Chapter 25

(Heading to my parents' house for dinner today, just one chapter. Wishing everyone a happy Dragon Boat Festival, though it seems to have already passed...)

As cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

Chen Hai invited Ge Tong, Zhou Jingyuan, and Shen Kun to sit down in the room and said, "The new Dao soldiers' disciples' quotas are almost all taken by the aristocratic families. Those who do not rely on these families, even if their children wish to cultivate, have to wait for opportunities, and if they are not satisfied, they might miss the best age for cultivation, which would be a great pity."

Chen Hai, who had taken over Yao Xing's body and was cultivating in the Taiwei Sect, was only eighteen years old on the surface, but Ge Tong, Zhou Jingyuan, and Shen Kun did not find his mature and comforting words strange. Instead, they sighed deeply.

Zhou Jingyuan said, "The selection of new Dao soldiers' disciples has always been recommended by the attendants, heads, and the four elders, with the final decision made by the Transmission Hall. Even the candidates recommended by the supervisor, Daoist Master Zhao, are often screened out—ordinary poor families, without the support of the aristocratic families, find it harder to enter the Dao Academy for cultivation than to ascend to heaven..."

"Is it not allowed to teach privately within the sect, but should family traditions be exempt from this restriction?" Chen Hai asked.

"We are not from aristocratic families; everything we have learned comes from the sect's Dao Academy. What family traditions do we have?" Zhou Jingyuan couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly. But then he thought about the other meaning in Chen Hai's words. However, he immediately dismissed the idea, as the consequences would be even more severe. He sincerely advised Chen Hai, "The Yao family is one of the thirty-six royal families, with family-transmitted mystic techniques and immortal arts that can lead to ascension, not inferior to the Taiwei Sect. But if these traditions leak out, the consequences would be severe. We thank Junior Brother Yao for his good intentions, but we absolutely cannot do this..."

Seeing Zhou Jingyuan misunderstand his intention to privately teach the Yao family's secret techniques, Chen Hai smiled bitterly. He thought that the Yao family's actions against Yao Xing were much more ruthless than Zhou Jingyuan and the others imagined. He shook his head and said, "After being expelled from the Yao family, I have no connection with them. My cultivation was completely destroyed, and I can no longer practice the Yao family's techniques. However, when I was young, I encountered some opportunities and was taught a foundation-building technique by an unusual person, which has nothing to do with the Yao family. I never had the chance to practice it until I joined the Taiwei Sect. I think it might help Shen Xiu, Qingyun, and others lay a solid foundation for cultivation and avoid wasting time before entering the Dao Academy..."

"How can we accept this?" Zhou Jingyuan was unsure and looked at Ge Tong.

He didn't fully believe Chen Hai, but he did believe that the foundation-building technique Chen Hai wanted to pass on to their children must be extraordinary.

On one hand, it was a temptation they couldn't refuse, and on the other, it could lead to the destruction of their families. Zhou Jingyuan was extremely conflicted and couldn't keep pressing Chen Hai to confirm if the foundation-building technique really had nothing to do with the Yao or Chen families.

"Can we know what the foundation-building technique is?" Ge Tong, though a straightforward person, had initially warned Chen Hai about Chai Rong's bullying. However, when it came to the transmission of mystic techniques, he was very cautious.

"It's very simple. The technique I want to pass on to Qingyun and Shen Xiu is just this one move..." Chen Hai took a half-step forward in the room, clenched his right hand into a fist, and then thrust it forward.

Chen Hai's movements seemed effortless and slow, but every gesture was filled with an indescribable power and grace.

In the eyes of Zhou Jingyuan, Shen Kun, and Ge Tong, Chen Hai, as he took a step forward, was like a reef breaking through the waves, exuding a firm and majestic aura. The moment his right fist struck, it was as if a fierce beast inside him suddenly awoke, roaring and bellowing. All three felt a powerful force surge from Chen Hai's body, ready to burst out from his right fist.

