Chapter 77: The Essence of Martial Arts

Chapter 77: The Essence of Martial Arts

Fang Che's gaze swiftly swept over everyone, taking in their reactions.

He had a vague idea of what was going on in their minds.

Then, he raised his cup and approached the table where the instructors were seated, offering a toast.

"Well said," praised Li Changkong.

The other instructors also looked at him with appreciative eyes.

Fang Che smiled sheepishly, "I'm just making you all laugh."

Instructor Liu from Class 11 sighed, "We can only admire you."

Bing Shangxue paused with her chopsticks in hand and looked at Fang Che, "Come on, kid, what's your intention?"

This sentence almost made Instructor Liu and the others wince.

Why did he suddenly blurt out such words?

Did I miss something just now?

"I don't have any intentions," Fang Che replied with an innocent smile.

"If you don't tell us now, we'll remain clueless," Bing Shangxue hummed, pretending to reach for her chopsticks.

"Wait, wait..."

Fang Che hurriedly stopped her, "Instructor, I only have one question to ask. Can I go out and take on missions now? And how many merit points do I need to get a weapon that can be enchanted and soulbound?"

Li Changkong hummed in response, "First, that's two questions. Second, you're not allowed to go on missions. Third, that kind of weapon, not to mention it's unavailable, even if it were, it wouldn't be your turn. Fourth, even if it were your turn, you couldn't afford it!"

Fang Che's face turned completely bitter.

Instructor Liu, sitting beside him, felt a sense of sympathy and explained with a smile, "You've just broken through, and you want to take on missions? That's not possible. First, you need to memorize the mission rules and be able to answer any questions about them fluently. You should also have a clear understanding of the general mission requirements. Only after passing an assessment can you go out on missions."

"In simple terms, you need to be clear about the tasks you should and shouldn't do during your mission. Even if an opportunity is perfect and within reach, you must not take it."

"Because doing so would cultivate a sense of luck. That's why it's not allowed. This is the most important rule of taking on missions!"

"Then, regarding your cultivation, you need to at least reach the mid-stage of the third level of Martial Sage before you can take on some low-level missions."

Instructor Liu said, "After all, our White Cloud Academy isn't a mercenary guild. So, we can assign missions to students of various ranks, and these missions are generally achievable. Moreover, it's not allowed to take on missions beyond your rank. Even if you manage to complete them, there won't be any rewards, let alone extra rewards. Instead, there will only be punishments and deductions of merit points."

Fang Che's eyes widened, "What? Is that true?"

Everyone laughed, "That's why you need to understand the academy's rules first. Otherwise, with your limited merit points, if you take on a few missions beyond your scope, they'll be deducted completely."

Fang Che rolled his eyes in exasperation.

He decided to look for these rules tomorrow.

"Then... what about that kind of weapon?"

Fang Che asked, clinging to a glimmer of hope.

After all, he still had the spiritual body of the Golden Horned Dragon to consider.

No matter what, he needed to find a place for it to reside, right?

Otherwise, how would he handle situations where it's inconvenient for Ye Meng to transmit information in the future? That's a crucial part of the plan.

"Basically, it's impossible."

Duan Zhongliu said, "Forget about whether you can afford it or not. The problem is finding such a thing; there are only a few of those excellent items on the entire continent."

"Even if there are, they must have been nurtured by someone for a long time, developing sentience, before they can be enchanted or soulbound."

"But if you want that kind of weapon to exist independently, there's only one possibility: the original owner has died, and the divine weapon is without a master."

Fang Che was well aware of this.

Moreover, he knew that such weapons were incredibly rare and hard to find.

The places where such ownerless weapons might exist were limited to the headquarters of the Guardians, the various super noble clans, various high-level organizations, and lastly, the various peak martial academies.

Because peak martial academies cultivate geniuses, they might possess such items.

There were many places where divine weapons might exist.

However, for the current Fang Che, there was only one hope: the White Cloud Academy.

He couldn't reach any of the other places!

Instructor Liu took a sip of wine and said, "It's rare for you to invite me for a drink today. Since the instructors here aren't willing to answer your naive questions, I'll take the time to clear up your confusion."

"The reason it's naive is that it's hard to find, hard to buy, and telling you won't help."

"When the owner of a divine weapon dies, the battle they face is inevitably unimaginably intense. When the owner dies, the divine weapon is often destroyed and turned into scrap metal."

"Even if it survives by chance, it's usually heavily damaged and difficult to restore."

"Even if it remains intact, the sentience within won't recognize anyone else. Because it's just sentience without wisdom—"

Instructor Liu sighed, "Divine weapons with wisdom will self-destruct after their owner's death, even if they themselves are still intact. This is without exception."

