EFB Chapter 9: Secluded Cultivation, Breaking Through to the 9th Level
Chapter 9: Secluded Cultivation, Breaking Through to the 9th Level
The controversy surrounding the preliminary exam has completely subsided. Wang Feng was expelled from the school with strict discipline, and the Zhang family, under pressure from public opinion and Lin Chen's astonishing strength, has temporarily ceased their activities. The news that Lin Chen secured a spot in the citywide high school martial arts competition and won first place in the assessment has already spread throughout Qingyang No. 3 Middle School.
The once bullied, poor boy has now become the school's only hope. But Lin Chen did not bask in the sudden praise; instead, he became more clear-headed than ever before.
He knew very well that Qingyang No. 3 High School was just an ordinary martial arts high school. While his previous strength at the peak of the eighth level of the Body Tempering Realm was undoubtedly outstanding within the school, it was not an absolute advantage in the city-wide competition. The genius disciples of the key municipal high schools, such as No. 1 and No. 2 High Schools, had been immersed in spiritual liquid and cultivated high-grade techniques since childhood. Many of them had already touched the threshold of the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm, and some had even broken through to the early stage of the Qi and Blood Realm ahead of time.
To break the record of the Third Middle School in previous years and secure a special admission to a key martial arts high school, he must break through to the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm before the competition begins, thus widening the gap between himself and other martial artists of the same level.
After settling his father, who was gradually recovering in the hospital, and receiving the ten bottles of Qi and Blood Powder and three portions of basic body-strengthening herbs as a reward from the school, Lin Chen went straight home. It was a small, single-story house in the old city, simply furnished but clean and tidy, and the only place where he could cultivate in peace on weekdays.
Closing the door to shut out the outside noise, Lin Chen neatly arranged the medicinal herbs on the table, then sat cross-legged on the bed. He didn't rush to circulate his cultivation technique, but instead calmed his mind and, following the slightly warm Star Martial Core in his dantian, began to fully process this ancient inheritance that had been dormant for sixteen years for the first time.
Previously, he only knew that the Star Martial Core could help him break through quickly, but he had never thought about the reasons behind it. Only now, as his mind sank into the core, did countless insights about martial arts flood into his mind like a tide, corroborating his three years of cultivation experience, and he suddenly understood.
It turns out that martial arts cultivation in this world has never been a simple matter of advancing to a higher realm. Cultivation techniques are the foundation, martial skills are the sharp blade, and the true meaning of martial arts is the upper limit. The three complement each other and are indispensable.
He recalled the "Basic Body Tempering Technique" distributed by his former training school. For three whole years, he practiced day and night without fail, yet he remained stuck at the third level of the Body Tempering Realm, unable to make any progress. At the time, he thought it was because he was dull-witted, but now he understood that it was simply a limitation of the technique itself—ordinary techniques could only be cultivated up to the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm, and one could never touch the true meaning of martial arts. Even if one cultivated it to its peak, one would ultimately only be a mortal with a strong physical body.
Zhang Hao's mid-grade "Blood Forging Technique" was enough to support his breakthrough to the Qi and Blood Realm; the high-grade techniques practiced by the geniuses of key high schools even gave them the opportunity to comprehend incomplete martial arts essence. As for the legendary ancient inherited techniques, they came with a complete prototype of martial arts essence, had no clear cultivation limit, and could be deduced all the way to the Martial Emperor Realm.
What shocked Lin Chen even more was that the *Star Martial Body Forging Technique* he inherited was not a complete technique, but rather used a sealed unlocking method. At this moment, in his perception, only the "Body Forging Chapter" within the Star Martial Core was lit up; the subsequent chapters, such as the "Qi and Blood Chapter," "Qi Gathering Chapter," and "Meridian Opening Chapter," were all shrouded in a faint gray halo. The will emanating from the core told him that only when Dangdang had mastered the previous stage of the technique to perfection and broken through to the corresponding realm could the next stage be unlocked.
Furthermore, both cultivation techniques and martial arts skills have strict proficiency levels, divided into six tiers from novice to master. Each level advancement results in a qualitative leap in strength. Moreover, martial arts skills and cultivation techniques are independent of each other. Martial arts skills of the same grade must be paired with cultivation techniques of the same grade or higher to unleash their full power. Forcibly driving a high-grade martial arts skill with a low-grade cultivation technique will only backfire.
Just like the "Star Martial Body Forging Technique: Body Forging Chapter" that he is currently cultivating, after the life-and-death battles and practical tests in the Green Wilderness Forest, his proficiency has reached the Great Perfection, which is why he can draw upon the power of the stars; and the Star Chasing Step and the Myriad Manifestations Fist, as complementary ancient martial arts, have also been mastered to the level of proficiency and Great Perfection respectively, with power far exceeding that of ordinary mid-grade martial arts.
