Translator: CinderTL
Night.
In the mist-shrouded ruins of the city, Chen Feng stood before a dilapidated Martial Hall.
Shattered corpses exploded outward from him like a ripple, carving a path through the endless Sea of Mist.
Boom!!
A Sixth-Tier mutated horned crocodile was pulverized by a single punch. A flame pillar shot skyward, instantly reversing the Giant Lizard Creature's fiery breath and exploding its massive head.
With their deaths, the Black Tide energy within them should have returned to the black mist, fueling their resurrection.
But...
A black Barrier had inexplicably appeared high above, enclosing a hundred-meter radius around Chen Feng.
Strands of invisible energy rising from the ground were now blocked by the Barrier, dissolving with a sizzling sound.
"So, the Black Dream Light really can temporarily suppress the Black Tide's power."
Feeling a strange sense of wonder, Chen Feng noticed a black six-pointed star mark had appeared on his forehead, like a third vertical eye.
Because the Holy Shield Colossus was in a critical stage of transformation, he suppressed his impatience and didn't immediately rush to other Secret Realms. Instead, he chose the Dream Realm as a testing ground to familiarize himself with his abilities.
The Nanjiang black tide had caused significant damage this time, largely due to its endless regeneration.
The Black Dream Light showed him hope, making it increasingly comfortable to use.
Buzz!
Soon after, as if sensing this peculiar power, the Blood Moon in the sky flickered like a blink of an eye.
The eerie moonlight suddenly intensified, and crimson light rained down.
The Barrier formed by the Black Dream Light began to fade. Chen Feng felt his stamina rapidly draining, accompanied by an indescribable pressure.
Even the sea of black mist beyond the High Wall surged again, spilling over the wall in a tidal wave of inky fog.
Yet, instead of worry, he tilted his head slightly, as if expecting this.
Buzz!!
The Heroic Spirit Hall, hovering between reality and illusion, erupted in a blinding golden light that shot into the sky.
The eerie moonlight was completely blocked, and the encroaching black mist retreated inch by inch, like shadows before the dawn.
"This Blood Moon must be connected to the Evil God," Chen Feng thought. "Fortunately, the Heroic Spirit Hall seems to have some kind of autonomous defense mechanism."
After several days of experimentation, Chen Feng had encountered similar situations multiple times. Each time the Blood Moon and black mist surged, the Heroic Spirit Hall would unleash its power to repel them. Through these experiences, he grew increasingly aware of the Heroic Spirit Hall's mystery and might.
"I truly hope I can gather the Fragments of Divinity soon," he murmured.
"But..."
After a moment of contemplation, Chen Feng looked up at the crimson moon.
In the end, he retracted the Black Dream Light.
His intuition told him that this unique power wasn't meant to be used extensively within the Dream Realm.
The crimson glow of the Blood Moon intensified, as if sensing the Black Dream Light's peculiar nature.
He suspected that if he continued, it might trigger some undesirable change.
Buzz!
As he retracted the Black Dream Light, the six-pointed star mark on his forehead quietly faded, as if the vertical pupil had merged back into his flesh.
The violent surge of black mist gradually subsided, and the Blood Moon in the sky also retracted its power.
The Heroic Spirit Hall, as if sensing the shift, returned to its ethereal state, hovering high above like it had retreated to another dimension.
For a brief moment, Qinggang City fell eerily silent, with not a single Black Tide Creature appearing.
Already accustomed to such anomalies, Chen Feng didn't bother to investigate further.
Gazing at the Martial Hall before him, he immediately charged inside, once again absorbing several floating Skill Light Orbs.
[Extreme Martial Arts +1!]
Buzz!
The instant the first notification appeared, a flood of memories surged into his mind.
It was Qinggang City before its destruction. An aged transcendent martial artist sat cross-legged on a cushion, imparting his wisdom to two of the Martial Hall's direct disciples.
"In the path of martial arts, there are five key aspects: muscles and bones, internal organs, Internal Force, Force, and spirit."
