Seven Orifices

"Cultivate."

Having recovered his strength, Jiang Chen did not get drawn into the heated discussions at the Martial Arts Hall and continued to focus on his fist techniques.

Other Inner Courtyard disciples could prepare for the Martial Exam in the coming years.

But he could not.

He had to pass this year's Martial Exam, and he needed to rank highly.

If he could top the Martial Exam, that would be even better.

There was no other way.

He only possessed ordinary aptitude; to receive attention, he had to show his edge.

Outside the Martial Arts Hall, with the arrival of the True Sun Sect envoy, the entire Prefecture City was in an uproar.

Whether it was the bustling main streets or the quiet alleys, everyone was buzzing with discussion.

Everyone was talking about the year-end Martial Exam and the future shifts in the Prefecture City's landscape.

Amidst this clamor and commotion, a few more days passed.

"Senior Brother Sun, more newcomers have come to test their aptitude."

In the morning, a disciple arrived to report to Sun Wu.

Ever since the news from the City Guard spread, every major Martial Arts Hall in the Prefecture City had been bustling with activity, with a large number of youths of appropriate age coming daily to test their aptitude.

Anyone who possessed martial aptitude, regardless of quality, would be admitted into the Martial Arts Hall.

Faced with an opportunity that could change their destiny, everyone wanted to give it their all.

"I know."

Sun Wu nodded and headed toward the main gate of the Martial Arts Hall.

About half an hour later, several plainly dressed youths followed behind Sun Wu, heading toward the Inner Courtyard to register.

For those coming to seek apprenticeship, as long as they had martial aptitude, the Martial Arts Hall would not turn them away.

After all, taking in one more disciple meant one more source of income.

If one or two geniuses happened to emerge from those disciples, they would strike it rich.

"Hoo!"

At noon, Jiang Chen, drenched in sweat, finished his morning cultivation.

[Cultivation: Second Qi and Blood Gate · Late Stage (72%)]

On the Myriad Dao Chart, his cultivation progress was more than halfway complete.

In another two days, he would be able to attempt the breakthrough to the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

Splash.

Arriving at the stone well under the shade of a tree, Jiang Chen drew a bucket of cool well water and poured it over his head, feeling completely refreshed.

"Jiang Chen, has the Zheng Clan been looking for you lately?"

Luo Yang, also drenched in sweat, finished his training and came over to the stone well.

"The Zheng Clan? No, why?"

Jiang Chen's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm as he handed the wooden bucket to Luo Yang.

"The Zheng Clan has been secretly contacting Martial Arts Hall disciples these past few days."

Luo Yang said while drawing water.

"What are they contacting Martial Arts Hall disciples for?"

Had the Zheng Clan discovered something?

"They are inquiring whether Zheng Hao and the others had any grudges with anyone before they died."

Luo Yang was very well-informed.

"What do you mean? Does the Zheng Clan suspect that Zheng Hao and the others were killed by a Martial Arts Hall disciple?"

This situation was truly beyond Jiang Chen's expectations.

The people died in a dark alley, yet the Zheng Clan was investigating the Martial Arts Hall?

Could it be that he had left some flaw behind?

No.

If he had left a flaw, the Zheng Clan would not be alerting the enemy like this.

They were likely just suspicious!

"Who knows? But if the Zheng Clan comes looking for you, it's best not to say anything."

Luo Yang put down the bucket, reminding Jiang Chen.

The Zheng Clan was secretly digging for information, so they must have some suspicions.

If the culprit truly belonged to the Martial Arts Hall, it could only be an Inner Courtyard disciple.

Either an elite disciple at the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

Or a core disciple at the True Martial Realm.

Regardless of which, they were not people to be offended; it was better to keep their mouths shut.

"Hmm."

Jiang Chen nodded, though his mind was already turning.

The Zheng Clan was a hidden danger.

And since it was a danger, it had to be eradicated, or it would inevitably blow up sooner or later.

Fortunately, the mole within his home had already been caught.

For the time being, the Zheng Clan would not be able to trace anything back to him.

Just like that, two days passed.

That evening.

Thump!

As Jiang Chen practiced his fist techniques, a familiar, ethereal sound echoed in his mind.

[Cultivation: Second Qi and Blood Gate · Perfection]

Focusing his mind inward, he confirmed that his cultivation column had indeed reached perfection.

"My five internal organs have undergone a transformation!"

With the realm perfected, Jiang Chen clearly felt that his five internal organs had grown significantly stronger.

