From Five Animal Exercises to being hailed as a saint and ancestor

The Xuanhuang Boat flew steadily above the sea of ​​clouds, breaking through layers of air currents.

They sped off toward the distant capital of the Great Xia Dynasty.

It carries the hopes of Qinglu Academy.

It also carries the dreams and aspirations of the ninety-seven young disciples.

Sailing towards that wider and more intense world.

The disciples looked down at the earth with curiosity or awe, admiring the strange or magnificent scenery.

However, a voice that was slightly unrestrained yet filled with unquestionable authority appeared.

It resounded on the deck like a thunderclap.

This interrupted the disciples' emotions.

"Quiet down, everyone."

Everyone felt a chill and looked in the direction of the voice. It was Elder Qin Feng, dressed in a dark blue outfit, with a lithe and unrestrained demeanor.

At that moment, his gaze swept over all the disciples present.

"You have all reached the ninth level of the Meridian Opening Realm or above."

Qin Feng's voice was steady, yet clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Normally, the academy should teach you, explaining the mysteries of the Spirit Sea Realm in detail, to prepare you for future breakthroughs."

He subtly changed the subject:

"However, the Heavenly Dao Academy's assessment is imminent, time is tight, and various preparations and training are coming one after another, so this matter will be put on hold for the time being."

Qin Feng paused, his gaze sweeping over the young, eager faces.

A very faint, almost imperceptible curve seemed to appear at the corner of his mouth.

"Today, since you are all here, and I am in the mood, I will take this opportunity to explain in detail the second stage of cultivation—the Spirit Sea Realm!"

Upon hearing this, there was an initial silence on the deck.

A slight commotion then broke out.

All the disciples straightened their backs instantly, their eyes fixed intently on Elder Qin Feng.

Even the ten disciples, including Yao Mengkang, composed themselves and listened attentively.

Although they are geniuses, they also yearn for a systematic understanding of the Spirit Sea Realm.

Qin Feng was very satisfied with everyone's reaction.

He walked slowly to the bow of the ship, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked down at the vast sea of ​​clouds below.

The voice was deep and resonant, like a great bell, striking the hearts of everyone present.

"The Meridian Opening Realm involves tempering the body, opening the meridians, and drawing spiritual energy to refine the body; ultimately, it's all about working within the 'mortal body'."

"It is laying the foundation, accumulating knowledge, and preparing for the final 'breakthrough'."

He turned around abruptly, his gaze sharp as lightning:

"And the Spirit Sea Realm is the crucial step in that transformation, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon!"

"It is by using one's own interconnected meridians as a guide to forcibly open up a 'sea of ​​spiritual energy' uniquely belonging to oneself within the emptiness of the dantian!"

"Once this sea is formed, cultivators will experience a preliminary leap in their life level. Their spiritual energy reserves, recovery speed, and ability to sense and control the spiritual energy of heaven and earth will be worlds apart from those in the Meridian Opening Realm!"

After a pause, Qin Feng's tone became more serious, carrying an air of solemnity:

"However, not all spiritual seas are the same!"

"The extent of your potential and the strength of your foundation were largely determined long ago, when you were already striving and accumulating experience at the Meridian Opening Realm!"

"As you all know, those who have opened their meridians to the ninth level or above can draw upon spiritual power to break through the barrier of the spiritual sea."

"But are you aware of the astonishing difference in the size of the initial spiritual sea opened by individuals at different levels of the Meridian Opening Realm?"

Qin Feng's voice was deep and powerful, each word seemingly carrying immense weight, slowly unfolding a vast scroll of cultivation before everyone:

"Those who break through to the ninth level of the Meridian Opening stage have shallow foundations."

"Depending on their talent, accumulated experience, and opportunities, upon breakthrough, they can open up a spiritual sea within their dantian, ranging from one to ten zhang in size!"

"This is a basic level, with limited potential! Of course, this is also the limit for most people."

"Those who break through to the tenth level of the Meridian Opening stage have a profound foundation."

"It can open up a spiritual sea ranging from ten to one hundred feet!"

"With such a foundation, one is already an outstanding person, and one's future achievements are already considerable."

