Chapter 144 - 3: Minor Achievement of Houtu Body Cultivation Method (3/3, thanks to Alliance Leader Wen Yin Shi Yi!)

Chapter 144: Chapter 3: Minor Achievement of Houtu Body Cultivation Method (3/3, thanks to Alliance Leader Wen Yin Shi Yi!)An Jing had already thoroughly studied the "Houtu Divine Mixed Yuan Body Cultivation Method" left by Instructor Li and had grasped three Dharma Gates within it, mastering simple methods more suited to his own physique and appearance. The Houtu Body Cultivation Method was, aside from the Taibai Luminous Godly Ban, the primary body cultivation method that An Jing focused on, paired with the "Imperial Heaven Qi Nurturing Method." One focused on Qi cultivation, the other on body cultivation, complementing each other with a natural correspondence. The concepts of "Heaven without Self," "Fearless Abyssal," "Unquestioning Spirit Penetration," and "Mysterious Step without Confusion" in the Imperial Heaven Method correspond to soul condensing, Qi nourishing, exerting force, and step skills, respectively. The corresponding concepts in the Houtu Method are "Selfless and Desireless," "Reincarnation Without Attachment," "Break Evil without Anger," and "Kill Without Hatred," which match up with spirit nourishing, meridians, control, and mental method, respectively. Among them, the "Selfless and Desireless" of the Imperial Heaven and Houtu Methods correspond to nourishing the spirit and condensing the soul respectively. In the Qi Refining System, these are actually techniques that can only begin to be practiced after the later stages of Qi cultivation, or rather, the later stages of Inner Strength development. Yet, in these two techniques, it is at the pinnacle of Inner Breath like Tide, breaking through to the fifth scenery of Inner Strength, and condensing some special "Divine Abnormality." All the various skills that follow were created to assist these two techniques. "Reincarnation Without Attachment" is not, as An Jing initially thought, about body refinement or Qi manipulation, but rather about invoking the body’s Inner Breath to warm and nourish the meridians throughout the whole body through the visualization of reincarnation scenes and a detached, unattached state of mind, to expand and solidify its foundation, making the flow of Inner Breath smoother, capable of unleashing greater strength and withstanding more attacks. When this technique is cultivated to a high degree of proficiency, it can pair with the "Unquestioning Spirit Penetration" Piercing Armor True Strength to unleash an instantaneous burst of power beyond the limits of other martial artists without injuring oneself. The speed of Qi cultivation and practice will also gradually increase; it’s an extremely rare secret technique that can enhance one’s postnatal talents! "Break Evil without Anger" is a method that involves adjusting one’s own blood vessels and muscles to concentrate power and contain one’s own aura and intent to kill, thereby achieving a calm state of "neither liking nor disliking, neither irritated nor evil." In this state, one’s control over the muscles throughout the body and Inner Breath will improve significantly whether it’s for recuperating from injuries, concealing one’s aura, or altering facial and body muscles to disguise oneself as a slightly different person—it focuses on control. When this technique reaches a high degree of proficiency, it can combine with "Mysterious Step without Confusion" to become one with nature, blending seamlessly into any environment, achieving a special form of Unity of Heaven and Man. The last concept, "Kill Without Hatred," is a unique Qi Walking mental method. It requires one to personally visualize killing an enemy or creature they want to kill or have killed in the past, killing them over and over in their mind, and silently running their Inner Breath, recalling that exertion of power. Through such repeated visualization, until there is no hatred, anger, or extraneous joy or sorrow in the heart when mobilizing Inner Breath and power, dispel all anxiety, irritability, and tension, leaving only the purest and most sincere ’heart of killing life.’ With this as a foundation, not only will one’s Divine Sense become more robust, preparing for the consolidation of special Divine Abnormalities of the Imperial Heaven Houtu Method, but any other technique of exerting force, whether it’s the sword, spear, or boxing, will also benefit, becoming more sophisticated and more capable of accurately striking critical blows. With the heart of taking life, one will not be blinded by emotions or anger, unleashing power relentlessly without hitting the enemy’s critical points. Of course, there are also side effects. Just as the Imperial Heaven Method can make one’s outlook lofty and indifferent to life and death, so too can the Houtu Method make one more obsessive and steadfast, unaffected by external influences on one’s heart. However, if combined, it almost achieves the state of Unity of Heaven