The Martial Saint rose to power starting as a substitute bridegroom.

Chapter 72 Discussion

"Now that you have entered the Transformation Realm, and your three streams of Qi and blood have condensed into one, you can be considered to have truly entered the inner sanctum."

But remember, this is by no means the end, and you must not slacken your efforts in the slightest.

If one can build upon this foundation and reach even greater heights—in the future, perhaps there will truly be a glimmer of hope to touch the legendary gate of "Dan Jin" (internal energy).

Lin Zhong's words carried an unprecedented solemnity.

"Dan Jin?"

Li Yuan's heart trembled slightly, and he looked up at his master.

This was the first time he had heard the name of this realm so clearly and formally from Lin Chong.

"good."

Lin Chong nodded, his eyes filled with a complex light, a mixture of longing and a deep-seated regret.

"While the 'Transformation Force' is powerful, unleashing the body's full potential to its peak, making it incomparably fierce, it ultimately remains within the realm of mortal martial arts. Qi and blood have their ebbs and flows, and the physical body has its limits; after one's prime, it inevitably declines with the passage of time."

He spoke slowly and clearly, as if presenting Li Yuan with a completely new picture: "But Dan Jin is different. It's a different world altogether, originating from the outside in, nurturing a pure and refined true essence within the dantian (energy center)," which then transforms into profound true qi. This qi is not only incredibly powerful, but it can also nourish the body and strengthen the bones; it is said—it also has the miraculous effect of prolonging life."

"This true energy has endless uses," Lin Zhong said with awe. "It is said that when one reaches its deepest level, even falling flowers and plucking leaves can be infused with true energy, making them sharper than iron; one's breath and voice can shake one's mind. That is a realm that has transcended ordinary martial arts and touched upon the wonders of the innate. Its power is worlds apart from that of the Transformation Force."

He looked at Li Yuan, his gaze profound: "In the early stages of martial arts training, it's mostly for self-defense and killing—it's a killing technique. But the ultimate goal of martial arts might not be killing, but rather self-preservation, living a long life, even transcending the cycle of reincarnation."

Prolong life! Transcend the mortal body! Escape the cycle of reincarnation!

Li Yuan felt a surge of emotion upon hearing this, and his internal energy seemed to resonate with it.

Is this legendary realm truly so wondrous?

"However," Lin Chong's tone suddenly changed, his expression becoming extremely solemn, "it is as difficult as ascending to heaven to open the door to Dan Jin! The key lies in two points."

"First, the foundation! You must hone at least one high-level martial art to its ultimate level."

"The so-called ultimate state is to thoroughly understand, master, and practice all the variations, strengths, and essences of this skill, reaching the limit that one can bear."

"Only in this way can the ultimate external training feedback to the internal organs, nurturing that precious seed of true essence in the place where qi and blood are most abundant."

Lin Zhong's gaze became distant and profound. "This true essence" is the source of true qi, a crystallization of life essence and martial will at its most concentrated. It represents that your understanding of this martial art, your will, and your entire spirit have been honed to their peak, undergoing a qualitative transformation.

He paused, then emphasized, and continued, "Secondly, we need a high-level cultivation technique capable of transforming qi and blood into true essence."

"This cultivation method is like the spark that ignites true essence, and it's also a pathway and protective talisman that guides true essence to circulate throughout the body, generate true qi, and flow through the meridians!" Lin Chong emphasized each word. "Without the guidance of a proper cultivation method, even with a seed of true essence, it's either like stagnant water, unable to be activated; or it's arbitrarily ignited, causing true qi to go out of control. At best, the meridians will be completely severed, rendering the person useless; at worst—the body will explode on the spot, leaving no trace!"

Li Yuan was startled.

But I understand now.

To break through to the Dan Jin level, one needs to not only master a high-level cultivation technique for the corresponding stage, but also master a high-level martial art.

It's not hard to understand.

At the highest level of martial arts cultivation, the emphasis is on the complementary relationship between "external skills" and "internal skills".

External skills temper the body and nurture the seed of true essence; internal skills ignite the seed and transform it into true energy.

"And these high-level cultivation techniques," Lin Chong sighed deeply, with a profound sense of powerlessness, "are precisely what the major martial arts sects of the world..."

"A core secret cherished by top martial arts families, never to be passed on to outsiders! Let alone our Linjiang City, even in the entire Qingzhou Prefecture, to obtain it out of thin air is nothing short of a pipe dream."

"The Four Symbols Sect's martial arts techniques are passed down: the White Tiger Bone Forging Technique trains bones, the Azure Dragon Silk Entangling Technique trains tendons, the Black Tortoise True Armor Technique trains skin, and the Vermilion Bird Breathing Technique trains Qi."

