Ninth In the World

Boom! Di Jiu swung a fist as he was standing outside the swamp. A giant rock at least three meters in circumference was turned to dust.

Di Jiu frowned, but did not continue. He had been swinging this fist for more than a month, yet he still felt that something was missing.

This subtle feeling was indeed strange. Although he seemed to have attained a very powerful form in this fist, he still believed that his fist could be even more formidable and create an even stranger feeling.

He, Geng Ji and Little Tree had been cultivating underneath this swamp for more than a year. No one had come so far, except for a few swamp demon beasts, perhaps because they had run a significant distance away.

During the past year, Di Jiu had spent at most five months cultivating and perfecting the Qi Refinement realm. Ever since he had perfected the Qi Refinement realm, he had been unable to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, even though he had tried really hard.

Di Jiu had no other choice but to learn blacksmithing to refine a saber Dharma treasure that was suitable for him. The Dharma treasures of the others became better and better, while his only got worse. Although he had a long saber in his hand, he still missed that kitchen knife.

Unfortunately, the progress of his blacksmithing skills was too slow to compare to his cultivation speed.

He had almost refined all the materials he had obtained, yet the improvement of his blacksmithing skills seemed small. Perhaps this was because he had no true master to guide him, or because his flame was insufficient. After striving for more than half a year, he only managed to refine low-grade Dharma weapons.

Geng Ji, who was a cultivation maniac, would continue cultivating until Di Jiu stopped him.

Di Jiu was unable to attain the Foundation Establishment Realm and he had no blacksmithing materials, so he could only cultivate the fist movement on that incomplete jade slip.

He had obtained the magic fist technique from the Qi Family’s Commercial Building. Based on his usual learning speed, he should be able to learn the fist movement quickly.

The truth was that, even though he had learned it more than a month ago, he still felt that he had not grasped the essence of the movement.

The jade slip explained that this movement had sufficient power behind it, so when the fist landed, its aura would stop all the surrounding space. Di Jiu believed that this showed one’s control over combat space. The power behind his fist was good, but he still did not feel like he was controlling space when he swung his fist.

Di Jiu did not know how long he stood outside the swamp and tried to gain some insight. He suddenly came back to reality when he sensed a deadly threat.

A massive two-tailed leopard pounced over extremely fast from more than 30 meters away. By the time Di Jiu saw the leopard, it was already above him.

The powerful aura of the beast showed Di Jiu that this was definitely a level-two demon beast.

Di Jiu lifted his hand and punched out without hesitation.

He had practised this fist movement for more than a month, so punching out was practically an instinctive reaction.

Di Jiu only had one thought as he punched out: he had to kill the two-tailed leopard.

The space around him folded as he made that hasty fist movement. Although his fist punched out with no clear target, Di Jiu felt all his killing aura gather in his palm and control that spatial area.

His fist seemed to create a gigantic mountain out of nowhere and punch it out along with Di Jiu’s fist aura.

Was this an inclination punch? Di Jiu felt pleased. This hasty fist movement contained what he had been searching for for more than a month.

Boom! The fist aura transformed into an illusionary mountain peak that landed on the head of the two-tailed leopard. Something cracked as the two-tailed leopard fell from the sky like a deflated balloon.

Di Jiu, who was currently submerged into his fist intent, sensed that this movement did not end with the death of the leopard. Another mountain peak was punched out after the first one.

The second mountain peak seemed to transform into boundless waves. Unfortunately, his fist aura had become weak, so the waves took no form.

Di Jiu punched out once again without hesitation. The furious waves finally took shape and started flowing one after another. The aura was majestic and powerful.

Crack! Di Jiu’s fist aura created a ravine that was more than 30 meters long. Di Jiu only opened his eyes when he felt giddy.

He suddenly felt hot-blooded. Other people punched out with their fists, but he punched out by creating massive peaks. After sensing the fist aura, the massive peaks he punched out came out one after another. This was only the beginning. So long as he had sufficient fist intent, furious roaring waves would come right behind these mountain peaks.

“Peaks gather and waves roar…”

Although this magic technique only involved one fist movement, Di Jiu was able to punch out a second time and create furious waves.

From then on, the first fist movement would be called Gathering Peaks, and the second fist movement would be called Furious Waves.

These two fist moves were more formidable than his few saber moves. Di Jiu believed that he had yet to grasp the essence of these two movements, which should contain an even more profound intent. However, his cultivation level was too low, so he could only sense a meager amount of this fist intent.

As Zhang Yanghao’s ¹ song said, “Gathering peaks and furious waves, the Tongguan ² Road is situated at the foot of a mountain beside a river ³ . As I look to the West at the faraway ancient capital of Chang’an, my heart is filled with thoughts and doubts.”

Zhang Yanghao meant that when he looked at the historical ruins of the Qing and Han Dynasties along his journey, he had mixed sorrowful feelings. The Wanjian Palace ¹ had been buried in soil. Whenever the dynasty had been prospering, the commoners had been suffering; whenever the dynasty had been dying, the commoners had been suffering even more.

The fist intent of the two movements instead meant that gathering peaks and furious waves engulfed the space within the fist. If one tried to defend themselves, they would die; if they tried to escape, they would die as well.