and Man, which is highly beneficial for cultivation. "A very good method of cultivation! Taken separately, they could only be considered commendable, but when practiced together, they can complement each other’s deficiencies and even advance further!" The Sword Spirit commented, "Fearless and selfless, doubting nothing and confused by nothing; desireless and unattached, neither hating nor angry... Condensing and nourishing the spirit and mind, Qi nourishing mental method, nurturing the meridians and exerting force, and control over step skills... These eight aspects encompass everything beyond the external body refinement methods, even for those who practice horizontal body cultivation, cultivating these two major methods will surely reap tremendous benefits!" "Not counting even higher-level advancement cultivation techniques, the current Imperial Heaven and Houtu Method can be considered the epitome of martial arts below the Martial Meridians. Even in my era, body cultivation methods comparable to it were very rare!" It’s apparent that the Imperial Heaven and Houtu Method complement each other, and are harmoniously integrated. If they were independent, both would only be of standard quality in terms of advancement; strong, but not rare. However, once combined, they become one of the most supreme orthodox methods, even earning the admiration of beings like the Sword Spirit. An Jing didn’t lack provisions, time, and his talent and comprehension were top-notch. He squatted in the cave studying secret techniques and patiently cultivating, with the Imperial Heaven Method corresponding smoothly, and effortlessly mastered the basics of the Houtu Method. Among these, ’Break Evil without Anger’ was the part that An Jing focused on studying intensively, which could change one’s appearance. Now, as An Jing retracted the Blood Fiend Sword Spear and stepped out of the cave, he was no longer the overly handsome, strong-aura rogue martial artist who radiated intense evil Qi, but a Northern Border youth dressed in a flowing white robe with golden trim, exuding a gentle demeanor. Striding over ice and snow, An Jing felt that the surrounding temperature was still tolerable, around minus seven or eight degrees Celsius according to his past life’s measurements. For a martial artist like him, with Blood Qi circulating, he could easily withstand temperatures down to minus thirty or forty degrees. Unless enveloped by the extreme cold of profound yin ice, he wouldn’t freeze to death. "Resisting natural disasters..." Chewing on the phrase, An Jing recalled the fragmented thoughts from his dreams. He was the early-deceased martial artist who fought against his destiny, the man who met his end in a world without miracles. But he was also An Jing—a member of a world filled with miracles and martial arts, Immortal Laws, and might. With this thought, An Jing smiled, "Impermeable to Cold and Heat is also considered a way to confront nature." "As it stands, I’ve achieved it." Although that’s what he said, the northwest is still the north, and it’s only the beginning of winter. As the days of winter deepen, the impact of Frost Calamity will continue to spread, and the entire Northern Border, and even the northern regions of Da Chen, will face an exceptionally cold winter. Before then, An Jing knew it would be best if he could enter a city and find a place to settle, to prepare for his cultivation and plan for many other matters. "My Inner Breath is like tide, and whether it’s the cultivation process after becoming as tide or the major achievements of the Houtu Method, I will need a great deal of nourishment. The canned meat from the Tianyuan Realm is indeed not bad, but the food there is too expensive; it’s far less abounding and cost-effective than in the Embracing the Void Realm." "The method of Spiritual Pupil from Nian Quan hasn’t been put into practice yet. Besides requiring Spirit Qi, it also needs ’Pure Yuan Dew Drops,’ or similar Spirit Water of the Breath of Pure category. Such items should be quite common in Embracing the Void Realm, but it would be too troublesome for me to search on my own; buying them in Ming City would be best." "Thanks to Jade Cutting Steel, the Taibai Luminous Godly Ban is about to accumulate the Second Prohibition. I could go to the Tianyuan Realm to break through, but finding a good place to stay in Embracing the Void is also the right move." "Before this, I’ve already left most of the equipment that could expose my identity from Tianyuan Realm at Huo Qing’s recycling hut, to prevent carrying too much and arousing suspicion. However, I still carry the Six Qi Lotus Platform and a standard explosive handgun." "If it really comes down to it, I can move to Tianyuan Realm, retrieve my gear, and then return to deal with the powerful enemies here in Embracing the Void." Summarizing and sorting out his goals, An Jing confirmed his plan of action in his heart. At this point, it’s time to set out and continue on, heading for Ming City!