Chapter 566: “The Striking Shanhai Secret Realm! The Stone Tablet Summons! A Breakthrough in Martial Dao Will!”

“I can teach you both cultivation methods and take you as unregistered disciples. If your character and aptitude are suitable in the future, I can formally accept you.”

Li Yanchu considered for a moment before speaking. Now that Qingyun Temple had come into his hands, it was about time for it to flourish and spread its influence. These two boys had decent potential.

Xu Shiqi’s qi luck was modest, but a subtle fish-scale pattern was forming. Once the carp leapt through the dragon gate[1], his future would be limitless.

As for Wang Dashi, his fortune was like fire; he was a strong candidate for the path of demon-slaying. Using demons as fuel, he was perfectly suited for the way of slaying demons and protecting mortals. Moreover, Wang Dashi’s body radiated a robust vitality, hinting at some latent blessing.

Li Yanchu did not bother probing further with Spirit Eyes. Both of them looked promising enough to train.

“Thank you, Master. I’ll definitely make you proud!” Xu Shiqi said excitedly.

“Thank you, Master,” Wang Dashi said, a hint of hesitation on his face.

“What’s the matter? Are you unwilling?” Li Yanchu asked with a smile.

“If I become a Daoist, then Xiaocui...” Wang Dashi worried.

“The Qingyun Temple follows orthodox Daoism. Marriage isn’t forbidden,” Li Yanchu said calmly.

Wang Dashi froze, not catching the meaning at first.

Xu Shiqi immediately kicked him. “See? You can still marry your girl!”

Wang Dashi breathed a sigh of relief, a sheepish smile spreading across his honest face. “Ah, that’s good then.”

When he heard this, Li Yanchu’s mouth twitched slightly. He hadn’t expected this guy to be such a devoted fiancé.

Turning back to the two boys, he wasn’t sure if his decision was right or wrong. He took out two pills, which were proper Marrow-Cleansing Pills capable of improving their physiques.

With resources from the court and the collection of the Immortal Jin Yu at his disposal, these pills were of extremely high quality. He also taught each of them a Qi Cultivation Mantra.

“Train diligently. I have some matters to handle. I will return to check on you both later,” Li Yanchu said solemnly.

“Master, are you sure I don’t need to guide you?” Xu Shiqi asked.

Li Yanchu smiled faintly. “No need. Just focus on your training here.”

A hint of disappointment flashed in Xu Shiqi’s eyes; he had wanted to join in the excitement.

Time was pressing, plus Li Yanchu had already spent considerable effort in Huangshi Village and did not want to linger. He and Celestial Master Zhao transformed into two streaks of light, soaring into the sky toward Gu’ao Peak.

In a short while, they arrived at a hidden spot on the peak. This place gathered wind and water, with excellent terrain.

“This is a branch of a spiritual vein. Though small, it is extremely pure,” Celestial Master Zhao said.

Li Yanchu glanced around; indeed, the vitality here was abundant, and it did not seem dangerous.

But he was curious; wasn’t he supposed to enter the Shanhai Secret Realm? Could it be that the secret realm was right here?

Then, Celestial Master Zhao led Li Yanchu to a cliffside. Carved into the rock were three large words,

Shanhai Secret Realm

.

“Here we are. This is the place,” Celestial Master Zhao said.

In response, Li Yanchu stared at him in surprise. Although this realm wasn’t exactly hidden, wasn’t this a bit

too

obvious? And those enormous characters, didn’t they almost disrespect the name of the secret realm itself?

Seeing Li Yanchu’s hesitation, Celestial Master Zhao smiled and said, “Surprising, isn’t it? I came here when I was young and thought it was some prank. Never imagined it was really the legendary Shanhai Secret Realm. It’s genuine through and through!”

Li Yanchu’s mouth twitched.

“And the tablet? Didn’t you say we had to strike a stone tablet?!” he asked.

Hearing this, Celestial Master Zhao nodded and smiled. “Patience. Let me call it forth first.”

Li Yanchu frowned. Call it forth? Did he mean the tablet itself?

