The eighth form of Split the Heavens was something that the Heaven Splitting Battle Sect’s disciples would only come into contact with after cultivating to the Netherpa.s.sage realm.
It required activating seventy-two acupuncture points. What was different compared to the seventh form was that it required world energy, as well as life and death energy.
Long Chen hadn’t entered the Netherpa.s.sage realm. However, if his world energy was strong enough, he would still be able to use the eighth form. It was just that it would take even more world energy and Spiritual Strength. It would be an immense burden to his body and soul.
Originally, the old man hadn’t wanted to transmit the eighth form to Long Chen yet. Before reaching the Netherpa.s.sage realm, just relying on his astral s.p.a.ce to unleash this attack could cause his astral s.p.a.ce to shatter.
Furthermore, constantly extracting the energy of one’s astral s.p.a.ce would slow down one’s cultivation speed. Just fighting and not actually raising one’s cultivation base was foolish.
However, Long Chen greatly wished to learn it, so the old man finally agreed. However, he sternly warned Long Chen not to use it unless he had no choice. That was to avoid harming his foundation. By then, it would be too late to regret it.
“The eighth form of Split the Heavens connects seventy-two acupuncture points. Using astral energy as the link, using Spiritual Strength as the lead, your heart guides your will, your will guides your power. First cultivate the path…”
At the rear mountains of the Heaven Splitting Battle Sect, the old man was guiding Long Chen alone. Long Chen had Evilmoon on his shoulder. His left foot was forward, his right leg behind. His body was leaning forward slightly.
“The foot, knee, groin, waist, chest, shoulder, elbow, and wrist are eight points for your power to go through. The power starts from your foot and then soars through the eight acupuncture points. When the energy goes from your waist to your chest, you need to twist your waist, while also bringing your shoulder and arm forward. With your elbow as the fulcrum, your wrist slashes your saber down,” shouted the old man.
Long Chen swung Evilmoon, causing a powerful gust to fly out. The old man blew it apart with his palm.
“Wrong. The instant you attack, your rear leg must press down.”
“Wrong. You twisted your waist too early. You need to drop your shoulder, not stand so stiffly. Otherwise, your power will leak.”
“Wrong. Your elbow must be steady. This is different from the seventh form of Split the Heavens. You need to separate yourself from that habit…”
It was several hours later before Long Chen managed to complete the correct form based on the old man’s requirements.
According to the old man, Long Chen had to maintain this perfect form because the power of the eighth form was too berserk and violent.
A ca.n.a.l needed buffer room during a turn. Otherwise, the water would flow out and cause the ca.n.a.l to collapse. There couldn’t be any carelessness when it came to this.
“It’s about time to try it. Remember, use the minimum amount of energy at the start. Just get used to it first,” said the old man.
Long Chen nodded. He turned around.
“Turn back. Face me,” shouted the old man.
“Face you?”
“Come, attack. Treat me as an enemy.”
“That’s not good. What if…”
“Don’t worry about it. With your current power, you can’t harm me.”
“Fine. Be careful.”
Long Chen circulated his astral s.p.a.ces, cautiously sending his energy through the first acupuncture point. When he had first tried using the seventh form of Split the Heavens, he had almost destroyed his meridians, so he was cautious this time.
His energy surged through his foot and acupuncture points, but then it suddenly shrank down and vanished when it reached his elbow.
The old man nodded. “Again.” The reason he was making Long Chen attack him was to make sure Long Chen used as little power as possible.
This time, Long Chen doubled the energy he was using. When his energy reached his wrist, he suddenly felt a burst of energy, and Evilmoon actually shuddered out of his control. A will to tear apart the heavens arose within him. He couldn’t hold it back even if he wanted to.
BOOM!
The old man seemed to have been expecting this. He waved his hand, his black cane stopping in front of Long Chen. A gentle energy erased Long Chen’s power.
“Old man, you…”
Long Chen stared at the old man in disbelief. That energy Long Chen had just felt from the old man’s cane was actually life energy. It had been boundless, accepting Long Chen’s energy and dissipating it. That was a clear sign of reaching the second step of the Netherpa.s.sage realm.
“Hehe, as the one in charge, how could I not have this little bit of power? However, don’t tell them. Once they grow up and challenge me, I’ll properly teach them some manners. These days, I’ve been going easy on them. I feel like it should soon be time for them to suddenly attack,” laughed the old man.
Long Chen was between tears and laughter. The old man was actually intentionally baiting the seven bosses to turn on him. Was he looking for an above board reason to beat them?
However, for the old man to have reached the second step not long after advancing to the Netherpa.s.sage realm was truly admirable.
