Legacy of the Ancient Sages

Legacy of the Ancient Sages

Captain Lu Haochuan sized Qin Ming up from head to toe, then studied his eyes carefully, as if trying to discern something within them.

"His eyes are still clear; he hasn't lost himself. Is it because he slaughtered too much in such a short time and is worried it will affect his mind and will? Or is there some other reason?"

Having spent nearly twenty years in the military, Lu Haochuan had seen far too many people.

Some had lost their reverence for life after years of slaughter, becoming numb, bloodthirsty, and insane.

Their eyes were filled with lifelessness, and they were indifferent to life.

They treated others that way, and themselves as well.

There were even more people like that among Martial Warriors.

That was why many Martial Warriors who went out hunting for a period of time had to return to base to rest and relax.

Some chose pleasure and indulgence. Some chose to spend time with their families and unwind. Others got drunk and slept for three days and nights.

Some chose to train quietly, strengthening the convictions in their hearts.

Qin Ming's first time entering the battlefield had been nothing like the discomfort most people displayed. Instead, he had been downright frenzied, slaughtering a small beast tide all by himself.

That meant Qin Ming either had immense killing intent in his heart, or an exceptionally firm will.

And since Qin Ming had taken the initiative to ask this question, it meant he had noticed something himself. In Lu Haochuan's view, that meant there was no serious problem.

Naturally, he knew nothing about the Myriad Souls Banner, so he could only speculate from other angles—family, personality, experiences, emotions, and so on.

"You're on your first mission, yet you've spent such a long time slaughtering and clearing out Monsters. It's only natural that you'd feel somewhat uncomfortable. Just rest for a while after returning to base.

"How do you strengthen your will?

"The various forms of training in the military, tempering yourself in harsh environments—those are all ways to improve your will.

"When you have experienced enough, your will often grows stronger as well.

"Of course, there is also improving your strength.

"As your strength rises, your will naturally rises with it.

"There was once a period when I became immersed in slaughter, and I had doubts similar to yours.

"I purified myself by studying books left behind by ancient sages. When your own experience and insight are lacking, you might as well seek answers in books and in the thoughts of the sages.

"Because of the RR Virus and our absorption of cosmic energy, our physical constitutions are far stronger than those of the ancients. But when it comes to cultivation of the heart, that may not necessarily be the case.

"The fact that my Body Technique has reached the Conception level is also related to this.

"However, this method suits me, but it may not suit you. You can give it a try.

"Or find another way to release the pent-up emotions in your heart. Some Martial Warriors enjoy tea, growing flowers, and tending plants. The principle is actually the same."

After pondering for a moment, Lu Haochuan spoke slowly.

"Improve my strength and read the classics of the ancient sages?"

Qin Ming suddenly understood.

There was no need to say anything about improving his strength.

Once his strength became powerful enough, his will would naturally improve.

Then the impact of the Evil Spirit Aura within the Myriad Souls Banner would no longer be a problem.

As for reading the classics of the ancient sages—

As a transmigrator, Qin Ming knew that Earth was the testing ground of the God King powerhouse Zuoshan Ke. Earthlings were born with souls far stronger than those of other races and found it easier to break through.

In the past, ancient Huaxia sages had been limited by their bodies and unable to cultivate. Yet in terms of thought and will, they might have gone even further.

For example, the world's strongest, Hong, was proficient in Huaxia internal martial arts, while Thunder God also cultivated ancient Indian yoga.

Some of Earth's secret manuals had likewise been created by combining ancient martial arts with the strength of modern humans.

They might have been far more powerful in terms of force.

But in terms of realm, both Hong and Thunder God had also benefited from Earth's ancient culture.

Even the Three Realms of Heart Cultivation proposed by Hong had come from the legacy of ancient sages.

The first realm was My Heart is Like a Blade, where one's will and consciousness condensed like Bedrock.

The second realm was Unity of Heaven and Man, the Heart of an Innocent Child, the great perfection of one's state of mind.

The third realm was Heart is Infinitely Large, where the heart embraced everything.

Any Huaxia person could understand the meaning behind those words.

This was the precious wealth left behind by the ancient sages.

Of course, understanding was one thing. Whether one could achieve it was another matter.

Even Hong and Thunder God had been able to grasp domains at the Planet Level for this reason.

The ancients had long proposed concepts such as Unity of Heaven and Man, Unity of Man and Flesh, Unity of Man and Sword, Taiji Perfection, and more. If one could make a breakthrough on that foundation, one would attain a domain.

"I'll give you some books. Read them in your spare time and study them quietly. Perhaps you'll gain some insight," Lu Haochuan said with a smile when he saw Qin Ming's enlightened expression.

"Then thank you, Captain."

Qin Ming did not stand on ceremony and immediately thanked him.

He was deeply grateful to the captain. If not for Lu Haochuan's guidance, he truly might not have considered this aspect.

But this kind of gratitude did not need to be spoken aloud. It was enough to remember it in his heart.

To others, one's state of mind might only be an aid that allowed them to travel further on the path of martial cultivation.

But for him, it concerned his very life.

"Qin Ming, I think you're overthinking it. You just killed some Monsters. What's the big deal? Later, you and I can have a good fistfight, then sleep it off, and everything will be fine."

Zhang Yan, who was still awake beside them, grinned.

"Old Zhang isn't wrong. When I killed for the first time, I was pretty uncomfortable too. It took me several days to recover. Having you go straight into intense combat with us was indeed a little hasty."

Ling Qianye opened his eyes as well. He had heard Qin Ming's conversation with the captain.

A genius?

A genius was still human.

The fact that he had managed to hold on during battle was already impressive enough.

"Once we get back to base, have a good drink while we're resting and relax."

Yue Shan spoke as well.

"I've still got a few bottles of good liquor hidden away..."

Xiao Heng looked at Qin Ming with narrowed, smiling eyes. It was obvious that everyone was deliberately trying to take care of him.

"This wasn't my first time on a battlefield, and I'm not as fragile as everyone thinks. When I worked at the Monster corpse processing center, I don't even know how many of these Monsters I dug apart with my own hands.

"I was just speaking from the heart."

Qin Ming smiled as well. Being with a group of teammates like this really was comfortable.

Although they had misunderstood him, it did not stop Qin Ming from feeling pleased.

Perhaps because Earthling souls were naturally rather special, the impact of the Evil Spirit Aura formed by tens of thousands of Monsters within the Myriad Souls Banner affected him, but not enough to make him unable to endure it.

He had only asked the captain in order to make preparations in advance.

After one night, dawn arrived.

Qin Ming stood on the balcony of a high-rise building and gazed into the distance. The icy chill of late October morning filled the air, making the city already shrouded in dense fog even more indistinct.

"There really are a lot of Monsters in City 003."

With his eyesight, he could still see sparse groups of Monsters appearing once more on the streets below that had already been cleared.

"It doesn't matter. They're all insignificant, weak Monsters. Our objective is to clear out the large beast hordes. According to the intelligence, there won't be as many Monsters next."

Lu Haochuan walked over as well and looked down below.

"Let's go! Continue clearing the remaining roads, then sweep through them twice. The main convoy will be setting out soon. The main force makes much more of a commotion than a small squad.

"Even Lord Level Monsters might show up. When that happens, there may be a major battle."