Chapter Eighteen: The Martial Soul of Ice and Fire

Within the secret chamber, Qi Fei circulated the true energy within his body, slowly guiding it according to the “Qi Absorption Technique,” the foundational martial art of the Danxia Sect. Though this technique was far inferior to the “Xuantian Heart Sutra,” it was nonetheless a balanced and harmonious method of breathing and cultivation. As Qi Fei’s true energy coursed through his body, he began to sense a faint swelling in his dantian and sea of qi.

His master, Mo Zhanpeng, standing nearby, detected the disturbance in Qi Fei’s energy and nodded with satisfaction. “In just a few days, you’ve mastered the Qi Absorption Technique. Your talent is indeed exceptional. With the aid of the Gathering Essence Pill, your true energy has grown strong. As for the method of condensing energy into a martial soul, all it requires is gradual progress. In time, you will certainly succeed.”

Qi Fei had previously been nothing more than a herb-gathering boy in the sect’s outer court. Although he now possessed both righteous and demonic supreme techniques, his journey in martial arts had only just begun. On the day the Bloodshadow True Lord neared his end, he had not had time to explain the intricacies of martial cultivation, leaving Qi Fei with only the vaguest understanding of the profundity of the martial soul.

With the seven-day deadline approaching, Qi Fei seized the opportunity to ask, “Master, you’ve often spoken of the mystical powers of the martial soul as the foundation of martial cultivation. Could you explain in detail the path of the martial soul?”

Mo Zhanpeng pondered briefly before replying, “The martial soul is the very root of martial cultivation. By practicing martial arts, one breathes and guides the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the body, transforming it into inner breath. When this inner breath pierces through all the body’s meridians, it is refined into martial true energy. Once this energy is achieved, the next step is to use martial techniques to condense it within the dantian and sea of qi, preventing its dissipation, and to further draw in the energy of heaven and earth. Only after countless refinements can one finally condense a martial soul in the dantian.

“There are countless cultivation techniques in the world, and the innate talent and physique of martial artists vary greatly. Thus, the martial souls they forge are myriad and ever-changing. Back in my day, I cultivated what is among the most common: the Strength Martial Soul. As its name implies, it bestows unrivaled might, allowing one to gain the strength of many men and shatter mountains with a mere gesture.”

Qi Fei committed his master’s words to memory, then asked, “Aside from the Strength Martial Soul, what other types exist? What are their unique powers?”

Mo Zhanpeng paused before answering, “Martial souls are myriad, ever-changing, and interrelated according to the laws of yin and yang and the five elements. The Metal Martial Soul is indestructible; with it, the body becomes impervious to blade and weapon. The Fire Martial Soul is forceful and fierce; its true energy burns like fire, hot enough to melt iron and gold. The Ice Martial Soul is insidiously cold, harming others invisibly; if its chilling true energy strikes the heart veins, all blood may freeze and burst in an instant. The Wind Martial Soul grants ghostlike speed, letting one travel a thousand miles in a day. The Thunder Martial Soul is supremely domineering, its attacks carrying the weight of a thousand thunderbolts...

“In short, the martial soul is wondrous beyond compare. Only by forging a martial soul can one be said to have truly entered the path of martial cultivation. My own realm is but the fourth heaven of martial arts, and my experience is limited; what I know is only the surface.”

Qi Fei’s heart surged with excitement, wishing he could immediately forge his martial soul. “Master, you are too modest. Your teachings have finally illuminated my understanding.”

“When you have forged your martial soul, you will naturally comprehend its mysteries. Furthermore, to advance in cultivation, your martial soul must be continually tempered and refined to reach the great Dao.”

During his days in seclusion, Qi Fei, wary of exposing the secrets of his supreme techniques, concealed sixty percent of his true energy and dared not practice the “Xuantian Heart Sutra” in his master’s presence.

Eager to cultivate his martial soul, Qi Fei hatched a plan. “Master, you have painstakingly guided me these past days, for which I am deeply grateful. But now that the sect is in crisis, I suspect the Sect Leader has matters needing your counsel. Why not attend to these important affairs first and return to instruct me later? I shall attempt to comprehend the method of condensing energy into spirit on my own, and if I encounter difficulties, I will seek your advice.”

Mo Zhanpeng’s face clouded with worry at these words, and he sighed, “Xuanzhen Monastery and the Seven Absolutes Sect press us relentlessly. Rumor has it the Sect Leader, to preserve our foundation, has resolved to surrender much of our sect’s precious medicine to them. Anxiety fills the sect, and your senior brothers who have already formed martial souls have been secluded in the rear mountains for many days. Indeed, I should see to these matters. You are still under watch—do not leave this place without permission. Senior Brother Jiang completed his true energy months ago and is a step from the martial soul. If you have questions, you may ask him.”

