Chapter 66: The Melody of the Qin Moves Ten Thousand Laws

Li Guanyi wore a black robe with subtle patterns today, a satchel slung diagonally across his back, utterly enamored with this battle halberd.

He found his fondness for heavy blades diminishing day by day.

Take this battle halberd of his, for example.

As long as the opponent wielding sword or knife has not reached the level where internal Qi can exit the body to form blade qi.

Li Guanyi could strike down the opponent's forehead with a single move: Phoenix Nods.

Even if you used blade qi, my battle halberd has an inherent advantage of seven or eight chi in reach—reacting later but striking first. Yet once one reaches a certain level, weapons no longer matter. Li Guanyi recalled that day when General Yue Qianfeng and Xue Dao Yong fought, shaking the land for dozens of li.

The old man drew his bow and fired—a hundred golden rays struck the ground.

Xue Shen shot one arrow over three hundred li, piercing through the Sacred Mountain.

At that level, battle halberds and swords make no difference—it's all about the warrior's strength.

Strength…

A quiet flame burned within Li Guanyi's heart; even though he had come to terms with his past, his thirst for power had grown daily, unbeknownst to himself. The old man brought him and Xue Shuangtao to a small courtyard near Tingfeng Pavilion.

The courtyard was low, only two stories tall.

An old man with white hair, white eyebrows, and a face full of wrinkles sat at the door basking in the sun. Seeing Xue Dao Yong, he rose and bowed.

Xue Dao Yong waved his hand and said, "Today I've come to help these children select a few entry-level cultivation arts."

"Go prepare."

The old man bowed and left.

Xue Dao Yong, dressed in loose robes, looked at Li Guanyi and said:

"Since you're seeking entry-level arts, you should also understand the realms after entry. Warriors who enter through physical cultivation may then roam the Jianghu without fearing some random bandits will kill them."

"They can serve as guest protectors for minor clan households."

"Even in border armies, they hold the rank of squad leader—you should know this, Guanyi."

Li Guanyi nodded.

Xue Dao Yong said, "In a small place, an entry-level warrior is already a respected figure—a one-in-a-hundred martial cultivator, enough to guarantee lifelong food and shelter. For many, this is their life's goal."

"But looking across the world, heroes abound; looking back through history, great champions are countless."

"The peak of martial Dao is only just beginning."

The old man pointed to a nearby stone tablet, a fist thick, solid and unyielding, and said:

"For example, an entry-level warrior cannot break this stone tablet."

"If you don't believe it, try—use your entry-level art to shatter this stone."

He wanted the boy before him to understand the limit of an entry-level warrior.

Li Guanyi nodded.

He shifted his shoulder, letting the weapon satchel drop. He reached out, seized the halberd, and with left and right hands merging, transformed it into a seven- or eight-chi-long weapon. He gripped it firmly and swung violently—internal Qi erupted. Though he still couldn't unleash a technique like Rolling Waves, the basic forms were no problem.

This was the essence of staff technique, blended into the halberd.

Leveraging the resilience and elasticity of purple sandalwood, he channeled force perfectly into the halberd's blade tip.

A technique of brief, concentrated explosive power.

The stone tablet split cleanly down the middle.

Li Guanyi swept his wrist, swinging the halberd with the technique of a heavy blade—sweeping through clouds—then curved it upward, flipped the blade, and brought the crescent blade down in a heavy chop. Finally, the stone tablet was pierced, severed, and only the lower half remained, split cleanly from the center.

Li Guanyi sheathed his weapon and said, "Broken."

Xue Dao Yong was speechless.

Xue Shuangtao couldn't help laughing out loud.

The old man grinned and said, "... you brat."

"I meant—use your fist!"

He walked to another stone tablet.

Li Guanyi stared at the stone—it was standard granite. Punching it would surely hurt like hell. He knew his own strength well—he absolutely couldn't break it, and would injure his knuckles. With a warrior's force, his finger bones would surely fracture; breaking them wasn't out of the question.