Having sorted everything out, Lin Chen finally understood where his true extraordinary ability lay. The Star Martial Core not only granted him a supreme ancient cultivation technique, but also endowed him with five core abilities:
It can directly absorb the primordial power of stars in the universe, with an absorption efficiency 120 times that of ordinary cultivation techniques. When the star power is abundant at night, it can reach 200 times, and it can purify and convert 100% without any waste.
It can automatically deduce and optimize martial arts techniques. As long as you practice or fight, your proficiency will automatically increase without the need for a master's guidance.
It can nourish the meridians and repair hidden injuries. During cultivation, it will not cause any loss, but will instead continuously strengthen the physical foundation.
It can automatically convert the essence of blood and qi that dissipates after killing ferocious beasts into star power for storage, without the need for refining, and can be used whenever needed;
Most importantly, as long as he accumulates enough star power and masters the corresponding stage of cultivation technique to perfection, he can directly break through the realm without any bottlenecks or obstacles.
And all of this is merely the most basic ability of the Star Martial Core. Deep within the core, there are dozens of ancient martial arts techniques such as the Star Martial Sword Technique and the Star Martial Palm Technique, as well as countless inheritances such as the Star Martial Emperor's combat experience, secret realm maps, and alchemy and weapon manuals, all of which are sealed and await his gradual unlocking.
"So that's how it is." Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, a hint of understanding flashing in them. He finally realized that he was not walking the path of cultivation that ordinary martial artists struggled to build, but rather the Star Martial Great Road paved by the first Star Martial Emperor, which led directly to the pinnacle of martial arts.
Now, what he needs to do is to perfect the "Star Martial Body Forging Technique: Body Forging Chapter" and break through to the ninth level of the Body Forging Realm, laying a solid foundation for activating the Qi and Blood Chapter later.
Lin Chen didn't delay any longer. He formed a hand seal with his fingertips and slowly activated the "Star Martial Body Forging Technique: Body Forging Chapter".
Once the technique was activated, the space within a five-meter radius around him trembled slightly. Countless tiny silver-blue light spots drifted down from the night sky, gathering around him to form a faint vortex of starlight, which flowed into his body through his pores and Baihui acupoint.
This is not ordinary spiritual energy of heaven and earth, but the primordial power of stars from the heavens above, cool and pure, carrying a vast and ancient aura.
The power of the stars entered his body and was instantly guided by the cultivation technique. It flowed slowly through his meridians, which had been widened several times over, to his limbs and bones, nourishing every inch of his muscles, bones, flesh, and internal organs. Wherever it passed, the minor injuries left by previous cultivation were completely repaired, and his physical strength steadily increased silently.
Lin Chen picked up a bottle of Qi and Blood Powder, uncorked it, and swallowed it. The pill entered his stomach, transforming into a gentle flow of Qi and Blood energy. For an ordinary martial artist, it would take at least three hours to fully refine a bottle of Qi and Blood Powder, with only a maximum absorption of 30% of its medicinal power, the remaining 70% dissipating into the air. However, with the blessing of the Star Martial Body Forging Technique, this medicinal power was instantly enveloped, decomposed, and purified by the power of the stars, with all 100% of the medicinal power being transformed into his own cultivation without any waste. The entire process took less than a quarter of an hour.
While circulating his cultivation technique to absorb the power of the stars and refine medicinal herbs, he also refined his cultivation technique and two major martial arts skills deep within his mind, following the trajectory automatically deduced by the Star Martial Core:
The circulation path of stellar power was optimized again and again to make the flow of qi and blood smoother and to compress every bit of stellar power to the extreme.
Simulate countless movements in your mind, comprehend the true meaning of the stars' "speed, concealment, and teleportation", and make the Star Chasing Step more agile and swift;
By understanding the "weight, explosiveness, and inclusiveness" of the stars, one can perfectly integrate the power of the stars into their fists, making each punch contain the explosive power of stars.
During the day, he refined medicinal herbs and Qi-blood powder, frantically accumulating the power of the stars; at night, he drew upon the power of the celestial stars to refine his martial arts techniques and comprehend the true meaning of star martial arts.
Each time the technique is activated, one can clearly feel the power of the stars within the body growing stronger; each time the movement technique is practiced, the Star Chasing Step becomes even more silent; each time a fist technique is thrown, the intent of the Myriad Manifestations Fist becomes even more refined.
Time passed day by day, and only three days remained until the citywide high school martial arts competition.
Late that night, the moon was bright and the stars were few. Starlight shone through the window and fell on Lin Chen, enveloping him in a silvery-blue halo.
He remained seated cross-legged, his body circulating the "Star Martial Body Forging Technique: Body Forging Chapter" to its limit. Starlight swirled around him, forming a clearly visible starlight vortex, and the star power in the room was so dense that it was almost liquefied.
