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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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“It’s alright, Senior Sister. …But if you’re truly sorry, perhaps you could offer some guidance to this poor junior. My master abandoned me mid-training, so I haven’t been able to learn the advanced Quanzhen techniques.”
Those from prestigious families like Xiaoshao received training in etiquette and social graces from a young age, so even if you politely declined their offers of assistance, they would insist, unwilling to be indebted to you. However, those unfamiliar with the nuances of social interaction were less likely to understand such subtle cues.
From their conversation, he gathered that while Wang Meiyang was a decent person, capable of admitting her mistakes and apologizing, her social skills were… lacking.
Therefore, it was better to be direct and state his desires clearly, rather than resorting to polite, indirect requests.
And regardless of the circumstances, he and Wang Meiyang were both, technically, members of the Quanzhen Sect.
A junior, his training interrupted by his master’s disappearance, seeking guidance from a senior member of his sect. It was a perfectly reasonable request. There was no reason for her to refuse.
“Well, you are my first junior in the martial world… and… I’m willing to teach you… but… um…”
Wang Meiyang hesitated, glancing at him sideways, her eyes darting around. She seemed willing to teach him, but something was clearly bothering her.
“Aren’t you… u-uhm, embarrassed to be associated with the Quanzhen Sect?”
Ah, so that’s what she was worried about.
He, Sima Mancheon, whose name was inscribed on the tablet of Fudo Myo-o, the genius who deceived even the heavens, was the protector of the martial world, recognized by Jesus, revered by Buddha, and even admired by Socrates.
A protector had to be impartial. He couldn’t discriminate against or bully the descendants of a fallen sect simply because of past grievances.
And besides, to him, sect affiliations were like chocolate wrappers, or crab shells. Unimportant.
What mattered was the content, the martial arts techniques.
The Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts were powerful techniques, worthy of being passed down through generations.
To be embarrassed, to feel ashamed of learning such valuable techniques… that was truly shameful for a martial artist.
He bowed deeply to his young teacher.
“The martial arts of the Quanzhen Sect are unmatched. This unworthy junior humbly requests your guidance. Please accept me as your disciple.”
Wang Meiyang stared down at the tall young man, who was bowing so formally to a young woman, without a trace of embarrassment.
‘The martial arts of the Quanzhen Sect are unmatched… How long has it been since I’ve heard those words…?’
She looked up at the night sky, at the Big Dipper, guiding lost souls.
The Sun Moon Holy Cult,
a demonic sect comprised of rogue martial artists who had betrayed their sects and families.
She had embarked on her first journey into the martial world, a perilous journey that could very well end in death, to hunt down and eliminate her senior disciple, who had stolen the sect’s secret techniques and defected to the Sun Moon Holy Cult. The survival of the sect depended on it. Was it by the will of Wang Chongyang, the founder of the Quanzhen Sect, her ancestor, that
she had encountered this young man, a disciple who, despite his unconventional methods and frivolous nature, held no shame in the teachings of the Quanzhen Sect?
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They moved to a more suitable location, a clearing bathed in the moonlight and starlight, a perfect training ground.
While she was still slightly bothered by Mancheon’s claim that his master hadn’t revealed their name…
He was her first disciple, and with his solid foundation, he was currently the most suitable candidate to inherit the advanced techniques of the Quanzhen Sect. So, she decided to teach him.
“The techniques I’m about to teach you are quite different from the Quanzhen martial arts you’ve learned so far.”
“What do you mean?”
Wang Meiyang slowly raised her hand, pointing towards the Big Dipper, the brightest constellation in the night sky.
“As you know, the Big Dipper is the symbol of the Quanzhen Sect.”
In the martial world, the Big Dipper wasn’t simply a constellation shaped like a ladle.
It was a symbol of gang qi, the energy wielded by those who had transcended the limitations of ordinary martial artists and reached the Transcendent realm.
The character for gang (罡) incorporated the character for the Big Dipper, emphasizing its significance.
For an ordinary martial artist, encountering an opponent wielding gang qi was practically a death sentence. And for a master to unleash gang qi, a technique that consumed a tremendous amount of internal energy, was a declaration of their intent to kill.
Therefore, in the martial world, the Big Dipper was a symbol of death, and facing a martial artist of the Quanzhen Sect, whose symbol was the Big Dipper, was often a one-way trip to the afterlife.
