Chapter 155: The Universe as Furnace, Five Great Secret Treasures, Cultivation Begins!

Qin Shi lowered his head, pondering; a matter this serious had to be considered carefully before he could give an answer.

The Old Martial Arts factions valued inheritance, and equally valued lineage; trying to serve two masters often exacted a terrible price.

"Senior, I need to ask Master Liang."

Qin Shi's throat moved slightly; he did not agree immediately.

After all, he was a disciple of Hong Sheng; switching to another lineage without his master's permission constituted a face-slapping act that forged a deadly feud.

The grudges and disputes among Old Martial Arts factions in the ancient era mostly stemmed from face and substance.

A single cigarette, a single meal, or a single sentence could provoke both sides to draw blades, then call in friends, sparking a mass brawl — such seemingly absurd precedents were not unheard of.

Classic elements like arena duels, sword contests, and death contracts — the stuff of extracurricular reading and street storytellers' tales — originated from this.

"Rest assured, I've already spoken with Xiao Liang."

Seeing that Qin Shi understood how to respect his teacher, the white-haired elder nodded lightly, expressing satisfaction.

Old Martial Arts factions taking disciples cared about character and conduct; this was not mere dramatization from film and television.

Because within a single lineage, the number of inheritors capable of carrying on the legacy would never be many — at most five or six, at fewest two or three, and even a single heir per generation was not lacking.

If the wrong disciple was taken, producing a traitor who betrayed his master and ancestors, or a monstrous scion of crooked character.

Fratricidal strife within the same household was a minor matter; smashing the reputation and signboard left by generations of patriarchs was a crime a hundred deaths could not redeem.

"What did Master Liang say?"

Qin Shi asked curiously.

He himself was Hong Sheng's sole seedling.

Reasonably speaking, he shouldn't let go so easily.

"Xiao Liang is quite straightforward; he speaks without beating around the bush and agreed directly, willing to 'lend' you to the Nanhuang Dao Guan."

The white-haired elder said with a hearty laugh; he had originally prepared to bleed heavily for this.

After all, this kind of thing amounted to poaching a cornerstone; if word got out it wouldn't be honorable.

As a result, Lao Liang did not make things difficult; it was settled in a few words.

"You need not address me as Master, but I will impart the Nanhuang Dao Guan's inheritance without reservation. Xiao Liang encountering you is his luck, letting Hong Sheng flourish in the future; you encountering Xiao Liang is also your fortune, having a master who thinks only of his disciple's welfare — that is not easy to find."

The white-haired elder sighed with emotion; the master-disciple bond was the foundation of the Old Martial Arts, hence many Martial Artists of the past valued their disciples more than their own sons.

An unfilial son could be replaced by bearing another, but an unworthy disciple — finding another good seedling would be difficult.

"Master Zhang."

Qin Shi called out obediently.

His strength lay in knowing how to respect his elders.

Since he would learn the Nanhuang Dao Guan's true transmission, calling the man "Teacher" was nothing wrong.

"Hey, you slippery kid; just now you called me Grandpa, and in a blink you've changed your tune."

The white-haired elder pointed a finger at him, yet did not feel Qin Shi's intent was insincere.

He had drifted through over a hundred years, seen all manner of figures.

Young juniors — being lively was for the best.

Qi Wuxiang, He Lanchan — one a villainous hoodlum, one a swindling cheat — they still rose to become the First Generation Ten Greats, Half-step Martial Gods, the ultimate idols of countless young people in Dongxia.

"Kid, let me ask you: you walked the Old Martial Arts' Limit Breaking Path, stepped onto the Martial Path — what is it you seek?"

The white-haired elder pushed his wheelchair, turning slowly in the room; his vitality was entirely stored within his flesh and blood, ensuring that last bit of lifespan remained stable, no longer draining rapidly.

"At first it was to pass the Ranking Examination, then get into a good university, preferably win a scholarship, to share the burden on my big sister. I believe Master Zhang you've also seen it — Old Factory Street hasn't changed in over a decade; normal upward channels are narrow, choices are few."

Qin Shi was quite candid; although he rather wanted to say a few inspiring words, facing an old senior like Master Zhang who had weathered great storms, trying to be clever and play mind games would instead lower his standing.

"You're indeed practical."

Sure enough, the white-haired elder was quite satisfied; young geniuses were all proud and lofty, each taking Qi Wuxiang and He Lanchan as their targets.

Until they repeatedly hit walls, suffered setbacks several times, and personally witnessed even more formidable, even more outstanding peers of the same age.

Only then could they understand that they could hardly even qualify as background extras in those legendary stories.

"Don't look at He Lanchan during interviews, looking proper and speaking resounding words. In truth, this guy walked the irreversible Limit Breaking Path merely for a full meal."

