Chapter 4: The Realm of Harmonious Power

Click! The Sanbao Wish Technique could advance no further for now. Lu Sheng activated the mechanism and was just about to leave the secret chamber when a sudden realization struck him:

“The hidden passage outside is crawling with snakes and insects—this is likely part of the Serpent Pit.”

“According to the original owner’s memories, there’s a mountain in the center of Blackstone Island where snakes and insects abound; several monstrous pythons have even emerged from there in the past.”

“Some of those demon pythons are not especially large, but others can reach over thirty feet in length and a foot thick. To be able to slither in and out after feeding, they’ve carved tunnels wide enough for a person to climb or even walk through!”

“This chamber is most likely built within the Serpent Pit, taking advantage of those tunnels!”

Glancing at the map once more, Lu Sheng saw the intricate web of passageways and was now certain the chamber indeed lay within the Serpent Pit.

“The original owner, in his search for this secret room, encountered snakes and insects many times in the tunnels.”

“In the end, he was bitten by a venomous snake and died from the poison.”

“So, if I want to get out, my first challenge will probably be that very viper!”

“With demon pythons having been bred here, most of the snakes and insects in this pit possess their bloodline.”

“Some are immensely strong, others lightning fast, and some possess terrifying venom... They don’t even need to hibernate!”

“This particular viper must be extremely poisonous!”

The thought that the viper which killed the original owner might still be outside gave Lu Sheng a moment of gravity.

Though he possessed the universal merit that could purge any toxin, he had only fourteen points of merit left, and who knew how many serpents and insects he would encounter on his way out.

Lu Sheng decided it was best to familiarize himself with his own abilities and minimize any injuries while escaping the Serpent Pit.

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With his spiritual strength amplified to 5.88, Lu Sheng swiftly recalled all the basic martial arts the original owner had learned and, using his enhanced control over his body, quickly became proficient in them.

Moreover, thanks to the surge in his essence, energy, and spirit, his body seemed denser than before. Though his outward appearance had changed little, his weight had increased from just over a hundred ten pounds to nearly one hundred forty.

While the amount of force he could muster was still seven times what it had been, Lu Sheng’s strength had risen from under eight hundred pounds to over a thousand.

And even then, vast potential remained untapped within his body.

“This body previously trained in Rolling Stone Strength—a technique derived from Primordial Strength, used as a disguise.”

“If I can master it, I can swiftly switch to training Primordial Strength.”

“So, I need to bring Rolling Stone Strength to perfection and quickly cultivate Primordial Strength!”

With that thought, Lu Sheng focused his mind and began to comprehend Rolling Stone Strength:

“Rolling Stone Strength is trained mainly through Rolling Stone Palm and Rolling Stone Stance. The core is the Rolling Stone Palm!”

“Rolling Stone Palm is inspired by the motion of a rolling stone. In practice, one typically uses a stone ball, rolling it upon a stone seat as an aid in training.”

“This rolling is neither about speed nor slowness, but about grasping the essence of the stone’s movement.”

“Once that essence is grasped, the Rolling Stone Palm is mastered!”

“But reaching true mastery is no easy feat—this body began training at twelve years of age and, nearly four years later, still falls short of full proficiency, let alone enlightenment in its true essence.”

“But I am not him!”

“The former owner’s understanding was limited; he failed to grasp the true meaning of the rolling stone.”

“But I, on the other hand, truly understand!”

Thinking this, Lu Sheng gripped the round stone that had fallen with him into the chamber. Using a touch of Rolling Stone Palm, the stone dropped to the ground and rolled away with a clatter.

As it was about to strike the chamber wall, Lu Sheng reached out, guiding it with both hands; the stone ball immediately changed direction, rolling toward another spot.

“Rolling stone, rolling stone—it can mean a turning ball, or simply a stone tumbling down!”

“Such a stone could be one dropped from the city walls in defense, or rubble rolling down a mountain.”

“‘As Sun Tzu said: Like rolling round stones down a thousand-foot mountain—such is momentum.’ This is precisely the meaning of the rolling stone!”

