Chapter Six: The Martial Path of Heavenly Slaughter

In the living room, Heaven’s Way and Liu Tian sat facing each other, an antique zisha teapot between them. Two cups of steaming tea exuded a faint fragrance, soothing and refreshing. From its aroma alone, one could sense its extraordinary value; this tea was produced only in the Misty Mountains of the Scarlet Cloud Empire, with the rarest Misty Mountain tea growing solely on the deep cliffs. Clearly, though he seemed to have relinquished ambition, Heaven’s Way still paid considerable attention to his own comforts.

“Heaven, your tea-making skills have improved once again,” Heaven’s Way remarked after tasting the tea. “You’re progressing faster in this than in your martial arts.”

“Master, yesterday afternoon, before the thunderstorm, I killed two armed criminals in the southern city park in self-defense while they were conducting a transaction. To avoid detection, I tossed them into the sewer,” Liu Tian replied straightforwardly, without reservation. He then pulled a prismatic object from his sock and placed it on the table. Its composition was unknown; once freed from pressure, it immediately returned to its original form, and after nearly a day in his sock, it bore no hint of odor. “Additionally, I obtained this from their corpses.”

“It seems to have been their traded item. It looks valuable. I think, since I’ve acted, I shouldn’t leave empty-handed.”

Though he had long resolved to let matters be, Heaven’s Way found himself at a loss for words, seeing Liu Tian’s calm demeanor. Unlike the boy who had seen corpses early on, Liu Tian had been doted on by his parents, never experiencing setbacks, and had seen nothing bloodier than fish. Yet he was so composed about having killed with his own hands.

Could it be that the Heavenly Martial Fist, modified from the Heavenly Martial Path, hadn’t fully purged its influence? Perhaps so; after all, the fist technique was born from the path, so it was hardly possible for it to be entirely unaffected. Maybe he should create a secret martial art wholly unconnected with the Heavenly Martial Path...

Heaven’s Way’s mind raced, feeling fortunate he hadn’t taught the Heavenly Martial Fist to a second person.

Ever since the end of the First World War twenty years ago, Heaven’s Way, disheartened, had lost interest in power, blood, and death. If his actions led others down a road they shouldn’t walk, even he would feel uneasy.

But...

Heaven’s Way lowered his gaze, staring into Liu Tian’s blood-red eyes. His thoughts drifted back ten years, to when a young Liu Tian pestered him to become his apprentice and posed a question.

“Why do you want to practice martial arts?”

“I want to become strong. I want to see all the world’s scenery!”

Perhaps, even without the Heavenly Martial Fist, Heaven would eventually walk this path.

With this realization, Heaven’s Way returned to the present and glanced at the oddly familiar prismatic object. Try as he might, he couldn’t recall where he’d seen it. “This item likely comes from the Lost Empire. I seem to recall seeing something similar once, though I’m not certain. It must be valuable. Are you thinking of selling it?”

“No, Master,” Liu Tian shook his head. “I want to know where I can find more of these.”

Heaven’s Way was puzzled. “What do you want them for?”

“For some reason, I feel that close contact with it accelerates my martial training,” Liu Tian replied. “By the way, Master, I’ve broken through the Martial Artist stage.”

“Is that so? It’s about time,” Heaven’s Way picked up the prism, then set it down again, his expression unchanged. “If you find it accelerates your training, keep it. Don’t lose it. I’ll keep an eye out for similar items.”

“But I have another question,” Heaven’s Way’s face grew serious. “Have you truly decided to walk this path?”

“Yes,” Liu Tian responded. “I want to see higher and more vistas.”

An unspeakable silence lingered. Heaven’s Way gazed deeply at Liu Tian, realizing that the child who once clung to his side had grown tall and strong, now at an age to decide his own future.

Just like the boy before him!

“Well then, perhaps this is fate,” Heaven’s Way sighed, draining the tea that had grown cold. “Since you’ve chosen this road, don’t look back, don’t regret. Keep walking forward!”

“Follow me. I will teach you anew.”

“I will teach you, my proudest martial art—the Heavenly Martial Path!”

The training chamber.

Heaven’s Way had prepared this special space, its floor paved with blue stone slabs, many bearing deep, seamless footprints engraved into the stone. These prints weren’t made by deliberate force, but from countless days and years, worn in gradually.

If one possessed enough talent and a high level of martial attainment, perhaps they could deduce a supreme technique from the myriad marks scattered across the room.

A supreme technique known as the Heavenly Martial Path.

“By now, you must have sensed the unfinished essence of the Heavenly Martial Fist,” Heaven’s Way said while slowly warming up with his fists.

“Yes,” Liu Tian replied, mirroring Heaven’s Way’s movements exactly. “Since I began practicing the Heavenly Martial Fist, whenever I train, I feel a sense of incompleteness, a desire to strike harder.”

“Has it always been so?” Heaven’s Way was surprised, but his movements didn’t slow; in fact, they gradually quickened. “It seems your talent is greater than I thought.”

Though Heaven’s Way lamented his inability to fully erase the shadow of the Heavenly Martial Path, he was nevertheless the greatest fighter of his era. The Heavenly Martial Fist, refined from the path, retained only a faint trace of its influence.

Yet Liu Tian sensed that elusive specter from the very start; he could not be merely average, but at least a budding genius.

“The Heavenly Martial Fist is a streamlined technique distilled from the Heavenly Martial Path,” Heaven’s Way explained, launching the final move, ‘If I Were Emperor,’ then began the sequence anew. Though the changes were slight, his fist now carried an indescribable quality.

A quality that made one’s blood boil.

“Compared to the Heavenly Martial Fist, the Heavenly Martial Path places greater emphasis on the heart,” Heaven’s Way continued, executing each move unhurriedly to ensure Liu Tian could keep pace. “To unleash its true power—your fist must be swift, your heart ruthless!”

“Abandon excessive thoughts, relinquish unnecessary doubts.”

“Focus wholly on your fists, think only of crushing your opponent.”

“If you can discard everything, if you can immerse yourself entirely in the thrill of striking down your foe—”

“Then you will be the strongest in the world!”

“Now, disciple!” Heaven’s Way’s expression, usually gentle, suddenly contorted into a ferocious snarl, and a surge of energy radiated from him—a fierce, wild, powerful, and domineering aura enveloped him. “Damn it, use your body to truly feel the Heavenly Martial Path, experience your master’s strongest fist!”

“There’s no faster way to learn the Heavenly Martial Path in this world!”