Condensing Qi, Tempering the Body

Yet no matter how hard they tried, they could not understand why Qin Yan, such a promising talent with exceptional Spear Technique aptitude, had chosen to become the disciple of an Alchemy Grandmaster.

However, now that it was a done deal, there was nothing more they could say.

Everyone had their own choice.

Instructor Luo Cheng watched Qin Yan's departing figure, his brow slightly furrowed and his heart equally full of confusion. "Could it be... that besides Spear Technique, this Qin Yan also has some hidden talent in alchemy?"

But the thought passed in an instant, and he quickly stopped dwelling on it.

A non-Martial Artist genius who had already made his choice—and chosen such an unconventional martial path—was no longer worth much attention from a Sixth Grade Spear Technique expert like him.

What Magic Martial University lacked least was geniuses.

After the mentors finished assigning disciples, it was time to assign classes.

The main purpose of class assignments was to facilitate unified instruction in theoretical courses.

After all, mentors were mainly responsible for personalized cultivation guidance and answering questions. If they had to teach even basic theory one-on-one, they would probably be worked to death.

The nearly one thousand freshmen were divided into twenty classes, with around fifty students in each class on average.

The primary basis for class assignment was one's current martial realm and overall potential assessment.

Martial Artists and non-Martial Artists were taught separately, receiving different theoretical instruction.

Although Qin Yan's performance in the Freshman Trial had been astonishing, his status as a non-Martial Artist was an undeniable weakness. In the end, he was assigned to Class 3.

Classes 1 and 2 contained nearly all the Martial Artists among the freshmen.

From Class 3 onward, the classes mainly taught non-Martial Artist students, with slight distinctions based on potential and trial performance.

Once all the procedures had concluded, the mentors led their newly accepted students away from the Arena one after another.

"Youyou," Xiao Huo instructed Lu Youyou, "go back and rest first. I'll send your upcoming alchemy practice plan and your recent cultivation arrangements to your Personal Terminal shortly."

"Okay, okay, got it, Teacher!"

Lu Youyou nodded obediently.

Then, like a happy little bird, she ran over to Xiao Wangshu, who was standing quietly to the side.

The two girls spoke softly for a few moments before leaving the Arena together.

"Qin Yan, come with me."

Xiao Huo turned to Qin Yan and said.

"Yes, Teacher."

Qin Yan answered and followed closely behind Xiao Huo.

Master and disciple walked one behind the other through the broad campus of Magic Capital Martial University.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, they arrived at an academy district with a tranquil environment and an antiquated architectural style.

At the entrance stood an enormous plaque, upon which two large characters were written in sweeping strokes—"Sixth Academy."

After entering the Sixth Academy, Qin Yan found that the scene within was somewhat different from what he had imagined.

There were not many high-rise buildings here. Instead, it resembled a collection of independent courtyards and specialized areas.

The entire academy district was divided into several zones: the Alchemy Zone, Artifact Forging Zone, Array Formation Zone... each with its own distinct architectural style.

Some students wearing the Sixth Academy's distinctive uniforms passed them along the way.

Upon seeing Xiao Huo, they all stopped and respectfully greeted him. "Hello, Instructor Xiao Huo!"

It was clear that Xiao Huo held an extremely high status within the Sixth Academy and was deeply respected by the students.

As the two passed through the Alchemy Zone, Qin Yan heard voices coming from the various Alchemy Chambers:

"I did it! I finally refined a Third Grade Blood Qi Pill!"

"Hahaha! I successfully refined a Third Grade pill! Tomorrow, I'm going to take the Third Grade Alchemist examination!"

"Bang!" "It failed again... This is already the seventh batch..."

There were cheers from successful refinements, sighs after failures, and the thunderous blasts of exploding pill furnaces.

The air was filled with the fragrance of all kinds of medicinal herbs, occasionally mixed with the burnt smell of scorched ingredients.

"This is the public alchemy area," Xiao Huo explained. "Students can practice basic alchemy here. Once you begin learning alchemy, you'll start here as well."

