Lu Chenzhou’s face showed joy.
"Good."
The eting of his martial arts fraternity was a rare mont of relaxation for him.
He relished this feeling.
...
That evening,
Old Ji sat beside Principal Wang, his chopstick-wielding hand trembling.
How did I, with neither talent nor virtue, co to sit next to a Great Grandmaster?
Qingtian Cang had it easier; he saw Principal Wang often, so he was quite calm. Chenzhou’s parents weren’t perturbed either; to ordinary people, breaking free of one’s shackles was a feat on its own.
Only Old Ji was visibly uneasy.
Lu Chenzhou said with a smile,
"I’m thankful to the elder masters for their cultivation."
Principal Wang gently patted the nervous Old Ji beside him and smiled, "Ji Xuantong, you’ve unearthed such a Martial Arts Genius. You’ve played an indispensable role."
Putting down his cup, Ji Xuantong laughed,
"Principal Wang, you flatter . It was Chenzhou who sought out."
Lu Chenzhou added,
"Without Master Ji, I wouldn’t have achieved what I have today."
Lu Guoping also nodded and said,
"That’s right, our Lu Family can never forget the great debt we owe to Master Ji."
Ji Xuantong flushed with embarrassnt, a bit overwheld by the accolades.
Everyone chatted awkwardly while eating.
Principal Wang inquired about Lu Chenzhou’s current progress in cultivation and nodded,
"The ’Tiger Demon Tai Sui Technique’ is quite difficult even amongst middle-level Inner Strength thods. Reaching the Second Layer in nine months is good. Once you reach the Third Layer, you should be nearing the End Realm. Maintain your current pace; it’s best to advance to Grandmaster before you’re 35, at the height of your golden years. If not, it’s fine; being delayed by a few years won’t make a major difference. Besides, with the help of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, your Qi-Blood can recover to its peak. As for you, the greatest challenge in becoming a Grandmaster lies in the Acupoints, and you mustn’t slack in your efforts. Your current rate of Opening the Acupoints is basically eting my expectations, but compared to your senior brother Wang Xian, it’s still a tad short. Why am I not worried, though? Because I know you’re the type to build up strength over ti, and your potential is still growing."
As Principal Wang spoke, Wang Xian looked at his junior brother, his mind slightly shocked,
"Junior brother’s potential is still growing?"
To be honest, he already felt that Chenzhou was surpassing him. After all, Chenzhou was cultivating both internally and externally, a path that was inevitably slower.
As the conversation unfolded, Principal Wang ntioned Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
He said,
"The way of the Acupoints prioritizes hard work first, talent second, and great dicine third... But so Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures can also aid in Opening the Acupoints and have fewer side effects than great dicine. You’re still just a Martial Artist, and not yet in touch with Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. When you Breakthrough Second and Third, you can appropriately rely on the external forces of these treasures."
In the end, his goal was still for Lu Chenzhou to beco a Grandmaster sooner.
Lu Chenzhou asked,
"Master, what are so Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that can aid the cultivation of the Acupoints?"
Although he was of low rank, what if he happened to co across one?
Principal Wang replied,
"After dinner, have Wang Xian give you a ’Heavenly Treasure Book,’ which is a compilation of knowledge from the Buddhist and Daoist teachings, as well as from the old schools and the military by the Martial Arts Association. This is top-secret knowledge; you must not divulge it to others, just use it for yourself."
"Understood."
Suddenly, Principal Wang seed to rember sothing and asked,
"Ji Xuantong, how far are you from your Breakthrough Second?"
Old Ji, who had been calmly eating, was montarily taken aback.
What’s the deal, why is the entire world asking when I’ll Breakthrough Second?
Old Ji drank so water to cover his embarrassnt and laughed,
"It’s hard to say, maybe ten years if it’s soon, thirty if it’s late?"
Qingtian Cang, unable to bear it, said with an exasperated expression,
"Isn’t that range a bit too broad? Why don’t you say sixty years if it’s slow?"
Principal Wang said,
"I have a ’Changchun Fruit’ here, which is ranked as an Earth Grade among Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. It can extend life by twenty years and also strengthen Qi-Blood. It has so effects of marrow cleansing and revitalizing vitality, which should be able to bring you back to your peak condition in your thirties."
Principal Wang took out a box from sowhere, beneath its clear lid was a fist-sized green fruit that looked quite ordinary, much like a green pear.
"This..."
Old Ji’s face showed a play of emotions, and after coming to his senses, he quickly said,
"I dare not accept it... It’s too valuable."
Principal Wang stated,
""""
"The Changchun Fruit has little effect on soone of my cultivation level; it rely bolsters an insignificant amount of Qi-Blood, and given my age and condition, there’s no need for to take longevity treasures. This item is most suitable for middle-aged Martial Artists like you who are stuck at a bottleneck. Its efficacy will diminish after Breakthrough Second, and won’t be of much use after Breakthrough Third."
