Unworthy of Being a Teacher!

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

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

The battle last night had made him realize the importance of his fists. After meeting Tieshan and Shen Qian today, he understood his own shortcomings even better, so naturally he did not dare slack off.

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

In the past, one cultivation session took nearly two hours, but today it had definitely taken less.

After pondering for a moment, he felt that this was likely related to his breakthrough in strength.

As usual, he activated the power of the golden light to repair his injuries, replenished himself with an old mountain ginseng, then began his second and third cultivation sessions...

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

Because mentally, he was not as exhausted as before.

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

If that was the case, then could he cultivate four times a day from now on? His efficiency would rise by another great deal.

Just as Yang Yi was considering how to test this thought, Qiao Yaoyao finally finished handling the day's affairs in that great hall from earlier.

Leaning wearily against her chair, she rubbed her forehead. Then, as if remembering something, she asked, "Tieshan, you tested Yang Yi today. How strong is he?"

"Not bad," Tieshan said in a deep voice.

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

Tieshan did not answer at once, as though pondering. Only after a long while did he say, "Young Lady, you know that for us martial artists, qi and blood are our foundation. The stronger our qi and blood, the stronger we are. Tempering qi and blood requires dietary supplements. Poor families aside, the great clans naturally do not lack such supplements. But why is it that people at the same realm can differ so greatly in strength?"

It could not simply be that some people ate worse food.

"Personal aptitude certainly plays a part, but the greatest reason lies in the differences between body-tempering techniques. Good techniques can refine our qi and blood to be purer, more condensed, and more obedient as an arm and a hand. Thus, when moving the same amount of qi and blood, those who cultivate superior techniques strike with far greater force."

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

"You mean..." Qiao Yaoyao fell into thought.

"The body-tempering technique he cultivates is exceptionally profound!"

"How could that be?" Qiao Yaoyao was utterly astonished. The Qiao Household's Furnace-Tempering Cauldron-Refining Art was already quite formidable, among the finest under heaven. Tieshan cultivated precisely this technique. In all the world, only the closely guarded secrets of a few other families could stand shoulder to shoulder with it.

Yang Yi had come from a tiny mountain village, yet the body-tempering technique he cultivated was actually more profound than the Qiao Household's secret art?

"What a pity that he entered the Mistblood Realm at such a young age. He will find it difficult to advance any further in the future. Otherwise, he would surely have a place among the world's foremost experts!" Tieshan sighed heavily.

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

In Bamboo Garden, Qiao Wuwang sat facing Yang Yi, looking grief-stricken.

Yang Yi had only used the golden light to repair his flesh and blood. Before he could cultivate again, Qiao Wuwang had come running over to find him.

This was what the two had agreed upon during the day.

"Why not?"

"What kind of master did you even take?" Qiao Wuwang sighed heavily. "He completely disregarded your future."

"Third Young Master, please explain," Yang Yi said humbly, though he was not particularly nervous inside.

If he had to name a master, it would be Yuejian. But Yuejian should not have meant him harm.

"First, let me tell you how we disciples of great clans cultivate." Qiao Wuwang explained in detail. "From childhood, we eat many nourishing things and temper our bodies. Before our bodies have fully matured, we absolutely do not truly begin cultivation. At most, we learn some fighting techniques and methods for strengthening the body, because cultivation harms the body..."

Yang Yi understood this deeply. Every time he cultivated, the flesh and blood within his body shattered and reformed.

"So, if one rashly cultivates before the body has fully matured, it will leave behind enormous hidden dangers. It is like a young tree: pruning it before it has grown will certainly shorten its lifespan. And it will take shape too early, leaving no possibility of advancing further. That is why we clan disciples generally do not cultivate before eighteen. We only begin after turning eighteen. Take me—I only began two years ago."

As he said this, that regretful expression appeared on his face again. Looking at Yang Yi, he said, "Brother, you have already entered the Mistblood Realm. You must have felt it, right? After Mistblood, when you cultivate again, you no longer have that same feeling of progress and improvement as before."

No... Just now, I could still feel myself improving. There was no difference from before. If anything, with my increased speed and mental strength, my efficiency was even greater.

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

Under the moonlight, Yang Yi remained silent. 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 one of a kind under heaven."

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

Qiao Wuwang stared at Yang Yi foolishly. Only after a long while did he say, "You really have had it hard. I truly do not know what kind of master you took."

Letting Yang Yi enter the Mistblood Realm so early was one thing, but he had not even taught him this basic common knowledge? He was completely a hands-off shopkeeper. He had likely only passed down a body-tempering technique, then left Yang Yi to fend for himself.

Acting like this, he was utterly unworthy of being a teacher!

"The Mistblood Realm is your current level. Mist is the fog of the mountains; when qi and blood rise like mist, that is the Mistblood Realm. Above it is the Trueblood 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 like a dragon. Across the world, there are only a scant few such experts."

"Qi and blood rising like mist?" Yang Yi frowned. "Why have I never shown such a sign when striking with all my strength?"

"Ah!" Qiao Wuwang had no idea how many times he had sighed that night. As he spoke, he took several small booklets from his robes. "I knew you understood none of this. I brought this Qi and Blood Circulation Art from the Martial Hall. Read it, and you will understand."

"Is... this in accordance with the rules?"

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

"Thank you, Third Young Master." Yang Yi hurriedly accepted the Qi and Blood Circulation Art and studied it carefully by the moonlight.