The Hundred Bones Opened, One Yang Stirred, the Second Marquis Changed, the Three Peng Were Slain, the Primordial Spirit Condensed, and the Dao Embryo Emerged!

"Don't be afraid. My second sister's sword is very fast. She'll kill you in an instant and won't let you feel a thing." Wang Bian grinned and patted He Heng lightly on the shoulder.

"@#%..." He Heng felt as if his forehead should already be covered in black lines.

Just then, a deep, resonant bell rang out. Dong Hui returned with several ancient books in hand. He looked around at the students with a serious expression, cleared his throat, and began the lesson.

Dong Hui taught cultivation theory, and today's lesson was about cultivation realms.

"As everyone knows, Martial Dao Cultivation begins with the Hundred Bones Realm. 'Hundred bones' refers to the entire human body. The Outer Hundred Bones are the muscles, bones, flesh, skin, and so on, which are connected throughout the body by Blood Qi and strength. The Inner Hundred Bones are the Meridians and inner breath. Spiritual energy is transformed into Internal Energy, which flows through the body's Meridians and acupoints to form a great circuit." Standing at the lectern, Dong Hui explained at length. "When both the inner and outer hundred bones have reached perfection and the whole body is unobstructed, the inner and outer must converge and become one in Primordial Unity, regulating the balance of dragon and tiger. This is the Great Perfection of the Hundred Bones Realm."

At this point, Dong Hui paused and glanced at the students before continuing. "Above the Hundred Bones Realm is the One Yang Realm. 'One Yang' refers to a spark of Innate Yang Qi. Once it forms, Internal Energy can be transformed into true qi, and Essence, Qi, and Spirit combine to become indestructible."

"To reach the One Yang Realm, after achieving Inner and Outer Convergence and Great Perfection in the Hundred Bones Realm, you must continually temper your Internal Energy. Fortune is the forge, Blood Qi the coal, and your body the furnace. Only after countless rounds of tempering can Essence, Qi, and Spirit fuse into one, stirring the first spark of Yang and giving birth to Innate Yang Qi."

"Above the One Yang Realm is the Second Marquis Realm. After Innate Yang Qi is born, you must nurture Innate Yin Qi as well. When Yin and Yang unite and the whole body becomes one, true qi gains not only immense destructive power but also formidable penetrating power. It possesses both Yang's hardness and Yin's softness, responding as naturally as an arm to a command and remaining completely under your control."

As he spoke, Dong Hui took out a stone. He lightly tapped it with one finger, and it shattered into many small pieces.

Then he took out another stone and tapped it once more. This one also broke apart, but it crumbled into fine powder that scattered in the breeze.

Dong Hui gestured at the small stones and the powder. "Look. The first time, I used true qi from the One Yang Realm. The second time, I used true qi from the Second Marquis Realm. One stone broke into smaller stones, while the other was pulverized into fine powder. That is the difference between true qi that combines Yin and Yang and true qi that possesses only Yang Qi."

"One Yang Realm true qi can only use tremendous force to break an object from the outside. Second Marquis Realm true qi can destroy it from both within and without, damaging the structure at every point until it is completely pulverized." Dong Hui paused, then said gravely, "You must remember this: in the One Yang Realm, true qi is too fierce to be used excessively. Otherwise, it will cause great harm to your own body. Only after Yin Qi is born can you use true qi for extended periods. With Yin and Yang complementing each other, you won't harm yourself."

Everyone nodded quickly to show that they had taken his words to heart and wouldn't forcefully use true qi while in the One Yang Realm.

Dong Hui nodded with satisfaction and continued. "Above the Second Marquis Realm is the Martial Dao Three Peng Realm. The Three Peng are the Three Corpses, also known as the Three Worms. They are the various acquired impurities present in the body from birth. They are mainly found in three parts of the body. Only by completely purging and slaying them can you attain an immaculate body, with spirit and flesh clear as one, and meet the conditions to awaken the Yin and Yang Gods."

"That is also why true qi must possess both Yang Qi and Yin Qi. Only when it has both fierce strength and softness can it penetrate deep into the body and slay these corpse worms."

"Although the Three Corpses are generally found in similar places in each person, their precise locations differ. You will have to determine how to slay your own Three Corpses. You must understand your body to the utmost before you can attempt it." Dong Hui looked down at the students, his expression solemn. "I'll explain the precise steps, methods, and precautions for slaying the Three Corpses in detail next time. We won't discuss that today."

"Next, I'd like to discuss the Yin God and Yang God. Does anyone know about them?" Dong Hui swept his gaze across the room and asked.

"Teacher, I do!" After Dong Hui asked, an ordinary-looking young man immediately stood up. He thought for a moment, then said, "I once heard a saying: 'The Yin God is within, the Yang God without. When inner and outer unite and Yin and Yang become one, that is Yuanshi.' I'm not sure if that's right."

"Good. You're right, Lu Dong." Dong Hui nodded and let the young man sit down. He continued, "In truth, both the Yin God and the Yang God are innate to us. It's just that most people can't sense that they exist."

"The Yin God is within us. It is the so-called soul, usually residing in the Mud Pill Palace at the crown of the head. Only when our bodies are free of dust and impurity, and spirit and flesh are clear as one, can we find the opportunity to sense its presence and awaken it in one stroke."

