piratefiction Chapter 23 The Cruel Truth
Chapter 23 The Cruel Truth
Zhang Chunsheng knew that Chen Qiyuan was a beginner and knew very little about spiritual roots, so he patiently explained to him, "The Fang family is an old and established family in Nan'an City. They haven't produced any particularly powerful experts, yet they possess a ninth-grade spiritual root and have remained standing for hundreds of years. Do you know why?"
Chen Qiyuan humbly asked, "Why?"
"Every year when the spirit fruits ripen, the Fang family invites major powers from Nan'an City to come and taste them. At that time, each family will bring out two of them for the others to compete for. In order to avoid damaging the harmony, a rule was set many years ago that only martial artists at the Transcendent Realm can participate in the competition."
"I see. The head of the Fang family is truly clever."
This is how smaller forces survive.
However, he had a question: "Does the Fang family's spiritual root produce more than one fruit each time?"
Zhang Chunsheng laughed and said, "Every kind of spiritual root is different. The Fang family's Night-Shining Fruit does not significantly improve cultivation, but it can give the user the ability to see at night. It is said that the Night-Shining Fruit only bears fruit once every ten years, and four fruits can be produced at a time."
No wonder.
Chen Qiyuan said, "In other words, the spiritual roots in this world have different effects."
"That's natural. It's said that spiritual roots of grade six or higher can not only help people break through their cultivation levels, but also grant them powerful supernatural abilities. These kinds of spiritual roots are all controlled by the major sects."
Along the way, Zhang Chunsheng told him a lot about "spiritual roots".
"Like the Iron Tree, an eighth-grade spiritual root of the Iron Armor Sect, cultivating the Iron Armor Divine Skill nearby can form a layer of iron armor on the surface of the skin, making one impervious to swords and spears. Among martial artists of the same level, one is almost invincible."
Finally, he recalled an interesting anecdote: "Speaking of the Iron Armor Divine Skill, it was originally just an ordinary external martial art, similar to the Golden Bell Cover. But because of that eighth-grade iron tree, it became an extremely powerful skill."
Upon hearing this, Chen Qiyuan's heart skipped a beat. "Then the 'Iron Armor Divine Skill' must be widely known, right?"
"That's right. If you're interested, I have the manual for the Iron Armor Divine Skill."
Zhang Chunsheng was not surprised by his reaction.
When he first heard this rumor, he did the same thing, specifically seeking out the "Iron Armor Divine Skill" to read. After reading it, he had only one thought: the Iron Armor Sect's ultimate techniques were nothing special.
"That's great."
Chen Qiyuan was secretly delighted; he liked this kind of widely circulated martial art the most.
After returning to the martial arts school, the two went to Zhang Chunsheng's courtyard, where he successfully obtained the "Iron Armor Divine Skill," which turned out to be an ordinary external martial art.
He got the technique to appear on the panel in just one afternoon.
This will come in handy if we encounter people from the Ironclad Sect again, like that Deacon Lin.
……
Over the next few days, Chen Qiyuan followed Pang Guoyong to learn the "Mountain Moving Technique". After five days, he finally got the technique to appear on the panel.
After these few days of development, the story of him becoming a Transformation Realm martial artist and turning the tide at a critical moment has spread far and wide.
With the crisis resolved, the martial arts school's students gradually returned to practice, and many new students also joined.
Chen Qiyuan would stroll around the training ground several times a day, always attracting the amazement and attention of the students. He would then take the opportunity to plunder a wave of proficiency points.
Although these students' cultivation levels are too low, each one can only contribute a little experience points at most. But even a small amount is still something. A dozen or so points at a time, if you visit several times, you can eventually get forty or fifty points.
However, after using the same trick for five days, it naturally stopped working.
So Chen Qiyuan changed his approach and personally went down to the arena to instruct his fellow disciples and spar with them. Such treatment naturally made them feel flattered.
Soon, many people with internal strength cultivation came to him for guidance.
The opportunity to spar with a martial artist at the Transformation Realm is not something that comes around every day. Especially for martial artists without much family background, many have never even exchanged blows with someone at the Transformation Realm.
Pang Guoyong is known for his love of money; to get such an opportunity, you have to spend a lot of money.
This was naturally a pleasant surprise for Chen Qiyuan, as martial artists with internal strength could provide more proficiency. So he simply decided to spar with his fellow disciples every morning, with a limit of ten spots available each day on a first-come, first-served basis.
For a time, the Wu Family Martial Arts School became extremely lively.
……
Aside from the mornings, Chen Qiyuan spent the rest of the time diligently practicing the "Mountain Moving Technique." He discovered that this technique was completely different from the "Primordial Stance," leaving him somewhat puzzled.
It wasn't until he took the Qi and Blood Pill for the first time and then practiced the Mountain Moving Technique that he felt completely different.
This technique seemed to be specifically designed to refine the power of elixirs; after just one day, I had directly entered the beginner level of the Mountain Moving Technique.
In the following days, he took one Qi and Blood Pill every day, and his progress in the "Mountain Moving Technique" advanced by leaps and bounds. He could gain over a hundred points a day.
Once the medicinal effects are fully refined, practicing this technique again will result in almost no noticeable progress.
One day, unable to contain his curiosity, Chen Qiyuan went to find Zhang Chunsheng, hoping to learn from him. However, he was told that Zhang Chunsheng was in seclusion.
Therefore, he had no choice but to turn to Pang Guoyong.
Hearing his question, Pang Guoyong couldn't help but laugh, and with one sentence, he revealed the reason: "Because stance training was originally for the poor."
"The children of wealthy families don't need to train like us, enduring the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer. As soon as they begin, they use top-quality medicinal baths to build their foundation. After that, they practice orthodox techniques and take Qi and Blood Pills. In one or two years at most, they can successfully temper their bodies and break through to the Marrow Refining Realm."
These words left Chen Qiyuan speechless.
The first hurdle for martial artists is the Body Tempering Realm, encompassing the so-called Ming Jin (manifest strength), An Jin (hidden strength), and Hua Jin (transformative strength). It involves honing one's skills by mastering internal energy. Over many years, this process leads to a qualitative change, allowing one to break through to the Marrow Refining Realm.
Now, Pang Guoyong told him that there was another way, which did not require arduous training. As long as he kept taking pills, he could complete the body tempering in one or two years and become a master of the Marrow Refining Realm.
If someone isn't mentally strong enough, hearing such a cruel truth might break them on the spot.
I should have thought of that earlier.
Chen Qiyuan suddenly made a connection to the existence of "spiritual roots" and finally understood that the cultivation system of this world was a resource-based, drug-driven system.
Pang Guoyong was somewhat surprised to see him calm down so quickly.
Generally speaking, upon hearing of such unfairness, many people feel resentful, desperate, and indignant... some even give up on themselves.
He couldn't help but think more highly of this young master, not only because of his exceptional talent, but also because of his unwavering determination.
"Perhaps, he really can walk the path that even his senior brother couldn't traverse."
Thinking of this, Pang Guoyong was about to say a few words of comfort.
Suddenly, someone outside announced, "Senior Brother Yuan, someone is looking for you. They say she's your cousin."
Chen Qiyuan was somewhat surprised. His aunt and Sanya were back?
"Senior brother, I'll go first then."