Chapter 146: The Human Tradition

Xu Qiangjia glanced once at what was unfolding in the sky. When a cultivator who had reached the Immortal Dao level made a move, he had no desire to flee at all.

Running was useless—if someone came to save him, he might survive; if not, he would die.

The other team members reacted similarly.

“Replace the damaged parts, equip the runes properly, rest for two hours, then head to the Tianyi battlefield,” Xu Qiangjia instructed the team.

The aerial battle ended when the young swordsman severed the arm of a foreign warrior.

The youth descended lightly like a feather to the rear of the battlefield.

Xu Qiangjia cupped his hands in salute, expressing thanks, to which the young swordsman merely nodded slightly.

The swordsman’s figure transformed into a streak of spiritual light and vanished.

“My son will be just as formidable one day,” Xu Qiangjia thought to himself.

Inside Xu Chen’s cave residence, within the Sacred White Space, his body had already swollen to more than twice its normal size.

His entire body was flushed red, blood flowed from his seven orifices, and his eyes were wide open with fury.

“Everyone, get back!”

He frantically circulated the blood and qi through his meridians, compressing this wildly expanding force within him with unparalleled willpower.

As the power of his qi and blood increased, Xu Chen’s body grew ever larger.

“Boom!”

A red mist of blood exploded, spreading over a radius of several dozen yards.

After a few breaths, Xu Chen’s consciousness reassembled within the Sacred White Space.

“A cup of tea’s time, yet it counts as progress.”

To verify if his method was correct, Xu Chen had once again visited the Wan Dao Peak inquiry formation.

The answer he found was that since the dawn of humanity, every method of igniting the “Bone and Flesh Lamp” was different.

Some with sacred-grade aptitude and heavenly favor ignited the lamp naturally.

Some with great perseverance, after a decade or more at the peak of the Qi-Blood Realm, would one day awaken and light the lamp.

Some of average aptitude hovered between life and death, igniting the lamp amid great terror.

The methods varied wildly, leaving Xu Chen dizzy from the sheer diversity.

However, one point was certain: each person who ignited the lamp had their own path.

“Condensing the power of one’s qi and blood to the extreme, fully accommodating the increased power within the body, might be one way to light the lamp.”

“The question is how long this must be sustained.”

“To ignite the Bone and Flesh Lamp, staying in the Qi-Blood Realm for several years might be appropriate.”

“Continue!”

Each explosion into blood mist was agonizing, but after reviewing every time, Xu Chen would continue without hesitation.

Using the secret Fish-Dragon Transformation Dance technique, he pushed his qi, blood, and vitality to the extreme.

The power of his qi and blood gradually multiplied until it reached the level of ten dragons, as if opening a forbidden gate.

Countless forces surged from every corner of his body.

Xu Chen’s face contorted in pain as he desperately compressed and circulated this increased power.

He focused all his mental energy, daring not to slacken even for a moment or harbor any other thought.

If his body or spirit wavered even slightly, he would immediately explode like fireworks.

The power of qi and blood grew ever more abundant, and his body swelled accordingly.

Feeling his body on the verge of bursting, Xu Chen’s mind suddenly stirred, and he began cultivating the Candle Dragon Nine Transformations.

But the moment he moved, the swollen power exploded uncontrollably again.

His consciousness reformed, and Xu Chen reviewed his progress.

“What if I use the Candle Dragon Nine Transformations method to compress and circulate the qi and blood power?”

This idea had come to him just before the last explosion, but merely suppressing and circulating the power consumed all his focus, leaving no room for further thought.

“Let’s try.”

After reviewing, Xu Chen pressed on.

Upon reaching the ten-dragon level, he began circulating the Candle Dragon Nine Transformations, fully unleashing and directing his qi and blood power.

However, as the power increased, he had to divide his attention to compress it.

“Boom!”

Before even a cup of tea’s time had passed, Xu Chen exploded into blood mist once again.

After his consciousness reassembled, he sat cross-legged within the Sacred White Space, pondering deeply.

He continually recalled the examples of those who had ignited the Bone and Flesh Lamp from the inquiry formation.

“Single-minded focus, firm intent.”

“None of the examples mentioned igniting the lamp through the terrifying growth, compression, and circulation of qi and blood power.”

“Compression and circulation are necessary but not the primary method.”

Xu Chen spoke as he once more elevated his qi and blood power to the ten-dragon level.

He began focused cultivation of the Candle Dragon Nine Transformations, his strongest foundational method for qi and blood, though also the most draining.

He devoted himself entirely to it, ignoring the imminent bursting of his body.

One time, two times, ten times, twenty times—

Until finally, Xu Chen could no longer endure and his consciousness returned to his body, where he fell into a deep sleep on his bed.

The next morning, awakening, Xu Chen reflected on the previous day’s ordeal.

“This path should be correct.”

Just as Xu Chen prepared to head to Wan Dao Peak for his daily study of the Dao scriptures, an elder of the Profound Immortal Realm from the Daxi sect suddenly sent him a message.

“‘Go to the teleportation hall in Leizhou capital to receive someone. That person knows me. Just wait at the teleportation array hall,’” Xu Chen read with confusion.

Since it was an order from an elder of the Profound Immortal Realm, Xu Chen did not question it and set out immediately for the teleportation hall in Leizhou capital city.

He waited at the entrance of the teleportation hall.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, a large hand suddenly patted Xu Chen on the shoulder.