The white-haired elder raised his hand and waved lightly; the Xuan Ming, resembling an intelligent life, manifested a vast Star River.

"A person's vision is only this big; who is born thinking of becoming a god or a saint, founding a teaching and becoming an ancestor? Your talent is gradually revealing itself now; even the Four Great National Universities are not impossible.

Before, your heart was like a mountain stream — it could only hold those things: eating, exams, making money, winning awards — nothing but firewood, rice, oil, and salt.

Now, your vision has broadened, and your heart is like the deep sea, capable of bearing more; you should think about what you truly seek."

Qin Shi bowed his head, pondered deeply, and after a long while replied:

"Master Zhang, I don't have any heavy obsession. Probably because from childhood to now I've suffered little oppression; although life is hard, my big sister shoulders the vast majority of the burden, and I still eat my fill and dress warmly — it's just a bit worse than others.

I just want to walk steadily, step by step upward, continuously improve, and see a broader world."

The white-haired elder frowned slightly; this aspiration was truly a bit ordinary.

He was a Grandmaster-level figure, his body having broken through the Sixth Great Limit, and had not been stopped by the Spirit Gate.

With the Spiritual Residence's Inner Landscape, condensing his will to judge whether Qin Shi's words were true feelings or false intent was not difficult.

"The Star Sea is vast, nearly boundless; even a Martial God merely touches the Galaxy Borderlands, traversing that Ancient Heavenly Road."

The white-haired elder asked with a smile:

"Search your heart — how vast a heaven and earth do you wish to see?"

This time Qin Shi answered crisply, almost without hesitation:

"Wherever I walk, I'll climb the highest peak there; if there's a path I'll advance, if there's no path I'll blaze one. Heaven and earth do not accommodate me; I go to accommodate heaven and earth — that is all."

This was a response following his true heart.

The white-haired elder was slightly startled, then laughed loudly — only because his voice was hoarse, like a night owl's, it sounded very unpleasant, very grating.

"Good — where there's a path, advance; where there's none, blaze one. Your words are ordinary, yet the vision they hold is extraordinary. The Martial Path — what we pursue is Mortal Body Transformation, raising it without limit. Touching the heavens isn't enough; level with the Star Sea isn't enough! We must rise beyond the heavens, body becoming the Great Dao!"

He gazed at Qin Shi's tall, straight figure, finally making some resolve, and waved his hand again — the vast Star River turned into a boundlessly high, boundlessly large furnace, countless stars like firewood burning fiercely, radiating world-dazzling divine splendor.

This is the Universe Furnace Secret Canon?

The imagery is this terrifying!

Qin Shi was somewhat shocked, his gaze fixed tight on the grand spectacle as if heaven and earth were opening.

This marvel truly exceeded the limits of his imagination.

"The Universe Furnace Secret Canon — though I'm its Yuan Window Zhe, I never reached Perfection. The Five Great Secret Treasures were excavated, yet they cannot evolve the Five Elements, make the five colors fuse, the Mortal Body transform, become a divine body."

The white-haired old man's tone was full of regret; he couldn't break the Seven Great Limits, so the most perfect realm of the Universe Furnace Secret Canon could not obtain empirical proof.

"The reason I blazed this path was also because I went to the Galaxy Borderlands, on that Ancient Heavenly Road, gained some inspiration from Martial Artists of the Dongxia Empire era, and by chance witnessed the Star River marvel, had a sudden realization."

Qin Shi watched, entranced; through powerful Spiritual Field Power, stimulating his spirit, capturing Shen Hui, thereby comprehending deeper.

Inside that boundlessly high, boundlessly large Universe Furnace, he glimpsed several points of flesh-and-blood transformation, the mysteries of swallowing and containing the Zhou Tian.

"If the Void Meditation Method is 'Only I' — beyond my own body, nothing else exists, everything takes me as foundation to exist — then the Universe Furnace Secret Canon is 'Strengthen I'. Whale-swallow all things, nurture the Mortal Body, make it transform again and again, evolve again and again."

Qin Shi's spirit resided in the Inner Landscape, spiritually imprinting, firmly memorizing that Universe Furnace, the massive imagery of stars being incinerated.

Even the "Invasion Like Fire" of Hundred Aspects Refining Force gained great progress.

A moment later, Xuan Ming's projected scene dispersed.

The room returned to calm.

"How is it?"

The white-haired old man looked at Qin Shi, expectation hidden in his eyes.

"Roughly understood; as for specific cultivation, might still need to ponder a bit."

Qin Shi said hesitantly; he pondered that the hardest part of entering the Nanhuang Dao Guan's Universe Furnace Secret Canon lay in needing a tyrannically strong physique, extraordinary viscera, able to endure the pain of whale-swallowing, the suffering of transformation.

No wonder Senior Brother Nie only cultivated one Secret Vault and wasn't willing to refine further.