"Those who break through to the eleventh level of the Meridian Opening stage are already exceptional individuals, possessing extraordinary talent, capable of opening up a spiritual sea ranging from a hundred to a thousand feet in length!"

"Such individuals are already qualified to glimpse the Great Dao!"

At this point, Qin Feng deliberately lingered for a moment on several disciples with the most profound auras, including Xuan Yuanpo, Mu Qingqing, and Zhou Tiancan.

It seemed like a sense of relief, yet also contained a hint of expectation.

"And the twelve levels of meridian opening..."

His voice suddenly rose, carrying a solemnity and pride as if recounting a legend.

"This is clearly the peak of the Meridian Opening Realm, attainable only by those with immense perseverance and extraordinary opportunity!"

"If one can break through to the Spirit Sea with this supreme foundation, then the initial formation of the Spirit Sea will reach a vast area of ​​thousands to tens of thousands of feet!"

"A boundless spiritual sea?!"

A chorus of suppressed gasps and gasps of astonishment erupted from below.

For ordinary disciples, a ten-zhang spiritual sea is the limit they can reach, while a hundred-zhang spiritual sea is the standard for geniuses.

Ten thousand feet... that's as vast as a lake, how powerful must the spiritual energy be?

Xuan Yuanpo's eyes narrowed slightly, and his heart was also shaken.

Although he came from an extraordinary background, he was surprised to hear such detailed and specific classifications.

Only then could one truly appreciate the terrifying potential represented by the twelve levels of meridian opening.

From thousands of feet to tens of thousands of feet... This means that he possesses more than ten times the spiritual power reserves of an ordinary late-stage Spirit Sea Realm cultivator at the early stage of the Spirit Sea Realm!

However, Qin Feng's words, like waves crashing forward, revealed an even more unsettling secret:

"As for the unprecedented thirteen levels of meridian opening... a truly forbidden realm!"

All the disciples held their breath, with only the roar of the Xuanhuang Boat cutting through the sea of ​​clouds and their own heartbeats pounding like drums on the deck.

According to Taoist scriptures, the Taoist Ancestor broke through the limits with the help of the thirteen forbidden levels and advanced to the Spirit Sea, which was initially 50,000 zhang in size.

"In later generations, there were also those who broke through the forbidden realm to reach the Spirit Sea... at the very least, their spiritual height started at ten thousand feet!"

At least ten thousand feet!

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines and up to their heads, and their scalps tingled.

The opening of the thirteenth level of the meridians was beyond their comprehension; it was a mythical realm.

Qin Feng glanced around, taking in everyone's shock, and then, in a slightly softer tone, continued to explain the cultivation process of the Spirit Sea Realm:

"The opening of the spiritual sea is merely the beginning."

"The core of cultivation from the first to the ninth level of the Spirit Sea Realm is to continuously expand, deepen, and consolidate this ocean of spiritual energy."

"For ordinary cultivators, if their spiritual sea expands tenfold from the first to the ninth level, they are considered to have a solid foundation and can be considered qualified."

"However, the world is so vast that anything is possible."

"There are always those who are deeply blessed, either nourished by the spiritual treasures of heaven and earth, or who cultivate extraordinary techniques."

"Or perhaps they possess extraordinary innate talent, causing their spiritual sea to expand by far more than tenfold!"

"Of course, the larger the initial spiritual sea, the more difficult it is to expand!"

He then changed the subject, mentioning the ultimate realm that countless cultivators in the Spirit Sea Realm yearned for.

"You may have heard that there is a supreme pursuit in the Spirit Sea Realm, called—Boundless Spirit Sea!"

The disciples' eyes instantly burned with fervor; it was a realm recorded in legends.

Qin Feng shook his head slightly, with a calmness that seemed to dispel confusion.

"Don't think of it as something too unrealistic or ethereal."

"In the current consensus of the cultivation world, a cultivator whose spiritual sea reaches a size of 100,000 zhang or more can be respectfully called the 'Boundless Spiritual Sea'!"

His gaze returned to Yao Mengkang, his expression meaningful:

"Therefore, if one can break through to the thirteenth level of the Meridian Opening Realm..."

"Because its starting point is already ten thousand feet high, it is destined to achieve an immeasurable spiritual sea, sweeping aside its peers, with limitless potential!"

