Chapter 534: What Kind of Primordial Essence Are You Embracing

Chapter 534: What Yuan Does He Embrace

"I think I've been found out."

Zhao Changhe did not bask in the admiring gazes of the Tang family sailors. Returning to his cabin, he sat cross-legged with eyes closed, but secretly spoke to the Blind One: "This set of mine—from the cultivation method to the palm techniques to the lightness skill—they must clearly sense it's different from their oceanic style, typical land-based martial arts. I should have used the Wang family's Heaven-Overturning Sea-Suppressing Palm; at least it's somewhat closer."

The Blind One actually replied: "Using the Wang family's would be foolish. Land is land; this slip-up is no big deal. At most, they'll guess your achievements aren't prominent enough to make the Chaos Chronicle—why must you be from the sea? On the contrary, if you used the Wang family's, you'd be in endless trouble. Don't get too addicted to playing Wang Daozhong."

"That's true." Zhao Changhe seized the opportunity: "So why can people from the sea avoid the Chaos Chronicle? Before, it was said that those in secret realms couldn't be recorded, but now the sea isn't a secret realm, is it? With such leaks, where is the credibility of the Chaos Chronicle?"

"This is a kind of actively manipulated isolation," the Blind One said. "Up in the sky is a page of the Heavenly Book. If others also possess a page of the Heavenly Book, they can naturally create an isolation of equal grade."

Zhao Changhe asked in surprise: "If it's the Sea Emperor, why would he do this? To hide himself, and even hide all humans in the entire sea?"

"To evade the scrutiny of the Heavenly Dao, of course it's a range isolation, convenient for doing secret things." The Blind One chuckled: "In fact, the sea people are also happy with this. Not everyone likes the feeling of everything they do being recorded and announced by the Heavenly Dao."

Zhao Changhe said: "I think so too. So next time, can you not record me?"

The Blind One replied: "First of all, I can't control it. Telling me this is useless."

"I don't believe you."

"Whatever, I don't need you to believe me. Secondly, do you really dislike the Chaos Chronicle helping you show off?"

Zhao Changhe shut his mouth.

He liked it, but only if he kept winning. Winning was showing off; if he lost once, he could ask Old Xue how it felt.

Besides, could it only watch when I'm fighting, and ignore other matters? What a contradiction...

Forget it, he couldn't be bothered to argue with the Blind One. Her words were still evasive and incomplete, and he didn't expect her to lay all her cards on the table. With a long voyage and nothing to do, it was interesting to study the martial arts of the sea.

Zhao Changhe immersed his mind in the illusion of the Heavenly Book. Hua Zhenming's slowed-down moves and stances appeared before him.

Zhao Changhe hadn't used this method to secretly learn others' martial arts for a long time, mainly because he hadn't encountered anything worth stealing—too miscellaneous and useless.

The last one worth reviewing was Shi Wuding, but he didn't want to learn Shi Wuding's sword. It wasn't about probing the Snow Owl through Shi Wuding's swordsmanship; on the contrary, learning Shi Wuding's style might fall into the Snow Owl's trap. Better not to learn.

This time, the sea martial artist's techniques delighted Zhao Changhe. How to combine and utilize seawater to bring out the characteristics of martial arts not only greatly helped his martial skills but also benefited his understanding of "control." In essence, this was a form of control, albeit a lower level.

Zhao Changhe watched the illusion demonstration, his hands unconsciously mimicking. Gradually, he broke away from the essence of Hua Zhenming's palm technique, taking on the form of the Divine Radiance Wind-Thunder Palm, then slowly the Heaven-Overturning Sea-Suppressing Palm, and finally shedding all related heaviness and explosive power, adopting the ethereal grace of Azure Waves Clear Ripples, then shattering everything and blending it together.

A brand-new fist and palm technique was gradually taking shape.

