A Teacher Unworthy of the Name!

The last courtyard of Bamboo Garden was Yang Yi's residence, a place more convenient for his cultivation.

Having already delayed for most of the day, Yang Yi immediately began today's cultivation after settling his uncle and the others.

Last night's battle had made him realize the importance of fists. Having seen Tie Shan and Shen Qian today, he understood his own shortcomings even more, so naturally he did not dare slack off.

After completing a set of Body Tempering Techniques, Yang Yi felt somewhat surprised. He vaguely sensed that his cultivation speed seemed to have increased.

In the past, one round of cultivation took nearly two hours, but today it definitely had not.

After pondering briefly, he felt that this was probably related to his breakthrough in strength.

As usual, he activated Golden Light's power to repair his injuries, replenished himself with old mountain ginseng, then began his second and third rounds of cultivation...

When he finished, Yang Yi wore a thoughtful expression. For some reason, he always felt that today, he could activate the power of Golden Light one more time.

Because he was not as mentally exhausted as before.

Could a breakthrough in strength not only increase his cultivation speed, but also strengthen his mind?

If so, would he not be able to cultivate four times a day from now on? His efficiency would rise by another great deal.

Just as Yang Yi was considering how to verify his thoughts, Qiao Yaoyao finally finished handling the day's affairs in the great hall from earlier.

Leaning wearily against her chair, she rubbed her forehead. Then, as though she had remembered something, she asked, "Tie Shan, you tested Yang Yi today. How strong is he?"

"Not bad," Tie Shan said gravely.

"Oh?" Qiao Yaoyao's interest was piqued. "Rare indeed to hear such an evaluation from you. Tell me in detail."

Tie Shan did not answer immediately, seeming to deliberate. Only after a long while did he speak. "Young Miss, you know that we martial artists take qi and blood as our foundation. The stronger one's qi and blood, the stronger one's power. Refining qi and blood requires nourishment from food. Poor families need not be mentioned; the great clans naturally do not lack such supplements. But why is it that among people of the same realm, some are strong while others are weak?"

It could not simply be that some ate worse food.

"Personal talent is certainly one factor, but the greatest reason lies in differing Body Tempering Arts. A good cultivation method can make the qi and blood we refine purer, more condensed, and more responsive as though it were an extension of our arms. Thus, when moving the same amount of qi and blood, those who cultivate superior methods strike with greater power."

"Judging only by Yang Yi's punch today, he should have only recently entered the Mistblood Realm. Yet the power of that punch was not something a newly entered Mistblood cultivator should possess."

"You mean..." Qiao Yaoyao mused.

"The Body Tempering Art he cultivates is exceedingly profound!"

"How could that be?" Qiao Yaoyao was utterly astonished. The Qiao Household's Furnace and Cauldron Tempering Method was already excellent, first-rate even under heaven. Tie Shan cultivated that very method. In this world, only the closely guarded secrets of a few other households could stand alongside it.

Yang Yi had come from a small mountain village, yet the Body Tempering Art he cultivated was actually more profound than the Qiao Household's secret inheritance?

"It is a pity that he entered the Mistblood Realm at such a young age. It will be difficult for him to advance any further. Otherwise, he would surely have a place among the world's foremost experts in the future!" Tie Shan let out a heavy sigh.

"Brother, you should not have entered the Mistblood Realm at such a young age."

Within Bamboo Garden, Qiao Wuwang sat facing Yang Yi, looking as though his heart ached beyond measure.

Yang Yi had only activated Golden Light to repair his flesh and blood. Before he could begin cultivating again, Qiao Wuwang had come running over to find him.

This had been what the two of them agreed upon during the day.

"Why?"

"What sort of master did you even take?" Qiao Wuwang sighed heavily. "He simply does not care about your future at all."

"Third Young Master, please explain," Yang Yi said humbly, though he did not feel particularly anxious.

Strictly speaking, his master was Yue Jian, but Yue Jian should not mean him harm.

"First, let me tell you how we children of the great households cultivate." Qiao Wuwang began speaking at length. "From childhood, we eat many nourishing things and temper our bodies. Before the body has fully matured, we absolutely do not truly begin cultivation. At most, we learn techniques for fighting others and strengthening the body, because cultivation harms the body..."

Yang Yi understood this deeply. Every cultivation session involved the breaking apart and reassembling of his flesh and blood.

"So, if one rashly cultivates before the body has fully matured, great hidden dangers will be left behind. It is like a young tree: pruning it before it has grown up will surely shorten its lifespan, and it will take shape too early, never again having the possibility of advancing further. That is why we children of the great households generally do not cultivate before eighteen, only beginning after that age. Take me—I only began two years ago."

As he spoke, that regretful expression appeared on his face again. He looked at Yang Yi. "Brother, you have already entered the Mistblood Realm. You must have felt it by now. After Mistblood, when you cultivate again, you no longer have that same sense of improvement and progress as before."

No... When I cultivated just now, I could still feel myself improving. It was no different from before. If anything, with my increased speed and stronger mind, my efficiency is even higher.

"Of course, it is not that there is no improvement at all. It is only that the benefits gained from cultivation become very small. It will be difficult to hope for the next realm in this life. That is what it means to have taken shape."

Under the moonlight, Yang Yi said nothing. Qiao Wuwang could only see his dark face and could not make out his expression, so he comforted him. "Brother, do not lose heart. No matter what, a sixteen-year-old Mistblood cultivator is still unmatched under heaven."

"By the way, I would also like to ask Third Young Master: how exactly are the cultivation realms divided?"

Qiao Wuwang stared blankly at Yang Yi. Only after quite some time did he say, "You have truly had it hard. I really do not know what sort of master you took."

It was bad enough that Yang Yi had been allowed to enter the Mistblood Realm so early, but his master had not even taught him such basic common knowledge? He was completely a hands-off shopkeeper. He had probably only passed down a Body Tempering Art before leaving Yang Yi to fend for himself.

Such conduct truly made him unworthy of being a teacher!

"The Mistblood Realm is your current level. Mist is the fog of the mountains; when qi and blood surge and steam like haze, it is called the Mistblood Realm. Above that is the True Blood Realm. Only by refining one's own True Blood can one reach that realm. After that comes the Blood Dragon Realm, named for qi and blood resembling a dragon. There are only a handful of such experts in the world."

"Qi and blood steaming like haze?" Yang Yi frowned. "Why have I never shown such signs when striking with all my strength?"

"Ah!" Qiao Wuwang had no idea how many times he had sighed that night. As he spoke, he pulled several thin booklets from his robes. "I knew you understood nothing about these matters. I brought this Qi-Blood Circulation Technique out from the Martial Hall. Read it, and you will understand."

"This... is it within the rules?"

"You are a Grade-B Attendant. This is part of your benefits. I merely fetched it for you. Once you are familiar with circulating qi and blood, you may also go to the Martial Hall and choose three martial techniques suited to yourself. That will depend on your own preferences."

"Thank you, Third Young Master." Yang Yi hurriedly accepted the Qi-Blood Circulation Technique and began reading it carefully by the moonlight.