The Heavenly Restriction

//Updated on June 21, 2024

***

Her mother lost the token during the attack since she prioritized rescuing her children, but she had told him that the siblings might be able to use it to summon assistance only in an extreme emergency, but she was not entirely confident since she knew her mother's relationship with the Wu family was strained.

Wu Meihui, later known as Zhang Meihui, was expelled from the Ancient Wu Family. She was a matriarch candidate of the Wu Family, born with monstrous cultivating talent.

She was sent to the lowest mortal realm after removing her physique and crippling her cultivation due to a major conflict with the previous matriarch. Such is the brutality of the cultivation world.

Even her mother was forced to put Heavenly Restriction within her own daughter's body so that she will be unable to cultivate in the future even if she wanted to.

Although crippling one's cultivation in the mortal world causes one's origin to suffer and one's cultivation to be destroyed, some precious medicines, such as four-colored frost lotus, blood essence of a high-grade demonic beast, or multiple high-grade medicinal pills, can cure the harm. The cultivator can resume cultivation. But Heavenly Restriction was unique.

After imposing Heavenly Restriction on someone, they will never be able to absorb spiritual qi into their bodies. Not only will Qi cultivation techniques, but also Body Cultivation techniques in which one refines the medicinal properties of herbs and medicines and spiritual qi into their flesh become useless. Their body will lose their ability to hold onto Qi. Cultivators' lifeline, Qi, will become poisonous to them.

Imposing Heavenly Restriction is a challenging task. To conduct this procedure, at least three saints are required. As the term implies, after undergoing this procedure, a restriction will be imposed on them from the heavens until and unless a higher being intervenes. However, given the saints' position in the cultivation world, no ordinary cultivator will be willing to take any possibility of offending them.

Even after millions of years of the ancestral realm's history, the number of times the heavenly restriction was enforced can be counted on one palm. When the Heavenly Restriction is imposed onto a cultivator, they are completely transformed into a mortal. Even though the process is flawless, only a few people survive to tell the tale. Even their sea of knowledge is not spared. Living one month after the Heavenly Restriction was imposed was already difficult enough; living one year will require a tremendous amount of willpower.

The sheer determination that is required to transcend the agony caused by Heavenly Restriction is sky-high. Only those who have experienced the reality of a Heavenly Restriction are aware of the truth. Wu Meihui, with her strong willpower, lived for more than 35 years after the process.

All of this knowledge was unknown to Zhang siblings and Zhang Qingge, the mother of the siblings. Although Qingge was aware of the bitter relationship between her mother and the Wu Family, she never learned the whole truth. Thus, giving Zhang siblings incomplete information, and providing a false sense of hope to Zhang Yan.

Zhang Yan felt his blood boil with rage as he realized, he was too weak to exact any vengeance. He'll never forget the sense of powerlessness he had felt before. He was furious with himself for being so powerless. Amid of his helplessness, he felt an awakening within himself when he watched Liu Feng's Claw attack ripping through the enormous snake.

After calming down a little bit Zhang Yan tried to explain a bit more, "Boss, I wanted to ask you to teach me your martial arts but I assumed it was too precious and you might be upset by it so I started secretly practicing the technique that I witnessed that time."

"But I'm speaking honestly, I did not wan..." he continued his dramatic plea.

"Wait, wait, wait, let me complete my bit first," Liu Feng couldn't help but interrupt Zhang Yan.

"What are you even talking about?" Liu Feng inquired, asking him to elaborate.

"Sorry?? I assumed you to be enraged since I began practicing your martial arts.", even Zhang Yan was puzzled. He had a suspicion that Liu Feng was not from the Fallen Dragon Continent because he felt Liu Feng was too different. His mannerisms were different and he learned Liu Feng's common senses were missing while informing Liu Feng of most of his knowledge about this land.

He was previously aware of the existence of many higher realms of worlds, such as the Ancestral Inferno Lands from his mother.