"After awakening the Yin God, we can use Spiritual Power. Whether fighting enemies or controlling our own bodies, it benefits us greatly."

"The saying that the Yang God is without means that although the Yang God is also innate to us, it doesn't reside inside the body. It exists outside us, united with Heaven and Earth. That is what the saying 'There are spirits three feet above one's head' refers to." Dong Hui continued, "To find our Yang God in the boundless universe, we must first awaken the Yin God. We use Spiritual Power to see the world, seeing that a mountain is not a mountain and water is not water. Only by sensing the changes in Heaven and Earth can we achieve Heaven-Man Resonance, trace things back to their origin, find where our Yang God resides, and gradually awaken it."

At this point, Dong Hui's face showed a hint of pride. "Those who awaken their Yang God resonate with Heaven and Earth and can wield Heaven and Earth's Power, stirring the winds and clouds and influencing the weather. Reaching this realm is the beginning of transcending the mortal and entering the sacred in Martial Dao, the first step toward becoming an immortal or a god."

"When Yin and Yang unite and the inner and outer Gods converge, one can behold Yuanshi and form the Primordial Spirit. This realm is also called Heaven-Man. It means that one can achieve Unity of Heaven and Man, resonating with Heaven and Earth at every moment, with a nearly inexhaustible supply of power." Dong Hui's face showed a trace of longing and apprehension. "After forming the Primordial Spirit, you unite with Heaven. Though your power is nearly inexhaustible and sensing the vastness of Heaven and Earth brings great benefits, it also carries immense terror."

"How vast is Heaven and Earth, how boundless is the universe? How could ordinary mortals like us hope to grasp it? In the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man, the slightest carelessness can leave you lost in the infinite Heavenly Dao, utterly destroying your sense of self. It is perilous beyond measure. Unless you reach the Human Law Realm and can perfectly control yourself, after forming the Primordial Spirit, every step is a matter of life and death."

Dong Hui finished speaking with a rueful expression. Everyone below sat in silence, but He Heng's expression shifted slightly.

Yin and Yang unite to forge the Primordial Spirit? Unity with Heaven and Earth, becoming one with the universe. In the Dragon Snake World, God has reached this realm too. But the Dragon Snake World is only a lowest-level world without Spiritual Energy. Its Heavenly Dao can't compare with the Great Heaven's, so Unity of Heaven and Man is naturally much safer there. It's not like this world, where even those who have formed the Primordial Spirit face danger at every step.

But I've already reached the Human Law Realm. Judging by Dong Hui's tone, this realm must be exceedingly rare in the Great Heaven. Even among those who have formed the Primordial Spirit, few have reached it. He Heng considered this without letting anything show on his face, then continued listening.

Dong Hui continued, "After forming the Primordial Spirit, you can comprehend the mysteries of the universe and sense the Gate of Myriad Wonders, that which is so wondrous and profound. Once you have accumulated enough, you can break the Gate of Myriad Wonders open in one stroke and reach the Dao Embryo Realm."

"The Dao Embryo is the embryo of the Dao. It is the initial realm of entering the Great Dao, and a crucial one. Before reaching the Dao Embryo Realm, no matter how strong we cultivators become, we cannot withstand the might of Heaven and Earth, because we depend on Heaven and Earth for our existence. We are like unborn infants living in their mother's womb. Above the Dao Embryo Realm, we have already been born. Even if we are still infants, we have escaped our mother's complete control and can live independently in a vaster world, with a more boundless future."

Dong Hui's face filled with longing. "Only upon reaching the Dao Embryo Realm can Martial Dao Cultivation truly be called transcending the mortal and entering the sacred. You break through the limits of mortals, gain longevity, Summon Wind Call Rain, and fly through the heavens, outpacing the sun."

At this point, Dong Hui abruptly paused. A wry smile appeared on his face, as if he realized he had said too much. He waved a hand and said, "You'll learn about the Dao Embryo Realm later. That's enough for today. Go ahead and cultivate on your own. If you have any questions, come find me."

Dong Hui said a few more words about the essentials of cultivation, then left the classroom.

As soon as Dong Hui left, Wang Bian's face fell, and he cheered, "Oh, class is finally over!"

As he spoke, he patted He Heng on the shoulder. "He Heng, come on. I'll buy you a drink."

"No!" He Heng was absorbed in a book explaining cultivation and didn't even bother with Wang Bian.

"He Heng, why are you so boring? Why do you spend all day reading these books? It's not like you've gained much wisdom from them," Wang Bian grumbled unhappily.

"You think I'm like you? You're the 'only' son of a Dao Embryo Realm powerhouse. Even if you never make an effort, you'll never have to worry for the rest of your life. I'm not that lucky." He Heng curled his lip. "You know my situation in the He Family. My status is neither here nor there. I have to work hard. So, kid, go entertain yourself."

As he spoke, He Heng pushed Wang Bian's grabby hand away and continued reading.

"Sigh, He Heng, you're too hard on yourself. You should enjoy life while you can. Otherwise, you'll end up like my eldest brother. He worked hard for more than twenty years, and in the end, he still left without a word." Wang Bian looked at He Heng helplessly and shook his head. He said goodbye and left on his own.

"Maybe you're right, but that's not what I'm after." He Heng watched Wang Bian walk away and fell silent for a moment.