Invincibility Begins with Mastery of Fist Techniques-Chapter 182 - 176: The Voice

In that moment, Ning Muqing completely understood the gap between herself and a Saint Awakening.

She once believed that as a top-tier Martial Artist, she was only a single step away from Saint Awakening. She thought that even if a gap existed, it wouldn't be an uncrossable chasm. Now, however, she had a firsthand understanding of the truth.

A top-tier Martial Artist's Fist Technique was still stuck at the fundamental level of the body, qi and blood, and physical strength. A Saint Awakening, however, had already broken through this boundary and reached another realm. It seemed like only a single step, but in reality, they were worlds apart.

An Emperor and a Crown Prince were also just one step apart, yet the power they held was completely incomparable. Cross that step, and a whole new world opens up. Fail to cross it, and you will forever remain subordinate.

She knew Zhou Yuanjue hadn't used his full strength just now. He was merely toying with her on a whim, and even then, she had been unable to withstand it.

TAP TAP TAP!

She hurried to catch up with Zhou Yuanjue. 'She no longer had any doubts about his power.' Although they were the same age, on the path of the Martial Dao, skill always took precedence.

"How do I break through to the Saint Awakening Realm?"

Ning Muqing asked with sincere humility.

"Everyone has their own path. For a Saint Awakening, the mind and body are perfectly fused, like a piece of smooth, flawless glazed jade. The difficulty lies in the Niwan Palace."

"The ancient Daoist Families believed the Niwan Palace was the Upper Dantian, the repository of the mind. They said that opening the Niwan Palace was to unlock a treasure trove of mind and enlightenment, to open the Celestial Eye. There is some truth to this."

"The Niwan Palace is a crucial point in the human brain. Once opened, it signifies the mind's perfect control over the body. The power of the mind completely fuses with the body, allowing one to influence the surrounding world and replace the naked eye with the 'Eye of the Heart,' seeing what was previously unseen."

"The Niwan Palace is like a nail driven into your soul, preventing your mind from fully extending beyond your body. This is a restraint, but it's also the body's instinctive form of protection. The external magnetic fields are bizarre and varied. If you lack the ability and explore them rashly, you'll be turned to dust by a magnetic field imbalance."

"Therefore, your mind must prove to your body that it is ready."

Zhou Yuanjue had a good impression of Ning Muqing. Despite not having broken through to Saint Awakening, she had managed to shatter the confinement of his Life Magnetic Field. Such willpower was rare and commendable. He didn't mind sharing some of his insights with her.

The Saint Awakening Realm had been an esoteric topic since ancient times, with numerous, often conflicting, explanations.

In the time since he had achieved Saint Awakening, Zhou Yuanjue had organized his thoughts and formulated his own understanding of the Saint Awakening Realm, one that should be easier for modern people to grasp.

"What does it mean to be ready?"

Ning Muqing frowned.

"The barrier to Saint Awakening is a shackle of the mind, and also a shackle of instinct. Our bodies don't truly belong to us. The seven passions and six desires, all our various instincts—none of them originate from our conscious mind."

"Instinct protects us, but it also binds us. For example, when our body's Energy is low, we feel hungry. That's a signal to eat, which is a form of protection. It's why we find it difficult to throw a heavy punch if it means ignoring muscle damage, or why we instinctively pull our hand back if we accidentally touch fire or a sharp point."

"But this protection also traps us within an ordinary body. The training of the Martial Dao—day after day, year after year, tempered through endless practice—is all for the sake of conquering the body's instincts. Our bodies are inherently capable of being extremely powerful."

"An elderly woman, in a desperate attempt to save her grandchild, can momentarily lift a car. Although she pays a heavy price for it afterward, this proves the terrifying potential of the human body. A strong will can overcome instinct. Immense Power is actually hidden within our bodies. While instinct protects us, it also prevents us from seeking even greater Power."