"As far as I know, our academy does have a divine weapon with sentience. It's a sword."

"But that sword is the academy's treasure, and it can't be exchanged for merit points..."

Instructor Liu smiled, "Not even ten thousand merit points would be enough!"

He looked at Fang Che, "Not to mention your two hundred or so! Well, after tonight's expenses, you probably won't even have two hundred left."

Fang Che felt utterly hopeless.

On the side, Li Changkong spoke slowly, "Instead of trying to buy one, it would be easier for you to cultivate one yourself."

"Cultivate a weapon myself?"

Fang Che's eyes lit up again, this was a feasible idea.

Moreover, he knew a way, but the materials were hard to find. So, he asked with a glimmer of hope, "Does our academy have those materials?"

"Absolutely not!"

Li Changkong couldn't help but laugh when he saw Fang Che was genuinely interested.

He answered decisively, "There's no way!"

"Because once someone obtains those materials, they wouldn't keep them! They'd immediately forge them into a weapon. So, even if there are ownerless weapons, there won't be any ready-made materials!"

The instructors burst into laughter, exchanging amused glances.

They felt a sense of satisfaction for having played a little prank on a naive person.

Fang Che's heart was filled with a roar of ten thousand beasts.

Do you think you're so funny?

I'm about to have a mental breakdown, you know? If I'd known this, I wouldn't have invited you.

At that moment, Bao Feiyu, gnawing on a bone, mumbled, "But this material, it's said that someone in Wansheng Forest once found it..."

"Shut up!"

Li Changkong's face changed.

Bao Feiyu quickly closed his mouth, looking embarrassed.

Li Changkong sighed, his face filled with worry.

This idiot, these words could get someone killed. How could this little fool not be tempted?

Wansheng Forest, is it a place humans can enter? Even if the four of us joined forces, we might not make it out alive.

"Oh... Wansheng Forest is where a powerful being once brought out that divine material, but... only five hundred and seventy years ago, the Cloud Armament Registry's top-ranked Soulbound Bell, held by Diao Wuqiu, brought out a single piece."

"Before Diao Wuqiu, for thousands of years, no one had heard of anyone finding it, and after him, no one has heard of anyone finding it either."

After Li Changkong finished speaking, he looked at Fang Che sternly, "Fang Che, give up this idea. This thing is not something you can covet!"

Fang Che silently nodded.

He raised the wine glass in front of him and drank it in one go.

Li Changkong glared at Bao Feiyu.

His face turned dark.

Bao Feiyu's eyes shifted, knowing he had caused trouble and daring not to look straight at Li Changkong.

At this moment, Mo Gan Yun took a sip of wine and asked, "Instructor, regarding the Martial Dao realms, could you explain them to us?"

Li Changkong looked at him with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, "Didn't your family tell you?"

"The family's system is different from the Martial Academy or the universally recognized realms in the world."

Mo Gan Yun said, "And regarding the various realms, there are different explanations, and in this aspect, no family can compare to the Martial Academy's comprehensive experience."

"That's true."

Li Changkong pondered for a moment and said, "I originally planned to talk about this during the main lecture, but since you asked, I'll explain it now."

He didn't need to think at all; these things were already deeply ingrained in his mind, and he had no idea how many times he had spoken about them.

"The class system of Martial Dao cultivation emerged when the disparity in strength became too great, and over millions of years, it gradually evolved into what we know today."

"For example, the original Prenatal Realm, some Prenatals could even massacre an entire unit of the same realm. How could such a realm be compared to others?"

"Hence, the Martial Dao classification system was born."

"I'll start with the Sovereign Realm, and when you reach that level, you'll know everything, so there's no need to explain further. The various ranks are: Martial Apprentice, Martial Warrior, Martial Master, Martial Sage, Primordial Sage, Martial Commander, Martial Marquis, Martial King, Martial Emperor, and Sovereign."

"First is the Martial Apprentice, a realm you've all surpassed, but it's still worth mentioning as the origin of the Martial Dao. It's the initial line of distinction between a Martial Practitioner and an ordinary person."

Li Changkong explained, "When you yearn for strength, and your limbs coordinate effortlessly, performing various actions with ease, and as you continue to work or train, your strength further increases, you possess the initial qualifications for Martial Arts. But right now, you know nothing, and everything needs to be taught by others. In front of anyone, you're merely a student, hence the term 'Martial Apprentice'."

