Chapter 42: Three Realms Theory, Subduing His Heart

Lao Liang's single room wasn't large, about fifty or sixty square meters, but unexpectedly neat and tidy.

The desk sat by the window, stacked with paper books, their covers yellowed and damaged, clearly old.

Behind it, an iron rack had two levels: miscellaneous items on top, wooden boards below, topped with a mattress to serve as a bed; at the head of the bed lay several thick books like a small mountain.

Empty wine bottles stacked in the corner, a ceramic pot for boiling Chinese medicine, a person-sized rice vat, and a pickle jar—overall, it had a strong sense of daily life.

Lao Liang sat on the edge of the bed, changing into slippers:

"Boil your own water; I won't be hosting you."

Qin Shi glanced at him from the corner of his eye; Lao Liang's lame leg, propped on the bed's edge, was skinny, shrunken by a large circle over the years, with severe muscle atrophy and rough, stitched centipede scars on the surface.

It looked quite terrifying!

"How could I let Master Liang do the work."

Qin Shi quickly washed a cup, poured water, and set it on the coal stove to boil; the conditions of the Teacher's Dormitory were backward, incomparable to the Renovated Family Building.

"This kid of yours is too sharp, always reading people's expressions and words to please them."

Lao Liang smiled, faintly containing a bit of satisfaction.

"It's been several days since the New Life Stage; how much has your Qi Life Force increased?"

Qin Shi answered truthfully:

"About fifteen points."

What?

Seize Young Master?

Lao Liang's smile froze, and he was stunned in an instant.

He had told Qin Shi not to come to school these days, to rest assured and accept the Mortal Body Transformation.

He had thought an increase of three or four points would already be rare.

After all, Nutrient Paste could only fill the stomach, unable to supply the rich vitality needed to make the latent flesh and blood grow strong.

"I'll sleep tonight, and tomorrow when I wake up, I should break sixteen points."

Qin Shi was full of confidence and assurance.

You see, he had devoured all the High-Energy Food from Lin Yunqing's home.

A full seven or eight extra-large cans, his belly round and swollen, needing to lean against the wall to walk.

After "Legendary Endurance King."

He once again received the title "Legendary Glutton King"!

Sleeping makes it increase?

Say something human!

As a master, Lao Liang had mixed feelings.

His disciple progressing so quickly was naturally a good thing.

But seeing his disciple progress so easily, he inexplicably gritted his teeth.

Shouldn't developing Qi Life Force on the Old Martial Arts path be step by step, like walking on thin ice?

Shouldn't one suffer enough hardships, with every tiny bit of growth needing a thousand times the hard work and sweat to water it?

Remembering studying arts and practicing martial arts under Master Uncle and Master in the past—the beatings, the punishments, the rain he had endured—Lao Liang couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

So Old Martial Arts tendon-burning could be slept through.

So Body Limit Breakthrough and Rebirth Transformation could increase six or seven points of Qi Life Force at once.

So... this is what a genius looks like?

"Sigh."

Lao Liang was silent for a while, then said dully:

"This kind of talk that easily draws aggro, say less of it next time.

Even I, Master Lian, can't help but want to hit you, let alone others!"

Huh?

Did I just accidentally show off?

Qin Shi scratched his head, belatedly realizing, with a sense of a communication gap between speedrun players and masochistic players in soul-like games.

The former: This is attack, this is defense, got it, waiting for the boss to come and deliver!

The latter: A cup of water, a pack of cigarettes, one boss for a whole day!

Relying on the super recovery buff of 【Deep Sleep】, the strengthening training effect of 【Muscle Memory】, plus the gluttonous talent of 【Overgrowth】.

As long as he can survive, his development speed will surely far exceed his peers.

And soon he will catch up to those once unattainable martial arts prodigies, like stars in the sky!

"Sixteen points of Qi Life Force, still a bit short, and he can access Hong Sheng True Transmission, Hundred Aspects Refinement of Force."

Lao Liang's eyelids drooped, his gaze sweeping over the small room.

If it were the Dao Guan in Jingzhou, if Master Uncle had focused on cultivating him, Qin Shi naturally wouldn't need to worry about resource supply.

Old Martial Arts Secret Arts, High-Energy Medicine, Cosmic Curios... think of more ways, and they can always be obtained.

But Hengzhou has blockaded external routes for too long, gradually becoming a Frontier Land, with resource supply controlled by higher-level nobles.

Especially great clans like Chen, Lin, Qin, and Zheng, deeply rooted in various cities since the New Star Development Era, with powers intertwined.

In recent years, they have infiltrated administrative institutions like the Martial Association and Education Bureau, with unstoppable momentum, nearly covering the sky!

Snatching resources from them is extremely difficult!

"By the way, Master Liang. I conducted a comprehensive Qi Life Force detection at Teacher Lin's home in the Youth Palace, and found my Spiritual Field Power is also fifteen points."

Qin Shi explained the situation; Lao Liang, after all, had been to Jingzhou and seen the vast Star Sea, an old hand, more reliable than that bitch Lin Yunqing.

"I found out from Teacher Lin that the 'Spirituality' and 'Vitality' of a Mortal Body follow the Conservation Law — when one is high, the other is low.

Teacher Liang, you say, my Spiritual Field Power is too high — will it affect my promotion on the Martial Artist Path?"

Spiritual Field Power?

How much?

Fifteen Points!

