Path of martial arts: leaked sneak peaks, and discussing thread

[AGoldenExperience]

From what my friend explained to me, after a certain level, you can use your dao to understand/replicate other dao, even if not up to the same level.

Makes sense, at the highest level I'd imagine that:

• A lot of Dao types start sharing traits making fundamental understanding of other Dao easier.
• You get acclimated to other types of Dao easier due to your mastery of one type completely.

 

[justindeed]

As I said we know that every IE martial art in POMA we see besides the Su Clan's is either something Tang Wei used during the Conquest or a parody of it. Meaning it's a spell he learned at some point. Meaning he studied it with his dao seed/sprout/sapling/tree.

It just doesn't make sense unless he can use spells outside of his dao and make dao slips out of them for the Celestials and onwards. Or the retcon devil striked again and POMA people have non-Tang Wei originary spells for some reason.

I was certain that the quote implied you could broaden your dao after reaching immortality and making it your own but thinking more about it I guess it's a God exclusive thing? But Tang Wei was crippled and lost the use of his divine spark in this flashback and yet the narration says this specifically:

You pick nine women, as talented as anyone could be in this wasteland, and secure nine now related to you lineages. You break down your immense Dao into useless, but simple techniques that the savages here can utilize.

Meaning at the very least he didn't use his Divine Spark here, it's just his Dao Tree(?) making these various techniques.

From what my friend explained to me, after a certain level, you can use your dao to understand/replicate other dao, even if not up to the same level.

That's what I believe too. I think once you reach immortality and can do magics you become able to use other types of spells besides what you're compatible with. It would match what LB has said in that quote.

 

[Arlonb]

Meaning at the very least he didn't use his Divine Spark here, it's just his Dao Tree(?) making these various techniques.

Another interesting but useless piece of information: Beyond the Tree is the Forest. That is the stage where the Domain is unlocked.

 

[LuciDio]

Meaning he somehow stopped during the formation of the Empire to play dice or something thus creating Xiao Chun's art? Actually thats quite funny now that I think about it

I don't think you're limited by the spells you can learn as long as you take the time to comprehend them. Like Tang Wei had his own Dao, but it's very likely that he had knowledge of spells from other Dao specifically. He hated imperfection and Arts but I'm pretty sure he still knew a lot of them, being him.

If you just start out at the beginning of the game, you can theoretically learn any Art right? It doesn't have to be Void, Elemental or Body, which are all Tang Wei's personal versions of the Dao these concepts represent. LB even says at one point that no two Dao are the same, so your personal Dao is your understanding of the "truth" behind that concept, and two Fire Dao practitioners that live the exact same life would still have different versions of the Fire Dao.

She also says that Arts or spells are just systematized and simplified formulas that allow you to use the Dao used for their creation in a limited controlled way that makes it easier on the mind and body. So I'm pretty sure that not all spells present in PoMA have to be derived from Tang Wei's Dao. For example all the mind control effects, dice rolling, the beast summoning guy from the arena, or all the poison techniques (although it could be argued that it's a very complicated way of using elements but whatever). However that they come from Tang Wei is still very logical, since they didn't have to be his for him to create manuals for them or teach them to people, he just had to have comprehended them.

And yeah, it's stated multiple times that he abhors all inferior techniques, but since he was drained, on the verge of death and Qi starved, he probably resorted to some old knowledge he had on "basic" and "simple" Arts he knew for whatever reason.

Or maybe you are right and Niki has once again decided to just retcon everything - both are equally as likely lol.

 

[justindeed]

Another interesting but useless piece of information: Beyond the Tree is the Forest. That is the stage where the Domain is unlocked.

I didn't know there were stages after the Dao Tree.

Also while searching for the immortality quote I was reminded of something much more ominous that was said by LB:

"\"You need to spark a fire in your heart and let it ravage you. You need to be consumed entirely by rage, hatred or desire. Otherwise, your Dao will become too much for you. It will break your mind and either turn you into a a babbling fool or make you fall victim to the Devil.\"","","*if (devil_formed)"," A mischievous grin appears when she says the last part."," "," \"I can already feel it lurking underneath. Waiting and preparing to do what it thinks you will be unable to. Do not give it a chance.\"",

Considering the Devil starts showing up even before you can learn Tri-Dao, I don't think this is restricted to Tri-Cultivators

I don't think you're limited by the spells you can learn as long as you take the time to comprehend them. Like Tang Wei had his own Dao, but it's very likely that he had knowledge of spells from other Dao specifically. He hated imperfection and Arts but I'm pretty sure he still knew a lot of them, being him.

