten superb martial artists.

Excluding the contemporary era after the appearance of Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill, if we look back a hundred years, there might have been only a dozen or twenty superb martial artists in Jiu Province who mastered true qi.

And what Qiao Mu has done is basically single-handedly completing the Spiritual Refining Martial Art!

Such a person may already be recorded in the history of martial arts in Jiu Province, becoming a figure in the eyes of future generations like the founder Bodhidharma.

"Don’t worry, I haven’t gotten to the most exciting part yet." Qiao Mu stayed calm as the others were getting emotional.

"Only Li Changshi, a top martial artist, has mastered this Divine Transformation Technique."

"It’s uncertain if those ranked 2nd or 3rd can achieve it."

So." Qiao Mu smiled as he looked at the many martial artists in the peach blossom forest.

"Whether you can achieve 3rd rank True strength or 2nd rank True strength depends on your skills."

Thinking about this, Qiao Mu’s expression turned slightly serious. He was sitting under a peach tree, reciting the Divine Transformation Technique:

"Focus your mind upwards, keep your intention in your lower abdomen, merge your energy with your spirit…"

"Moving from internal strength to True strength is not just about becoming more refined; it’s a breakthrough in quality…"

"Internal strength is like foot soldiers, while spirit is like a general."

"The book "Divine Transformation Technique" teaches how to command soldiers using ‘godly’ power and how to combine energy with spirit."

Qiao Mu explained the essence of the "Divine Transformation Technique" in a clear and engaging manner.

As a highly talented martial artist, the things he discovered naturally required a high level of talent like any other martial artist.

So, the "Divine Transformation Technique" is not difficult to understand and does not require a high level of talent from martial artists.

The martial artists in the peach blossom forest listened attentively as they became deeply involved in the spiritual refining martial arts explained by Qiao Mu.

"It actually makes sense, could it really work?"

"Master Qiao is actually willing to share such divine skills with us for free?"

"A grandmaster? Creating a whole new martial art style, such a broad-minded perspective that ignores sect rivalry."

"Even the Martial Saint in the past only revealed the top half of their martial arts skills from different sects. If you want to learn the lower half, you need to contact the Wuji Association, help them, or even join them directly…"

Many of these new visitors to the arena actually had some doubts when they came this time, hoping just to bask in the glory of martial arts legends.

Sharing some martial arts theories like Qiao Xin does is very helpful for them.

If lucky enough to learn the Qiao family’s ancestral martial arts from Qiao Mu, it would be even better.

But these thoughts are just wishful thinking, as nobody believed that the Qiao family’s secret martial arts would really be taught to outsiders.

"Having such generosity and magnanimity truly puts me to shame. If I were Mr. Qiao, I would definitely keep this secret technique to myself, at most passing it down to my children and descendants."

"Indeed, the generosity is remarkable," Long Shankong also sighed.

He had already learned the "Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique" from a Qiao family member, but he was still amazed at the moment:

"I have no idea how many generations of Qiao family members put in so much time and effort to develop this advanced martial arts technique that surpasses those in Jiu Province. Now, they are passing it on so easily, it truly makes me feel unworthy."

The way people looked at Qiao Mu had changed, regardless of their martial arts skills, they all had a deep respect for him.

"Just relax, don’t rush," Qiao Mu said, waving his hand.

"In this world, those who are truly selfless are called saints."

"Do you think I look like a moral saint?"

Everyone fell silent, all looking at Qiao Mu together.

It sounds like they are planning to make some requests next, right?

Indeed, being so generous made them feel humble and unworthy.

Among the crowd, Martial Saint silently watched the scene, his gaze not only on Qiao Mu but also taking in everyone’s reactions.