Chapter 50: Hall of Self-Reflection
Chapter 50: Hall of Self-Reflection
Upon hearing this, Cheng Zitong reminded him, "You need to be sure about this. There are certain risks involved here. If you fail, you'll be demoted back to a Class B student, and you'll lose everything you've gained so far."
Chen Chuan replied, "Teacher Cheng, there are always gains and losses on the path of martial arts, but what I've learned won't be lost. Moreover, I have confidence in myself."
Cheng Zitong said, "Good. No matter what happens in the future, right now, you are my student, my only student. Since you've made this decision, I'll do my best to provide you with all the help I can as your teacher."
Chen Chuan sincerely thanked him, "Thank you, Teacher!"
Cheng Zitong said, "Since we're on the same page, let's study and solve each problem one by one.
This exam doesn't include third-year students; it's only for first and second-year students. However, I believe there are very few first-year students with your level of ability, so your main competitors will be the second-year students."
From the registration period until the exam, there are six months in total. The registration period is valid until the end of the year, so within the next three months, you need to complete at least three significant assignment tasks and receive an 'Excellent' evaluation or higher to be eligible for registration. I'll figure out a way for you; your teacher still has some face around here."
The other requirement for registration is to master Qi Force. There's no need to elaborate on that. If your transmutation organs continue to grow like this, they'll threaten your life within three months, so we must find a way to restrain them."
Chen Chuan agreed, knowing that this was the most critical issue at hand and the prerequisite for everything else. If he couldn't master it, there was no point in discussing anything further.
Cheng Zitong looked at Chen Chuan and continued, "Now that you've made up your mind, it's time for action. The next priority is to teach you how to master Qi Force. Go and change into your training clothes, and follow me to a place."
"Okay, Teacher. Just a moment," Chen Chuan replied.
He stood up and returned to his bedroom, thought for a moment, and changed into his set of green training clothes. He tied a green headband around his head.
As he walked out, Cheng Zitong nodded in approval. The student was already good-looking, and now, dressed in this outfit, he looked like a jade tree, handsome and elegant. Even his teacher felt proud walking beside him.
Cheng Zitong waved his hand and said, "Let's go."
He led Chen Chuan downstairs and out the front door. They walked to a white Peugeot car, opened the door, and Chen Chuan got in, while Cheng Zitong took the driver's seat.
Both fastened their seatbelts, and Cheng Zitong started the car, driving towards the eastern side of Wu Yi Academy.
After about ten minutes, two small mountains, three to four hundred meters high, came into view on either side.
The Wu Yi Academy campus was vast, with three small mountains inside. These two mountains were called North Peak and South Hill, located in the north and south directions, respectively.
The car drove to the foot of the mountain and continued along the winding mountain road. Soon, they arrived at a building on the hilltop. The building had a traditional Chinese architectural style with upturned eaves, white walls, and dark tiled roofs. In front of the building, the courtyard was paved with green bricks, and on both sides, several tall and sturdy pine trees were planted.
After the car stopped, both men got out. Chen Chuan stood there and could clearly see the mountain stream surrounding North Peak and a large area of estate-like flower villas across the mountain. That was where the recommended students lived.
Whether they were Class A or Class B students, they had no interaction with each other in their daily lives and never saw each other, even though they were in the same academy. It was as if they lived in two different worlds.
Cheng Zitong walked forward, greeted the security guard at the entrance, and called out to Chen Chuan. They walked through the front yard, then across a martial arts field paved with square bricks, and finally reached the main building.
It was clear that the building was constructed using modern materials but with an ancient style. Academy security guards patrolled the surrounding area.
Cheng Zitong climbed the steps and approached the two thick doors. He took out a key, inserted it, and turned the lock. With a single push, the heavy doors slid open. He turned and called out, "Change into indoor shoes before entering."
Chen Chuan walked over, changed into a pair of thousand-layered cloth shoes at the entrance, and stepped inside. After passing through the hall of mystery, he saw that it was a spacious training hall. The floor was so polished it reflected like a mirror, and on the upper part of the wall opposite the entrance, a plaque hung with the words "Hall of Self-Reflection" written on it. On both sides, against the walls, were antique bookshelves filled with bundles of ancient bamboo slips that were rarely seen nowadays.
Cheng Zitong waited for Chen Chuan to approach and said, "Stand still and don't move."
