Chapter 44: Become a Tragedy
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
For Junior Leopard, this so-called special technique was a completely strange new proposition, which differed greatly from Internal Qi cultivation. Utilizing such a technique to practice one’s Evil Qi would result in great power, but it would also cause a great deal of stress and damage to the body. It couldn’t be taken into the body as freely as one would take Internal Qi due to the devastation that resulted from the technique. Once it started to enter the body, it would cause damage to the user’s muscles and skeleton. It was for such a reason that the practitioner was required to have reached at least Level Seven before one would attempt to practice techniques like this. Gang Qi was another example of a technique that was different from other normal special techniques. Infused with Internal Qi to the point to where they were one entity, it required both of them to be on the same level of mastery. Only in this way could they circle though tendons and meridians inside the body and be strengthened with the growth of cultivation. If one’s cultivation hadn’t reached Level Seven, there was no benefit even if he practiced successfully by luck.
Those people in Bottom Three Level of the skin toughening realm who would blindly practice Gang Qi would be blown apart at just the first attempt. Even those who were in the Full Closure of Skin-Toughening Realm were no exception. Those Middle Three Level people of the Bone-Forging Realm may not be blown apart by Gang Qi, but, even gaining some mastery of Gang Qi one still would fall in danger. The Evil-Gang pneuma of the Gang Qi would wear down one’s body bit by bit and cause great burden. At this time, even if one were a martial arts savant with a god-like ability in mastering techniques, he still couldn’t advance in. And the person would be broken down sooner or later. Even a person who was in the Full Closure of Six Level of the Bone-Forging Realm would come to the same end. Only those who had reached the Tendon-Changing Realm could stand the pressure of Gang Qi and take it into his body without any damage.
Of course, in regards to the limits of cultivation, other techniques were far less severe than Gang Qi. This was because it was not necessary for them to combine all Inner and Evil Qi together. They just need to infuse part of them. After that, other special techniques wouldn’t require the infusion to be taken into body and circle along tendons and meridians as what Gang Qi required. Once the cultivation was complete, it would merely focus itself into one’s acupoints or other places in tendons and meridians. That depended on the functions and differences of various special techniques. For Junior Leopard, rather than infusion, it was better to say that his Internal Qi was vital for training under Three Realms Division.
Although he didn’t really understand the principle, it was fortunate that there was a helpful pictorial diagram on the wall nearby. When the clock had struck noon, Junior Leopard operated according to the diagram on the cave wall and channeled his Internal Qi, infusing it with the Flickering Light Evil Qi that was floating in the entrance of the cave.
At that time, Junior Leopard’s accomplishment in understanding the Nine Dragons Heavenly Fire Technique showed some merit. According to the way of practicing Three Realms Division, he had to focus his full attention on channeling it. He saw the golden red glow Internal Qi flowed through the tendons and meridians from his Dantian to the palm of his right hand. When it had gotten to the palm of his hand, as if something was obstructing, it started to disperse. However, in a flash, Junior Leopard saw his right hand turn crimson as if it was a red-hot iron.
When he saw it hit the right degree, he stretched out his red hand towards the silver Flickering Light Evil Qi outside the cave. Immediately he felt great pain. Junior Leopard did not dare to relax but began to control the Internal Qi according to the way carved on the wall nearby. Wisps of red mist surged from laogong acupoint in his palm and formed a small red cyclone. The Flickering Light Evil Qi floating around the cave was influenced by the red cyclone, immediately it began to flow along the red cyclone. There was a tendency of combining at that moment.
Of course, this was merely the first step. With only a pictorial guide to go by, Junior Leopard had no choice but to study the pictures step by step. He was very careful in order not to make any mistakes.
He had reminded himself that many people had trouble even getting this far. Combining one’s own Internal Qi with Evil Qi was a challenge that had left many fighters stumped, it required incredible precision and control.
To a fighter, one just simply needed to understand the cultivation method of Internal Qi and strength would be accumulated with time. Everything could be accomplished with time. As time went by, one certainly could obtain suitable Internal Qi with his body. The controlling force, however, required not only time but also the help of endless training and Apprehension, which was lacked by many fighters.
Practicing a Special Technique required pure control, which many fighters were unprepared for. They usually didn’t spend 10 or 20 years on polishing their techniques. Even if they were able to truly master Internal Qi, it would still take time to train and practice, which may scatter their energy. With a decade or so, one could strengthen his Internal Qi and body to a large scale as well as his power. So, generally speaking, only a few of the fighters on this world would take time to grasp controlling force. Unfortunately, this also meant that many fighters who wanted to learn these special techniques came short because they lacked controlling force.
Junior Leopard was just 10 years old, naturally, he couldn’t compare with fighters who had been training for 10 or more years. The only edge he had over other seasoned fighters was his eyes. When his eyes were fixed on a special state, the controlling force of his strength and Internal Qi would increase exponentially. This was the quality that gave him the courage to practice the special technique.
Because of he was controlling his Internal Qi to combine with the surrounding Flickering Light Evil Qi, Junior Leopard’s eyes turned red like a rabbit. Within some time, the circle generated around the pupil became clearer and clearer.