The old man finally regained some dignity and said coolly, "Can't break it, can you?"

"You'll even get hurt."

He placed his palm on the stone and said, "Before entry, warriors forge the body with Qi."

"After entry, how does one proceed? Those who came before tried endlessly, eventually discovering the Three Gates."

"Forging the Body, Condensing Qi, Unblocking the Meridians."

"A Forging Body warrior has a body like cast iron. Even if this stone can't be shattered, it won't hurt him…" He raised his fist and struck with entry-level force. The stone trembled slightly, shedding fine fragments of rock. His fist remained unharmed.

"Warriors at this level push their flesh to its absolute limit—to protect themselves and to contain greater bursts of internal Qi."

"Next is Condensing Qi."

"After entry, internal Qi exits the body—but the Qi you now release is scattered and useless. It can strike enemies, but with weak effect. When you refine it, like forging iron into a weapon, you achieve this."

The old man punched again—same force, same Qi signature.

But the stone tablet, a full fist thick, shattered completely. The exiting Qi had become sharp as a blade, exquisitely condensed.

Xue Dao Yong said, "The third gate is called 【Unblocking the Meridians】."

"With Qi concentrated and the body forged, power can be channeled through the finest meridians."

He extended his hand and pressed lightly against the stone.

When he lifted it, a clear handprint remained on the stone's surface.

The old man showed Li Guanyi the cultivation path after entry.

"After entry, first cultivate Forging the Body. Once forged, you may Condense Qi. With the body cast like iron and Qi refined, you may Unblock the Meridians. At that stage, all meridians flow freely, internal Qi condensed as sharp as swords and blades. At this level, when Qi exits the body, it is so refined it can shatter ordinary armor barehanded."

"If, after entry, you break all three gates, you may advance further—to the Second Story."

"He can serve as a Captain in the military; among ordinary Wudao Sects, this is already above an executive role, responsible for affairs across regions—the strongest martial artist in a typical city is at this level."

The old man smiled and encouraged: "Guanyi, you're only thirteen, still two months away from fourteen."

"With your talent and aptitude, you can reach this level before eighteen."

"An eighteen-year-old Captain in the military."

Xue Shuangtao pouted: "Grandpa, he's already a Captain."

The elder chuckled: "Hahaha, yes, yes, yes—he's a Captain now. But this Seventh-Rank Zhenwei Captain? Only a martial artist of this level can command respect. A Seventh-Rank military officer, in battle, commands three to five hundred soldiers—five per squad, meaning dozens of Squad Leaders who've reached Entry, and thirty Company Leaders."

"Without some skill, you can't hold them down."

Cast the body, condense the Qi, unblock the meridians.

Li Guanyi stared at the handprint on the stone tablet.

He suddenly understood.

He realized why, despite mastering the techniques, he couldn't unleash Rolling Waves or Shatter Mountains.

He had not yet Cast the Body.

His body could not withstand the force required by such high-level martial arts.

His Qi was not condensed enough to generate the momentum of rolling tides.

This is the drawback of mastering advanced martial arts while still at a low realm—you learn them, but cannot use them.

Li Guanyi exhaled, as if seeing a far greater horizon, and said:

"Xue Lao, what about martial artists at higher levels?"

The elder said: "At Third Layer, one can lead a thousand elite troops, ride the battlefields of this chaotic world, and be called 'General' by outsiders. The leaders of ordinary Wudao Sects are merely at this level—their Qi is vast and dominant, their strength capable of shattering mountains."

"And every generation of the Xue family must reach Third Layer to be recognized."

Li Guanyi frowned. The elder smiled and asked: "Do you remember that day when I fought General Yue Qianfeng—how many arrows did I shoot?"

Too many to count.

Li Guanyi suddenly realized.

That day, the elder had not brought any arrows.

The elder's eyes held approval; he raised his hand and casually clenched it—Qi coalesced into an arrow.

Clear, piercing—he placed it gently in Li Guanyi's palm and whispered:

"This is Third Layer."

