Chapter 283
Chapter 283: Because They’re Too Weak
On the battlefield of the Hundred Star Realm stood a solitary figure, proud and cold, wielding a sword.
Facing him was an utterly ordinary man in straw sandals, who appeared reluctant to fight.
“I’ve long heard of Three Chan Heaven’s fame,” the swordsman’s voice was icy, tinged with scorn, “yet here you are on the battlefield, afraid even to draw your blade?”
The man opposite calmly bowed and replied, “Not fear, but unwillingness to kill you. Your heart is clear, your devotion to the Way of the Sword pure. One such as you should not fall on a battlefield.”
The swordsman’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he scoffed, “Kill me? Let’s see if you have the skill.” With that, he thrust his blade forward. Instantly, overwhelming starforce gathered at the sword’s tip. The brilliance was so intense it hurt Wang Jie’s eyes, forcing him to retreat instinctively, unable to face it directly.
This strike far exceeded anything he’d seen, far surpassing even the Hundred Star Realm cultivator he’d previously witnessed battling Xiao Hui.
They weren’t on the same level at all.
Shu Rang sighed admiringly, “He disregards refined sword techniques, relying purely on raw sword power. His devotion truly sets him apart among Ancient Sword Pillar Keepers. No wonder the Three Chan Heaven cultivator refuses to kill him.”
“Master, but aren’t they enemies? Why hesitate? If he’s likely to grow stronger, shouldn’t that be even more reason to end him now?”
“Because that person practices Three Chan Heaven’s Formless Zen Dao.”
“Formless Zen Dao?”
Shu Rang explained patiently, “Three Chan Heaven cultivators must pass through three states: Entering Zen, Zen Transformation, and Zen Retreat. All their techniques must embody these realms. That man has reached the Zen Transformation realm, the Formless Realm. At this stage, one becomes serene, untouched by worldly concerns, similar indeed to the swordsman. They follow their heart without being swayed by external forces. This ‘force’ refers not only to cultivation power but also to one’s beliefs.”
Wang Jie nodded slowly, half-understanding.
He didn’t grasp much about Zen Dao. He only knew that if the man didn’t fight back, he’d soon be pierced through by that sword.
Yet, as the blade reached him, the Three Chan Heaven cultivator simply watched it calmly, not moving an inch, letting it pierce clean through him. His gaze remained peaceful as he met the swordsman’s astonished eyes.
“You—?” The swordsman’s pupils shrank in shock, but before he could finish, the Three Chan Heaven cultivator raised his hand and shattered him completely with a single palm strike.
Wang Jie stood stunned, [What just happened?]
Shu Rang shook his head, “His heart faltered, losing its clarity. Thus, he became different from the Three Chan Heaven cultivator. Once different, he became killable.”
Wang Jie stared warily at the Three Chan Heaven cultivator, [So, it can happen like this too?]
This fellow had tricked his opponent first, forced him to attack, deliberately let him strike to shake his heart, then calmly unleashed a lethal strike at the precise moment the enemy believed he wouldn’t retaliate. [What a sneaky move!]
Turning to Shu Rang, he asked hesitantly, “Master, this person—?”
Shu Rang chuckled lightly, “What’s the matter? Feeling unfair? This is the cultivation world. All methods exist. This is war; any means are permissible.”
Wang Jie fixed his eyes deeply on the Three Chan Heaven cultivator, memorizing his face clearly.
[If we ever become enemies, I’ll strike first. I won’t give him the slightest chance.]
In the next instant, the scene shifted again. They now stood amidst the void, gazing forward at a battle shaking the entire starry sky—a Star Refining Realm fight. Among them was none other than Zhi Xing Xue.
Wang Jie was startled. [Could it be we’re about to watch a Star Refining Realm fight?]
Shu Rang asked softly, “Want to see?”
“I do.”
“Then Master will take you there.” They began moving closer to the battlefield. Waves rippled through the void, and immense starforce surged like tidal waves, terrifying enough to make one’s heart tremble. It was far beyond anything he had witnessed at the Hundred Star Realm.
As Zhi Xing Xue attacked, her figure seemed to transform into a star, Force fully drawing all surrounding starforce into herself. With each move she made, the void itself fractured.
