Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 52 - 50: Comprehension Transformation, One Word Inspires a Thousand Insights
"Heart-driven strength, covering the whole body, power transformed into armor..."
The youth silently recited the twelve-character Transforming Force mantra he heard from the Black-armored Strongman. At this moment, Su Mu’s comprehension was also at a special breaking-through-the-shackles stage.
Blessed with divine insight!
And with analogical thinking, Su Mu slowly closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and fell into a state of selfless trance.
Crackle, crackle!
Between heaven and earth wind and snow swirled endlessly, falling around the youth and instantly melting from the high temperature into water, then swiftly evaporated beneath the torrent of power and qi blood, turning Su Mu into a scarlet figure.
The endless snowstorm acted as a timely rain, easing Su Mu’s heat, yet also resembling the quenching water in the forging of weapons.
Three currents of power, tempered under such high pressure, repeatedly refined. Three streams became a river. The three separate streams of power within Su Mu, once isolated, now began their transformation into a mighty river.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
As the river of power emerged, the sound of turbulence within Su Mu grew ever more exalted, eventually escalating into the roar of an angry river crashing against its banks.
Buzz!
The three streams of strength surged forward, merging into the river of power. The expanding river of power surged through all his limbs and hundreds of meridians, saturating every inch of his flesh, pores, and skin. The vigorously surging power instantly enveloped his entire body, forming an invisible armor.
A strange scene appeared.
The swirling snow overhead, just before it landed on Su Mu, suddenly paused for an instant—no snowflake touched him—and then shattered in an instant.
Even the dust on the ground was shaken up by this force, rising and swirling around Su Mu.
After a long while, the river of power was finally born, the furnace cooled, Transforming Force achieved!
Su Mu slowly opened his eyes, feeling the unprecedented changes within his body, his eyes brimming with ecstatic joy.
Two years of martial cultivation, finally reached Transforming Force!
Su Mu stood up. With a thought, the river of power surged and instantly covered his body. He could feel every inch of flesh, every inch of skin, even his hair and nails, all infused with the vibrant energy of Transforming Force.
Power refined to this level had surpassed ordinary Martial Artists; most Martial Artists in the world could never touch the Transforming Force realm in their lifetime.
Su Mu felt the strongest he ever had. He swept his gaze around the courtyard and soon spotted a large stone in the corner. The pitch-black, oil-smooth stone reeked with a briny sourness and had once been used to weigh down jars, now forgotten.
With a casual movement, his hand reached for the stone. Pressing gently downward, his grip seemed almost effortless, as if he barely used any strength—yet a palm print slowly appeared, sunken into the surface of the stone.
"Transforming Force may not directly amplify Martial Arts might... but as multiple streams of power merge, the Martial Artist’s strength is tempered like never before, and control over power reaches a frightening realm."
With just a thought, Su Mu could blanket his palm—even his hair and nails—with the river of power. The condensed, high-speed power could easily shatter rocks and mountains.
The next second, Su Mu abruptly clenched his hand into a fist and fiercely punched himself in the chest.
At the moment his fist touched his body, Su Mu experienced exactly what Zhao Xuan had felt before: the force seemed to dissipate like a mud ox into the sea, instantly diverted by the strength at his body’s surface in all directions. The punch slid aside as if striking something slick as an eel, nullifying the force of the blow.
A wave of frustration surged in his heart, the feeling of having strength but nowhere to use it.
Even Su Mu himself couldn’t help but feel such vexation, so he could well imagine Zhao Xuan’s sense of powerlessness.
"Strength transformed into armor—what an amazing Transforming Force!"
Su Mu exclaimed. If he were to encounter that Black-armored Strongman again, he was now confident he wouldn’t need Body Technique or to dodge; with the Armor of Strength, he now had the courage to stand his ground and clash head-on—why avoid his edge?
Just as Su Mu was testing his Transforming Force, the warm current within him, still accumulating, finally gathered enough power. The boost in comprehension from Gale Fist Small Success at this moment shattered the Jade-Level barrier.
Comprehension: 21!
His tendons and bones hummed, the warm current surged straight to his brow. Su Mu’s figure slightly grew taller; for a moment, he felt as if his soul had left his body, his mind dazed.
Opening his eyes anew and raising his gaze to the sky, he watched the endless snowflakes drift down, noticing amongst thousands a particularly large flake whose intricate patterns he could see clearly.
He reached out, letting snowflakes land in his palm. That exceptionally large snowflake swayed in the wind, then, without deviation, settled perfectly at the center of his palm.
This was no coincidence.
Already blessed with senses far sharper than most, Su Mu’s comprehension breakthrough had further elevated his sight. When he focused, he could faintly perceive some hidden rhythms and patterns within all things.
[Name: Su Mu (14 years old)]
[Lifespan: 130 years]
[Skills: Five Animals Qigong (Perfection), Tiger Subduing Fist (Perfection), Forging (Great Success 98%), Rock Shattering Fist (Great Success 95%), Startled Sparrow Step (Great Success 68%), Gale Fist (Great Success 1%), Alchemy (Small Success 15%), Torrential Rain Spear Technique (Entry Level 90%), Medical Skill (Entry Level 66%), Vajra Body (Entry Level 15%)]
[Comprehension: 21 (Instant-Insight Level)]
After his transformation, Su Mu scanned his current attribute panel; his lifespan had surged by twenty-five full years, and his comprehension had evolved from Jade-Level to ’Instant-Insight Level.’
Such is the so-called highest tier—Instant-Insight!
The Buddhist Family divides the multitudes into three roots: top, middle, and lower;
Lower-rooted people struggle to acquire true faith and require repeated guidance to reach entry-level.