He paused for a moment, then lowered his voice further: "Back then, I also traveled far away from home and by chance studied at the Four Symbols Sect for twelve years, without interruption through the cold and heat... In the end, however, I was unable to glimpse the true form of the high-level technique, the Vermilion Bird Breathing Technique."

The Four Symbols Gate.

Li Yuan heard this name from his master once again.

Presumably, the Four Symbols Sect is more suitable for me to further my studies than the Guicang Alliance?

However, Linjiang City belongs to Qingzhou, and the corresponding martial arts sect is the Guicang Alliance.

I just don't know how I can get the chance to join the Four Symbols Sect.

A hint of reminiscence and complexity crossed Lin Chong's face as he slowly said, "These major sects have extremely strict, almost harsh, rules for selecting disciples. For example, the Four Symbols Sect typically only recruits young men under the age of twenty with exceptional talent and the potential to cultivate true essence. Only after entering the sect do they become outer disciples and receive basic cultivation techniques."

"Even so, it's far from a safe haven. Sect resources are limited, and the competition is far more brutal than outsiders can imagine. Outer disciples undergo three years of training. If they can successfully condense a seed of true essence after three years, they can hope to step into the Dan Jin realm and be promoted to inner sect to continue their studies. Otherwise... once the deadline is up, they must leave the mountain and give their position and resources to those who come after them."

"In addition," Lin Chong added, "there are occasional rumors that relatives and descendants of core figures in certain sects, or descendants of those who have made significant contributions to the sect, can be granted entry into the sect if they obtain valuable sect tokens, which can be considered a shortcut."

However, such connections require extraordinary personal relationships or exceptional opportunities; ordinary people can't even get close to them.

Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

It became clear instantly.

This vast sectarian system has its own strict rules and hidden channels, where talent and bloodline, effort and relationships coexist subtly.

Looking at Li Yuan's young yet unusually calm face in the candlelight, Lin Chong's eyes deepened with expectation, tinged with a hint of regret for his own unfulfilled potential: "You are still young, and your comprehension and temperament are both excellent. If you truly have the opportunity in the future to enter those real martial arts sects and cultivate superior techniques... that will be the true beginning of your transformation from a carp to a dragon, the start of your journey to the heavens of martial arts."

The Cheng family residence, inner hall.

The first snow outside the window had not yet stopped, and it was pattering against the windowpane.

Cheng Shimo sat upright in the main seat, his face gaunt and his eyes unfathomable. He ran his fingertips over the warm teacup, then looked up at the person opposite him: "Master Xiao, how is your son's injury?"

Xiao Changfeng's face was ashen, and he spat out the words through gritted teeth: "Yi Chen—his spine is crippled, his major tendons are broken, his life is ruined!"

Xiao Yichen was his own flesh and blood, the successor to whom he had devoted half his life, and his only support in his later years.

Cheng Shimo took a sip of tea. "Although Yichen has excellent talent, he is too sharp and doesn't know how to conceal his abilities. He crippled Lu Qing in the martial arts exam, which has already driven Lin Chong to the brink of despair and also awakened Li Yuan. Who could have imagined that a peasant would become a top-notch expert in internal strength?"

Xiao Changfeng's chest heaved violently, but he remained silent.

"The Cheng family will bear all the costs of healing. Since he was injured while working for the Cheng family, the Cheng family will spare no expense in providing resources if there is a way to recover." Cheng Shimo put down his teacup, his brows furrowing slightly. "As for that Li Yuan—he is truly surprising. He has risen so high in such a short time, and he was so ruthless and decisive on the field. His temperament and combat strength are not those of ordinary people."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "If we cannot recruit such people to our side, they will surely become a major threat."

"What does Patriarch Cheng mean?" Xiao Changfeng suppressed his anger, catching the hidden meaning in Cheng's words.

"He ruined your legacy, humiliated you, and not only damaged the reputation of Tianlong Martial Arts School, but also undermined the credibility of the Business Alliance in uniting all parties." Cheng Shimo's tone grew colder. "This debt must naturally be settled. But how and when to settle it requires careful consideration. After all—"

Lin Chong is still alive. Although his vital energy is depleted and his strength greatly diminished, his extensive network of connections built up over the years is unmatched by others.

Xiao Changfeng remained silent.

Cheng Shimo continued, "I've kept your blood feud with him in mind. As for Qianjiabao—Master Xiao might want to put in more effort."

"The business alliance is newly established, and there are legitimate means at our disposal. The most urgent task is to stabilize the overall situation and not let today's turmoil jeopardize our long-term plans."

As he said this, a glint flashed in Cheng Shimo's eyes, and his face showed an expression of determination.

"Well, that's all we can do for now!"

Xiao Changfeng sighed again, picked up the cup of tea that had long since gone cold, and drank it all in one gulp.