After seven days of intensive seclusion, the ten bottles of Qi and Blood Powder and three portions of Body Tempering Herbs on his desk were completely used up, and the Stellar Power within his body had reached its peak. More importantly, his proficiency in the "Star Martial Body Tempering Technique - Body Tempering Chapter" had finally steadily broken through from Great Completion to Perfection!
The moment the cultivation technique was perfected, the Star Martial Core within his dantian trembled slightly, and a faint yet boundless Star Martial True Intent flowed out from the depths of the core, merging into Lin Chen's mind and body.
At this moment, Lin Chen felt his mind become clear, and all his previous doubts about cultivation were resolved. He could clearly feel that the power of the stars in the world resonated with him in a wonderful way, as if every move he made could draw out the brilliance of the stars in the sky.
At the same time, he also clearly sensed that deep within the core of the Star Martial Arts, a new seal was loosening slightly—that was the seal of the "Star Martial Arts Body Forging Technique: Qi and Blood Chapter," which he could activate immediately once he broke through to the Qi and Blood Realm!
"Now!"
Lin Chen roared inwardly, no longer suppressing the surging star power within his body. He fully activated the "Star Martial Body Forging Technique: Body Forging Chapter," guiding the star origin, which was as vast as the ocean, towards the ninth level of the Body Forging Realm!
There was no pain or stagnation like when ordinary martial artists break through, no bottleneck or shackles to hinder them. The barrier of the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm, which had kept countless ordinary martial artists stuck for half a year or even longer, was as thin as paper and shattered at the slightest touch under the scouring power of the vast stars!
boom--!
An aura three times stronger than before erupted from Lin Chen's body, his body radiating starlight and forming a faint halo that enveloped his entire being. The sound of his blood surging could be clearly heard in the small room.
Body Tempering Realm, Ninth Level, Success!
After the breakthrough, the Star Martial Body Forging Technique operated autonomously, quickly stabilizing his realm and thoroughly managing and controlling the surging star power within his body, without any sense of instability.
Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, a dazzling starlight flashing in his eyes. His aura was calm and restrained, and every move he made contained immense stellar power.
He stood up, lightly tapped his feet, and quietly used the Star Chasing Step. His figure flashed in the room, so fast that only a faint afterimage remained. He landed silently, without even stirring up a breeze. His proficiency in the basic version of the Star Chasing Step had already broken through to mastery, and the true meaning of "Star Shadow Teleportation" was becoming more and more refined!
Immediately, he raised his hand and threw a punch without making a sound, but the air vibrated slightly where his fist passed, and the condensed Star Martial Fist Intent rushed over, leaving a clear and deep fist imprint on the opposite earthen wall—the Proficiency of the Basic Chapter of the Myriad Manifestations Fist has been successfully broken through to the Great Perfection, and the power of the Starburst has been perfectly integrated into the fist power!
Feeling the earth-shattering changes within his body, Lin Chen's lips curled into a faint smile.
Having reached the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm, and with the Ancient Star Martial Body Tempering Technique at its perfect state, he has begun to comprehend the true meaning of Star Martial Arts and control the power of the stars' origin. Now, even when facing a martial artist at the early stage of the Qi and Blood Realm, he is absolutely confident of victory.
Looking at all the high school martial artists participating in the competition in Qingyang City, there are only a handful who can truly pose a threat to him.
He walked to the window, opened it, and the first rays of morning sunlight shone on him, reflecting the faint starlight around him.
In the distance, the outline of the Qingyang City Martial Arts Hall can be vaguely seen; that is the venue for this city-wide high school martial arts competition.
The legendary comeback of Qingyang No. 3 Middle School, and the competition among the city's top high school talents, are about to begin.
Lin Chen stood tall and straight, his eyes were firm, his starlight was restrained, and he was full of indomitable fighting spirit.
"Here I come for the city-wide competition!"
This time, he will carry the expectations of No. 3 Middle School and his family, and shine on the city's stage to showcase the brilliance of Xingwu's heritage, crush all doubts, and reach a new peak in martial arts!
Appendix: Standardized Proficiency Level Explanation (Applicable to all martial arts techniques/skills, easy to remember and understand)
1. Beginner: Having just learned the moves, the technique is clumsy and full of openings, only able to unleash 20% of its power.
2. Proficient: The moves are executed smoothly and flawlessly, allowing the user to unleash 40% of the power.
3. Proficiency: Can be controlled and unleashed with 60% power, and can flexibly change tactics according to the battle situation.
4. Mastery: Integrates with one's own style, unleashing 80% of its power; ancient techniques/martial arts manifest their unique attribute power at this stage.
5. Perfection: The moves have reached perfection, capable of unleashing 100% power, and one has begun to grasp the true meaning of martial arts.
6. Transcendent Realm: Man and technique become one, no technique is better than any technique, power surpasses the limit of the martial art itself.