Chapter Thirty-Two: The Celestial Sphere Technique, Free to Roam

Having sat in meditation for over three months, Ren Yi finally opened his eyes. He rose to his feet, moved his limbs, and stepped out of the room.

The moment he opened his eyes, he felt as if the entire world had changed. Everything within his field of vision appeared far clearer; colors were more vivid, and subtle details he had previously overlooked now registered clearly in his mind. The falling of a flower petal, the drift of a leaf, the gentle stir of dust in the breeze—none of these minute movements could escape his keen senses. With his sight and hearing extended, everything within a radius of several dozen yards was under his control; no movement or shift could evade his perception.

He had succeeded. By combining the strengths of both Buddhist and Taoist disciplines, he had pioneered the "Hun Tian Art." Not only had he used this technique to clear the twelve main meridians, but his internal energy had also surged significantly. Most miraculously, as he practiced the Hun Tian Art, he felt a profound connection to all things—a pebble, a blade of grass—as if they were alive and linked to him. He was no longer an outsider to the world, but a part of it.

Now, the energy within him flowed through his meridians like a rushing river, making his body feel light and transformed. Suddenly, Ren Yi mimed the grip of a blade with his right hand and struck out. An invisible gale of blade-force surged forth; before the wind even arrived, a sharp, whistling sound pierced the air. A falling leaf two yards away was cleanly sliced in two. He then reached out and gestured; a rock the size of a fist flew into his palm as if held by an invisible hand. He squeezed gently, and the stone crumbled into powder, spilling through his fingers.

At the foot of Mount Song, Ren Yi had used his self-created "Myriad Forms Starry Hand" to seize a dozen weapons and snap them. That had relied on clever leverage. Now, however, he could crush metal with raw power alone, no trickery required.

He had completed the first level of the Hun Tian Art: "White Cloud Strength." As clouds are formless and ethereal, the White Cloud Strength used intent as its spirit and internal energy as its vessel. It transformed the intangible into utility, containing infinite variations. Though it was a foundation without fixed forms or moves, once mastered, it could be applied to any weapon, punch, palm, finger, or leg technique.

Qu Feiyan looked at the man, who was gazing at the sky with joy. She couldn't help but ask, "Brother Ren, did you... did you succeed?"

Ren Yi nodded.

Qu Feiyan clapped her hands and laughed. "That’s good, that’s good! We don’t have to stay in this wretched place anymore."

Ren Yi smiled faintly. "Let’s go."

"Where to?" she asked.

"The world is vast," Ren Yi replied calmly. "Is there anywhere I cannot go?"

***

At the Shaolin Monastery, the black-clad subordinates of Linghu Chong had been repelled. Within the Dharma Hall, disciples from various sects were resting when two dark shadows suddenly darted through the air.

"Who goes there!"
"Intruders!"
"Halt!"

The two figures appeared and struck immediately. With every palm thrust, someone fell. Within moments, eight men lay on the hall floor, motionless and dead.

Such violence shocked those inside. One of the two, dressed in white robes with silver whiskers, was Xiang Wentian, who had been besieged by both black and white forces just days prior. Standing before him was a tall, elderly man. The crowd surrounding them roared with laughter, and the elder called out, "Ying'er, come down!"

A figure drifted down from the rafters on the west side. She was graceful and beautiful, though her coarse clothing and weary expression gave her a sickly, delicate charm.

Abbot Fangzheng stepped forward from the crowd of righteous sect leaders and chanted a Buddhist prayer. "Amitabha! Since you have already left Shaolin, Lady, why have you returned? And these two must be experts from Black Wood Cliff. Forgive my ignorance, but may I ask for your names?"

Xiang Wentian smiled slightly and said in a clear voice, "This is the leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult, Ren Woxing. As for me, I am Xiang Wentian."

Abbot Fangzheng replied, "I did not expect the arrival of Sect Leader Ren and Left Envoy Xiang. However, I must ask why you have taken the lives of eight of our disciples upon your arrival."