“The rolling stone’s momentum is unstoppable! This is my Rolling Stone Palm!”

Feeling the force circulating through his body, Lu Sheng rolled the stone ball around the chamber several times, fully controlling the power and grasping the essence of the Rolling Stone Palm.

He had now brought this technique to perfection.

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“With 5.88 points of spirit, nearly six times that of an average person, my insight is truly extraordinary!”

Sensing the new strength surging within him, Lu Sheng felt a surge of satisfaction.

With just a small trial, he had perfected the Rolling Stone Palm—a feat the original owner had never achieved—and brought Rolling Stone Strength to mastery, allowing him to harness force equal to eight times his body weight.

Lu Sheng’s controllable strength now exceeded eleven hundred pounds!

“However, with the tremendous increase in my essence, energy, and spirit, even eightfold strength can’t fully unleash my potential.”

“Only by switching to Primordial Strength can I reach the ultimate ninefold strength of ordinary people, and perhaps—”

“By perfecting Primordial Strength and reaching the rare ‘Unified Force’ realm, found only among the peerless few in the martial world!”

“Only then can I wield all the power hidden within me!”

The Unified Force realm is a wondrous state in which one gains complete mastery over internal force, able to call forth every ounce of strength at will.

Martial artists who linger at the foundational stage and constantly experiment with force eventually stumble upon this insight.

Though it does little to increase raw power, the improvement in control is immense.

For instance, a martial artist with sixfold force but who has achieved Unified Force can easily defeat a rival with ninefold force but lacking that mastery.

Such a warrior can even use various techniques to overcome opponents whose raw power far surpasses their own.

Most remarkably, while the Unified Force realm cannot break through the body's natural limits, it allows for the perfect expression of physical potential.

For those with exceptionally strong constitutions or unique bloodlines, even the ninefold force offered by supreme techniques is not their true ceiling—

Only by attaining Unified Force can their strength be fully realized.

With his essence, energy, and spirit rising so swiftly, Lu Sheng too needed to reach this state in order to control his power.

Fortunately, the Primordial Strength legacy he had inherited contained guidance on reaching Unified Force. And, if one mastered Primordial Strength at the foundational level—

One could achieve Unified Force directly!

This is the greatest power of Primordial Strength as a supreme technique.

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“As a cover for the Primordial Palm, the Rolling Stone Palm shares much of its essence. With insight into the Rolling Stone Palm, I may well grasp the meaning of the Primordial Palm and reach perfection immediately upon switching.”

“As for the techniques themselves, with a spirit magnified to 5.88, I should learn swiftly!”

“But to increase my chance of immediate mastery, I need to comprehend the Emperor Jing’s legacy of Daoist intent!”

“As the creator of Primordial Strength, Emperor Jing’s true meaning must be of immense help to me!”

Recalling the Wish Technique’s earlier recording and activation of the Primordial True Intent and its “comprehend at will” prompt, Lu Sheng did not hesitate and silently commanded:

“Comprehend the Primordial True Intent!”

Instantly, a sense of wholeness and perfection, the seamless turning of the primordial force, surged through Lu Sheng’s mind, only to vanish in a heartbeat.

The feeling was so flawless that even after it faded, Lu Sheng remained lost in it for a long while, unable to extricate himself.

“So this is the true intent Emperor Jing left behind?”

After some time, Lu Sheng finally emerged from the trance, feeling a faint sense of loss.

The true intent left by Emperor Jing was simply too powerful, too perfect; even with his spirit raised to 5.88, Lu Sheng had barely brushed its edge.

Yet even that faint touch was enough for him to transform his understanding of the rolling stone’s essence into the primordial essence, bringing the Primordial Palm directly to perfection!

“My own intent must someday surpass even this!”

With that thought, Lu Sheng finally understood why so many cultivated the legacy of peerless grandmasters, yet none became one themselves—

Such immense, perfect, flawless intent is indeed nearly impossible to surpass!