A Peerless Genius?!

Li Yuchun sat imposingly on a chair beside the bathtub and nodded. "You can look up this knowledge in the library when you have time."

"However, since I'm going to be watching you here anyway, I'll have something to say to you. In your understanding, is the first rank the limit of the system?"

Xu Qi'an nodded.

"The ranks of the various cultivation systems were originally vague and lacked clear standards. It wasn't until the sage's later years that he divided the cultivation systems of the world into nine ranks, which have been used ever since."

"However, the sage did not classify himself within the hierarchy."

"Why is that?" Xu Qi'an asked.

"Let me finish," Li Yuchun continued, "Besides the Sage, there are four others who are outside the ranks: the God of Gu, the God of Witchcraft, the Daoist Venerable, and the Buddha."

They are hailed as indestructible and immortal.

Now Xu Qi'an understood. "Gods and Buddhas aren't ranked. No, wait, are there really gods and immortals in this world?!"

Li Yuchun shook her head. "I don't know."

Xu Qi'an thought for a moment and offered a guess, "I heard that the sage only lived to be eighty-two. According to you, boss, he should be immortal. So, there's an exaggeration involved."

Li Yuchun could not answer this question because there was no answer.

Legends of immortals have been passed down since ancient times, and immortality has been the lifelong wish of every monarch.

But who dares to say they've seen immortals?

"Other systems have beings that transcend ranks, but martial artists don't. A first-rank martial artist is the best in the world." Li Yuchun brought the topic back.

Therefore, everyone thought that martial arts were a crude system. Xu Qi'an suddenly noticed a problem. "That's not right, there aren't Warlock from the Bureau of Astronomy either."

Li Yuchun nodded. "But it cannot be denied that Warlock are the ones who have made the greatest contribution among all the systems."

Xu Qi'an knew this: the ninth rank of Warlock is Healer, capable of bringing the dead back to life and saving lives.

The seventh-rank Warlock is Feng Shui Master who surveys the terrain and makes outstanding contributions to selecting burial sites for commoners and nobles, as well as arranging their homes.

Warlock sixth-rank Alchemist greatly promoted social development and satisfied the material needs of the people. He made a significant contribution to the industry and handicrafts of that era.

Song Qing is a prime example; he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to the "human-beast" cause. Xu Qi'an feels he transmigrated too early; if he had waited a few more decades, he might have been able to write a book titled "An Evaluation Guide to Customs in Another World."

In addition, Xu Qi'an also knew that the Warlock of the Bureau of Astronomy were responsible for updating and compiling the Chinese almanac.

For agrarian civilizations, the Chinese almanac was extremely important, as it directly affected the harvest.

Compared to other systems, Warlock are practically role models for the country and its people, contributing to the progress of civilization.

"Boss, I suddenly feel pain." Xu Qi'an frowned.

The medicine seeped into his pores, feeling like tiny needles, causing him pain all over his body.

"It's supposed to hurt, it's like cleansing your marrow and tendons." Li Yuchun said, "After another incense stick's time, you'll feel like you're being torn to pieces. That's when I'll open the Heavenly Gate for you."

"You can talk to distract yourself."

Xu Qi'an nodded. "So, our Emperor has devoted himself to cultivating Daoism for over twenty years in order to achieve immortality?"

The current emperor has appointed a stunningly beautiful Daoist nun as the national preceptor, and she has devoted herself to the pursuit of Daoism for over twenty years; this is a well-known fact throughout the country.

Some down-on-their-luck writers even wrote about the emperor's erotic cultivation with a beautiful Daoist nun, which of course ended with them being punished by the censors.

"But while martial artists may not surpass any rank, they should be able to prolong their lives, right? They should just focus on cultivating their martial arts; why chase after such an elusive pursuit of immortality?"

In response to Xu Qi'an's point of view, Li Yuchun countered, "How long did it take you to refine your essence?"

"Seventeen years," Xu Qi'an said. He had been stuck at the Peak Essence Refining for a full two years.

"That's a bit slow. Young masters from wealthy Aristocratic Clan with ample resources can Peak Essence Refining around sixteen. Considering physical development, fifteen is the limit," Li Yuchun said.

"However, even those scions of the Aristocratic Clan may not be able to smoothly enter the Qi Refining Realm, because in addition to the perseverance to hone their physique every day, they also face the hurdle of beautiful women. The more luxurious their lives, the easier it is for them to fall into the trap of beauty."

"And the Essence Refining Realm is only the beginning of the martial arts system. You can imagine how difficult it is to reach a high-level realm and prolong life."

I know, I know that girl Fuxiang will definitely call me a beast sooner or later! Tonight I'll teach her a lesson in the Single Whip Method!

Xu Qi'an deeply agreed.

The original owner was a martial arts fanatic with a stubborn personality and a tendency to get stuck on details. It was precisely this kind of personality that allowed him to hone his body day after day, laying a solid foundation for the path of martial arts.

