Chapter 17 (1/2)

Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio

With those words, every single person fell into a stunned silence.

As their level was currently too low, their motives for entering the Martial Lecture Hall was simply to ask for a simple “body forging method,” such as which martial techniques would better aid them in improving their Qi and strength, and which kinds of herbs could increase the toughness of their bodies, and so on. They had never actually thought of what they should do should they reach the peak of Body Forging one day. How should they then find a more powerful source of strength?

When Xu Yi elaborated on his question, it was truly like a rooster in the morning, waking them up from their slumber.

As practitioners, which of them did not have the drive to improve? Which of them did not know that training the body was the source of their strength?

But if they reached the end of the Body Forging stage, then what was next?

The hall was deathly quiet. All eyes fell on Master Zhou.

Master Zhou finally picked himself up and got himself together as he stood in firmly in front of the podium. As a wind blew through the hall, it swept his broken sleeves high into the air, adding to the air of his authority.

“I have a rough understanding of your question now. You are worried that after passing the Body Forging stage, you would be unable to rely on training your body to gain even greater strength, am I right? If this is the only thing you are worried about, then there is definitely no need! I can confidently tell you that in the Four Stages to Immortality, there is no end to the training of your body. It is just that the method of training becomes different. Everyone knows the Four Stages to Immortality: Body Forging, Qi Ocean, Fluid Condensation, Soul Sensing. The reason why there are these four distinct stages is because a practitioner’s body will go through immense change when reaching each of these four stages.

“When reaching the peak of Body Forging, the skin becomes tough as hide, and bones become as hard as steel. One will possess truly ferocious strength, becoming as strong as a bull! And after Body Forging, one enters the Qi Ocean stage. As the name suggests, it is where you transform and expand your Qi center into an ocean and begin to store True Qi. By then, one can move objects with one’s will, harm a person from a distance, and so on. The possibilities are limitless. And in this stage, there is still a process of body forging. However, what you train here is not the skin and bones, but your marrow and your blood. One has to train till the marrow becomes like frost and the blood becomes like lava, then one is considered to have succeeded.

“As for the Fluid Condensation and Soul Sensing stages, the exact conditions, I do not know, for I have not reached those stages, hence I cannot elaborate clearly. However, allow me to make my deductions based on their names. For Fluid Condensation, I believe it is to condense one’s True Qi into a fluid, forming True Origin Qi. In this stage, the organs of the body are the focal point of a practitioner’s training. As for the Soul Sensing stage, perhaps the body is already at its limits and can begin to have supernatural senses. As they say, using one’s essence to command the spirits. This should follow the same logic…”

Master Zhou’s explanation was detailed and rigorous. Although there were many postulations, they were still well substantiated. A few minutes of lecturing seemed to fly by instantly. To Xu Yi, these words were like listening to the wisest Buddhist teachings. The enormous mountain that had loomed over in front of him suddenly seemed to have crumbled.

Master Zhou finished speaking, but the crowd still remained silent for what seemed to be a century.

“What is with these expressions on your faces? Do you think that I said something wrong?” Master Zhou asked confusedly as he scanned the faces in the lecture hall.

“You, you’re actually at the Qi Ocean stage!”

A round faced plump guy opened his eyes wide, finally saying what everyone was too surprised to ask.

The earlier half of what Master Zhou was saying was the focus of everyone’s attention, but when he said, “As for Fluid Condensation and Soul Sensing stages, the exact conditions I do not know, for I have not reached those stages,” everyone felt as though they’d been struck by lightning.

Who could have guessed that such a frail-looking, unkempt old man could have actually reached the legendary Qi Ocean stage. The whole hall of were only in the early stages of Body Forging, and they were miles away from even the peak of Body Forging. It was amazing that they could run into a lecturer who would belong amongst the ranks of those etched on the murals of the Martial Lecture Hall.