Above the Great Dao

Chen Shi turned his head at the sound and saw the newcomers were Zhang You and another young man, who was only seventeen or eighteen years old.

He had an admirable character and demeanor, exuding a sense of deep calm and imposing presence. Even when standing beside Zhang You, his aura was not the least bit weaker.

Zhang You possessed a personality that was unobtrusive and unassuming, standing there like a gentle light, serene and composed. Yet, this person was like a spear, exhibiting a tenacity and resilience that was unyielding.

Li Qianyun said, "This is Xia Tianjie from the Xia family, who also entered the Upper Realm to cultivate."

Xia Tianjie bowed and greeted, "Tianjie has met the Scholar. I have long admired your esteemed reputation. Brother Zhang has often mentioned your incident in the Western Capital where you slew the young lord, which made me quite impressed. Meeting you today, I am not as impressed as expected."

His words were sharp, as if from a master delivering a move, aggressive and direct, staring at Chen Shi he said, "Yang Shaohu earnestly invited you to the Upper Realm for a duel, yet you were injured twice, causing suspicion of cowardice in battle. Now you speak highly of the Li family's outer disciple Li Tianqing, exaggerating your words, which seems boastful. All talk and no substance; you have disgraced the names of Scholar and Champion!"

The Upper Realm was evidently perfectly safe, yet Chen Shi was injured twice upon arrival; to others, it indeed seemed like he intentionally got hurt to avoid fighting.

Chen Shi shook his head and said, "Li Tianqing is my brother, we have known each other for a long time. I'm well aware of his cultivation level. Qianyun, when did you duel him?"

Li Qianyun replied, "Half a year ago."

Chen Shi said, "You've been cultivating in the Upper Realm for six months, receiving guidance from the Li family's ancestors, and your progress must be significant."

Li Qianyun modestly replied, "Though not advancing by leaps and bounds, it has been a rapid improvement."

"But for Li Tianqing to defeat you now, he doesn't need to observe you for eight days."

Chen Shi said, "He might now only need a day, or even half a day, to see through you."

Li Tianqing is excellent at deciphering opponents' cultivation techniques and spells, finding flaws from the smallest clues. The more books he reads, the more methods he gains. Now that he oversees the Book Collection Pavilion of the Heavenly Court's Ministry of Rites, housing various cultivation techniques and spells from the True King's Tomb, he would undoubtedly study them given his character.

He is also responsible for teaching Red Mountain Hall's talisman masters various cultivation techniques. Li Tianqing today could be considered a walking library.

Moreover, he has the Martial Saint Temple, worshipping Emperor Guan, endowed with the Three Lights Qi from the Ancestral Court. He cultivates on a new path of Divine Shrine, Divine Embryo, Divine Descent, and Refining Void, with no worry of being corruptible. Chen Shi's strengths he possesses, but Chen Shi's weaknesses he lacks.

Although he doesn't make a show, few can compare to him in Chen Shi's mind.

Li Qianyun, despite mastering the Li family's supreme skills, even with guidance from the Li ancestors in the Upper Realm, her achievements are limited.

Before Li Tianqing, one could say she had no secrets.

Chen Shi even speculates that Li Tianqing wouldn't need half a day to see through her cultivation and spells, needing perhaps only two or three moves, maybe even one, to defeat her again.

"She's a girl, thin-skinned; I better not hit her too hard." Chen Shi thought benevolently to himself.

Li Qianyun was slightly dissatisfied.

Xia Tianjie shook his head and said, "Scholar, I have always respected your skills, but Li Tianqing is just an outer disciple of the Li family. Praising him like this seems biased merely because he is your friend. The Champion who dared to kill a young lord before the Nine Halls should not be merely skilled with words, should he?"

Chen Shi pondered briefly, then smiled and said, "What I said indeed appears biased. I understand Tianqing very well, and I can learn most of his skills. Brother Xia, how about this? Currently, my cultivation is entirely lost, and my Qi and blood depleted. Give me a day to observe you and concurrently recover my cultivation. After a day, I will defeat you using Li Tianqing's methods. How about that?"

Xia Tianjie, hearing this, couldn't help but become angry, sneering coldly, "Fine! I will first tell you my cultivation technique..."

"There's no need for that. I've already discerned it."

Chen Shi smiled and said, "In your breathing, your breath splits into eight, like eight people breathing simultaneously. The breath is incredibly long; I felt like there were eight divine beings standing behind you. This cultivation technique should be the Cave God Eight Emperors Primordial Transformation from the Ten Books of Cultivation."

Xia Tianjie laughed and said, "This is a family-secret cultivation technique of the Xia family, being discerned by you is not surprising."

Chen Shi continued, "When the Cave God Eight Emperors Primordial Transformation is cultivated to the Golden Core Realm, eight Golden Cores must be refined as an outer body. When cultivated to the Nascent Soul Realm, there are also eight Nascent Souls. At the Divinity Transformation stage, divided into eight Primordial Spirits, called the Eight Emperors. The transformation stage of this technique differs from other techniques. This technique requires refining eight deities, each with its own Primordial Spirit Field, called the Grotto Heaven. Upon Divine Descent and entering the Refining Void Second Realm, when cultivating Daoist Field, the eight Grotto Heavens possess immense power. At the Unification Realm, the eight deities unite, yielding immeasurable power."

Xia Tianjie's expression slightly changed.

Chen Shi explained the Cave God Eight Emperors Primordial Transformation as thoroughly clear as if he had personally practiced it!

Chen Shi scrutinized him, observing every single detail, smiling, "Cultivating the Cave God Eight Emperors Primordial Transformation requires refining one's Golden Core into a Pure Yang Golden Core from the beginning, nurturing Pure Yang Qi. However, you still have yin energy in your body. Your Primordial Yang has leaked; you lost your virginity. Moreover, the one who defiled you isn't clean. She is most likely an evil spirit."

Li Qianyun blushed slightly, thinking, "Can this be seen too?"

Zhang You felt a jolt in his heart, thinking, "Luckily, the Zhang family's cultivation technique doesn't require maintaining one's Primordial Yang. Otherwise, I fear I too would be exposed."