Chen Chuan stood still.
Cheng Zitong walked behind him, used some technique on his spine, and asked, "Do you feel any stinging, numbness, or swelling?"
Chen Chuan replied, "No."
Cheng Zitong's expression relaxed slightly, and he said, "You haven't shown the symptoms I mentioned before, which indicates that you're somewhat adapting to the Vital Point Breathing Method, and the transmuted fascia hasn't completely taken over your body yet. But as long as it keeps growing, it's only a matter of time. So, the previous breathing technique was just to lay the foundation; now, we're officially beginning. Wait here for a moment."
Chen Chuan nodded in agreement.
Cheng Zitong walked to a side door nearby and entered. After a while, he came out, also changing into a set of deep brown training clothes. Although his face was round, this outfit gave him a somewhat different air.
He walked to the center of the arena and sat cross-legged on a soft mat, saying, "Sit."
Chen Chuan found a soft mat opposite him and sat cross-legged, imitating his posture. At this moment, he caught a whiff of a pleasant scent and followed it to find an incense burner that had been lit, its aroma calming and soothing. He couldn't help but think, "Teacher, you really have a sense of ceremony."
Cheng Zitong pointed to the back and said, "Do you know why this place is called the Hall of Self-Reflection? It's because learning is endless, and one must always have a sense of reverence and caution. Students may make mistakes, but that doesn't mean the teacher is perfect. We must constantly reflect and learn from our errors. In the past, martial artists would engage in question-and-answer sessions beneath this plaque, seeking to understand each other's mistakes."
Chen Chuan nodded; he had noticed that although this teacher spoke and acted casually, seemingly unconcerned with old-fashioned rules, deep down, he was deeply influenced by the old era.
Cheng Zitong said, "So, we won't have a one-sided relationship between teacher and student. If I make a mistake, I want you to point it out. If I say something wrong, and you think it's incorrect, you can also point that out. That's also a way to respect the teacher, understand?"
Chen Chuan shook his head, "No, Teacher Cheng is very good."
Cheng Zitong sighed, "Don't say that. Everyone makes mistakes. If I do something wrong, you must point it out, you must."
After giving these instructions, he straightened his expression and said, "Starting today, I will guide you in cultivating your Vital Force. Before teaching, I need to clarify what Vital Force is.
You already know that Vital Force is activated through transmuted fascia, and this is the first stage where martial artists actively guide and utilize the transmuted fascia, from the beginning to the point of restraint. This is a complete process, which we now call the 'First Limit.' In the old era, this step was known as 'Seed of True Essence.'
Of course, there are also some old-era religious sects with unclear beliefs that called it 'Nurture Demon Embryo.' Regardless, since the old era, this stage has been given extreme importance. It is the true beginning of utilizing transmuted fascia and the real support for advancing in advanced martial arts. Hmm, do you have any questions?"
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and said, "Teacher, I was wondering, nowadays, we can use surgery and drugs to stimulate or suppress transmuted fascia. How did they deal with this issue in the old era?"
Cheng Zitong said, "Well, according to existing records, continuous and uninterrupted growth of transmuted fascia wasn't common in the past. Most of the time, it would grow and then stop. This kind of situation has only gradually increased since the Algal Revolution.
As for the reasons, some believe it's due to the frequent use of various drugs and biological technologies after the Algal Revolution. Others think it's purely because of increased information exchange, leading to more awareness of such cases. There are also those who believe it's simply because the number of martial arts practitioners has increased. All these explanations have some validity.
But you should know that before the emergence of hot weapons, the old era was filled with frequent conflicts. Whether in the military or among civilians, martial arts experts were always involved. The better their skills, the faster they died. So, those who lived to old age were actually few, and some didn't even live long enough to see the problem arise.
Another reason is that in the old era, whether it was the imperial center or folk martial artists, they all had a long-standing, effective approach. They would search for successors who fit their martial arts style, and if someone wasn't suitable, they would either be removed from the martial path or use special methods to prevent them from continuing their martial journey, thus indirectly avoiding such issues."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Thank you, Teacher, for clearing my doubts."
Cheng Zitong asked, "Do you have any other questions?"
Chen Chuan looked at him and stood up, saying earnestly, "I understand, Teacher. Please teach me the Vital Force Technique." As he spoke, he clasped his hands and bowed forward in respect.
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(End of Chapter)
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