Chen Feng asked in surprise, "Are there choices when it comes to cultivation methods?"
Wan Baoyang said, "Yes. Ordinary moves and martial techniques are one thing, but core Martial Arts still need to be chosen carefully."
"I'll take you to the Scripture Pavilion for a look. We can talk properly about these things on the way."
Chen Feng nodded. "All right."
After informing Lin Xue, they headed toward the Scripture Pavilion.
On the way, Wan Baoyang asked, "Brother Chen, what kind of Martial Arts did you cultivate before?"
Chen Feng said, "An Iron Fist Technique."
"I got it from an enemy back then."
Wan Baoyang waited for Chen Feng to continue, only to find that Chen Feng stopped after that single sentence.
He looked at Chen Feng, surprise in his eyes. "An Iron Fist Technique? A beginner-level Martial Art?"
"And that alone got you to where you are now?"
Chen Feng said, "Yes!"
Hearing Chen Feng confirm it, Wan Baoyang was inwardly amazed. As expected of a genius recognized by Sword Cultivator Yun Xi.
Wan Baoyang gave a bitter smile. "Then do you know the different types of Martial Arts?"
Chen Feng thought for a moment. "I've read a little about them. They're generally divided into three types: Body Refining, Qi Cultivation, and Soul Refining?"
He had learned some of it from the Iron Fist Technique and basic martial knowledge.
Combined with his own thoughts, that was why he answered directly.
Wan Baoyang nodded. "That is broadly correct."
"Among the three cultivation systems, Qi Cultivation is the mainstream. Anyone can cultivate it regardless of talent, though the higher one's talent, the faster one cultivates."
"Body Refining cultivators face many restrictions. It is also extremely painful and dangerous in the future, so it generally isn't recommended."
"As for Soul Refining, it is very mysterious. Our academy has almost no Soul Refining cultivation method inheritances. Only certain special methods may contain some weak training techniques. You will most likely choose between Qi Cultivation and Body Refining."
"I suggest that you choose a Qi Cultivation method. As long as your cultivation talent is high enough and your Qi Cultivation speed keeps up, you should have a chance to break through to the Fourth-grade True Qi Realm within a few years."
Chen Feng pondered upon hearing this. "What cultivation system does Sword Cultivator Yun Xi belong to?"
He had planned to head to Black Mountain after stabilizing himself for a while.
He wanted to see what exactly was happening in Black Mountain Town.
Furthermore, when Sword Cultivator Yun Xi returned back then, her expression had not looked good. It was highly likely that she had failed to kill Huang Haisheng.
How could he wait several years before breaking through?
Wan Baoyang was somewhat surprised by Chen Feng's question. "Sword Cultivator Yun Xi possesses the Divine Phoenix Bloodline and has extraordinary talent as a sword cultivator. She is a Body Refining martial artist."
"Furthermore, rumors say that Sword Cultivator Yun Xi's soul talent is also extremely high. Cultivating both systems at once, she once escaped unscathed from the hands of a Sixth-level Demon Cult expert while possessing only Fifth-grade cultivation, below the Grandmaster realm."
"She is one of Great Qian's outstanding young geniuses."
Surprise flashed through Chen Feng's eyes. "So that's how it is."
He now had some understanding of the status represented by martial cultivation realms.
A Fifth Rank Martial Artist was not as common as cabbages, as he had once imagined.
Even in Black Stone County City, such a person would be the leader of a major force.
Only the City Lord was a Sixth Rank True Intent Realm expert, and he remained in secluded cultivation all year round.
Back in Huang Haisheng's courtyard, so many First-grade and Second-grade Martial Artists had gathered, yet he had shot nearly all of them to death. That had made him somewhat underestimate them.
Along the way, Wan Baoyang continued chatting with Chen Feng about all sorts of martial matters.
Chen Feng was also considering his path ahead.
Chen Feng asked in confusion, "By the way, Brother Wan, can't one cultivate all three systems at once?"
He had suddenly thought of himself.
Judging by his panel proficiency, the Iron Fist Technique and his various skills should mainly belong to Body Refining.
The Faith Power he had awakened should be a skill that strengthened the spirit.