"This is the fundamental difference between a Martial Practitioner and an ordinary person. As you know, many ordinary people, due to excessive physical labor or training, end up with wasted bodies, their muscles and bones unable to keep up with the strain. This is a lack of talent. I'm talking about... those under thirty years old."

"We understand."

"This line of distinction is also what you call the Nine Heavens of the Martial Dao, the first heaven. But there's one thing I must remind you of: the Nine Heavens of the Martial Dao, as you call it, refers to the secular world under the heavens. It's not the pinnacle, and it's not a true rank."

"After the Martial Apprentice, when you learn how to exert force, cultivate energy, and fight, and when you understand the most basic aspects of the human body, like meridians, bones, and muscles, as you become proficient and your strength increases to a certain level, you naturally advance to the Martial Warrior realm."

"So, advancing from Martial Apprentice to Martial Warrior is a relatively easy breakthrough. Once your cultivation reaches the required level, find a peer or higher-ranked opponent, engage in an all-out battle, and you'll naturally break through. It's as simple as piercing a layer of paper. Moreover, there's usually no danger."

Li Changkong continued, "So, there's an old saying in the Martial World: when a Martial Apprentice breaks through to the Martial Warrior realm, as long as the sparring partner isn't an idiot, there won't be any issues. For young disciples, their families wouldn't choose an idiot as a sparring partner. This is impossible, so it's the safest stage."

Upon hearing this, Fang Qingyun's lips twitched with difficulty.

His face burned, and his heart felt a bit resentful. Instructor Li, what are you talking about? What do you mean by an idiot...

At the same time, he felt pain all over his body, as if his father's whip was lashing at him again with angry curses.

Fang Qingyun shuddered.

He couldn't help but turn to look at Fang Che.

Fang Che also turned to look at him, smiling and giving him a thumbs-up.

Fang Qingyun turned away angrily, his face darkening.

That bastard cousin is so shameless!

Li Changkong didn't notice their little exchange and continued, "The Martial Warrior realm corresponds to the scholar in the scholarly world. Just as a scholar possesses a certain level of knowledge to be called a scholar, it's not someone who has just started learning characters. You should understand this."

"The Martial Warrior is like this, a scholar of the Martial Dao. They are in the stage of accumulating Martial power and knowledge. This is the Martial Warrior!"

"After accumulating a certain amount in the Martial Warrior realm, they learn a lot, and their strength gradually increases. At a certain stage, a situation arises where... those junior Martial disciples who have questions no longer need to ask their master; you can answer them. Moreover, you can answer any question at this stage."

"In other words, your knowledge is sufficient to teach disciples. At this stage, corresponding to the scholar class in the scholarly world, you can teach in a private school. Do you understand? So, at this stage, you have the qualifications to be called a 'Master'. This is the Martial Master."

"Don't underestimate the Martial Master realm. On the continent, there are too many people of average talent who reach this level and find no further path forward. So, they open small Martial Arts schools in their local areas, initiating many children into the Martial Dao."

"Moreover, at this stage, a Martial Warrior's power is already considered unattainable by ordinary people."

Li Changkong sighed and said, "When speaking of this, I must tell you that the gap between people can sometimes be... even greater than the distance between heaven and earth!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Indeed, this world was like that.

"After the Martial Master stage, comes the Martial Sage. What is a Sage? It's the founding of a sect, and this is what we call a Martial Sage. However, our current understanding of a Martial Sage is not yet sufficient to be called a Sage, because while their power is enough, they haven't reached the level of establishing their own unique style and standing out independently. But since it was classified this way back then, I won't go into too much detail here. Let's just focus on the power aspect."

Li Changkong smiled and said, "But for a Martial Sage, you can think of them as a school principal. In other words, their insight, knowledge, and power are enough to lead a group of Martial Masters and establish a school. Is that clear?"

With such a concise explanation and relevant analogies, everyone naturally understood.

"The gap between a Martial Sage and a Martial Master is enormous, to the point where it's obvious at a glance that they are not on the same level. Let me give you a specific example: Fang Che and Mo Gan Yun. Before Fang Che broke through to the Martial Sage stage, he had the upper hand in his fights with Mo Gan Yun, but it still took some time, at least a dozen or more moves, to defeat him."

"However, after Fang Che broke through to the Martial Sage stage, he only needed half a move to defeat Mo Gan Yun. You all witnessed this. Yes, that's the kind of difference between a Martial Master and a Martial Sage. It's not just a rank difference but a fundamental breakthrough. The power and agility gained after the breakthrough are far beyond what a Martial Master can achieve."

Mo Gan Yun, with his robust physique, tried to shrink into his chair to reduce his presence, but he still couldn't escape everyone's attention.