"This is how you break through the limits of the human body and enter Transcendence."
During the lecture, a young disciple spoke up, curious to learn more.
"Master, why does the Old Hall Master often speak of a realm beyond True Intent—the realm of heart's momentum?"
"May I ask what this realm entails?"
The aged transcendent martial artist fell silent for a moment before shaking his head gently.
"Heart's momentum is the union of spirit and body, the fusion of soul and flesh, the condensation of one's Martial Dao Momentum."
"Even I am still a step away from this realm."
He seemed somewhat regretful, but the disciple before him looked puzzled.
"Martial Dao Momentum?"
"Master, doesn't a Transcendent-Grade World Imprint allow us to draw upon World Force? How does this differ from the so-called Martial Dao Momentum?"
"The difference is vast."
The aged transcendent martial artist sighed softly, but ultimately decided to clarify the matter.
"The Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder merely breaks the shackles, granting us greater potential."
"It's like some creatures that can only grow to a certain size naturally. They use the method of World Imprint to break the rules, drawing in external forces to refine themselves and surpass their limits, achieving rebirth."
"World Force is a gift that breaks the rules, but fundamentally, it doesn't truly belong to us Martial Artists. Every time we resonate with the world to amplify our combat power, we must bear a certain burden."
"Martial Dao Momentum, on the other hand, merges the spirit and body, sublimating True Intent to condense one's Martial Dao Will."
With a sigh, the aged Martial Artist's eyes revealed a hint of longing. "In ancient times, this was true three flowers converging at the crown."
"At this stage, every move, every action can transform the condensed Martial Dao Will into heart's momentum, turning decay into wonder."
"Moreover, legend has it that only by mastering Martial Dao Momentum can one hope to construct a new world within their spiritual world—perhaps even achieve true external unity."
The scene shattered, the aged Martial Artist's wistful voice echoing in Chen Feng's ears.
Chen Feng was slightly dazed, finally grasping the essence of Martial Dao Momentum.
It was a higher realm born from the sublimation of True Intent, a powerful force unique to Martial Artists, akin to Force and Pinnacle Intent.
Or, more precisely, a special Martial arts technique.
Compared to this, World Force was more like an external supplement to the potential for transformation, similar to how the Holy Shield Colossus required Earth Vein Power for upgrades.
Each time one ascended a higher Heavenly Ladder and gained greater permission from the Will of the World, they could channel more energy, raising their limits and breaking the rules encoded in their biological genes.
As for the World Imprint, it was akin to a secret technique that bore a burden, temporarily amplifying combat power.
Fundamentally, it differed from unburdened intrinsic powers like Force and True Intent.
As this thought flashed through his mind, Chen Feng seemed to grasp something.
Just then, a sudden muffled boom echoed through the air.
Boom!!
It sounded as if some massive object had sliced through the black sky before plummeting into the Sea of Mist beyond the High Wall.
Whoosh!!
A fierce gale swept over the High Wall, cutting through the air like a blade. Qinggang City, now a ruin, trembled in response.
Towers swayed, and windows rattled.
Frowning, Chen Feng looked up. He faintly sensed the crimson Blood Moon in the sky flicker strangely, as if dimmed by two shades.
"What's going on?"
Sensing something amiss, he turned his gaze beyond the High Wall.
A terrifying aura was taking root and reviving within the black mist, and Chen Feng's intuition told him something extraordinary was happening.
After a moment's thought, his Blood Wings quickly sprouted.
Chen Feng swiftly absorbed all the nearby Light Orbs and then charged toward the gap in the High Wall.
The magnificent wall resembled a wounded giant. He climbed over the crumbling debris and gazed outside.
It was still pitch black.
Wisps of mist churned like ocean waves, and new Black Tide Creatures were emerging from within.
Horned Crocodiles, Griffins, Werewolves, and even distorted humans resembling Faceless Ones...
The previous silence had been merely a brief respite as the black mist gathered strength. One after another, creatures broke free from the mist like hatching eggs, first their heads, then their necks, chests, bellies, bodies, and finally their four limbs.
