The cold wind howled with crows, and the forest was somber and肅殺.
Though Chen Jiuyang was not stained with blood, a thick scent of gore clung to him, and the tip of his long saber still bore traces of blood.
The martial artists of the Three Clans and Sixteen Sects did not attack Chen Jiuyang immediately upon seeing him.
The Three Clans and Sixteen Sects were easily identifiable, each clad in garments of varying colors and styles.
Chen Jiuyang had previously reviewed the information Liu Han Guang had provided him about the Four Clans and Sixteen Sects. These martial artists were almost the core elites of the Three Clans and Sixteen Sects.
However, the numbers didn't quite match. It seemed those old foxes were exceedingly cautious, leaving a portion of their forces to guard their vicinity, preventing the Chen family patriarch from launching a surprise attack and clearing any future troubles for Chen Jiuyang.
After all, the simple logic of "capturing the king first" was well understood by everyone in these aristocratic families.
The leader of the martial artists was named Song Yuanliang.
Song Yuanliang narrowed his eyes, staring at Chen Jiuyang, and his voice was icy, "Well done, Marquis Xuanyang. I didn't expect you to deal with the reinforcements invited by my Three Clans and Sixteen Sects in just half a day."
Chen Jiuyang chuckled, "You also had a clever plan, setting up multiple lines of defense. Knowing those people couldn't stop me, you intended to deplete my strength or slow me down. But clearly, your plan has failed."
"After dealing with our reinforcements, how much strength do you think Marquis Xuanyang has left to face our encirclement?" Song Yuanliang sneered.
Chen Jiuyang gently raised his Saber of Aversion, his calm voice spreading, "You can try."
"Since you, Chen Jiuyang, are so unyielding," Song Yuanliang uttered coldly, "then—kill!"
As his voice fell, dozens of Earth realm martial artists erupted simultaneously, charging towards Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang had mastered the aura of ancient martial artists. These people would now become the "whetstones" for his martial techniques to achieve divine mastery!
With a sweep of his saber, a cold light flashed abruptly, and the martial artist closest to Chen Jiuyang immediately met his end.
Song Yuanliang narrowed his eyes, observing Chen Jiuyang, "Overly arrogant and conceited. Just as the information collected by the Three Clans and Sixteen Sects indicated, Chen Jiuyang's martial path currently has issues; he cannot use divine intent techniques."
"This is the only chance to kill Chen Jiuyang."
Chen Jiuyang's figure darted, weaving through the crowd. His saber swung, but not every strike could wound or kill.
Amidst the concentrated attacks of true qi, Chen Jiuyang endured blows while killing opponents. However, strength wanes, and techniques have limitations.
Soon, a terrifying wound appeared on Chen Jiuyang's back.
This was the first wound.
During the fierce battle, Chen Jiuyang remained rational and calm, even managing to spare some thought.
Strength wanes, techniques have limitations.
How to break through the constraints of martial techniques?
Looking around, the martial artists bearing killing intent towards him all used true qi as a medium to unleash their techniques.
This seemed to break through the constraints of martial techniques, but their method of application was more akin to the spells of Qi Refiners.
Using true qi as a medium to extend their attacking techniques was not achieving divine mastery.
This was, at best, expanding the attack range.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Saber rose and fell, and Chen Jiuyang's clothes finally began to be stained with blood, his own and that of his enemies.
The battle raged on, oblivious to the passage of time or the changing sky.
Quietly, it had reached midnight.
The forest was filled with the stench of blood, even attracting wolves and bears. However, how could such animals be a match for Earth realm martial artists? They instead became meals on plates.
Chen Jiuyang had sustained over a dozen wounds. In such a long period, he had only managed to kill nine Earth realm martial artists.
If he had used his aura to redirect their true qi attacks, Chen Jiuyang would not have taken so long to completely annihilate them.
Chen Jiuyang also felt the fatigue of his muscles aching and his body weakening for the first time.
Song Yuanliang stood on a high vantage point, gazing at Chen Jiuyang fighting below, and uttered two words: "Madman."
