Chapter 644: Heaven and Earth Essence
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
If he were to dig up the King Solomon’s seal from the outside of the mountain wall, Ling Tian was afraid that the large hole would alert the patrol guards. Thus, he decided to dig a deep hole from within instead.
A short while later, Ling Tian had already dug to the place where he previously sliced off a piece of the King Solomon’s seal. Afraid that he might damage the herb and cause it to lose its medicinal effect, Ling Tian dug carefully for a full hour before finally being able to dig up the whole herb. The hard rock wall surrounding the herb constrained it to the point it was flattened. To Ling Tian’s surprise, he realized that the color of the innermost herb was actually pure white in color! The herb that was exposed on the outside was red in color and it gradually turned pink before becoming white in color as it extended inwards.
With just a sniff of the herb, a fragrance assaulted his nostrils and Ling Tian felt a wave of comfort extending across his whole body. While Ling Tian was unable to estimate the age of the King Solomon’s seal in his hands, he was sure that it definitely wasn’t anything ordinary and would be a thousand years old at the very least! Breaking off a section of the white herb and throwing it into his mouth, Ling Tian felt a cooling sensation go down his throat. Ling Tian then circulated his inner qi to refine the herb as he observed the changes in his body.
A short while later, Ling Tian was surprised to realize that while his inner qi did not grow, the meridians in his body became firmer and they seemed to have become more flexible at the same time. Ling Tian’s meridian channels should have expanded to their maximum without the chance for them to expand further, but as the herb nourished his meridians, Ling Tian was shocked to realize that there was the chance for his meridians to achieve yet another breakthrough!
To think that the aged King Solomon’s seal was actually a herb to stabilize one’s foundations! With such a herb, Ling Tian was confident in raising the strength of Ling Jian and the rest to another level! Furthermore, it wouldn’t affect the growth of their martial arts and would not result in a bottleneck for them in the future. Most importantly, there wasn’t a risk of them entering into cultivation deviation because of an inability of their meridians to withstand the growth!
Wrapping up the King Solomon’s seal carefully, Ling Tian began investigating the surrounding area. Since such a magnificent herb was able to grow in such a place, this must definitely be the place where the spirit qi was the densest. Furthermore, the exterior of this mountain wall was different from all others and this was definitely not due to a coincidence! Ling Tian was certain that the so-called heaven and earth essence was definitely hidden within this mountain wall!
After studying the place carefully, Ling Tian activated his lizard wall scaling art again and slid down the wall slowly.
After sliding down another 300 or more feet, Ling Tian’s body was slowly surrounded by fog. At this moment, even if someone were to look down from the top of the cliff, it would definitely be difficult to spot Ling Tian’s figure. Ling Tian then began to search the place in detail.
“Hehehe…” a delighted chuckle could be heard from Ling Tian. On the left of the hard rock wall, there were actually traces of weathering on the rocks. After sliding down a full 1000 feet, the surface of the rock wall was extremely smooth and such a situation had never occurred.
There must definitely be a reason behind this!
Ling Tian made his way to the weathered region and raising his left hand, he circulated all of his inner qi and slapped the surface of the wall with all his strength.
Hongggg!
Ling Tian was showered with stone fragments and his face turned grey from a layer of dust. After cleaning the dust off his face, Ling Tian cursed, “D*mmit, it was actually hollow…”
There was actually a cave there! However, the cave had not been maintained for many years and the dust and mud that gathered over the years had sealed up the entrance of the cave. Furthermore, it was currently spring and the bitter winter had just passed. This was also the time when the ice had just melted and also the time when the entrance was the most vulnerable.
Ling Tian circulated his inner qi and waving his arms around like a windmill, he sent all the rock fragments out of the cave with a gust of wind. Dusting off the remaining dust on his body, Ling Tian began exploring the cave.
After making a few turns, the ground beneath his feet was becoming dry and the cave became wider. It was already wide enough for two individuals to walk side by side.
