A Detailed Explanation of the Martial Path

Inside the council hall, everyone stared wide-eyed at the AK Zhou Ming had manifested from his Blood Qi.

They all began trying to imitate it.

Unfortunately, they captured only its form, not its essence.

After all, this was delicate work. The slightest deviation would not do.

After a while, some continued studying it, while others gave up.

Wang Quan's eyes darted about, his gaze jumping back and forth between the AK and Zhou Ming. No one knew what scheme he was cooking up.

Zhou Ming dared to bring out the AK for them to imitate because he had confidence. Even he, someone who had truly disassembled and used one, had spent an entire night putting it together.

If it could be learned so easily, then wouldn't the word "technology" be a complete joke?

And this was already a simplified version. It did not even have a rotating bolt. If he added one, along with a firing pin, then with that structure and those principles, even if he took it apart for them to inspect, they still would not understand it.

Zhou Ming sat quietly in the council hall.

Time slowly passed. Just as a faint red glow appeared on the horizon, Wu Escort Leader, who had gone in pursuit, returned.

"Old Wu, where's the person?"

"Haha, no way. A Seventh-Rank Martial Artist made a move and still couldn't catch them?"

"More than that. I heard Escort Master Zhou said that person was injured too."

"No way, Wu Escort Leader. You still didn't bring them back?"

The moment Wu Escort Leader entered, several teasing remarks greeted him. He ignored the other escorts' jokes.

He looked at the AK sitting on the table, his brow tightly furrowed.

Among everyone present, only he had truly witnessed the terror of this weapon.

He had seen Blood Qi Manifestation take the form of bows and crossbows.

But their attack range and killing power were hard limitations.

The weapon before him, however, was different. He had seen its speed and power firsthand.

Wang Quan stepped forward and asked, "Wu Quan, stop keeping us in suspense. If you want to look at this thing, you can have the kid Zhou make one for you anytime. Tell us what happened first."

"Yes, business first. The chief escort was absent, yet someone infiltrated our Dragon Soaring Escort Agency without any of us noticing."

"Luckily Escort Master Zhou discovered them early. Otherwise, it would not have been impossible for that person to silently slaughter all the seedlings we had only just begun nurturing."

Zhou Ming was curious as well. Just who had that person been, to dare spy on him?

Thinking of that socially fatal display of his, his brain felt a little congested.

Spying in the dead of night—she had already chosen the path to death!

Wu Quan, who was studying the AK, spoke blandly. "I didn't catch up. I could only tell that she was a woman."

Damn!

A woman!

What now? We didn't catch her. Won't my heroic bearing be exposed by her?

Gossip knew no distinction between men and women. Who knew when she might let it slip?

Hiss!

A peerless genius like me was destined to become famous across the entire world.

This dark history had to be erased.

Those eyes—even amid a vast sea of people, I would definitely recognize them at a glance!

Suddenly, Zhou Ming bared his teeth, clutching his head with both hands, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes.

Wang Quan blew on his right palm and laughed as he scolded, "Kid Zhou, what are you thinking about? Senior Wu Escort Leader is asking you a question."

Zhou Ming rubbed his head and shot Wang Quan a glare.

Wang Quan immediately raised his palm high and swung it down.

Zhou Ming flashed, appearing beside Wu Quan. He gave a slight bow. "Wu Escort Leader, what did you just ask?"

Wu Quan picked up the AK and asked, "Does this weapon have a name? Why can't we use it like you do after manifesting it?"

Zhou Ming's eyes shifted. The AK in Wu Quan's hands instantly vanished, then slowly appeared in his own.

He raised the gun and aimed it at Wang Quan.

Wang Quan's hair instantly stood on end, and he flashed away from the muzzle.

Zhou Ming lowered the gun and stood still. "This is the king of a hundred weapons—the gun! AK-47! Its full name is the 1947 Kalashnikov Automatic Rifle."

"..."

Wu Quan froze for a moment. He understood every word, but what did they mean together?

He asked in confusion, "The gun you mentioned... is it the gun we're thinking of?"

"Of course. But this gun isn't that gun. Sigh, this thing can't really be explained clearly. Anyway, it's a gun." Zhou Ming glanced at Wang Quan beside him and lifted the AK in his hand.

Wu Quan grew somewhat excited and immediately asked, "Then can we perfectly replicate it with Blood Qi?"

Zhou Ming said nothing. The AK in his hand disappeared as well, and he sank into thought.

It would not be a huge problem if the AK spread, but it would not be good if it spread everywhere.

Just imagining the entire world pulling out AKs and firing made him unable to keep it together.

