Chapter 29: The Numerical Order of Heaven and Earth

"Yuxi, as your master, I have mastered many diverse and complex martial arts. While you are exceptionally clever and could technically dabble in all of them, I fear that trying to consume too much will leave you with nothing mastered; without deep proficiency, these skills are as good as useless."

"Moreover, it would hinder your achievements in the literary world, which would be a great pity. I suggest you focus on one discipline first and strive for mastery. Given your intelligence, perhaps achieving proficiency in one will allow you to master them all."

"As for internal energy cultivation, that cannot be rushed. Fortunately, you have consumed the Thousand Immortal Green Lotus, which has already forged your dantian furnace. With enough energy infused, you can skip the Body Forging stage and enter the Qi Refining stage. However, the subsequent stages—Spirit Refining, Bone Sculpting, Qi Transformation, Spirit Transformation, Marrow Cleansing, Mastery, and Spirit Transmutation—will have to be taken one step at a time. How far you go depends entirely on your diligence. As for reaching the True Martial stage like me, that is something that cannot be taught; it requires not only hard work but also destiny."

It was the first time Zhang Tiantai had spoken with such solemnity, and Meng Yuxi listened with equal seriousness.

Yet, once the lecture ended, he felt a bit overwhelmed. When reading martial arts novels, watching protagonists learn miraculous techniques or breakthrough in cultivation levels always felt thrilling. But now that he was the one facing it, the mere list of stages sounded exhausting.

He frowned and asked, "Master, do you have any techniques that allow one to absorb others' internal energy? Like that 'North Dark Divine Art' or something similar?"

Fortunately, Zhang Tiantai had only taken him as a disciple to bask in the glow of his literary reputation. Had it not been for Sun Rong pointing out the gaps in his makeshift master's teaching, he wouldn't have bothered teaching him anything at all. Having long since grown weary of the burdens of mentorship, he was quite content with his leisure and thus held Meng Yuxi to no strict standards.

Seeing Meng Yuxi’s expression, he didn't get angry and laughed instead. "That name sounds quite nice, but internal energy is something others cultivate through blood and sweat; it becomes one with their own being. Unless someone genuinely gifts it to you, even if you could absorb it into your dantian, you would never be able to make it your own. It would be like swallowing a live snake—do you think it wouldn't wreak havoc in your belly?"

"Then, Master, if I don't have internal energy, how can I face an enemy? Wouldn't I be finished the moment I encounter a master who does?"

Meng Yuxi had hit upon the crux of the problem.

"Ah? Didn't I give you that Qi-Transforming Bead? Against anyone below the Qi Transformation stage, their energy cannot harm you. Against those above it, just tell them your master's name—it works like a charm!"

Zhang Tiantai chuckled heartily, then paused for a moment.

"Uh... if it doesn't work, then run. Run as fast as you can."

Zhang Tiantai offered a piece of advice so simple that even Meng Yuxi could grasp its logic with his eyes closed.

"Is that glass marble you gave me the Qi-Transforming Bead?"

"Indeed. Isn't that obvious? You must know that in the Great Li martial world, most are below the Qi Transformation stage. To reach the Spirit Transformation stage is to be a renowned master of a sect. Even so, the Qi-Transforming Bead can block three bursts of internal energy from a Spirit Transformation master; it is a true treasure. There are only three in the entire world." Zhang Tiantai stroked his beard, looking quite proud.

"Doesn't that make this thing a bit useless? There are only three of these rare beads, so ordinary cultivators can't get them, and for monsters like you, they are completely useless—are they just for collecting?" Meng Yuxi pulled the bead from his robes, looking puzzled.

Zhang Tiantai was clearly stumped, but he replied candidly, "I never really thought about it that way. This bead has been around for a thousand years; if you want to call it a collector's item, it certainly has that value. If you don't like it, you can give it back to me."

Meng Yuxi silently tucked the bead securely back into his robes.

"Master, what martial arts are we learning today?"

Zhang Tiantai rolled his eyes and proceeded to teach Meng Yuxi a set of swordsmanship and the corresponding footwork.

The swordsmanship consisted of only three moves: thrust, cut, and hack. It was incredibly simple; as long as one had some strength, it could be performed without much study. The only difference was that these moves were executed with a fluid, ethereal quality. Meng Yuxi vaguely felt he had been duped by this old man, as these three moves felt like nothing more than attacking the enemy from whatever angle seemed convenient.

The footwork, however, was far more troublesome. A single sequence required 108 steps, and the key was that each step’s direction could be rearranged to form new variations. Even with Meng Yuxi’s photographic memory, the complexity of these 108-step permutations was beyond words. He practiced until nightfall, yet he had only memorized one-thousandth of the variations. Even so, he was exhausted to the point of collapse, eventually sitting down on the ground, unable to move another inch.

Meng Yuxi thought that if there were a step counter, he must have walked hundreds of thousands of steps that day. If not for the innate divine strength of this body, he could never have survived it.

Even so, Zhang Tiantai nodded repeatedly, full of praise.

"Oh, not bad! You are a talent indeed. This footwork utilizes the numbers of heaven and earth. To have memorized this much in a single day is truly remarkable. When I first created this technique, I spent ten winters and summers pacing back and forth in a mountain cave."

Zhang Tiantai had created this technique in his later years and had only taught it to two disciples at the Mastery stage. However, while their internal energy was strong, their memory was abysmal. They would often forget the first variation after learning the tenth. Even with daily practice, they could barely manage twenty variations, and they spent so much time on it that their cultivation progress stagnated.

Finding the effort futile, Zhang Tiantai stopped teaching it, and they were happy not to learn.

Zhang Tiantai had intended to give this complex footwork to Meng Yuxi, thinking that since his cultivation was zero, he wouldn't have to worry about stagnation. The footwork was complex enough to keep him occupied for a hundred years, and even if it was the only thing he taught him, it would be a permanent solution—and surely, walking wouldn't interfere with his poetry writing. It was perfect.

He never expected Meng Yuxi’s memory and comprehension to be this good. In just one day, he had already mastered a thousand variations. At this rate, he would finish learning it all within three years.

Zhang Tiantai suddenly found hope that this technique might finally be passed on.

Meng Yuxi was too tired to speak, sitting on the ground and panting heavily, his head spinning. Learning martial arts was truly difficult.

"I will tell you the remaining variations of this footwork. Memorize them well. The more enemies you face in the future, the more useful these complex variations will be."

Meng Yuxi thought to himself, 'So, the cramming session officially begins, does it?'

He steadied his mind, closed his eyes, and opened the doors to his memory palace.