Then, Celestial Master Zhao took a talisman from his robe and chanted a spell. With that, the talisman shot toward the cliff.

With a rumble from the ground, a massive stone tablet emerged; it was about ten meters high.

A powerful aura radiated from it, and large characters were carved into its surface,

Shanhai

.

Li Yanchu’s mouth twitched again. Could it

get

any more obvious? Thankfully, the tablet was still tucked away in a concealed spot.

“This tablet is sentient,” Celestial Master Zhao explained. “It is said to have been left by that immortal demon. Strike it with your full strength once, and if it deems your attack sufficient, it will allow you entry into the Shanhai Secret Realm.”

He had already explained the method to Li Yanchu, so the explanation wasn’t entirely surprising.

Yet seeing this ancient, austere tablet in person sparked a thought: why would the immortal demon leave such a strange requirement? Why only allow cultivators strong enough in attack to enter?

Li Yanchu felt this secret realm bore more artificial control than the other fabled Blissful Lands he had entered.

Still, to capture Prince Qing and prevent further trouble, Li Yanchu decided to act immediately. He stepped before the tablet, contemplating.

Celestial Master Zhao had said to strike it with full force; should he chop it with his saber, or punch it with his fists...?

“If I fail the first time, can I try again?” Li Yanchu asked.

“One person only has one chance per year. If your first attack does not satisfy the tablet, you must wait until the next year,” Celestial Master Zhao said.

Li Yanchu said, “...Why didn’t you mention this earlier?”

Then, he inhaled deeply. Blood surged violently through his body, an overwhelming tide of vitality enveloping the entire mountain peak.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sound of his heartbeat echoed, and the surrounding air seemed to boil as if a volcano had erupted, making it impossible to approach.

Celestial Master Zhao quickly erected protective spells to shield himself from Li Yanchu’s formidable blood aura.

A sudden thought struck him: Li Yanchu was not yet a Yang Spirit expert, but his immense blood power and physical body rivaled that of a Yang Spirit expert. Would the tablet’s restriction prevent him from entering?

This question had been subconsciously ignored before, as there had never been anyone in this era whose blood and body could rival a Yang Spirit.

Li Yanchu unleashed his raging blood power but held back from using the Jiaoslayer. It was extraordinarily sharp and could bypass most regenerative tricks, but he did not want to completely shatter the tablet.

Behind him, two towering figures appeared; they were his Martial Dao Manifestations. At this moment, the two giant forms slowly merged, forming an even more sacred figure.

Seeing this, Celestial Master Zhao’s pupils contracted. “This... this is the fusion of Martial Dao Dao will and divine power!”

He was utterly astonished. Celestial Master Zhao knew the Daoist cultivation system and the subtle changes of the Yang Spirit realm well, but he knew very little about Martial Dao. How many years had passed without a Martial Saint appearing in the world?

Li Yanchu also sensed the dramatic change in the will behind him. This Martial Dao will had grown far stronger, infused with pure yang divine energy, incredibly weighty.

His external manifestation seemed to have reached a new realm. This transformation likely stemmed from his last battle, when he slew the hulking Tiger-Jiao warrior. It was a breakthrough in mindset, merging all his techniques into one, channeling his entire murderous intent into a single strike.

As the towering figure formed, Li Yanchu was enveloped in a vast sea of blood and qi, and a scorching hot sun slowly rose from within him.

“Good heavens, what kind of disciple has Xuancheng found?!” Celestial Master Zhao gasped. He had never seen anyone cultivate martial arts to such a level and was profoundly astonished.

1. “鱼跃龙门” (“The Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate”) comes from the ancient Chinese legend of carp jumping over the Dragon Gate. It is a metaphor for achieving success in the imperial examinations, rising in rank, or attaining wealth and fame, essentially, a dramatic ascent in status. It can also symbolize striving upward, overcoming obstacles, and forging ahead against the current. The phrase is generally used to describe career success or social elevation and is considered an auspicious symbol, appearing frequently in literature, cuisine (such as sweet-and-sour carp), and folk customs. ☜