He muttered, "It's just an example, why use me as an example? Do I have no face left..."

His voice was barely audible.

However, everyone present had keen senses and heard him. They couldn't help but chuckle.

But as Li Changkong was imparting knowledge, everyone quickly suppressed their laughter and listened intently.

They had heard similar explanations before, but no one could make it as clear and understandable as Li Changkong. Moreover, as he explained the cultivation realms, he also provided insights and realizations.

"The Martial Sage and Martial Master stages, these adjacent ranks, are the dividing line between secular Martial Warriors and true Martial Dao cultivators."

Li Changkong said, "Remember this: Martial Apprentices and ordinary people are on one line, and Martial Sages are on the second line. Each line is like a deep chasm."

"This second line is also what you call the second level of the Nine Heavens of Martial Dao. And Fang Che, he has now advanced from the first level to the second level. As for the Martial Sage stage, it's also known as the Prenatal Realm. Simply put, it's our cultivation method of internal breathing, where we don't rely on breathing through the mouth or nose, and our internal energy circulates on its own, continuously."

"However, in terms of time, there are long and short durations. The longest can last indefinitely, while the shortest is only a few dozen normal breaths."

"Moreover, the term 'Prenatal' covers a wide range. It is said that in ancient times, all ranks below the current King Rank were considered Prenatal. It's just that the classification has become more refined now."

"So, after the term 'Prenatal', we add two more words, which is 'Grandmaster'. Prenatal Grandmaster, this is the term ordinary people use to refer to a Great Grandmaster."

"But you must pay attention; this is not to distinguish between a Grandmaster and a Great Grandmaster. This is a crucial point you must remember."

"No matter how powerful a Martial Apprentice is, they are no match for a Prenatal cultivator. Even if they are at the same level just before the breakthrough, once one person breaks through to the Prenatal stage, the gap between them becomes as vast as the distance between heaven and earth!"

"Even the current top-ranked weapon in the Cloud Armament Registry, the White Bone Dream-Shattering Spear of Duan Xiyang, couldn't defeat any Prenatal cultivator solely with his power when he was at the Martial Sage stage!"

Li Changkong emphasized this point.

"This is the real watershed. From here on, people's lives diverge."

"So, the Prenatal stage is the third dividing line. Although the interval is short, countless people spend their entire lives unable to break through this line. You all come from Martial families, so you should understand this."

"Yes, the third level of the Nine Heavens of Martial Dao."

Everyone present nodded silently.

Especially those from the eighth and ninth-tier families like Fang Qingyun, many of their elders and ancestors were stuck at the Martial Sage stage, unable to cross this line.

They had white hair, yet they were still Martial Sages.

"Upon reaching the Prenatal stage, one can already establish their own legacy. From this point on, one's life trajectory begins to transcend that of ordinary people."

"And from this moment, the names of our cultivation stages begin to change."

"When a Prenatal cultivator joins the military, they can basically become a Squad Leader, Squad Commander, or even a Centurion in a regular army. This is where a man's path to glory begins, especially for Martial cultivators."

"The next rank is the Martial General! A Centurion is just a battalion leader, but with achievements, promotions, and further improvements in cultivation, combat experience, and tactics, one can become a Martial General, leading an army into battle. You understand the literal meaning, right?"

"Yes."

"After the Martial General stage, with further cultivation, combat experience, and tactical prowess, the next step is the Martial Commander. This is self-explanatory, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"So, there's not much to explain about these two ranks, as they are derived from the Prenatal stage, just with more understandable titles added."

"

"

Li Changkong spoke, "With that being said, do you all understand?"

"We understand."

"Here is where another boundary lies. The fourth boundary. You've likely heard the saying, 'A jar doesn't break unless it falls off the well; a general cannot escape death in battle.' Is that not so?"

"Yes."

"So, the next step is to become a Marquis."

"Therefore, whether it's a General or a Commander, if they endure and win many battles, accumulating merits and making significant contributions, there are very few who can be granted the title of Marquis."

"You often hear about the granting of marquisates and the appointment of generals, but you should understand that becoming a Marquis is a privilege that can only be attained after a general returns victorious from battle. This is not an official position but a noble title."

"A general's success is built upon the bones of countless soldiers, and becoming a Marquis is not as simple as it seems."

"Hence, after the rank of Commander, one can become a Marquis, or a Martial Marquis. It signifies that in the secular world, you are above thousands and below only a few. It also represents that you possess power. This power is authority. It's still not considered true power, but when facing ordinary martial artists, your power can already overwhelm them, and this is the power of a superior."

"Thus, the Martial Marquis is the fourth level of the Nine Heavens of Martial Dao."

