Teaching the Spirit Arts

Qi Ruming stared at the huge fish, his mouth hanging wide open.

This was the Red Spirit Fish he had been longing for.

The waters of this deep pool were frigid, harming not only the body but also the soul.

Even if a cultivator entered, they would suffer damage.

Yet the spirit fish inside were unafraid.

So eating them brought tremendous benefits to cultivators.

Most importantly, this type of spirit fish was delicious—even boiled in plain water, it would make your teeth tingle with flavor.

Watching the big fish flung onto the shore, Qi Ruming finally snapped out of it. He dashed over in a single stride and hugged it to his chest.

Slap, slap, slap...

Even as the big fish whipped his face left and right with its tail, he burst into loud laughter.

Lin Chen shook his head slightly. "It's just a fish. Is it really worth that?"

He continued baiting the hook and casting the line.

This time it was even faster—before the float had even settled, it plunged straight underwater.

"This bite is too fierce!"

Lin Chen channeled strength into both arms and yanked hard.

Whizz, whizz, whizz...

The fishing line went taut, letting out a sharp whistling sound as it cut through the air.

"This one's even bigger!"

Judging by the pull transmitted through the rod, Lin Chen immediately gauged the fish's size.

Fortunately, this rod was a Magic Artifact forged by Qi Ruming.

Otherwise, it would have snapped long ago.

Lin Chen circulated his spiritual power, slowly infusing it into the rod to enhance its toughness and elasticity.

"Up!"

A black fish twisted its body as it was flung onto the shore.

"Heavens! That's a Black Bream King—Lin Chen, be careful not to get pricked by it!"

Qi Ruming shouted, grabbed the nearby net, and slammed it down over the Black Bream King, hurling it hard onto the bank.

Thump... crack...

The Black Bream King struggled violently, even shattering the stones on the ground.

Lin Chen flicked the rod, and with a sharp crack, he struck it on the head, finally calming it down.

"Heavens! The Black Bream King—I've been trying to catch it for two years and never managed, and today it came up this easily, haha..."

Qi Ruming held the Red Spirit Fish in his left arm and the Black Bream King in his right, grinning so wide he couldn't close his mouth.

"Third Senior Brother, let's head back. Two fish are enough for us to eat."

"Haha... Lin Chen, you take the Red Spirit Fish back first. I'll take the Black Bream King for a stroll."

Lin Chen understood fishermen all too well—this was standard behavior.

He immediately nodded in agreement.

"If he doesn't wander around for two hours, it'd be a waste of that big fish."

The two parted ways. Lin Chen picked up the rod again and caught a few more big fish.

Only then did he return to the mountaintop.

He put away the fishing gear and began cleaning the spirit fish.

Half an hour later, a full fish feast emerged, fragrant and steaming.

This aroma, compared to meat, was lighter, sweeter, and more appetizing.

Soon, the master and two disciples arrived on time, with only Qi Ruming missing.

"Where's Third?" Zhao Qingshan asked, puzzled.

That guy was usually the most eager to eat—how could he be late today?

"He probably won't be back until evening..." Lin Chen smiled and recounted the earlier fishing story.

Everyone burst into laughter.

The meal left everyone full of praise.

The taste of the spirit fish was simply incredible.

After eating, Zhao Qingshan called Lin Chen over and said, "Lin Chen, your Devouring Talent is certainly formidable, but don't be greedy for quick gains and rush ahead recklessly."

"Sect Leader, this disciple understands." Lin Chen nodded.

He had tasted the bitter fruit of that this morning.

Even now, he still hadn't fully mastered this surge of power.

Just look at the finger indentations on those pots, bowls, and pans.

What kind of decent person could dent a magic artifact like that?

Fortunately, these materials were special; after a while, the marks would all recover.

"Mm, for now, familiarize yourself with your current strength. Only when you can fully control it may you continue advancing."

Ahem!

At this point, Zhao Qingshan cleared his throat lightly. "How is your cultivation of the Soul Forging Art coming along? If there's anything you don't understand, just speak up."

Lin Chen knew that Zhao Qingshan was testing him.

Since he had already boasted about his heaven-defying comprehension, there was no need to hold back.

In front of outsiders, he might still need to keep a low profile.

But before the leader of the sect, there was no need at all.

Through his observations these past days, he trusted everyone on Sect Leader Peak.

So he pretended to ponder, and after a few breaths, finally spoke.

"I carefully read the Sect Leader's annotations and studied the entire Soul Forging Art, but no matter how I tried to comprehend it, I always felt like I was in a fog—unable to touch the sky above or the ground below..."

Hearing this answer, Zhao Qingshan nodded slightly.

To be honest, he felt the same way.

But for Lin Chen to voice this showed just how astonishing his comprehension truly was.

