Chapter 81: Chapter 77: Generous Gift

The Zhou Institute, the study in the rear courtyard.

“Excellent.”

Zhou Liang clapped Chen Qing heavily on the shoulder, his eyes filled with admiration. “Today’s battle has brought glory to our Zhou Institute! More importantly, it has shown the unyielding spirit of the Long Arm Fist!”

Chen Qing bowed slightly. “Master, you’re too kind. Without your meticulous guidance, I never would have achieved this.”

“There’s no need to flatter me.”

Zhou Liang waved his hand, the pleasure on his face gradually replaced by gravity. “But today’s events are far from over. You crippled Gao Sheng and gravely injured Qu Yaohui. That Shi Wenshan is a vengeful man; he will never let this go.”

He paused, his tone solemn. “For the time being, you must keep a low profile and not draw attention to yourself. When you are out and about, you must be vigilant at all times and watch out for both open and hidden attacks. The Songfeng Martial Arts Hall still has deep roots, and Shi Wenshan himself is a master who has reached Great Success in the Transmutation Force Realm. He is by no means an easy opponent!”

“I understand, Master. I will take your words to heart and act with caution,” Chen Qing replied earnestly.

Seeing Chen Qing’s calm and steady expression, Zhou Liang felt a little more at ease.

He mulled it over for a moment, then lowered his voice even further. “You have now entered the Transmutation Force Realm, so you absolutely cannot afford to slack off in the slightest. If you can take it one step further… it’s possible you might truly have a chance to touch upon the Embracing Pill Force.”

“Embracing Pill Force?”

Chen Qing’s heart skipped a beat. This was the first time he had heard his master clearly name this realm; previously, he only had a vague understanding of an “Inner Cultivation” path.

“That’s right.” Zhou Liang nodded, a complex light in his eyes. “The Transmutation Force Realm is about fusing Manifest Force and Dark Force until they are perfectly integrated, but this is ultimately still a process of tempering the muscles, bones, and skin, and mobilizing Qi Blood Power. The Embracing Pill Force, however, is a transition from external to internal, nurturing a thread of profound and mysterious ’qi’ within the body.”

He explained slowly, his words precise, “This thread of ’qi’ has endless wondrous uses. You can injure people with a tossed flower or a plucked leaf. Your body can become as light as a swallow, allowing you to tread on water and walk on duckweed. It can even be used for Healing and Detoxification and Strengthening the Foundation and Nourishing the Essence, causing the Flesh Body to undergo a fundamental transformation. Your resilience will far exceed what it was before, and the difference in strength will be like heaven and earth.”

“Martial Arts are Killing Techniques, but when you reach the later stages of practice, it’s not about killing people, but about preserving life.”

Chen Qing’s heart surged with excitement as he listened.

’This so-called “qi” is so similar to the Inner Strength and True Qi from the stories of my previous life!’

’Strengthening the Foundation and Nourishing the Essence, extending one’s lifespan… Could something so miraculous truly exist?’

“However…”

Zhou Liang’s tone shifted, his expression growing grave. “But to step into this Embracing Pill Force is as difficult as ascending to the heavens! It comes down to two points.”

“First, the foundation! You must temper a Martial Art to its absolute limit, reaching the so-called ’Extreme Realm.’ Only then can you nurture a thread of the ’Fire Seed’ of true martial intent within your body.”

Zhou Liang’s gaze grew profound. “This ’Fire Seed’ is the embryonic form of qi, and it is the very root that ignites it. It represents that your comprehension of this Martial Art, your will, and your Essence, Qi, and Spirit have all been polished to their peak, undergoing a qualitative transformation.”

“Second, you need a Heart Method!”

Zhou Liang’s tone grew heavier. “This Heart Method is like the torch that lights the ’Fire Seed,’ and it is also the map that guides the ’Fire Seed’ to burn, grow, and perform its Circulation. Without the guidance of a proper Heart Method, having just the ’Fire Seed’ is useless. You either won’t be able to ignite it into qi, or you’ll lose control after igniting it. In the best-case scenario, your meridians will be destroyed, and you’ll become a cripple. In the worst… you’ll explode and die!”

