Urban Martial Saint

”The same words?” Fu Qingping looked at Ye Qing, momentarily unable to react: ”What same words?”

”It’s time to go meet the appointment.” Ye Qing recounted to Fu Qingping everything that happened after Divine Doctor An Shiping came out, including the words An Shiping had spoken, and concluded: ”Moreover, when he left, he said those words again. He advised future generations, if it’s not absolutely necessary, never to enter the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates. The Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates are not as simple as we imagine!”

”Even Divine Doctor An Shiping said such things?” Fu Qingping’s eyes widened as well, thinking that the previous people could be discounted as they were legendary figures. But Divine Doctor An Shiping was a figure from his own era, and he had met An Shiping many times, understanding him very well. If even An Shiping says such things, it makes one even more bewildered about what is so special inside the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates?

Why do so many people who have entered the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates ultimately choose to fake their deaths? And after faking their deaths, they still have to meet some appointment. And the key question is, why do they warn future generations not to enter the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates? They went into the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, becoming supreme figures of their era, shaking the world; what a great thing. But why do they then advise future generations not to enter? Could it be that these people are narrow-minded and don’t want future generations to benefit from the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates?

Fu Qingping doesn’t quite understand other people, but he understands Divine Doctor An Shiping extremely well, and knows that An Shiping is not narrow-minded and would not do such things. Therefore, he is confident that An Shiping had a reason for his warning. Perhaps the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates are indeed not as good as people imagine. Entering the Gates might grant powerful strength or riches, but who knows what price must be paid. And this price may well be related to the appointment they have to keep!

Ye Qing and Fu Qingping were both deep in thought about this matter, shaken by the implications. But not having entered the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates, they had no say in the matter and could not imagine what was inside. Although the information left behind by these people suggested complications, it was still only speculative. Possibly, the secrets of Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates could only be truly understood by entering them.

”Why bother overthinking it?” Ye Qing suddenly waved his hand and said: ”We may not even be able to enter the Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Gates. Why worry so much? We know nothing now; speculating here is just blind guessing. Instead of wasting time, we might as well go back first.”

Saying this, Ye Qing casually drew out the Tianzhu Sword from the box and lightly struck a nearby sapling. This was a move he realized in the Demon Hideout Cave, combining the three sword marks left by Wu Tianchi and the techniques of the Tianzhu Sword Technique. Ye Qing hadn’t used it since mastering it in the Demon Hideout Cave, but having the Tianzhu Sword now, he decided to test it lightly.

He struck the sapling with the sword, but it neither swayed nor showed any damage. Ye Qing was surprised; even though he didn’t use much strength, the weight and sharpness of the Tianzhu Sword should have been enough to cut the sapling. Yet the sapling’s bark remained intact, which was peculiar. Could this sapling withstand an attack from a famed instrument?

At this moment, Fu Qingping’s expression shifted. He walked over to the sapling, circled it twice, and then struck it with his palm. The sapling snapped in half from the middle. Holding the break, Fu Qingping examined it closely, then turned to Ye Qing in astonishment: ”Ye Qing, how did you deliver that strike?”

”What is it?” Seeing Fu Qingping’s expression, Ye Qing was equally puzzled, not understanding what he had done to shock Fu Qingping so much.

”Look for yourself,” Fu Qingping gestured to the snapped tree trunk.

Ye Qing approached and looked closely; though the sapling’s trunk was slender, it had developed patterns. However, these patterns seemed to have been scrambled by something, looking disorganized and strange.

”What happened?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

”Ordinary tree patterns run smoothly; they would never appear so chaotic,” Fu Qingping explained. ”This tree’s anomaly is due to an external force disrupting the internal patterns.”

”Was it your palm force that disrupted the patterns, Master?” Ye Qing inquired.

”Not me!” Fu Qingping shook his head. ”I delivered a palm strike, but only to break the tree, not to disrupt its patterns.”

”What does that mean?” Ye Qing instinctively glanced at the Tianzhu Sword in his hand, sensing it might be related to him.

”It was your earlier strike,” Fu Qingping pointed at the Tianzhu Sword in Ye Qing’s hand. ”Your strike left the tree’s exterior unscathed, but its internal patterns were disrupted. It’s like hitting someone, leaving no external injuries, but shattering their inner organs—an internal injury. This tree is like that now, and the strangest thing is, there are no external markings, yet you used the Tianzhu Sword. Even the slightest touch of the Tianzhu Sword would strip some bark, so why hasn’t it left a mark while still disrupting the internal patterns?”

”Why?” Ye Qing’s eyes widened, equally surprised and clueless about what had happened.

”That’s the question,” Fu Qingping said, looking at Ye Qing. ”Your strike had an incredibly unconventional arc, deviating from normal martial arts concepts. However, the move managed to concentrate all the force, delivering it within the tree without any external transmission, meaning the Tianzhu Sword didn’t harm the tree externally, but its internal patterns were disrupted.”

”Really?” Ye Qing was still in shock, looking at Fu Qingping, questioning: ”Is this difficult to achieve?”

”More than difficult!” Fu Qingping took a deep breath. ”Your move can concentrate a person’s power, greatly enhancing attack power, which is terrifying. A simple example: when you strike, a longsword’s power disperses somewhat. With your move, all force converges, making the impact far stronger than dispersed power. You should know peak masters have equal inner strength, with power levels differing due to technique and control.”

”Technique aside, controlling power is the key. Among peak masters, the exceptional can highly concentrate their force, making their strikes stronger. Those less skilled in control disperse their force, appearing weaker. Mastery over force is crucial, and your strike achieved extraordinary concentration without any force dispersion—something even I can’t achieve!”

Fu Qingping’s words left Ye Qing shocked, staring at the sapling and recalling the three sword marks left by Wu Tianchi. Though his strike used the Tianzhu Sword Technique, its power was derived from Wu Tianchi’s philosophy. Could Wu Tianchi’s philosophy truly have such an effect?

”How did you deliver that strike?” Fu Qingping asked curiously.

Ye Qing didn’t hide anything and explained Wu Tianchi’s insights. Listening to him, Fu Qingping was even more amazed. Fu Qingping had heard of Wu Tianchi and knew much more about this exceptional person than Ye Qing, understanding how formidable he was. Realizing Ye Qing’s move stemmed from Wu Tianchi’s martial arts philosophy, he suddenly understood.

”So it’s Wu Tianchi’s philosophy. No wonder,” Fu Qingping nodded slowly. ”Not letting power disperse was Wu Tianchi’s specialty. His sword marks and fist imprints have endured for years without decaying, showing the strength of his power concentration. If this remarkable man were alive today, his strength would surely be the world’s greatest, with even the Corpse Ghost Dragon being no match!”

”Wu Tianchi should still be alive,” Ye Qing recounted what Divine Doctor An Shiping had said about Wu Tianchi, further astonishing Fu Qingping. He hadn’t expected Wu Tianchi to be alive and that the Corpse Ghost Dragon had ambushed him.

”Wu Tianchi,” Fu Qingping repeated the name slowly and sighed, ”If he were born millennia earlier, he’d definitely have created a sect like Buddhist and Taoist Magic. But with Buddhist and Taoist Magic deeply rooted, how could the world accept a new sect?”