Chapter 475: Cultivating the Essence
Chapter 475: Cultivating the Essence
Teacher Xue offered a brief explanation, then continued, "Before cultivation, there's nurturing. Now, I'll teach you the 'nurturing' method I didn't elaborate on earlier."
Chen Chuan focused his mind, feeling that after the previous passive guidance, his concentration had improved.
Teacher Xue said, "The spirit resides in the body, and its power is expressed through the physical form. Therefore, a fighter's spiritual cultivation begins with unwavering faith and a robust physical body."
"In this nurturing step, it's not just about nurturing the spirit, but also the essence and blood. These two are inseparable. I'll teach you the methods of cultivating and dissipating the essence and blood."
Since this involved breathing techniques and the manipulation of power, Teacher Xue directly transmitted the key points through the field.
Chen Chuan had learned the essence cultivation method from the Academy, and now he felt that this method was related to the previous one, an evolution built upon the earlier foundation, but more complex and profound.
This technique was purely about physical application, and with the guidance through the field, he quickly grasped it.
However, he sensed that Teacher Xue's field seemed to be just a field, as if it were the only existence, yet there was nothing within it, nothing he could feel, an empty void without a trace.
He attributed this to the teacher's incredibly profound field manipulation skills, which made it impossible for him to guess.
Without pausing, Teacher Xue continued, "Next, I'll teach you a 'spirit nurturing' meditation technique. I'll explain it to you in detail, and I'll also grant you access to an internal platform on the Academy's platform.
"There, you'll find accumulated appendices and answers to past questions. If you have any doubts, you can directly search for them there. If you still can't find the answers, then come back and ask me."
As he spoke, Teacher Xue transmitted the meditation technique to Chen Chuan through the field. Then, he added, "Spirit nurturing has two keys. Apart from the meditation technique, it also requires the use of appropriate medication."
He took out a box from his pocket, opened it, and revealed three thumb-sized incense sticks, each about two inches long. He pushed the box towards Chen Chuan.
"During the 'Calming Heart' stage, use this incense to aid your meditation. This incense is available for purchase at the Academy, and while it's not expensive, it will greatly enhance the effectiveness of the meditation technique I'm teaching you. I see that your spirit is quite abundant, so you should have learned a relatively advanced meditation technique, right?"
Chen Chuan nodded. He had learned the method from Senior Cao.
Teacher Xue said, "Meditation techniques are intricate. Different stages require different medications, just like how you've gradually used various medications in your martial arts training. Some people lack not the meditation technique but the right medication to match it.
"Advanced meditation techniques often require special incense, which doubles their effectiveness. However, the more advanced the technique, the harder it is to obtain the necessary medication.
"In the past, the State Religion had the 'White Emperor Realm Contemplation,' and the old imperial family had a technique called 'Dragon Riding Great Change.' Both are considered among the most advanced meditation techniques. It's said that there are still people who know them, but they can't find the matching incense anymore.
"So, while meditation techniques are good, practicing them alone may only yield a fraction of their potential, or perhaps even less. Well, I've said too much. This incense has a limited lifespan, so it's best if you use it within the next few days."
"I understand, Teacher," Chen Chuan replied.
Teacher Xue stood up and said, "Oh, it's getting late. Let's end today's lesson here. I'll be here for the entire semester, and I'll try to teach you everything I can. However, how much you learn depends on you, Chen Chuan."
Chen Chuan also stood up and glanced at the interdimensional link, realizing that over three hours had passed without him noticing; it had felt like less than half an hour.
He bowed and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Teacher. I'll still need your help in the future."
Teacher Xue smiled and said, "I was assigned here by higher-ups, so there's no need for thanks. Teaching you hasn't been a burden, and I'm earning my salary. Well, I should be going. Before I leave, I have one more question for you."
"Please ask, Teacher," said Chen Chuan.
Teacher Xue rubbed his chin and said, "Chen Chuan, do you think the spirit can exist independently of the body?"
Chen Chuan thought carefully before answering, "Based on my current understanding, I believe they are inseparable, each dependent on the other. However, the world is changing rapidly, so my judgment is based on the current situation and may not be entirely accurate."
Teacher Xue smiled without confirming or denying Chen Chuan's answer. He said, "Then, Chen Chuan, once you've mastered the Calming Heart technique, meet me here again at the agreed time. I'll be waiting for you."
Chen Chuan thought, 'I'll wait for you here, Teacher.'
