Chapter 31: The Marvelous Mutation

The second page also contained no cultivation method formula. Instead, it documented an ancient passage. Its phrases were awkward to read, the meaning hard to grasp. If not for Qin Li having a mother like Qin Hanyue, a woman of exceptionally high intellect who had made him complete literacy lessons by age ten and read nearly every kind of book between eight and twelve, he would never have been able to understand any of this.

After reading it, Qin Li sucked in a sharp breath of air. A chill ran down his spine. Even when threatened by Qin Shisan yesterday, Qin Li hadn’t really taken it to heart. But the words about the Sovereign of All Battle Skill were utterly terrifying and mind-boggling.

He couldn’t help but feel puzzled. Even though this ancient passage was difficult, weren’t there others who understood it? This was clearly a warning akin to a death threat. Why, then, did so many still throw caution to the wind and cultivate it anyway?

Were they just gambling on luck? That shouldn’t be…. One or two might gamble, but if many already failed miserably trying it, why would anyone still be foolish enough to take such a risk?

Strength was important, yes. But the most important thing… was life itself!

The passage read awkwardly, but its message was explosive. It bluntly stated that practicing the Sovereign of All Battle Skill without the Tianxuan Elixir was suicidal.

The Nirvana every six months, in essence, repaired the damaged soul! Taking the Tianxuan Elixir could directly prevent the Nirvana from occurring!

That meant Ahu had been telling the truth. Cultivating the Sovereign of All Battle Skill made you strong quickly, but damaged the fundamental power of your soul. The half-yearly loss of strength and Nirvana were meant to repair the injured soul. After the repair, your strength merely returned to what it was before you practiced the Sovereign of All Battle Skill… well, slightly stronger. And thus, it was practically wasted effort! Who would dare cultivate it?

Put this way, having the recipe for the Tianxuan Elixir in hand meant you could protect the soul from harm, and completely avoid the Nirvana phenomenon! Only by possessing the Tianxuan Elixir could one truly become an unrivaled powerhouse!

This battle skill… was truly sinister!

Qin Li couldn’t contain a murmur of admiration. Initially, in his understanding, battle skills on the Tianyuan Continent seemed like techniques meant to unleash the power of the Five Elements. Be it the Qin Family’s Bladelike Palm Technique, or the combat techniques cataloged in Shangguan Tie’s carriage, Qin Li could roughly guess a skill’s specialty just by its name. Powerful battle skills gathered the surrounding Five Elements to achieve greater destructive power.

Cultivation methods and battle skills were interrelated. Battle skills weren’t mere fighting routines. Whether basic or advanced, all had corresponding cultivation methods to support them. These methods fueled the skill’s execution and boosted its might. This was precisely why Qin Li, despite having martial arts knowledge from his previous life, was determined to master a battle skill!

Those martial arts techniques from his past life were certainly powerful against ordinary people. Against martial artists from the Tianyuan Continent, one-on-one, he might stand a chance against someone of the Yellow Rank. If they reached the Mysterious Rank, it was almost impossible for Qin Li to win. The incident with Qin Feng was purely a result of bravery and luck because Qin Feng would have never imagined that Qin Li would fight back or possess such wondrous fighting abilities!

But if Qin Feng were to fight Qin Li again, Qin Li wouldn’t stand a chance at all!

Yuanli Heart Method, however, referred simply to techniques designed to increase Yuanli. Progressing through the levels on the Tianyuan Continent roughly followed this system: Stages 1-3 of Yuanli attainment: Yellow Rank; Stages 4-6: Mysterious Rank; Stages 7-8: Earth Rank; Stage 9… then Heavenly Rank!

Given equal levels of Yuanli, a martial artist cultivating an Advanced Combat Technique would typically be somewhat stronger. But nothing was absolute. Take Qin Feng, a true Sixth Tier of Profound Grade expert: just because he underestimated his opponent and lacked sufficient experience at a critical moment, he’d lost to an insignificant character like Qin Li. Against someone like Qin Shisan, who had reached the Earth Rank, even if Qin Li attacked by surprise, whether he could break through Shisan’s Protective True Qi was highly questionable. A sneak attack simply had no chance of succeeding!

Therefore, challenging beyond one’s rank wasn’t impossible. But if the gap was too vast, it was a joke. It was like asking a toddler to fight a grown adult – truly no chance at all.

Qin Li stared at the cultivation method in his hand, conflicted. Someone might call him foolish. Given his current status as a link, whether with the Qin Family or the Shangguan Family, obtaining battle skills or Yuanli Heart Methods would be as easy as uttering a request. Yet, stubbornness was Qin Li’s very nature! He could tolerate others looking down on him, but refused to look down on himself! No matter how good something might be, it belonged to someone else. What’s more, Qin Li had zero desire to get too entangled with either of these prominent clans.

Gifts burden the receiver; favors bind the giver. The principle held true everywhere – there’s no such thing as a free meal under heaven, right?

Images slowly surfaced in Qin Li’s mind: the smug faces of Qin Feng and Qin Hu; the Qin Family servants’ hidden mockery over the years; the dimmed expression of his mother each time she collected their monthly allowance from the Qin Family treasury… the assassination attempt last night; Qin Shisan’s cold sneer… all these flashed vividly before him.

Enough! Enough! Enough!

I, having lived two lifetimes, still couldn’t escape being branded worthless!

His teacher back in childhood had said his destiny bore a strong character – great fortune and great creation! Seen now, it made sense. Shot seven times, thinking death meant the end of light, yet he’d inexplicably arrived in this world where strength ruled supreme. The previously unreactive Innate Purple Qi Art could now be cultivated.

A kid like Watermelon dared to practice this Sole Supremacy Art! Why the hell should I fear it?

With this thought, Qin Li gritted his teeth and flipped to the next page.

It read: Between Heaven and Earth, the Myriad Forms of Creation, through Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, Only I Am Supreme! First Chapter: Weaponry – including swords, spears, blades, halberds, axes, battle-axes, hooks, forks… Second Chapter: Fists and Feet. Following these were diagrams and formulas.

Finally, turning to the last part, he found the cultivation method formula. Qin Li knew this was the most crucial thing!

Focusing intently, he burned each character into his mind while simultaneously beginning practice according to the formula. Suddenly, an intense surge of rejection erupted from his Dantian. It felt as if the Innate Purple Qi Art encountered a powerful enemy; it began operating automatically to protect him. Then, Qin Li’s meridians flooded with the energy of the Innate Purple Qi. This energy devoured every bit of energy produced by his new practice of the Sole Supremacy Art!

Qin Li was profoundly stunned. At that moment, he couldn’t immediately ask Watermelon if she had experienced the same. Probably not. That kid didn’t even have a Yuanli Heart Method!

And then, a sudden flash of insight came over Qin Li’s consciousness. This insight seemed like touch of divine inspiration! Like grasping something untaught, it felt incredibly comfortable. Qin Li didn’t know if this was how legendary immortal cultivators felt when comprehending the Heavenly Dao. But in that single instant, everything under heaven ceased to hold any difficulty for him!

Unfortunately, that shred of insight was fleeting, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. Qin Li really wanted to ask his old teacher: Was the Innate Purple Qi Art truly just some idle exercise he created?

Because in that very instant, the Innate Purple Qi Art had given Qin Li that insight. The soul-damaging energy from the Sole Supremacy Art had been completely devoured by the primordial Innate Purple Qi!

Not only that, it had assimilated that energy for its own use. Qin Li checked his internal state again and was stunned by the scene unfolding within his Dantian.