Martial Dao's Nine Ranks, Strength Beyond Ten Thousand Jin

"Once dawn breaks, I'll go to the Martial Academy and exchange for a heavier blade."

A thought flashed through Wu Yuan's mind. "Still, this world is vastly different from my previous life. That black Aurora Blade in the Martial Academy's 'weapon treasury' looked inconspicuous at first glance, yet it actually weighed ten thousand jin."

Even the Human Federation could not make a cold weapon this heavy, even using the densest alloys.

No similar material could be found!

"Even this Patterned Steel Blade in my hand is extraordinary. In my previous life, it would have been worthy of being called a divine weapon." Wu Yuan sighed.

It was not that the forging method was particularly remarkable; the material itself was simply strong enough!

From one glimpse, he could see the whole picture. The Aurora Blade he had seen that day had made Wu Yuan deeply wary of this world.

The material makeup of a world was interconnected.

If such monstrous metal existed, then correspondingly, other things would also be extraordinary—for example, Pill Masters!

Wu Yuan was not unfamiliar with the words "pill refining."

They had once existed widely in the ancient societies of his previous life. Whether Eastern Daoists or Western alchemists, both had some connection to them.

Yet the torrent of technology had ultimately swept all pill-refining arts and alchemy on Blue Star into the dust of history.

But the Central Land Continent was different.

Pill Dao was no legend. It truly existed, and it had immense practical use.

Pill Masters were an exceptionally special and noble profession among the Thirteen Prefectures of the Central Land.

Every one of them was a powerful martial artist. They studied all manner of medicinal substances and could refine precious pills, accelerating martial artists' progress and even curing illnesses and saving lives.

In Wu Yuan's understanding, this was a system he found difficult to comprehend.

Pill Masters were scarce, and every one of them possessed immense fame. In all of Li City Prefecture, there was only one true Pill Master, and only several Pill Dao Apprentices.

Wu Yuan wanted to cure his mother's illness, which meant asking a Pill Master for help. The price would naturally be steep.

"Money alone won't be enough to invite a Pill Master. Even if the clan chief steps forward, it may not work." Wu Yuan's heart remained calm. "Only when I become stronger will there be hope."

As he pondered.

Whoosh! Wu Yuan gripped the hilt with five fingers and held the blade horizontally in front of him. He made no other movement, even closing his eyes.

It was as though he had fallen asleep.

He stood like that for an entire hour!

From beginning to end, the long blade remained raised, while Wu Yuan's body and arm did not sway in the slightest. Had the teachers at the Martial Academy seen it, they would surely have been astonished.

A single-edged saber weighing two hundred and thirty jin was not considered heavy to a true martial artist. Any ordinary youth could lift it, but holding a long blade horizontally with one arm for an hour?

Even a Sixth-Rank Martial Master would find it strenuous.

"With the Intent-Sensing Blade, only then can the blade become like an arm." Wu Yuan quietly sensed the minute tremors of the long blade.

"Sense Equipment" was not taught at the Prefectural Sect Martial Academy, but within the Human Federation's martial arts, it was a foundational method proven to best train weapon use.

"People are alive, and weapons are not dead objects either." Wu Yuan's heart was still as water. "Weapons possess 'force' as well."

"To train with a weapon is to find that thread of 'force momentum' within it. Following that momentum in every attack will yield twice the result with half the effort."

It sounded simple, but reaching a profound level in its practice was exceedingly difficult.

The soreness in his arm, the movement of the air, even mosquitoes from the grass on the riverbank landing upon the blade—all of it caused subtle changes in the long blade.

"Sense Equipment is also Strength Training!"

"Bzzz—" Wu Yuan could naturally and clearly sense every part of his body: from the beating of his internal organs, the surging blood pumped by his heart, down to the trembling of every muscle, the vibration of his sinews and bones, and the flow of blood through his capillaries.

All of it lay within Wu Yuan's perception.

This was Internal Vision, representing a level of bodily control beyond imagination.

As the blade's force shifted in minute ways, Wu Yuan constantly adjusted every part of himself, ensuring the two remained in "resonance."

"According to the Martial Academy's texts, Internal Vision is exceedingly rare even among Proficient Experts. Those who attain it are all renowned Martial Dao Grandmasters of the Thirteen Prefectures of the Central Land." Wu Yuan recalled the books he had read.

Yet Wu Yuan felt no satisfaction whatsoever.

Because—

Before transmigrating, as the youngest Martial Dao Master in the Federation, Wu Yuan had already surpassed the realm of Internal Vision. His mind could perceive the microscopic, regulate his body and expel all minute impurities, and independently repair the subtle hidden injuries within his body.

He could truly be called "physically indestructible."

This was the pinnacle of martial arts in the Human Federation!

"In this life, I've only been awake for a little over a month. I need to familiarize myself with this body anew and further temper it before I can strengthen my mind and recover my former realm." Wu Yuan had a cultivation plan, and even greater yearning. "Perhaps I can even become stronger!"

The body was essence, the source of the mind. Only a strong body could make the mind powerful.

Time passed.

