Star Gate

Chapter 135: Understanding Aura (III)

“Silver Moon’s sea is an internal sea. It\'s too small, too weak! You should go out and take a look at the real sea outside the province. There’s a real sea there with real tidal waves. I once saw a tidal wave rip through the coast and turn a massive city into floodwater! The tallest buildings were toppled and the strongest martial masters were ripped apart!

“One against thousands? A walking god?” Yuan Shuo sighed with emotion. “In that moment, the tidal wave will tell you what it means to be one wave against millions! No matter how strong your weapons are and how powerful your body, you are crushed to dust when the wave slams into you!”

A walking god could kill one thousand at once, but a tidal wave could instantly demolish a city of millions.

Liu Long frowned with thought. He’d encouraged Li Hao to go see the world, but it was Yuan Shuo who said that he knew too little and his knowledge ran too shallow. A real tidal wave wasn’t thus!

“Elder Yuan, although I can see a tidal wave for myself... my body... is unlikely to hold up...”

“Have you ever seen the sea destroyed by a tidal wave?” Yuan Shuo smiled.

The response sent Liu Long into a daze. Could the sea be destroyed by a tidal wave? What did that mean?

......

Li Hao was also contemplating behind the director. He’d never seen the sea before, but he had a lake. Could a wave in a lake destroy the pool of water? No!

What I’ve seen before are all lakes. His teacher was a pedagogue and wouldn’t mention this for no reason whatsoever.

“Wave... tidal wave... internal force... aura...” Li Hao’s eyes darted around rapidly. A surge of internal force swelled from his body. Internal force originated from the body and Sunderers could project it outward.

The Nine Forged Force was a strain on the body because it contained vibrant internal force. If waves floated on the surface, could internal force be layered on the surface?

As Li Hao thought through this, he subconsciously released a surge of internal force. A second surge was hot on its heels and he operated the Nine Forged Force, wanting to layer the two together. However, they quickly dispersed.

Projecting inward to out could not accomplish Twice Forged.

Why? Li Hao asked himself. Whether it was the sea or lake, they were in endless motion. They could be layered on the surface, so why not internal force? They were of the same body! Whether it was internal force or the physical body, they all originated from the same source.

The body as bridge? Li Hao considered his arms and thought back to an ancient tome he’d memorized. It spoke of the body as a bridge to erect the gate of heaven and earth. Inside and outside communicating in unison, the body as the source...

He didn’t quite understand it still, but partial comprehension seemed to hover at the edge of his mind. He retracted his internal force and no longer projected it. He couldn’t grasp the knack!

Li Hao extended an index finger, sending a faint surge of internal force through it. A second surge projected from it and settled on top of the first. The two tendrils layered together with extreme difficulty.

Inspiration struck the young man. He couldn’t layer internal force outside his body because the available surface area was too vast. That resulted in internal force coming in contact with too many surfaces and was easily dispersed. But what if he shrank the surface area to the size of a finger?

Another layer of force shot through his finger. If his manipulation of force was fast enough, why couldn’t it be layered outside the body? If the subsequent surge of force formed before the previous one dissipated, why wasn’t it possible?

The third layer!

His internal force broke with a sharp crack and swirled into a tiny vortex. Deep in thought, Liu Long whipped his head back when he heard the sound. His expression changed drastically at the sight of Li Hao making his second attempt. One surge of internal force, a second, a third...

Thrice Forged!

Sword qi shot out of the young man’s finger with a muffled bang!

Lost in contemplation, Li Hao thought of a secret art recorded in an ancient tome—Lethal Force Point! Sending cutting sword qi out from one’s fingers!

He hadn’t thought much of it when he first saw it, but now he shot out a ray of internal force from his fingertip. It cut into the ground and left a small hole.

Liu Long’s eyes widened when he saw the move. Projection of internal force! Not only that, but his internal force was layered outside

The man’s jaw dropped as he stared at Li Hao. Sunderer!! The young man was a Sunderer and could utilize the Nine Forged Force outside the body! How was this possible??

In this moment, Liu Long fully understood Yuan Shuo’s meaning. The waves could not destroy the sea and he was the sea. His internal force was the waves, so there was an inherent problem with which his internal force was destroying himself.

“Li Hao!” Liu Long murmured, sorrow springing forth from the bottom of his heart. He suddenly looked back at Yuan Shuo and lowered his head. “When Elder Yuan said I was too stupid to be accepted as his disciple, I refused that assessment and felt that my potential was decent. Now that I\'ve seen Li Hao\'s actions today, I finally realize... just how stupid I am!”

He looked down at his feet with unspeakable dejection and sadness.

So it turns out that I really am dumb. Li Hao understood many things with just a few words from Yuan Shuo and can even layer his internal force outside his body... I am... ashamed. Comparison is not only the thief of joy, but the thief of life. There really is a difference in potential between people.

