Inside the spaceship, only the sounds of heavy breathing remained. They had just experienced intense tension, and the appearance of the faint shadow of the Red-clothed Demoness in the real world, while beautiful, felt like a horrifying and real nightmare to them.
"Would doing a demoness dance really cost you anything? If it were the ghost monk doing the Pure Land dance, I wouldn't even bother looking at him!" Wang Xuan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, mainly to ease the tense atmosphere.
For a brief moment, it felt like they had escaped a disaster, as if a whole era had passed.
Qingmu gazed at the dark clouds above and said slowly, "When the day comes that she truly emerges and confronts you in the real world, let's see what you'll say then."
Wang Xuan felt a chill run down his back. "Old Qing, watch your words!"
The spaceship returned to the estate and landed safely on the helipad. As they stepped onto solid ground, the three of them finally felt reassured and let out a sigh of relief.
Night had fallen, and with the drizzle, they hurried back to their rooms, finally in the mood to discuss their gains and losses.
Wang Xuan peeled the skin from his arms and face, leaving Qingmu speechless and immensely envious; clearly, his physique had undergone another significant boost.
Old Chen stared, wide-eyed. How terrified was this guy? He was practicing the Golden Body Technique again! To him, such a time-consuming and grueling practice was unbearable; he would never do it even if you paid him.
"The skin shed from the sixth layer of the Golden Body Technique is a treasure; it's soft and lightweight. You could use it as a sheath for your short sword; it's far tougher than crocodile skin," Old Chen sighed, a mix of genuine admiration and jealousy in his voice.
Wang Xuan felt an urge to punch him. Using Master Wang's own skin for a sword sheath? How could he even think of that?
Qingmu leaned in, picked up a piece of the soft yet tough skin, and tugged at it forcefully, proving it couldn't be damaged. His action only darkened Wang Xuan's expression further.
"Are you going to keep practicing?" Qingmu asked. In the realm of The Old Technique, the Golden Body Technique was undoubtedly a low-efficiency method.
Especially in this technological era where the secret path was blocked, practicing the Golden Body Technique felt like wasting time; without decades of training, it wouldn't be able to withstand bullets.
After decades, one would grow old, and their vitality would begin to wane; at that point, what would be the use of such a technique?
Wang Xuan was indeed determined to continue. Other techniques might yield faster results, but they wouldn't withstand bullets. If he hadn't practiced the Golden Body Technique, he would have died last night.
Moreover, focusing on the Golden Body Technique was paving the way for the techniques of Zhang Daoling. Without mastering the Golden Body Technique, his formidable physique would have made it impossible to achieve the three engravings from the golden book.
Old Zhang's techniques were undoubtedly terrifying; the content recorded in the five pages of the golden book, if mastered to the highest level, could probably rival ascended beings!
Old Chen sighed. "With a secret path, you can afford to be reckless!" He wouldn't make such a choice; it felt like squandering his youth.
"You've become younger, Old Chen!" Wang Xuan exclaimed in surprise.
Old Chen was taken aback but soon delighted. "How old do I look to you now?"
Wang Xuan looked at his face. "You look like you're in your mid-fifties."
Upon hearing this, Old Chen glared at him, not wanting to respond; he was only fifty-two!
Qingmu also chimed in, "Master, you do look younger; some wrinkles have disappeared."
Old Chen quickly found a mirror. Looking at himself, he indeed appeared several years younger. The years spent practicing the secret arts of the Daoist ancestral lineage had worn down his body, making him appear older.
"Now I've returned to normal, looking like I'm fifty," Chen Fate Soil said with a smile, clearly pleased.
Wang Xuan was astonished; he had always thought Old Chen was nearly sixty. Just as he was about to voice this thought, he saw Old Chen roll up his sleeves and quickly swallowed his words, instead asking, "Have you reached the Lighting the Lamp realm?"
"Not quite yet," Old Chen shook his head, feeling a bit emotional. The progression in the transcendent realm wasn't easy. He sighed, "It's much more difficult than for you mortals!"
