Belief of the Theater Dao
The moment Ning Ruyu's voice fell, that towering giant wave had already crashed towards the two figures on the reef with a loud boom, like the palm of a sea god reaching out from the abyss!
If this wave was placed on the coast, it would definitely be a terrifying natural disaster, instantly smashing all surrounding roads and buildings to pieces. Even Chen Ling, without using any skills, would be sent flying by a single wave and directly swept into the bottom of the sea.
But at this moment, before the giant wave, that white-clothed figure remained as immovable as a mountain.
Between his broad white sleeves, Ning Ruyu's slender hands leisurely brushed past, as if casually parting an invisible gauze curtain. An indescribable Aura explosively erupted from the nothingness in front of him!
The next moment, the towering giant wave was actually broken open with a gap in the center, as if a pair of invisible giant hands reached in and directly tore it open from the middle!
Not only this wave, but even the sea surface in front of the reef was parted with a huge gap. The split giant wave roared and swept past from both sides of the reef, but uniquely avoided the two of them in the center, crashing on the sea surface with a thunderous explosion!
Boom—
Fine seawater sprinkled down like raindrops, yet failed to touch that white-clothed figure in the slightest. Even until the giant wave receded, not even a corner of his clothes was moistened...
At some unknown time, the heavily clouded sky now seemed to have been slashed open by a sword. Golden sunlight sprinkled onto the sea surface from that crack, sparkling all the way to in front of Ning Ruyu, enveloping him within.
This mortal-like palm strike parted the giant wave, parted the sea surface, and also parted the sky;
"Is this... [Sleeve-Hand Pushing Heaven]?" Chen Ling stared blankly at this scene, muttering to himself.
Ning Ruyu withdrew his hand amidst the sky full of fine rain, turned his head to look at Chen Ling, and smiled slightly.
"Little Junior Brother, did you see clearly?"
"...No." Chen Ling frowned slightly. "I don't understand... Without using Spiritual Power, what exactly was that power that parted the wave? It couldn't possibly be palm wind, right?"
"Naturally not. [Sleeve-Hand Pushing Heaven] is different from other secret methods. Its power comes from the 'Belief of the Theater Dao'."
"Belief of the Theater Dao?"
"Whether in ancient times or modern times, an actor's Performance on Stage requires the support of 'belief'. The stronger the sense of belief, the deeper they immerse themselves into The Role, and the more real the Performance becomes... When it becomes real to a certain extent, it can shake The Fourth Wall between them and The Audience, affecting their emotions across space, and even their future living habits.
The Ancient Vault of the Drama Path is able to materialize illusory stories relying precisely on an existence similar to the 'Belief of the Theater Dao'. When we believe the scenes or props in the story are real, then they are real.
Of course, the manifestations in the Ancient Vault of the Drama Path are so real because this Ancient Vault is the 'Path of the Actor' itself. And everyone who steps onto the Path of the Actor will possess a part of the Path of the Actor. So when we pour 'belief' into the Path of the Actor itself, we can also influence the surrounding environment to a certain extent. This is the principle of [Sleeve-Hand Pushing Heaven]."
Ning Ruyu's explanation was easy to understand, and Chen Ling immediately grasped the essence, subsequently asking:
"Then doesn't that mean every possessor of the Path of the Actor can 'have all their wishes come true'?"
"Of course not. It's not that easy to influence the surrounding environment through 'belief'... Only during the process of a Performance, when the sense of belief and one's own spiritual resonance reach their peak, only in that split second can one cause an impact on the surroundings.
This process is actually very difficult and hard to consciously control. After all, things like emotion and resonance can mostly only be encountered by chance... For example, like I just mentioned, a power released crossing three Ranks requires favorable timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony to be created. It cannot be replicated, and every occurrence is enough to be recorded in the history of the Theater Dao."
Chen Ling was deep in thought.
"So, how should I practice?"
"Give up using Spiritual Power, don't use any skills. Repeat my previous actions here, and try to mobilize your belief to push aside the crashing waves... As soon as you can part a corner of any wave, it'll be considered a success."
Ning Ruyu pointed to the continuous, roaring giant waves in the distance. "These waves get stronger one after another. Moreover, once the trial begins, it cannot be paused midway. The further you get, the more your physical strength will be overdrawn. If you still haven't mastered [Sleeve-Hand Pushing Heaven] within ninety-nine waves, it'll be very hard to survive the final giant wave... Generally speaking, this process takes about three days, and even if you finally master the secret method, you'll have to recuperate for three to five days.
However, Senior Brother made some modifications for you. Currently, there is an undercurrent beneath this reef. Every time you fall into the water, the undercurrent will send you back, saving you from exhausting your physical strength struggling back on your own. This will also greatly shorten the trial time. If you master it fast enough and don't consume much, you might even make it back to the Red Dust Domain today."
Hearing this, Chen Ling sincerely cupped his hands to Ning Ruyu. "Thank you, First Senior Brother!"
Ning Ruyu waved his hand.
"This is all Senior Brother can do for you... Whether you can rush back to the Red Dust Domain today depends on yourself."
As his voice fell, Ning Ruyu's figure gradually faded on the reef. Finally, above this turbulent sea surface, only Chen Ling was left alone.
His gaze fell on those turbulent waves one after another, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes.
The Great Crimson Theatrical Robe fluttered in the howling wind. Chen Ling's sleeve slowly raised, imitating Ning Ruyu's posture just now while softly speaking:
"Fusing the sense of belief into the Path of the Actor, huh..."
[Audience Expectation Value +2]
...
At the same time.
At the entrance of the Ancient Vault of the Drama Path.
Ning Ruyu stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the red-clothed figure amidst the turbulent waves not far away, as if watching an incredibly real movie Performance.
"It seems you still stopped him." Wen Renyou's voice came from behind. Ning Ruyu turned his head and found Luan Mei walking towards him alongside him.
"Little Junior Brother is going to take risks. As his First Senior Brother, I have to stop him at least." Ning Ruyu said helplessly.
"Does he absolutely have to go?"
"Looking at his attitude, he absolutely has to go."
"So, you still let him enter the Raging Waves Image... Aren't you afraid he'll encounter an accident inside? Nobody has ever relied on this method to master [Sleeve-Hand Pushing Heaven] before." Luan Mei looked at Ning Ruyu.
"The past is the past. Little Junior Brother is different from other people." Ning Ruyu shook his head. "Besides, wanting him to quickly master [Sleeve-Hand Pushing Heaven], this might be the only way..."
"Aren't you afraid he won't be able to withstand the ninety-nine waves and encounter danger inside?"
"If it really comes to that step, I will naturally save him no matter what." Ning Ruyu paused for a moment,
"However, if he can't even pass this trial... there truly is no need for him to go throw his life away in the Red Dust Domain. When that time comes, no matter what he says, I won't let him leave."