Wu Yuan's consciousness gradually relaxed. With the Intent-Sensing Blade, the blade's force flowed into his limbs, his limbs reached his hundred bones, and he felt increasingly comfortable.

Another half hour passed, bringing the night into its latter half.

"Whoosh!"

Wu Yuan abruptly opened his eyes. His gaze sharpened, his sinews and bones gave a faint ring, and his entire bearing subtly changed.

At the sight of such presence and aura, even a Proficient Expert would pale.

Boom!

Wu Yuan planted his left foot into the ground, then fiercely kicked forward with his right. Like an arrow loosed from its bowstring, he shot forward in a blur.

Immediately afterward, accompanied by a piercing explosion of air, a streak of black blade-light slashed forward.

Crash—

Sand and stones flew. Wherever the blade-light reached, great swathes of reeds toppled in rows, while the fierce wind it generated swept even farther away.

Had Xu Yuanhan witnessed this scene, he would likely have been dumbstruck!

"Whoosh!"

Wu Yuan exhaled deeply, his breath shooting out like a white arrow. A smile appeared on his face. "The third layer of the Extreme Force Blade. After half a month, I've finally mastered it again!"

"This strike should carry ten thousand jin of force, enough to rival a Sixth-Rank Martial Master." Wu Yuan thought to himself.

Within the Thirteen Prefectures of the Central Land, martial arts were divided into nine ranks, though there were no strict boundaries. They were only loosely classified according to the greatest burst of strength one could produce.

At Ninth-Rank, one needed one thousand jin of force as a baseline and could be called a low-rank Martial Warrior!

At Eighth-Rank, two thousand jin of force was the baseline, known as a mid-rank Martial Warrior.

At Seventh-Rank, four thousand jin of force was the baseline, known as a high-rank Martial Warrior.

A Sixth-Rank Martial Artist could be called a Martial Master and needed to unleash ten thousand jin of force!

A Fifth-Rank Martial Artist, also called a Third-class Expert, needed to unleash Twenty Thousand Jin of force.

A Fourth-Rank Martial Artist was called a Second-class Expert and needed to unleash thirty thousand jin of force.

As for the Upper Three Grades? Not even one might emerge among a million people. At least, as far as Wu Yuan knew, Li City Prefecture seemed to have no Upper Three Grades martial artists.

Of course.

In a true life-and-death battle, strength was only one aspect. Martial Arts Technique, divine weapons, fighting will, and countless other factors could affect the outcome.

Over the past month or so.

Wu Yuan had continuously tempered himself, and his progress could be called terrifying. Yet in terms of pure physical fitness, he had only barely reached the level of a Seventh-Rank Warrior.

The Extreme Force Blade he had mastered was, in a sense, Martial Arts Technique!

"Ordinary people cannot even fully wield their own strength. Only through years upon years of training can they perfectly bring out all their power. This is the Foundation Level!" Wu Yuan clearly remembered the Human Federation's classifications for Martial Arts Technique.

Foundation was the ability to bring out all one's strength.

Beyond Foundation was Force Extreme. On the basis of one's own power, one could instantly unleash multiple layers of force, up to three at most. Thus, it was also called "Threefold Force Extreme," allowing one's strength to erupt threefold.

Force Extreme consumed immense stamina and vitality. Once unleashed, it was difficult to rein in, so it was a killing move not to be used lightly.

Beyond Force Extreme was Hard and Soft, where one could control multiple layers of force at will—sending and withdrawing freely, blending hard and soft, unpredictable in endless ways.

Foundation, Force Extreme, Hard and Soft—these were the three realms of Martial Arts Technique.

In his previous life, Wu Yuan had in fact already surpassed the realm of Hard and Soft.

However.

"With a new body, I need to adapt anew. It is best to take each step firmly and gain perfect control. Only then will I have hope of surpassing the peak of my previous life and reaching a higher level." Wu Yuan understood himself clearly.

Since awakening, as he mapped out his martial path, Wu Yuan had not planned to go to Cloud Martial Hall.

At least, he had not considered it for now.

Though it was the highest Martial Academy of the Hengyun Sect, its purpose was merely to train Fifth-Rank Martial Artists and Fourth-Rank Martial Artists.

True martial arts powerhouses? A Martial Academy could not cultivate them!

Cloud Martial Hall's martial foundations? Wu Yuan had already seen a graduate of Cloud Martial Hall. The Martial Academy's headmaster, Zhang Da, was one!

Yet Zhang Da's Martial Arts Technique had only barely touched the realm of Force Extreme. In this life, he would likely never reach the realm of Hard and Soft, which greatly disappointed Wu Yuan.

And once he entered the Martial Academy, there would be too many people and too many watchful eyes. He might not be able to conceal his secrets as well as he could now.

"When my strength has recovered and further progress becomes difficult, it won't be too late to test the pinnacle of martial arts in this world." Wu Yuan would not act rashly.

He knew very well that one only had one life and could not afford carelessness.

Since Heaven had granted him a chance at rebirth, then if his strength could still improve by leaps and bounds, rushing off to undertake some so-called "adventures in the martial world" would be foolish.

"At the very least, I must settle Mother and my younger sister first!"