Chapter 71: Entering...the grade?

Shen Shuibi began to explain to Li Qi what she wanted to do.

"In spring, Wood Qi begins to govern, and Liver Qi starts to grow; Liver Qi is quick, and its wind is swift." She began reciting from memory, as was her habit.

This means that in spring, Wood Qi begins to take command, which manifests in the human body as Liver Qi starting to emerge. The characteristic of Liver Qi is its irritability, as swift as a changing wind.

"Li Qi, your Liver Qi is vigorous because you often use Great Forest Wood Qi, which results in abundant vitality. However, this isn't entirely a good thing. Overly vigorous vitality can easily stimulate tumors, just as trees grow forks. This is caused by an excess of vitality."

"But your cultivation is still shallow, far from reaching that stage. You can gradually accumulate the Qi of the four seasons later, and it will naturally harmonize. So, I didn't say much about it before. However, now, this seems to have become a good thing."

Shen Shuibi continued, "Those who can exist and perish while hidden in the dark are the Tortoise and the Dragon. The Tortoise is born in water, and it is activated by fire. Thus, it becomes the harbinger of all things, the rectifier of fortune and misfortune. This is the extraordinary origin of the Dragon and the Tortoise."

Li Qi understood this passage. Those hidden in the darkness, capable of both existing and perishing, are the Old Tortoise and the Dragon.

The Tortoise is born in water, and when divining, its shell is roasted with fire. The interaction of water and fire allows it to become a prophet of all things, a verification of fortune and misfortune.

"Therefore, the principles are interconnected. Water, when gathered in plants and trees, allows roots to reach their proper depth, flowers to bloom in their proper numbers, and fruits to yield their proper weight. This is because the plants and trees contain an appropriate amount of water within them," Shen Shuibi elaborated.

When water gathers in plants and trees, their roots can grow to a considerable depth, their flowers can bloom in a considerable number, and their fruits can yield a considerable weight. This is because the plants and trees contain an appropriate amount of water internally.

"The earth is the origin of all things, the root and source of all life. Using one's body as the earth and planting wood within it, one gathers water and follows its kind," Shen Shuibi said, becoming slightly excited at this point.

"I will use the Wood Qi in your liver as a guide, combining it with Kidney Qi and Lung Qi. Water Qi gives rise to Great Wood. Therefore, the Kidney is the ultimate Yin; the ultimate Yin holds abundant water. The Lung is the Great Yin; the Lesser Yin is the winter pulse. Thus, its root is in the Kidney, and its end is in the Lung. The Lung belongs to Metal, and Metal generates Water. Water Qi tempers Metal. In this way, three of the five Zang organs can be strengthened by Water Qi."

"Once this is done, your body will be robust, your internal Qi abundant, and your Martial Dao will be able to enter the Ninth Rank directly!" Shen Shuibi said happily, delighted that Li Qi could quickly enter the Ninth Rank.

As for Li Qi himself... he looked bewildered.

Did he understand?

It seemed... he understood?

But then again, it seemed he didn't.

Never mind. Shen Shuibi is a Fifth Rank cultivator; she definitely knows more than him. And she never lies and is genuinely good to him, so listening to her is the right thing to do.

"Then what should I do?" Li Qi asked straightforwardly.

"You don't have to do anything! Just sit still, and leave the rest to me!" Shen Shuibi was quick to act, walking directly to Li Qi, pulling him, and leading him to the flat ground nearby.

Two hours later.

Li Qi stared blankly at his hands.

His internal Qi was abundant, no longer describable as 'strands' but rather as 'streams'.

Ninth Rank Martial Dao, achieved?

So casually?

What happened to the saying that entering a rank was extremely difficult?

Li Qi stood up, used Carp Current Intent, and threw a punch.

The wind howled! Kidney Qi pumped out, Liver Qi boiled, Lung Qi distilled, converging into internal Qi and surging into his fist.

This punch actually struck with the momentum of thunder!