"What kind of boxing technique is this?" Ge Tong, Shen Kun, and Zhou Jingyuan were all shocked, never expecting Chen Hai, who had not yet cultivated true essence and reached the Mystic Realm, to have such a mountain-moving, irresistible momentum.

Zhou Jingyuan looked at Shen Kun and Ge Tong in shock. Although he had cultivated true essence and reached the Mystic Realm for many years, he had no confidence in standing before Chen Hai and withstanding his punch. He wondered if Shen Kun and Ge Tong could easily defuse it.

"The unusual person I met when I was young taught me this foundation-building technique. It's not a mystic technique, but a few martial arts secret forms that can help beginners lay a solid foundation. My comprehension is limited, and I can only truly understand and integrate three or four of these secret forms. This senior hoped I would promote this foundation-building technique, rather than let it be confined to the aristocratic families or the sect."

"Is there really such an unusual person, and such a miraculous foundation-building technique?" Zhou Jingyuan was amazed.

Although their cultivation was far from profound, they were not lacking in knowledge of martial arts. They knew that to cultivate a mystic technique to perfection, one had to be able to mobilize the body's essence and energy. Even the low-level mystic techniques that Dao soldiers in the Dao Academy could access were much more complex than the simple steps and punches Chen Hai had demonstrated.

These simple steps and punches could mobilize essence and energy, which was beyond Zhou Jingyuan's imagination. And because they were simple, these steps and punches were far superior to other mystic techniques for laying a foundation in martial arts.

"The martial arts secret form I just demonstrated is called 'Tiger Crouch'..." Chen Hai said.

Chen Hai had extracted nineteen secret forms from the Wind and Cloud Leg, the Ten Killing War Spear Technique, and the Five Tigers Secret Fist, including basic steps, leg techniques, spear techniques, and fist techniques. He guessed that if he could master all the secret forms that could mobilize the body's essence and energy, there might be over a hundred.

He was just pretending to be profound.

The so-called "Tiger Crouch" was actually a combination of the basic step form "Horse Stance" and the basic fist form "Smash." It could be considered the simplest mystic technique, both offensive and defensive, and was very suitable for young martial artists like Shen Xiu and Zhou Qingyun to lay a foundation.

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Chen Hai's intention to teach a few martial arts secret forms that might not have been passed down in the Great Yan Empire was not out of pity for Zhou Qingyun, Shen Xiu, and the other young people who couldn't cultivate.

Chen Hai needed to establish himself in the Iron Stream Ridge Dao Academy and avoid being expelled by Chai Rong and other Chai family disciples. On his own, he was still too weak and needed to form a closer alliance with Ge Tong, Zhou Jingyuan, and Shen Kun.

He believed that Ge Tong, Zhou Jingyuan, and Shen Kun were willing to enter the Medicine Garden and provide so many conveniences, at least for now, mainly because of Chen Lie.

Chen Hai didn't know when Chen Lie would pay attention to his current situation, but he couldn't let Zhou Jingyuan and Shen Kun see Chen Lie disappointed in his "nephew." At the same time, when Chen Lie paid attention to him, he wanted Zhou Jingyuan and Shen Kun to see that his "nephew" had reformed after joining the Iron Stream Ridge Dao Academy.

Only by doing this could he truly stand firm in the Taiwei Sect. Even if Chen Qing and Su Ziling remained hostile, they ultimately couldn't go against Chen Lie's will.

Secondly, to extract more basic martial arts secret forms, Chen Hai needed to exchange more fist techniques, palm techniques, sword techniques, and knife techniques from the Dao Academy, and he needed a large number of Essence Essence Pills to support his subsequent cultivation.

Where could he get so many sect merits in a short time?

To continue receiving support from Zhou Jingyuan, Ge Tong, and others for his cultivation, he couldn't offer them nothing in return...

After discussing, Zhou Jingyuan, Shen Kun, and others finally decided to let Shen Xiu, Zhou Qingyun, and five other young people start practicing the Tiger Crouch secret form with Chen Hai to avoid missing the best age for foundation-building.

