My Martial Arts Level Never Drops

Chapter 466: Chapter 212: Qinghe

”Vanished?”

Qin Fang’s expression turned grave. ”Were they all slaughtered, with no bodies left? Or... did even the houses and fields vanish along with them?”

”According to the case file, it’s the first one.”

Su Nian said, ”The Lanyang City Prefecture Yamen received a report from the elders of a neighboring village and sent men to investigate. There were no signs of a fierce struggle or arson at the scene. The houses, fields, and livestock pens were all completely intact. Some homes even... had cold congee left unfinished on the stove and needlework sitting on the table. But the people, and all the living creatures like their dogs, chickens, and ducks, had all vanished. No blood, no signs of a struggle. It was as if... as if everyone was going about their daily lives, and then, in a single moment, they were erased out of thin air.”

Wen Suxin’s brow furrowed. ”Two villages, hundreds of people, and all their livestock... vanished without a trace overnight? This is absolutely not something an ordinary Demon or a group of bandits could do.”

”The Three Religions.”

Qin Fang said, his voice heavy.

Su Nian nodded as well, his voice low. ”That was my judgment, too... According to the file, the Prefecture Yamen’s constables and the forensic doctors they brought in were completely stumped. They searched the villages inside and out but found no signs of a large group of outsiders entering, nor could they find any bodies or burial sites.”

Qin Fang picked up the case file and read through it carefully.

Attached were simple maps of the villages, notes from the on-site investigation, and the testimonies of several constables.

”Why wasn’t this reported sooner?”

Qin Fang asked, his brow furrowed.

’The Three Religions have been stirring up trouble in Canglan Prefecture, and the Sect already gave orders to investigate them.’

’This kind of bizarre incident, involving so many commoners, seems very much like the work of one of the Three Religions.’

’Logically, it should have been reported to the Sect the moment it was discovered.’

”It has been reported.”

Su Nian hurriedly explained, ”This file was just rushed over late last night... The Prefecture Yamen was probably hoping they could solve it themselves, or perhaps wanted to investigate further on their own, so they delayed for some time. They only reported it after confirming it was completely beyond their comprehension. But the moment I got the file today, I contacted those Within the Sect.”

Hearing Su Nian say this, Qin Fang finally breathed a small sigh of relief, then nodded slightly.

After glancing at the files again, Qin Fang said, ”I see... You’ve all worked hard these past few years. Go back to the Sect and get a good rest.”

’The most pressing parts of the handover are finished.’

’I can get used to the rest slowly.’

Su Nian nodded. ”Alright, then we’ll leave the Sacrificial Hall to you, Senior Brother and Senior Sister... Senior Brother Yun and I will head back to the Sect... to report on our mission.”

Qin Fang sighed softly and nodded.

’He says ”report on our mission,” but with the Celestial Martial Lineage having dwindled to this point, I really don’t know who there is to report to...’

’He’ll probably report directly to the Sect Leader.’

Just then...

CLAP! Yun Guanyu, who had been lost in thought nearby, suddenly clapped his hands in realization. ”I remember now!”

Qin Fang, Wen Suxin, and Su Nian: ”...”

”Senior Brother Yun, let’s go, let’s go...”

Su Nian ran over, grabbed Yun Guanyu, and started pulling him outside.

”Huh? Who are you?”

Yun Guanyu looked baffled.

Su Nian: ”...”

Qin Fang: ”...”

Wen Suxin: ”...”

Su Nian half-pulled, half-dragged Yun Guanyu away.

There was a brief commotion outside, and then it fell silent.

Qin Fang let out a soft breath and asked Senior Sister Wen, ”Senior Sister, what exactly is Senior Brother Yun cultivating?”

”As a Hall Master’s True Inheritance of the Celestial Martial Lineage, and also the only current True Inheritance... what he cultivates is one of the Sect’s six supreme legacies, the ’Nine Tribulations God Refining Chapter’.”

Qin Fang’s pupils contracted slightly... Though he was a Hall Master’s True Inheritance, this was the first time he had heard the specific name of one of the ’six supreme legacies’.

”The Celestial Martial Lineage focuses on Divine Sense. The ’Nine Tribulations God Refining Chapter’ is the most powerful Spiritual Sense Leaf Skill in our Sect.”

”This method is divided into Nine Tribulation Gates. To advance each level, one must actively trigger a corresponding ’Divine Tribulation,’ honing, tearing, and even shattering one’s Divine Sense within the tribulation... only to reforge and sublimate it with great perseverance and wisdom.”

”With each tribulation passed, the Divine Sense undergoes a qualitative transformation. Not only does its strength and range multiply, but it can also give rise to all sorts of incredible abilities... like the Divine Thought Sword, One Thought Illusion Realm, Penetrating Illusion, and so on.”

”For Ordinary Martial Artists, their Divine Sense is very fragile. When it comes to Divine Sense, it’s basically limited to the Contemplation Method used before the Heaven-Breaking Gate... you could call it the birth of Divine Sense. To forge a stronger Divine Sense, one must cultivate a Spiritual Sense Leaf Skill.”

”But Spiritual Sense Leaf Skills are far more difficult and dangerous than Body Technique Leaf Skills. When Contemplation reaches a high Realm, all sorts of problems arise...”

Senior Sister Wen sighed. ”For example, you also use Contemplation on the Profound Nether Realm-Breaking Awl. Have you noticed that once you enter the state of Contemplation, you enter a psychological state of being completely Unflappable?”

Qin Fang was stunned for a moment, then nodded subconsciously.

”But as you cultivate your Divine Sense to deeper levels, that feeling changes... The more you practice Contemplation, the greater the effect on one’s personality, to the point where one might completely lose their ’humanity’ and ’emotions’.”

”I’m using the ’Profound Nether Realm-Breaking Awl’ as an example here because what you contemplate is the concept of ’Profound Nether Annihilation.’ But if you were to contemplate something else, there would be similar, grave dangers.”

”For instance, some Martial Artists with a Li Fire Nature might choose to practice Contemplation on the ’Great Sun Celestial Patrol Map.’ This method requires one to visualize a brilliant Great Sun in their Divine Sense, patrolling the heavens and illuminating all realms.”

”In the Early Stage, it can make one’s thoughts fiery and active, greatly enhancing their comprehension and control of Li Fire Nature Skills. Their Divine Sense might even gain a trace of Pure Yang Evil-Breaking Power.”

”But after prolonged Contemplation, the Cultivator’s temperament often becomes as fierce and unyielding as the blazing sun, intolerant of others, and quick to ignite.”

Qin Fang’s heart chilled as he listened.