“Kid, haven’t seen you for a while. Didn’t expect you’ve already reached the limit of the Qi-Blood Realm,” came a bold, arrogant voice.

Startled, Xu Chen turned around to find none other than Xiao Wanshi.

“Senior Xiao,” Xu Chen greeted respectfully as per protocol.

“Cut the formalities. You’ve got talent. From now on, call me Big Brother,” Xiao Wanshi said with a grand wave of his hand.

“Call me Brother Xiao. If you ever get into trouble, I’ll settle it for you,” he declared with great confidence.

This man, with sacred-grade aptitude and a top disciple of the Human Emperor Dao Palace, had reached the limit of the Qi-Blood Realm and might have even ignited his Bone and Flesh Lamp, advancing to the Treasured Body Realm.

Such a figure was likely well-known to the Human Emperor and owed Xu Chen a life-saving debt.

Even Xu Chen, with his cheat-like talents, felt it was a stretch to call him Big Brother at this stage.

“Brother Xiao,” Xu Chen said solemnly.

“That’s better,” Xiao Wanshi replied.

“This is your turf. You treat, the best restaurant, the finest wine,” he said, gripping Xu Chen’s shoulder.

“No problem!” Xu Chen responded.

Leizhou capital city, Sacred Immortal Winehouse, the most luxurious private room, finest dishes, and best wine.

They even hired the most famous dance troupe in Leizhou to perform.

“I’ve always felt that the cuisines and wines of different continents have unique flavors,” Xu Chen remarked.

“Leizhou was once a borderland of our human race. The dishes are mostly wild spiritual delicacies, and the wine carries a distinct spiritual charm,” Xiao Wanshi added.

“Not bad, not bad,” he said, drinking and eating while Xu Chen kept company.

After the feast and the dancers withdrew, Xiao Wanshi got down to business.

“Our human race has a tradition: recently, someone who ignited the Bone and Flesh Lamp shares their experience with others at the limit of the Qi-Blood Realm who hope to ignite the lamp.”

“I thought I’d pass my experience to your sect’s junior master, but he has already advanced. Instead, you’ve reached the Qi-Blood Realm limit.”

“Before coming, I reviewed your records. Honestly, I admire you.”

“You’ve chosen a much harder path but still reached this level,” Xiao Wanshi looked at Xu Chen with genuine respect.

“Uh…”

Xu Chen wasn’t hearing this for the first time, nor likely the last.

After all, he had been beaten tens of thousands of times in Sacred White Space.

“The path of the Great Dao is inherently a path against Heaven,” Xu Chen replied another way.

“That’s right,” Xiao Wanshi agreed.

A sphere appeared in Xiao Wanshi’s hand, which he lightly smashed on the ground.

In an instant, both appeared at a Daoist arena.

“According to tradition, I’ll share my experience of igniting the Bone and Flesh Lamp.”

“Just listen. Don’t try to imitate. There are as many ways to light the lamp as there are people,” Xiao Wanshi warned.

“At the limit of the Qi-Blood Realm, I suddenly had a profound realization, comprehending all the foundational methods of qi and blood.”

“At that moment, I entered a state of enlightenment. After practicing all these methods once more, I came to and found the Bone and Flesh Lamp lit.”

As Xiao Wanshi spoke, a colossal treasure body image over twenty yards tall appeared behind him.

In its dantian was an ancient oil lamp emitting an immortal will.

“Feel it carefully. I hope you can ignite a Bone and Flesh Lamp too and embark on the path of immortality,” Xiao Wanshi looked sincerely at Xu Chen.

“Brother Xiao, after lighting the Bone and Flesh Lamp, does it mean you are invincible at the same realm?” Xu Chen asked suddenly.

“Sort of. Killing other top-tier foreign geniuses at the same realm is like slaughtering chicks. The trouble comes when those big foreign powers target you,” Xiao Wanshi explained.

Mentioning invincibility at the same realm sparked a memory for Xiao Wanshi; it seemed he hadn’t considered anyone at his level a rival for a long time.

As he spoke, Xiao Wanshi withdrew the giant image behind him.

“Alright, after sharing my experience, I should be going.”

“Great food, fine wine, and beautiful dancers—good hospitality,” he said.

Back in the hotel room, Xu Chen and Xiao Wanshi headed to the teleportation hall in Leizhou capital.

“Brother Xiao, I hope one day we can fight side by side,” Xu Chen said, looking at the carefree and arrogant Xiao Wanshi, feeling as if he were reading an invincible hero’s tale.

“Definitely,” Xiao Wanshi replied.

Just as Xiao Wanshi was about to step into the teleportation array, he suddenly turned back to Xu Chen.

“One thing I forgot to tell you: that Lingyan Clan’s Tong Xuan Yi you met in the Ancient Wild Battlefield, he also lit his Bone and Flesh Lamp.”

“If you can’t light yours, let me know.”

“I’ll find a chance to wipe him out—won’t leave him for you.”

Hearing this, Xu Chen’s expression immediately turned serious.

“Brother Xiao, please leave Tong Xuan Yi to me.”

Hearing this, Xiao Wanshi laughed heartily.

“Ambitious!”

After watching Xiao Wanshi enter the teleportation array and depart, Xu Chen sat on the array and returned to Daxi Sect.

Outside his cave residence, in the Daoist arena, Xu Chen recalled the scene where he had met Tong Xuan Yi in the Ancient Wild Battlefield.

“He’s ignited the Bone and Flesh Lamp—good, excellent. That will make future encounters far more interesting!”

(The chapter ends)