Chapter 146: Gold Sword Talisman and Battle Tactic Intentions

The battle intentions of martial cultivators primarily emerge from years of dedicated practice of martial arts techniques. Only a small fraction are inherited, unique forms of battle intent.

When a martial art is cultivated to perfection, it can align with certain profound laws of the universe, thereby vastly increasing its power. This state is known as 'Harmony with the Heavenly Dao.' Building upon this, continued practice and refinement will naturally give rise to specific intentions. This is precisely what constitutes a martial cultivator's battle intent!

Li Weiyi stood on the bloody, muddy ground, circulating his spiritual power through the meridians of his entire body. As he stretched his arms and moved his palms, wisps of spiritual energy flowed between his fingers.

Li Ling stopped about five zhang away. Without a word, a multitude of luminous particles surged from her brow. The nine silver bracelets on her wrist, having absorbed these particles, spun rapidly and flew out, radiating a silver brilliance that illuminated the entire bloody, muddy space. This was followed by a cacophony of clattering sounds. After flying out, the nine silver bracelets multiplied into eighty-one, descending like an overwhelming deluge. This attack alone was something no ordinary Five Seas Realm, Third Stage martial cultivator could endure. For instance, the elderly deformed man from San Chen Palace, who died at her and Li Weiyi's hands half a month prior, could only flee and evade these nine silver bracelets, never daring to engage them head-on.

Li Weiyi struck out with a palm. A square golden divine seal, several times larger than his body, materialized. It was interwoven with spiritual energy, featuring a coiled dragon on its body and ancient script engraved on its base. Neither the seal, the ancient text, nor the coiled dragon were intentionally formed by him; he was incapable of manifesting them directly. Instead, executing this palm technique aligned with a subtle, unseen profound principle. It was akin to holding an iron rod on a mountaintop during a thunderstorm and attracting lightning. The lightning isn't his, but by understanding and continuously finding ways to align with a certain natural rule, one can draw it forth.

With a series of "booms," the eighty-one illusory silver bracelets struck the Sky-Turning Divine Seal, bursting like bubbles. The nine actual silver bracelets then became visible, flung away by the divine seal's power. Li Weiyi drew all his spiritual energy back into his palm as the Sky-Turning Divine Seal vanished. He frowned slightly. "Your power is too weak," he said. "It's not enough to help me stimulate my battle intent. Do you have any stronger attacks?"

"Alright, again," Li Ling responded. Retrieving her silver bracelets, her expression was displeased, and her fighting spirit was ignited. As a Grand Soul Master of the Heavenly Fire Realm, she could not tolerate being considered too weak by a mere First Stage martial cultivator of the Five Seas Realm, even when attacking with full power. She took out a bronze Nether Lamp and activated it with her mental power. With a "whoosh," the lamp released dazzling, scorching blue flames, wreathed in ethereal mist, enveloping her body. The next instant, Li Ling transformed into a cloud of blue fire, carrying a terrifying high temperature, instantly crossing the five-zhang distance and colliding with Li Weiyi.

With a "boom," the blue fire cloud collided with his spiritual energy, sending chaotic energy ripples violently outward. Li Weiyi didn't employ the Sky-Turning Palm Seal; he merely erected a wall of spiritual energy to defend himself. The spiritual energy wall shattered upon impact with Li Ling, forcing Li Weiyi to retreat rapidly. He then used the blood mist and blood-colored scriptures released from his Corpse Garment Soft Armor to dissipate the lingering power of the Nether Lamp.

"Stop!" Li Weiyi exclaimed. "With your current fighting style, I can't even risk using the Sky-Turning Palm Seal; I'm afraid I'd accidentally kill you. Are a Grand Soul Master's offensive techniques really so simple and crude?" Li Weiyi then looked towards Chan Hai Guan Wu on the jade boat in the distance, his unspoken message clear: "Perhaps you should try." With a serene expression, Chan Hai Guan Wu recalled Li Ling to the jade boat and whispered a few words to her.

