Celestial Human Diagram

After returning to the Profound Palace Building from Motie Mountain, Chen Chuan opened the box for a look. He saw that the medicine was very well sealed. The instructions on it said to keep it in a cool, dry place.

That usually wouldn’t be a problem; he could store it just about anywhere.

However, according to the recorded ritual, to turn this into a Compound Medicine, he would need to fuse the High Heaven Jade Core into it. The final product would be lit like a lamp, a single-use item that would be gone once consumed.

The High Heaven Jade Core was still useful to him, but it was meant to be used when he was approaching a certain limit. The time wasn’t right, so he had no use for it yet.

He put the item away safely, told Chaoming to keep a close eye on it, and then returned to his daily training routine.

The next day, at 8:50 AM, he left his room and went to the training grounds on the seventieth floor. He waited a few minutes until it was time for his lesson.

As expected, Teacher Xue was late again.

He calmly sat down and began practicing his Breathing Technique.

It was nearly noon when footsteps sounded from outside, followed by Teacher Xue’s apologetic voice.

"Chen, my apologies, my apologies! I’m so sorry. I’m late again today. I really didn’t want this to happen. Sigh, sometimes things are just out of my control."

Chen Chuan stood up. "I understand, Teacher."

Teacher Xue sighed. "No, no, that won’t do. When a teacher makes a mistake, he has to own up to it. Didn’t I say last time that if I were late again, I would find a way to compensate you?"

He took a Jade Coin from his pocket and handed it to him.

"I came across this by chance. It can help you focus your mind. If you ever find yourself without any Aromatic Medicine, you can use this Jade Coin as a substitute. The effect is a little weaker, but it’s better than nothing. It’s yours."

’Teacher,’ Chen Chuan thought, ’were you planning on being late all along?’

He accepted the Jade Coin. A cool sensation spread through his palm the moment he touched it, and he knew this was no ordinary item. Looking at its design, he thought it resembled a seashell.

"It’s a Jade Coin from the old era," Teacher Xue said. "I had someone appraise it. They said it can be traced back more than five thousand years."

"Thank you, Teacher," Chen Chuan said sincerely. ’Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if he were late a few more times in the future.’

Teacher Xue waved his hand. "Don’t thank me, it’s my apology gift." He studied Chen Chuan, stroking his chin. "Have you been learning some spiritual techniques recently?"

Chen Chuan didn’t hide it. "Yes, I’m attending a training class with Teacher Chen Bitong. He taught me some techniques for stabilizing my spiritual frequency. Is there a problem with that?"

Teacher Xue waved his hand dismissively. "Not at all. Those are just minor techniques, and they’re easy to learn. As long as your foundation is solid, you can practice them without issue."

"Hmm. Since your spirit has achieved preliminary stability, I can now teach you some techniques for applying Spiritual Power. First, have a seat."

Chen Chuan waited for him to sit down before taking a seat himself.

Teacher Xue got straight to the point. "Chen, I imagine that when you’ve faced opponents skilled in Spiritual Power, they’ve mostly just gathered their spirit to impact you."

Chen Chuan nodded. "That’s right."

Both Yu Lie and Jian Chengsheng, whom he had faced before, had used it in this way.

Jian Chengsheng, however, had shown a little technique. But his own Spiritual Power seemed insufficient, which hindered his application of those techniques. He must have been aware of this himself, which is why he used a High Heaven Jade Core to assist him.

"These methods are quite crude," Teacher Xue said. "It’s not that they don’t want to use better methods; it’s that their spirit isn’t condensed or substantial enough to execute more advanced techniques."

"The method of simply ramming with one’s spirit is easy to use, and it’s true that the untrained can’t defend against it."

"That Jian Chengsheng you fought came from Langtao Hall. That Fighter Hall specializes in a ’spirit-first’ approach, which is actually best suited for people who are born with exceptional spiritual talent."

"As far as I know, every disciple who enters that hall is one in a thousand, or even one in ten thousand. And after they’re admitted, they go through another round of screening. If they can’t make the cut, they just end up burning themselves out."

"In the old era, where you either advanced or fell behind, everyone fought desperately for their lives, so that system had its merits. But in this new era, things can be a bit more moderate. Such extreme methods are no longer advisable."

"What we need to do is proceed step by step. You now have a preliminary foundation, so you can start by learning some of the more basic applications."

He looked at Chen Chuan. "The spirit and body build upon one another. You must have sparred or fought with someone recently, haven’t you? Did you notice your Spiritual Power seeping into your opponent’s body?"

Chen Chuan nodded. "Yes, I’ve felt it. One time, when my spirit pressed into my opponent’s body, he seemed to become unable to move."

"That is one of the applications of spiritual power," Teacher Xue said. "Once your Spiritual Power is abundant enough, you begin to use it unconsciously. If your opponent hasn’t undergone the proper training, they will be easily permeated by your Spiritual Power."