Just then, urgent bells rang from the direction of the main hall, and Mo Zhanpeng’s expression changed. Leaving Qi Fei alone, he hurriedly departed for the main hall.

Once Mo Zhanpeng left, Qi Fei performed a full cycle of the Qi Absorption Technique, then held his breath and listened carefully. Only then did he begin to circulate the chilling energy of the Spirit Jade, hidden in his dantian. Using the “Spiritual Insight Formula,” he reversed the flow of energy, instantly unleashing the sixty percent of his true energy he had kept hidden. In that moment, the energy within him surged tremendously.

As soon as the profound heart method of the Xuantian Heart Sutra began to operate, his vast true energy flowed smoothly through his meridians, finally returning to nourish his dantian and sea of qi.

Qi Fei felt a growing sensation of fullness in his dantian—an omen of the martial soul’s formation. He dared not hesitate and poured more and more true energy into his dantian.

Having broadened his meridians and nourished his sea of qi with the spirit jade over many days, the method of condensing spirit from the Xuantian Heart Sutra proceeded as naturally as water flowing downhill. In an instant, warmth bloomed in his lower abdomen.

This warmth came from the martial energy coalescing in his dantian. Following the instructions of the Xuantian Heart Sutra, Qi Fei continued channeling his true energy into his dantian.

When eighty percent of his true energy had been injected, a sudden and irresistible heat burst forth from his dantian, gathering into a swirling current within. The heat grew, soon torturing Qi Fei with waves of agony, as though he were being consumed by fire.

He knew that without a firm will, one could never achieve the martial soul. This was but the first step on the path of the Dao; how could he falter now?

Qi Fei gritted his teeth and endured for half an hour. At last, the burning sensation faded, and his true energy, passing through the dantian, transformed into even purer, blazing energy. Sensing the change, Qi Fei was overjoyed—he had succeeded in condensing spirit into soul.

Within him, the martial soul manifested as a blazing, miniature fireball that quickly refined all his energy into pure, fiery true energy.

Could it be that he had forged the Fire Martial Soul his master had described?

Qi Fei’s eyes flew open. Circulating his new energy, he raised his palm and struck the air. At once, a wave of scorching force swept through the chamber, making it feel like an inferno.

A Fire Martial Soul—he had truly achieved the soul of blazing energy, hot enough to melt iron and gold. His heart surged with excitement, but at that moment, a sudden change erupted within his dantian.

The cold energy transformed from the spirit jade ignored his will, surging from his limbs and bones as if alive, encircling the hard-won fire soul.

In an instant, an icy chill rose from his abdomen, and the pure, blazing true energy he’d just refined, now beyond his control, was forced back into the dantian, surrounded by the spirit jade’s cold.

Suddenly, Qi Fei felt as though he had fallen into an ice cellar; his blood seemed to freeze from the domineering cold. Yet the Fire Martial Soul was not to be outdone—it exploded with a surge of heat, and his whole body seemed to boil.

The fiery martial soul and the chilling spirit jade energy vied for dominance, subjecting Qi Fei to alternating waves of burning and freezing agony. Only after an unknown period did the turmoil in his body subside.

Parched, his throat almost smoking, Qi Fei shivered from the cold that lingered in his body. Finally regaining his composure, he broke out in a cold sweat.

The path of cultivation was perilous indeed: after finally forging a Fire Martial Soul, he now found it entangled with the chilling energy of the spirit jade. Now his energy alternated between heat and cold—he scarcely knew whether to laugh or cry.

Hesitant but unable to resist, Qi Fei circulated the strange, fluctuating energy to examine the state of his dantian. He worried: both the Fire Martial Soul and the spirit jade’s cold were vital to him—he could not afford for either to go awry.

Cautiously, he guided his energy into his dantian, and instantly felt the alternating warmth and chill divide into two distinct streams, each merging into a separate current.

As his true energy touched them, a wave of unease swept over him.

Within his dantian, two distinct currents—one hot, one cold—stood in stark contrast. Was this truly the martial soul he had forged? If the burning current was the Fire Martial Soul, then could the spirit jade’s cold have formed an icy martial soul? Was this the insidious Ice Martial Soul, deadly and unseen?

Could it be that he had forged two martial souls? But neither of his masters had ever mentioned that the method of condensing spirit might yield two souls. And if the spirit jade’s cold had become an Ice Martial Soul, how could he conceal this double soul—sure to attract disaster—without having achieved the True Essence of the Mystic Sect?

For a time, Qi Fei’s mind was in turmoil. He did not know if this strange dual martial soul was a blessing or a curse.