Chapter 2231 — The Fierce Fire Fist Again
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"What? Thirty forms?" The Great Fire Lion's words shattered Wei Zhao's understanding. "How can there be thirty forms? Aren't all martial arts in this world—high or low—divided into twenty forms?"
No wonder Wei Zhao was astonished. When Uncle Qing had taught him martial arts, he had told him that the first ten forms could be unleashed by Earth-rank strength and the latter ten by Heaven-rank experts; and the arts he had seen in hiding at the Han family all stopped at twenty forms. So how was it that here, from the Great Fire Lion, a martial art of thirty forms had suddenly appeared?
"Heh, twenty forms... that is only what most cultivators believe—that the first ten forms can be unleashed by Earth-rank strength and the latter ten by Heaven-rank experts. But my contracted master happened to discover this secret. Even the rest of this sect—every successive sect master—held to the twenty-form understanding," the Great Fire Lion nodded and said. "And it was precisely because my contracted master discovered the forms beyond the twentieth in this art that his pursuit of realms beyond Heaven-rank grew ever more fervent—for at the peak of Heaven-rank late stage, his bottleneck was the twentieth-form technique; he could never unleash a twenty-first form. But by his research and analysis, a martial art from the twenty-first form onward enters an entirely new realm, a height never before reached... Of course, what I tell you now, just take as a curious tale. There is no need to chase after it deliberately."
"I understand." Wei Zhao knew the Great Fire Lion was cautioning him not to reach too high.
"The reason I never told the later heirs of this sect about this art and its latter ten forms was my fear that they would aim too high, or fix their hearts on higher martial learning, and neglect their proper duties," said the Great Fire Lion. "And the reason I now pass the whole of this art to you is likewise because this sect has no successor left. I give this art to you in the hope that you will pass it on hereafter, so that it is not lost..."
"Good! Until I reach the peak of Heaven-rank late stage, I will not attempt to study those latter ten forms," Wei Zhao promised with a nod.
The Great Fire Lion nodded, then from a hidden recess in a corner of the cave brought out a thread-bound ancient volume and handed it to Wei Zhao, saying, "I suggest you cultivate here. If you can reach the fifth form before going up the mountain, so much the better; but if you cannot, then go up tomorrow morning—I will not stop you."
Wei Zhao took the thread-bound manual somewhat impatiently—but then the three large characters on its cover struck him speechless!
For on the manual's cover were written the three great characters—"Fierce Fire Fist"!
The Fierce Fire Fist was no stranger to Wei Zhao; the art he cultivated was precisely the Fierce Fire Fist. But was that not Uncle Qing's family-heirloom martial art? How was it that the Great Fire Lion had a copy of the Fierce Fire Fist as well? (To be continued.) RQ