This inheritance's main focus is "crazy eating".

For instance, to forge the heart into an "Eternal Motion Furnace", master Blood and Qi, endless flow, life force so fierce that even if limbs are severed they can regenerate.

But how to forge it?

Qin Shi just now had Shen Hui flash, spiritually comprehended, penetrated a few clues.

At the start it's drinking sixteen kinds of different iron juice, iron pellets, using viscera to crush and grind, extract properties, fuse into the heart.

Then gradually increase dosage; by the end, pair with different metals, conduct refining.

From the initial sixteen kinds to the final ninety-seven kinds.

Only thus can the "Eternal Motion Furnace" prototype be forged.

"Everyone who's read the Universe Furnace Secret Canon, first glance can understand the approach and true essence — only you and A Yuan."

The white-haired old man sighed heavily; in Qin Shi he saw the shadows of too many people.

This kid, like a monster conglomerate.

Comprehension, physical body, spirit, willpower... all aspects top-tier.

Like the legendary special Constitution.

The Ancient Era loved to classify "Divine Body", "Saint Body", "Demon Body" and such.

They're different from others, born extraordinary, regarded as the most superior root seedlings.

"Which Secret Vault do you plan to cultivate first?"

The white-haired old man collected his mood, asked softly.

Qin Shi didn't pursue asking who "A Yuan" was; he'd heard Eighth Senior Sister Jian Yuzhu say, besides himself, Nanhuang Dao Guan had nine True Disciples in total.

Among them two died prematurely — Second Senior Brother Shen Zhangyuan, Sixth Senior Brother Zhao Bing.

"Taihuang Soldiers — start from the lungs."

Qin Shi pondered aloud.

The Five Great Secret Treasures recorded in the Universe Furnace Secret Canon are both the five viscera and the Five Elements.

He wanted to follow the Five Elements sequence, respectively attempt to excavate and open them.

"Lungs belong to Metal, also govern Qi; Qi moves and becomes Wind — quite matches your Hong Sheng inheritance."

The white-haired old man nodded; could tell this kid had truly comprehended, not spouting nonsense.

Unlike his useless disciples — Old Four directly picked the Kidney Secret Vault, ill intentions; Old Nine had no opinion, picked the easiest Spleen Secret Vault.

Old Nine then had no opinion, chose the easiest Spleen Secret Vault.

"To forge Taihuang Soldiers, life force needs eighty points starting; you're just shy of this standard, can attempt."

The white-haired old man considered, had Xuan Ming dispatch Old Nine Ren You, send the corresponding resources for the Lung Secret Vault.

"Go to the next room; lungs govern Qi, so it's 'eating Qi'. First time, don't overdo — even with your extraordinary physique, no more than three sticks."

Eat Qi?

Qin Shi curious — heart relies on eating, lungs rely on breathing Qi?

Breathe what?

He stepped out of the room broad as a football field, entered the cramped little room, silently waited for Old Ren.

After a few minutes, Ren You came around the screen, placed the items before Qin Shi, solemnly instructed:

"This thing absorbed too much, easily causes hallucinations; you must act within your capacity."

Qin Shi uncovered the three porcelain cups on the wooden tray; inside was some ground fine powder debris.

He pinched it with his fingers — quite fine, not rough.

Then following the usage Old Zhang taught, scooped it with a spoon, put it in the plate.

Pour in clear water, then light the alcohol lamp and slowly roast it.

This method is called "Water-Fried."

Not long after, a mass of condensed, lingering smoke drifted out, curling into a cluster the size of a fist.

Qin Shi twitched the tip of his nose and gently inhaled.

"Eh!"

His eyebrows raised.

Like coarse tobacco, somewhat pungent, somewhat spicy.

Continuing to inhale several times, his flesh and blood seemed to come alive, writhing incessantly.

"Hallucinations... there really are hallucinations."

Qin Shi felt that beneath every inch of his skin, countless mouths seemed to split open, craving more.

Only his physical body was extraordinary; as his blood flowed faster, that abnormal experience vanished.

It was not as Old Ren had said, with illusions proliferating to bewitch the mind.

"Not strong enough!"

Qin Shi considered for a moment, then simply poured out all three bowls of powder and further increased the heat.

Boom!

Clusters of smoke exploded outward, expanding to the size of palm fans, and enveloped him.

"That's more like it!"

Qin Shi lowered his head and inhaled fiercely!

Like a great whale swallowing the sea, all entered his body!

His head felt as if struck by a hammer, with a strong sense of dizziness.

Immediately after, the gas passed through his lungs, seeming to cling to them, like Zhi Si spinning silk, forming white cocoons.

"The effects of the secret cache are truly powerful."

Qin Shi carefully sensed that his lungs seemed to have become stronger, no longer fragile organs easily harmed.

Chapter End