“There’s no need to be surprised. This is called acc.u.mulated experience. I was stuck at the Life Star realm for too long. It was a trial for me, and having pa.s.sed it, everything has become clear. So sometimes a bad thing isn’t a bad thing, and a good thing isn’t a good thing. I’ve already reached the great circle of the second step. Before I get too old, I’m preparing to attack the third step as well,” said the old man.
“Why are you in such a rush?” asked Long Chen.
“My generation isn’t the main character of this era, and our opportunities are limited. We are only benefitting slightly from this great era. This has already been set in stone. By this point, rus.h.i.+ng or not means little. I’m happy though that I still have some potential to carve out after advancing to Netherpa.s.sage. For the rest of my generation, their foundations have mostly been set in stone. To have been given this chance to s.h.i.+ne in my old age, I’ll definitely have to go show off in front of Qu Jianying. Otherwise, she’ll be the one s.h.i.+ning in front of me.”
Long Chen was speechless. Why was it that the older people got, the more childish they grew? Did they need to fight with the people closest to them? Losing harmed your pride, winning harmed your relations.h.i.+p. What was the point?
However, people’s characters were difficult to change, especially at the old man’s age. Changing him wasn’t something even a G.o.d could accomplish.
“That attack was no good. You didn’t even use the power of your waist. You have to time it better. That way, even with the same amount of energy, the power that you’ll be able to unleash will be even greater. Again,” said the old man, continuing to guide Long Chen.
Until Long Chen trained the eighth form of Split the Heavens to the point where it became completely natural to him, he couldn’t use it against enemies. Otherwise, before he even struck his enemies, he would end up crippling himself.
They trained for a day and night as the old man’s requirements were stringent. There couldn’t be the slightest mistake.
“Theoretically, I should make you try a full-strength blow to see how your control is, but you still haven’t fully recovered. However, after so many tests, I think you’ll be fine. Just remember, the first time you use this move against enemies, don’t go over seventy percent power. If you stick within that range, even if something happens, you should be able to control it. But if you go at one hundred percent right at the start and are unable to control it, that will be dangerous.
“Old man, don’t worry about it. Then about the ninth form…” probed Long Chen.
“Don’t even think about it. With your temper, you don’t know how to hold back in the slightest. Teaching it to you would be harming you,” snorted the old man.
He understood Long Chen far too well. His guts were even greater than the heavens. If he had the ninth form of Split the Heavens, who knew what he would do?
“There are two conditions to controlling the ninth form of Split the Heavens. Satisfying either one of them will allow you to use it.”
“What are they?”
“One is to have the a.s.sistance of the Heaven Splitting Divine Tablet. The other is to advance above Netherpa.s.sage.”
“What is above Netherpa.s.sage?”
“You’ll know what’s above Netherpa.s.sage in the future. With those monstrous geniuses coming out now, they’re accompanied by old monsters who have been living for countless years. They are their protectors, so don’t go crazy. The existence above Netherpa.s.sage stands at the peak of the martial path. It is the top of the continent’s cultivation…”
Hearing that this was the peak of the martial path, Long Chen’s heartbeat quickened. He didn’t even hear what else the old man was saying.
In the Eastern Wasteland, someone had brought him away and bestowed him upon Long Tianxiao. That person had said that unless Long Chen stood at the peak of the martial path, he shouldn’t investigate his origins.
He couldn’t help growing emotional. So the peak of the martial path lay above Netherpa.s.sage. He rubbed his nine-line Soul Calming jade, a sharp light appearing in his eyes. The more he cultivated, the closer he got to the secrets of his origins.
“Old man, is there still no news from the Heaven Splitting Divine Tablet?” asked Long Chen.
In Devil Spirit Mountain, Long Chen, Chang Hao, and Bao Buping had freed the Heaven Splitting Divine Tablet of its bindings. It had said that it would escape on its own, but now it hadn’t returned even after all this time.
“The Heaven Splitting Divine Tablet is a priceless treasure on the same level as the Heaven Splitting Blade. If it said that it could return, then it will definitely return. For it to still not return simply means that the time hasn’t come yet. Don’t worry about it,” said the old man.
Long Chen nodded. Having learned the eighth form of Split the Heavens, he prepared to leave.
However, the old man made him stay for another three days, the reason being that his injuries were still severe. He needed to rest a few days before he caused more trouble.
After all, wherever Long Chen went, trouble would follow. Every bit that he recovered was a bit safer he would be.
After three days, Long Chen had recovered to around eighty percent. His wounds had mostly healed, but there was still some remnant energy within them that he would have to slowly erase.
“Let me see just how amazing those monsters sealed in the ancient era are. Are they really as strong as the legends say?”
Long Chen walked out of the Heaven Splitting Battle Sect. Taking a deep breath, a heroic feeling rose in his heart.