Chapter 184: Outer Realm

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“Don’t think I can’t tell—you’ve all tried practicing the martial arts manuals I released.”
“If old martial artists were really short-lived, only able to live to thirty, then how do you explain me? And how do you explain yourselves? You’re all in your thirties—according to the Heavenly Kings, wouldn’t training in old martial arts manuals mean instant death?”
“You’ve noticed it too—practicing old martial arts doesn’t shorten life, it extends it! And there’s no bloodthirsty impulse either!”
“You all have doubts in your hearts, but you don’t dare speak up!”
Though Bu Jing was on the back foot, he kept talking nonstop. He wanted to clear the name of old martial artists. They were nothing like what the Heavenly Kings claimed!
As Bu Jing shouted those lines, his voice was so loud that the citizens who had come outside the city to watch could hear him clearly.
Everyone was shocked. A Grandmaster Martial Artist surnamed Bai and another surnamed Jiang were especially startled, reacting in an overly dramatic fashion.
“What! Even Human Sovereign Peak cultivators suspect there’s something wrong with the martial arts issued by the Heavenly Kings?” the Grandmaster surnamed Bai shouted.
“What! Old martial arts can extend life—and they don’t make you bloodthirsty!” the Grandmaster surnamed Jiang shouted.
Seeing that the Ruyi Gourd was about to join the noise, Yu Yin quickly covered its mouth.
Normally, it would be foolish to talk loudly in a battle—doing so would open you up to counterattacks. But Bu Jing still did it, and the four opponents didn’t strike back.
Grandmasters might not notice, but as Human Sovereign Peak experts, even without knowing the old martial arts manuals, they vaguely sensed something was wrong with the ones issued by the Heavenly Kings.
It was a top-tier martial artist’s instinct. Deep down, they felt something was off about the techniques they’d practiced all their lives.
But they didn’t dare speak, nor could they.
They had the emperor’s parasites in their bodies. The moment he sensed something wrong, he could control their bodies through the insects—their lives were his to take.
They told themselves, the Heavenly Kings weren’t lying. That practicing old martial arts shortens life. That modern manuals were “refined” versions.
But logically, that didn’t hold water. If the old manuals were flawed and couldn’t be fixed—just stop using them. Why did the Heavenly Kings insist everyone must train in them?
Afraid of the Heavenly Kings, they could only pretend to know nothing.
“I can get rid of the insects inside you,” Bu Jing said calmly. “I have a secret method that can kill the bugs silently.”
Bu Jing’s “secret method” was simply getting Jiang Li to help.
The Human Sovereign Peak experts from the Court slightly widened their pupils.
Even if they broke free of the insects’ control, they still had to face the pressure of the Twelve Heavenly Kings.
They were just martial artists—how could they defeat the Heavenly Kings of the Upper Realm?
As far as they knew, the emperor had ways of contacting the Heavenly Kings, and they could descend at any moment. If the Heavenly Kings discovered their betrayal, they were dead for sure!
While fighting Bu Jing at close range, they asked in a low voice, “If the Heavenly Kings descend, what will you do?”
Bu Jing wanted to say, then they’re not getting out alive.
But Jiang Li had warned him—not to startle the enemy. If the Heavenly Kings found out the three of them were lying in wait, they’d turtle up and never come out.
“To break through the Human Sovereign Peak, and reach the same level as the Heavenly Kings.” Bu Jing said it flatly, but there was a bone-deep dominance in his tone.
“Madness,” Lord Qingming shook his head.
“Don’t believe me?” Bu Jing smiled, took a step forward, and his 720 acupoints opened, emitting faint light like stars in the sky.
Bu Jing’s aura climbed higher and higher. Inner and Outer Realms merged, condensing in the dantian. An unmatched aura burst forth from Bu Jing’s stooped body—it was as if even heaven and earth trembled.
It was hard to imagine such overwhelming power contained within such a small frame!
“This is…” the Human Sovereign Peak cultivators present all had the same absurd thought, but none dared to believe it.