If you just start out at the beginning of the game, you can theoretically learn any Art right? It doesn't have to be Void, Elemental or Body, which are all Tang Wei's personal versions of the Dao these concepts represent. LB even says at one point that no two Dao are the same, so your personal Dao is your understanding of the "truth" behind that concept, and two Fire Dao practitioners that live the exact same life would still have different versions of the Fire Dao.

She also says that Arts or spells are just systematized and simplified formulas that allow you to use the Dao used for their creation in a limited controlled way that makes it easier on the mind and body. So I'm pretty sure that not all spells present in PoMA have to be derived from Tang Wei's Dao. For example all the mind control effects, dice rolling, the beast summoning guy from the arena, or all the poison techniques (although it could be argued that it's a very complicated way of using elements but whatever). However that they come from Tang Wei is still very logical, since they didn't have to be his for him to create manuals for them or teach them to people, he just had to have comprehended them.

And yeah, it's stated multiple times that he abhors all inferior techniques, but since he was drained, on the verge of death and Qi starved, he probably resorted to some old knowledge he had on "basic" and "simple" Arts he knew for whatever reason.

Or maybe you are right and Niki has once again decided to just retcon everything - both are equally as likely lol.

That makes a lot of sense actually. Thanks.

 

[Arlonb]

I don't think you're limited by the spells you can learn as long as you take the time to comprehend them. Like Tang Wei had his own Dao, but it's very likely that he had knowledge of spells from other Dao specifically. He hated imperfection and Arts but I'm pretty sure he still knew a lot of them, being him.

If you just start out at the beginning of the game, you can theoretically learn any Art right? It doesn't have to be Void, Elemental or Body, which are all Tang Wei's personal versions of the Dao these concepts represent. LB even says at one point that no two Dao are the same, so your personal Dao is your understanding of the "truth" behind that concept, and two Fire Dao practitioners that live the exact same life would still have different versions of the Fire Dao.

She also says that Arts or spells are just systematized and simplified formulas that allow you to use the Dao used for their creation in a limited controlled way that makes it easier on the mind and body. So I'm pretty sure that not all spells present in PoMA have to be derived from Tang Wei's Dao. For example all the mind control effects, dice rolling, the beast summoning guy from the arena, or all the poison techniques (although it could be argued that it's a very complicated way of using elements but whatever). However that they come from Tang Wei is still very logical, since they didn't have to be his for him to create manuals for them or teach them to people, he just had to have comprehended them.

And yeah, it's stated multiple times that he abhors all inferior techniques, but since he was drained, on the verge of death and Qi starved, he probably resorted to some old knowledge he had on "basic" and "simple" Arts he knew for whatever reason.

Or maybe you are right and Niki has once again decided to just retcon everything - both are equally as likely lol.

Yes, I literally cannot imagine TW taking a second out of his time to create "Gambling Lunatic Lord Art"...

That said, it's not that he didn't like Arts (even though he actually despised them), but rather that both TW and MC simply cannot use Fixed Arts/Spells in any way; their Dao prevents them from doing so. Although I'm almost certain that, yes, they can learn and study Arts and Spells, they just can't use them.

 

[LuciDio]

Yes, I literally cannot imagine TW taking a second out of his time to create "Gambling Lunatic Lord Art"...

That said, it's not that he didn't like Arts (even though he actually despised them), but rather that both TW and MC simply cannot use Fixed Arts/Spells in any way; their Dao prevents them from doing so. Although I'm almost certain that, yes, they can learn and study Arts and Spells, they just can't use them.

Yeah, case and point - Su De and Yuan Fang. The MC just had to observe and comprehend, without even knowing the Art itself in the case of Yuan Fang, to write up a new and improved manual for him.

Now I don’t know if that knowledge stays memorized or not, but if it does, then it’s just a matter of Tang Wei having analyzed some arts during his lifetime to satisfy his curiosity or in his quest to rip open the Underworld, and voila - tens if not hundreds of arts that he can write up a manual for and instruct others in without having to use them himself.

 

[justindeed]

That said, it's not that he didn't like Arts (even though he actually despised them), but rather that both TW and MC simply cannot use Fixed Arts/Spells in any way; their Dao prevents them from doing so. Although I'm almost certain that, yes, they can learn and study Arts and Spells, they just can't use them.