After making another turn, Ling Tian’s eyes lit up and there was actually a stone chamber that was the size of two houses combined. Furthermore, it was complete with furniture and it looked like someone had stayed here before. With the obscure location of the cave, located in the middle of a cliff, the person who had stayed here before must have been a peerless martial arts expert!
After studying the cave carefully, Ling Tian realized that there was another entrance to the stone chamber. Following the entrance, Ling Tian was greeted with another two stone chambers. One of them was a grain storage area but all the grain inside it had turned to dust. As for the other smaller chamber, Ling Tian was surprised when he stuck his head in to take a look.
Facing the entrance of the chamber, there was a skeleton seated cross-legged without a single piece of meat left on the skeleton. The skeleton’s azure robe was still intact and in front of the skeleton was a stone table, a wine flask made from an unknown material, a jade cup, and a book made from some unknown material.
Ling Tian walked in with a solemn expression and made a respectful bow to the skeleton before him. “This little one is Ling Tian and I hope that Senior will forgive me for disturbing your rest.”
While Ling Tian was an arrogant individual, he would still show the necessary respect to a deceased senior.
Furthermore, it was obvious that the senior before him wasn’t an ordinary character!
As he explored the chamber, Ling Tian realized that there were a few rows of words carved out on the wall. Dusting off the soil on the wall, the words became clear.
Ever since I was young, I explored the pugilistic world alone with only a sword as my companion. Even after experiencing a multitude of hardships, I have never changed. When I was in my middle-aged years, there was no longer an opponent for me in the world! How sorrowful! At the peak of the world, there was no road to advance and no door to retreat! What a regret!
Up until this day, I have lived for a mere 200 years but 170 years were spent in cultivation! I have no wife or children and can be said to be a lonely man!
Before my death, I asked the heavens, what is the meaning of life? What is joy?
With my graying hair and knowing that I do not have much longer to live, I spent more than ten years roaming the continent. I found this place by coincidence and realized that the essence of heaven and earth was gathering in this place. After the passing of many years, this place became a naturally formed spirit vein. With the presence of this spirit vein, there must definitely be a treasure in this place and I spent my time searching for it.
After a month of searching and digging, I arrived at this location and realized that the heavens wanted my death! Hiding three feet below this chamber were spirit stones that had been bathing in spirit energy for ten thousand years and had turned into spirit milk! However, I was still a step early! While the spirit milk was formed, it had not matured. If I chose to consume it, there would only be harm without any benefits! It would be the poison to speed up my death!
Is all lost? The spirit milk will mature in a hundred years but I no longer have a hundred years to wait!
In a state of extreme despair, I decided to set my residence in this place. While I do not have the fortune to enjoy the spirit milk, this place can still strengthen my body. However, the will of the heavens cannot be altered by the efforts of men!
I looked at the world with disdain all of my life and laughed proudly in the wind. I have no regrets in this lifetime of mine! I specially recorded down my peerless divine art and placed it in this cave as a gift to the fated individual. If a brat from the younger generation receives my divine art, it will be sufficient for you to roam unhindered in the pugilistic world!
The human heart is filled with greed and if the world knew of this place, slaughter would definitely ensue. I was peerless in the world all of my life and slaughtered countless individuals. However, I do not wish to see another bloodbath in the world after my death! I used a secret art to insert the secret of this place into the treasured jades that I carry along with me and the Heaven Splitter. Only a fated individual will be able to find the secret within!
The one who obtains this treasure must definitely be a blessed individual and you can do as you wish!
Jun ZhanTian’s last words. **/**/****
Jun ZhanTian? Who was he? Perhaps the traces of this character had been lost through the passing of time. However, Ling Tian was certain that this Jun ZhanTian was definitely a heaven-shaking figure in his generation!
After Ling Tian checked the date, he was shocked to realize that this Jun ZhanTian had left behind those words three to four thousand years ago! He could not help but suck in a breath of cold air!
