Enlightenment to Perfection

He put away the lunchbox and wiped the table clean.

Li Yuan's room had only one table, used for both meals and work.

He took out his cultivation manuals and began studying them again.

Li Yuan currently practiced four main sets of techniques.

First was the basic cultivation method, the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique."

The "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" was divided into two parts: a breathing method and a body-tempering art.

Basic cultivation methods could not directly grant a martial artist practical combat ability, but they were the foundation for a martial artist's advancement.

Tempering the body and raising one's Martial Dao realm both depended on the aid of basic cultivation methods.

After taking nutrient fluid, martial artists also needed cultivation methods to convert its nutrition into something their bodies could use.

A basic cultivation method was like a person's ability to digest food after eating.

The "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" was the most widely used basic cultivation method in the Xia Kingdom.

It was simple and easy to learn. Not only middle school students, but even fourth- and fifth-grade elementary school students were already familiar with it.

Yet today, Li Yuan needed to study even this most basic cultivation method again.

Half an hour passed.

Unfortunately, after gaining the [Mind Enlightenment] Talent, rereading the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" did not yield much.

This basic cultivation method, the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique," was not much help in improving comprehension or insight either.

He had long since understood everything he was supposed to understand.

With that thought, Li Yuan took out the analysis guide for the "Cloud Extreme Fist."

This analysis guide was difficult enough that reading it always felt somewhat agonizing.

He read without stopping for three hours and was nearly finished with the rather thick guide.

Li Yuan mentally rehearsed it and felt that he could even try practicing the "Cloud Extreme Fist."

As he ate something and drank water during his break, Li Yuan noticed that three Light Points had appeared beside him, ready to be collected.

Without hesitation, he collected them!

[Experience Points +4]

[Experience Points +3]

[Experience Points +3]

He had picked up ten Experience Points at once, enough to condense another Talent Point.

He closed his eyes and entered his Sea of Consciousness. Below the Light Screen, his Experience Points read [206/200].

With a thought, he activated it: "Talent Point successfully condensed."

Now he had to consider where to allocate the Talent Point.

Among the three branches—"Enlightenment," "Combat," and "Skill"—which one should he invest in at this stage?

Li Yuan judged that the "Enlightenment" branch improved his ability to learn and study.

"Combat," on the other hand, should help with practical application in battle.

His match with Jin Fan would be at the end of next month, so there was still time.

Investing in "Combat" would definitely provide him with considerable help.

But right now, improving his ability to learn and cultivate would bring greater benefits.

With that thought, Li Yuan added the Talent Point to the second Talent under "Enlightenment."

The words within the box lit up: [Enlightenment to Perfection].

"Enlightenment to Perfection: No longer merely understand, but delve deeply into the root, principles, and essence of what one observes."

Li Yuan had prepared himself so that seeing the new Talent would not make him too excited.

Yet despite trying his utmost to suppress it, that surge of excitement still welled up inside him.

After calming himself, Li Yuan casually picked up the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" and flipped through it.

By his previous understanding, one gathered qi through breathing and used it to temper the body.

But as he reread the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique," Li Yuan realized that the key to this cultivation method lay in the words "Dao Yin."

Guide qi into the body, then circulate it through the Zhou Tian cycle.

The "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" did not complete one round of breathing-method cultivation with a single inhalation and exhalation.

Rather, qi was inhaled into the body, traveled throughout the body, and tempered it through the Zhou Tian cycle.

Once proficient, each inhalation could bring several rounds of Zhou Tian tempering!

Cultivating according to this method would be several times more efficient than before.

At that moment, Li Yuan clearly felt the help provided by the [Enlightenment to Perfection] Talent.

Without this Talent, how could he have comprehended this deeper meaning?

After reading through the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" from beginning to end, Li Yuan stopped studying other cultivation methods for the night.

He sat on his bed, turned off the lights, and began cultivating the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" with complete focus.

An hour passed. It was still bright outside the window, and Li Yuan could feel qi traveling through his body.

