Martial Saint!
Chapter 306 - 0211 The Transformation of Dao Tree (3k)

Chapter 306: 0211 The Transformation of Dao Tree (3k)

Evening.

Lu Chenzhou took a taxi to the airport.

His cell phone was on. There was a message from Chen Yuan.

"Recently, the Southern Border’s vast mountains may experience disturbances in the Void Realm not weaker than those at Taihu. Many strong individuals from the Academy have gone to hunt the Great Voids, so come back to school soon."

After thanking Chen Yuan, Lu Chenzhou mused to himself.

"I originally wanted to experience the local customs here and feel the Martial Arts ambiance under the Academy’s governance, and by the way visit other famous historical sites."

Unfortunately, the world doesn’t always conform to one’s wishes.

"Since ancient times, the vast mountains have been a place of chaos, constantly with so-called demons appearing. Fugitives wanted by the authorities, or some poison-wielding witches, prefer to hide here. If a large-scale Virtual Disaster were to erupt here, it would indeed be troublesome."

Lu Chenzhou closed his eyes and looked towards the Martial Arts Tree.

Suddenly, his expression changed. He saw that the small tree, about a zhang tall in the void, didn’t know when it had suddenly grown three feet taller, now standing at four zhang tall...

"What’s going on?"

According to Lu Chenzhou’s observations, the height of the Martial Arts Tree was essentially linked to his Qi-Blood Cultivation. Normally, martial arts training or small realm enhancements would make it grow slightly, but only a significant breakthrough would make it grow by a large amount all at once.

The problem was, he had only had a fight with Ouyang Qing today. Although the battle led him to some enlightenment in Fist Theory, there had been no change in his Cultivation.

After previous battles, this Martial Arts Tree had not changed.

All of a sudden, Lu Chenzhou recalled the scene before the Heavenly Master Hall.

"Could it be... that when I was observing the Dao Yun left by the Martial Arts predecessors, the Martial Arts Tree absorbed some kind of indescribable power and quietly grew?"

Lu Chenzhou looked at the Martial Arts and Divine Seeds on the leaves of the tree.

"There are no changes."

The growth of the Martial Arts Tree was definitely a good thing.

However, he needed to further study its impact.

In an instant, Lu Chenzhou used the Inner Vision Skill to arrive at the Inner Realm Land. On the barren wilderness that used to show no sign of life, he now saw scattered green flashes. Lu Chenzhou bent down and gently touched the tender shoots that had grown from the barren ground.

"The Inner Realm Land is now sprouting life... what does this mean?"

From what he understood about Martial Arts knowledge, the Inner Realm Land was actually a kind of projection of the physical body and didn’t truly exist. At least at his current realm, he observed the Inner Realm Land mostly to monitor physical changes. Perhaps at the Absolute Peak realm, he could practice turning the false into truth, making the Inner Realm Land into an inner cosmos just like real space.

But these were still a far cry from his current state.

And, he had never heard of any Martial Artist’s Inner Realm Land growing grass...

Lu Chenzhou planned to go back and look at various records regarding Inner Realm Land to conduct his own research. He felt that the changes in the Inner Realm Land were related to the Martial Arts Tree.

The changes in the Martial Arts Tree were related to observing the relics of Heavenly Master Zhang.

He thought of Heavenly Master Zhang’s last words again.

"Dao is endless; may we meet beyond the shores... What exactly did the powerful and wise predecessors of Martial Arts through the ages see, and what is the future of Martial Arts?"

"Never mind, when I have the time, and my strength is sufficient, I’ll visit all the famous historical sites at the Top Martial Universities. Maybe through these fragments of history, I’ll be able to glimpse the full picture of Martial Arts, which should also be beneficial for the Martial Arts Tree."

His mind left the Inner Realm Land.

Lu Chenzhou’s demeanor seemed to have undergone some kind of change as well—he had a more profound look in his eyes, his body was teeming with vitality, giving off the sensation of chaos unfolding and all things sprouting to life.