In his eyes, Chen Jiuyang operated like a machine, but despite his immense power, he only relied on his long saber to fight. With Chen Jiuyang's strength, he shouldn't have to exert himself so much. It was like a child possessing millions in assets, only wanting to use the money to buy lollipops, but Chen Jiuyang was no three-year-old.
Song Yuanliang and the others were unaware of the path of invincible divine abilities, nor did they understand Chen Jiuyang's martial situation. They only found his actions unfathomable.
While fighting, though Chen Jiuyang's muscles were fatigued, his internal true qi and divine soul had not been utilized at all, allowing his body to continue moving.
Suddenly, Chen Jiuyang had an epiphany, pondering a question.
Breaking through the limits of martial techniques wasn't about using true qi, nor divine soul, but a fusion of both unleashed as a divine intent technique.
Then, what would happen if the divine soul and true qi were fused and held back, not released?
In an instant, an unsettling aura erupted from Chen Jiuyang, causing the faces of the dozen Earth realm martial artists attacking him to change drastically. They immediately retreated a hundred meters away from Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang's battle with Xi Butui had showcased the formidable power of his Yuan Dao Breaking Cloud.
Song Yuanliang's brow furrowed, "Could it be that Chen Jiuyang has been pushed to a desperate situation and is about to use his true qi and divine soul power?"
The next moment, Chen Jiuyang lightly pointed his Saber of Aversion at the void, as if slashing at it.
"What is he doing?" Song Yuanliang's eyes were filled with confusion.
Following that, a scene that horrified everyone unfolded.
The saber in Chen Jiuyang's hand erupted with a terrifying saber aura, yet it was not swung. Then, he slowly lowered the saber, leaving Chen Jiuyang's unique aura in the void, along with a phantom image of the Saber of Aversion.
This saber phantom stood in the center, unmoving, radiating a terrifying aura.
"What kind of technique is this?"
Song Yuanliang and the Earth realm martial artists frowned. The martial technique Chen Jiuyang displayed was unheard of.
"So that's how it is, so that's how it is!"
"Hahahaha!"
Chen Jiuyang suddenly burst into laughter.
Martial techniques infused with true qi and divine intent, held back but not released, with divine intent remaining but not dissipating, and true qi contained within the divine intent.
Was this the path to breaking through martial technique limits and achieving divine mastery?
The path of "Divine Might Like a Prison" led to instant divine intent techniques, but their power was fleeting, dissipating afterward.
However, with "Invincible Divine Abilities," the divine abilities could endure eternally without dissipating.
The path of "Divine Might Like a Prison" was true qi and divine intent from within to without—disperse!
"Invincible Divine Abilities" was—lock!
These were two opposing paths, the latter being as difficult as ascending to heaven.
With a physique and divine soul as powerful as Chen Jiuyang's, after unleashing this subtle saber phantom to achieve martial mastery, a portion of his internal qi, blood, true qi, and divine soul disappeared.
Was this phantom image of the Saber of Aversion not martial mastery, but the nascent form of a divine ability!?
A moment later, this phantom image of the Saber of Aversion dissipated under Chen Jiuyang's mental control.
Chen Jiuyang had now set foot halfway onto the path of martial technique mastery.
With a single thought, his true qi and divine soul fused and moved, yet were not released, condensing within the technique.
Thus, the limitations of technique exhaustion were broken.
Indeed, the great path is simple, but to arrive at it step by step through contemplation is extremely difficult.
No wonder the methods for "Invincible Divine Abilities" are so rarely passed down.
It can only be understood, not described.
Not my qi, not my blood, not my intent, then it is not my divine soul.
Since it is my divine soul, my intent, my qi, then it shall obey my will.
It could be described as incredibly overbearing!
The path of "Invincible Divine Abilities" is also a path of self-control and self-understanding.
In the ancient scripture "Diamond Sutra," Subhuti asked Shakyamuni, "To become a Buddha, how does one subdue their mind?"
Chen Jiuyang's answer was—I alone am honored!
Chen Jiuyang slowly raised his head, his voice imbued with an unfathomable domineering intent:
"You all, die!"