"Condensing Qi into weapons, condensing Qi into armor—there are countless mysterious arts. One is no longer merely a martial artist. At this level, martial artists gain other options for close combat. The cultivators of the Three Teachings, who refine spirit and Qi, also possess bodies no weaker than those of Second Layer martial artists, and can wield swords to kill."

"It is a level where all Gejiage Sects, despite different paths, converge."

"The Daoists call them 'True Ones'; the military call them 'Generals.' Thirteen years ago, when Marshal Yue just rose to fame, he was at this realm."

"Even across the land, he is no longer a minor figure."

"Guanyi, strive hard."

Li Guanyi gripped the arrow. It shattered. He thought of the Nightgallop Cavalry who had once hunted him, and said casually: "I've heard different nations have elite troops—Chen's Nightgallop Cavalry, Ying's Tiger-Marauders, the Turkic Tie Futu, the Golden Crescent Cavalry of the Western Regions. What are their strengths?"

The elder laughed loudly: "And the Ying Kingdom's Duke's Xuanjia Army, General Yue Qianfeng's Great Halberd Soldiers."

"Each numbered no more than a thousand, yet could sway battles involving tens of thousands."

"All elite. Each soldier must possess the strength of an ordinary Captain."

"They are usually assembled from the entire army's best—wearing the finest armor, riding swift steeds, wielding weapons and crossbows, capable of surrounding and killing Third Layer martial artists. Under a famed general's command, even Masters can be slain."

Nightgallop Cavalry… Second Layer…

Li Guanyi clenched his lips. The ease and calm that had automatically surfaced after Entry vanished completely.

Then he recalled the Nightgallop Cavalry sent to hunt down General Yue Qianfeng.

Those dispatched on such missions must have been elite among the Nightgallop Cavalry—yet they were easily slain by the wounded General Yue. And now, at my current strength, even one-on-one, I'm weaker than one of those cavalrymen who hunted me that year.

But the boy looked up at the sky and relaxed slightly.

I'm only thirteen. There's plenty of time ahead. I will surpass them someday.

Why panic over this every day?

It's Auntie, though—she knows no Wu Gong… probably lying to me.

I just wonder—what realm is this elder in? And what about General Yue Qianfeng, who roared like a crimson dragon and shattered mountains with a single punch?

At that moment, the white-haired guard in the courtyard stepped out and whispered: "It's ready."

Xue Daoyong nodded.

He led Li Guanyi and Xue Shuangtao forward, pushed open the door, and said casually: "The Entry cultivation method requires spiritual inheritance. The most crucial part is shaping the 【Gongti】. This is the core of everything."

"Different Gongti have different inclinations—essentially, body, Qi, and spirit."

"The orthodox Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist schools focus primarily on Qi and spirit; while outside sects—music, chess, calligraphy, painting—focus purely on 【spirit】."

"Martial artists?"

"Hahaha, how childish! We martial artists? Naturally Qi and body. Spirit? We cultivate that only after reaching Third Layer. Our bodies are mighty, our Qi robust. A martial artist in armor is untouchable within thirty-three steps—nothing the Buddhists or Daoists can match."

In their inclination toward Gongti, the distinction between crude martial artists and pretentious scholars was made perfectly clear.

The elder stopped, pointing to the bookshelf before them. Each shelf held a single scroll, each uniquely potent, radiating shimmering, colorful spiritual aura. Incense burned nearby, steadying the mind. The elder warned: "In martial cultivation, after Entry, all methods require spiritual inheritance—they cannot be learned by mere reading."

"You must comprehend their spiritual essence, resonate with them, to grasp their true meaning."

The elder said calmly: "Here are the Xue family's post-Entry cultivation methods—our secret transmissions are among them. Additionally, seven-tenths are collected from outside: Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, military, Yin-Yang, and Mohist methods."

"Though they lack the pinnacle transmissions of each sect, they are sufficient for Entry."

Li Guanyi instinctively asked: "Pinnacle transmissions…?"

The elder nodded: "They're called the Ten Supreme Arts of the Central Plains."

