Chapter 21: Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering
Seeing these words, the many students present were startled, assuming Bai Zhenzhen had succeeded.
But then Li Xuelian sighed, looked toward Bai Zhenzhen, and said, “To be able, on your own, to learn the forms of these nine martial arts in such a short time, your innate talent is already one in ten thousand.”
“It is only a pity that you still fall a little short of my father’s requirements.”
Hearing this, some of the students present breathed a sigh of relief, while others were secretly astonished.
Zhao Tianxing thought, She still didn’t meet the requirements? Just what kind of ridiculously talented disciple is this True Person Starfire looking for?
Bai Zhenzhen, on the other hand, secretly let out a breath of relief.
She hadn’t expected to trigger a change in the Heavenly Martial Scroll with a single attempt and had thought the matter settled. In a flash of panic, she had been on the verge of speaking up to refuse True Person Starfire’s offer of discipleship.
Good thing I didn’t say anything, or that would have been a huge loss of face. I knew something still seemed to be missing.
After Bai Zhenzhen’s attempt, a few others went forward to try performing the nine sets of martial arts, but none of them could trigger a change in the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll.
Conversely, Lian Tianji, who had been brimming with confidence, was slow to go up and try again, seemingly pondering the reason for Bai Zhenzhen’s failure and what it was they were still lacking.
For a time, the entire venue fell silent; imperceptibly, no one was going up to try anymore.
Just as Li Xuelian was lamenting that this was the end of it, she saw Zhang Yu walk up, holding his phone.
“Oh?” Li Xuelian’s interest was suddenly piqued. She thought, After seeing so many people fail, he still has the confidence to go up. It seems he has some kind of assurance.
But the next moment, she could not help but frown.
Because Zhang Yu had actually started playing a video on his phone, practicing the martial arts by copying Bai Zhenzhen’s image in the video.
Evidently, he had just recorded Bai Zhenzhen’s performance.
And seeing Zhang Yu following the video, executing the forms move by clumsy move, Li Xuelian’s brow furrowed even deeper.
It was obvious that aside from the fist technique he had comprehended himself, Zhang Yu was quite unfamiliar with the other eight martial arts. Although he was now mimicking Bai Zhenzhen’s movements from the video, it only served to highlight the chasm in their respective understandings of the eight arts’ forms.
From a distance, Zhao Tianxing watched Zhang Yu in his security guard uniform, imitating Bai Zhenzhen’s movements in a clumsy display under everyone’s gaze, and felt his scalp tingle, cringing so hard his toes could have carved out a three-bedroom apartment.
Just by watching, he could feel that the crowd’s gazes toward Zhang Yu were filled with contempt and mockery. He couldn’t imagine what the person actually standing in that spot, doing that very thing, must be feeling.
Stop it, Zhang Yu!
Zhao Tianxing could no longer bear to watch, shouting only in his heart.
This is too humiliating! You’re already being seen as a clown!
Zhang Yu naturally could not hear Zhao Tianxing’s thoughts, nor did he care what the people in the exhibition hall now thought of him.
He just earnestly, move by move, performed each of the nine martial arts in accordance with Bai Zhenzhen’s actions in the video.
And as he executed the final move, countless streams of experience and sensation suddenly flooded his mind, instantly giving Zhang Yu a different understanding of the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll, as if he had practiced it tens of thousands of times.
At this moment, the forms of the nine martial arts gradually faded from his mind, replaced by nine different intents, faintly looming within his consciousness.
At this moment, Zhang Yu abruptly understood that the nine martial arts on the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll emphasized intent, not form.
What a cultivator needed to do was to contemplate the artistic conception within each and every move while practicing the martial art.
The killing intent to shatter an army of thousands, the fighting spirit that would not regret nine deaths, the imposing aura to forge ever forward… the nine martial arts cultivated martial will, and through it, fortified one’s Dao heart.
“This isn’t a martial art for combat or body tempering, but one that uses martial will to temper the Dao heart.”
This was a martial heart technique used to raise the level of one’s Dao heart!
Martial will was the collective term the Ten Great Sects had settled on for the martial powers of sword intent, fist intent, saber intent, and the like.
The most fundamental function of martial will was to strengthen the spirit and solidify one’s own will, thereby raising a cultivator’s Dao heart level.
And for a Golden Core expert like True Person Starfire, his martial will could even be left within a painting to influence the minds and spirits of others.
At the same time, the aura around Zhang Yu underwent a powerful transformation.
Killing intent, fighting spirit, imposing aura, valor… one after another, incredibly potent qualities emerged from within him, seeming as though they would coalesce into his martial will in a single breath.
Simultaneously, the man on the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll grew clearer and clearer, even gradually taking on vivid colors, as if transforming into a real person who was staring intently at the changes in Zhang Yu.
The onlookers who noticed this were also stunned. This was undoubtedly the most significant reaction from the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll all day.
Lian Tianji, Qian Shen, Bai Zhenzhen… all of them stared intently at Zhang Yu, and they all sensed the change in him as the same incredible thought rose in their minds.
“Is he really going to succeed?”
But in the next instant, the change occurring in Zhang Yu was abruptly cut short, and the martial will that had seemed on the verge of condensing a moment ago dissipated into nothing.
“What a pity, what a pity,” a line of text appeared on the painting. “A talent of celestial caliber, yet one move short.”
Zhang Yu’s face, however, showed no surprise.
Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art Level 0 (1/1, 8.3/8 magic power, 0.85/0.8 physical strength, 1/3 Dao heart)
On the Feather Book, a martial art called the Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art had appeared.
This was the martial art that finally manifested on the Feather Book after Zhang Yu had repeatedly studied the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll, carefully observed the performances of the many students, and recorded Bai Zhenzhen’s video for repeated contemplation.
And unlike the martial arts Zhang Yu had learned before, this Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art had requirements for magic power, physical strength, and Dao heart.
“Besides having to practice all the forms like the fist, palm, and leg arts, it also requires 8 magic power, a physical strength of 0.8, and a level 3 Dao heart.”
“I already meet the other requirements, but this level 3 Dao heart…”
Zhang Yu’s own Dao heart was only level 1.
Attempting it as he did, he was, as expected, stuck at the final step.
“This Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art, it seems for now, is a martial art meant for after reaching a level 3 Dao heart, used to condense martial will, fortify the mind with that martial will, and temper the Dao heart.”
Such a high requirement of a level 3 Dao heart… is that even achievable for a first-year high school student only three months into the school year?
Li Xuelian looked at the failed Zhang Yu, her eyes glittering with an extraordinary light.
Her original plan flashed through her mind. She had never expected any of the first-year high school students present to succeed.
“According to the file the security company just sent over, this person is Zhang Yu, a first-year student at Songyang High School.”
“For him to have reached this stage, he can truly be called a talent of celestial caliber.”
Recalling Zhang Yu’s performance, she sighed inwardly.
Impressive. I almost misjudged him completely.
His forms looked stiff, every punch and kick was clumsy, yet he was ultimately able to comprehend the intent contained within.
This shows that he prioritizes intent over form and saw the true mystery of the Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art early on.
Excellent, excellent. Father can add another fine disciple to his tutelage.
In truth, as soon as Li Xuelian had checked the information of the participants, she had felt that it was unlikely anyone would succeed in this test.
After all, any students who could master the martial art within the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll on the spot would either be from a prominent family or already be a second or third-year who had long been signed to a contract. It was highly unlikely they would come seeking to become True Person Starfire’s disciple.
The possibility of finding a genius who could master the Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art on the spot was exceedingly small to begin with.
But that did not mean no one could be accepted as her father’s disciple.
If, among the first-year students present, someone could withstand the impact of the martial will, learn all the forms on the spot, and comprehend the mystery of martial will from it, then even if they could not ultimately master the art, they were definitely a genius of exceptional talent.
If such an individual were to come a year later, they would certainly be able to master the Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art, which would also meet her father’s requirements; finding them now was like discovering them a year early, before they had fully developed and been signed to a contract.
She believed her father would absolutely be willing to accept such an outstanding disciple.
In that case, the fact that this first-year student couldn’t master the Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art was not a flaw, but rather an advantage that would allow Li Xuelian to negotiate a slightly lower price when it came time to sign the contract.
At this thought, she was already smiling toward Zhang Yu.
“This student, although you were unable to truly master the Heavenly Martial Heart-Tempering Art, you have already perceived its mysteries. Mastering this art is merely a matter of time for you.”
“I will ask my father shortly to see if he is willing to accept you as his disciple.”
Hearing this, the crowd was once again thrown into an uproar.
Lian Tianji looked in Zhang Yu’s direction, took out his phone, and secretly snapped a picture of him. He needed to find out just where this formidable security guard had appeared from.
Qian Shen stared at Zhang Yu in disbelief, screaming internally, Impossible! How can someone with a score of 550 be taken as a disciple by a Golden Core True Person? I must be dreaming! Is the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll still testing me?
Bai Zhenzhen: Is Yu-boy… using a cheat code?
Discovering that her good brother, who was once her inferior in every way and mired in debt alongside her, had suddenly soared into the heavens, Bai Zhenzhen felt an immediate sense of unease.
Ah, Yu-boy, it’s not that I don’t wish you well. If you had ranked in the top ten, or the top five, better than before but still below me, then this brother would have certainly wished you all the best.
Who told you to suppress all the heroes and even surpass me?
However, watching the surrounding people approach Zhang Yu to get on his good side, Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, After Zhang Yu signs with a Golden Core True Person, he’ll definitely be able to attract a lot of investors. When that time comes, I have to fleece him for all he’s worth and borrow money from him.
But the next moment, her thoughts shifted, and she frowned.
But with half his cultivation base taken away and having been let go by one of the great sects, he has no resources and no backing. If Zhang Yu really becomes his disciple, he’ll be a workhorse for the rest of his life.
Forget it, forget it. For the sake of our brotherhood, I should probably give him a reminder. Can’t let him be dazzled by the words ‘Golden Core.’ I have to tell him to refuse the offer.
Elsewhere, Zhao Tianxing’s eyes were wide, his mind a complete blank. But he soon recalled how he had tried to persuade Zhang Yu and was struck by a wave of embarrassment.
So humiliating.
He’s a true genius. When I was saying all those things to him, he must have thought I was a clown.
Just as Bai Zhenzhen started walking toward Zhang Yu, many other students also began to crowd around.
Some wanted to add Zhang Yu’s contact information, some wanted to ask him about the mysteries of the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll, and still others wanted to take a picture with him.
Meanwhile, Li Xuelian had already stepped to the side and was calling her father.
“Dad, I’ve found a good prospect here in Songyang City…”