A moment seemed like millions of years.
One punch seemed to shatter his mind.
Escape...escape...escape...
There is no escape!
The clothes on "GOD" were instantly torn apart, like countless butterflies fluttering in the air. A fist mark appeared on his chest, and another on his back, exactly the same.
"I've lost..."
Chapter Forty-Five: The End of Martial Arts
"I've lost..."
As he uttered the word "GOD," his body trembled three times. The aftershocks of the "Shake Technique" still lingered within him, damaging his internal organs. Then, a clump of black blood was expelled from his mouth, clearly indicating internal organ damage.
Why don't you kill me?
"Subduing the White Tiger" is indeed physically powerful, even more so than Ba Liming's unparalleled external martial arts. This punch only injured him; according to Jiang Liu's estimate, it would take at least three more punches to kill him.
However, this attack had already depleted more than half of Jiang Liu's second-level Qi Refining stage energy, leaving him with no way to unleash the "True Martial Power".
Jiang Liu stopped and stood up, picked up the straw hat from the ground, and put it on his head. No one could see his face clearly, making him appear even more unfathomable. The Zhenwu illusion behind him also disappeared, and only the torrential rain pounded down, hitting the straw hat and splashing countless water droplets.
"I'm not killing you because you're one of the few with the best chance of breaking through. You have the opportunity to break through the void and ascend to heaven, and I hope you cherish it!"
In "GOD's" eyes was nothing but the joy of finding hope, and a childlike, innocent smile appeared on his face as he excitedly exclaimed, "You've found the way! You've found it! Tell me, where is our path? How can we reach the other side?"
Jiang Liu shook his head and said, "You can't follow my path. The end of martial arts can only be broken by yourself. If you can't understand it, your current cultivation level is the end of martial arts. If you understand it, that's the beginning!"
"Where is the Dao? I've walked for thirty years, and I'm still stuck in the same place. I've broken through the limits of humanity and become a god, but I'm just a god fallen to the mortal realm. I've wasted half my life in the sea of suffering in the mortal world... You've gone much further than me. That power you just experienced is not a power that should exist in the mortal world. You have already reached the other shore. You possess the supernatural powers that come with the other shore... Tell me, how can I reach the other shore... I'm willing to give everything!"
With his long eyebrows twitching, "GOD" looked at Jiang Liu with hopeful eyes, hoping that he could give him some guidance.
Ba Liming's eyes were also filled with hope. He knew that Jiang Liu not only possessed "True Martial Power" but could also control electricity and use lightning to attack. He had only seen such mythical abilities in books. Supernatural powers, spells, magic, and divine abilities—every culture in the world has similar legends.
But such abilities only exist in legends; they don't exist in reality. Ba Liming had lived half his life and met many qigong masters and superpower masters, all of whom were frauds. But Jiang Liu was not a fraud; his lightning power was extremely destructive, and the human body could hardly withstand it.
This is a power that transcends martial arts, and it is also the supernatural power that "GOD" spoke of after reaching the other side!
Ba Liming also wanted Jiang Liu to give an answer, but without exception, Jiang Liu remained silent!
As expected, Jiang Liu shook his head and did not answer him.
There is not a trace of spiritual energy in this world. Unless one leaves Earth or spiritual energy suddenly emerges, no one can break through the limits of martial arts.
"The way out for martial arts lies in the vast universe!"
After the dragon and snake comes the Milky Way. Jiang Liu knows that half a century later, this world will usher in another era, but now, no one can break the Heavenly Dao, not even him, a transmigrator.
"Let's wait a few decades! There will be opportunities; God will give you a chance!"
Jiang Liu said a few nonsensical words, then drifted away with Ba Liming.
“Old Ba, it’s not that I’m keeping it to myself, but I don’t know how to break through the limits of martial arts either. My martial arts cultivation is not as good as yours… I can’t say where I come from, but I can pass on my cultivation method to you. If you have patience, this world will undergo tremendous changes in no more than fifty years! With my method, you will win at the starting line.”
Jiang Liu looked at the sky. The rain was pouring down and the stars were hidden. Perhaps on one of those unknown stars, a spaceship was flying towards Earth.
"A drastic change?" Ba Liming frowned. He couldn't understand what kind of drastic change could affect a breakthrough in martial arts.
Jiang Liu frowned deeply and sighed, saying, "I can't say. You're just overthinking it."
“Where is our way out?!” Balimin pointed to the sky.
The river did not answer; it had already flown far away.
Those who reveal heavenly secrets will surely be punished by the Heavenly Dao. The power of cause and effect is immense, and Jiang Liu dares not be careless. Although he has "the one who escaped" as a backup, he still dares not recklessly provoke the Heavenly Dao of this world.
If, because of one of my words, the alien warship (the God of War) heading towards Earth deviates from its course, then this world rooted in martial arts will truly have no hope left.
The path of martial arts has come to an end, but the Star River Era is about to arrive. Humanity's future lies in the vast universe, and this tiny Earth cannot contain such a great heart for martial arts.
