22: Chapter 22 Astonishment

"The fist technique is indeed exquisite, and it contains the Daoist way of health preservation. It truly is a supreme technique of our Daoism!"

Just by glancing over it, Daoist Taixu's heart stirred slightly.

He then calmly prepared to put the fist technique away.

It wasn't that he coveted the Cultivation Technique, but rather to avoid attracting the old Senior's attention.

But what one fears most often comes to pass.

"I wonder if this old man could have a look?"

The voice of the old Senior, Kunlun Saint, drifted over.

Daoist Taixu looked up and met Kunlun Saint's smiling eyes.

"Sigh, I still caught his attention!"

Feeling helpless, he still handed over the fist technique in his hand.

"Senior, this is just a junior's fist technique, only slightly exquisite!"

Daoist Taixu explained.

Kunlun Saint was already over a hundred years old, with only three years of Lifespan remaining. Daoist Taixu absolutely could not let him exert himself!

Physical conflict would stir the Qi.

Kunlun Saint could still have three years of Lifespan precisely because he held a breath of Qi in his chest.

"This old man is old. Even if I were interested, I certainly can't engage in martial arts anymore!"

Taking the paper, Kunlun Saint said with a chuckle.

How could he not know Daoist Taixu's petty concerns?

Hearing the old Senior say this, Daoist Taixu immediately began to laugh.

Then, Kunlun Saint began to stare at the fist technique.

Longevity Fist.

Only thirty-six forms.

Furthermore, none of the forms had names.

Thus, he finished reading it quickly!

"Old Senior, how is this fist technique?"

Seeing him finish, Daoist Taixu inquired.

To his surprise, Kunlun Saint didn't pay him any attention at all.

Instead, he flipped back and started reading from the beginning again.

"Hmm!?"

Daoist Taixu paused slightly.

He was somewhat astonished.

Kunlun Saint, number one in the world of Martial Dao, had lived through the Late Qing Dynasty, the Early Ming Dynasty, and this prosperous era; his horizons were broader than anyone else's.

He was profoundly learned, with knowledge spanning from ancient times to the present.

Moreover, it was said that he could master any Cultivation Technique, martial art, or scripture after seeing it just once.

Yet now he was looking at it again. Could it be... the old Senior really has grown old!?

Or is this Cultivation Technique truly extraordinary!?

Daoist Taixu became suspicious and surprised for a moment.

"How is this possible?!"

As Kunlun Saint flipped through the fist technique in his hand, a massive wave surged in his heart.

Having been washed by over a hundred years of time, his state of mind had long since become extraordinary.

Kunlun Saint didn't think anything could break the equanimity he had maintained for decades.

But at this moment.

He had to admit that he could no longer keep his heart steady.

With his vision and knowledge, he naturally saw the Realm and mysteries contained within this fist technique.

But precisely because he understood it, he could grasp the impossibility within.

Absolutely impossible!

This fist technique, with only thirty-six short forms, actually contained the ultimate techniques of a hundred schools.

Not just Daoism, it even included Buddhism, miscellaneous studies, and even the way of technology.

To contain the core, even the Profound Truths, of so many schools in just over thirty movements.

It was simply unimaginable.

This was definitely not something a single sect or school could accomplish.

Even several generations might not be able to achieve it.

Of course, this greatly surprised Kunlun Saint.

But it wasn't the fundamental reason for his loss of composure.

What he found most incomprehensible.

Was that among the Dao and principles contained in this Cultivation Technique, seventy percent were completely identical to the Dao and principles he practiced.

"How can this be?!"

Kunlun Saint stood in a daze.

The underlying framework of the entire Cultivation Technique actually overlapped completely with his martial Dao.

In some places, it was even deeper and more refined than his.

Even sublimated.

What was going on!?

In fact.

This was something even Ji Yebai was unaware of.

In the previous life, Bai Zhu inherited Kunlun Saint's Legacy.

