Chapter 102: The Qi Cultivation Technique

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As the people around shouted, Yang Ze immediately understood—this Zhong Kai had actually cultivated to the sixth level of True Essence Qi. After reviewing Ning Teng’s cultivation notes, Yang Ze realized that before reaching the first rank, there was another stage called the ninth level of True Essence Qi.

At this stage, one hadn’t truly formed True Essence within the body, but a trace of True Essence Qi was present. Depending on the strength of this trace, it was divided into nine levels. Zhong Kai’s cultivation at the sixth level of True Essence Qi meant he had advanced quite far, which explained his arrogance.

However, Zhong Kai failed to defeat Yang Ze with one strike. Hearing the crowd’s remarks, his face darkened further. He looked at Yang Ze with a sinister expression and said, “So you’re not so weak after all. No wonder you dared to challenge me. But I’ll make you understand—the inferior martial arts you practice outside can never compare to mine!”

“Whether they compare depends on your ability,” Yang Ze replied calmly.

“Bold words! I’m getting serious now. Let’s see how long you can hold out!” Zhong Kai roared, charging forward again and delivering a fierce kick toward Yang Ze.

Yang Ze did not dare to be careless. Just now, he had used martial arts skill to block Zhong Kai’s strike, which showed that Zhong Kai’s apparent strength was still superior. With a quick dodge, Yang Ze avoided the kick, stepped to Zhong Kai’s side, and threw a punch at his face.

Zhong Kai responded with a palm strike, catching Yang Ze’s fist. With a loud bang, the two separated once more.

This time, Zhong Kai stepped back, firmly planted his right foot, and let out an angry shout as all his True Essence Qi erupted. The power concentrated in his right hand, and as he threw a punch, waves of air surged forward.

Yang Ze’s gaze turned cold. Stamping his right foot hard on the ground, he caused cracks to appear in the stone tiles beneath him. Grasping his knife, he drew it from its sheath.

In an instant, the Black Tiger Blade Technique—Ferocious Tiger Descends the Mountain—was unleashed.

The blade was surrounded by a fierce aura as it slashed forward, the energy striking at Zhong Kai’s incoming punch.

Zhong Kai had thrown his punch with full force, the swirling airstreams multiplying and bursting forth.

The blade’s energy clashed with the air currents, and with a sharp hiss, the airstream on Zhong Kai’s fist was cut apart. He felt a sharp pain as flesh on his fist was torn.

“Ah!” Zhong Kai cried out in pain. He saw blood trickling from his fist where the blade had cut through.

In pain, he threw a punch with his other hand. The force broke through the blade’s energy, pushing his body backward out of the collision’s center.

Retreating, a wound appeared on Zhong Kai’s arm, blood dripping from the cut.

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With one stream of blade energy dissipated, Yang Ze did not relent. Snorting coldly, he stepped forward again, slashing his blade in another direction. More blade energy surged forth, striking the ground and leaving a small crater.

Zhong Kai’s expression changed. After two punches, he was exhausted to the limit, never expecting Yang Ze to still have strength left.

“I admit defeat!” Zhong Kai shouted the moment the blade energy appeared. In the face of mortal danger, he chose to yield.

After Zhong Kai’s surrender, Yang Ze flicked his wrist, swinging the blade away, the blade energy smashing into the ground.

“I was blind to provoke Brother Yang. I hope you’ll show mercy and spare me,” Zhong Kai said, completely subdued. In the face of life and death, surrender was no shame.

Yang Ze looked at Zhong Kai silently for a long moment before speaking. “Since you’ve admitted defeat, get lost before I have to force you out. Remember this—if you dare cause trouble here again, I’ll break your legs!”

Hearing this, Zhong Kai didn’t argue, fleeing with his gang without a moment’s hesitation.

Only after Zhong Kai had disappeared did Yang Ze sheathe his blade. He had considered severely injuring Zhong Kai but dismissed the thought.

Firstly, he was new to the Misty Martial Academy and unfamiliar with the surroundings. If trouble spiraled out of control, it would be problematic.

Secondly, his victory had some element of luck.

Fortunately, he had previously studied the Wind-Cutting Slash—not mastered, but gained insights that enhanced the Black Tiger Blade Technique’s power, combined with the quality of his mid-tier mundane weapon. Without these advantages, he might not have been Zhong Kai’s match.

