Immortal and Martial Dual Cultivation Chapter 3 - Purple Thunder Divine Incantation

Xiao Jian's face turned purple with fury as those words reached his ears. He suppressed the Essence building in his palms and canceled the Inferno Chop Martial Technique he had been preparing to unleash. After staring vacantly into the distance for some time, he suddenly comprehended Xiao Chen's intention, gazing at him like he had beheld a phantom.

Not only him, but the entire group in the martial training grounds also grasped the implication of Xiao Chen declaring his acceptance. Turmoil exploded among the onlookers, who stared at Xiao Chen in the same ghostly manner.

Duel Rites!

What Xiao Chen had enacted was the Duel Rites custom of the Tianwu Continent. Various forms of Duel Rites existed across the Tianwu Continent. For example, tossing a handkerchief at a foe who catches it signifies acceptance of the challenge. Such duels carry a friendly tone, representing the majority of challenges. Different regions followed their unique cultural Duel Rites.

Yet, no matter the location, one universal Duel Rite stood out as the most ruthless. It involved slapping the opponent's face with a shred of cloth torn from one's own sleeve. Should the cloth strike true, the duel request activates instantly. And once begun, only death ends it.

However, Xiao Chen lingered at the 9th Grade of Spirit Refinement. Devoid of Martial Techniques, wouldn't challenging a peak Martial Disciple to such a duel equate to courting death?

In the Tianwu Continent, Martial Cultivators dominated all; Martial Cultivation realms ranged from initial Spirit Refinement, Martial Disciple, Martial Master, Martial Grand Master, Martial Saint, Martial King, Martial Monarch, Martial Sage, to Martial Emperor. The Spirit Refinement Realm divided into 9 Grades, while Martial Disciple and higher split into Inferior Grade, Medial Grade, and Superior Grade.

Along the Martial Cultivation path, the Spirit Refinement stage posed the greatest obstacle, and only by reaching 9th Grade Spirit Refinement to condense the Martial Spirit did one qualify as a genuine cultivator.

Those blessed with superior talent could form their Martial Spirit before age ten. Condensing it post-ten years severely capped future martial achievements. The sooner the Martial Spirit formed, the brighter the prospects ahead.

In a forsaken courtyard of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Chen sat cross-legged on the bedroom bed, adhering to his new body's cultivation method to draw in Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.

Strands of Spiritual Energy rushed from every direction, infiltrating his body through the 720 major and minor acupoints via his pores. Then, the Spirit Energy snaked through the meridians like tiny serpents, heading toward the Dantian. Energies from all sides converged via meridians into a single point.

A shapeless lump occupied the Dantian spot; the Spiritual Energy orbited above it once, splintering into countless threads before retreating to the meridians. Unwilling to yield, Xiao Chen summoned more Spiritual Energy, directing a fresh surge to assail the Dantian, yet it merely circled as before and withdrew to the meridians. After repeated attempts, surrounding Spiritual Energy dwindled, still failing to breach the Dantian.

Ultimately, all Spiritual Energy reversed course, flowing back through meridians and acupoints into skin and muscles, gradually fortifying Xiao Chen's bones, skin, and flesh before vanishing entirely.

Xiao Chen ceased cultivation, slamming his fist onto the bed in exasperation—he remained stuck at this barrier.

Since entering 9th Grade Spirit Refinement, absorbed Spiritual Energy refused to collect in his Dantian. Rather, every trace soaked into his bones, skin, and muscles, forging his physique into unbreakable resilience and granting him astonishing power.

Should foes avoid using Essence, even Martial Master Realm martial cultivators couldn't match his raw strength. This explained his earlier escape from Xiao Jian's grasp.

Yet, without condensing his Martial Spirit, he could not refine the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth into the denser Essence. Martial Techniques from Martial Disciples onward demanded Essence to perform. No matter how strong his body was, facing a Martial Master wielding Essence led only to death. Was there really no way to dodge death in just seven days?

Suddenly, an idea struck his mind—that Compendium of Cultivation he bought from Taobao… He couldn’t cultivate it back on Earth, but maybe it would work in this world? The Martial Spirit’s presence might block forming a Jindan or Yuanying, yet what about cultivation itself?

No Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth existed in his former world, but here it filled every inch of space. The more he pondered, the more viable it felt.

The Compendium of Cultivation contained just one Immortal Cultivation Method: the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation. After three years of reading, he had long memorized it completely. He sat cross-legged once more and began practicing the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation.

With a total of 12 layers, he naturally started at the first one. Silently reciting the incantation, he instantly sensed the nearby Spiritual Energy stirring vividly, joy welling up in his heart. Xiao Chen steadied his feelings and kept circulating the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation. At this crucial moment, he could not let eagerness or haste take over.

Spiritual Energy from all around surged endlessly, enveloping him in a crystal-clear sensation as it seeped through his pores. The strands entering his body frolicked like playful little fish, creating an utterly liberating bliss beyond words. The absorption rate and density of Spiritual Energy surged several times higher.

Cheerfully coursing through his meridians, the Spiritual Energy made Xiao Chen’s narrow meridians stretch and broaden steadily under the push of its thick, potent flow. It raced along swiftly, completing a minor circuit before his chest in the blink of an eye.

Its astonishing pace left Xiao Chen somewhat alarmed; he quickly composed himself and eased the Spiritual Energy’s circulation slightly. Once the cycle finished, the Spiritual Energy returned and lingered above his Dantian.

Tension gripped Xiao Chen. Refusing to quit, he exerted full control over the Spiritual Energy, guiding it inch by inch toward the shapeless void of his Dantian and pressing against it. Like a mighty flood dragon, the vast Spiritual Energy glided slowly to the Dantian’s edge.

This sensation stood apart from his earlier attempts. Now, his mind clearly detected a supple barrier within his Dantian, blocking the Spiritual Energy from entering. The push forward grew ever more tangible until the Spiritual Energy could advance no further.

Xiao Chen steeled his resolve, rallying the scattered Spiritual Energy from his meridians above the Dantian before driving it downward with ferocious force.

A thunderous bang resounded as the Spiritual Energy rebounded violently, unleashing massive shockwaves. Xiao Chen felt his organs and entrails shift out of place, a trickle of fresh blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Horror drained his face pale. Swiftly gathering his wits, he gently directed Spiritual Energy into his damaged organs.