I mean, isn't the Realm Annihilating Fist MC can use a Nirvana-level Spell? I think MC can use Spells just fine, he just can't use Martial Arts because they involve Inner Energy and the Seed absolutely despises and rejects it as we see in the expedition.

Yeah, case and point - Su De and Yuan Fang. The MC just had to observe and comprehend, without even knowing the Art itself in the case of Yuan Fang, to write up a new and improved manual for him.

Now I don’t know if that knowledge stays memorized or not, but if it does, then it’s just a matter of Tang Wei having analyzed some arts during his lifetime to satisfy his curiosity or in his quest to rip open the Underworld, and voila - tens if not hundreds of arts that he can write up a manual for and instruct others in without having to use them himself.

That does seem to be the most reasonable explanation.

 

[justindeed]

So thinking more about the points @LuciDio made I think what happens is the following:

1. There is the Dao, which is personal to each cultivator and enables them to freely cast spells related to that particular Dao limited only to their comprehension (e.g their Dao level).
2. There are Fixed Spells/Arts, which come in Dao Slips (or Manuals in POMA) written by very advanced cultivators/daoists, that enable anyone who reads them and have the requisite comprehension or accomplish other conditions (the latter is implied by Yang Gan when you compete with Ruo in the beginning after the tourney) to use them for very specific purposes. For example, Flesh Scorching Kicks uses a particular form of elemental dao to achieve that particular result.
3. Dao is way more versatile and powerful than learning Fixed Spells and therefore superior in Tang Wei's mind. But he also learned all those other spells at one point or another for some unknown reason and wrote the manuals for POMA in his weakened state because it's what was practical for him.
4. Tang Wei at some point in his martial journey learned Gambling Lunatic Lord Art aka the Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor Technique

 

[Arlonb]

I mean, isn't the Realm Annihilating Fist MC can use a Nirvana-level Spell?

It's confusing, but the Realm Annihilating Fist is an Immortal Magic, which is something above spells, only it is currently weakened to the equivalent power of a Nirvana-grade.

I think MC can use Spells just fine, he just can't use Martial Arts because they involve Inner Energy and the Seed absolutely despises and rejects it as we see in the expedition.

And no, they're not really spells that the MC uses, even though he refers to them that way. Spells are actually “parodies” of the Dao. What he uses are Dao Manifestations, which anyone with a Dao Seed can do, but with a difficulty of 1000, while for the MC it's 1 (these numbers are just my interpretation, but that's the idea). Butterfly comments on this.

 

[justindeed]

It's confusing, but the Realm Annihilating Fist is an Immortal Magic, which is something above spells, only it is currently weakened to the equivalent power of a Nirvana-grade.

Well, there is still the Heavenly Asura Art/Transformation, which is an Art/Spell that MC learns and can use. Unless you want to argue that is a Dao Manifestation that MC learns but that's a stretch imo

And no, they're not really spells that the MC uses, even though he refers to them that way. Spells are actually “parodies” of the Dao. What he uses are Dao Manifestations, which anyone with a Dao Seed can do, but with a difficulty of 1000, while for the MC it's 1 (these numbers are just my interpretation, but that's the idea). Butterfly comments on this.

Fair, I'm using them interchangeably for simplicity's sake but yeah Dao is way better

 

[Arlonb]

Well, there is still the Heavenly Asura Art/Transformation, which is an Art/Spell that MC learns and can use. Unless you want to argue that is a Dao Manifestation that MC learns but that's a stretch imo

No arguments here, after all Tang Wei mentions that GS does not despise complex transformations. But I do not rule out the possibility, after all, those "semi-transformations," if they can be called that, are also Dao Manifestations.

 

[justindeed]

No arguments here, after all Tang Wei mentions that GS does not despise complex transformations. But I do not rule out the possibility, after all, those "semi-transformations," if they can be called that, are also Dao Manifestations.

I reread the bit after the expo to confirm it and you're right. He mentions his physique (not the seed) will not allow MC to use ordinary spells and disdains "all but the Forbidden Magics and complex transformations" and that you can create techniques (I assume Arts and Spells) with a thought. He also mentions that the MC's Golden Seed bears his insights.

It's not clear if by "ordinary spells" it means all spells though. I would guess not, since it accepts complex transformations. I think a Nirvana-level spell might be acceptable for the Chaos Origin Physique, but I'm not sure. Regardless, it doesn't seem like something worth pursuing over just refining your dao knowledge.