Then, with her fingers, Chan Hai Guan Wu began drawing runes, instructing Li Ling in the art of Talisman Dao. "Teach her a few more ultimate techniques!" Li Weiyi called out loudly, then began to practice his own palm techniques, contemplating the profound intricacies of the Sky-Turning Palm Seal.

The Twelve Scattered Hands of the Chan Sect are said to have originated from its twelve deities. Each deity, having summarized their cultivation achievements, distilled the essence of their practice and left behind a foundational martial art technique. While cultivating on the mountain, Li Weiyi hadn't given it much thought, simply regarding it as a method for physical conditioning. However, upon arriving in this world, as his cultivation advanced and the spiritual energy within him grew purer, the Twelve Scattered Hands gradually revealed their true power. Only then did Li Weiyi begin to grasp their vast depth and profoundness; the more he pondered them, the more he perceived their endless variations and supreme hidden secrets. Now, practicing again, he was naturally completely absorbed, meticulously grasping each movement and constantly refining his execution.

Half a day later, Li Ling concluded her practice. Full of renewed confidence, she approached Li Weiyi again, her delicate chin slightly raised. "For a Soul Master," she declared, "controlling insects, taming demons, setting up formations, and mastering talisman arts are the most potent offensive methods. Are you ready?"

"Alright," Li Weiyi said, "let's see what new things you've learned from the Ancient Emperor." Li Weiyi genuinely felt a certain wariness towards Talisman Dao, having nearly succumbed to the runes of a Grand Soul Master of the Tri-Sect during his time in the Five Seas Realm.

Li Ling drew a line in the air with her finger. With a "whoosh," a bright wall of fire materialized before Li Weiyi, obscuring his vision and perception. She then leaped into the air, a spiritual light radiating from her brow as a rune shot out like lightning. Reaching Li Weiyi's head, the rune exploded, transforming into a three-zhang-long golden greatsword that slashed down with a resounding crash. The powerful energy unleashed by the greatsword caused the blood mist surrounding the muddy space to churn violently.

"This... this looks very much like a Divine Sword Talisman," observed Master Coffin. Master Jar interjected, "How could it be a Divine Sword Talisman? A Divine Sword Talisman requires a battle sword made of special spiritual materials to wield the power to slay immortals. Back then, it was said that every imperial envoy dispatched from Lingxiao Palace on secret missions carried one, and each was truly formidable." Master Spirit Tablet added, "It is a Divine Sword Talisman, but the rune has been simplified, so its power isn't as exaggerated. However, when drawn by a Grand Soul Master of the Heavenly Fire Realm, its power can indeed rival the full might of a Fourth Stage martial cultivator of the Five Seas Realm."

With a "boom," Li Weiyi's Sky-Turning Divine Seal clashed directly with the golden greatsword. The divine seal was cleaved apart, and the sword's immense impact force knocked him back over a dozen steps. A wound appeared on his palm, from which blood dripped. "What a powerful rune! This is the feeling I need. Again!" Li Weiyi exclaimed. He sensed his battle intent resurface, though it remained elusive, which only fueled his fighting spirit.

Li Ling landed back on the ground, feeling a sense of disbelief. She had been confident that even a Fourth Stage martial cultivator of the Five Seas Realm wouldn't have easily withstood that sword strike. Yet, Li Weiyi, who had only recently entered the Five Seas Realm, had taken it and suffered only minor injuries.

"Wait a moment!" Li Ling said. "The Golden Sword Talisman is incredibly complex and drains a lot of mental power. At my current cultivation level, I draw it very slowly." Li Ling then formed hand seals, using her mental power to manipulate spiritual light particles and inscribe the rune within the spiritual realm of her glabella.

"Your attacks are so sporadic, it's really frustrating," Li Weiyi said, exasperated. "In a real battlefield, who would give you time to draw talismans?" He continued, "Couldn't you prepare more in advance? I think if you could prepare a hundred of these Golden Sword Talismans beforehand, even a Fifth Stage martial cultivator of the Five Seas Realm would flee at the sight of you." Distracted by his words, Li Ling failed to complete her rune, stomping her foot in frustration. "Just stop talking for a moment!" she snapped.