"There are things one desires more than life, and things one loathes more than death. Life and death are humanity's strongest instincts. To put it bluntly, it's about using a life-or-death situation to allow your mind to truly master your instincts. Once you understand this principle, you can comprehend Saint Awakening not just in the face of death, but in any situation."

Zhou Yuanjue said.

'Master instinct, control the body, and begin to truly unearth its potential…'

Ning Muqing muttered to herself, a look of realization dawning on her face.

'A person is merely a passenger in their own body. We can't control our desires or master our instincts, so we can only be ordinary people.'

'For ordinary people, instinct is a form of protection. Pain, desire, all of it—these are necessary for survival, helping us avoid many external dangers.'

'But the human body has its limits. By succumbing to instinct, we are forever bound by those limits. Exploring more powerful unknowns is life-threatening, something the body's instincts won't allow. Yet, it is a necessary experience to become stronger.'

"But I've heard that the Starry Sky Country has Super Warriors who also possess Saint Awakening Level power. They're a miracle forged by technology. Their minds haven't reached the corresponding realm, so how is that possible?"

Ning Muqing asked.

"There are shortcuts for everything, but taking a shortcut always comes at a price."

Zhou Yuanjue said.

'He knew the Starry Sky Country's Super Warriors were a different path. It seemed the shadow of a Celestial Demon was behind them, and it was hard to say what kind of hidden dangers that entailed.'

Ning Muqing nodded, lost in thought.

'Before, she only knew that by conquering life and death, one had a hope of reaching Saint Awakening. She didn't understand the specific principles. Now, she had a more direct understanding.'

'Transcend life and death, conquer instinct, and control the body. Use this humble physical form to explore the vast, infinite universe.'

'Coming here to be his assistant was definitely the right decision.'

"By the way, I was transferred to Shangjing this time because the Chief Commissioner wanted to see me. What are the arrangements for that?"

Zhou Yuanjue asked as they walked.

"The Chief Commissioner? I haven't been notified about that yet. I'll ask about the details in a bit."

Ning Muqing said with a slight frown.

"What do you know about this Chief Commissioner? Is there any data or intelligence on him?"

Zhou Yuanjue asked.

"The Chief Commissioner is an incredibly elusive figure. Information on someone like him is top secret. In fact, to prevent leaks, it's likely no concrete data even exists."

Ning Muqing shook her head.

"How mysterious."

Hearing this, Zhou Yuanjue's eyes narrowed slightly.

...

...

Ning Muqing led him to a standalone dormitory. The first floor was a training room, and the second floor held his living quarters. After he put down his luggage, she immediately left to inquire about the arrangements for his meeting with the Chief Commissioner.

With nothing else to do, Zhou Yuanjue went to the training room, sat down cross-legged, and resumed his research on how to fuse the Static and Dynamic Fire.

His mind slowly spread out along with his Life Magnetic Field, stirring the surrounding Natural Magnetic Field.

'For some reason, being in Shangjing Prefecture, he felt that the Natural Magnetic Field around him was somehow different.'

Heavy, vast, majestic, and sacred.

'It was as if some kind of immense magnetic field from all over the country was silently converging here.'

It was brimming with vigorous energy, like a brilliant, newborn sun.

'This is the National Fortune.'

'Suddenly, he sensed something strange about the magnetic field. There was a slight fluctuation, as if it were being manipulated. A previously irregular part of the field had become orderly, seemingly imbued with some special meaning.'

Zhou Yuanjue's eyebrow twitched with interest. He extended his own Life Magnetic Field and connected it with the anomalous, fluctuating magnetic field, wanting to see what this strange phenomenon represented.

"You've arrived."

The moment he touched that anomalous section of the magnetic field, a voice of indeterminate gender entered his mind. The voice didn't exist in reality; it was more like a piece of information transmitted through the magnetic field.

'This is?!'

Zhou Yuanjue's pupils contracted. An incredible feeling rose in his heart.