Even Qingmu didn't want to respond to his master's complaints. This time, Qingmu had also benefited immensely; he was very close to becoming a quasi-master, and after polishing his skills for a while longer, he would undoubtedly step into that realm.
He had reached a dead end on his previous path in The Old Technique, but now, after leaping over a cliff, the road ahead didn't have to be all steep and treacherous.
Wang Xuan had also gained significantly, with both his physique and spirit greatly enhanced. If he encountered those opponents from last night again, he wouldn't be risking his life anymore.
Qingmu marveled, "Has Little Wang entered the master realm? He's truly being spoken of by those in the outside world as a master in his early twenties!"
It was evident that once this news leaked out, it would cause a sensation. Those affluent organizations and factions eager to form exploration teams to enter certain peculiar territories would undoubtedly compete fiercely to recruit him.
Old Chen shook his head. "His defensive capabilities are no doubt substantial, and his attack power isn't to be underestimated; he could even overpower opponents at that level in a head-on clash. But there are still some deficiencies, clearly lacking something."
Upon hearing this evaluation, Wang Xuan immediately grew serious and asked what he was missing.
"Master consciousness!" Old Chen said solemnly. He assessed Wang Xuan's current state: while his attack power was sufficient, he had only formed a preliminary spiritual domain, which was quite remarkable.
"Right now, you possess a powerful physique, but you haven't truly realized its full potential." He asked Qingmu to fetch a wooden stump for a live demonstration.
Using his right hand as a blade, he sliced down along the grain of the stump, producing a crisp crack as it split cleanly in half.
Clearly, he hadn't used much force; it appeared effortless.
"How do you fight now? Do you just bulldoze through with brute strength, crushing your opponents? It seriously lacks the beauty of combat!"
Old Chen continued, again using his right hand as a blade, but this time slicing horizontally across the stump. While it still split, the force required was noticeably greater. Moreover, the internal wood fibers exploded under the pressure, further indicating that the force exerted had increased significantly.
"Do you see? A skilled woodcutter can easily and fluidly split wood, saving both time and effort. Some people, however, chop and hack wildly, yet cannot match the lightness of a deft strike."
Old Chen explained calmly and clearly.
He candidly critiqued last night's battle. The individuals he had faced, like Wang Xuan, donned super-material armor and exhibited master-level strength and speed, yet they all lacked the master's consciousness.
If Wang Xuan had encountered a true master last night, he would undoubtedly have perished without a doubt!
"When a master strikes, it's not always about brute force; it's often as elusive as a gazelle's horns—subtle and skillful. It's about finesse, not just incredible lethality, but also an artistic beauty in combat, occasionally delivering a stroke of genius!"
Though Wang Xuan felt criticized, he found it quite reasonable and began to reflect earnestly.
Old Chen continued, "A fierce tiger is powerful, but when hunting, it conceals its presence, striking decisively at the critical moment for a lethal blow. You, on the other hand, use sheer strength to shatter your opponents, leaving a bloody mess—it's a waste of energy. If you were to encounter an opponent with equally astounding physical prowess and master's consciousness, you'd be in for a tough time."
These concepts were difficult for Wang Xuan to fully grasp. He stood up in the room, stretching his body and practicing The Old Technique, gradually feeling a sense of clarity and beauty.
The so-called master's consciousness was merely a battle mentality infused with spirit. Once understood, it could be explored and mastered through serious reflection and practice.
Wang Xuan's body and mind were already strong enough. Now that Old Chen had pointed this out, even if he proceeded step by step, he wouldn't need long to attain the master's consciousness.
"Everyone has their own style. I believe I can quickly grasp what you're saying, but I'll probably still lean towards forceful combat," Wang Xuan replied. He intended to address his shortcomings but knew he would retain his powerful approach.
Having come to this realization, he relaxed and chuckled, "Using a tiger hunting as an example, would a hyena's 'spiritual dig' count as an efficient and skillful strike?"
Old Chen raised his eyebrows and finally sighed, "That belongs to the realm of the marvelous arts."
Qingmu was left in a daze.
Can this even be considered spiritual? Wang Xuan nodded and said, "It seems that the true essence of the arts aligns with the path of kings."