Who said he had to learn "My Fist" or "Overlord Blade"? He clearly knew that Chichi had learned them, but Zhao Changhe never even asked. With his current martial understanding and status in the martial world, he should have been creating his own techniques long ago, just like when Wan Zhuang temporarily created Azure Waves Clear Ripples by combining her zither finger techniques.

The Blind One sighed softly.

Who said that the second secret realm was the time to create techniques? Tang Wanzhuang already had similar grappling techniques; she fused and modified a set to stimulate your interest in playing the zither—it wasn't truly new creation...

But he really seemed close to creating one.

Shattering and absorbing all others' essences, turning them into his own, not imitating or modifying. This was like learning characters and writing one's own essay, no longer copying or transcribing.

Once he took this step from zero to one, creating his own martial arts would become much easier from then on.

Speaking of genius, Zhao Changhe was indeed a genius. From beginning to end, his only flaw was the matter of his meridians. In terms of martial insight, this fellow was an unparalleled genius—the opposite of his academic level...

...

"You got beaten?"

On a certain island, a woman sat lazily on a reef watching the waves wash over. Behind her stood Hua Zhenming with hands at his sides, reporting the results of this trip.

"Yes, the Tang family's ship was stronger than ours, and they even had crossbows. With that strength, they could easily destroy a small country. We really couldn't fight them." Hua Zhenming glanced at the woman's alluring, graceful back but dared not stare, lowering his head.

The woman said lazily: "I never thought Tang Wanzhuang was secretly building big ships. That doesn't match the loyalty she usually shows... Or is it just Tang Buqi and his people? Tang Buqi has become quite impressive, huh..."

Hua Zhenming's tone carried a hint of admiration: "That Zhao Shouyi has extraordinary strength and a fine bearing... I must say, the Tang family truly lives up to being a famous clan of Xia—meeting them surpasses hearsay."

"The Tang family doesn't have such a strong martial artist. Do you think I don't know their family?" The woman sneered: "At most, he's a newly recruited one... Tang Buqi has ambitions to dominate the southeast."

Hua Zhenming said nothing. Everyone had little understanding of land affairs, and their knowledge of the Tang family came from the Tang family's past sea voyages and exchanges. Naturally, they couldn't compare to the Third Chief, who had long lived on land and was only back for a visit.

The so-called Third Chief didn't exist on ordinary days, but whenever she returned, she was the Third Chief.

"Third Lady." An old man with a full, grizzled beard approached from afar, the beard already streaked with white, showing traces of age.

The woman turned her head. On her enchanting, seductive face, bright eyes sparkled like stars.

If Zhao Changhe saw this, his jaw would probably drop, and he'd stare dumbfounded, blurting out: "My god, can you clone yourself..."

Because this was Xuanwu Yuan Sanniang.

The old man drew near and laughed heartily: "Since Third Lady said to persuade them to turn back, then we'll keep persuading. Zhenming couldn't beat him, so I'll go myself!"

Third Lady asked: "Where are they headed? Penglai?"

Hua Zhenming quickly replied: "When Xia people go to sea, they usually go to Penglai first. Judging by their route, they might stop at Taiping Island for resupply."

Third Lady stretched lazily and stood up: "Taiping Island is mostly our people, right..."

"Indeed. Everyone on the island, even a newborn baby, is one of ours."

"Then I'll go be the landlady of an inn and gambling den, and meet this incredibly powerful Zhao... Zhao. Why is he surnamed Zhao too?"

Hua Zhenming said: "Zhao Shouyi."

"Embrace Yuan... I'll make him change his name! What Yuan does he embrace? Is it his to embrace?"

Hua Zhenming and the old man exchanged glances, both amused and exasperated. How did this woman's mind work? Was this what women were like?

Third Lady stepped barefoot onto the sand, walking comfortably toward the distant ship: "Never mind. The Tang family has such a formidable guest, and he's surnamed Zhao. If we poach him, some will be angry, and some will be very happy."