In this Legacy, there were not only Daoist scriptures but also martial Realms.

Especially the precious path summarized at the end of Kunlun Saint's life.

Kunlun Saint had lived through three dynasties and an unprecedented era of prosperity in five thousand years; his mental Realm had long since attained the supreme Realm of Daoism.

At the end of his life, in a final burst of lucidity, his spiritual Realm was sublimated once again.

It rose to an unprecedented height.

And Bai Zhu.

Was the successor to this Realm.

The underlying framework of the Longevity Fist was developed by Bai Zhu based on this Realm.

Kunlun Saint was utterly perplexed; he immediately formed a fist seal and began to perform the technique.

In an instant, a breeze rose within the Main Hall.

Accompanying the breeze was Kunlun Saint's figure.

That figure was at times incredibly swift, one splitting into three; at other times, it was slow and leisurely, with spirit and form as one.

For a moment, Daoist Taixu and the many Elders watched, dumbfounded.

They knew the old Senior Kunlun Saint's martial prowess was unparalleled in the world, but for a fist technique to produce three afterimages was simply unimaginable, like watching a sci-fi movie.

"Is it truly my fist!?"

The figure in the field stopped abruptly, the three afterimages merging. Kunlun Saint fell silent.

Trying to Cultivate it, he became even more certain that the Dao and principles contained in this fist technique definitely originated from his own martial Dao.

"Could it be that my former martial insights were leaked!?"

Kunlun Saint was puzzled, but he immediately dismissed the thought.

The martial principles in this fist technique definitely corresponded to his current self.

Not the insights of his youth.

In martial arts Cultivation, ten thousand people have ten thousand understandings; there is absolutely no identical path of Cultivation.

Moreover, even for the same person, the martial path of their youth and their old age are different.

But.

What was going on with this fist technique!?

Kunlun Saint fell silent.

"Senior, Senior!?"

Daoist Taixu called out softly.

"Hmm!?"

Kunlun Saint looked at him.

"Senior, is there something wrong with this fist technique!?"

Seeing his silence, Daoist Taixu asked in confusion.

Hearing his question, Kunlun Saint glanced at him and slowly shook his head, saying, "This fist technique is world-shaking and has no issues. If I had seen it a few years earlier, perhaps I could have lived a few years longer!"

"Live a few years longer!?"

Daoist Taixu and the other Elders' eyes lit up, and they hurriedly said, "Then Senior, please take this fist technique back to Cultivate."

They would definitely give their full support to anything that could extend Kunlun Saint's Lifespan.

Kunlun Saint's Legacy was supposed to be passed down to Bai Zhu.

"No need! My Lifespan is now at its end, the lamp is running out of oil. It is a natural law, not something human effort can change!"

Kunlun Saint shook his head with a smile, his tone indifferent, without a hint of depression despite his Lifespan coming to an end.

"This..."

Daoist Taixu and the Elders' expressions darkened.

"Taixu!"

Kunlun Saint's call made Daoist Taixu look up.

"You are fortunate! To exchange five broken beads for such a world-shaking technique for Laojun Temple!"

"Senior, is this technique really that miraculous!?"

Daoist Taixu was somewhat puzzled.

He hadn't seen much in it.

"This technique has great merit; if spread throughout the world, it will bring boundless Karma!"

"The achievements of those who master it are far beyond what things like Tai Chi could compare to."

Kunlun Saint sighed softly, filled with emotion, and said, "If everyone Cultivates this fist technique, being free of all diseases would be commonplace, and those with a Lifespan over a hundred would be found everywhere."

"That powerful!?"

"Free of all diseases, Lifespan over a hundred!?"

The Elders of Laojun Temple were invigorated and immediately couldn't help but start discussing it.

If this were true, then this Cultivation Technique would once again push Daoism to a higher level.

How could this not excite the Elders?

Kunlun Saint watched this scene and smiled.

In his heart, he was still filled with many doubts.