From this, Yang Ze roughly estimated that sixth-level True Essence Qi corresponded to about a half-step postnatal realm. Now that he himself had improved, few postnatal realm practitioners could challenge him.

“Zhong Kai, you’d better be sensible. If you pull any more tricks, don’t blame me for being ruthless,” Yang Ze said as he watched Zhong Kai’s retreating figure before returning to his room.

This battle made him realize that the most urgent task was to cultivate True Essence Qi. If Zhong Kai with sixth-level True Essence Qi was already beyond his current ability, how would he face someone with seventh-level?

He had no desire to reveal the superior weapon, the Blood Death Blade, so soon.

As for how to cultivate True Essence Qi, Yang Ze now had a clear understanding. According to Ning Teng’s notes, a martial artist who had already formed true qi, like himself, needed to transform it into True Essence Qi.

This transformation required the Qi Nourishing Technique.

The Qi Nourishing Technique was a fundamental cultivation method devised by predecessors after the resurgence of spiritual energy. Its sole purpose was to allow ordinary people to cultivate True Essence, thereby qualifying them to advance to first-rank martial artist.

Having found a method, Yang Ze immediately took out the Qi Nourishing Technique manual given to him by Cai Kun and began studying.

The manual contained diagrams of the human body with many annotations explaining how to cultivate the technique.

Though not very profound, Yang Ze understood the outline of the method after just a few readings.

He didn’t start practicing right away. Instead, he pulled open his shirt at the chest and looked down, noticing a black mark had appeared on his chest.

This mark was in the shape of a black pattern.

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Staring at the black mark, Yang Ze’s expression grew serious. He first noticed this mark after coming back from the Fishing River.

He didn’t know when the black stone he had always worn on his chest had disappeared, replaced by this mark.

Fortunately, he had tested it before; though the black stone had turned into a mark, it still functioned.

As he gazed at the pattern, a faint glow emanated. Before he knew it, his consciousness entered the black stone’s space once more.

Inside that space, as always, the gray figure appeared and began practicing the Qi Nourishing Technique.

Yang Ze sat opposite the gray figure, following the meridian pathways flowing inside its translucent body, circulating true qi, and cultivating.

A whole day and night passed without Yang Ze stepping outside his room. Only when he emerged from the black stone for the second time did this round of practice end.

Sitting cross-legged on his mat, Yang Ze exhaled a breath of turbid air, a faint glint flashing in his eyes.

“It seems my talent has truly improved somewhat. After just two days of Qi Nourishing Technique, I’ve made some progress. Unfortunately, at this pace, transforming true qi into True Essence Qi will still take quite some time.”

Yang Ze murmured to himself. The black stone had transmitted a perfect Qi Nourishing Technique, and after two days he had successfully altered the original pathways of his true qi.

However, judging by this progress, cultivating the first trace of True Essence Qi would take at least a month.

Especially since he had more true qi than others, the full transformation would require even longer.

Yang Ze felt somewhat relieved he had only reached the Qi Guiding stage. If he were already postnatal, the more true qi he had, the longer the transformation would take. For a postnatal martial artist to fully convert true qi into True Essence Qi would be an unknown length of time.

“True Essence Qi involves inhaling and exhaling the primal energy of heaven and earth and combining it with the body’s true qi. If I can’t transform all my true qi into True Essence Qi quickly, then there’s no point in thinking about the upcoming ranked disciples’ tournament in three months.”

Yang Ze pondered. Ranked disciples could only remain on Qingyang Peak for a maximum of ten years. In that time, if they failed to advance to outer disciples, they would lose their ranked disciple status.

Once stripped of that status, they either had to leave the Misty Martial Academy or become menial workers within, doing various tasks to earn the right to stay.

Ten years was not a long time for any martial artist, considering the difficulty of rising from ordinary person to first-rank martial artist.

While thinking, a small white pill appeared in Yang Ze’s palm, emitting a faint fragrance.

This pill was the monthly Essence Nourishing Pill given to ranked disciples.

The Essence Nourishing Pill was the only free pill available monthly to ranked disciples and was currently the most suitable medicine for them. Taking it effectively increased True Essence Qi.

For those without any True Essence Qi, taking an Essence Nourishing Pill—if it didn’t cause them to explode—could even help them condense True Essence Qi directly.