There was no formal master-disciple relationship in the Dao Academy, and Chen Hai couldn't violate this rule. However, Zhou Jingyuan, Shen Kun, and others pooled four hundred sect merits as a "disciple-taking" gift, and Chen Hai formally taught the Tiger Crouch form to Shen Xiu, Zhou Qingyun, and others, helping them enter the threshold of martial arts cultivation.

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With these four hundred sect merits as a foundation, the herbs and spirit trees transplanted to the Medicine Garden began to produce. In addition to one Essence Essence Pill per day, Chen Hai gradually exchanged twenty-four mystic techniques or partial techniques from the Dao Academy's scripture hall, including the Iron Bone Fist Technique, Crane Spirit Palm, and Void Flow Knife Technique...

These were low-level mystic techniques that初级道兵弟子就能接触到，最多能修炼到通玄境，太微宗也不甚重视，即便有不许私授的规矩，也容许弟子直接将拓本带出藏经院。

而这些低层次的玄功，宗阀子弟根本就看不上眼，寒门子弟也只会有针对性的挑选两三种修炼。

陈海前前后后总共修炼了二十七种，不要说铁流岭了，在太微宗所有的外门道院，估计都破了记录。

陈海也从这二十七种低级玄功绝学里，总共拆解出八十九种武道秘形来。

陈海知道他想打通第一条主气脉的闭塞，要比寻常弟子困难得多，就想着不急于踏入通玄境，而是尽可能掌握更多的武道秘形，尽可能将他百骸十二主气脉都修炼到，或许能为武道修行打下更深厚的根基。

待陈海拆解出八十九种武道秘形开始修炼之后，发现实际情况跟他最初所预测的，有些偏差。

八十九种武道秘形，是将他百骸十二条主气脉都包括在内了，但他很快发现，每天服用精元丹淬炼筋骨皮肉，效果要比想象中差得多。

陈海起初十分不解，也不能跟葛同、沈坤、周景元他们讨论这个问题，一边潜心苦修，一边从藏经院借出前人修行留存下来的心得体会，才慢慢搞明白是怎么回事。

百骸十二主气脉，分为足三阳、手三阳、足三阴、手三阴。

武道修行足三阳、手三阳六条主气脉，主要涉及到百骸肉身的淬炼；而手三阴、足三阴却主要涉及到五脏六腑的修炼。

武修弟子前期会从手三阳、足三阳主气脉中选择一二修炼；待到通玄境后期，才能从手三阴、足三阴主气脉中选择一二修炼，为开辟灵海秘宫做准备。

而且，疏通这些主气脉的难度，并非完全一样的。

通常说来，武道修行炼体，修炼涉及肉身百骸淬炼的手三阳、足三阳气脉最容易；修炼涉及五脏六腑修炼的手三阴、足三阴气脉，难度则要增加十倍不止。

陈海现在倒好，同时修炼十二主气脉，效果自然要比前期弱上几十倍甚至上百倍。

陈海搞清楚这些，及时调整，接下来两个月主要修炼手少阳、足少阳主气脉。

两个月后，陈海体内的精气已经修炼到足够充沛、凝炼，双臂与双腿也都修炼到坚如铁石的程度，换作其他初级道兵弟子，早就足以冲开第一条气脉的闭塞，修成真元踏入通玄境了，但陈海这具肉身被废修为时所形所的主气脉暗伤，则彻底暴露出来。

陈海体内的手少阳、足少阳主气脉，通往两肾玄窍的一端死死闭塞住，但修为被废时留下的暗伤，就像是水管表面不计其数的裂缝，一旦摧动凝炼到一定程度的磅礴精气灌注进去，就会被撕开的无数裂缝散入血肉。

这一刻，陈海气血逆行，双手、双足就像万针刺扎般剧痛，好几次都差点走火入魔。

陈海这时候才深刻感受到姚兴最初到太微宗时，为什么会那么意志消沉，为什么会那么自暴自弃。

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(Translation continues from the previous section)

These low-level mystic techniques were accessible to junior Dao soldiers and could be cultivated up to the Mystic Realm. The Taiwei Sect did not place much importance on them, and even with the rule against private teaching, disciples were allowed to take the copies directly out of the scripture hall.