Ling Tian could not help but be filled with respect in his heart. The many words written on the wall before him were actually completed in a single breath with his finger! What kind of an inner qi would such a feat require? Such a feat was something that Ling Tian would never be able to accomplish with his current cultivation! If it was only writing a dozen or so words, Ling Tian would still be able to accomplish it. However, the few hundred words on the stone wall were completed with a single breath and the last few words did not look any different in depth of appearance to the first few words! Such a level of cultivation was truly shocking!
Even the current number one expert in the world, Justice, would not have such a level of cultivation! To think that such a heaven-shaking figure actually died a silent death in this small stone chamber!
The most admirable quality of this senior was the breadth of his mind and heart. After finding a divine herb that he could not consume and would only mature in a hundred years, this was definitely a huge blow to one’s mental state! If a narrow-minded individual found such a treasure that he could not consume, he would definitely destroy the whole place in a fit of rage! Mmm, since I can’t have it, no one else can!
However, this senior did not do such a thing and had even made detailed arrangements to pass it on to the future generation! Such a breadth of mind was something that no ordinary individual would be able to compare to.
Furthermore, this senior had inscribed the words ‘do as you wish’ at the very end and these words were enough to show that he wasn’t a false gentleman but someone who followed his heart and did as he wished. He also did not leave behind any restrictions or hypocritically speak about saving the entire world. This was something that Ling Tian truly admired.
Ling Tian looked at the seated skeleton and respect could be seen in his eyes.
Walking in front of the stone table, Ling Tian picked up the book and flipped it open. There were five different martial arts recorded within it. The first was the Supreme Divine Formula, second Supreme Sword Art, third Supreme Palm Art, fourth Supreme Finger Art and fifth Supreme Movement Art.
From the names of the martial arts, it was obvious that these martial arts were named by Jun ZhanTian and might have even been created by him! Supreme. This word was one that Ling Tian truly agreed with. While it was undeniably arrogant, from the words on the wall, the word ‘supreme’ was truly a fitting description! Even right now, there wasn’t anyone who could exceed this Jun ZhanTian in cultivation!
The thing which Ling Tian found the strangest was the fact that he had never heard of this character. With his martial arts, breadth of mind and charisma, he should be a legendary character even after ten thousand years! But for some reason, such a name could actually be buried in history without a single mark being left behind! This was something which Ling Tian truly felt to be regretful!
Imagining the peerless martial arts of this senior and his suave appearance as he roamed unhindered in the pugilistic world, Ling Tian could not help but wish that he could have witnessed it himself!
Looking at the five martial arts in detail, Ling Tian realized that while these five martial arts could not be compared to his Divine Shocking Dragon Formula and were some distance away from the martial arts of his previous life, they were undeniably considered top-notch martial arts in this world! At the very least, Ling Tian felt that these martial arts were far superior to the martial arts of Beyond Heavens!
Bowing respectfully, Ling Tian said with a solemn expression, “Rest assured Senior, while Ling Tian cannot cultivate Senior’s martial arts, I will definitely find a suitable successor for Senior. I will definitely ensure that Senior’s majestic name will be recorded down in history!”
Standing up, Ling Tian stored the martial arts manual in his robe and walked out. He then came to the first stone chamber and with the guide of the senior’s marking, Ling Tian found the location where the spirit milk was hiding. Using the Heaven Splitter to knock on the ground, Ling Tian finally understood what the last two phrases in the jade pendant meant. Sharpness of Heaven Splitter, It Can Be Fought!
The ground beneath him was even harder than the mountain wall on the outside. If he used an ordinary weapon to slash down at this place, he wouldn’t be able to leave behind a mark. Without a top-grade divine weapon, it would be a dream for one to break apart the ground!
Naturally, the Black Iron Sword that Ling Tian crafted could do it but this was something that Jun ZhanTian wouldn’t know. After all, only a divine weapon like the Heaven Splitter would probably be able to have such sharpness in his generation.
With Ling Tian’s strength and the sharpness of the Heaven Splitter, Ling Tian actually needed more than two hours before he was finally able to break open the ground and dig down three feet deep to reveal a piece of snow white jade. Upon touching it, Ling Tian could feel its warmth but it was extremely hard!
