High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: True Intention

「The next morning, at the break of dawn.」

Xu Wuyi slowly lowered his spear in the clearing, fine beads of sweat dotting his brow. His mastery of the Silk Binding Force had grown increasingly proficient.

That Yin Soft Hidden Force, like true invisible threads, could now be smoothly unleashed with his Back Wind Sweep. Though he was still a ways from controlling it as if it were an extension of his own limbs, wielding it was no longer a struggle.

A scan of his sea of consciousness revealed the panel: his proficiency in the Wind-Settling Spear Technique had become [Minor Achievement (0.8%)].

Just like with his Body Refining Technique, after reaching the Minor Success Realm, his proficiency progressed at a crawl. Still, it was progress.

He washed up, hurriedly ate breakfast, and rushed off to school.

Today was the day the first installment of the school’s resource grant was deposited.

The school’s internal Martial Arts resource exchange system already showed a credit of 100,000 Federation Coins in his account.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he went directly to the ”Mental Realm Fragment” exchange section on the Battle Network.

A dazzling array of basic Mental Realm Fragments appeared as virtual images on the screen, each marked with a steep price.

Xu Wuyi took a deep breath and selected the system’s ”Free Trial” option.

Yesterday’s battle with Li Mo had made him realize that his own understanding of Martial Arts was still quite superficial.

He wanted to experience firsthand whether any Mental Realms other than ”Mountain” would resonate with him.

First, he tried the ”Flowing Water” True Intention fragment. The moment his consciousness sank into it, a gentle, fluid, and all-pervasive intention enveloped him.

It felt fascinating, but it clashed with Xu Wuyi’s own temperament and the solid, heavy foundation forged by his Basic Body Refining Technique. It was as if he were looking through a pane of frosted glass, unable to truly resonate with it.

He exited the trial and shook his head slightly.

Next was the ”Raging Fire” True Intention.

A furious, scorching, all-consuming intention assaulted his consciousness, filled with utter aggression.

Xu Wuyi felt his Heart and Spirit grow agitated, and even his Qi and Blood seemed to stir and boil faintly. The feeling was unsettling, running contrary to the control he strived for.

He withdrew again, then tried the ”Gale” True Intention.

Swift, elusive, and unrestrained. As he experienced it, he felt his body grow almost weightless.

Unfortunately, this too was a poor match for Xu Wuyi. He found it difficult to gain even the slightest insight from it.

He tried several in a row, all with disappointing results. These Mental Realms were profound and powerful in their own right, but none of them could strike a chord deep within him.

’I guess none of them are right for me, huh?’ Xu Wuyi thought, not feeling particularly disappointed.

Teacher Wang had said that Mental Realm Enlightenment couldn’t be forced; the key was finding an Intention that was a natural fit.

He turned his gaze back to the ”True Intention of the Mountain” option and began the trial. His consciousness was dragged into a vast, desolate landscape. A colossal mountain with no visible peak stood before him, casting an endless shadow.

Since Xu Wuyi already had a basic grasp of the ”True Intention of the Mountain,” he almost instantly perceived four different aspects within it.

The first was ”Heaviness”: unmoving, unshakable, impervious to all arts.

The second was ”Peril”: a lone peak piercing the heavens, defiant, finding life only in the face of death.

The third was ”Might”: the crushing weight of a great mountain, an overwhelming, unstoppable force.

The fourth was ”Endurance”: vast reserves of Qi and Blood, with unrelenting stamina.

’So the same True Intention of Martial Arts can manifest in different ways. Different Martial Artists will even comprehend it differently.’

A flash of insight lit up Xu Wuyi’s mind.

With the trial complete, Xu Wuyi no longer hesitated. He directly paid the required points and Federation Coins and made the exchange.

The next moment, the phantom of a fragment, radiating a profound and immense intention, merged into his personal space on the Battle Network.

BOOM!

