I Can Traverse Multiple Worlds-Chapter 38: Fusing Martial Arts, Forging a New Path

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Fusing Martial Arts, Forging a New Path

The moment Liao Zhen finished speaking,

All the monks’ gazes fell upon Zhi Kong and Zhi Hyun in unison.

If a successor had to be chosen for the position of Abbot, the choice could only be between these two highly respected heads.

Zhi Kong was the head of the Arhat Hall, and Zhi Hyun was the head of the Precepts Hall.

Both had contributed a great deal to Wuxiang Temple, and both were powerful Human Immortals in the Refining Acupoints realm.

It seemed either of them would be a fine choice!

Upon hearing this, Zhi Kong lowered his head.

Zhi Hyun also remained silent, but his hand unconsciously tightened its grip on his Demon-Subduing Pestle.

Just as everyone waited in anticipation,

Liao Zhen spoke. "After I pass into nirvana, Zhi Kong will serve as the next Abbot. Zhi Hyun, you will be the Supervisor, assisting Zhi Kong in handling the various affairs of Wuxiang Temple."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "However, until the Dharma assembly is over, Zhi Kong, you will be the acting Abbot. Once the assembly concludes and the situation stabilizes, you will formally assume the position of Abbot after announcing the news of my death."

Zhi Kong’s expression tightened at these words. "Master," he said hastily, "this disciple is untalented and unworthy. I’m afraid..."

Before he could finish, Liao Zhen cut him off.

"I have already made my decision. From now on, you will manage Wuxiang Temple according to your own ideas. There is nothing more to be said."

He had made this decision after deep and careful consideration.

He had personally trained both Zhi Kong and Zhi Hyun.

Thus, he was perfectly clear about their respective personalities.

Zhi Kong had a steady personality. Though not a man of many words, he was extremely mature and magnanimous in his actions.

Furthermore, he possessed a unique insight, having been able to discover a prodigy as unprecedented as Wu Chen.

In Zhi Kong’s hands, Wuxiang Temple would surely flourish.

Zhi Hyun, on the other hand, though more talented than Zhi Kong, had a deep and scheming personality. He was fond of plotting in the shadows and showed little mercy in his dealings, always taking matters to the extreme.

If Wuxiang Temple were entrusted to Zhi Hyun, it would inevitably be led astray.

Therefore, Liao Zhen felt that having Zhi Hyun assist Zhi Kong, handling matters that Zhi Kong couldn’t, was the most beneficial arrangement for Wuxiang Temple’s future.

Having said his piece, Liao Zhen turned to Zhi Hyun.

"Zhi Hyun, do you have any objections to this?"

Zhi Hyun’s expression remained unchanged. He pressed his palms together and chanted a Buddhist mantra.

"Amitabha. Senior Brother has toiled for many years and his contributions are great. He also found a disciple as exceptionally talented as Nephew Wu Chen, a monumental contribution to the future of our Wuxiang Temple. This disciple has no objections."

Liao Zhen said faintly,

"My reason for choosing Zhi Kong as the next Abbot wasn’t because of Wu Chen..."

He started to explain, but then he thought of Zhi Hyun’s personality, and his words turned into a sigh.

"Sigh... For those of us who practice Buddhist Cultivation, fame, fortune, and status should be mere worldly possessions. Yet now we are troubled by them. How sorrowful. Zhi Hyun, as your master, I only hope that after I pass into nirvana, you will do your utmost to assist your Senior Brother in managing Wuxiang Temple."

"After all, this is a home to you both."

Zhi Hyun tightened his grip on the Demon-Subduing Pestle and lowered his head. "This disciple will obey Master’s command."

Only then did Liao Zhen turn to Zhi Kong, who was standing to the side.

"Zhi Kong, come here."

Zhi Kong walked slowly to Liao Zhen’s side, pressed his palms together, and knelt.

Liao Zhen removed the Vilu Hat from his own head and placed it on Zhi Kong’s. He then draped his Brocade Kasaya over Zhi Kong’s shoulders and said with earnest gravity,

"Zhi Kong, this is not an honor, but a responsibility. I am entrusting the future of Wuxiang Temple to you."

Zen Master Zhi Kong lowered his head, tears welling in his eyes. "This disciple will not fail to live up to Master’s trust."

Liao Zhen smiled, then turned to Wang Xiao, who was standing nearby.

"Wu Chen, you come here as well."

