[Name: Lin Chen]
[Occupation: Martial Artist]
[Qi Blood: 4000/5000]
[Life Chart: [Natural Progress]: Martial Arts First Realm, Perseverance, Step by Step, Unstoppable, No Bottleneck Problem.]
Looking at the growth of his Qi Blood on his panel.
Lin Chen only wanted to say one thing, Lu Yongfeng and Yan Dexing were merely minor figures.
After cultivating Essence Qi, his Qi Blood instantly increased by a thousand points, and his strength reached eight hundred pounds.
Now he should be able to knock down Lu Yongfeng with one punch, right?
But what puzzled him was how his Qi Blood limit became 5000, and a Qi Blood limit of 5000 meant a thousand pounds of strength.
What does this thousand pounds represent?
"What are you thinking about?"
Yu Yongnian saw Lin Chen deep in thought and asked with a smile.
"Disc...Disciple feels that after cultivating Essence Qi, the whole person is different, filled with endless strength."
"With Essence Qi in the body, Qi Blood generates itself, circulating back and forth. Reaching this step is the true beginning of the Martial Path."
Yu Yongnian smiled slightly, then said, "You seem to know very little about the Martial Path, so let me explain it well to you today."
"You probably already know the two and a half realms of Body Forging for Martial Artists. You are currently at half a realm. Next, you need to use Essence Qi in your body to impact the acupoints. Once successful, you will step into the Opening Acupoints Realm."
"After the Opening Acupoints is Refining the Viscera, and only then can you be considered a Martial Artist with a tier, from Ninth Grade to First Grade. Those who have not entered the Ninth Grade are collectively known as non-grade Martial Artists."
...
...
Listening to the instructor's explanation, Lin Chen gained a basic understanding of the Martial Path.
Opening the Acupoints and Refining the Viscera are the two major barriers of the Martial Path.
Only after overcoming these two barriers can one be considered a Martial Artist with a tier.
Ninth Grade is the lowest, First Grade is the highest.
The Nine-Grade System for Martial Artists is also the Liang Dynasty's Nine-Grade official system.
After a year of hard work, in the eyes of real Martial Artists, he is just a Martial Disciple?
"Don't think there are many grade-entering Martial Artists. There are only two Ninth-Grade Martial Artists in the current Poyang County, the County Magistrate and the Director of the Martial Affairs Office."
Yu Yongnian could guess what Lin Chen was thinking, as he had walked the same path back in the day.
After cultivating Essence Qi, one would feel ambitious and ride on the Martial Path, only to find out later that this was just the starting point of the Martial Path.
So few?
Lin Chen clicked his tongue. He didn't expect there to be only two grade-entering Martial Artists in the entirety of Poyang County.
"When I mentioned only two Ninth Grades, I didn't mean Poyang County had no others. Poyang County still has about ten Ninth-Grade powerhouses on paper, but apart from the County Magistrate and the Military Affairs Department's lord, all the others are over fifty, and their Qi Blood is starting to decline, meaning their current strength doesn't reach Ninth Grade."
"Can a Martial Artist's strength regress?"
"Don't tell me you think that Martial Artists of advanced age can still be compared to the young and strong?"
Yu Yongnian chuckled. "Non-grade Martial Artists start to decline after forty, and it's difficult for their realm to improve afterwards, while entering the Ninth Grade only extends it for ten years unless they break through to the next tier. With your current strength, you could punch a centenarian Seventh-Grade Martial Artist to death."
Lin Chen's mouth twitched. Punching a centenarian Seventh-Grade Martial Artist to death wasn't something to be proud of.
However, given this situation, a saying from his previous life seemed fitting here.
Revenge by a Martial Artist is not late even after ten years.
If ten years is not enough, then twenty years, enduring until the opponent's Qi Blood declines.
"This is the brutal part of the Martial Path; rather deceive the old, not the young and strong."
Yu Yongnian pondered for a moment, considering Lin Chen's village background and the county's Martial Hall being much more complicated than the town's Martial Hall, then asked: "Any big family is unwilling to offend young Martial Artists, but if they have already offended them and can't resolve it, what do you think these families would do?"
"Try every possible means to prevent the young martial artist from growing up."
Lin Chen's answer was tactful. He understood what his instructor implied, that big families wouldn't easily offend young martial artists, but once offended, they would try to extinguish them.
Unless the family believes their own young generation of martial artists has a promising future, they won't care about these matters; otherwise, they must guard against revenge when they are old.
Yu Yongnian nodded slightly without saying much more. As long as Lin Chen stayed in the Martial Hall, he wouldn't have any conflicts with the city's big families, so he just gave a little advice.
"Precisely because over forty, non-grade martial artists' Qi Blood will decline, there is a saying in the Martial Path circle: Five years to open the acupoints, ten years to refine the viscera; with more time, it will be hard to enter a grade."
"Arriving at the Martial Hall, if you can't break through the acupoints into refining the viscera within five years, it will be challenging to enter a grade thereafter."
"Realizing the Martial Path is hard to fast-track, you can seek a position at the Government Office to earn silver coins while practicing martial arts, leaving yourself a backup path to avoid ending up destitute after Qi Blood declines if you fail to enter a grade."
Martial artists are glorious but also cruel.
The glory is built with silver coins and effort. Once over forty, as Qi Blood begins to decline, avenues for making money will dwindle; if you don't have enough silver coins, you can only accept work that lowers your status.
There was once a martial artist who achieved Great Success in Viscera Cultivation. Still, because he was focused solely on practicing martial arts and borrowed money from a Money Shop, he racked up a debt of a thousand taels. After forty, as his Qi Blood began to decline, income routes dwindled, earning less year by year, pressured by creditors and harmed by past enemies, forcing him to become a brothel keeper.
While it's crucial to have a determined heart on the Martial Path, you mustn't destroy all escape routes, especially when you have family and offspring, leaving yourself a backup path is necessary.
"Given your family background, regardless of the future, it's already considered bringing glory to your ancestors. The Martial Path requires fighting where necessary, but you must also go within your limits."
Yu Yongnian's words weren't exaggerated. Lin Chen cultivated Essence Qi within a year, and according to the previous Martial Hall disciple recruitment rules, the first in the Martial Hall could obtain an Opening Acupoints Pill. Even if progress afterward was slow, as long as ten acupoints could be opened, there was a chance to secure a position at the Government Office.
A Government Official is a big figure in a village, and it truly brings glory to one's family.
As for grade-entering martial artists, they are not what martial artists from ordinary backgrounds aspire to.
Every grade-entering martial artist has extensive family resources supporting them.
"Come to the Martial Hall again in two days, and I'll take you to the county Martial Hall. Today you can go home and share this joy with your family elders."
"Then this disciple will take his leave."
Lin Chen nodded, thinking that cultivating Essence Qi should bring great joy to his parents.
As Lin Chen left, Yu Yongnian murmured softly: "It's reasonable to feel proud after cultivating Essence Qi in a year, if your mind is troubled, it won't be clear. Let me help you dissolve this vexation."
...
...
Just as Lin Chen left the Martial Hall and embarked on his return to the village.
In the backyard.
Lu Yongfeng roared, his entire body tinged red, like a roaring tiger.
This action startled Zhao Jingchuan and the other four.
"I broke through, cultivated Essence Qi!"
Lu Yongfeng's expression was fierce, but then he saw the confused eyes of Zhao Jingchuan and the others, and suddenly, he felt deflated.
The person who should have been there wasn't present, and the excitement and joy in his heart diminished by more than half.