The colossal mountain appeared once more, casting its endless shadow.

This intention was far more domineering and assertive than the fledgling concept of ”Mountain” he had grasped on his own!

After an unknown amount of time, Xu Wuyi slowly emerged from his state of enlightenment. He let out a long breath, a sharp glint in his eyes.

”So that’s how it is... The Mountain, impervious to all arts, suppressing all things!”

He immediately logged out of the Battle Network, went to the equipment area of Training Hall One, and grabbed a solid metal longspear.

He closed his eyes, striving to recall that unique intention and integrate it into his Spear Technique.

He began with the Starting Form, the Army Stabilization Form, his stance as steady as ever.

He thrust with the Cloud-Breaking Stab, trying to imbue the tip of his spear with that intention of ”suppression.”

However, after several repetitions, although he felt he was making progress, there was always an invisible barrier preventing a true fusion.

Forcing it several times not only failed but also caused a slight stagnation in the circulation of his Qi and Blood.

Xu Wuyi stopped, his brow tightly furrowed.

’Looks like I was getting ahead of myself,’ he thought. ’How could Mental Realm Enlightenment be so easily integrated into Martial Arts? Let alone during ordinary practice.’

He realized he had been too hasty.

The excitement from defeating Li Mo and reaching Minor Achievement in his Spear Technique had made him a bit restless.

But Xu Wuyi was exceptionally good at self-reflection. The moment he realized his state of mind was off, he was able to quickly correct it.

After practicing his Spear Technique for a while longer, Xu Wuyi’s mind gradually calmed. He then began his daily morning routine: practicing the Basic Body Refining Technique.

’Even if I didn’t grasp the True Intention of Martial Arts this time, I’ve at least taken a huge step forward. And it’s not like I can only redeem a True Intention fragment once. I’ll just buy another one next time.’

Xu Wuyi didn’t dwell on it. He went to his training room, cleared his mind, and assumed the Starting Form of the Basic Body Refining Technique: Holding the Essence and Guarding the One.

Sinking his shoulders, dropping his elbows, relaxing his waist, tucking his hips... The core principles, long since ingrained in his very bones, were executed with natural ease.

Following his slow, deep breaths, his Qi and Blood circulated steadily along their familiar pathways.

One repetition, two repetitions, three...

He wasn’t deliberately pursuing anything. He simply devoted his entire being to the movements, feeling his Qi and Blood trickle through his body, nourishing every inch of his frame.

Perhaps it was because comprehending the ”Mountain” True Intention had exhausted his Heart and Spirit, or perhaps it was because he had let go of his desperate need for instant success. In any case, his mind was now exceptionally tranquil.

It was at the very instant he completed his seventh repetition of Holding the Essence and Guarding the One—as his body shifted from absolute stillness to the barest hint of motion, preparing to transition to the next form.

Within his sea of consciousness, the Bronze Ancient Volume flared with light without any warning!

At the same time, a heavy, profound, and immense intention welled up naturally from the depths of his being, instantly suffusing his entire body and making him feel as if he had become one with the very Earth beneath his feet!

Unlike the disconnected feeling from the Battle Network fragment, this intention was utterly real, as if it had lain dormant in the depths of his Spirit all along, only to be awakened now!

In a trance, he felt he was no longer a separate individual, but had become a mountain upon the Earth, rooted in the deep soil, weathering wind and rain, capable of suppressing everything in the four cardinal directions.

At the same time, a series of notifications streamed across the panel:

[Through insight into your true nature during routine cultivation, you have triggered a Qi and Blood resonance and successfully comprehended the True Intention of Martial Arts—Mountain!]

[Empowered by the True Intention of Martial Arts, your Basic Body Refining Technique cultivation efficiency has been permanently increased by 50%. Your Qi and Blood Refinement Level has been permanently increased by 20%.]

[Basic Body Refining Technique Martial Arts Trait unlocked: Mountain Suppression!]