The path of cultivation in this world is none other than the five major cultivation methods of Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Martial Arts, and Gu. The rest mostly belong to the demonic and evil paths, abandoned by the world and not tolerated by the iron laws of the Great Yan.
Just as there is order in human society, with nobles above and commoners below, there is also a hierarchy among the five major cultivation methods.
Among the five major methods, Confucianism is the most supreme; the children of Confucian families enter and exit the halls of power, and many children of noble families and meritorious lords practice this method. Confucianism controls the rites of the dynasty, sets the literary tradition of the world, and is respected by scholars while being closely linked to the fortune of the Great Yan Kingdom.
After Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism are equal in the second rank; Buddhism has a large number of followers among the common people, its eminent monks are widely revered, guiding the people and providing relief; Daoism hides in famous mountains and rivers, feasting on sunset clouds and morning dew.
As for Gu Cultivation and Martial Artists, they are of the third rank among the five major methods, considered the lowest; since the Pre-Qin period, the former has mostly been regarded by the Central Plains dynasties as the witchcraft of the Southern Border’s Barbarians, unaccepted as orthodox, and often suppressed by successive dynasties.
The status of Martial Artists is also not much higher than that; after the Pre-Qin period, the Martial Dao declined, filled with excessive killing contrary to the Heavenly Dao. Martial Arts Grandmasters have a lifespan barely over two hundred years, which is short compared to the several hundred years of cultivation that practitioners of the upper three grades of the Three Religions enjoy. Though unparalleled in killing for a time, they are ultimately mocked as ’Martial Men,’ seen as vulgar individuals risking their lives in battle.
For this reason, despite the Qingzhou Academy, Longfu Temple, and Qingfeng Temple being jointly referred to as the three gates within the three gates and four families of Qingzhou, the academy leads, and the opening of its doors to accept disciples is always a grand event in Qingzhou.
And now, Li Feiyu seems to be associated with two of the three gates, with extremely close ties.
Not to mention the matter of the Life Character midway, a Upper Three Grades Arhat from the Buddhist Sect has personally manifested a Dharma Aspect to shield their Tao Family’s techniques. If the relationship weren’t close, why would the other party protect with such determination?
And a Buddhist cultivator of the Arhat Realm appearing within the Qingzhou territory, if not a master from Longfu Temple, will inevitably have intricate ties with Longfu Temple.
"No, we can’t continue tracking..."
Thinking about the involvement of two of the three gates, Tao Li’s throat rolled, and cold sweat had soaked through his inner shirt.
The man in blue is named Tao Li, a standout among the second generation of the Tao Family, and a member of the Tao Family’s Law Enforcement Hall. He entered the Fourth Grade Realm a few years ago, and although progressing to the Upper Three Grades of Profound Realm is unlikely in this life, he is nonetheless a mainstay of the Tao Family.
A Fourth-Grade Daoist Cultivator, not just within the Qingyun Three Counties, but even in some small counties in Qingzhou, would suffice to be unrivaled.
Yet, at this moment, Tao Li found his scalp tingling, never expecting that he would feel death so near for the first time in his life just by pursuing a mere Sixth-Grade martial artist like Li Feiyu.
At the instant the Arhat Dharma Aspect manifested, Tao Li was struck with fear, unwilling to pursue further for fear of losing his life.
Between the Fourth and Upper Three Grades, the gap might seem like just one grade, but it is a vast difference. An Upper Three Grades cultivator crushing a Fourth Grade like him is no different than crushing an ant. Getting involved would mean even if Tao Li had ten lives, they wouldn’t suffice.
"The matter of Li Feiyu is beyond what I can decide... I must quickly report back to the ancestor and leave it to their judgment."
No one knows, a Fourth-Grade Daoist cultivator from the Tao family scared out of his wits at a tiny place, led the first batch of pursuers sent by the Tao family to flee the Qingyun Three Counties overnight.
...
Vajra Temple, within the Relic Tower.
"Hmm? Someone is using a secret technique to track this boy’s whereabouts, could it be his enemies?"
In the relic, the shadow of Master Kongshe frowned slightly, even though he was displeased with Su Mu, he had to suppress it for the moment and reluctantly shelter him.
He couldn’t let Li Feiyu come to harm in Vajra Temple. If it allowed the boy’s enemies to track him to Vajra Temple, considering the short temper of the person associated with that jade pendant, there’s no telling if they might demolish his sect first.