Two hours passed. Many residents in the complex had turned off their lights to rest, while Li Yuan had already grasped the trick to guiding gathered qi into his body.

Four hours passed. Most residents had turned off their lights, and the entire complex had fallen silent.

Meanwhile, Li Yuan had become proficient in the technique of guiding qi through the Zhou Tian cycle.

The superficial aspects of the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" were easy to grasp.

But once one tried to circulate the qi within the body and temper it through the Zhou Tian cycle, the difficulty surged sharply.

Li Yuan felt that even if many people thought of this, they still would not grasp the key to mastering it.

The profound essence of the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" had not been passed down widely, and this difficulty was part of the reason.

That night, Li Yuan planned to cultivate through the night.

Tomorrow and the day after were the weekend, so he would have time to rest if he got tired.

Once he had fully mastered the basic method, he would make time to review the martial techniques and Movement Art he practiced.

Through that night's cultivation, Li Yuan felt the deeper strength of the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique" even more keenly.

At five in the morning, Li Yuan stopped cultivating the basic method.

Even while he rested, the qi within his body continued to travel through him and temper him.

As the qi passed through every part of his body, every inch received tempering.

After just one night, Li Yuan could clearly feel his physique growing stronger.

If he continued using the "Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique," Li Yuan believed his physique could reach the utmost limit attainable in the Fourth Grade Realm!

The benefits brought by [Enlightenment to Perfection] were truly extraordinary.

He went out to buy breakfast and also bought two bottles of nutrient fluid.

Short on money, Li Yuan could only afford D-grade Nutrient Fluid.

Cultivation consumed resources, and the consumption was far from small. He needed nutrient fluid to replenish himself.

During the day, Li Yuan planned to reread his martial technique manuals and Movement Art.

After taking care of various chores, he had just sat down at the table when a knock sounded at the door.

When he opened it, Li Yuan had not expected the visitor to be Director Ma, Ma Tingde.

He held a pack of beer in one hand and some snacks to go with the drinks in the other.

Li Yuan was quite surprised and did not understand what Director Ma was trying to do.

He invited Director Ma into his small room.

After putting away the cultivation books on the table, the two sat down and drank together.

After only two sips, Li Yuan quickly understood Director Ma's purpose.

He had come again to persuade him to give up the Youth Martial Tournament.

"After a night to calm down, I believe you've already regretted it." Director Ma's tone was actually quite sincere.

Li Yuan was the sort of subordinate leaders liked, and Director Ma did not want him to leave.

At that moment, he felt he had guessed Li Yuan's thoughts correctly.

But in truth, Director Ma's guess was far removed from Li Yuan's actual thoughts.

"Nowadays, the Fierce Beasts along the border are becoming increasingly vicious, and the injury rate among the soldiers stationed there is rising higher and higher.

It's not easy to find a stable job in the city."

As Director Ma spoke, his gaze remained fixed on Li Yuan's expression.

"Write a letter of self-criticism and apologize to the principal on Monday.

After the principal forgives you, go apologize to Jin Fan as well.

What you said yesterday caused Teacher Jin Fan quite a bit of trouble too..."

By this point, Li Yuan could no longer listen.

"Director Ma, my attitude is the same as yesterday. The Youth Martial Tournament qualification should have been mine in the first place.

I truly don't know what I did wrong."

Director Ma frowned even more deeply. "Li Yuan, when did your vision become so short-sighted? Can't you think further ahead?"

Again with thinking further ahead. Li Yuan was sick of hearing it. "Three years ago, at the Martial Artist Trial Gathering on Zhouyang Mountain, you told me to think further ahead, and I gave it up.

A year ago, at the Lingshan Education Competition and the Youth Ranking Competition, you told me to think further ahead and gave the qualifications to someone else again."

Li Yuan looked seriously at Director Ma.

He laid out, piece by piece, the circumstances he had faced in the past.

"Let's not even mention the earlier matters. Director Ma, how much further am I supposed to look?

Should I look as far as after I die of old age?"