Seeing Zhou Ming deep in thought, Wu Quan knew there was hope. Over the past month or so, he had also witnessed Zhou Ming's talent.

A monster—a complete monster. Looking across all of Jinzhou, his cultivation speed stood alone in a class of its own.

Moreover, such a monstrous talent had been born and raised right here in Xishan County.

Wu Quan said to Zhou Ming, "When you joined the Dragon Soaring Escort Agency, we would certainly uphold the oath made at its founding: if a prodigy entered the agency, we would spare no effort in nurturing them."

"In a month and a half, you have already proven yourself. From this moment on, our Dragon Soaring Escort Agency will devote all our strength to helping you enter Seventh Rank. We will empty the entire agency if necessary to gather the resources you need."

"But there is one requirement. Both sides must establish a War God Oath. In the future, you must repay the Dragon Soaring Escort Agency."

Zhou Ming was stunned and muttered, "Only Seventh Rank?"

Smack!

Zhou Ming covered his head, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes.

"Kid Zhou, can't tell the big king from the little king, can you? A mere Ninth Grade Martial Artist, yet you don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth."

Zhou Ming rubbed his head and gritted his teeth. "Escort Leader Wang, shall we duel head-on? Do you dare let me make the first move?"

Though Wang Quan did not understand what a head-on duel meant, he understood making the first move. That thing had just been pointed at him, and even as a mid-Eighth-Rank Martial Artist, his hair had stood on end.

That meant the thing could deal him lethal damage.

Defeating someone above one's rank existed.

But being defeated across ranks by a brat who had entered the Martial Path less than two months ago?

And with a weapon manifested from Blood Qi—what kind of weapon was this absurd?

He immediately turned his head to look elsewhere, not even sparing Zhou Ming a glance.

Wu Quan ignored the two men's horseplay and instead explained Martial Path cultivation to Zhou Ming.

Becoming a Martial Artist was merely the starting point of the Martial Path.

If one's foundation was not perfect, then two ranks higher would be the end of one's Martial Path.

Moreover, if one wished to walk the Martial Path to the Supreme Realm and achieve Transcendence—

Then one needed a Perfect Foundation at every rank.

Body Tempering at Ninth Grade was Skin Tempering. Skin had four stages: Copper Skin, Silver Skin, Gold Skin, and Jade Skin.

Jade Skin was the perfect foundation for Ninth Grade.

After understanding this, Zhou Ming asked in disbelief, "Every rank needs a Perfect Foundation? The golden age for martial cultivation is so short—who could accomplish that?"

"I'll explain this one. We never told you much about cultivation before, so today we'll fill in the gaps." Wang Quan paused, then continued, "The golden age for becoming a Martial Artist is before thirty. After becoming a Martial Artist, each rank adds five years to that golden age."

"That means the Martial Path's golden age can reach a maximum of seventy-five. During those years, your Blood Qi will not decline, but the prerequisite is that you keep advancing."

Zhou Ming asked curiously, "Then Uncle Wang, you're thirty-nine. Did you spend so long lingering at mid-Eighth Rank because you were polishing a Perfect Foundation?"

Wang Quan's old face reddened. "Yes, but I'm still short by a little. There are only four months left. I probably won't make it, so I can only break through. From then on, my foundation's achievements will only worsen, and my Martial Path will be fixed at Sixth Rank."

Now Zhou Ming completely understood how the Martial Path worked in this world.

There was no guaranteed safety net.

If one broke through without a Perfect Foundation, their upper limit would be locked on the spot.

For example, at Ninth Grade, anyone who failed to polish their skin into Jade Skin before breaking through would die of old age at Seventh Rank.

Though they could not break through at Seventh Rank, their Martial Path golden age would increase by fifteen years. Before forty-five, their Blood Qi would not decline, and during that period, they could maintain their peak strength.

Zhou Ming looked at Wang Quan. Even if Wang Quan polished a Perfect Foundation before turning forty and broke through to Seventh Rank, raising his upper limit to Fifth Grade—

At this point, Wang Quan had only five years left in his Martial Path golden age. In five years, even advancing with the weakest foundation, he would likely struggle to touch the threshold of Fifth Grade.

One could spend vast amounts of time cultivating a Perfect Foundation. Although it raised one's upper limit, the Martial Path's golden age would grow ever shorter.

This came down to each person's choice and sacrifice.

In the end, after careful consideration, Zhou Ming decided that he would wait until he met the chief escort before considering whether to establish a Martial Path oath with the escort agency.

Naturally, everyone respected his decision.