That meant he should already count as someone cultivating two systems at once.
As for Qi Cultivation, he did not understand much about it yet. If he could cultivate that as well, could he cultivate all three systems at once?
Wan Baoyang immediately shook his head. "No. Someone has tried that before."
"But a person's energy is limited. The three systems are practically parallel roads. Even cultivating two systems makes one's cultivation speed far slower than cultivating a single system."
"Not to mention all three. Someone once attempted it—an exceptionally gifted genius disciple—but in the end, many cultivators whose cultivation had been inferior to his became Grandmaster experts, while he was stuck at the Fifth-grade realm."
"Unable to merge True Intent with Body Refining for a long time, he could only regretfully abandon one cultivation path. Even then, he remained stuck at the Sixth-grade realm."
"What a pity."
As Wan Baoyang spoke, there was still a trace of sorrow and regret in his eyes.
Chen Feng nodded. "So that's how it is."
"Then I understand."
Wan Baoyang nodded. "Mm. You can look through the cultivation methods first and get a feel for how compatible they are with you."
Chen Feng nodded. "All right."
Before long, they arrived at the Scripture Pavilion.
The Scripture Pavilion was a small six-story building.
There were restrictions at the entrance. Behind a rectangular counter stood a gaunt middle-aged man, completely absorbed in his book.
Wan Baoyang respectfully said to the middle-aged man, "Teacher Zhao."
He then had Chen Feng scan his student token over a piece of jade about the size of a brick on the table.
After that, Chen Feng entered the Scripture Pavilion.
Wan Baoyang waited outside the Scripture Pavilion.
Teacher Zhao had originally been reading the entire time.
At that moment, when the information on Chen Feng's student token appeared,
A strange glint flashed through his eyes. "A student who just enrolled, yet already has five hundred points? A first-class student!"
Teacher Zhao took a glance, then continued reading his book.
Chen Feng entered the Scripture Pavilion and looked around. The first floor was basically filled with ordinary and beginner-level cultivation methods and martial techniques.
He did not linger and headed straight for the third floor.
According to the martial information and what he had learned from chatting with Wan Baoyang,
Martial cultivation methods had clearly defined ranks as well.
They were not as Chen Feng had previously imagined.
A Martial Art breaking its limits did not mean it ranked up after breaking its limits once.
Rather, most of them possessed a complete breakthrough system.
Based on the level one could cultivate to, these Martial Arts were divided into different ranks.
Beginner-level cultivation methods were the lowest-level Martial Arts. After cultivating them to completion, one had a certain chance of breaking through and becoming a First-grade Martial Artist.
Intermediate cultivation methods could be cultivated to the Third-grade realm, with a certain chance of breaking through to the Fourth-grade realm.
As for becoming a Middle Three Ranks martial artist with certainty, one needed an advanced cultivation method.
Otherwise, the probability of breaking through was extremely low.
As for breaking through to the Grandmaster realm, such methods were all controlled by powerful forces within the various systems.
Even Black Stone Academy, the official training academy of the Great Gan Dynasty,
could not access them, as cultivation methods beyond breakthroughs were controlled by the major forces of each system.
After looking through them, Chen Feng understood that if he wanted to break through to higher realms, he had to cultivate advanced methods.
If one's Martial Arts did not form a system and one relied only on various scattered Martial Arts to break their limits,
it might seem as though one could reach higher cultivation ranks.
But one's cultivation would be scattered.
Chen Feng had actually considered this before, but the martial information recorded that there had once been a heaven-sent genius named Qin Wentian who cultivated eighteen beginner-level Martial Arts to their limit-breaking realms.
Judging by the ranks, he could be considered an Eighteenth-grade Martial Artist.
At his strongest, he could even contend with a Demon Grandmaster.
But in the end, during a great battle with a Demon Grandmaster, his body cracked apart and he died!
Even now, Qin Wentian was used by many factions as a cautionary example when teaching their students.
Chen Feng naturally took good advice to heart.
After reaching the third floor, the space became much more spacious.
When Chen Feng saw the cultivation manuals displayed there, delight instantly appeared in his eyes.
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