As they continued onward, the surroundings gradually grew quieter.

The Alchemy Chambers here were clearly more refined, with intricate array patterns carved into every door.

"This area is reserved for mentors." Xiao Huo stopped before an ancient wooden door. "Every mentor has their own private Alchemy Chamber and laboratory."

The door opened automatically, and Qin Yan followed Xiao Huo inside.

The room's furnishings were unexpectedly simple and antiquated, a stark contrast to the futuristic campus outside.

In the center of the room stood a dark-red pill furnace about half a man's height.

Its body was carved with intricate flame-and-cloud patterns. Resting on three legs, it exuded an ancient, weighty aura.

Its lid was tightly shut, yet it faintly radiated warmth and a light medicinal fragrance.

The entire room was suffused with a peculiar fresh scent blended from many herbs, refreshing the mind with every breath.

"This is my exclusive Pill Chamber and resting place at the Sixth Academy."

Xiao Huo casually gestured around the room. "If you have any questions about cultivation or the Alchemy Path in the future, you can come find me here.

"I've already granted you access to the Sixth Academy and temporary access to this room through the system."

"Thank you, Teacher."

Qin Yan said gratefully.

"Mm." Xiao Huo nodded, his expression turning serious. "Now, I'll explain in detail how to break through and become a Martial Artist.

"This is the most urgent matter before you."

Qin Yan immediately composed himself and listened with complete focus.

He knew this would be a crucial lesson on his Martial Path.

"Becoming a Martial Artist isn't all that complicated in principle."

Xiao Huo's voice was steady and clear. "First, there are the physical prerequisites. Your Blood Qi value must reach 99 Cal, the limit for ordinary people.

"You already meet that requirement."

"Second—and this is the critical step—you need to learn a Body Tempering Martial Art and use it to highly compress the Blood Qi within your body, forming a strand of 'qi.'"

Xiao Huo raised his right hand, palm up. The Blood Qi around his body stirred slightly, and an invisible yet distinctly perceptible energy rapidly gathered in his palm.

It eventually formed a pale-red current of qi, slowly swirling and dancing above his hand.

"Look carefully. This is 'qi'!

"It is the essence of a Martial Artist's life, and the source of a Martial Artist's power!"

"To break through and become a Martial Artist, you must use this qi to temper the flesh throughout your body.

"Once you have tempered all the flesh of your body, you will officially enter the realm of a First-Rank Martial Artist."

Xiao Huo's tone grew grave. "However, I must remind you that guiding qi through your entire body for the first time is extremely dangerous!

"This balance is very difficult to control.

"If the qi is too weak, the tempering effect will be poor, and you'll get half the result for twice the effort;

"If the qi is excessive, it can easily damage your meridians or even tear your flesh, causing hidden injuries that may be impossible to heal.

"In severe cases, it could directly ruin your future on the Martial Path!"

"Therefore," he warned solemnly, "when attempting a breakthrough for the first time, you must do so under the supervision of an experienced mid-rank Martial Artist instructor!

"With an instructor at your side, not only can they guide you in controlling the rhythm and intensity of the tempering in real time, but they can also forcibly intervene if you show signs of losing control.

"They can regulate your chaotic Blood Qi, protect your life, and prevent damage to your foundation."

Although Xiao Huo had the character "fire" in his name, and his personality could be rather straightforward in certain respects, when teaching students, he displayed tremendous patience and meticulousness, explaining every key point and risk of breaking through to become a Martial Artist with complete clarity.

By this point, many of Qin Yan's doubts had suddenly been cleared away.

He finally gained a clear and complete understanding of how to become a Martial Artist. So the key was "condensing qi to temper the body"!

"Considering that your Spear Technique has already reached the third stage,"

Xiao Huo continued his analysis, "this means your control over strength and understanding of your own body far surpass those of your peers."

"Therefore, choosing a spear-based Body Tempering Martial Art would be more suitable for you.

"It would be easier to get started with, easier to comprehend, and would often produce better tempering results."