“And these Inner Cultivation Heart Methods are the most treasured, unteachable secrets of the Major Sects and top Martial Arts Families, held under tight control. Forget about Gaolin County; even if you look across the entire Prefecture City, trying to obtain one is little more than a fool’s dream.”

Zhou Liang let out a long sigh. “Years ago, I studied in the Outer Sect of the Haisa Sect for seven years, but I never had the chance to even glimpse the path to it.”

“The Haisa Sect?”

A thought stirred in Chen Qing’s mind as he caught the information his master had revealed. “Master, you were once in the Haisa Sect…”

Zhou Liang was silent for a moment before speaking slowly. “The Major Sects don’t just recruit talent through the Martial Arts Examination. The Haisa Sect, for example, is divided into an Outer Sect and an Inner Sect. The Outer Sect mostly accepts relatives of Sect members, disciples from affiliated families, or exceptionally talented scions of prominent families, and they are taught Mid to Lower Grade Martial Arts. Only those who reach the Transmutation Force Realm, ignite their ’Fire Seed,’ and are under the age of twenty-five have a chance to be promoted to the Inner Sect, receive an Inner Power Heart Method, and become a Core Disciple of the Sect.”

He paused and added, “Additionally, I’ve heard that descendants of Sect disciples who were left in the outside world can also enter through connections if they can obtain a letter of recommendation. Without deep connections, one couldn’t even dream of accessing such a path.”

Chen Qing nodded in understanding. The vast system of the Sects had its own ways of operating—a mix of official recruitment and private admissions. Using the “back door,” after all, was just a normal part of how society functioned.

Zhou Liang looked at Chen Qing’s young face, a trace of hope and envy in his eyes. “You are still young, and what’s even rarer is your resilient temperament. In the future, if you get the chance—and I mean, if by some miracle—you manage to pass the Military Examination, enter a Sect, be taught an Upper-Grade Martial Art, and ignite your Fire Seed… perhaps you truly have a sliver of a chance to ascend to the heavens.”

…

News of the Cyan Scale Association meeting spread through Gaolin County like ripples from a giant stone tossed into a calm lake.

Even the factions that hadn’t participated in the Cyan Scale Association received the news.

In the Wu Mansion, sandalwood incense curled through the air of the study.

Wu Manqing sat upright behind her desk, her slender fingers toying with a Jade Seal as she listened to the low, hurried report of her trusted Steward.

When she heard that Chen Qing had crippled Gao Sheng and gravely injured Qu Yaohui with lightning speed, the fingers toying with the seal suddenly froze.

“Is that true?”

Wu Manqing’s voice betrayed little emotion, but deep within her calm eyes, a storm was raging.

’I knew Chen Qing had considerable potential, but I never expected him to reach the Transmutation Force Realm in such a short time, let alone cause such a stir at the Cyan Scale Association. Even Qu Yaohui, who has been famous for years, was defeated by him!’

“It’s the absolute truth, Madam!”

The Steward’s voice was filled with irrepressible shock. “I didn’t see it with my own eyes, but there were many people at the General Selection Platform. A few casual inquiries were all it took to learn that Qu Yaohui’s sternum was shattered. He was severely injured and fell unconscious on the spot. Shi Wenshan carried him to Qingnang Hall, and it’s still unknown whether he will live or die.”

A brief silence fell over the study, broken only by the dripping of the water clock.

Wu Manqing slowly placed the seal back into its brocade box. Once the shock passed, she began to quietly consider the implications.

’Masters in the Transmutation Force Realm are already exceedingly rare, let alone a young one like Chen Qing.’

“Good! This Chen Qing is truly something else!”

A meaningful smile finally touched the corners of Wu Manqing’s lips.

Seeing this, the Steward immediately asked in a low voice, “Madam, shall I prepare a generous gift to be sent over at once?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Wu Manqing waved her hand gently, her gaze far-reaching. “An ordinary gift is not enough. When the time is right, I will personally prepare a… generous gift for him.”

…

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