The old style of martial arts will come to an end, and a new style of practice will begin.
Wang Chao, Ba Liming... will shine brightly between the old and the new.
As humanity entered the interstellar age, ancient practices were revitalized.
Spiritual practice will never be outdated, regardless of the era.
The same applies to martial arts!
In the Diamond Sutra, Subhuti asked Shakyamuni, "How can one subdue one's mind to become a Buddha?"
In a single sentence, the true essence of spiritual practice is revealed: four words, subdue the mind.
The mind possesses boundless power, hence Sun Wukong is also known as the Mind Monkey. Each person's mind is a manifestation of Sun Wukong; subduing the Mind Monkey allows one to become the Victorious Fighting Buddha.
"Subduing the restless mind is the foundation of cultivation in the Milky Way! I won't be able to witness the great era fifty years from now, so let me put a perfect end to this old era!"
Jiang Liu looked up at the starry sky as a torrential downpour began, the raindrops falling like arrows and carrying away his murderous aura.
The appearance of "GOD" made Jiang Liu realize where the end of this world was. No matter how much he cultivated, he could only reach the level of "Subduing the White Tiger" like Jiang Liu. Wang Chao was able to defeat "GOD" in the end of the martial arts tournament only because he was young and his blood and energy were at their peak. He had not transcended, crossed the sea of suffering, and reached the other shore.
The path of martial arts has come to an end. The river's flow crushed the beliefs of a nation, forging the essence of their fists. They no longer wish to waste time on traditional Chinese martial arts. After all, the power of traditional Chinese martial arts is relatively weak. Even if an ordinary person cultivates martial arts to the point of oneness with heaven and earth, it is difficult to withstand the attack of thunder magic.
Qi cultivation is fundamental, while martial arts can only be secondary; we must not put the cart before the horse.
Although this world lacks spiritual energy, it doesn't hinder cultivation. Jiang Liu's "Chidori" lightning technique, which attacked Ito Oto, was mastered through high-voltage current.
The high-voltage electric shock simulated lightning, which allowed Jiang Liu to rapidly improve his understanding of lightning techniques, elevating him from "entering the inner sanctum" to "mastering it thoroughly."
As for the time he would spend in the "Dragon and Snake" world, Jiang Liu decided to cultivate his lightning techniques using high-voltage electricity while simultaneously perfecting the "Six-Character True Technique of Destruction." He also wouldn't neglect collecting materials like jade!
Chapter 46 High Voltage Electricity and Lightning
For three consecutive days, Tokyo experienced three large-scale power outages, affecting the lives of millions. No one knew the cause of the grid failures, and massive amounts of electricity vanished without a trace. Only Ba Liming knew that each time the river flowed out, a section of Tokyo was plunged into darkness.
"Nine Heavens Thunder Orthodox Method" is a magical technique for controlling heavenly thunder. When cultivated to a high level, one can, like Master Xuanming, Jiang Liu's master, summon the Nine Heavens Thunder to kill enemies, possessing boundless power. The power of lightning has always surpassed all other Taoist arts, and lightning-based magical treasures have always been the strongest in terms of attack power!
Thunder is the might of heaven, which cultivators can only command. Ordinary cultivators have no chance of absorbing it into their bodies and experiencing its profound mysteries. In the Journey to the West world, absorbing heavenly thunder into one's body has only one outcome: turning to ashes like Li Yuanba.
Lightning, imbued with the power of heaven and earth, cannot be introduced into the body, but electric current can. After discovering that electric current could aid in cultivating lightning techniques, Jiang Liu fell in love with the feeling of being shocked. His understanding of lightning techniques also increased rapidly with the intoxicating electric shocks, and in terms of precise control, he surpassed even his master, Daoist Xuanming.
More importantly, he continuously drew lightning into his body, making rapid progress in the transformation of his vital energy into lightning-attribute energy.
Jiang Liu (Qi Refiner)
[Cultivation Level: Second Stage of Refining Essence into Qi]
[Taoist Technique: Nine Heavens Thunder Orthodox Method (Minor Success):]
Palm Thunder: Using the Thunder and Lightning Talisman to unleash the Nine Heavens Thunder Orthodox Technique can greatly increase the power of thunder magic.
Chidori: Transforms vital energy into lightning, concentrates it in the hand to form a high-intensity current, then dashes forward and pierces the enemy, possessing extremely strong penetrating power and paralyzing effect.
Purification Mantra (Entering the Inner Chamber): Cleanse the body with the sun and refine the form with the moon, so that the physical body reaches the acquired state;
Maoshan Corpse Refining Technique (Entering the Inner Chamber): Copper-armored Corpse, with copper skin and iron bones, possessing strength of a thousand catties;
Maoshan Talismans (Comprehensive): Great General Corpse-Suppressing Talisman, Zhang Tianshi's General Talisman for Suppressing All Evil Spirits, Qilin Talisman, Thunder and Lightning Talisman
[Martial Arts: Body Refinement (Innate Realm): Coiled like a tortoise and snake, with an unyielding life force, yet capable of cultivating a golden lotus within fire; possessing true martial power]
[Boxing style: Chinese martial arts (Grandmaster): The boxing intent of 'Thunder in the Awakening of Insects, Dazzling Heavenly Might';
The Six True Techniques of Destruction (Great Completion): The Technique of Shock, The Technique of Transformation, The Technique of Boom, The Technique of Pierce, The Technique of Severance, The Technique of Emptiness.