"That sword light..."
Even reflecting back on that sword light, the Formless Arhat within the relic remained filled with trepidation in his heart. He could not vent his anger on Su Mu, so he shouted in a low voice, directing his fury at the person tracking.
Instantly, an Arhat Dharma Aspect crossed several hundred miles to manifest, shattering the pursuing secret technique and also shocking the Tao family members performing the technique into unconsciousness.
After doing all this, Master Kongshe returned to the relic.
None of this was known to Su Mu, who, after bathing in the light of the relic for three days and nights, felt reborn; in his introspective state, each tendon and bone seemed as crystalline as glass.
"I never noticed so many hidden troubles in my body before... Now all the hidden dangers have been eliminated."
Su Mu’s lips curled into a smile, under the washing of the relic light, not only were the hidden injuries from successive life-or-death battles cleared, but also the hidden dangers left behind from eradicating the Tao Family’s mark with the White Tiger Martial Momentum in the Qifeng Mountain Range were entirely erased.
"The remaining time will be used for refining the five viscera and practicing the Five Elements Technique!"
During these days, Su Mu noticed on the point that the relic light even affects the five viscera and six bowels. With the help of the Arhat Realm relic, refining the viscera should yield twice the results with half the effort.
Su Mu planned to push forward and complete the refinement of the kidneys associated with the Water of the Five Elements, without pressing himself too hard on the remaining three viscera, as the washing and marrow-cleansing process already cleared a massive amount of hidden dangers.
"Let’s give it a try."
Then Su Mu attempted to exercise the Water Element Divine Skill within the Five Elements Technique. A cool Gang Force merged with his Qi Blood and flowed towards the kidneys. At the moment it touched the kidneys, the relic light within his body circulated and seemed to wrap the kidneys with a powerful protective layer.
"It works indeed!"
At this moment, Su Mu’s eyes shone brightly. When he was refining his heart to break through the Sixth Grade Realm, even with the aid of the Azure Blood Five Elements Pill, he had to endure severe pain and proceed step by step, as the five viscera are fragile parts of the human body.
But now, even if his organs were inadvertently damaged, the support of the Arhat Realm relic was there. The relic, born from Nirvana after its spiritual body had been burned by karmic fire, not only possesses the ability to wash sinews and cleanse the marrow but also an exceptionally strong physical healing ability.
This powerful healing ability came into play, and with the relic offering a safety net, Su Mu gradually increased the output of attribute Gang Force and Qi Blood until he could let loose completely.
"The Arhat relic indeed... The efficiency of refining organs now has increased by at least tenfold!"
Unrestricted, Su Mu himself was somewhat amazed at the efficiency of refining his kidneys. In just this short span, it was almost as much as an entire day on Qifeng Mountain Range.
In the introspective state, it could be seen clearly as blue spots of formless water gradually appeared on his kidneys, with each spot linking to another, forming lines, which then formed surfaces.
The time had come to the fifth day.
Su Mu slowly exhaled, and it could be seen that on both sides of his spine in the abdomen, the two kidneys shimmered with a layer of blue light as vast as the ocean.
Among the five viscera, the heart belongs to fire and governs Qi Blood; once refined, it significantly enhances the martial artist’s aspect of Qi Blood.
Among the five viscera, the kidneys belong to water, and they store essence; they are the foundation of innate vitality. Once tempered, they can enhance a martial artist’s energy and endurance, thereby strengthening their sustained combat abilities to some extent.
"Buzz—"
In the state of introspection, the blue light on the surface of the kidneys gradually converges and finally settles down.
Su Mu slightly closed his eyes. At this moment, besides the rapid growth of Qi blood within his body, he only felt a cool sensation flowing from the Shenyu acupoint to his limbs and bones. The fatigue generated from continuous tempering melted away like ice and snow, replaced by an unprecedented clarity.
The second of the five viscera, the tempering of the kidneys, is complete.
"This time the Qi blood increased by about thirty percent, and the blood exchange progress within my body exceeded two-thirds. There is no need to temper all five viscera; I can usher in the first major blood exchange."
"Perhaps among them, there is the effect of washing marrow."
Su Mu slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, a gleam simmering in his eyes. At this moment, Qi blood surged like a tide, and energy was abundant, as if even his breathing carried a long-lasting force. This is the subtlety when the ’foundation of innate vitality’ is tempered.