Out loud, he said, "Take care, Teacher."
Teacher Xue acknowledged with a sound and waved his hand before leaving the training hall.
Chen Chuan gazed at the sunlight streaming in from outside, feeling as though a new door had been opened to him. What he had learned today would undoubtedly elevate his strength to the next level, and the thought filled him with anticipation.
He stood in the warm, dazzling light for a while before turning and leaving.
Back in his dormitory, a notification popped up on the Interdimensional Link. It was from Teacher Xue, containing a link to an internal platform.
Chen Chuan tapped on the light screen, and the interface immediately switched to a platform filled with questions and answers about various meditation techniques, including the one he had learned. However, it did not delve into the specifics of the meditation methods.
Some questions had already been answered, while others remained unresolved.
As he browsed through the platform, it prompted him that with his current permissions, he could only view the content related to the meditation technique he had learned and could ask only one question per month.
However, he could increase his permissions by answering others' queries. The platform did not directly display identities; instead, it required him to set an alias or choose a platform codename.
Chen Chuan realized the value of this platform, but he didn't have any specific questions at the moment. He decided to wait until he started practicing and encountered challenges before seeking answers here.
After browsing for a while, he exited the platform.
Teacher Xue had said he would only stay for one semester and teach as much as Chen Chuan could learn. Chen Chuan understood that he needed to keep up with the pace of learning while maintaining stability, or else his foundation would not be solid enough to grasp too many things.
He took out some medication and decided to try the method Teacher Xue had taught him for refining essence energy and vital blood. He was well aware that this was the most fundamental aspect, and without mastering it, there was no point in discussing what came after.
Sitting down, he took the medication and gradually regulated his breathing, guiding his alienated body to absorb the medicinal power.
In a 16-19 book, there was no error in the version!
Essence energy and vital blood were usually nurtured and accumulated in the heart through the alienated body. In this process, the more medicine one could absorb and transform, the more essence energy and vital blood one would obtain, and the more efficient the breathing technique would become.
After guiding the process for about an hour, the accumulated essence energy and vital blood were significantly more than before, and this was his first attempt. Once he became proficient, the cumulative effect over time would be substantial.
When Teacher Xue taught him the method of cultivating essence energy and vital blood, he also taught him a method of dissolution, a technique to dissolve medicinal power that was also part of the breathing technique.
Normally, this dissolution step was necessary after each cultivation session to prevent the accumulation of medicinal toxins, which could harm fighters over time.
It was worth mentioning that the previous cultivation method did not include this dissolution step, so medicinal toxins would typically build up.
While this process might take more time, it eliminated potential risks, making it an indispensable step for ordinary fighters. Even with the additional time, the accumulated essence energy and vital blood would still be greater than before.
However, Chen Chuan's second self could transfer these toxins, so he didn't need to worry about this step, saving him time.
After practicing the cultivation method, it was time to move on to the refinement technique.
Teacher Xue had mentioned that the incense had a time limit and should be used quickly, so Chen Chuan took one and lit it.
After a while, a faint cloud-like mist rose from the incense, enveloping him within its fragrance. A subtle, sweet scent entered his nostrils, instantly calming his mind. He immediately began to cultivate his spirit using the steps of the meditation technique.
In less than two hours, the three incense sticks were all used up, and Chen Chuan emerged from his meditative state feeling as if his spirit had been washed and purified, leaving him with exceptional mental clarity.
At that moment, he noticed two unread voice messages on the Interdimensional Link. He tapped on the light screen to open them.
One message was from Wu Han, saying that he had followed Lao Qi to complete a commission over the past few days, and the payment had been promptly received. He assured Chen Chuan that the person he had recommended was reliable.
Wu Han also mentioned that he hadn't noticed anyone tailing them but would remain vigilant and inform Chen Chuan if anything came up.
The other message was from Lu Fang, saying that he had returned from Yangzhi and had just arrived in Central City that day, now back at the fighting hall.
Chen Chuan replied to both messages, then got up and performed a set of standard freehand combat moves to loosen his limbs. After consuming a few nutrient gels and sitting down, it was time for the formal cultivation of the refinement technique.
This purely mental cultivation was something his second self couldn't assist with for the time being, although he could use certain items to aid his practice, like the Jade Core of Gao Tianyu he had recently acquired.
While this object could boost his spirit even without being processed into medication, he decided to wait and rely solely on his own efforts to calm and focus his mind during this first attempt at the refinement technique.
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(End of Chapter)
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