Ren Woxing laughed loudly. "In all my years walking the world, no one has ever dared to be rude to me. These eight did not kneel or pay respects when they saw me, and they shouted and hollered—how could they deserve anything but death?"

Daoist Chongxu spoke up, "To commit such a brutal act for that reason alone, Sect Leader Ren, do you not think you have gone too far?"

Seeing Chongxu speak, Ren Woxing’s laughter grew even louder.

"I have lived in seclusion for a long time, yet I have recently heard that Wudang has produced a genius. Rumor has it he kills people for no reason at all, and he shares my surname... What does Daoist Chongxu think of that person?"

Chongxu was stunned and remained silent.

Abbot Fangzheng explained, "The 'Divine Physician' Ren Yi has already left Wudang. His actions have nothing to do with the Wudang Sect."

Suddenly, a voice from the crowd asked coldly, "Setting others aside, how shall we settle the matter of Sect Leader Ren killing eight of our disciples?"

Ren Woxing looked at the man and smiled. "Ah, it is Sect Leader Zuo of the Mount Song Sect. We have met before. According to you, Sect Leader Zuo, how should this be settled?"

Zuo Lengchan stepped back. "This is Shaolin, not my Mount Song Sect. The Abbot shall decide."

Abbot Fangzheng bowed and said, "Master Ren, Shaolin is a place of Buddha. I do not wish to make things difficult for the three of you. As long as you remain in our temple and do not step off Mount Shaoshi, I guarantee no one will trouble you. What do you say?"

Ren Woxing looked deeply at Fangzheng and smiled. "An honorable offer, Master... Very well, Ren shall stay in your Shaolin for three hours."

***

Fangzheng shook his head. "Three hours is not enough."

Ren Woxing replied, "That I am willing to stay for three hours is only out of respect for the Abbot letting my daughter leave the mountain."

Fangzheng sighed softly. "So, Master Ren has no intention of listening to the Dharma; you are merely toying with me."

Ren Woxing laughed heartily. "I would not dare! I have no intention of toying with you, Abbot. In this world, there are very few people who catch my eye. There are only four people I admire, and you are one of them. There are also three and a half whom I do not admire."

Yue Buqun asked, "And who are these people you admire and those you do not?"

Ren Woxing laughed. "Let us start with the Abbot. You have studied the Yijin Jing deeply, your cultivation has reached the pinnacle, and you are humble and possess Buddhist compassion. That is why I admire you."

Abbot Fangzheng pressed his palms together. "I am unworthy of such praise!"

Ren Woxing continued, "You are worthy, truly. However, speaking of admiration, you are not the first. The person I admire most is Dongfang Bubai, who usurped my position as Cult Leader."

The hall erupted in surprise, as no one had expected this.

"Ha! I have always considered my martial arts to be unparalleled, and my mind sharp enough to avoid being plotted against. Yet, I still fell for Dongfang Bubai’s schemes and nearly perished at the bottom of a lake. How could I not admire such a fearsome individual?"

Fangzheng remarked, "That is true."

Ren Woxing smiled and continued, "The third person I admire is Old Master Feng Qingyang of Mount Hua. His swordplay is divine, far superior to mine. For that alone, I, Ren Woxing, admire him from the heart!"

Daoist Chongxu asked, "May I ask, Master Ren, is Master Feng still alive?"

Ren Woxing did not answer, instead saying, "You old priest, you are the final one I admire. The mystery of your Taiji Sword is something I cannot match. However, you are poor at teaching disciples, so I only admired you by half. But ever since I re-emerged into the world and heard the deeds of your disgraced disciple, that 'half' no longer feels correct."

A disciple of the Mount Qingcheng sect shouted, "Sect Leader Ren, you keep mentioning that devil. Have you colluded with him?"

Ren Woxing replied, "I heard that at the foot of Mount Song, that person single-handedly forced back the black and white forces—six or seven hundred men. I truly wish to meet this rising star of the martial world!"

The Qingcheng disciple barked, "He killed our Sect Leader Yu! If he dares to come to Shaolin, we of Qingcheng will be sure to give this devil a proper welcome."

Suddenly, a voice rang out: "There is no need for that!"