After I Am died, You Tell Me This Is A Life Simulation? -
Chapter 27 - “Northern Darkness Divine Art”
Chapter 27: “Northern Darkness Divine Art”
Fang Han sprinkled some of the insect-repelling powder in his hand.
After waiting silently for about fifteen minutes, he gave Cheng Lingsu a few instructions, then bent down and stepped into the cave.
The path ahead was mostly flat. After walking about twenty to thirty paces, he came upon a bronze-cast gate.
He gave it a light push—thud—a muffled sound echoed out.
A wave of musty dampness and stale air seeped from within.
Fang Han covered his nose and mouth. He didn’t rush in but waited a while longer.
Only when the foul air had fully dissipated did he step forward again.
He groped his way forward. After another short walk, he encountered another obstruction—
A second door.
Pushing it open, a beam of light seeped through the crack.
In the darkness, that glimmer stood out sharply.
When the door was fully opened, the soft light from within allowed him to see clearly.
It was a hazy, gentle glow—not bright, but soothing, softly rippling in the space.
Inside was a stone chamber, filled with various items.
Fang Han paid them no attention. He walked directly to the far end of the room, where a crevice lay, and gave it a firm push—revealing yet another stone door.
And right behind it—
A life-sized jade statue of a woman in palace attire, sword in hand, poised in a solemn stance.
If an outsider had stumbled in unaware, they might’ve been shocked out of their skin.
But Fang Han wasn’t surprised in the slightest. He already knew—it was just a statue.
He approached it directly, picked up the meditation cushion in front of it, and gave it a squeeze—clearly feeling something hidden inside.
Using his sword, he carefully slit open the edge and took out a bundle wrapped in silk.
Under the dim light, he could make out several lines of writing on the silk:
“Since you have kowtowed a thousand times, you are now mine to command…”
He casually set the silk aside—beneath it lay a scroll.
Opening it slightly, his eyes landed on the elegant, flowing calligraphy. The first four characters blazed before him:
“Northern Darkness Divine Art” (北冥神功)
“Hahahaha!!!”
Only now did Fang Han finally release the joy and excitement he had kept bottled up inside.
Damn it! Finally!
I finally have it!
In his past life, he had narrowly missed this chance. He had regretted it deeply ever since.
Not just because this was the first opportunity he had aimed to seize—
But because, unlike many other hidden martial treasures, this one had the lowest risk factor.
Once the location was found, it basically guaranteed obtaining the divine technique.
There were no elaborate twists and traps.
Take Shaolin for example—Nine Yang Manual (《九阳真经》) was kept in the Sutra Chamber. To sneak in, one needed top-tier lightness skill. And even then, success wasn’t guaranteed. In this world where even Wudang existed, who’s to say the manual hadn’t already been stolen and taken to Kunlun?
Or the Ancient Tomb School—go through the front door and you’ll find traps, secret passages, and underground waterways, all highly dangerous.
Then there’s Bright Peak of the Ming Cult—practically hell mode. Even if fewer hidden masters guarded it than Shaolin, the Ming Cult was massive and militant. If caught, death was almost certain.
And the Taixuan Divine Manual (太玄经神功) on Hero’s Island? That was even more laughable. Unless you were a chosen elite, you wouldn’t even qualify to go.
Go there by yourself?
How?
Do you even know where it is? Even if you did—do you have the strength to survive the journey?
No way.
After considering all possible opportunities and weighing risk versus reward—both in his first and second life simulations—Fang Han had always chosen Mount Wuliang as the starting point for acquiring divine martial arts.
Compared to other supreme techniques that required years of cultivation, Northern Darkness Divine Art’s ability to absorb others’ internal energy made it far more appealing to Fang Han.
He wasn’t some main character blessed with infinite luck and fate, where heaven and earth aligned to push him forward.
When he first transmigrated, he was already twenty-two. Now, his body was twenty-three. Even with the experience of a full life simulation behind him, his martial arts were still at the “novice” level.
His talent and comprehension were average at best.
Especially his root foundation—he wasn’t sure if it was due to missing the ideal age to build internal power, but it was definitely unimpressive.
