Taiyue was sent flying dozens of meters, yet when he slammed into the wall, it didn’t unleash an earth-shattering destructive force.
But for that very reason, the onlookers’ pupils contracted in shock.
After all, under normal circumstances, the force of that punch should have at least punched a large hole through the Temple wall, if not outright collapsed it.
The fact that the wall remained undamaged wasn’t because it was particularly sturdy, but because Li Chang’an’s control over his own power was astounding, reaching a state of perfect command!
Although they had only exchanged two blows, every discerning eye in the room could see the truth. Taiyue, rumored to have long ago cultivated the Martial Dao to the Ultimate Realm, was simply not in the same league as the legendary "Ancestor of Martial Arts."
If the Ancestor of Martial Arts truly wanted to kill him, Taiyue likely wouldn’t even know how he died.
Their understanding of the Martial Dao was on completely different levels.
To be honest, in all these years, aside from the Martial God Man Yu, no other human had ever cultivated the Martial Dao to such a level.
To suddenly witness it now, it was no wonder they were all so shocked.
Lying on the ground, Taiyue coughed twice and struggled to prop himself up. He glanced down at his fractured arm, then looked up at the still-unruffled Li Chang’an in the distance. A cold sweat drenched his entire body.
In the past, he had studied the Martial Dao under Man Yu for several years.
Although Man Yu had never mentioned Li Chang’an in his presence, Taiyue had repeatedly heard the name from others.
The so-called ’Ancestor of Martial Arts’ was Man Yu’s teacher.
He was an existence even more powerful and terrifying than the Martial God who followed.
But back then, Taiyue hadn’t believed it in the slightest. In his eyes, his master, Man Yu, was the strongest—invincible, with no weaknesses whatsoever.
That was precisely why, upon hearing that Li Chang’an had returned to the Fusang Tribe, he had come rushing over so eagerly. He wanted to prove that what he had believed in his youth was right.
But now, having truly crossed blades with Li Chang’an, Taiyue finally understood just how absurdly wrong he had been.
If the impression Man Yu left on him was that of a hill, then Li Chang’an, who had just casually made two moves, was a silent sea. A single glance wasn’t enough to see its distant shores.
After setting his fractured arm, a disgraced and dust-covered Taiyue remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. "I lost. I apologize for my earlier offense!"
Li Chang’an smiled. "It’s a good thing for a young man to have a heart dedicated to the Martial Dao and the courage to issue a challenge..."
He paused, his voice tinged with emotion. "However, the greatest taboos in Martial Dao cultivation are recklessness and arrogance. Many tribes call you the foremost Martial Artist of the Human Race’s younger generation. You believe your strength is formidable and your talent is extraordinary, which has led you to become condescending and proud... But you fail to realize that in the presence of a true expert, everything you possess can be wiped away with the snap of a finger!"
"If you wish to continue progressing on the path of the Martial Dao, you must shed your conceited heart and cultivate with diligence and humility. You no longer have a master, so let me be the one to teach you this lesson today. Whether or not you’re willing to listen, however, is up to you!"
Li Chang’an’s speech was long, but after the display of power he had just given, no one dared let his words go in one ear and out the other.
Including Taiyue, everyone present listened in silence.
...
The sacrificial ceremony held by the Fusang Tribe soon concluded. At the same time, news about Li Chang’an spread like wildfire.
That the Ancestor of Martial Arts was strong enough to easily defeat Taiyue—a man on the verge of being recognized as the number one figure of the Human Race’s younger generation—truly exceeded many people’s expectations.
Of course, the surprise wasn’t that Li Chang’an could defeat Taiyue.
It was that he had defeated Taiyue so easily, using nothing but pure Martial Arts Power, without a trace of Incense Fire Cultivation.
Naturally, Li Chang’an paid no mind to the opinions of the outside world.
Now that he had returned to his own domain, the challenges he faced would no longer be confined to the Mortal Realm, as they had been in the past.
Instead, he would be coming face-to-face with the gods of the Celestial Realm.
Seizing the opportunity before those beings in the heavens made their next move, Li Chang’an decided to first complete his Molting.
The Molting process provides a terrifying boost to one’s physical strength.
In the Cultivation System of the Incense and Candle Divine Dao, an increase in physical strength doesn’t necessarily translate to a major boost in combat power. However, besides cultivating the Incense and Candle Divine Dao, Li Chang’an was also a formidably powerful Martial Artist.
Under these circumstances, any improvement tied to physical strength would be magnified countless times by the Martial Dao, providing an immediate and dramatic increase in his combat effectiveness.
Ever since defeating Taiyue, Li Chang’an could clearly feel that the Power of Incense he was receiving had grown more vast and pure.
As this Power of Incense surged into his body, Li Chang’an’s Realm had already begun to loosen. Molting was just a single thought away.
After instructing Lu Sang to forbid anyone from entering the Divine Hall, Li Chang’an began his breakthrough.
Within the Cultivation System of the Incense and Candle Divine Dao, the Transformed Form allows a being born of nature to become a creature acknowledged by the world itself.
And reaching the stage of Molting was another opportunity for a carp to leap over the dragon gate—a chance for a complete transformation.
A successful Molting allows a being to shed its past weaknesses and limitations, to be completely reborn. It is an ascension to a higher level of existence, becoming a more advanced Incense Half-God Body.
In other words, the Shell-Breaking Realm is the most critical step for any being cultivating the Incense and Candle Divine Dao who wishes to transcend the mundane and become a Divine Spirit.
At the same time, Molting is one of the most difficult trials in the entire Incense and Candle Divine Dao Cultivation System. The giant wolf Li Chang’an had previously encountered in the Nine-Tower Mountain Tribe was a prime example of failure.
...