"Yes."

Wang Xiao walked over, pressed his palms together, and knelt by Liao Zhen’s bed.

Liao Zhen reached out a wizened hand and stroked Wang Xiao’s head.

"Wu Chen, good child. The future of Wuxiang Temple will also depend on you. I truly wish I could see the day you achieve the Celestial Human Realm."

Wang Xiao pressed his palms together.

"Abbot, please rest assured. Wuxiang Temple will only become better and better."

Liao Zhen beamed and pressed his palms together.

"Amitabha. Excellent, excellent."

He slowly closed his eyes, and his head slumped forward.

In the year 2024 of the Great Wu Calendar,

Liao Zhen, the Abbot of Wuxiang Temple, a Human Immortal of the Refining Acupoints realm, passed into nirvana in his meditation room.

The monks were overcome with grief. They buried Liao Zhen in the back courtyard and kept the news of his passing a secret.

On that day, Zen Master Zhi Kong became the acting Abbot of Wuxiang Temple, taking full responsibility for all its affairs.

The ordinary monks and Little Monks, naturally, knew nothing of Liao Zhen’s death and went about their lives as usual.

Wang Xiao also returned to his small courtyard and began to stabilize his realm.

At the same time, he began his push toward the Celestial Human Realm.

To break through to the Celestial Human Realm, one necessary condition was to build a Divine Bridge within the body!

Only with the appearance of the Divine Bridge could one connect the Five Viscera to the Mud Ball Palace, break through the Heaven-Breaking Pass, and become a Celestial Being!

’I need to systematically organize the Martial Arts from my two lives, merge them all into one, and forge a completely new cultivation system. Perhaps that will help me build the Divine Bridge faster and reach the Half-Step Celestial Human Realm!’

Wang Xiao activated his "Analyze All Things" talent and began to fuse and test the Martial Arts from his two lives.

This "Analyze All Things" ability was like a massive processor, helping him analyze and simplify all kinds of data.

It saved him from wasting too much time.

In an instant, the Martial Arts techniques from his two lives—*True Understanding of Sword Dao*, *Tidal Divine Fist*, *Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms*, *Celestial Flying Immortal*, *Great Compassion Buddha Seal of Life and Death*, *Dharma Sword Scripture*, *Taming Tiger Arhat Fist*, and more—all appeared in Wang Xiao’s mind.

Immediately, after being analyzed, they were continuously refined and simplified, eventually giving rise to new Martial Arts!

However, Wang Xiao overturned one Martial Art after another, re-deducing and analyzing them from scratch.

He knew that organizing a complete, systematic set of Martial Arts was even more difficult than creating a single new one from scratch.

This would require a great deal of time for verification.

Fortunately, Wang Xiao had his "Analyze All Things" talent.

With it, this process could be shortened considerably.

And so, spring passed into autumn, and autumn into winter.

In the blink of an eye, another two years passed!

Wuxiang Temple.

In a small courtyard on the rear mountain.

RUMBLE!

Along with a sound like toppling mountains and overturning seas,

a vast and violent wave of Inner Qi suddenly raged forth.

A brilliant Sword Shadow flashed and then vanished.

The entire courtyard returned to silence once more.

"Success!" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Wang Xiao stood holding a sharp sword, feeling the Divine Bridge that had been constructed from Inner Qi inside his body. A trace of joy appeared in his eyes.

Looking closely, one could see this Divine Bridge originating from his Dantian, passing through his Five Viscera, and transforming into a sharp sword that charged straight for the Forehead Mud Ball Palace.

However, as it neared the level of his eyes, the Divine Bridge seemed to strike an invisible barrier and came to a halt, unable to advance another inch.

Wang Xiao knew that this invisible barrier was the Celestial Gate!

To achieve the Heaven-Breaking Pass, building the Divine Bridge alone was not enough. One’s Spirit also had to be sufficiently powerful.

Only by breaking through on both fronts could one truly achieve the Heaven-Breaking Pass and ascend to the Celestial Human Realm!

But what made Wang Xiao truly happy was not that he had successfully built the Divine Bridge and reached the Half-Step Celestial Human Realm.

It was that after two years of exploration and deduction,

he had finally managed to completely fuse the Cultivation Techniques and all the Martial Arts from his two lives.

He had forged a new path in the way of Martial Arts.

This new path led directly to the Celestial Human Realm—in other words, to becoming a Tier Five Life!