[Movement Techniques: Stepping on the Dipper and Spreading the Qi (Mastery), Qilin Step (Mastery)]
[Equipment: Thunder Tribulation Peach Wood Sword, Soul-Destroying Nail, 3 Profound Origin Pills, 1 Rejuvenating Pill, 1 Soul Nourishing Pill, some jade, and some alchemy materials]
Three days later, Jiang Liu and his group quietly returned to China after crushing the Japanese martial arts.
Ba Liming obtained Jiang Liu's "Purification Mantra". Although he could not cultivate it due to the lack of spiritual energy, he had it engraved in his mind word for word.
Upon returning to China, Yan Qing, Jiang Hai, Bai Xianyong, and others naturally went to their respective departments to report first.
Jiang Liu should have gone too, but knowing his time in this world was limited, he wasn't willing to waste it. He pushed Ba Liming to the forefront; relevant departments went to Ba Liming, news outlets sought him out, national leaders went to Ba Liming… anyone who challenged him went to Ba Liming!
Jiang Liu, however, went to the Three Gorges Dam and used high-voltage electricity to cultivate every day. A 50,000-kilowatt hydroelectric generator set served him, simulating a lightning environment for his cultivation.
Jiang Liu's only recourse is to make his cultivation method public, and to ensure that his cultivation is conducted under surveillance.
During this time, some people wanted to use him as a guinea pig for research, and they even made a violent arrest with real guns and ammunition. Special forces were mobilized, and helicopters, sniper rifles, and tanks were deployed. However, in the end, it ended with Jiang Liu smashing a tank with one punch and almost destroying the entire dam with another punch.
As for the vice-state-level official who proposed the plan, he died without a trace on a dark and stormy night.
Everyone knows it was Jiang Liu who did it, but there's not a single piece of evidence.
Jiang Liu dared to openly display his supernatural powers for two reasons: firstly, his strength was indeed great enough, and secondly, he felt that he could return to the Journey to the West world at any time.
...
A man dressed in canvas camouflage sat on the Three Gorges Dam, facing the vast ocean, quietly wiping a thick, long gun barrel with a cloth.
This large gun barrel is made of pure steel and is very long, about the height of two adults, and three or four meters long. The shaft is also as thick as a goose egg, almost too big for an average person to grip! In particular, the entire shaft and spearhead are one piece, jet black and shiny, with a heavy metallic luster, just like a large iron rod.
The man was intently cleaning the gun, his eyes fixed solely on the large weapon. The gun spun and rolled gently in his hand, producing a rumbling, metallic sound.
After wiping for an unknown amount of time, the man finally folded the cloth used to wipe the gun neatly and put it in his pocket. The gun in his hand had a tip as sharp as a needle and a shaft as straight as a spine.
A man stood atop the dam, rifle in hand, towering high, its sharp point seemingly piercing the heavens. The sight was imbued with a sense of power and oppression, simultaneously transporting one to an ancient battlefield, amidst the intense atmosphere of countless soldiers and the bloodshed of battle!
If this person lived in ancient times, he would be a great general like Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King, or Zhao Zilong of Changshan. He was a man who, with just a horse and a spear, could sweep through enemy camps and take the head of a general amidst thousands of troops.
The man, carrying a gun, slowly walked down the dam and arrived at a dormitory area. Before he could knock on the door, a voice as soft as a nightingale's melody came from inside—it was a woman's voice!
"Liu Mubai, your spear intent has reached its peak!"
The man in the canvas camouflage uniform is Liu Mubai, an instructor of "Sharp Sword," one of the three major special forces in China, and a master of alchemy.
Liu Mubai didn't speak, but pushed the door open and entered. The doors and windows were tightly closed, and it was pitch black inside. Once the door closed behind him, all light disappeared. But Liu Mubai seemed very familiar with the room, casually sitting down on the sofa. The house was large and spacious, except for a bronze statue in the center, cast from gleaming, hard brass. The statue was about 1.78 meters tall, the same size as a strong, adult man.
This bronze dummy is quite different from the wooden dummy used for practicing Wing Chun. It is a real, naked human figure, with deep lines and indentations densely engraved on its body. These represent the meridians and acupoints of the human body.
This is a replica of the famous "Bronze Man Acupuncture Diagram" from history.
Liu Mubai's eyes flashed with a sharp light in the darkness, like a comet streaking across the sky. He said in a deep voice, "Yan Yuanyi, you've been hiding in this darkness for seven days. Don't you even have the courage to fight him?"