Ling Tian carefully shaved the surroundings of the jade piece down and grabbed onto it with both of his hands. Circulating his inner qi and letting out a grunt, Ling Tian pulled the jade stone out. Walking two steps forward, he leaned the jade stone against the wall as he panted heavily. At the same time, his forehead was already covered with beads of sweat. Even with Ling Tian’s shocking cultivation, he actually had to exhaust himself to such an extent. It could be imagined just how much strength was required to pull out the jade stone.
This piece of jade was rectangular in shape and about five feet long. While it wasn’t large, it weighed a few thousand catties at the very least! If not for Ling Tian’s Divine Shocking Dragon Formula being at the tenth level, he really wouldn’t be able to pull it out!
Wiping off the beads of sweat on his forehead, Ling Tian studied the jade rock carefully. This was the biggest target for his trip to Heavenly Wind! Looking into the inside of the jade stone, he could see a liquid like substance flowing around in the middle of the jade stone as though it was alive.
Making a small mark on the jade stone, Ling Tian circulated all of his inner qi and slashed down onto the jade stone with all of his strength!
With a soft ring, a piece of the jade stone fell off and Ling Tian stumbled from over-exerting his strength. He did not know whether to laugh or cry as he looked at the jade stone with a tinge of frustration on his face. Despite the hard exterior of the rock’s surface, who would have thought that it would be sliced off as easily as though it was tofu? If not for Ling Tian retracting his strength at the last moment, he probably would have amputated his leg by accident. If a martial arts expert ends up cutting off his own leg by accident, his name would definitely go down in history. Of course, he would be a laughing stock in history.
Touching the fallen piece of jade, Ling Tian could feel that the inside of the jade being slightly moist as though it was semi-liquid.
“No wonder.” Ling Tian muttered under his breath and squatted down. He then used his sword to carefully carve the piece of jade as though he was peeling off the outer layer of a carrot. In just a short while, the ground was filled with jade fragments.
If he took out this large piece of jade to sell, he would definitely be able to earn a fortune that could rival an empire! However, Ling Tian could naturally not be bothered with this at the moment…
After another hour, Ling Tian finally completed the whole process which was akin to embroidery. The only thing left behind in his hands was a pristine white piece of jade which was the size of an ear of corn. It was moist to the touch and slightly soft as well. When holding it in his hands, there was an inexplicable feeling of comfort as though all the pores on his body were opened.
Raising it up to eye level to take a look, a silvery liquid was flowing around within.
“What a good item! This trip of mine is truly not a waste!” Ling Tian praised and was about to store it in his robe. All of a sudden, he was stunned as he looked at his palm and realized that it was wet! The liquid in the jade stone had actually passed through the walls of the jade stone and seeped out.
This seemingly sturdy jade stone was actually unable to control the radiance of the liquid!
Ling Tian clicked his tongue with regret and immediately understood the reason. It seems as though the hard outer surface of the jade stone acted like a skin to contain this fluid. The jade on the inside of the surface was unable to keep the fluid contained.
“Just what should I do?” Ling Tian immediately became anxious. If he allowed the fluid to flow out like this it would all evaporate before he could even return. Just when he was frustrated, Ling Tian could feel the silvery light flow out at an even faster rate. With a soft ‘chi’ sound, it burst out of the jade stone and slowly flowed out.
A sweet fragrance filled the entire stone chamber!
The opportunity cannot be lost! Time waits for no one! The moment he lost this opportunity, this divine treasure would be completely gone! While Ling Tian was not sure if he could endure the immense medicinal effect, he did not have the time to think about it!
Ling Tian steeled his heart and drank all of the silvery liquid without letting a single drop escape. As the silvery fluid flowed down his throat, Ling Tian felt as though his whole body was as light as a feather. It was as though his innards were cleansed from within and an indescribable pleasure filled his entire body…
It was as though he was high on drugs…
Ling Tian dared to bet that such a feeling was a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand times more comfortable than consuming the most potent kind of drugs!
However…