These low-level mystic techniques were of little interest to the aristocratic families and were only selectively chosen by the poor families for cultivation.

Chen Hai had cultivated a total of twenty-seven of these techniques, which likely broke records in all the outer Dao Academies of the Taiwei Sect, not just in Iron Stream Ridge.

From these twenty-seven low-level mystic techniques, Chen Hai extracted a total of eighty-nine martial arts secret forms.

Chen Hai knew that to unblock the first main meridian, it would be much more difficult for him than for ordinary disciples. He decided not to rush into the Mystic Realm but to master as many martial arts secret forms as possible, aiming to cultivate all twelve main meridians in his body, which might lay a deeper foundation for his martial arts cultivation.

After Chen Hai began cultivating the eighty-nine martial arts secret forms, he found that the actual results deviated from his initial predictions.

The eighty-nine martial arts secret forms covered all twelve main meridians in his body, but he soon discovered that the effect of taking Essence Essence Pills to temper his muscles, bones, and flesh was much worse than expected.

Initially, Chen Hai was very puzzled and couldn't discuss this issue with Ge Tong, Shen Kun, and Zhou Jingyuan. He focused on his cultivation and borrowed the cultivation insights of predecessors from the scripture hall, gradually understanding the situation.

The twelve main meridians in the body are divided into the three Yang meridians of the feet, the three Yang meridians of the hands, the three Yin meridians of the feet, and the three Yin meridians of the hands.

In martial arts cultivation, the six main meridians of the three Yang meridians of the feet and the three Yang meridians of the hands primarily involve tempering the physical body. The three Yin meridians of the feet and the three Yin meridians of the hands primarily involve cultivating the internal organs.

In the early stages, martial cultivators would choose one or two of the three Yang meridians of the feet and the three Yang meridians of the hands to cultivate. In the later stages of the Mystic Realm, they would choose one or two of the three Yin meridians of the feet and the three Yin meridians of the hands to cultivate, preparing to open the secret palace of the spirit sea.

Moreover, the difficulty of unblocking these main meridians was not the same.

Generally speaking, in martial arts cultivation, the three Yang meridians of the feet and the three Yang meridians of the hands, which involve tempering the physical body, are the easiest to cultivate. The three Yin meridians of the feet and the three Yin meridians of the hands, which involve cultivating the internal organs, are at least ten times more difficult.

Chen Hai, by cultivating all twelve main meridians simultaneously, naturally saw his effectiveness reduced by dozens or even hundreds of times compared to the early stages.

After understanding this, Chen Hai made timely adjustments and focused on cultivating the Hand Shaoyang and Foot Shaoyang main meridians for the next two months.

After two months, the essence and energy in Chen Hai's body had become sufficiently abundant and refined, and his arms and legs had been tempered to the hardness of iron. For other junior Dao soldiers, this would have been enough to unblock the first main meridian, cultivate true essence, and enter the Mystic Realm. However, the hidden injuries in the main meridians of Chen Hai's body, caused by the destruction of his cultivation, were fully exposed.

The Hand Shaoyang and Foot Shaoyang main meridians in Chen Hai's body, leading to the two kidney spirit orifices, were tightly blocked. The hidden injuries left from the destruction of his cultivation were like countless cracks on the surface of a pipe. Once the powerful and refined essence and energy were injected, they would tear open and scatter into the flesh and blood.

At this moment, Chen Hai's blood and qi reversed, and his hands and feet felt as if they were being pierced by ten thousand needles, causing intense pain. He nearly lost control several times.

It was at this moment that Chen Hai deeply understood why Yao Xing had been so disheartened and self-destructive when he first arrived at the Taiwei Sect.