"However, at this point, you need to understand something. While it's impossible for a Martial Master to defeat a Martial Master, there is a chance for a Martial General to surpass a Martial Commander in a cross-rank battle."

"This is because it's about the accumulation of power, not the advancement of realms. In other words, there's no sudden enlightenment, no feeling of pushing away the clouds to see the blue sky, no sudden realization, no sudden awakening, and no instant enlightenment. None of that."

Li Changkong's explanation was meticulous, and everyone understood clearly.

"Similarly, this also proves the earlier statement that 'Below the Martial Emperor are the Primordial Realms.' Do you understand now?"

"We do."

"Good."

"Next is the fifth boundary, the Martial King. Yes, the fifth heaven in your terms."

When Li Changkong spoke of the Nine Heavens of Martial Dao, there was always a peculiar tone in his voice.

He would always add, "in your terms," indicating that he personally disagreed with this classification.

After speaking for so long, Li Changkong felt a bit thirsty. He picked up his wine cup, took a sip to moisten his throat, and said, "What is a King?"

"A King, according to ancient times, was the title given to the ruler of a country. A King could govern a region, and within that region, he was the highest authority. That is a King!"

"In the realm of martial arts, only those who reach an unparalleled level in a specific direction can be granted the title of King."

"From this perspective, the current Martial Kings don't truly qualify for the title. They don't live up to the name. But due to years of customary usage, this peculiar ranking system has become the norm."

Li Changkong chuckled, "After all, if we were to call the Primordial Great Master a General, Commander, Marquis, King, and Emperor, it would be far more confusing than the current system."

Everyone laughed.

Li Changkong rolled his eyes, "Actually, I'll let you in on a secret."

"What secret?"

"Originally, there were ranks like Martial Chancellor and Martial Vice-Chancellor, but they were too complicated and were abolished."

The students were amazed.

If they continued to subdivide like this, wouldn't there also be ranks like Martial Censor, Martial Secretary, and Martial Vice-Secretary?

The thought of it was terrifying.

"After the Martial King is the ruler of a country, whom we call the Emperor. The Martial Emperor has reached this level. An Emperor can bestow titles to various Kings and govern over them. There is also the term Martial Emperor, which is on par with the Martial King."

"Above the Martial Emperor is the Sovereign, the pinnacle of the secular world."

"Because in a world, there can be many dynasties and empires coexisting. The rulers of these dynasties and empires can all be called Emperors."

"However, at certain times, these countries may unite to confront a powerful alliance. When they unite, there must be a person of the highest status to give orders and maintain order, or else it would be chaotic. This person of the highest status is called the Sovereign, and even the emperors of various countries must show respect to them."

"This is the most prestigious title in the secular world. At least, that's how it is on our continent."

"The Sovereign, the common ruler of all emperors!"

"When one reaches the late stage of the Sovereign realm, they can achieve a level of martial prowess unimaginable to ordinary people. Moreover, during the late Sovereign stage, one can borrow the power of heaven and earth or comprehend some of the profound mysteries between heaven and earth."

"In other words, the pinnacle of power in the secular world is also the starting point of extraordinary strength. You will naturally understand these things when you reach such a realm."

"This is the sixth boundary, but in your terms, it's the ninth heaven."

"Therefore, I've never agreed with the Nine Heavens of Martial Dao as defined by the martial world, because they classify the Martial Marquis, Commander, King, and Emperor as different heavens, which is incorrect. These ranks originally belonged to the Primordial Realm, and forcing them into nine heavens is merely self-aggrandizement."

"No matter how domineering the name sounds, the key is still the realm. So, remember this: don't be fooled into thinking that the Nine Heavens of Martial Dao will make you ascend to the heavens. Don't be misled by the rumors in the martial world."

Everyone, including Fang Che, felt a bit embarrassed.

In his previous life, Fang Che had always promoted the concept of the Nine Heavens of Martial Dao...

Today, after hearing such a detailed analysis, he suddenly realized that what he had been preaching all his life was just nonsense...

The feeling was truly bizarre.

Li Changkong said, "This is all I can share with you, as I myself have only reached the Martial Emperor realm. As for the Martial Emperor and above, I can't explain it too clearly. During your time at the Martial Academy, you likely won't reach such high ranks. The rest is for you to experience and understand on your own."

All the students were deep in thought.

The four instructors of Class Eleven stood up, raised their cups in a toast, and said with great respect, "Instructor Li, you truly deserve the title of Gold Medal Instructor. We have learned a lot!"

Li Changkong laughed heartily and finished his drink.

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end