His heart was steady and powerful.

His lungs breathed long and deep.

His spleen was full and robust.

His liver's energy flow was unobstructed.

His kidneys were dense and nourishing to his essence...

Consequently, his physique had become lighter, as if the impurities in his body had been purged.

"Senior Brother Sun."

Immediately, Jiang Chen left the training grounds and found Sun Wu.

"The Second Qi and Blood Gate is perfected?!"

Upon hearing Jiang Chen's words, Sun Wu could not help but be stunned.

If he remembered correctly, Jiang Chen had only stepped into the Second Qi and Blood Gate twenty days ago, right?

In a mere twenty days, he had cultivated the Second Qi and Blood Gate to perfection?

Since when had the refinement of the five internal organs' essence become so easy?

"This is all thanks to Senior Brother's high-quality Five Elements Pill."

Seeing Sun Wu's reaction, Jiang Chen's smile widened.

This was exactly it; the more talent he displayed, the more importance he would be granted.

"High-quality Five Elements Pill, the medicinal potency is indeed stronger than ordinary Five Elements Pill, but it shouldn't be this much stronger..."

Sun Wu regained his composure, looking Jiang Chen up and down as if he were a monster.

If he hadn't personally tested Jiang Chen's aptitude a few days ago, he would have suspected that Jiang Chen possessed medium aptitude.

He had never seen anyone with ordinary aptitude possess such a rapid cultivation speed.

"Although my aptitude is ordinary, my constitution is quite good; I can absorb one pill's worth of medicinal potency a day."

Jiang Chen provided a very reasonable explanation.

The refinement of the five internal organs' essence depended on the quality of one's aptitude.

However, the speed of absorbing medicinal potency depended on the strength of one's constitution.

And the faster the medicinal potency was absorbed, the faster the refinement of the five internal organs' essence would be.

An outstanding constitution, combined with the insight from his Dao diagram, was the reason for such extraordinary speed.

"A good constitution?"

Regarding this seemingly reasonable explanation from Jiang Chen, Sun Wu was not entirely convinced.

In the history of the Martial Arts Hall, there had been no shortage of disciples with good constitutions, but none had possessed a cultivation speed like Jiang Chen's.

In other words, there had to be other factors contributing to Jiang Chen's rapid progress.

Of course, he did not press the matter further.

Everyone has their own secrets.

As long as Jiang Chen did not consume forbidden drugs, the faster his cultivation progressed, the happier Sun Wu would be.

After all, Jiang Chen was a talent he had discovered himself, and could be considered part of his own lineage.

"Since you have reached perfection at the Second Qi and Blood Gate, it is time to practice a breathing method."

Thinking of this, Sun Wu took a scroll from his person.

As the scroll opened, nine diagrams of the human body were revealed, with five characters written on the left:

White Ape Breathing Method!

"The First Qi and Blood Gate is about stimulating primordial energy."

"The Second Qi and Blood Gate is about refining the essence of the five internal organs."

"The Three Qi and Blood Gates, meanwhile, involve breaking through the seven orifices to fuse with innate qi!"

Sun Wu explained the cultivation of the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

The so-called innate qi refers to the primordial clear qi nurtured within the mother's womb.

This primordial clear qi is true and pure, representing the most fundamental energy between heaven and earth.

However, for most people, this primordial clear qi dissipates after they begin inhaling the turbid qi of the postnatal world.

But those with martial arts aptitude are able to seal this primordial clear qi within their seven orifices.

To fuse with the innate qi, one must use a special breathing method to guide their martial arts qi and blood to break through the seven orifices one by one.

This process is extremely difficult and equally dangerous.

The slightest carelessness could lead to disability or even death!

Once crossed, however, one can break through the mysterious barrier and undergo a complete transformation.

This is why only those who have stepped into the Three Qi and Blood Gates are qualified to enter the Inner Courtyard.

This is a watershed moment!

The gap in talent is drastically amplified at this stage.

Those with good aptitude can break through the seven orifices with ease.

For those with poor aptitude, the time required is impossible to predict.

For instance, Zheng Hao and the others who were killed had not stepped into the Three Qi and Blood Gates even after two or three years.

"There are a total of eighty-one breathing rhythms."

Jiang Chen took the scroll and observed it carefully.

Each of the nine human body diagrams on the scroll contained nine breathing variations.

Taken as a complete set, that amounted to eighty-one breathing rhythms.

The level of complexity far exceeded that of the White Ape Fist!