Lao Liang's head went dizzy, like he'd taken a solid punch.

He tried to stand, but felt a bit dizzy, and sat back down.

Hands braced on the bed edge, breathing gradually growing rapid:

"Wait, let me catch my breath."

Whistle!

Just then the water boiled, white steam rolling.

Qin Shi obediently picked up the water cup, sprinkled in some crushed tea leaves, simply brewed it and handed it to Lao Liang.

The latter was like an old farmer who'd been poor half his life, suddenly hitting the lottery jackpot.

Under the impact of enormous surprise, he appeared bewildered and at a loss, exuding an unreal sense of doubting his life.

"My Disciple is... He Lanchan second? Life Force fifteen points, Spiritual Field Power fifteen points, so balanced."

Lao Liang couldn't believe it, emotions surging, paused a long while before calming:

"Correct, the total of a Mortal Body's Spirituality and Vitality remains constant and unchanging.

Therefore, to impact the supreme endpoint of a path, one often has to abandon the others.

Martial Artists enhance 'Flesh Vitality', constantly renewing, constantly transforming.

While Mechanics, Espers and such occupational paths emphasize 'True Nature of the Heart', pursue Sublimation, hoping to transcend."

Qin Shi sipped a mouthful of bitter tea, Spirit-Flesh Dual Cultivation sounding like nothing good.

Since ancient times playing games wanting to build a tanky jack-of-all-trades, be a Six-Sided Warrior.

Either grind like crazy, or whale hard!

Neither is easy.

"Martial God and Shen Li Da General Manager Shi, cannot both be obtained, practically counts as consensus.

But seedlings possessing Spirit-Flesh Unity talent are still hot property, even the Four Great National Universities pay attention.

Know why this is?"

Gazing at Qin Shi, who had no idea he was approaching the East Xia's topmost heaven's-chosen standard, Lao Liang asked and answered himself:

"Life Force breaks through the Hundred Point Threshold, you can become a professional-grade Martial Artist.

If Spiritual Field Power also meets standard, Spirit-Flesh Resonance, high probability of obtaining some kind of 'Tempering', widening the Mortal Body's upper limit, letting Spirituality and Vitality's capacity increase.

Simply put, you can go further, with hope of glimpsing the two great ranks of Martial God and Grandmaster."

Qin Shi secretly frowned, sounded like a "late-game expert" hex.

Save up economy, rush nine population, give you money to chase three-star five-cost!

Specially gambling on a dream!

"Moreover, there's also a hidden benefit, currently known Spirit-Flesh Unity people, as long as they successfully accommodate two occupational paths, they all achieved Seven Great Limits Perfection."

Lao Liang added:

"Quite a few people raise reasonable suspicion, that unknown 'Tempering' greatly boosts Mortal Body Transformation."

Qin Shi pondered a moment, humbly asked for advice:

"Teacher Liang, any suggestions?"

The Mechanic and Esper occupational paths, aren't something you can just walk onto.

The entire Hengzhou New Star, seemingly only Qiguang Heng University and Jia Kai University of Technology offer corresponding major courses.

Further up, are the Four Great National Universities standing on the Ancient Star.

Lao Liang mused:

"Actually the Martial Artist Path also has inheritances that enhance Spiritual Field Power."

Qin Shi reacted fast:

"Teacher Liang means, the Nourishing Spirit Technique within the Practice Method?"

Lao Liang nodded:

"Right. Hong Sheng True Transmission, the basic requirement of Hundred Aspects Refining Force, is twenty points Life Force. On the Old Martial Arts road, 'Body' and 'Spirit' are indissoluble, body strong then spirit ample.

Once twenty points Life Force arrives, spirit radiant, essence and Qi abundant, can withstand the consumption of comprehending the 'Visualization Diagram', won't be lost in 'Force'."

He raised hand pointing at the water cup on the table, asked:

"Kid, how should you pick up this cup of water?"

"Reach out."

Qin Shi answered without thinking.

"This one action contains three layers. First, you must produce a 'thought', then use this idea to drive the body, control the palm, finally grasp the water cup, done."

Lao Liang said with a serious expression:

"This is the 'Three Realms Theory' proposed by Heart Grandmaster Yan Tongxuan. The heart's thoughts, ideas, originate from the Subtle Realm, the water cup exists in Reality, which is the Material Realm.

And your flesh body is the bridge between the two.

The simple action of lifting water, is actually your spirit controlling flesh to interfere with matter, encompassing Heaven, Earth, Man Three Realms.

Therefore, cultivating the spirit, must first cultivate the flesh body, raise Life Force.

Vice versa also true, Body Limit Breakthrough, excavating potential, also absolutely cannot do without spirit Sublimation."

Qin Shi seemed deep in thought, yet blurted out:

"Everything lies in subduing the mind?"

Lao Liang praised:

"It seems you've also read some Old Era classics. Correct, subdue the mind — four simple words that exhaust the true essence of cultivation.

Your Mortal Body Transformation has greatly increased your Qi Life Force, so the Hundred Aspects Refining Momentum from the Saint Hong Sheng's Inheritance isn't something I can't let you glance at early."

He rose, fished out an ancient booklet from the desk drawer, and handed it to Qin Shi.

The latter stared intently for a long while, then lifted his head with a face full of bewilderment:

"Master Liang, what the hell is this? I can't understand it……"

(Chapter End)