Three Heavens

The young people were willing to listen, while Meng Yuan and Wu Changsheng occasionally played along. The more Nie Yannian spoke, the more animated he became, launching into the origins and evolution of the martial path.

In ancient times, disasters never ceased and monsters ran rampant. Through repeated resistance, humanity gradually explored the path of the martial artist and steadily refined its methods of advancement.

Moreover, from ancient times to the present, among dynasties great and small, ninety percent of those who rose to power had come from martial backgrounds.

Then Daoism and Confucianism flourished, followed by the Buddhist Sect.

Each school patched up its own doctrines while borrowing from and blending with the others. Each worked its own ingenious designs and forged its own path of advancement.

Yet the Three Teachings rose and fell, each having its prosperity and decline. Like Qing Kingdom today, which honored Confucianism, revered Daoism, and disparaged Buddhism.

Martial artists established themselves through martial skill and placed greater importance on cultivating themselves. They were unlike Confucianism, which cultivated some righteous qi, and unlike Daoism, which cultivated both nature and life.

Because of this, when it came to combat strength, martial artists were often the strongest within the same rank. Once they closed in, they could even instantly kill others of the same rank from other paths, or even achieve Killing Above One's Rank.

Where there were strengths, there were naturally weaknesses. Others had spells and divine abilities, while martial artists often could only rely on a blade or sword.

Of course, those were mostly comparisons among the lower ranks. As for what scenery lay in the higher ranks, Nie Yannian said he did not know either.

After finishing those old tales, Nie Yannian finally began discussing the path by which martial artists entered the ranks.

Martial artists spoke of the Upper Middle Lower Three Heavens. The Lower Three Heavens had thirty-three heavens, the Middle Three Heavens had thirty-three heavens, and the Upper Three Heavens had thirty-three heavens.

Altogether, there were ninety-nine heavens, which martial artists also often called the Ninety-Nine Acupoints.

Buddhism and Daoism had also drawn from the martial artists' theory of the Upper Middle Lower Three Heavens and developed their own doctrines. Buddhism, for example, had the theory of the Yesterday Today Tomorrow Three Heavens, while Daoism spoke of the Thirty-Three Heavens.

The thirty-three acupoints of the Lower Three Heavens lay within the skin and flesh, their locations long fixed.

There were four in each limb, sixteen on the torso, and one on the head, making thirty-three in total.

The Middle Thirty-Three Heavens lay within the sinews, bones, and internal organs. Their number and distribution were the same as the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens.

As for the Upper Thirty-Three Heavens, Nie Yannian did not elaborate.

Opening Acupoints allowed one to cultivate True Qi. True Qi was the source of a martial artist's force, flowing through the Upper Middle Lower Three Heavens. Thus, opening the Upper Middle Lower Three Heavens was the foundation of the martial path.

Even the methods of certain profound martial arts required this as their foundation.

The more acupoints one opened, the more freely Blood Qi flowed through the body, the greater one's strength, the quicker one's reactions, and the faster True Qi could be circulated.

The ninety-nine acupoints connected like river channels. The more numerous and broader the channels, the more vital essence they could carry and the more conveniently it could be mobilized.

For example, a person's strength was like a great ship borne by a river. The broader the river channels and the more abundant the water, the larger the ship they could carry. Accordingly, the greater and fiercer one's strength would become.

Ninth Rank completion required fully opening the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens. Eighth Rank completion required fully opening the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens. Seventh Rank required fully opening the Upper Thirty-Three Heavens.

The Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Ranks remained within the realm of mortals, but they were the foundation of a martial artist. Once all the acupoints were opened, one could behold high skies and broad seas—an entirely different vista.

Entering a rank meant opening one of the thirty-three acupoints of the Lower Three Heavens.

This step was often the most time-consuming. It was hard, yet not truly hard. Usually, one tempered the body, then slowly opened it through the Way of Looseness and Tightness that Nie Yannian taught. Some also used medicinal baths to cleanse the body in conjunction with certain methods.

Once one acupoint had been opened, one could form a line from that point and swiftly open the next. For example, for the acupoints in the arm, one started from the palm, then moved to the wrist, then upward, and eventually through the entire body.

If one was diligent, an ordinary person could fully open the thirty-three acupoints of the Lower Three Heavens within three to five years. Those of outstanding talent could often open them all in a year, or even less.

Of course, nothing was certain. One might get stuck at a particular acupoint. Or one might simply be too lazy, in which case there would be no progress at all.

Still, every acupoint opened brought some benefit. Opening the acupoint atop the head made one vigorous and clear-minded. Opening those in the limbs made one stronger and steadier, while opening those in the torso further increased endurance and strength.

As for which acupoint should be opened first, there was no fixed rule.

Some first worked on the crown of the head, some opened their limbs first, and some opened the torso first. It mainly depended on local conditions or other reasons.

Proper great sects and those with long-standing inheritances always opened the acupoint atop the head first.

Certain Boat Gangs and Medicine Gangs, however, needed to pole boats, climb mountains, leap high, and jump far. They needed strong lower bodies, so they opened the two lower limbs first, then both arms.

As for some of the Martial Halls outside, their methods were even more varied than the stars in the sky.

It was precisely because the martial path was so casual that, though the world revered Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, most people without roots or backing chose the martial path. It was simply easy to enter, quick to show results, and once one's strength increased, everything one did benefited from it.

"Look at those farmers and towboat haulers. Aren't they more able to endure hardship than you? Yet few of them have opened acupoints. That is because they lack the method. The Embracing Stake Nourishing Essence Art has simple movements, but what matters is the method of breathing and the method of visualization. Yet with only this thin layer of window paper between them, without someone to guide them, those people would spend their whole lives unable to feel their way through it or comprehend it."