"What a Five Extremes Realm!"
Su Mu’s eyes glittered with intensity. He increasingly felt the profoundness and infinity of the Martial Dao and the fact that the martial artist’s body was indeed an inexhaustible treasure trove of potential.
Getting better in the martial artist’s realm is about continuously delving into this treasure trove; the path of the martial artist is the evolution path of fragile flesh-and-blood beings.
By tempering the second of the five viscera, he built the first bridge connecting the five viscera, realizing one of the Five Elements Mutual Generation, such as the power bridge between the spleen and heart, achieving wood generating fire, reaching mid-Sixth Grade.
However, previously, Su Mu had to first choose the kidneys as the second tempering target to maintain the water-fire balance for the Profound Demon Five Transformations after completing heart tempering. Building the bridge required Five Elements Mutual Generation.
Now that water and fire are incompatible, he cannot directly establish a Gang Force bridge between the heart and kidneys; he must first continue to temper the next organ.
"Water generates wood, wood generates fire. Water and fire lack wood as a bridge, so the third organ to temper is the liver!"
Cultivation has no day and night; when a person is entirely devoted to one thing, Su Mu can also not perceive the passage of time. He is unaware of how many days have passed since entering the Relic Tower.
After finishing the tempering of the kidneys, he again indulged in the tempering of the liver.
In the lotus pond, the green lotus swayed without wind.
Su Mu sat cross-legged with closed eyes, and with each breath, strands of wood spiritual Qi were swallowed into his abdomen from the world, rushing into the meridians from the seven orifices, finally merging with his body to transform into wood attribute Gang Force.
With the experience of earlier tempering of the heart and kidneys, Su Mu’s already terrifying tempering efficiency was further enhanced this time. In the state of introspection, the liver surface was visible with a flow of blue light, and green spots resembling green wood quickly appeared at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Within the Relic Tower, Su Mu’s tempering of the third of the five viscera, the liver, proceeded in an orderly and swift manner.
...
Outside the Relic Tower, at the extreme north of Qingzhou.
Since ancient times, Qingzhou has been evaluated by historical books as ’the domain of the sea and Dai, a place of significant geographical importance.’
Yuguo Pass dominates the northern territory of Qingzhou, originally constructed during the Pre-Qin era, strategically controlling the throat of the barbarians’ southern land route. It has always been a crucial border pass.
The walls of Yuguo Pass are all stacked with North Sea Green Jade, gleaming coldly under the moonlight, hence referred to as ’Yuguo,’ renowned as the first mighty pass of Qingzhou;
Whenever the northern wind howls, the border army on the city wall can still hear the sound of bone flute and human skin drum during the barbarians’ sacrifices outside the pass.
"Name?"
"Wang Xuan."
"Age?"
...
In the camp, an old soldier wearing a blue feather helmet and clad in scale patterned iron armor registered the new recruits’ information with a pen like a knife. Suddenly, a soldier whispered into his ear, "This person is recommended by Captain Zhong."
The old soldier paused his pen, his gaze sweeping over the delicate face, with a trace of a different look in his eyes.
"Alright, from today, you’ll be in Divine Arm Rear Camp. Next one..."
Before the words fell, the delicate-faced man spoke up to refuse.
"Sir, I request to be transferred to Evil Eagle Rear Camp."
"You want to join Evil Eagle Rear Camp?"
"Hmph, barbarians wouldn’t care which family you come from when they chop off heads!" The old soldier sneered, his iron armor rattling, raising his arm toward the blood-red sunset outside the pass.
"For several years, the barbarians haven’t been quiet, just recently buried over thirty corpses. If you join Evil Eagle Rear Camp and die, you can’t blame others. Think it through."
In the tent, Wang Xuan’s expression remained unchanged, his stance unmoving. The old soldier, seeing the man before him was unaware of the dangers, was about to drop the pen in his hand.
Just at this moment, the ground trembled.
Smoke and dust soared outside the pass like black clouds rushing in, as a band of over twenty Profound Armor Cavalry tore through the wind, their iron hooves pounding the ground like thunder.
The leader wore a fierce faceplate resembling an evil eagle spreading its wings, and the cavalry behind him were cloaked in blood, surrounded by ferocity, as if they had just slaughtered their way out of a mountain of corpses.
"Urgent outside the pass, open the gate quickly!"
...