Chapter 55: The Sumeru Mustard Seed, Vajra's Wrathful Gaze

“With your level of perception, following Ji Tianrui’s path is nothing short of madness, isn’t it?”
Li Miao spoke to Lan Lechuan, paying not the slightest attention to Zuo Lishan.
In this Mount Tai Sect, at this moment, the least important person was, ironically, the sect master himself, Zuo Lishan.
Because Lan Lechuan, too, had ascended beyond the pinnacle.
The moment the two had crossed hands, they instantly discerned each other’s realm.
Those who surpass the absolute peak manifest it differently.
As a monk of the previous dynasty once described, someone like Li Miao, whose true energy was utterly unified, who had mastered and absorbed myriad martial arts, was called a “Mediator.”
Lan Lechuan, on the other hand, had clearly walked Ji Tianrui’s path: his true energy surged like the sea, every movement echoed the collapse of mountains; this was called a “Summita.”
Zuo Lishan, with his unusual hard training, whose body was impervious to blades and swords, counted as half a “Diamond.”
Since Ji Tianrui, the former leader of the Ming Sect, died, there had been no one of such realm in the world for years—yet here, three such figures had converged at once!
But it made sense after all—setting Li Miao aside, his achievements were earned through effort and diligence, nothing more.
Zuo Lishan had taken a crooked path, with endless consequences, sacrificing his life force.
Few who attained the pinnacle would choose to make themselves neither human nor ghost, gaining a few years of power only to die soon after. Even Zuo Lishan himself had been cornered by Li Miao, forced to take desperate measures.
As for Lan Lechuan crossing beyond the absolute peak—he, too, had his reasons.
Returning to the present moment, Li Miao and Lan Lechuan, having exchanged blows, were both astonished by the other’s realm, and yet each thought the other a fool.
In their brief skirmish, Li Miao’s left fist was “Iron Sand Palm” combined with “Blocking Hammer,” his right palm was “Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill” with “Mount Sumeru Palm,” his chest guarded by “Iron Shirt,” and his feet moving with “Flying Swallow Through Clouds.”
His entire body utilized martial arts, the very embodiment of a “Mediator.”
Given Li Miao’s legendary constitution, to walk the path of “Summita,” overpowering others with force, would be twice as effective with half the effort. Even following the “Diamond” path would pose no issue. Yet he insisted on the most perception-dependent “Mediator” route.
Lan Lechuan, born of the Ming Sect and Ji Tianrui’s disciple, possessed extraordinary perception and had dabbled in all sorts of Ming Sect martial arts, but his constitution was not exceptional. He ought to have pursued the “Mediator” path instead.
Li Miao looked Lan Lechuan up and down. “Enough, I don’t care which path you take.”
“Once I’ve killed you both, I have other matters.”
Li Miao beckoned to the two. “Come.”
Lan Lechuan, furious to the point of laughter, sent a palm strike across the air; true energy formed a handprint in midair, scattering stones in its wake—none other than the Ming Sect’s secret technique, “Great Nine Heavens Palm.”
Zuo Lishan knew this was a fight for his life. He launched a sword strike, “Lofty Ridge Across the Sky,” towards Li Miao.
Li Miao crouched low, placed his right hand at his left flank, palms together like a blade.
Then, with a sudden upward slash—
Swish!
A cold gleam flashed in midair; Li Miao’s true energy transformed into a tangible arc.
It was the first strike from the Iron Penal Warfare Manual of the Embroidered Guard: “One Blade, One Axe, One Hook, One Cannon”—the “One Blade”!