Her opponent was equally fierce. The movements of his sword were profound and beyond Wang Jie’s comprehension.
Yet, they kept approaching.
Wang Jie felt certain that going any closer would put them at risk of being caught in the battle. Truthfully, they should already have been overwhelmed at their current distance.
He glanced nervously at Shu Rang.
Shu Rang’s expression remained perfectly calm, not even slowing down.
Wang Jie swallowed anxiously. [If my cheap Master isn’t afraid, neither am I.]
Drawing ever closer, he saw Zhi Xing Xue clearly. Her body was enveloped in drifting snow, as if surrounded by a familiar snow-covered Lush Peak. The thick snow continuously melted, vaporizing with each strike she made.
He observed every detail closely.
Though he couldn’t comprehend fully, he saw it clearly enough.
At this moment, he was standing right in front of Zhi Xing Xue, yet she saw only her enemy, completely unaware of him.
“She cultivates the power of accumulated snow,” Shu Rang explained softly. “The snow she gathers is the snow within her heart, probably due to long years spent in icy solitude. Only experiencing worldly warmth can truly melt it.”
“In the Star Refining Realm, the cultivator becomes like a star. This is just a metaphor, of course, but depending on their cultivation method and materials, they can transform within the stars, becoming something beyond ordinary.”
Shu Rang turned to him, “Do you see any difference between these Star Refining Realm cultivators and ordinary fighters?”
Wang Jie shook his head, “It seems… there’s no difference. They still fight by comparing starforce, techniques, and skills.”
Shu Rang smiled faintly, “Exactly. Because Star Refining Realm… is actually very weak.”
Wang Jie froze, turning in shock to Shu Rang.
Shu Rang stood with an air of supreme confidence.
Wang Jie was completely overwhelmed by his cheap Master’s methods. [What kind of teaching is this? Explaining a Star Refining Realm fight on-site, even casually calling it weak?]
“Master… just what realm have you reached?”
Shu Rang smiled mysteriously, “Reach Wandering Star Realm first. Then I’ll tell you.”
As his voice faded, they returned instantly to their original spot outside the warship.
Wang Jie stood there, feeling as if he’d been dreaming.
He had just received clear, step-by-step guidance in the midst of such an intense battle, even clearly observing a Star Refining Realm duel. It seemed utterly impossible. Yet, to his cheap Master, this battlefield seemed like nothing more than child’s play.
“Think back to what you just saw; did you notice anything special?” Shu Rang asked.
Wang Jie recalled carefully, then shook his head in confusion, “Disciple is slow-witted and found nothing.”
“Xiao Hui,” Shu Rang prompted.
Wang Jie replayed Xiao Hui’s movements clearly in his mind, each strike, every blade stroke repeated, yet he still saw nothing extraordinary.
For him, even recognizing the subtle shift between the real and illusory moves was impressive enough.
Shu Rang sighed lightly, “After all, your experience is too limited. Let your master remind you: star force.”
“Star force?” Wang Jie frowned, puzzled. “What does that—?” Suddenly, realization dawned, and he blurted out, “Ordinary star force. Xiao Hui didn’t use any special star force!”
Shu Rang smiled softly, “Do you know why?”
Shock rippled through Wang Jie as if he’d uncovered a profound secret.
Xiao Hui was the prodigy of the Xiao Clan from Armor One Sect, a heaven’s chosen genius unmatched by his peers. Why would he lack a special star force? Even ordinary disciples from Black White Heaven cultivated unique star forces. Why not Xiao Hui?
If Xiao Hui had none, it could only mean he chose not to cultivate one—not that he couldn’t.
Gazing up at the stars, Shu Rang explained calmly, “Special star force is merely the fusion of universal star force and the unique environment of certain worlds. If you imagine the universe as a living being, then special star force is just impurity within its body.”
“To walk farther on the cultivation path, one should never absorb impurities.”
“Yes, some impurities grant powerful boosts in a short time, but impurities remain impurities. The higher one climbs, the clearer one sees that impurities only make the ascent steeper.”
“That is why certain extraordinary individuals refuse special star forces. Only by cultivating pure, ordinary universal star force can one lay a perfect foundation.”
“And knowing oneself, achieving self-awareness, is the only true ladder upward.”
“Though you don’t cultivate star force yourself, remember this wisdom.”