Mid-rooted people progress step by step, requiring persistent cultivation and refinement.
Top-rooted people, one hearing and instant enlightenment.
Top-root refers to those with extraordinary talent and exceptional comprehension—cultivators of rare distinction.
Such people are one in ten thousand; even among millions, they are rare. If they pursue medicine, they can become masters; in scholarship, attain high glory; in martial arts, rapidly improve, with few bottlenecks until a certain realm.
In short, people with such comprehension, regardless of birth, status, or profession, cannot be buried—they are like fine wine that does not fear a deep alley, sure to shine one day.
Just as Su Mu was about to test the changes brought by ’Instant-Insight Level,’ the hurried sound of footsteps echoed from the street outside.
Bam bam bam!
Both the neighboring and opposite courtyard gates were violently struck, as if kicked. Someone shouted, "Open up, Cyan Cloud Army routine inspection!"
Soon, several footsteps drew near the gate of Su Mu’s courtyard.
"Open up inside!"
Su Mu frowned, peeking through the door seam and saw three Cyan Cloud Soldiers.
When the door opened, two soldiers surrounded Su Mu while a third tried to enter the house. Su Mu stepped aside to block the soldier from entering.
"Breaking into a civilian residence is against the Great Yan Law. May I ask, sir, what crime am I accused of?"
"You’re Su Mu?"
"I am."
"I ask you, was it you who rented this residence three months ago?"
Su Mu nodded.
"What work do you do here in the city?"
"Hmph, can’t answer, can you? Such a big house for a single person. I suspect you’re a spy for the Black Mountain Army—come with us!"
Su Mu was startled. He was being suspected as a Black Mountain Army spy. He had no employment yet rented a secluded house—indeed, that was suspicious; if he were in their place, he would be suspicious too.
At once, the three Cyan Cloud Soldiers closed in. None of the three were even entry-level; Su Mu naturally didn’t fear them, but it was obviously unwise to start trouble with the Cyan Cloud Army here in Qingyun City.
"Please, gentlemen, wait a moment. I have something inside that can prove my innocence."
The group exchanged glances; the leader nodded, "I doubt this kid dares to play games. Zhou Hu, go in with him to get the item; we’ll guard the door."
Soon, Su Mu went inside and took a token from the cabinet. The soldier called Zhou Hu was startled on seeing it: "Squad Commander Order?"
He quickly walked out to hand it to the lead soldier, who saw the stone character on the back of the token and immediately recognized it.
"Shi? That’s Squad Commander Shi Feng’s token. As it happens, Squad Commander Shi is conducting inspections on the next street—go invite him here."
The token Su Mu took out was precisely the one gifted by Shi Feng after he rescued him from the Black Mountain Rebel Army. If not for urgency, Su Mu actually didn’t want to use this token—he didn’t want to get entangled with Cyan Cloud Army or Black Mountain Army forces just yet.
But fate had other plans.
Soon, a familiar figure appeared. Shi Feng, upon seeing Su Mu, was greatly excited.
"Brother, it really is you! We’ve been apart half a year, and you come to Qingyun City but don’t seek me out?"
After a greeting, Shi Feng’s face darkened seriously and he reprimanded, "This one is my brother, Su Mu; there is no way he’d be involved with those bandits. Are you not going to withdraw?"
"Yes, Squad Commander Shi."
"Little brother, it was the three of us who were at fault earlier—please don’t mind."
The group immediately bowed to Su Mu and hurried out of the courtyard. Shi Feng, once the three soldiers were gone, remained behind; Su Mu invited him into the courtyard.
"Brother, what shall I call you?"
"Su Mu."
"Brother Su, please don’t take offense. In these months, the Black Mountain Rebel Army has been causing disturbances, and with New Year approaching, the County Captain fears Black Mountain spies hiding in the city, thus ordered thorough inspections."
Su Mu shook his head. "That’s understandable."
At this moment Su Mu’s gaze fell on the iron spear at Shi Feng’s side. Shi Feng noticed and, with some awkwardness, spoke, "That day, it was thanks to you saving me... If only I’d had this Fine Iron Spear, those bastards wouldn’t have been so arrogant!"
"Shi, may I take a look at your spear?"
"Naturally."
Su Mu took the long spear in one hand, steady as a mountain, startling Shi Feng—this shaft weighed around fifty catties, not exactly light.
Watching Su Mu gently caress the spear, Shi Feng was suddenly moved to offer an olive branch.
"Indeed, right now the Cyan Cloud Army needs capable men. Brother Su, why not join us? With your Martial Arts, you’d surely make a great name for yourself."
Su Mu examined the spear for a while, then politely declined.
"Shi, I’m solitary by nature. If I joined the Cyan Cloud Army, I’d just feel trapped, and I might drag you into trouble one day."
Shi Feng heard Su Mu’s refusal, looked regretful but did not insist; before leaving, he kindly offered advice.
"Brother Su, it’s best to go out less these days or find a job in town, so you can avoid trouble if you’re inspected."
"Alright, thank you for the reminder, Shi."
Even as Shi Feng left, the thought of recruiting Su Mu lingered. He glanced back at Su Mu’s courtyard with new interest. Su Mu, meanwhile, paced thoughtfully outside for a moment before entering his study.
Grinding ink and writing inspired lines.
With Instant-Insight Level comprehension, Su Mu was inspired by the sight of Shi Feng’s spear. Instantly, blueprints for the Torrential Rain Spear appeared in his mind.
Soon, a brand-new spear design combining Shi Feng’s spear and the Torrential Rain Spear took form on paper.
At that moment,
The Forging Art that had stagnated for months advanced a hundredfold, breaking through to a higher realm.
Forging (Perfection)!
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