His understanding of Fist Theory had also seemingly improved.

"Only by reaching the realm of ’Understanding its Principles’ can one truly create Martial Arts with one’s own characteristics, rather than just imitating and blending the methods of others.

And only at the Fourth Realm is it possible to meld and comprehend True Skill Level Fist Techniques. Otherwise, even if one has a sufficient Divine Seed, transforming it into a Fourth Rank Divine Seed is not feasible."

For the time being, the Dao Yun left behind by the predecessors.

If he could comprehend it, it would help enhance his Fist Theory.

Lu Chenzhou pondered Fist Theory in his heart, looking at the night sky outside the window, when unexpectedly, a fine rain began to fall, and amidst the curtain of rain, two flashes of red light flickered. Lu Chenzhou, with the instinct of a Martial Artist, sensed danger.

His body tensed like a cat’s bristling fur, hair standing on end.

His muscles and bones resonated in unison, and a Tiger Roar shook the heavens!

Roar!

Invisible sound waves rippled from inside the car, and the Mystic Tiger Spirit emerged behind Lu Chenzhou. It raised its Tiger Claw, clapped its paws together, and caught those two red lights.

Lu Chenzhou looked and saw that they were two blood-colored, phantasmal tadpoles.

"What are these?"

Lu Chenzhou’s eyes narrowed.

"One thing’s for sure, they’re either from an Evil Skill or something done by Void Things."

The attacks of Martial Artists are mostly open and upright.

Puchi.

Under the invisible authority of the Mystic Tiger, the blood-colored tadpoles could not bear the burden and dissipated into a mist of blood. Vaguely, there seemed to be invisible wicked thoughts infiltrating in, but before they could approach Lu Chenzhou, they were scattered by his formidable aura and vanished into nothingness.

"Heh, the local sects here really have no manners..."

Lu Chenzhou, a newcomer, had provoked no one.

Suddenly, he remembered the Human Eye Slug Claw.

"Could it be that this demon was raised by some sect? A cultist must have used some Evil Skill to remotely track the trace of Void Things qi left on me.

No wonder even Lufang couldn’t catch Chen Yongjing... These devilish things have all their Skill Points invested in all kinds of tricky and obscure areas. They have average combat power at best. But when compared to Martial Artists, the Evil Skills are clearly more troublesome and strange."

Having obtained the claw of the Human Eye Slug Claw, Lu Chenzhou had exchanged it for a million in cash at the Ying City Void Bureau. Concerned that the aura of the Void Things on his person might attract stronger Great Voids, he dared not keep it for long. Despite all his plans, he still underestimated the methods of Evil Skills.

"After returning, I’ll see if there are any special Martial Arts I can practice."

Special Martial Arts, known in ancient times as "Secret Techniques", such as the military’s "Heavenly Star Refining Technique", are Secret Techniques. Such Martial Arts do not increase combat power directly, nor do they enhance one’s Qi-Blood; their usual function is to assist in combat.

For example, the Daoist’s Qi Observation Skill or the Buddhist’s skill to comprehend others’ minds. Special Martial Arts are all True Skill Level and above; they are harder to practice than conventional Fist Techniques. Most people wouldn’t practice them unless they have a special occupational need.

Walking among the outside world in the future, Lu Chenzhou would inevitably deal with Evil Sects and Void Things. He felt that he should, at the very least, learn a type of Martial Arts that could dispel qi tracing marks to counter-track, in order to avoid small issues escalating into bigger endless troubles.

At this moment, the taxi stopped.

Looking at the unconscious driver, Lu Chenzhou reluctantly called the Ying City police, "I am Martial Artist Lu Chenzhou. There is some trouble here on the national road..."

He tried his best to concentrate his sound waves to avoid affecting the driver.

But ordinary people are just so fragile.

The driver had become an innocent victim. Getting out of the taxi, Lu Chenzhou waited on the road for about fifteen minutes until a Ying City police vehicle arrived. An officer got out and asked,

"Mr. Lu, what happened just now?"

