Chapter 1

"In modern cultivation theory, it is said that what we call true qi or internal energy is actually bioenergy, and it is not produced out of thin air. Unless you can open the bridge between heaven and earth and become a pre-natal expert, capable of absorbing energy from the void, the true qi you cultivate now is all the energy of your body. When you consume true qi, you are consuming the energy within your body. If you do not replenish it in time, it will drain the foundation of your body!"

In the classroom of Class 11, Grade 3 at No. 13 High School in Jinghai City, a man in his thirties, dressed in a neat black martial arts uniform, was speaking. He stood in the center of a large mat in the middle of the classroom. Surrounding him were over fifty students, all from Class 15, most of them around sixteen or seventeen years old, with both boys and girls, all dressed in martial arts uniforms.

Among these students, in a secluded corner, was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen, with a robust build and a refined appearance. He was rather ordinary and unremarkable among the students.

Chu Yunfan looked at the man in the center. He was their martial arts instructor for Class 15, Qin Wu, who was said to have retired from a special forces unit in the military, having achieved many accomplishments. However, for some unknown reason, he suddenly retired and came to teach at No. 13 High School. Most of their cultivation-related questions were taught by him.

"So, the ancients had a saying that the poor study literature while the rich practice martial arts. This is a very intuitive understanding. Why can only the rich practice martial arts?" Qin Wu paused, pointed to a student, and said, "You, why?"

The student was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Because practicing martial arts is a process of constantly consuming one's own essence and blood. If there is only consumption and no replenishment, a person will die quickly. In ancient times, ginseng and lingzhi were very expensive, and ordinary people could not afford them!"

"Right. So, in the Gregorian era, even if there were people who practiced cultivation, they were very few, like rare phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. It wasn't until the Kunlun era, when we discovered the Kunlun Realm and the super-ancient civilization, that there was a dual explosion in technology and martial arts. Ginseng and lingzhi, which could be decades or even centuries old, could be mass-produced and placed on ordinary people's dining tables. This is what made it possible for everyone to practice martial arts in this super cultivation era!" Qin Wu nodded and said.

At this moment, Chu Yunfan's mind recalled the history of the Kunlun era he had learned in history class.

Several hundred years ago, in the year 2035 of the Gregorian era, a huge sword beam tore through the sky, piercing the universe, and fell into the Atlantic Ocean. The entire Earth was plunged into a great disaster, with countless countries destroyed, widespread suffering, and the world's population reduced to less than a billion, most of whom were Chinese, thus ushering in the era of Chinese revival.

Due to this disaster, most of the Earth was devastated, and humans began the search for another place to live. Eventually, on the other side of the rift torn by the sword beam, they discovered a vast world, which is now the Kunlun Realm. Humans also entered the Kunlun era!

Upon entering the Kunlun Realm, humans found that it was not only suitable for human habitation but also for the survival of some powerful creatures. The existence of spiritual energy allowed many powerful beasts to live on this continent. Even with advanced technology, humans could not match the countless powerful beasts. Some of these beasts were even immune to nuclear bombs. In such a situation, let alone immigrating to the Kunlun Realm, humans were even pushed to the edge of the two worlds, with the beasts invading their base on Earth.

At this time, human immigrants discovered the super-ancient civilization in the Kunlun Realm, which was completely different from the system on Earth. They relied on cultivation to strengthen themselves and combat the beasts. This was like the otherworldly realms described in fantasy novels from many years ago. With the increasing discovery of super-ancient civilization, including cultivation techniques and various systems, the Earth immigrants began the era of universal martial arts practice.

With the dual power of martial artists and advanced technology, humans began to establish themselves in the Kunlun Realm, avoiding being wiped out by the beasts. Even so, humans still faced the constant threat of these powerful beasts, and the cities they built could still be breached. Once breached, hundreds of thousands, millions, or even tens of millions of people could be massacred. This has happened many times in the past few hundred years.

No. 13 High School in Jinghai City was just one of the many ordinary high schools in Jinghai City. After the great disaster, most of the Earth's environment was no longer suitable for human habitation, so the overall living pattern had changed from the highly dispersed layout of the Gregorian era. Ten major base cities were formed, each with tens of millions of people, totaling over a billion people still on Earth, not having moved to the Kunlun Realm.

The Kunlun Realm was too powerful for ordinary people to survive. Many Earth creatures had also mutated and evolved into beasts after the great disaster, but the time was short, only a few hundred years, making them much weaker compared to the Kunlun Realm. Jinghai City was one of the satellite cities of Donghua City, one of the ten major base cities, with a population of tens of millions, though not as large as the main city of Donghua City, which had over a hundred million people.