Li Hao came back to the present and opened his mouth to speak, then quickly shut it again. He felt a bit awkward since not all the credit went to him. He’d just read a few old books and memorized strange trivia. That was why the Lethal Force Point occurred to him so readily. Liu Long had never encountered these before, causing deficiencies in his level of culture and knowledge banks!

This wasn’t innate potential, just the demonstration of learned knowledge.

Yuan Shuo likewise looked at Li Hao with a strange look and burst out into laughter. “My student is passable! Please come in, Director Liu. You should have gained something from this experience!”

Liu Long nodded and looked at Li Hao again, suddenly inclining his body. “My thanks!”

Agog with surprise, Li Hao wanted to say something in return, but the director had already stepped into the yard. He had an outline of what he needed to pursue. Oftentimes, just a thin barrier needed to be pierced before enlightenment was imminent. Today, Li Hao pierced that barrier for him.

The young man scratched his head with awkwardness and some regret. Why did I project my internal force for no good reason? How am I supposed to hide my strength now that chief knows I’m a Sunderer?

What a pity!

Yuan Shuo led the way with a small smile, but cockiness gleamed out of the depths of his eyes. Let’s see how arrogant you can be now, Liu Long! My disciple alone can completely knock you off your perch. You wouldn’t accept it when I said you were dumb—you accept it now, don’t you?

Behind him, Liu Long soothed over his ruffled ego. He’d already gained a lot from this visit before even conversing with Yuan Shuo. Perhaps he did stand a chance of breaking through to Dominator today. The precursor to that was he was able to layer internal force nine times outside his body and truly grasp the aura.

......

The Yuan living room.

Yuan Shuo and Liu Long respectively sat in the host and visitor seats. Li Hao did not have the right to sit among them as he was Yuan Shuo’s final disciple. Hierarchy and seniority was very much observed at a time like this. Regardless of whether or not Liu Long was his supervisor or subordinate, Li Hao was only qualified to stand at a time like this and serve tea.

Such was custom!

In the supernatural world, strength was king. They bypassed many rules and customs observed by martial masters. There was no right or wrong, just a difference in style. To venerate only strength and lack even the decorum between teacher and disciple was too barbaric and primitive for many martial masters.

Li Hao first poured tea for his teacher, then for Liu Long. With that, he stood to the side and waited for them to discuss their matters at hand.

Liu Long glanced at the young man, then at Panther sprawled not too far away. He suddenly wanted to laugh! So I lack a disciple. How come the dog isn’t being sensible and pouring a cup of tea for me? I’ve taught it martial methods, and earlier than Yuan Shuo!

Liu Long had indeed passed on the Nine Forged Force to Panther—not just the technique, but the method in full. He’d taught the dog up to Thrice Forged last time!

Silly dog!

......

All Li Hao knew was that Liu Long first looked at him, then looked at Panther. He blinked, then felt awkward again. What was that supposed to mean? That he was the same as Panth?

The resigned young man didn’t react. So your thoughts can also twist and turn like that, huh chief! And here I thought you were honest and frank!

Yuan Shuo brushed the surface of his tea with the teacup lid and took a small sip. He placed the cup down to regard Liu Long. “Li Hao’s explained the matter to you, correct?”

“Correct.”

“If you break through, can you fight three Sunflares with the strength of a new Dominator?” Yuan Shuo cut straight to the chase. “It’s not that this old man thinks less of you, I know full well how strong the Liu family’s Nine Forged Force is. But apart from that?”

Liu Long frowned.

“Are you fast?” Yuan Shuo asked with a faint chuckle. “Can you fly? How many steps can you take through the air? How will you chase them if they can bend the earth or fly? In all of martial dao, speed is the only factor that cannot be mitigated. Perhaps that saying is too absolute, but what if one of the three is adept at speed and can get away? Are you going to kill them through the air with nine layers of force?”

Liu Long opened and closed his mouth at multiple times, ultimately finding himself unable to answer. He couldn’t!

“This old man does not measure up to you in terms of explosiveness, of that there is no question. But I win in terms of comprehensive ability! I can give chase, I can flee. I can attack and I can defend. When it comes to the offensive power that I lack, my treasures can make up for it.

“And you?” The professor looked at Liu Long. “What if I pay the enormous price to help you cross over to Dominator, but you cannot even handle three Sunflares. If you let them go, that exposes me and Li Hao. Will you be able to shoulder the consequences of your actions?”

Liu Long’s face shifted rapidly through a series of expressions and he shook his head. “I cannot!” He swallowed all of his previous grandiosity. Indeed, how should he react if the enemy was skilled at escape? The Liu Nine Forged Force was most versed in frontal combat, it was best if the enemy met him toe-to-toe and didn’t run. That was the Liu preferred type of opponent—see who died when they both flung themselves at each other!