If he were to try learning Nine Yang Manual, Nine Yin Manual, or Heaven and Earth Shift, he might train for a lifetime and still not reach protagonist-level mastery.
Take Nine Yang Manual, for example—why was Zhang Wuji able to master it so quickly?
First, because he had strong innate talent and comprehension.
Second, his life circumstances.
He grew up with Zhang Cuishan, Yin Susu, and Xie Xun—three people who all had deep martial experience. With such a background, he already had a solid foundation.
After returning to the Central Plains, he suffered from cold poison due to the Xuanming Divine Palm. But then a legendary master, Zhang Sanfeng, poured his immense and pure internal energy into him daily to keep him alive.
Imagine the benefit of having elite internal energy circulate through your meridians every day.
Then came the opportunity—he acquired the Nine Yang Manual, a technique of pure yang energy.
It was perfect against the cold poison in his body. Had he acquired a more yin-based or neutral style, it wouldn’t have worked.
And he already had the Wudang Nine Yang Technique, a derivative of the original. With such a basis, it was no surprise he mastered the true version swiftly.
In just a few years, not only was the cold poison purged, but he built up an immense reserve of yang energy—just a step away from unlocking the Ren and Du meridians.
Then he came across the “One Qi Pouch” of the monk known as Unspoken Monk. Using that treasure, he broke through the final barrier and brought Nine Yang Divine Art to its peak.
Foundation, background, opportunity, luck—he lacked none. That was how he became the famed leader of the Ming Cult.
Then there’s the Nine Yin Manual…
Sure, it became common later, but look at the people who trained in it:
Zhou Botong, Hong Qigong, Master Yideng, Guo Jing, Huang Rong…
Even Ouyang Feng, who practiced it in reverse!
All were top-tier martial legends.
Those who mastered it were either already peak-tier fighters or protagonist-level talents like Guo Jing and Huang Rong.
As for Guo Jing—people often thought he was honest and a bit dim. But that’s a huge misunderstanding.
He was the Golden Blade Consort of the Mongol Khan, a master archer—how could he be mediocre?
His early mediocrity stemmed from being taught by the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan, whose martial styles were drastically different. They forced all their styles on him, resulting in clumsy and scattered learning.
No one could excel under such conditions.
Later, he could read the stars and comprehend martial principles from observing the Big Dipper—what kind of comprehension is that?
Maybe not peerless, but definitely elite.
And before he even touched Nine Yin, he had learned Xuanmen inner cultivation from Ma Yu of Quanzhen. With such a Taoist foundation and solid understanding, comprehending Nine Yin was easy.
Without that base, just look at what happened to Chen Xuanfeng and Mei Chaofeng—they turned a Taoist scripture into a sinister art.
And Heaven and Earth Shift? Zhang Wuji learned it in half a day—because he had already mastered Nine Yang.
Once you’ve mastered that, all martial techniques fall into place. But for an average person? It’d take 7 to 14 years just to master the first layer—if they even could.
If someone ordinary got their hands on these manuals, without the luck, background, and foundation of a protagonist, they would likely never reach mastery.
They might never even understand the core of the art.
Fang Han understood this well.
He simply wasn’t that kind of peerless prodigy.
Even with a divine manual, it didn’t mean he could master it easily.
As for the Nine Yang, Nine Yin, or Heaven and Earth Shift—they demanded high aptitude and comprehension. He likely wouldn’t make it far.
But this Northern Darkness Divine Art—this was different.
This… might just be the shortcut he needed.
Footnotes:
- 北冥神功 (Běimíng Shéngōng)– “Northern Darkness Divine Art.” A fictional martial arts technique from Jin Yong’s wuxia novels. It allows the user to absorb others’ internal energy, converting it into their own. Inspired by Taoist and Daoist metaphysics, especially the idea of Beiming (Northern Darkness), a mysterious ocean of potential.
- 终南捷径 (Zhōngnán jiéjìng)– “Shortcut via Mount Zhongnan.” An idiom meaning an unconventional but fast way to success. Originally referred to monks who went to Mount Zhongnan to become Taoist hermits or officials—hence, skipping normal bureaucratic paths.
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