It was simply too unbelievable.
Bu Jing casually launched a cannon punch, charging like an ancient savage bull, shattering half a mountain.
That was the equivalent of a full-force strike from a Human Sovereign Peak cultivator.
Yet it was only a casual blow from Bu Jing.
Bu Jing laughed. “Outer Realm—I’ve named this realm ‘Outer Realm’.”
He could’ve broken through the Human Sovereign Peak at any time. The reason he delayed was to see how the current Human Sovereign Peak cultivators viewed the Heavenly Kings.
Now he saw they had doubts too.
That made them comrades.
All of them had great influence in the martial world. If he could convince them, more people would believe the Heavenly Kings’ martial arts were flawed, and that the Heavenly Kings were invaders.
Only after reaching the Outer Realm did Bu Jing truly realize the sheer gap between it and Human Sovereign Peak. No wonder his father had been helpless against the Heavenly Kings.
With this power, all fighting was meaningless. The six halted their battle.
“This is the Shangqing Yellow Court Outer Realm Scripture. It can help you break through the Human Sovereign Peak and reach the Outer Realm.” Bu Jing pulled a book from his chest, the title Shangqing Yellow Court Outer Realm Scripture written in bold, calligraphic strokes.
“Lord Qingming—you want a long life? Breaking through to the Outer Realm will give you another hundred years.”
“Recluse Fisher—you wanted a martial arts manual? I wonder if this Shangqing Yellow Court Outer Realm Scripture suits your taste?”
“Master Lan—after your breakthrough, how about I tell you all about the golden age of the martial world three hundred years ago?”
Bu Jing turned to the three red-robed Human Sovereign Peak cultivators from the Imperial Court and said, “With this, we’ll have seven Outer Realm cultivators. Even if we can’t defeat the Heavenly Kings, we can at least protect ourselves. The three of you—do you want to just live out your remaining few years in silence, waiting for your fortieth birthday? Or break through and live another century?”
Bu Jing was actually being modest. Outer Realm cultivators wouldn’t live just a hundred years more—but since he’d only just broken through, he didn’t know how long he’d really live. Based on experience, he guessed another century.
The temptation was too great. The three had no reason to refuse. They accepted the scripture—it was clearly a supreme text for breaking through—and bowed to Bu Jing.
The other three also accepted the scripture and bowed respectfully.
All six were sincerely convinced. In unison, they shouted, “Greetings, Master of Martial Dao!”
Their voices were loud and full of vigor. Even the onlookers far away could hear it clearly.
Master of Martial Dao—Bu Jing deserved that title.
He wasn’t just the first Outer Realm cultivator—he was the teacher of all who would follow.
The Shangqing Yellow Court Outer Realm Scripture wasn’t strictly a martial arts manual—it was an inspirational text meant to guide Human Sovereign Peak cultivators to break through. Once in the Outer Realm, they could continue practicing their original martial arts without issue.
In time, with continued breakthroughs, Bu Jing could truly achieve what the Four Pillars Holding Up the Heavens Technique described—every motion of his limbs shaking mountains and overturning seas.
Bu Jing had written the scripture himself, so breaking through was easy for him—he didn’t need further insight. But the six others couldn’t just read and break through.
They needed time to comprehend and reflect.
Jiang Li, using his finger as a sword, activated the Heart Sword and silently killed the insects in the three red-robed Human Sovereign Peak cultivators.
Compared to Gu worms, these bugs were nothing—one strike was all it took.
Jiang Li might not know other sword techniques, but the Heart Sword alone was unmatched in the Sword Dao. Even Bai Hongtu and the Sword Sovereign were ashamed in comparison.
All three shuddered at once, feeling the oppressive weight in their chests vanish. When they looked inward, they found the disgusting insects had disappeared.
Facing Bu Jing’s profound and mysterious smile, their respect only deepened.
Bu Jing didn’t know why their attitudes had changed—but no matter. Smiling never hurt.