But he hadn’t felt that sense of impending doom while learning the Quanzhen techniques.
The Orthodox and Upright Internal Energy Cultivation Method, while emphasizing the accumulation of pure qi, was slower compared to other sects’ techniques, putting him at a disadvantage in battles against opponents of similar levels.
And while the Emptiness Illumination Fist was undoubtedly a powerful technique, it was primarily defensive, redirecting and neutralizing an opponent’s force, rather than directly inflicting damage.
The Heavenly River Big Dipper Formation, a seven-star technique, was perhaps the closest to embodying the “deadly star” aspect of the Big Dipper, but if they were talking about group tactics, the Shaolin Temple’s One Hundred and Eight Arhats Formation, which involved surrounding and pummeling the enemy with one hundred and eight monks, would undoubtedly be considered the most powerful martial art in existence.
Wait… was that why the Shaolin Temple was the most powerful force in the orthodox factions? He had stumbled upon a profound truth.
As he pondered this, his expression skeptical, questioning the “deadly” nature of the Quanzhen Sect’s martial arts,
“You have a solid foundation, so there’s little risk of injury… it’s better to show you than to explain,” Wang Meiyang said, apparently tiring of explanations. She extended a delicate, porcelain hand towards a large boulder.
“Observe carefully. This is one of the secret techniques that once made the Central Plains tremble.”
It was a mesmerizing, awe-inspiring display that instantly dispelled his doubts.
A bolt of lightning, formed of pure energy, erupted from Wang Meiyang’s outstretched hand.
Or rather, a streak of energy, like a bolt of lightning descending from the heavens, shot out from her fingertips, splitting the air.
The energy extended outwards, splitting the space around it, spreading like a spiderweb,
shattering the boulder like a pane of glass.
-Crack—!!
The energy surged forward relentlessly, crushing and destroying everything in its path.
Under the starlit sky, the Big Dipper shining brightly, dust and debris swirling in the air,
Wang Meiyang, her face alight with pride, introduced the secret technique of her sect to her stunned disciple.
“This is the Frost Treading Ice Shattering Palm, a technique that crushes your enemies like frost and shatters them like ice.”
Uh… that’s the secret technique…? Then what were the other techniques I learned… ?
He glanced down at his staff, which he had been calling the secret technique of the Beggars’ Sect.
He had been having his doubts, but now he was certain.
Hey, Taegu-zzang, you’re fired. Kicked out of the party.
But… then again, it was his starter weapon, his partner in battle, so firing it seemed a bit harsh.
He decided to demote it from “partner in battle” to “reserve member.” But that wasn’t important right now.
He met Wang Meiyang’s gaze, her golden eyes shining calmly, appraising him, judging his worth, determining whether he was a suitable vessel for this technique.
He approached her, his steps slow and steady despite his limp, his face masked by confidence, his eyes fixed on his new potential partner.
She dared to judge the worth of Sima Mancheon, the genius who deceived even the heavens? While she was his senior, his teacher, he would have to put her in her place.
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Waaah… the Frost Treading Ice Shattering Palm… is too difficult…
He had anticipated it would be a challenging technique to master, but it was even more difficult than he expected.
The basic principle involved using vibrations to create shockwaves, the released energy creating the illusion of shattering space. While incredibly powerful, it required precise control of one’s internal energy and a significant expenditure of qi, making it a difficult technique to master.
Wang Meiyang watched as Mancheon struggled to even crack a small stone placed on his palm, despite his ample internal energy and seemingly clear mind, and tilted her head in confusion.
His internal energy, while mixed with other energies, was sufficiently pure, and he didn’t seem to be… slow-witted. It was strange.
‘Does he have… some bad habit I’m not aware of?’
Having never taken a disciple before, she was unsure how to proceed. She observed Mancheon carefully, then decided to test him physically.
“Enough. I’ve seen enough. I know your level.”
“Excuse… me?”
“I need to understand what the problem is. Assume a ready stance.”
He was surprised by the sudden sparring match, but it was a rare opportunity to receive direct instruction from such a skilled master, so he raised his staff, preparing to execute the Dog Beating Staff Technique.
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The late-night training session concluded with him failing to master the Frost Treading Ice Shattering Palm.
And he lost Taegu-zzang to Wang Meiyang, under the pretense of correcting his bad habits.
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Nooo the ego staff LMAO🤣