Unmatched in sharpness!
Bang!
Lan Lechuan’s “Great Nine Heavens Palm” was cleaved apart midair by that blade, the remaining energy split in two, slicing past Li Miao and smashing into the wall, shattering it entirely.
“Ah!”
Zuo Lishan staggered backward; his sword snapped in two, and his left hand clutched his left eye, blood streaming through his fingers.
With a single move, he had repelled two who stood beyond the absolute peak!
But at this moment, both Lan Lechuan and Zuo Lishan knew that against Li Miao, they had no time for shock or awe.
Li Miao was now serious, no longer toying with them as if they were children, no more banter with each strike. Now, his killing intent was stirred, and he held nothing back.
Zuo Lishan, with only his right eye left, blinked—Li Miao was already before him.
A claw reached for his chest!
Had Zuo Lishan been uninjured, he could have withstood the attack and returned a sword strike.
But Li Miao’s earlier palm had shattered his chest bone; now, only flesh and blood remained between his chest and heart. If he were grabbed, his heart would surely be torn out on the spot!
Lan Lechuan had also closed in on Li Miao, not sparing Zuo Lishan a glance, nor attempting a rescue, instead striking at Li Miao’s head.
“If Zuo Lishan dies, so be it. If I can trade Li Miao for him today, it’s not a loss!”
Zuo Lishan, desperate, grew ruthless and quick-witted.
His left hand, covering his eye, suddenly dug in, clutching a mass of filthy blood in his palm, which he flung toward Li Miao’s face.
His body was infested with venomous insects; this blood was laced with poison.
Miao territory poison arts were a different route than Central Plains martial arts; even the strongest true energy could hardly defend against them.
As the blood flew, Zuo Lishan was not idle. With no sword in hand, he pressed his right fingers together like a blade, stabbing toward Li Miao’s groin.
“Tsk!”
It was Zuo Lishan’s second attempt at a low blow.
Li Miao shifted his right hand into a fist, first lifting upward to shield the foul blood with his sleeve,
Then, abruptly, he smashed his fist down onto the crouched Zuo Lishan’s back!
Bang!!!
This punch was the genuine “Intent Strike.”
It flattened Zuo Lishan face-down on the ground, blood gushing from his mouth!
Meanwhile, Lan Lechuan’s “Great Nine Heavens Palm” reached Li Miao’s ear!
Li Miao raised his shoulder to block, but was too late to activate his hard training technique.
The palm landed heavily on Li Miao’s shoulder.

In an instant, Li Miao’s upper garments were shredded by the surge of true energy, scattering in midair.
Lan Lechuan moved his foot, sending a wave of true energy into Zuo Lishan, hurling him a yard away, then retreated himself, seizing the opportunity.
Only after retreating two or three yards did Lan Lechuan raise his eyes to look at Li Miao.
He saw Li Miao now bare-chested, his muscles twisted like steel wire, broad-backed and slender-waisted, every sinew distinct.
On his right shoulder, a blackened palm print bloomed, blood seeping beneath the skin.
That palm strike had finally wounded Li Miao in earnest.
But Lan Lechuan was uncertain, blurting out, “You’re not a ‘Mediator’!”
“No, you’re not just a ‘Mediator’… you’re also a ‘Diamond’!”
Lan Lechuan’s palm was the Ming Sect’s ultimate defensive art, “Great Nine Heavens Palm,” delivered with full force, no holding back. Even solid iron would bear its mark.
Yet Li Miao, with no time to activate his hard training, had withstood it through pure muscle and circulating true energy!
Such a feat—Zuo Lishan, whose body had been transformed by venomous insects, wouldn’t dare imagine it!
Yes, yes. Years had passed since anyone mastered the “Mediator” path, leading Lan Lechuan to misjudge.
Li Miao had earlier confronted Lan Lechuan’s sharp true energy with his fist, suffering only superficial wounds. Lan Lechuan had assumed it was the “Mediator’s” marvel, using hard training arts with such mastery as to turn rot into magic.
But now, how could the commonplace “Iron Sand Palm” so easily block his “Profound Sky Finger”?
Clearly, Li Miao was using half hard training true energy, half pure muscle to withstand the blow!
Li Miao glanced at his shoulder wound; his true energy surged, forcing the blood out from beneath his skin.
“Taking your palm, true energy entered my body, and only then did I sense it.”
“This true energy wasn’t cultivated by you, it reeks of Ji Tianrui.”
“No wonder he died so easily, no wonder you surpassed the pinnacle, your true energy even stronger… He passed all his power to you before dying?”
Li Miao looked at Lan Lechuan.
“Enough. I’ll never understand the thoughts of you religious fanatics from the Ming Sect.”
“Since you’ve inherited Ji Tianrui’s power in full, killing you both in a short time today will be difficult.”
Li Miao swept his gaze over the battered Zuo Lishan and Lan Lechuan. “Run.”
“In half an hour, I’ll depart to rescue my subordinates. I haven’t time to waste on your worthless lives. But don’t think you can linger on Mount Tai, stirring up trouble unscathed.”
“In half an hour, if you survive, never appear before me again.”