The Ten Realms of Martial Arts

Chen Fan was even more surprised. He did know Li Linliu, but clearly not in the sense Bao Tianyou meant.

Seeing Chen Fan's curious expression, Bao Tianyou cleared his throat. "Li Linliu is the acting master of our Flying Spirit County White Cloud Martial Academy and the junior brother of the head master. Though only twenty-five or twenty-six, he is considered the strongest among Flying Spirit County's younger generation. He has already reached the sixth realm of martial arts and is known as one of Clear River Commandery's ten greatest young experts!"

There was a lot to unpack in Bao Tianyou's words.

Li Linliu being the strongest among Flying Spirit County's younger generation at such a young age was one thing, but extending that claim to the entire commandery was truly astonishing.

A commandery in the Great Gan Empire was roughly equivalent to a province-level administrative region from Chen Fan's previous life.

The whole of Clear River Commandery had nearly a hundred counties and over a dozen major cities.

To be called one of the ten greatest young experts across such a vast area naturally meant he was extraordinarily formidable!

Yet hearing Bao Tianyou say that Li Linliu was the head master's junior brother made Chen Fan feel strangely puzzled.

He clearly remembered Li Linliu's appearance: red lips and white teeth.

He was plainly a man dressed as a woman.

Could these people truly not tell?

Or was Li Linliu simply an exceptionally handsome man, like those pretty-boy celebrities from Chen Fan's previous life?

Even Chen Fan could not be certain now.

Suppressing his curiosity, he asked, "And what exactly is the sixth realm of martial arts...?"

Chen Fan recalled the man named Yuan Kuanglin whom he had encountered that day. Even while gravely wounded, Yuan Kuanglin had slaughtered people as easily as chickens, killing twenty or thirty people. They had not even been able to escape!

So Li Linliu was on the same level as Yuan Kuanglin!

Bao Tianyou pondered for a moment before saying, "According to the rules of our White Cloud Martial Academy, we are not permitted to reveal knowledge of the higher stages of martial arts to trainees in the strength-training stage. But Chen Fan, your talent is exceptional. You are different from ordinary people, so I'll explain it to you."

Chen Fan nodded. Only then did he understand why Feng Cong had not gone into detail about the divisions of martial arts with trainees like them.

Clearly, it was to keep them from aiming too high.

Bao Tianyou explained slowly:

"Once one has mastered the foundational martial arts and comprehended inner breath, one has truly entered the path of martial arts. The better the strength-training manual one cultivates, the more solid one's foundation naturally becomes. Thus, truly talented disciples will restrain themselves and even spend several extra years cultivating foundational techniques to strengthen that foundation."

Chen Fan nodded. He already knew this information. "What comes after that?"

"Once one has comprehended inner breath, one can generally pass the martial academy's examination and become an outer disciple. This stage is also called that of an inner-breath martial artist. It is the stage where the greatest divide emerges. Some cultivate first-grade strength-training manuals, some second-grade, and some third-grade. The difference in strength is tremendous!"

Bao Tianyou took a sip of tea and continued his explanation at an unhurried pace:

"After cultivating inner breath, one can choose a true art corresponding to that inner breath and begin internal cultivation. By continuously strengthening one's true essence and tempering one's body, one begins the path of martial cultivation..."

True art?

Internal cultivation?

"So that was how it worked."

Hearing this, Chen Fan's face showed understanding.

Bao Tianyou continued introducing the stages to Chen Fan:

"There are ten steps in martial arts, each step a different heaven. In the first realm, inner breath transforms into true essence, with no increase in strength. In the second realm, one tempers the flesh; true essence grows and permeates the body. In the third realm, one tempers the organs and refines the five viscera and six bowels. In the fourth realm, one transforms the tendons. In the fifth realm, one tempers the bones. In the sixth realm, the body is fused into one whole, completing the body's minor circulation!"

As he spoke, Bao Tianyou sighed, his face full of yearning.

"That Li Linliu is only in his early twenties, yet he already possesses sixth-realm martial arts strength and has completed bodily tempering! He is only one step away from the seventh realm, the master level! You must know... even the heads of Flying Spirit County's great clans may not have reached the sixth realm, and they are generally already over forty. They have almost no hope of further breakthroughs in the future..."

Chen Fan was deeply astonished. The gap between people could truly be so immense.

Normally, one built one's foundation and tempered one's body before the age of eighteen. Did that not mean Li Linliu had broken through realm after realm in just a few years and reached the sixth realm of martial arts?

"That is the effect of talent and foundation."