Even so, the original owner still had to fight fiercely with his own hands every day, not giving his left and right hands a chance to show off.

If it were Xu Qi'an himself, he couldn't guarantee that he could have persisted for so many years, let alone that he could have remained true to himself in the face of beauty.

After all, while men usually use their brains to think, sometimes it's not their brains that control their bodies.

Gradually, Xu Qi'an's interest in the conversation waned, even though it was about cultivation knowledge that interested him.

His brow furrowed deeper and deeper, the pain quickly exceeding his limit of endurance.

"That's about enough. The medicinal bath is meant to stimulate your body and awaken your dormant vital energy." Li Yuchun stood up, placed one hand on Xu Qi'an's head, and said in a deep voice:

"Opening the Heavenly Gate is a very difficult thing. For those with good aptitude, I only need to circulate the Qi within your body three times, and you will be able to find the Qi sensation on your own, and from then on, you will have a connection between the inside and outside."

"What about those with poor aptitude?" Xu Qi'an asked worriedly.

"The lower your aptitude, the more times your Qi circulates. The limit for a normal person is nine cycles. In other words, if you still can't sense Qi by the eighth cycle, then you're not suited for the path of a martial artist."

Li Yuchun gazed at him intently. "I'm very much looking forward to seeing your potential."

After saying that, he closed his eyes and stopped talking.

Immediately afterwards, Xu Qi'an felt a warm current flow into his head through the Baihui acupoint, sinking down to his Dantian and circulating throughout his limbs and bones.

The body seemed to immediately memorize the circulation route, and after completing one cycle, it spontaneously stirred up its own energy, freeing itself from its companions and soaring solo.

Li Yuchun opened his eyes, looking at his little brother in the bathtub with a slightly bewildered expression.

Xu Qi'an gave him a blank look. "It seems pretty simple."

Li Yuchun: "."

"Try circulating your energy for a few cycles yourself, and I'll see how it goes," was all Li Yuchun could say.

After the three cycles of Qi circulation ended, Xu Qi'an opened his eyes. Since he didn't have a mirror, he couldn't see the subtle changes brought about by entering the Qi Refining Realm.

First, the eyes are brighter and more expressive, as if they contain stars.

The change in his eyes alone is enough to elevate his charm to another level.

Secondly, their temperament has become more profound, reserved, and dignified.

Finally, the skin is treated with a solution that soaks it, stimulating the pores and removing impurities such as blackheads.

Her rosy skin had a delicate feel to it.

Feeling the new energy coursing through his body, Xu Qi'an stretched his limbs, raised his hand, and struck the window with a palm strike from a distance.

The lattice window shattered with a loud bang.

The ability to project one's Qi outwards is a remarkable ability in the early stages of the Qi Refining Realm. If Xu Qi'an had been holding a sword or saber just now, he could have unleashed saber or Sword Qi.

Of course, its power won't be very great, after all, he has just entered the Qi Refining Realm.

Someone like my second uncle, at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm, can cleave a wall in two with a single strike. He can also manipulate objects from a distance.

"Very good!" Li Yuchun nodded slightly, expressionless. "Continue circulating your Qi throughout your body. This is a cultivation method for building powerful Qi. At the same time, you must not slacken in honing your physical strength."

After saying that, he left the secret room. The moment he stepped out of the door, Chun Ge's mind was filled with the thought that "it's impossible."

Li Yuchun turned his head to look at the cracked window, and his lips twitched.

A peerless genius?!

Did I really run into him so easily?

By the way, his qualification test is over. I'll go ask Duke Wei what grade he was given.

If it is person B, with the natural talent of finding the Qi sensation on their own through a single cycle, it is already possible to add it to person B.

This will increase the corresponding resources.

"If he's at the B level, he might be promoted to A level. A level is the qualification for the Golden Gong, and he'll become a key candidate for the Nightwatchers's training."

"Hmm, he hasn't undergone the 'combat strength' assessment, so it's impossible for him to be Bichi. I'm overthinking it."

After leaving the courtyard, he headed straight for the central courtyard of the Nightwatchers's office, where the towering Haoqi Tower stood.

After being announced by the building's clerk, Li Yuchun arrived at the seventh floor, where he saw his direct superior and his superior's superior.

Yang Yan nodded slightly to him.

The effeminate man, however, showed little interest and turned to gaze at the scenery outside the building.

"Duke Wei!"

He bowed at a ninety-degree angle, his attitude humble.

"We were just talking about you. We're lucky to have found such a talented person." Wei Yuan said with a gentle smile.

Um?

"We've been fortunate to acquire such a talented individual." This must refer to Xu Qi'an. Why is Duke Wei praising him so highly? But I haven't told him about the cycle of the Heavenly Cycle yet. A question flashed through Li Yuchun's mind, and he respectfully said:

"I'd like to know Xu Qi'an's rating, and I also have a small matter to report to Duke Wei."

P. S.: I was just writing a detailed outline, and then I forgot to update it.