However, not many people in the entire Jing Yang Temple knew that Zhang Li was there.
A few of the core disciples heard that the supreme elder, who had been traveling the world, had taken in a closed-door disciple. This extremely young grandmaster was now cultivating in the temple.
The only ones who knew about Zhang Li's identity were the temple master called Wang Qingyang and a few elders of the same generation.
When he arrived at Jing Yang Temple, Zhang Li almost never left his room. Aside from cultivating with spirit stones every day, he read all kinds of books and studied the martial arts techniques that had been passed down in the mortal world.
He trained his muscles, as well as his bones externally, and his breath internally.
The power of martial arts displayed in this mortal world was overwhelming, and its practitioners were no inferior to cultivators.
When one cultivated it to great success, they could move mountains or pull mountains and rivers out of the ground.
Body Refinement, Bone Strengthening, Tendon Transformation, Spirit Sensing, Spirit Condensation, Spirit Transformation, and Innate... These were the seven realms of martial arts, which were further divided into 21 levels. Every step was as challenging as climbing a mountain, and every step was a spectacle.
The Body Refinement Realm, Bone Strengthening Realm, and Tendon Transformation Realm were mainly external techniques. They helped to cultivate energy, muscles, and bones. When one reached the peak, one could deliver a force of around 1,000 pounds.
Such a martial artist could fight against 100 people on the battlefield or in the martial arts world.
Once these external techniques were fully mastered, one would be able to sense Blood Essence and turn it into a physical form. True Essence would naturally form, and one's world would be different from then on.
The Spirit Sensing Realm was the dividing line between martial arts experts.
Many martial arts cultivators would work hard for 30 years and reach the peak of their external techniques. However, they would not be able to step into the Spirit Sensing Realm. In the end, their life force would start to deplete, and their lifespans would be rapidly exhausted.
One could only extend their lifespan by entering the Spirit Sensing Realm and using True Essence to nourish one's meridians and body. As long as one did not completely exhaust their True Essence and damage their foundation, it would not be difficult to live up to 100 years old.
The Spirit Sensing Realm was equivalent to Level 1 of the Spirit Refinement Realm in the cultivation world.
Someone in the Spirit Sensing Realm was already considered a second-class expert in the martial world. Only one or two out of a thousand people would be in this realm. If one was a general in the army, one could run amok in the martial arts world.
Following the Spirit Sensing Realm was the Spirit Condensation Realm.
True Essence would be circulated in the meridians and returned to the body's center. This nourished one's spirit meridians and acupoints. As such, one could protect his body with external energy and injure enemies while remaining undetected. Someone in this realm would be a first-class expert.
Less than one out of ten thousand people were in the Spirit Condensation Realm. With the support of True Essence, they were not inferior to Level 2 Spirit Refinement cultivators of the cultivation world.
The Spirit Transformation Realm followed the completion of the Spirit Condensation Realm. True Essence would be transformed into spirit energy, and spirit energy would be transformed into condensed physical energy. Fallen leaves and flying flowers could be used as weapons. One could even cross voids by treading on waves.
Such experts were known as martial arts grandmasters.
A martial arts grandmaster's combat strength could rival that of a Level 3 Spirit Refinement cultivator.
As for the peak of martial arts cultivation, Innate great grandmasters were the top fighters in the mortal world.
In the five states of the mortal world, there were only twenty Innate experts, and each of them had been famous for decades or centuries.
Innate was the collective name for the supreme realms that surpassed the Spirit Transformation Realm.
Zhang Li guessed that the combat strength of an Innate expert was probably far more than just equivalent to the strength of a Level 4 Spirit Refinement expert.
However, he had never seen a martial arts grandmaster fight, so he could not figure it out.
The great grandmaster of the Chu state, Marquis Su Jian, had 100,000 guards under his command. Eighty years ago, he single-handedly destroyed Han and became invincible in the southeastern martial arts world.
The great emperor of Qin, Ying Wuya was in the Innate Realm. He alone had suppressed the Northern Territory for 50 years, and his might was unrivaled for millions of miles.
The minister of the Zhao state, Dongfang Jing, was a scholar with a sword. He was born with martial arts, and he was domineering in the way of the king. He was in charge of the Zhao state's royal court and was strong enough to go against Qin and Chu.
Helian Jishu was the heavenly king of the Northern Barbarians. He used to travel around the rivers and lakes of the Central Plains under the pseudonym, Chen Jishu. He had fought and defeated dozens of grandmasters and great grandmasters.
Kong Wen, the master of Xuankong Temple, had entered the mortal world and cultivated for 100 years. He entered the Innate Realm in one day and suppressed thirteen demonic grandmasters. In the end, he became the guardian of the temple.
On the shores of the East China Sea, Huang Xianyu, the mayor of Martial Barren City, wielded a green jade sword. He was known as an invincible Innate cultivator.
...
The mortal world was very similar to the martial arts world that Lin Zhaoyang had mentioned.
It was brilliant, and heroes were as gorgeous as flowers.
Zhang Li, who was sitting in the quiet room, stopped his cultivation and stood up. By the time he walked into the small courtyard, Zhu Yunshan had already rushed in. He was wearing cloud brocade robes and a gold belt with a jade crown.
"Brother Zhang, could you lend me another spirit stone?