"Among them, for Qi cultivation, the strongest is the Confucian 'Vast Righteous Qi.'"

For body refinement, even the most advanced cannot surpass the Buddhist "Golden Vajra Elephant" or the Daoist "Taiji Soft Cloud."

The art of killing has no equal to the Military School's core legacy, "Hundred Battles," yet it resides in Zhongzhou.

Common and even superior soul-nourishing cultivation methods are exceedingly rare.

Yet the supreme legacies are the most numerous.

The Daoist "Supreme Forgetting Emotion Treatise," the Buddhist "Chan," the Confucian "Mandate of Heaven," and most secretly—even legends do not record it in writing—is the Jiangnan Divine Weapon Murong Mansion, which claims to possess the "Twelve Layers of Jiangnan Mist and Rain Treatise," surpassing even the Divine Sword Art, yet it has no cultivation method.

Passed down, one per generation.

The previous inheritor has vanished without a trace.

The Murong family no longer possesses this method in the world.

The elder said: "The last two legacies that shook the world are the imperial family's ancestral Emperor's Art, left by the mighty Emperor eight hundred years ago—no one has mastered it in many years."

Li Guanyi said: "What of the Xue family's?"

The elder sighed and said:

"Originally, we had a legacy equal to these, but our ancestor split the method into two parts; the Xue family received only the upper scroll. The lower scroll and the battle halberd were separated—each is a top-tier cultivation method; together, they would not fall short of the divine art used by the founding prince of Chen State."

"But alas, that method and the halberd have long vanished without a trace."

"No one knows when they might reunite and restore our ancestor's glory."

"Forget these. Guanyi, go try—among so many methods, one must resonate with your spirit." The elder pointed ahead. Li Guanyi nodded, stepping forward with hope. Xue Daoyong smiled, and the old servant beside him asked:

"Master, is this the Fire Qilin child?"

"Yes."

Xue Daoyong said: "How many do you think he can resonate with?"

The old servant thought, then replied: "Most methods' spiritual resonance demand only insight, physical strength, and internal Qi. With his solid foundation, he should grasp superior martial arts—at least satisfy the spiritual resonance of five methods."

"Perhaps a manifestation will appear—spiritual resonance aligning, the treasure scrolls ringing aloud."

Xue Daoyong laughed heartily, shaking his head in pride.

"It won't be just that!"

"I'll say ten—ten scrolls!"

"There will be a manifestation of towering mountains, flowing rivers, and brilliant literary radiance."

These are the changes brought by martialists aligning with ancestral legacies.

Li Guanyi entered. The superior incense calmed his spirit. He reached out and grasped one scroll. Light flowed across the treasure scroll; in this place, one truly felt a faint spiritual resonance—is this what is called the "entry method" legacy?

Li Guanyi lifted his head.

The library brimmed with shifting spiritual resonances.

Martialists chose one, stirred its resonance, and received the legacy; those who achieved superior resonance gained superior martial inheritances. Every martialist here strained every ounce to align with these methods. Li Guanyi quieted his spirit and did the same—yet he frowned slightly; he could not read the texts.

Too noisy.

Around him, spiritual auras shimmered—and in his perception, they felt like strings.

Many spiritual resonances clashed, auras flowing, sounding in his ears like discordant strings.

Li Guanyi, accustomed to playing the qin, reached out and plucked idly.

How can one play the qin with spiritual resonance in empty air?

Li Guanyi answered within: The qin is the voice of the heart—it can be played.

His idle pluck was the melody his aunt taught him—the one he practiced most over the past ten years.

His spirit was the qin's sound—not seeking to align with the local resonances.

But rather, he himself was the master—he played the qin with his own spirit.

Xue Daoyong was arguing with the old servant when he suddenly froze, lifting his head to look.

A faint, clear qin note seemed to sweep through the air—all spiritual resonances froze.

Every treasure scroll in the library.

All spiritual resonances fell silent.

Then, like a gathering tide, the entire library—three hundred eighty-seven entry methods—

All lit up!