Of course, Little Leopard couldn’t notice it. In practicing Three Realms Division, refining the Flickering Light Evil Qi in front of him was merely the first step. Every day around midnight and noon there would always be some Flickering Light Evil Qi appearing. However, it could only last a few minutes. Junior Leopard couldn’t refine all of the Flickering Light Evil Qi, for his Internal Qi was limited. Necessary as the Flickering Light Evil Qi was, Three Realms Division only required a small amount of it. So those few minutes were enough for him.
Once he was able to combine Evil Qi with Internal Qi, according to the description on the wall, he could control the operation of Internal Qi in his palm. Gradually the Internal Qi that emanated from the palm of his hand started to change color from a crimson red to a dark silver.
The dark silver mist was emanating a red glow which was not as hot as it was before. Other than that it was still the same as before when the cyclone formed in his palm. The cyclone had two small edges that made it look like the pattern of a hammer. With his eyes back to a normal state, Junior Leopard became really pleased when he saw the change of the mist in his palm. After about 15 minutes, the Flickering Light Evil Qi in the area was already dispelled. He held the dark silver mist as he walked out of the entrance. While walking, he subconsciously snatched a glance of the little monster heavily sleeping in the middle of the cave.
He had spent a part of the day staring at the wall, not thinking much of the details. He thought if the little monster could practice this Three Realms Division successfully, then so could he. However, today he had found out that the special techniques was not be easy to master. If it were not for his special eyes, he would have been blown up by the Evil Qi floating all around him.
After he left the entrance, with what the description said on the wall he slowly handled the cyclone in the palm of his hand and operated his Internal Qi. This time he wasn’t trying to balance his Internal Qi with the mist in the cyclone, instead, he was trying to move the Internal Qi to his left hand. Carefully, Junior Leopard took the mist in his left hand and covered the dark silver mist on his right hand with it. The crimson mist started to flow down as if it was a tassel, then it wrapped around the silver mist.
After it was finished, Junior Leopard opened his mouth widely and swallowed both of the mists into his mouth.
“Ah — ”
When mists and the cyclone entered his mouth, he changed his expression. His face suddenly went red and beads of sweat came pouring out of his forehead. After a long while, his face went back to normal and Junior Leopard gave a sigh of relief.
“Thanks God, I nearly put myself into an early grave!” Junior Leopard said as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead. Suddenly, his face went straight and started to shake. Together with his shaking, all acupoints in his body started spewing off the crimson red mist. If examining a little closer, one would notice that the mist started giving off glimmers of a silver light… What a beautiful scene.
“Congeal!” Junior Leopard said as the mist started to disperse. He didn’t dare to ignore the mist, so he swallowed a big gulp. Operating with the instructions on the wall, he practiced silently, and started to cultivate Internal Qi. The crimson red mist started to flow with his movements and in such way he was able to collect it all. The mist, still floating around Junior Leopard, then changed from crimson red to dark silver once again.
He then lifted up both his hands. Looking at the silver mist that had circled around him, he let out a small chuckle. Then, he raised his head and gazed at a pine tree that was nearly 1,000 feet from him. After a little shake, the silver mist began to disappear, together with his body.
“Whew!”
“AAH!” he screamed.
Little Leopard’s body reappeared about 100 feet away from where he disappeared. He hit his head on a giant trunk of a tree and the recoil then launched him far away. Lying on the ground, his face went pale and his whole body was trembling. He was drained of all energy, even the Internal Qi in his Dantian was all used up. His entire body was aching as if he had just spent the last 10 days and 10 nights plowing the fields.
“I thought moving within 1,000 feet would be no sweat, but how could only 100 feet made me so exhausted?!” He questioned while lying on the floor with his mouth twitching. He had no energy left and couldn’t even muster the strength to sit up.
Having thought twice about it, he calmed down. Three Realms Division was really unparalleled in its mysteries. He had only just started practicing and all he knew was a simple diagram. He had barely established a foundation, like someone that had just crammed for a test. To master the subject, there was still a long way to go. It was his first attempt, such movements and shifts could be considered pretty good for a first attempt.
“That was quite a miscalculation! With this special skill, after several decades of practice, I should be able to traverse 1,000 feet freely. Even if I want to move as that little monster does, who can move freely within a radius, I should still spend a couple years practicing. I should remember not to be so greedy and take my time!”
Thus Little Leopard was relieved, he tried not to implore himself any further. He took a light breath and lay down on the ground without moving an inch. He needed to rest and restore his strength and Internal Qi before leaving this place.
However, what he just did was quite costly. It would take a considerable amount of time to rejuvenate himself. In fact, he spent all morning recuperating but only recovered a sliver of energy. He was quite lucky that no wild beasts came, if they had, he would have been eaten as breakfast.
After getting some of his strength back, he was about to stand up when he heard a sigh coming from the distance. A fist size black shadow appeared above his head.
“Oh my god!” Junior Leopard was extremely astonished. Before he jumped up he heard a boom sound and foul odor suddenly appeared. He became pale out of sick. He sensed churning in his stomach and then threw up with gastric acid and vomitus. Yet with an upturned face he found all vomitus had fallen down back on his face. Again his stomach churning and he went faint.
The little monster didn’t detest the vomitus. It pulled out the piece of yellow cloth neatly from his chest and then trampled on his face twice. More than that, it farted another time towards his face, then disappeared after venting anger.