"Just one."
Zhu Yunshan extended his hand to pull Zhang Li's arm, but Zhang Li's arm vibrated, and a faint invisible force pushed his hand away.
Zhu Yunshan trembled and took two steps back. His eyes widened. "True Essence body fortification! You've cultivated True Essence for martial arts so quickly!"
With his True Essence protecting his body, he was already at the peak of the Spirit Sensing Realm.
Even a great genius among mortal cultivators would need 20 years to reach this level.
How long had Zhang Li been in this world?
It had only been a month.
Body Refinement, Bone Strengthening, Tendon Transformation, and Spirit Sensing were part of the step-by-step martial arts cultivation. Most martial artists could not reach the Spirit Sensing Realm in their entire lives, but it had only taken Zhang Li a month.
"Is his talent in martial arts that good?" Zhu Yunshan muttered as he sized Zhang Li up. Then, he shook his head and whispered, "What a pity…"
Unfortunately, it was useless no matter how talented he was. He could not live forever in the mortal world.
They were both ordinary disciples from the cultivation world, and the two of them were pretty much helping each other in Luojing.
Zhu Yunshan's demeanor did not remind one of a cultivator at all. He often came to Zhang Li's place to seek help.
When the two of them first arrived in Luojing, Zhu Yunshan would tell Zhang Li many stories about cultivation along their journey.
These stories were somewhat useful to Zhang Li.
Most importantly, Zhang Li was a trillion-level trader in his previous life, and he had seen too many investors who would hide their identities to test him.
Zhu Yunshan's little trick of concealment could not be hidden from him at all.
This fellow was not a true guardian disciple.
Of course, Zhang Li did not expose him.
He was not a guardian disciple, but he was heading to the mortal world. He definitely had some ulterior motives.
"I told you to cultivate martial arts long ago." Zhang Li flicked his sleeves and turned around to walk back into the quiet room. He sat down in front of a small green wooden table and picked up the warm teapot before he slowly poured out the tea.
Zhang Li had cultivated his martial arts over the past month, but he was not as talented as Zhu Yunshan had imagined.
The cultivation of the Spirit Sensing Realm only cost Zhang Li two medicinal pills and three spirit stones.
However, things that could be solved by spending spirit stones and pills were not a problem for Zhang Li.
"Sigh, what cultivation? The pretty ladies in pink are so charming. I can sleep anywhere on the pleasure boats. How can I have the time to cultivate?" Zhu Yunshan took a step forward and picked up a cup of tea. He took a sip and grimaced.
Zhu Yunshan had told Zhang Li when he came to the imperial capital that they were all guardian disciples whose lifespans were about to end. Despite that, they should enjoy themselves while they could in this mortal world.
He had been spending most of his time on the Luo River outside Luojing. He would sleep with the boatwomen and courtesans every night.
Not only had he spent all three spirit stones that he had brought with him, but he had also borrowed two spirit stones from Zhang Li.
Spirit stones were precious in the mortal world. One could be exchanged for two thousand taels of gold, which was twenty thousand taels of silver.
If he kept a tight rein on his spending, one spirit stone could allow him to stay on the boat for a hundred years without a problem.
However, Zhu Yunshan's hands and feet were wide open. He would not even be able to offer anyone a reward of less than 100 taels of silver.
He spent 100,000 taels of silver a month.
Everyone knew about the pleasure boats on Luo River. There was a great official named Zhu, whose fortune rivaled that of a country.
"You should rest for a few days." Zhang Li picked up the teacup before him, blew on it gently, and slowly tasted the tea.
"Although we mortal disciples don't mind the mortal world, we should still cultivate properly.
"Don't forget, we still have a mission to guard," Zhang Li said softly. His face revealed an otherworldly indifference.
When he cultivated in the mortal world, he was no longer as careful as he was in the Misty Cloud Sect. Instead, his cultivation level had improved greatly, and he was about to break through to Level 5 of the Spirit Refinement Realm.
Among the guardian disciples, he was probably the only one with this cultivation.
Who would willingly come to the mortal world where spirit energy was cut off if they stepped into Level 5 of the Spirit Refinement Realm?
"You're the only one who cares about the guarding mission."
Zhu Yunshan finally finished the tea in his cup. He smacked his lips and placed the empty cup on the table. "Why does this tea taste better than the Cloud Dew Hair I drank on the boat? That one costs 100 silver taels for every 500 grams," he muttered.
"A cup of tea made from the imperial family's tribute tea leaves, Dragon Moon Before the Rain, costs one gold tael. What do you think?" Zhang Li picked up the teapot and poured some tea as he said, "You can stay in Jing Yang Temple if you want to drink it."
Hearing his words, Zhu Yunshan shook his head and stretched out his hand. "That won't do. I've already spoken to Aunt Yun from the Cloud Boat. I'll have a chat with Ms. Liu Yue tonight.
"Please lend me a spirit stone."
"What kind of girl is she?" Zhang Li put down his teacup and took out a spirit stone and placed it on the table.
"Bah, how can you be so vulgar?" Zhu Yunshan grabbed the spirit stone and turned around to leave. "It costs 1,000 pieces of gold to be with her for a night. That's how distinguished she is.
"A brat like you wouldn't understand."