Qingtian Cang said,
"Ji Xuantong, are you still going to refuse Principal’s kindness?"
Ji Xuantong, emotionally stirred, imdiately clenched his fist in the traditional salute and said,
"Thank you, Principal!"
He knew he had benefited from Lu Chenzhou’s influence.
Principal Wang was not pleased with his slow cultivation progress.
Naturally, Lu Chenzhou’s face lit up with joy.
In this way, it resolved one of his concerns earlier than expected.
He suspected that the Principal had long seen through his thoughts.
Such a Great Grandmaster was indeed fearso.
Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, even the most common Yellow Grade, were not publicly available items. Old Ji solemnly stored them away, knowing he couldn’t earn such a fruit even if he ran a Martial Arts Academy for a hundred years.
Without strength and status, one couldn’t co into contact with them.
Looking at Chenzhou, he thought to himself,
"One man’s success can bring his associates to greater heights."
...
That night.
After practicing the Heavenly Pile, Lu Chenzhou flipped through the "Heavenly Treasure Book" in bed.
"Heavenly Treasure Daoist - Xu Xiyin..."
The original author of this book was actually an ancient Daoist Grandmaster whose footsteps traversed Da Xia and even the world, including various Void Realms. He traveled far and wide, gathering information on what he saw and heard, and many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, compiling them into a travelogue.
The Martial Arts Association later put together the "Heavenly Treasure Book" based on these writings.
"Indeed an extraordinary person."
Occasionally, Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures would erge from the wilderness of ancient Da Xia, but with the nurous Martial Artists and advanced technology of today, those items were long gone. Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures are natural formations that cannot be cultivated and can only be naturally nurtured over long periods.
Fortunately, the appearance of Void Realms brought new opportunities.
Xu Xiyin said:
[In the Netherworld where there is no sun or moon, Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures can be nurtured. It is truly peculiar and wondrous.]
As Lu Chenzhou perused the book, he remarked,
"Throughout ancient and modern tis, nearly a thousand varieties of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures have been discovered; dozens of them are beneficial for Opening the Acupoint, and not one is less than a top-level rare treasure.
Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures can be divided into four grades: Heavenly, Earth, Xuan, and Yellow. Generally speaking, the higher the quality, the more profound the efficacy of the dicinal properties. The Yellow Grade’s dicinal limit is Breakthrough Second, Xuan Grade is Breakthrough Fourth, Earth Grade is Breakthrough Sixth, and Heavenly Grade... is an item even those at the Absolute Peak covet.
The appearance of a Heavenly Treasure will certainly provoke phenona between heaven and earth, and so top-level Heavenly Treasures can even assist a Martial Arts King in advancing to the Absolute Peak, much like an Immortal Golden Pill.
..."
The more he read, the more excited Lu Chenzhou beca.
"Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures... such magnificent items."
Suddenly, as he ca across the description of a treasure, his eyes narrowed.
"Heavenly Treasure, Nine Apertures Exquisite Grass, this treasure once appeared during the Great Yu Dynasty and caused the Eight Immortals to exhibit their divine powers, competing over it for seven days and nights...
Rumors say that consuming this grass can cultivate an acquired Taoist Body [Nine Apertures Exquisite], greatly accelerating the speed of Opening the Acupoint, its effect roughly equivalent to a Martial Bone Dao Embryo [Innate Nine Apertures]."
Lu Chenzhou was deeply moved.
"Cultivating an acquired Taoist Body?"
There were not many Heavenly Treasures listed in the book, only a dozen or so, and each one made Lu Chenzhou’s heart race with the sensation of unlocking the door to a new world.
[Heavenly Treasure, Millennium Vermilion Fruit, a type of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that matures after nurturing for over ten thousand years, can rejuvenate and alter acquired root bone, aiding Breakthrough Seven...]
[Heavenly Treasure, Dragon Blood Coral, can change blood and forge the body, aiding Breakthrough Seven, also has a strong supportive effect for those practicing Dragon Form Martial Arts, once found in the East Sea...]
[Heavenly Treasure, Saraca Wood, enriches the spirit and strengthens the soul...]
[Undying Fire...]
Before going to sleep.
Lu Chenzhou closed the "Heavenly Treasure Book."
He intended to read it once or twice daily until he morized the effects and characteristics of all the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. That way, if he encountered any in the Void Realm, he wouldn’t miss out.
He took out the "Netherworld Geomancy Map" from his pocket.
"Changbai Mountain..."
...
The following day.
Lu Chenzhou visited Li Gui’s ho.
Over the past period, he had perfected a Third-Class and a Second-Class Martial Arts technique, "Netherworld Tiger Palm", and had now integrated it into the Heavenly Destiny Mystic Tiger Divine Seed.
""""
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