The force of the punch converged into a single stream, and his fist directly struck a large tree, breaking the tree, which was as wide as a person's embrace, clean in half at the waist. His hand, surprisingly, was completely unharmed. His heart was just pounding a bit, but it wasn't serious. He could sustain this kind of combat for about five or six minutes.

"Hmm... there are still some deficiencies. A normal Ninth Rank Martial Dao requires refining all five Zang organs. Currently, you've only strengthened three, so there's still some imperfection, but it can be made up for later."

"I've arranged everything. It's spring now. When summer arrives, ancient texts say: 'In summer, Fire begins to govern, and Heart Qi begins to grow, reaching inward to the meridians.' This means that when summer comes, Fire Qi begins to take command, and Heart Qi begins to grow and strengthen. At that time, the Heavenly God you sacrifice to for the four seasons should be changed to the Vermilion Bird!"

"At that time, by using the Three Qi of the Southern Heaven and the Fire of the Fire Official, Mars, to stimulate Heart Qi, you will be able to complete the tempering of the heart. With four Zang organs formed, the final Spleen only needs some training. By cultivating earth with the four elements, you will achieve the功 of completion, and naturally become a complete Ninth Rank!"

Shen Shuibi said this, smiling as usual, looking like an adorable rabbit no matter how you saw her.

But Li Qi's face was numb.

What was there to say?

Wang Laofu had practiced for at least fifty years in her life, yet she never managed to enter a rank.

However, Shen Shuibi merely pondered for a moment and, using those thirty strands of pure Water Qi and the Great Forest Wood Qi he had recently accumulated, easily pushed his Martial Dao cultivation to the Ninth Rank, albeit a flawed Ninth Rank.

He didn't know what to say.

Extreme shock, in fact, shows no expression. Li Qi felt that he could no longer make any other expression.

It turned out that when a certain emotion reached its extreme, people would simply go numb, completely devoid of any other feeling.

What was this called?

This reminded Li Qi of a story.

It was the one about drawing a line for 1 dollar.

Knowing where to draw the line for 9,999 dollars.

A Fifth Rank master, truly living up to her reputation.

Cultivation, indeed, people are not all the same. With a renowned master's guidance, it's more than just getting twice the result with half the effort.

It's like a super multiplier.

Li Qi couldn't help but sigh.

What others sought their entire lives, he accomplished in just one month of cultivation.

The difference between people is truly greater than between people and dogs.

He didn't ask Shen Shuibi how she did it because he knew he wouldn't understand.

Shen Shuibi explained very shallow principles, much like explaining relativity to a primary school student, able to pull out things like the twin paradox or length contraction and time dilation, giving a general explanation of the principles.

But the process of argumentation and the specific implementation, no matter how much you explain them, if the listener's level isn't sufficient, they simply cannot comprehend.

Although he had experienced Shen Shuibi's vast knowledge many times, each time she managed to make Li Qi deeply sigh in admiration.

Yes, Shen Shuibi was very innocent and lovely, adorably naive.

But she was definitely not foolish. On the contrary, she possessed extremely profound knowledge and a nimble way of thinking; it was just her personality that was pure.

Li Qi took a deep breath, calmed his internal Qi, and felt his current strength.

After the Ninth Rank, the biggest difference was that his internal organs had become tougher.

His internal organs had been tempered, and his stamina was long-lasting. For example, his Lesser Yin Lung, tempered by Water Qi, should now have no problem holding his breath for an hour.

His Greater Yin Kidney, after being tempered, also greatly strengthened his metabolic System. According to Shen Shuibi, ordinary toxins would no longer affect him, and the soreness in his body after strenuous exercise would also disappear quickly.

And the liver governs blood. His Qi and blood were now abundant, and his body's blood circulation was ample, with a strength more than ten times what it was before.

All in all, the threshold of the Ninth Rank was crossed so simply.

Li Qi still stood there, stunned, not knowing what to say.