Crimson eyes, countless and endless, stared back at him, but that wasn't Chen Feng's focus.
Because as he looked up, black lightning flashed through the inky mist.
Vaguely, Chen Feng saw several colossal silhouettes.
Each was over a hundred meters tall, resembling either giant cocoons where creatures slumbered or massive mountains formed by slumbering beasts.
The aura continued to rise, and even before reaching its limit, it already posed a threat comparable to an Envoy Rank cultivator.
"Angel-tier creature?"
Chen Feng's heart sank. He hadn't expected the black mist to be so formidable.
He looked up at the crimson Blood Moon, which seemed to be filled with malice and a cold, calculating gaze.
Buzz!!
The next morning, Chen Feng woke with a start. His face was pale and cold. The changes in the Qinggang City Dreamscape had caught him completely off guard.
The newly born creatures were still asleep, but the power they contained was terrifying. Moreover, they were concealed by the black mist, meaning that once they left Qinggang City, they would be ambushed and hunted down by rampaging Black Tide Creatures.
They would also lose their way, their Perception suppressed, making it impossible to locate their true forms.
"It seems Qinggang City is likely under the constant surveillance of an Evil God or a true Angel," Chen Feng mused. The Blood Moon seemed increasingly suspicious, possibly the eye of an Evil God Angel or even the Evil God itself.
And those creatures might be the Angel's Incarnations or powerful War Generals under its command.
The thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately glanced at his status panel.
[Golden Dawn Art: Golden Body (38% → 49%)+]
[Thunderclap Art: Thunder Light—Minor Completion (23% → 31%)+]
[Extreme Martial Arts: 6]
[Limit Breaking Orbs: 206]
Each of his Martial Arts True Skills had improved further, but he now faced a choice regarding his Extreme Martial Arts.
[Heavenly Aura Overlord Body: Giant Dome—Minor Completion (2%)+]
[Extreme Martial Fist: Polaris—Minor Completion (5%)+]
The former was already more difficult to improve than the latter, and his current fist techniques were struggling to keep up with Angel-tier combat.
After a moment of consideration, Chen Feng made his decision.
"Enhance!"
Buzz!
Insights surged into him, and all his Extreme Martial Arts transformed into nourishment for his Extreme Martial Fist.
[Extreme Martial Fist: Polaris—Minor Completion (17%)+]
As for the Limit Breaking Orbs, he decided to save them for when his other True Arts faced breakthroughs.
Suppressing any further thoughts, Chen Feng slowly rose to his feet, intending to leave the room.
But then, his mental consciousness suddenly trembled, sending a strange sensation through him.
"Hmm?"
A sudden tremor in his heart, Chen Feng immediately stilled his mind and plunged into the spiritual world where the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder resided.
He looked up.
The Legendary Imprint, like a blazing sun, hung high in the sky. The pristine white Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder stretched endlessly, reaching all the way to the summit of the world.
Everything should have been normal, and the third stage, "Pinnacle of Speed," which had previously blocked his path, remained unchanged.
But as he stood halfway up the Heavenly Ladder and looked down, he saw something extraordinary.
A thousand meters below, at the first stage, "Limit Breaking Fist," a thunderous BOOM!! echoed. The indestructible crimson fist armor shattered violently, and a burly middle-aged figure in a white robe staggered backward, barely regaining his balance.
Thin streams of blood dripped down, and strands of World Force enveloped him, constantly repairing his injuries and elevating his aura.
As if sensing Chen Feng's gaze, the figure looked up.
Their eyes met across the vast distance, one high above and the other far below.
Chen Feng, in his black trench coat, and the figure in his white robe each occupied opposite sides of the world. Chen Feng saw the figure's pupils narrow slightly, and he recognized the face he had only seen before in a communication device.
"Liu Duanyun."
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (MF) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c560. [+5.1k]
🔑Early Access at $5.
✍Translated (6) Series, (4.1K+) Chapters, (5.8M+) Words.