Seeing Chen Fan's reaction, Bao Tianyou smiled faintly.

"Do you know that although the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm is powerful, Flying Spirit County also has manuals whose effects are no weaker than the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm? Yet why is this technique alone called Flying Spirit County's number one strength-training manual?"

Chen Fan shook his head.

Bao Tianyou sighed, his eyes full of regret.

"Cultivating the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm not only solidifies one's foundation and greatly strengthens one's vitality and blood, but afterward, one can also cultivate the White Cloud Martial Academy's true core manual, the White Cloud True Art. It is a cultivation manual that points directly toward the ultimate tenth realm of martial arts, more formidable than the true art manuals of every clan in Flying Spirit County. Unfortunately..."

"Unfortunately, its entry-level technique is too difficult. Out of a hundred people, it is hard for even one to gain anything from it. And once one grows too old, one passes the optimal period for martial cultivation. Eighteen is the cutoff... Usually, three months is the limit. Based on one's estimated cultivation progress, ninety-nine percent of people will give up."

Judging from the despondency in Bao Tianyou's tone, he presumably had not managed to cultivate the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm either!

The Black Cloud Class was already an elite class, filled with children of wealthy families.

In the entire Black Cloud Class, only five people had not been urged to withdraw within half a month. Aside from He Hongshan, the others merely had a certain chance of succeeding before turning eighteen.

And once three months had passed, Wang Mian, Lin Mo, and the others might still be urged to withdraw.

In ordinary classes, a whole class might not even have a single person with cultivation talent!

Chen Fan could not help asking, "Li Linliu... is he also a disciple from one of Flying Spirit County's great clans?"

Bao Tianyou's expression turned strange. "Actually... it would be more accurate to say that Li Linliu is from Yan Capital City. He is nominally the acting master of Flying Spirit County's White Cloud Martial Academy, but nine times out of ten, he stays at the White Cloud Headquarters in Yan Capital City. He only comes here occasionally."

Yan Capital City was Clear River Commandery's second-largest city.

Flying Spirit County fell under Yan Capital City's jurisdiction.

Chen Fan understood once more. No wonder the He Clan members had not recognized Li Linliu on the street that day and had immediately backed down upon hearing his name.

Strictly speaking, Li Linliu could not even be considered a native of Flying Spirit County!

Chen Fan recalled Bao Tianyou's earlier claim that Li Linliu was Flying Spirit County's strongest member of the younger generation.

He laughed inwardly.

That was probably something the people of Flying Spirit County had coined to make themselves look good...

Understanding dawned on him. I've been at the martial academy for so long, yet I never asked. So Li Linliu is the master here. Too bad he rarely comes by, and I'm only an outer disciple, so I have no way to build a connection with him...

Chen Fan had finally cleared away the haze clouding his future path and gained a true understanding of Li Linliu's strength, the man he regarded as his goal. His resolve became even firmer.

Not only would he cultivate the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm and the White Cloud True Art, he would also take advantage of the present to cultivate as many strength-training manuals as possible and make his foundation incomparably solid!

Thus, he did not chat with Bao Tianyou for long. He took his leave and departed Jiangshan Tower.

Watching Chen Fan leave,

Bao Tianyou relaxed his brow. "That kid really doesn't have any special relationship with Hongshan..."

"What a starving ghost reincarnated!" A wealthy disciple beside Bao Tianyou watched Chen Fan leave, then could not help saying to Bao Tianyou, "That kid may have the talent to cultivate the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm, but it does not seem particularly outstanding. He will most likely fail in the future. Was he really worth you personally trying to win him over, Brother Tianyou, and even treating him to a meal at Jiangshan Tower?"

To them, seven or eight taels of silver was not much, but neither could they afford to spend that much every meal.

The food at Jiangshan Tower was not merely delicious.

Many of its ingredients underwent special preparation and had certain benefits for nourishing one's vitality and blood.

Even they would not casually come here unless there was some special reason!

Bao Tianyou smiled and shook his head.

"My senses are unusually sharp. When I happened to meet that kid the other day, I noticed that his vitality and blood were exceptionally abundant and that his body was extraordinary... Even if he fails to cultivate the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm, becoming a martial artist will not be difficult for him."

"If he truly does cultivate the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm and is accepted by the main headquarters, then winning him over in advance will naturally bring great returns! Even if he fails, a martial artist with decent talent is still worth having as a friend."

With that, Bao Tianyou yawned and rose to his feet. "Invite that kid whenever we gather or eat in the future. It's only one more pair of chopsticks..."

Why not do a business deal that guaranteed profit without loss?