Truth be told, although he knew this Soul Forging Art wasn't the complete version, he had no idea what part was missing.

Actually, Lin Chen could answer that question.

Because he had already used the system to complete all three volumes—upper, middle, and lower—of the Soul Forging Art.

The reason Zhao Qingshan had succeeded in cultivating just the middle volume was entirely due to his cultivation level.

He had already opened his Sea of Consciousness.

That step was exactly what the upper volume taught.

In other words, the step Lin Chen had completed.

The reason Zhao Qingshan felt that further cultivation was difficult and made no progress was simply because he lacked the lower volume.

Moreover, the complete Soul Forging Art wasn't just a high-grade Spirit-rank technique.

It was a top-grade Profound-rank technique, one that could even rival Earth-rank soul cultivation techniques.

Zhao Qingshan frowned deeply, lost in thought.

His spiritual intuition had long been awakened, and he immediately grasped Lin Chen's meaning, asking urgently.

"Are you saying this technique is incomplete?"

Lin Chen nodded. "Sect Leader, this disciple doesn't know if he's right, but the Soul Forging Art should have three volumes—upper, middle, and lower. This one is just the middle volume."

What?

Zhao Qingshan's face was full of shock. "Tell me your reasoning."

"Sect Leader."

Lin Chen said, "Have you ever wondered why you were able to cultivate it?"

"Because my cultivation was sufficient, and I had already opened my Sea of Consciousness ahead of time?" Zhao Qingshan answered, guided by the question.

Lin Chen cupped his fists. "Correct. So I suspect that the foundation of the middle volume is precisely that—opening the Sea of Consciousness before one can cultivate it. The upper volume naturally teaches cultivators how to open the Sea of Consciousness..."

"No!" Zhao Qingshan retorted. "The Sea of Consciousness opens naturally as one's realm advances; there's no need to..."

He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly stunned, then looked at Lin Chen with shock.

"You're saying the upper volume of this technique allows cultivators to open their Sea of Consciousness early?"

Lin Chen nodded slightly.

In truth, this question no longer needed his answer.

Zhao Qingshan had once delved deeply into cultivating the Soul Forging Art; he knew everything about it inside and out.

He had simply been trapped within it, with no one to guide him out.

Now, Lin Chen's words had instantly pulled him out of that cage.

After reviewing his past cultivation process, he suddenly understood.

The more Zhao Qingshan thought about it, the more excited he became. "I don't dare to think about the lower volume. If I can truly deduce the upper volume, it will elevate the Soul Forging Art to a Profound-grade technique and make it a true legacy."

Lin Chen watched Zhao Qingshan's excited demeanor, and his own thoughts shifted.

Originally, he had planned to present all three complete volumes of the Soul Forging Art.

But now it seemed there was no need—he only had to offer a portion of the upper volume.

This way, it would confirm his heaven-defying comprehension without going too far.

After all, his cultivation level was right there!

Many matters related to cultivation simply couldn't be explained.

Even so, this would help the Sect Leader solve his urgent problem.

That settled it—the two could discuss and deepen their master-disciple bond, while also using Zhao Qingshan's wisdom to gain experience.

Decision made.

Lin Chen clasped his fists again. "Sect Leader, I've summarized some insights from my cultivation. I'm not sure if they're right or wrong. Please correct me..."

Then, Lin Chen picked and chose key points from the upper volume to explain.

As for the finer details, they could be filled in with time and careful thought.

Listening to his exposition, Zhao Qingshan's expression grew increasingly serious. Even the other three senior brothers and sisters quietly drew near.

They had all cultivated this technique, and now, hearing Lin Chen's explanation, some of the obscure and difficult parts gradually became clear.

For a time, the master and four disciples were all immersed in it.

Lin Chen spoke eloquently, as if he were preaching the Dao.

Through this narration, Lin Chen himself achieved an elevation.

His comprehension of the Soul Forging Art deepened.

Zhao Qingshan frequently asked questions, each one hitting the key points.

Lin Chen answered some and pretended not to know others.

This discussion lasted an entire day and night.

When they finally came back to their senses, dawn had broken.

All four were brimming with energy.

Zhao Qingshan was especially overjoyed. "I'll go back and organize this right away. If we can crack the upper volume, it will greatly benefit the Green Mountain Sect."

With that, he looked at Lin Chen. "Lin Chen, if this succeeds, the credit belongs to you. I'll reward you with a large number of Spirit Stones."

"Master, Senior Brother, Second Senior Sister, Lin Chen, what are you all doing?"

Just then, Qi Ruming, carrying the Black Bream King on his back, walked up the mountain peak.

Who would have thought he'd been wandering outside for an entire day and night?

Was the fish already rotten?

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