Lu Chenzhou replied,

"I was attacked by some odd method likely to be Evil Skills and was forced to launch a qi attack, which inadvertently injured this driver... By the way, have the Ying City police come across any blood-colored tadpole-like tracking methods of Evil Skills during investigations?"

The officer was just a regular civil servant. He said,

"Please wait a moment. I will connect you with the phone of our local Martial Artist officer."

White-forehead Marquis Lu Chenzhou was a name the officer had heard of only today. The title contest on Dragon and Tiger Mountain Territory was no small matter. The news of Dragon City’s number one defeating the academy’s genius had spread, and the local Martial Arts circles in Ying City were all talking about it.

Even many big names from Dragon and Tiger Academy had heard of it. Knowing that someone of Lu Chenzhou’s caliber took the matter so seriously, the officer did not dare to neglect it and cooperated fully.

Once the phone was connected, a middle-aged man’s voice came through,

"I am Li Qi. The blood-colored tadpole you mentioned should be some Evil Skill controlled by an Incense Master of the Divine Child Sect. That tadpole didn’t get on you, did it?"

"No, I killed it."

"That’s good then. If it had possessed you, it would be difficult to expel the mark with a Martial Artist’s methods, and you would inevitably be continuously harassed by people from the Divine Child Sect."

"Thank you. If there is any local information on the Divine Child Sect, the police can send it to my email." Watching the police car drive away, Lu Chenzhou’s expression turned contemplative.

"Tracking me? I can’t just sit around and wait for death. These dark cornered rats, the sooner killed the better, to avoid longer nights full of dreams, and delay may bring change."

He didn’t call for another taxi, but like a swift swallow, he headed towards the airport.

...

Ying City, a remote ancient temple in the deep mountains.

In the temple, an old man with white hair, indistinguishable from an ordinary person, closed his eyes tightly; streams of blood trickled from the corners of his eyes. After a moment, he opened his eyes, exhaling like a bellowing bull.

The tracking had failed, and the Evil Skill rebounded!

The elder was in excruciating pain and took a moment to recover.

"My eyes... Damn it all, who killed my Slug Claw!"

The Seven-Eyed Slug Claws had been nurtured with countless resources and painstaking effort. For them, he had done many dangerous deeds, almost losing his life several times.

If it had been in its complete form, with the aid of an Eight-Eyed Slug Claw.

With his methods, he could even dare to compete with Martial Artists in the Middle Realm.

"This person could erase my tracking, which shows his Qi Po is strong, not weak in the Middle Realm. Continuing the tracking is risky; better to cut my losses. Once the door to the Void Realm in this area is fully opened and the Southern Border becomes chaotic, the Dragon and Tiger Academy too busy to pay attention, then it will be time to act."

...

The next day, early in the morning.

Lu Chenzhou successfully arrived in Su City.

At noon, in Qingtian Cang’s villa.

Qingtian Cang said,

"Good thing you are back. The Southern Border has been put on lockdown. The ensuing chaos will be no less than that in Su City before... The Divine Child Sect has been very active over there."

"I was almost tracked by the Divine Child Sect."

Qingtian Cang frowned and asked,

"Hmm? What happened?"

Lu Chenzhou described the day’s events.

Reflecting on the turmoil caused by the Virtual Disaster, Qingtian Cang paused before saying,

"The Breath Secret Method you spoke of, to my knowledge, the more famous ones are the ’Bodhi Technique’ and the ’Duster Qi.’ The former practices the ’Bodhi Miao Tree Qi’ of the Buddhist sect, with the principle being ’originally there was nothing, whence does the dust alight?’ Once perfected, these mixed auras can hardly approach one’s self. The latter practices the ’Supreme Forget Dust Qi’ of the Daoist sect, which can sweep away qi as if it were dust with an invisible force, like a horsetail whisk, cleaning away the dust."