Chapter 29: A Strange Encounter by the Sea (Part Two)

When Jiang Feng returned to the small wooden cabin, the Elder of Destiny had already prepared a table full of dishes, as if he had been waiting for Jiang Feng’s return. Jiang Feng gazed at the meal in surprise, uncertain how to begin, but the old man simply told him to eat first. Then, Old Master Tianji handed him a large bowl of medicinal broth, instructing him to drink it. Jiang Feng did not know what it was, but dared not refuse; the medicine had a faint bitterness, reminiscent of the fruit he had eaten the other day.

“Master, please teach me the Soul Arts…” As soon as Jiang Feng finished drinking, he spoke these words. The Elder of Destiny seemed unsurprised, as if expecting this, and said little more than to tell him to wait at the cliff the next day.

Jiang Feng was too excited to sleep that night. At dawn, he hurried to the same cliff as before, where he saw the Elder and the great bird still waiting in their previous posture. He approached respectfully and offered a bow. Suddenly, the Elder produced two wild fruits from his sleeve.

“Jiang Feng, here are two fruits: one will increase your power, the other will diminish it. Choose one. If you choose correctly, I will teach you the Xuantian Soul Arts. If not, then your fate will be your own to make.”

Jiang Feng studied the two fruits. They looked identical in size and shape, but the old man had said one would increase and the other would decrease his strength; clearly, there was some trickery here. He thought to step closer for a better look, but the Elder blocked his way. After a moment’s thought, Jiang Feng spun around and popped both fruits into his mouth at once. Both were bitter and astringent, nearly making him gag. The Elder burst out laughing: “No wonder I chose you as my disciple; you are indeed clever and unconventional. In truth, both fruits are ordinary. I merely wished to test your courage. If you had chosen only one, the other would have been the right choice; if you had refused to eat, I would have deemed you a coward and left you to your own devices.”

In his heart, Jiang Feng cursed the old man a hundred thousand times over. So this was all a ruse—no wonder the Elder hadn’t stopped him from grabbing the fruits.

“Master, now that you’ve tested me, shouldn’t you teach me the Xuantian Soul Arts as promised? I want to grow stronger, to advance in my cultivation.” Jiang Feng’s tone was one of resolve.

“My child, you must never act in haste; impatience leads only to disaster. I teach you the Soul Arts so you can protect yourself. If you use them to harm others, I will strip you of them and leave you a cripple.”

“Yes, Master, I understand.”

“Jiang Feng, the art of the soul is unlike the methods you have practiced before. There are three grades: upper, middle, and lower soul. What I will teach you is the middle grade. If your comprehension is great, you may reach the upper grade on your own. Even I, your master, have only attained the upper grade. If you master this art, you will have no trouble traversing the Soul Realm.”

Jiang Feng listened intently, committing every word to memory. Seeing his disciple’s intelligence, the Elder began to demonstrate the techniques.

“The Xuantian Soul Art is as follows: Where you meet soul, your soul grows strong; where you meet gentleness, be gentle; where you meet strength, be strong. It includes the absorption of water, fire, thunder, and earth—the Four Absorptions—drawing upon the very essence of heaven and earth. In ancient times, divine beasts commanded these arts, and it was from them that later generations learned. You must contemplate this well.”

When the Elder finished reciting the incantation, he began to perform on the ground, leaping and spinning with the force and grace of shifting clouds and wind. With a single palm strike, he sent fountains of seawater soaring into the air, stunning Jiang Feng with the might of soul arts. After demonstrating, the Elder gave Jiang Feng some pointers. Jiang Feng felt as if a new soul had entered his body, blending harmoniously with his previous strength. He stood up and, imitating the Elder, struck the sea; soul energy surged, and the wind and clouds seemed to stir, as if a fierce dragon was about to burst forth.