If one was from this land, he would never be unaware of so many facts about the Fallen Dragon continent. Zhang Feng was nearly convinced that the man in front of him belonged to a higher realm. Even his techniques were unusual.

Liu Feng sighed deeply after hearing and experiencing this world's societal norms. Although he had suspected it before, it was still disheartening.

"Stop talking weird things. You are already one of my subordinates. Naturally, I considered teaching you some martial arts and cultivation techniques. You do-"

"Huh?? Even cultivation techniques?" When he learned that Liu Feng was willing to teach him cultivation techniques, his hands trembled and his heart began to pound. When he heard those words, he had a vague vision of something. He knew this was his opportunity to get stronger.

He envisioned his powerful appearance in the future, when he could stand up and protect his sister by himself, as well as face all the vile enemies, to exact his retribution for killing his family members was in his grasp.

It was the sight he had envisioned before but with no way to achieve. Liu Feng's offer made him feel so extraordinary that his rough fists unintentionally tightened into fists due to the emotion he felt.

"Thank you!" Zhang Yan bowed again politely to Liu Feng, having nothing but gratitude towards him. He wanted to say so many things, but all that came out of his mouth was a simple thank you. Every bit of thankfulness he felt was etched onto those words.

For Liu Feng, it was getting shocked again and again. Since the moment he was thrown into this world the number of times he was shocked is growing larger every day.

'Why did he react to Cultivation Technique like that? It should be pretty common right??? After all, this is a cultivation world.'

'From him, I need to learn more about sects and cultivators.' Liu Feng was perplexed.

"Wait, let me finish first," Liu Feng said as he paused his bow.

"Yes, as promised, I'll teach you martial arts, but there are some conditions you should first agree to."

"Are you willing to adhere to those rules?"

"Yes, anything," Zhang Yan responded immediately. He was willing to make any sacrifice to grow stronger.

"First, never teach it to others without my approval, and second, as I have previously stated, never betray me. If that's the case, I'll be the one to execute you."

"Don't think you'll be able to get away from me." He continued after a brief pause.

"Of course, Master.", he cupped his hands.

"Didn't I tell you before to address me as a boss rather than Master?"

"All right, Boss," Zhang Yan corrected himself quickly.

***

"As you know, my martial art is a claw technique. For the time being, I'll merely show you a basic movement. This move focuses on strength rather than speed."

"Keep in mind that claw does not always have to be agile and quick. Look at nature; smaller creatures use claws as well, with a focus on swift and sharp motions rather than strength."

"However, certain predators that use claws focus their strength on their claws rather than speed."

Soon after, Liu Feng began to explain to Zhang Yan as simply as he could about his claw technique.

"Have you ever seen a crimson lion fight?" Liu Feng understood that the essence of his martial technique was from the Crimson Lion he had received his dao fragments from. He wanted to know if Zhang Yan had ever witnessed a Crimson Lion battle so that giving practical examples would be much better.

"No, but I've heard of a Crimson Lion. Back in Gale City, the patriarch of the Han Family keeps a crimson lion as a pet," Zhang Yan replied accurately.

'As a pet, huh.'

"All right, now I'm going to tell you about my martial art. My martial technique is called [Beast God's Claw Art]. It's an extremely advanced technique for you to learn right now."

Seeing the astonished expression of Zhang Yan, Liu Feng felt satisfied. He was confident about his naming sense which did not seem to betray his expectations.

"But tell me, have you ever learned or practiced any martial arts?" Liu Feng inquired.

"Yes, our family had the [Mighty Ape Fist], a black-grade martial art." I used to practice it, but due to my lack of talent, I was never able to get past the initiated stage."

Zhang Yan lowered his head, feeling embarrassed at his lack of talent. He was scared that Liu Feng would forsake him after discovering his lack of skills.

"But I can assure you that I will do my best!" declared Zhang Yan.