However, overall, humans had become much stronger than they were hundreds of years ago. Back then, only a few individuals had the right to cultivate, but now, to combat the powerful beasts, the federal government had made cultivation accessible to everyone. As Qin Wu said, cultivation is not just about talent; it requires resources, methods, and wealth. The process of cultivation is very harmful to the body, and if the consumption is not replenished, even in their thirties or forties, people could die prematurely, and the more powerful they become, the faster they die.

"For you now, all the sources of true qi are actually your own bioenergy. The higher your physical cultivation level, the more true qi you will produce. Even if you have the opportunity to cultivate to a higher realm, the physical body is still the foundation!" Qin Wu stood with his hands behind his back, straight as a spear, as if he were about to pierce the sky. "In the 'Qiaoyao Song' written by the cultivation master Lü Zu of the feudal era, it is said, 'Cultivating the mind without cultivating the body is the first illness of cultivation.' This means that cultivating the Dao without strengthening the body is wrong, and one should cultivate both mind and body."

Chu Yunfan nodded, thinking about the cultivation knowledge he had learned before. The path of cultivation is incredibly long. After discovering the super-ancient civilization, these cultivators explored for many years and divided the cultivation realms. The first and foremost is the Physical Body Realm.

The Physical Body Realm is the essential path to entering martial arts. On the road to the pinnacle of martial arts, it is like crossing an endless sea, and the physical body is the boat that carries you across. The stronger the physical body, the more likely it is to cross to the other shore. Therefore, strengthening the physical body is the foundation of martial arts, known as the Physical Body Realm.

The Physical Body Realm is divided into nine minor realms: muscle training, bone forging, skin training, tendon training, internal strength, tendon and bone resonance, blood replacement, internal vision, and qi cultivation. Only by reaching the great completion of the Physical Body Realm can one lay a solid foundation, as the body needs a strong physique to accommodate more true qi.

When the ninth minor realm of the Physical Body Realm, qi cultivation, is completed, a sea of qi will be opened in the dantian. With this sea of qi, one can continuously accommodate true qi, known as the Sea of Qi Realm.

After the Sea of Qi Realm, there are the Post-Natal and Pre-Natal realms, but Chu Yunfan did not know much about them. After all, many of the teachers at No. 13 High School were only at the Sea of Qi Realm, and Pre-Natal experts were rare even in the entire Donghai City.

"I know that most of you will not pass the martial arts class selection test in a month and will only be able to enter the literature class. But you must understand that even if you do not become successful cultivators, to live a long life, you still need to cultivate!" Qin Wu said, his gaze sweeping over every student. "In the Gregorian era, the average lifespan was only a few dozen years, less than a hundred. Why? Because of poor health and chronic sub-health. Such people should not live, but in the Kunlun era, everyone is a cultivator, and the average lifespan has long exceeded a hundred years, even reaching 120 years. This is the benefit of everyone practicing martial arts!"

Hearing Qin Wu talk about the martial arts class and the literature class, Chu Yunfan's face darkened. Although everyone wanted to cultivate, people's talents varied. According to the standards of No. 13 High School, those who could reach the seventh level of the Physical Body Realm before the high school division would be considered talented and would be assigned to the martial arts class. The rest, with average talent, would be assigned to the literature class.

Before the division of literature and martial arts classes, the teaching content was roughly equal, but after the division, it would quickly diverge. In the martial arts class, students would spend less time on cultural studies and more time on cultivation. In the literature class, although they would not completely abandon cultivation, they would spend more time on cultural studies, preparing for university and becoming office workers like normal people.

As young and passionate teenagers, most of them, except for a few, yearned to become powerful martial artists. Not only because of the power and glory, but also because martial artists earned money more easily. Compared to the fixed salaries of literature class graduates, martial arts class graduates, whether joining the government, the military, or becoming mercenaries to hunt beasts, could earn money faster.

Not to mention, the best among them could go to the Kunlun Realm, enter one of the nine great martial arts sanctuaries, and become world-renowned super experts.

However, the reality was harsh. Not everyone had the talent for cultivation. Most people had average talent and were hard to cultivate. Only those who showed sufficient talent would be selected for the martial arts class and given special training.

Chu Yunfan was one of those with little talent. By the time he reached high school, he was only at the fifth level of the Physical Body Realm. He was not even outstanding among those destined for the literature class, just ordinary.

"Alright, that's all for today's lesson. Don't take leave tomorrow, as I will start teaching you a practical martial technique. If you miss it, I won't teach it again. Understand?"

"Understood!"

The students' eyes lit up as they responded.