Mad!

"Why what?"

Jiang Ning'an said matter-of-factly, "Didn't the teacher who taught you martial arts tell you that before the Heaven Ascending Path, you could only choose one cultivation method to focus on?"

Fang Can instinctively licked his somewhat chapped lips. "N-no... Is that really a thing?"

"How did your master teach you?" Jiang Ning'an asked in puzzlement. "A basic point like this should have been explained before you reached the Mortal Shedding Body stage."

Fang Can: ...

Fang Can was completely dumbfounded. So even being too fast was his fault?

After all, Instructor Yang couldn't possibly have expected this guy to develop a sense of qi in a single day. Even the fastest would take half a month.

If someone told Yang Lie that it was possible to develop a sense of qi in one day, Yang Lie would have sworn on his life that they were making it up.

Seeing Fang Can's bewildered expression, Jiang Ning'an patiently explained, "The so-called Mortal Shedding Body is the process of gradually adapting your body to a cultivation method."

"Every cultivation method is different. There's true essence, internal energy, qi, magnetic-field energy, battle qi, True Magic, Chef God Cells... Every school has its own unique techniques."

"From what I can tell, you cultivate blood and qi, strengthening your body through martial arts. Some people, on the other hand, need to write poetry to replace their old blood. Every martial art requires a different method of cultivation."

Hearing her explanation, Fang Can stood frozen for a long while before finally asking, "Then those eighty-eight acupoints in my cultivation method..."

"If you believe they're there, then they are. The most important thing in martial arts is the power of the mind. The cultivation method of the Inverted Sect next door requires them to improve their physique by making the countless particles inside their bodies rub against one another at high speed."

"Different cultivation methods can create vastly different results, even at the Mortal Shedding Body stage. As for the eighty-eight acupoints in your method..."

At this, Jiang Ning'an shook her head. Her meaning was clear: what a lousy cultivation method. Even its wildest fantasies lacked imagination.

As Jiang Ning'an explained, Fang Can felt as if he had suddenly attained enlightenment. He stood rooted to the spot, as if struck by lightning.

On his status panel, [Tiger Fiend Eighty-Eight Paths Grotto-Heavens] began flickering as his Dao Heart shattered, as though it might disappear at any moment.

Just like the Overlord of Great Zhou, who had once become a Heavenly Human, Fang Can now seemed at risk of regressing in cultivation after Jiang Ning'an's words shattered his Dao Heart.

Seeing Fang Can standing dazed and pale, Jiang Ning'an raised her fair, clean hand and waved it in front of him.

"Are... are you okay? Don't take it too hard. Cultivation methods do have their differences, but don't dwell on it. You can make up the gap after the Heaven Ascending Path."

Ignoring Jiang Ning'an completely, Fang Can's worldview, formed over seven days of martial arts practice, shattered. In its place arose a will to break through and be reborn.

At that moment, Fang Can's mind replayed the techniques of the Tiger Fiend Eighty-Eight Grotto-Heavens, along with Yang Lie's words from the beginning.

"Anyone can become a Martial God, as long as they have the will!"

"I understand!" Fang Can slammed his right fist into his palm, looking as if he'd seen through everything. He exclaimed, "Martial arts are all made up, and the Idealist Martial Dao is nothingness! What kind of bullshit Tiger Fiend Eighty-Eight Grotto-Heavens? I'm done practicing it."

Watching the handsome young man before her, brimming with excitement, Jiang Ning'an worried that her words had driven him into a delusion. If that was true, she would be terribly at fault.

Fang Can paced back and forth excitedly, muttering to himself and occasionally beating his chest and stamping his feet. Jiang Ning'an cautiously asked, "What... what are you planning to do now?"

"What do you think? Change to a different cultivation method, of course." Fang Can shook his head as he spoke. Though he was exceedingly handsome, he looked completely unhinged.

"I already told you, before the Heaven Ascending Path..."

Before Jiang Ning'an could finish, she saw a pair of resolute eyes lock onto hers.

"Have you heard the story of the Divine Monarch of Great Yan?"

"I've heard enough stories about the Divine Monarch of Great Yan to last a lifetime," Jiang Ning'an replied helplessly.

Fang Can spoke slowly but firmly. "Then why could he turn Iron Thread Fist into the Maha Great Sun Divine Fist, but I can't?"

"You want to compare yourself to the Divine Monarch of Great Yan?" Jiang Ning'an asked skeptically.

"What bullshit God Monarch? He's not fit to compare with me." With that, Fang Can strode straight into the house.

Oh no, I've driven him mad. Guilt surged through Jiang Ning'an. Afraid he might do something dangerous, she followed him into the inner room despite her injuries, prepared to keep an eye on him.

Entering Fang Can's tidy bedroom, she saw him pull a metal box from beneath the bed. He quickly flipped open the lid. Inside were dozens of transparent pills.

"What are those?" Jiang Ning'an wondered, eyeing the crystal-clear pills.

When she looked up, Fang Can had grabbed a handful—at least thirty or forty pills—and was stuffing them straight into his throat.

"You... what are you doing?" Jiang Ning'an's eyes widened. She instinctively tried to stop him, but his feverish gaze silenced her.

After swallowing a handful of little white pills, Fang Can felt a sense of danger unlike anything he'd ever experienced. Yet he shook his head. "It's... it's not enough. I need to go further."

With that, Fang Can turned to Jiang Ning'an and ordered, "You... break all four of my limbs right now... No, leave me one hand so I can ask the school for leave."

"You... what?" Jiang Ning'an would never agree to that. Looking at Fang Can, who seemed completely insane, she spoke softly for the first time. "Calm down. Don't let yourself go astray."

"Calm down? I've been perfectly calm," Fang Can said honestly.

Seeing the woman hesitate, Fang Can knew she wouldn't help him. He simply walked into the living room and, under Jiang Ning'an's worried gaze, picked up a solid-wood baseball bat.

"If you don't want me to report you to the authorities, you'd better stand aside and watch. Don't interfere." Fang Can raised the baseball bat.

"You're threatening me? Could it be..." Jiang Ning'an stopped mid-sentence, because she saw Fang Can swing the bat hard at his own leg.

"Crack!" With a sharp snap, the wooden bat and Fang Can's right leg broke at the same time.

"Y-you..." Jiang Ning'an stared at Fang Can, so shocked she could barely speak.

She had no idea what he was trying to do. This guy was definitely crazy! Yes, he had to be crazy!

Fang Can paid no attention to Jiang Ning'an. Looking at his broken right leg, he nodded. "Good. That's how it should be."

Then, without sparing the woman another glance, he went back into the bedroom. After telling her not to disturb him, he slammed the door shut and locked it.

Just as he'd said, he was done practicing the Tiger Fiend Eighty-Eight Grotto-Heavens. If martial arts were Idealist Martial Dao, why should he be bound by common sense?

For the Idealist Martial Dao, the greatest common sense was having no common sense!

If so, why not create his own cultivation method?