The Elder nodded in satisfaction. This disciple was clearly his pride. He left the divine beast to accompany Jiang Feng, who spent ten days in unbroken cultivation of soul and Xuantian Soul Arts, his spiritual power growing ever stronger. By now, his soul energy nearly matched that of the divine beast. After several bouts of sparring, their coordination improved greatly. Though Jiang Feng could not suddenly swell his muscles at will, his body had grown much stronger than before.

A deep bond formed between Jiang Feng and the divine beast. When the Elder saw them sparring by the sea, he was left in awe. Witnessing Jiang Feng’s mastery of the elemental energies, he praised him as a worthy successor in an unbroken line of talent.

Seeing the Elder approaching from afar, Jiang Feng quickly withdrew his soul energy and ran to his master’s side. “Master, I am now able to control some soul energy. Please guide me further.” The Elder shook his head. “I have seen your strength, but you must train harder still, for only then can you withstand the overwhelming dark energy of your enemies.”

Jiang Feng admitted to himself that his skills were still lacking. While he could manipulate the Four Absorptions and even match the divine beast in sparring, in a real fight he might still come up short.

The Elder warned him not to be impatient; mastery of soul energy and the Xuantian Soul Arts could not be achieved in a day or two, but required dedicated cultivation for true accomplishment.

Jiang Feng redoubled his efforts. After more than a month, he felt his soul arts had improved yet again. It was time to bid farewell to his master, though he was reluctant to leave the divine beast that had fought by his side. Sensing Jiang Feng’s hesitation, the beast nuzzled him affectionately. Moved, Jiang Feng embraced the beast and whispered his farewells before setting off to find his master.

By the time Jiang Feng and the divine beast returned to the cabin, night had fallen. For the first time, the old man had lit torches at the door and moved the table outside, as if to see Jiang Feng off. Jiang Feng was deeply moved; after more than a month together, he had come to know the old man well—part master, part friend. Though they had been strangers, the old man had saved him, taught him the Soul Arts, and cared for him in every way.

“Silly boy, what are you brooding over? Hurry and eat. Give the sacred fruit to your companion; let’s sit down and have a good meal.”

Jiang Feng placed the sacred fruit on a plate and offered it to the divine beast, who let out a joyful cry for the first time. Hearing this, Jiang Feng felt a pang in his heart and was distracted as they ate.

“When do you plan to leave?” the Elder finally asked.

After a pause, Jiang Feng replied, “I’d like to stay a while longer. I’m reluctant to leave you, Master…”

“Silly child, don’t you have important things to do? Besides, soul energy can be cultivated anywhere, not just here. Just remember to visit this old hermit when you have time. I’ve been on this island so long, feeding the birds, but I know no one else.”

“Master, why don’t you come with me? Why bury your talents here in obscurity…”

The old man shook his head and sighed, lamenting his age. Jiang Feng said no more; they finished their meal in silence.

That night, the Elder said he wished to spar with Jiang Feng at dawn. Without hesitation, Jiang Feng agreed, regarding it as a token of gratitude—after all, the old man had taught him so much and deserved some repayment.

The next morning was bright and clear, a fine day for travel. For the first time, the Elder had tidied his hair and donned a long robe. The divine beast would be the judge; Jiang Feng and the Elder the combatants.

They each saluted, then raised their soul energy. The Elder’s stance was clearly superior, but Jiang Feng showed no fear. The wind and clouds swirled as they began, Jiang Feng even weaving the twenty-first style into the secret arts. Suddenly, a fierce wind sprang up, as if it were a duel between masters. With a swift move, the Elder broke through Jiang Feng’s soul energy while Jiang Feng was distracted by the gale, and he was swiftly defeated.

“Disciple, if you are so distracted in battle, you’d be dead if I were your enemy.”

Jiang Feng broke out in a sweat; he had focused only on the wind, forgetting his soul energy—just as his master had warned, his greatest flaw. In a true battle, such a lapse would be fatal.

The Elder patted his shoulder. “You are ready to leave, my disciple. To have exchanged even a few moves with you is enough for me. Go and do what you must. Take the divine beast as your mount—it is my parting gift. It will serve you well as you venture into the world.”