"Then, you can cause their Mutated Organization to fall into disarray or become powerless. In a fight, even the slightest delay can shatter the entire rhythm of the battle. This will give you a massive advantage."

Chen Chuan couldn’t agree more.

"However, that is just you using it unconsciously. It’s incredibly effective against ordinary Fighters, but it won’t do much against Fighters who also train their spirit. Just as their attacks have little effect on you."

Teacher Xue pointed to the spot between his own eyebrows, then at Chen Chuan. "Since the enemy’s defenses are stronger, you must find a way to strengthen your attacks."

"Between two opponents of similar strength, offense is always better than defense. You need to remember this: in a spiritual battle, the one who attacks first always holds the overwhelming advantage. That’s why I’ll teach you offense first."

He held out a hand and clenched it into a fist. "The reason you were able to pour Spiritual Power into your opponent’s body when you punched was not due to the power of the fist itself. Rather, it was because you had a clear desire to attack and a strong will to knock your opponent down. Your spirit was simply responding to that will."

"When you possess sufficient Spiritual Power, an effect like that is the natural result."

As he spoke, he patted the back of his clenched fist with his other hand. "In this process, the fist acts as a medium. It wouldn’t make much difference whether you used a knife, a sword, or something else—even mere contact with your Domain would suffice. Ultimately, it all comes down to your will and your conviction."

"Of course, because beginners lack sufficient Spiritual Power, using a physical medium is best. In addition to inflicting physical damage, it also effectively bolsters one’s confidence."

Chen Chuan couldn’t help but nod. ’This must be why Jian Chengsheng could still harm me even after I broke his sword,’ he thought, recalling their battle. ’There was no physical contact, but the attack still went through.’

’But if the blade had been whole, the force of the strike would have been greater. Even if the Spiritual Shock itself didn’t cause damage, if the impact caused a moment of hesitation in my body, the blade could have followed through and delivered a fatal blow.’

"I’ll now teach you a Positioning Technique called the ’God-Shaking Hammer’," Teacher Xue said. "It allows you to project your Spiritual Power using your gaze, your voice, or even your Domain as a medium. It doesn’t require direct contact and allows you to bring your spiritual abilities to bear in a fight."

As he spoke, a light suddenly flashed in his eyes.

Chen Chuan was prepared. He immediately focused his mind and felt a wave of intent wash over him, transferring the complete secrets of the Positioning Technique’s application and training methods directly to him.

After waiting for Chen Chuan to receive the information, the light in Teacher Xue’s eyes slowly faded. "If you train it well," he said, "your spiritual presence will strike your opponent’s mind before your physical attack even lands, directly intimidating them and eroding their will to fight."

"Once you become proficient, ordinary people and common Fighters within your Domain will be shaken by your spirit. Their state will be affected, and in severe cases, they may even lose consciousness."

"And at a deeper level of mastery, you can even directly disrupt an opponent’s Realm Token signal, allowing you and those around you to evade the Domain’s surveillance."

"But I must remind you: once you master this, do not use it recklessly. Some Domain Creatures can protect their charges or even counter your spirit, so you must use it with caution in uncertain situations or when you aren’t confident in the outcome."

Chen Chuan replied earnestly, "Teacher, I’ll remember your warning."

Teacher Xue grunted in satisfaction. He stood up and said, "Wait here a moment." He stepped outside and returned shortly with two potted green plants with broad, thick leaves, placing them in front of Chen Chuan.

"These two plants were transplanted from the Merging Land and have adapted to this environment, but they still retain some of the Merging Land’s characteristics. They’re quite sensitive to a person’s Spiritual Power and Domain, so the power you exert will be visually represented. Go on, give it a try."

"Alright," Chen Chuan said. He adjusted his breathing slightly, then followed the method he had just been taught, focusing his gaze on one of the plants.

After a moment, the plant’s branches and leaves suddenly began to sway and then tremble violently. Its broad, thick leaves curled into a ball, making it look like a small child squatting and hugging its head.

"Looks a bit like a child, doesn’t it?" Teacher Xue said. "Heh, it’s a deceptive camouflage. The plant can sense the softer side of a person’s spirit and mimics it to reduce the harm it receives."

He added with emphasis, "But spiritual combat can be incredibly cruel. You must never be deceived by outward appearances or your own inner attachments. Otherwise, you might be the one who gets destroyed."

Chen Chuan couldn’t help but nod.

Teacher Xue glanced at the plant. "It took you about three or four breaths’ worth of time to affect it. In a battle, that’s far too long. However, Spiritual Power is only generated through prolonged focus and training. As you get used to it, you’ll be able to gradually shorten the time."

"But in a pinch, you can consume Divine Constant to enhance its power."

"I understand," Chen Chuan said.

Teacher Xue smiled. "Good. Now that you know the offensive technique, I’ll teach you the Defensive method. This technique is called the ’Hollow Seal’."

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