For the next half month, Li Weiyi became completely engrossed in comprehending battle intent. He practiced, attacked, defended, and clashed with Li Ling dozens of times almost every day. Initially, his Sky-Turning Palm Seal was instantly cleaved by the Golden Sword Talisman, clearly outmatched. Gradually, they reached a point of parity, either clashing sharply or mutually annihilating. Eventually, the Sky-Turning Palm Seal even gained the upper hand, shattering the golden greatsword.

With a clear and sharp mind, Li Weiyi sensed the birth of his first battle intent. As his feet shifted and his arms and palms rotated, an invisible shadow appeared around his body, swirling about him. When his spiritual energy interacted, he could perceive countless invisible threads connecting his battle intent to his essence, vital energy, and spirit. Unfortunately, he couldn't discern the actual form of this battle intent.

"Why must one reach the Third Stage of the Five Seas Realm for battle intent to manifest and become visible?" Li Weiyi asked. Master Jar explained, "The fundamental reason is that battle intent requires sufficiently pure spiritual energy to fuse with your essence, vital energy, and spirit before it can be seen with the naked eye."

"In other words," Master Jar continued, "as long as you cultivate Five Seas Third-Tier Qi, you can manifest battle intent, even if you haven't reached the Third Stage of the Five Seas Realm. However, no one has ever managed to cultivate Five Seas Third-Tier Qi before reaching the Third Stage of the Five Seas Realm. Not even those with a Hundred Meridian All-Silver Pure Immortal Body can achieve it."

"Is it really that difficult?" Li Weiyi asked. "Five Seas Third-Tier Qi only requires twice the refinement of Five Seas Second-Tier Qi. I may not have double, but I certainly have more than one-fold! As soon as I open my second Qi Sea, I suspect I can transform it into Five Seas Third-Tier Qi the instant I break through to the Second Stage of the Five Seas Realm."

Master Jar was silent for a moment, then shouted, "Mist Emperor, could you have achieved that back in your time?" "With an absolute realm, anything can be crushed," a voice responded. On the jade boat, Chan Hai Guan Wu's tall and graceful figure stood up, her aura now even more potent, her phoenix eyes sharp. "A month has passed," she observed. "Things outside should have settled down. When do we depart?"

"No rush," Li Weiyi replied. "Cultivating here is excellent. I feel like I could continue practicing all the way to the Fifth Stage of the Five Seas Realm." His recent progress had been immense, with his strength growing daily, and he was completely engrossed in his cultivation.

Chan Hai Guan Wu inquired, "Have you fully cultivated your first Qi Sea?" "Almost," Li Weiyi replied.

Chan Hai Guan Wu stated, "Completing the cultivation of your first Qi Sea in just over a month is remarkably fast! However, your second Qi Sea is several times larger than the first. In other words, if you continue cultivating at your current pace, it will take several months to complete it. Your third Qi Sea will be even larger, requiring at least another year. And the fourth Qi Sea, the primary one, is ten times vaster than the first three combined. Moreover, this is merely the time needed for the most basic qi accumulation. Do you truly believe that methodical secluded cultivation is the fastest path to advancement?"

Unable to view her as a Dao Protector spouse or fiancée, Li Weiyi asked, "Senior, do you mean we should go to the state capital and cultivate with the aid of the Heavenly Law Earth Spring?"

"Cultivating in seclusion within the Dao Domain of the Heavenly Law Earth Spring certainly doubles, or even triples, one's cultivation speed, but it's still not fast enough," Chan Hai Guan Wu said. Her desire for rapid cultivation advancement surpassed even Li Weiyi's. She continued, "I can refine a type of pill called the Qi Ascension Pill, which quickly boosts the spiritual energy in one's Qi Sea. Taking a single pill can increase one's Qi by a significant amount."