"Those from great clans and great families, or lofty gates and major sects, either took medicinal baths from childhood or ate well. They tempered their bodies, nourished their essence and qi, and had long possessed their own methods for Opening Acupoints. We cannot learn them, and they will not teach them."

Nie Yannian swept his gaze over the young people and said with great seriousness, "Fortunately, the martial path does not choose its people. If others are faster, then let them be faster. If we are more diligent and suffer a little more, we can still touch their asses."

"Don't panic and chase after Little Gelder just because he succeeded. This sort of thing cannot be rushed. The Embracing Stake Nourishing Essence Art I taught you lets looseness and tightness complement each other. It may not be the best method for Opening Acupoints, but it is certainly the method best suited to you. Visualize yourselves more, temper your strength more, and you will eventually enter a rank. It does not matter which acupoint you open first. So long as you can open one, that is enough."

"No one can help you with Opening Acupoints. I can only pass on some experience, because the martial path values oneself above all else."

Nie Yannian had rambled on for a long while. Seeing that it was nearly time for the noon meal, he grew impatient.

"From now on, Little Gelder is your senior brother. In daily training, eating, and sleeping, you will all listen to him!" Nie Yannian said with a stern face, finally showing some of the bearing of a strict master. "If anyone refuses to accept it, don't fucking come complain to me. Beat him into submission first!"

Seeing how highly Master Nie regarded Meng Yuan, everyone could not help looking at Meng Yuan, only to find his face expressionless.

Meng Yuan knew that becoming their leader was certainly proof of his promise, but it was also because he had agreed to sell himself.

"Go eat!" Nie Yannian waved his hand, then caught Meng Yuan by the arm. "You stay. I have a few more words for you."

Only after the others had gone far away did Nie Yannian say, "Martial arts, martial arts—they are the outward application of one's own strength, the speed of one's movement techniques, and one's brain. You understand?"

"It means that only after one's strength has grown, one's movement techniques have become faster, and one's reactions have sharpened, can martial techniques and forms make one expend less strength and display greater power. It is not simply learning martial forms," Meng Yuan said.

"You brat really are something." Nie Yannian gave Meng Yuan's shoulder a hard pat. "That is why the old saying goes: practice martial arts without practicing internal cultivation, and you will end up empty-handed in old age. You need not rush to learn any forms now. Temper your body more, use the Nourishing Essence Art to visualize more, and focus first on Opening Acupoints."

"Thank you, Master Nie!" Meng Yuan said with heartfelt gratitude, then asked, "How do I open the next acupoint?"

"Getting anxious already, aren't you? You just broke through with your body. Taking it slower would not hurt." Nie Yannian smiled.

This man truly never had a decent word in his mouth!

"Since I just broke through with my body, I should strike while the iron is hot and press forward with indomitable courage." Meng Yuan had abandoned all shame.

"You brat is both literary and martial!" Nie Yannian looked Meng Yuan over and smiled. "Actually, it is very simple. Continue practicing the Embracing Stake Nourishing Essence Art to cultivate True Qi, then use the True Qi to slowly strike at the next acupoint."

Seeing Meng Yuan's earnestness, he explained some of the essentials in detail.

"Opening Acupoints cannot be rushed. One must understand the method, and looseness and tightness must work together." Nie Yannian looked up at the sky. "It is getting late. I will teach you saber and sword techniques another time! This afternoon, you lead them in drills!"

Meng Yuan glanced at the sun directly overhead and thought, This is late? You are just too lazy, aren't you?

"You must remember this: don't break your body. Rest assured, when the time comes, I will find you an old veteran madam. I guarantee she will teach you tremendous skills!" Nie Yannian said with utmost seriousness.

I knew it. You are still thinking about the silver from making me a male courtesan! And what do you mean, an old veteran madam?

"Master Nie, I still prefer them young and pretty," Meng Yuan said frankly.

"It is all the same once you close your eyes! You are still young. You do not understand the flavor of it!" Nie Yannian waved a hand in a perfunctory manner, rose to leave, and said, "Put my recliner away properly. Do not break it."

After Nie Yannian left, Meng Yuan finally headed toward the dining hall.

He had truly gained much today. At last, he had come into contact with some things hidden deep within this world's depths.

It seemed one still needed a good position to gain broader horizons. If he had remained a village man and a gelding worker, he would probably only have heard some Fox Zen and found it difficult to touch the truth.

When he arrived at the dining hall, the usual rumbling clamor of people eating was gone. Today, it was remarkably quiet.

The male and female trainees sat in two rows. Before each person was a bowl of rice, while an extra bowl, heaped to the brim, had been set out as well. It was clearly prepared for Meng Yuan.

All the trainees looked at Meng Yuan, each wearing a different expression.

Everyone had heard far too much today. Yet the more they learned, the more extraordinary this Senior Brother Meng seemed.

According to Master Nie, a Ninth Rank martial artist had to fully open thirty-three acupoints. Ordinary people needed three to five years, while even those with outstanding talent needed a year.

And to open the first acupoint required for entering a rank, ordinary people needed three or four months, even with guidance and diligent training.

Yet this Senior Brother Meng had opened an acupoint in only one month, and he had not even received much instruction. Though no one could say what the future held, he was undoubtedly a man of immense promise.

"Senior Brother Meng." Wu Changsheng rose as well.

"Ah... Senior Brother Meng." Tie Niu stood and spoke.

"Senior Brother Meng." All the young men and women rose to their feet.

"I still find 'Brother' easier on the ears." Meng Yuan sat down, smiling. "Eat!"