However, the two fist movements required too much energy. Although his spirits were still high, Di Jiu’s entire body felt weak.

He was certain that his fists had surpassed the incomplete jade slip and reached new heights. When someone faced his perfected fist moves one day, they would suffer the same fate as the Wanjian Palace.

As that inexplicable feeling engulfed him, Di Jiu’s Galaxy Art started regulating on its own. The galaxy within him, which was transformed from his meridian, became clearer and created a majestic, boundless feeling.

Crack! The layer that did not allow his cultivation to advance any further cracked like an egg shell.

Di Jiu’s aura soared rapidly. After this moment of enlightenment, he realized that he had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, which he had been trying to attain for several months.

He immediately grabbed a pile of Spirit Stones and threw them aside without hesitation. Meanwhile, his aura continued to rise.

The Spirit Stones beside him kept cracking one after another. The Spirit Qi from the broken Spirit Stones merged with the Spirit Qi of the surrounding atmosphere and was absorbed by Di Jiu.

Di Jiu did not care whether this place was suitable or even safe for cultivation. He could clearly sense a new Law of Cultivation that provided guidance to his Qi Circulation method now that he had attained the Foundation Establishment Realm. Despite his ignorance, Di Jiu knew that he owed this to the gray stone in his Spiritual Sea, which had merged with his insight. Thus, he obtained the last part of the Galaxy Art cultivation technique.

Boom! As the Spirit Qi Di Jiu absorbed once again reached a limit, his cultivation level broke through to the first-stage Foundation Establishment Realm and the second-stage Foundation Establishment Realm.

By the time Di Jiu returned to reality, the Spirit Stones beside him had transformed into powder.

Di Jiu roared before pulling the long saber out and swinging it.

The ravine created by his two punches deepened further as a result.

“Have you perfected your saber moves, Brother Jiu?” Geng Ji and Little Tree rushed out of the swamp when they heard Di Jiu’s roar.

“It’s not my saber moves that I perfected, it is…” Di Jiu was about to express his joy, when he saw Geng Ji’s cultivation level. He immediately said in pleasant surprise, “Geng Ji! Have you successfully attained the Foundation Establishment Realm as well?”

“That’s right, Brother Jiu!” Geng Ji said excitedly. “I have already attained and perfected the Qi Refinement Realm. However, the Galaxy Art does not include any cultivation techniques for the Foundation Establishment Realm, so I could not attain it, no matter what methods I used. Just as I was thinking whether I should leave in search of the Foundation Establishment Elixir, I suddenly sensed a Foundation Establishment Law. Thanks to this Law, the circulation of my Galaxy Art became more pronounced and the galaxy within me became more solid. That was how I successfully attained the Foundation Establishment Realm.”

“Did you gain any insight on how to complete a Qi Circulation after attaining the Foundation Establishment Realm?” asked Di Jiu.

Geng Ji nodded his head. “I was about to tell you, Brother Jiu. I used the succeeding Qi Channeling method, which is completely different from the Qi Refinement Realm…”

Geng Ji explained his Qi Channeling method to Di Jiu, who was very impressed. Both of them cultivated using the Galaxy Art. A galaxy was formed within Geng Ji while he was cultivating, so he would absorb the Spirit Qi through this galaxy. Meanwhile, a galaxy was formed within Di Jiu while he was cultivating, so he would absorb the Spirit Qi through this galaxy as well.

Both he and Geng Ji had successfully attained the Foundation Establishment Realm despite not possessing any Foundation Establishment cultivation techniques. They had obtained a new Foundation Establishment cultivation technique as a result of the galaxy or galaxy within them. However, their cultivation techniques were completely different.

Di Jiu was certain that the reason Geng Ji’s galaxy could produce a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation technique was related to his gray stone.

How could the gray stone with the golden light defy the heavens?

“Look at my Thunder Sword, Brother Jiu,” Geng Ji said as he made some hand seals.

Several Thunder Swords landed on the ravine Di Jiu’s attack had created. Thunder sparks flew everywhere, creating more than 10 deep marks around the ravine.

Little Tree was kind of unhappy. Although it had advanced and joined the ranks of level-two demon beasts, the only attacking technique it could use was still binding someone and absorbing their blood.

“Brother Jiu, I believe that I will be able to advance to the next cultivation level very soon. Why don’t we keep cultivating a little longer?” Geng Ji, who sensed that Di Jiu was thinking of leaving, believed that he could attain the second-stage Foundation Establishment Realm if he was given a few more days.

“We should not stay here. Our cultivation path does not involve entering reclusive cultivation every day. There’s no point in purely increasing our cultivation level. We need to increase our cultivation through trial. That way, we could reap more benefits,” said Di Jiu as he patted Geng Ji.

While he had been practising the fist movement for a month, he had managed to gain insight on the first fist move, which was called Gathering Peaks, and the second fist move, which was called Furious Waves. Then, he had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, which was a much better result than his results after going into seclusion for six months.

1. a politician and littérateur of the Yuan Dynasty
2. a county in the Chinese Shaanxi Province
3. it is strategically located and difficult to access
4. one of the many palaces of the forbidden city of Beijing.