"And some who have an extremely strong foundation or who have encountered other opportunities in their subsequent cultivation have broken through the twelfth level of meridian opening."

"There is still a glimmer of hope that we can expand our spiritual sea to 100,000 zhang, reaching the boundless realm!"

The disciples were immersed in this vast scene of cultivation.

Just when he thought that the vastness of the spiritual sea meant everything, Qin Feng's tone turned cold and stern again, and he posed a crucial rhetorical question:

"However, does a vast spiritual sea necessarily equate to strong combat power?"

His gaze was sharp as a knife as he swept over the disciples who looked puzzled or even somewhat bewildered.

"Cultivation at the Spirit Sea Realm is not merely about expanding the Spirit Sea!"

"At the same time, one must repeatedly temper the physical body with spiritual energy, constantly expanding and strengthening the meridians throughout the body!"

"You must know that spiritual power is stored in the spiritual sea, but its release and application must be achieved through the meridians!"

"If the spiritual sea is as vast as a lake, then the meridians are as small as streams."

"Even with abundant spiritual energy reserves and extremely strong endurance, its instantaneous burst power is greatly limited by the capacity of the meridians to bear it."

"It's like a dam that can hold vast amounts of water, but whose floodgates are only a foot wide—what power does it have?"

"Having a mountain of treasures but being unable to fully utilize them!"

"Conversely, if the spiritual sea is slightly smaller, but its meridians have been tempered and refined, they are exceptionally wide and resilient."

"Then his spiritual power erupts like a river bursting its banks, making his combat strength terrifyingly unparalleled!"

"Of course, its lack of follow-up power and insufficient battery life are also its shortcomings."

"Such cultivators often seek a quick victory."

Qin Feng's voice carried a penetrating insight that seemed to see right through everything:

"Moreover, cultivators consume not only spiritual energy in battle, but also mental and physical strength!"

"After a prolonged battle, both men and horses are exhausted, their will is worn down, and their vast spiritual sea is no longer sufficient to effectively protect themselves."

"Or they could be worn down and defeated by an opponent's superior combat skills, powerful explosive force, or unwavering will!"

Therefore, the size of one's spiritual sea is an important foundation, but it is by no means the sole standard for measuring combat strength!

"Physical strength, meridian resilience, matching cultivation techniques, combat awareness, willpower and spirit, and even the grasp of the battle situation—none of these are dispensable!"

A lengthy and detailed explanation.

The mysteries, potential, limitations, and key points of cultivation of the Spirit Sea Realm are clearly imprinted in the hearts of every disciple.

The deck was completely silent, and everyone's face was filled with contemplation. The previous excitement and restlessness had been replaced by a heavy sense of understanding.

"The path of spiritual cultivation is long and arduous."

Qin Feng concluded in a powerful voice.

"Strengthening the foundation, clarifying one's own path, and pursuing balanced development are the right ways!"

"I hope you will understand this well and not let down your own talents and the expectations of the academy!"

After saying this, Elder Qin Feng said no more, flicked his sleeves, and turned to walk slowly toward the cabin.

A long silence fell on the deck.

The disciples were processing everything they had just heard, and many of them had their views on cultivation completely refreshed.

They no longer simply envied the starting point of that vast spiritual sea, but began to contemplate the tempering of their own meridians and how to balance the spiritual sea with their future bursts of power.

Yao Mengkang stood alone in place, his dark eyes filled with swirling nebulae, as if contemplating endless changes.

The lowest starting point of the thirteenth level of the Meridian Opening stage is ten thousand zhang, while the Dao Ancestor's initial stage was a boundless spiritual sea of ​​fifty thousand zhang.

The crucial balance between the burst of spiritual energy and the capacity of the meridians... these ideas intertwined and collided in his mind.

He subconsciously looked inward at himself; those thirteen thick, resilient main and hidden meridians, faintly glowing with chaotic light, were the guarantee of his future explosive power.

Within the dantian and dantian, spiritual energy surged and swelled, seemingly preparing silently for the opening of that vast spiritual sea.

Elder Qin's words made his future path clearer.

At the same time, feeling the mysterious stone bead slowly rotating in his chaotic chakra, Yao Mengkang's confidence in the future grew stronger.