Chapter 110: Eighth-Rank Instructor Luo Liheng
“Externalizing mystic energy and mystic energy body protection—these are abilities only possessed by Grand Martial Masters!”
“For those who haven’t cultivated their dantian to its limit and diffused their mystic energy to the surface of their body, gaining such abilities prematurely is extremely difficult and hardly worth the cost.”
“Fortunately, your meridians are completely unobstructed, so advancing these skills ahead of time poses no problem at all!”
Hearing Lu Sheng’s inquiry, Lu Chunyuan explained.
Ordinary martial artists who wish to externalize mystic energy before attaining the rank of Grand Martial Master must first unblock numerous meridians on their body’s surface.
Moreover, due to the limited total amount of mystic energy, even if they manage to externalize it, they cannot sustain it for long, and its effectiveness is limited.
Thus, for most martial artists, cultivating the ability to externalize mystic energy prematurely is more trouble than it’s worth.
Luckily, for someone like Lu Sheng, who is blessed with perfectly unobstructed meridians and a natural talent for energy flow, the training to externalize mystic energy doesn’t require much time at all.
Furthermore, his total mystic energy surpasses that of an ordinary Grand Martial Master. Combined with his refined control over mystic energy after achieving the unity of spirit and energy, his externalized mystic energy lasts longer and even allows him to manifest mystic energy body protection.
What may be difficult for Lu Sheng is a simple matter for Lu Chunyuan.
Casually imparting the method of mystic energy body protection to Lu Sheng, Lu Chunyuan also advised, “You have the Vital Energy Pearl left behind by the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Mountains within you. As long as you continue to temper your body, your mystic energy will grow ever stronger.”
“Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, do not overuse mystic energy body protection—it will hinder your accumulation of mystic energy!”
Listening carefully and committing these words to heart, Lu Sheng then asked, “After externalizing mystic energy, will I be able to sense and communicate with the energy of Heaven and Earth?”
The reason he wanted to externalize mystic energy was because he had witnessed Lu Chunyuan just now using mystic energy to stir the earth’s primal energy.
If possible, he wanted to try that as well.
“Sensing Heaven and Earth? Communicating with the primal energy of Heaven and Earth?” Lu Chunyuan was momentarily taken aback but soon smiled.
“Now that you have unified spirit and energy, you are indeed qualified to sense Heaven and Earth after externalizing mystic energy.”
“And once you succeed in sensing Heaven and Earth, you will become a Martial Ancestor.”
“However, before that, are you prepared to become a Martial Ancestor?”
“Prepared to become a Martial Ancestor?” Lu Sheng was puzzled by the sudden question.
“Besides the body and mystic energy, is there any other preparation needed to become a Martial Ancestor?”
Lu Chunyuan chuckled and said, “It seems you are not yet ready.”
Without elaborating further, he pointed toward the Musou Institute ahead.
“This institute holds the notes of many Grand Martial Masters who failed to ascend, successful Martial Ancestors, and even Grand Masters.”
“Once you’ve studied them, you’ll know what preparations you must make!”
Leading Lu Sheng, he entered the Musou Institute.
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The Musou Institute was a relatively independent enclave within the Martial Garden, housing a vast collection of martial arts scriptures.
As the mountain chief of Martial Garden and one of its chief editors, Lu Chunyuan faced no obstruction bringing Lu Sheng into the Musou Institute.
Soon, they arrived at a small courtyard inside.
“I won’t do it, no way!”
“I’d rather die than enter the Musou Institute!”
Before they could even push open the door, a loud voice was heard from within.
Lu Chunyuan recognized the voice immediately.
He chuckled, opened the door, and called out loudly, “Brother Boqing, your grandson Luo Liheng refuses to enter the Musou Institute, yet someone insists on coming here.”
“Today, the young man I brought is here to voluntarily compile the Musou Institute’s records.”
“From now on, you’ll have to look after him!”
Leading Lu Sheng inside, they approached further.
“Oh! Mountain Chief, you’re here!”
Before Luo Boqing could respond, the young man who had spoken earlier shouted loudly.
“Mountain Chief, my grandfather thinks my current rank is too low and wants me to serve as a Seventh Rank Clerk in the Musou Institute.”
“Come and persuade him to abandon this idea!”
“If Martial Garden loses me, it’ll be missing another excellent instructor!”
With that, a lively young man in his twenties burst from the room and saw Lu Chunyuan and Lu Sheng in the courtyard.
“Oh!”
“Lu Sheng!”
“You’re the Lu Sheng who just defeated Lu Yunfei. Why have you come to the Musou Institute with the Mountain Chief?”
Without even greeting Lu Chunyuan, Luo Liheng began circling Lu Sheng.
“Could it be that the young man the Mountain Chief mentioned—”
“Is you!”
Without waiting for Lu Sheng’s reply, he looked at him with a troubled expression, feigning a sigh.
“Lu Sheng, oh Lu Sheng! I used to admire you so much!”
“You’re a fine young man, yet instead of chasing romance or adventure, you come to the Musou Institute to spar with old men over martial arts manuals!”
“What meaning is there in doing such a thing?”
“Before it’s too late, let me take you—”
“To explore the city of Jade Capital!”
Grabbing Lu Sheng’s arm, he tried to drag him away.
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“Oh, you’re Luo Liheng?”
Lu Sheng planted his feet firmly, unmoving, and studied Luo Liheng carefully.
If his memory served, Luo Liheng had contributed the most merit points during his previous duel with Lu Yunfei.
So, when Lu Sheng sensed that Luo Liheng was only at the Martial Artist cultivation level, his eyes flashed, activating the Clairvoyant Divine Eye to peer through Luo Liheng’s cultivation:
“Refined 6.0, Energy 5.97, Spirit 4.07; Fate 127, Merit 16010, Karma 13110.”
“This person’s original Fate combined with additional Fate is exactly 260 points.”
“He just contributed 260 merit points to me.”
“In other words, he truly once sincerely admired me!”
“A valuable source of merit like this cannot be given up lightly.”
Thinking this, Lu Sheng suddenly grabbed Luo Liheng, blocking his escape, and asked, “You say you’re an instructor—what is your official rank?”
When he had just obtained the Seventh Rank Supervisor position, he gained only 122 additional Fate points. Luo Liheng now had 133 additional Fate points, which seemed insufficient for a Seventh Rank Clerk.
This discrepancy between Fate points and official rank piqued Lu Sheng’s curiosity.
“Eighth Rank! Let go quickly!”
Held firmly by Lu Sheng’s hand, Luo Liheng felt a great force clamping down on him. Unable to break free, he struggled while answering Lu Sheng’s questions.
“Eighth Rank! That’s two ranks below Seventh Rank!”
“But my Fate is even higher. Why is that?”
Releasing Luo Liheng’s hand, Lu Sheng pondered the difference between these two ranks and asked further, “How many people are under your command?”
The way of Fate is to gather the many. At that moment, Lu Sheng recalled that the Seventh Rank Supervisor position he almost took had seemingly no subordinates.
No wonder a Seventh Rank position yielded lower Fate than an Eighth Rank instructor!