Wang Jie respectfully bowed, “Yes, disciple will remember.”
Perhaps even those mighty figures from Black White Heaven couldn’t grasp this truth. If they had, geniuses like Six Dao Wanderer and the Zhi Clan’s chosen wouldn’t have relied on special star forces.
Shu Rang had truly accepted him as a disciple by sharing such a secret—even if this secret had little direct use for Wang Jie.
Shu Rang then took out his wine gourd and drank deeply, exhaling with satisfaction. “Your master brought you to witness three battles: the Wandering Star Realm, the Hundred Star Realm, and the Star Refining Realm. You should have gained insight by now.”
“You have rested more than a month since your return.”
“It’s time for your test.”
With a slight motion of Shu Rang’s finger, space seemed to stretch endlessly around them. Wang Jie felt the scenery shift dramatically, and when his vision steadied, he was suddenly standing before someone who stared back in astonishment.
[Fang He?]
“Wang Jie?” Fang He’s eyes widened in shock; he never expected Wang Jie to appear so abruptly.
A quiet whisper from his mysterious master reached Wang Jie’s ears, “Kill him.”
Fang He had intended to pursue a group fleeing in the distance, but seeing Wang Jie before him, his expression twisted into a savage grin, “Good, I never imagined you’d appear here on this battlefield. Perfect. Our grudges end today. This time, let’s see who saves you.”
“Wang Jie, die!” With a roar, Fang He slashed out, star force surging mightily down from the heavens. He no longer cared why Wang Jie appeared so suddenly, assuming he had hidden nearby all along.
The distant group scattered even faster, desperate to flee.
Wang Jie reached out, drawing his sword swiftly. Qi merged seamlessly, and his blade lifted to meet the strike.
Murderous intent surged in Fang He’s eyes. He pushed star force into his blade, slamming it downward with crushing power. They had clashed before; Fang He knew their relative strengths. Without going all-out, he couldn’t end this fight quickly.
If Wang Jie believed he’d previously faced the true might of a Six Dao Wanderer disciple, he was gravely mistaken.
[Die!]
The blade pressed fiercely against Wang Jie’s sword, and star force erupted explosively, rippling through space and crushing everything nearby.
Yet, contrary to Fang He’s expectation, Wang Jie wasn’t forced down. Instead, star force collided evenly against lock force, sending a shockwave upward into the sky.
At that moment, star force couldn’t overpower lock force.
“Impossible!” Fang He gasped. He had struck with all his strength. Given the vast reserves of star force from a Six Dao Wanderer, Wang Jie shouldn’t have endured. Could it be—had Wang Jie reached the Full Star Realm?
Yet even Full Star Realm should never withstand this.
Wang Jie twisted his blade, forcibly guiding Fang He’s sword away. At the same instant, he released a razor-thin strand of tempered sword energy, invisible to the naked eye, slicing toward Fang He. Although Fang He saw nothing, instinct screamed danger, forcing him aside.
The tempered sword strand brushed past, leaving a thin line of blood on Fang He’s cheek.
Clutching his blade tightly, Fang He stared in disbelief. How had Wang Jie advanced so quickly? Now his lock force even resisted star force head-on, and with his already extraordinary strength, Wang Jie’s power nearly rivaled Fang He’s own.
With a fierce roar, Fang He swung his blade horizontally, attempting to shatter Wang Jie’s sword.
Wang Jie stood his ground. By merging qi and lock force, he matched the Six Dao Wanderer evenly. Yet Fang He’s blade style was naturally domineering, suited perfectly for close combat. Wang Jie’s sword trembled under the immense pressure of the horizontal slash.
Seizing this opening, Fang He pressed forward, gripping his blade with both hands for a decisive downward slash.
He refused to believe Wang Jie could withstand another blow.
Wang Jie watched calmly as the heavy blade descended. Rain surrounded him suddenly, and four swords appeared, forming the Sword Rain Technique. Countless threads of sword qi wove a barrier against the incoming slash.
The sword qi shattered. The curtain of rain split. Fang He’s blade continued its ruthless path toward Wang Jie.
The formidable star force and Fang He’s peak skill combined, reaching their fullest potential at this moment.
Even the star method couldn’t completely halt this strike.