An endless, vast continent...
A deep abyss stretching tens of thousands of fathoms beneath the sea...
A Daoist disciple with memories of two lifetimes...
In the vast martial world of Yunzhou Continent, blood has soaked the land. It is a country where the strong prey on the weak, a world ruled by harsh realities.
Yet, when standing at the pinnacle of this world, one realizes that their world is still minuscule... Even more terrifying and wondrous worlds are opening their doors, waiting for brave martial artists to step through...
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Here's the translation:
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Spring had just arrived, and the trees exuded a vibrant green hue. Everything was awakening, the air was fresh, and various wild animals roamed the forests. The hunters' yields became richer as a result.
Xingbian Town, located to the southeast of Zheng Kingdom, the last of the Nine Nations, sat in the center of Yunzhou Continent. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the entire town radiated a magical golden hue. Upon closer approach, one could see that the farmers and shopkeepers were all busy with their businesses, and most of the adults in town were working hard to provide for their families.
At this time, in this remote little town, a group of beggar-like children were gathered at the ruined temple on the eastern edge, whispering amongst themselves. They ranged in age from six or seven to about eleven or twelve.
From the expressions on their faces, one could tell they were bubbling with excitement. Their eyes were wide open, as if they had just stumbled upon bars of gold. The innocent faces of these children were lit up with an almost unnatural joy.
"Brother Zijing, this is the 'Basic Body Tempering Technique' I just secretly copied from Master Li Wu! Take a look!" A few ragged beggar children were eagerly crowding around a boy who, though wearing simple clothes, had a clean and refined face.
Compared to the other beggar children, this boy's clothing was more intact. Though patched in places, at least he had a complete set of clothes. His rosy cheeks hinted at a difference from the others, and a sense of maturity and steadiness beyond his years radiated from his brows.
At that moment, he was inspecting a tattered scroll handed to him by a boy named Zhang Qiao. He opened it and carefully read through it from beginning to end, meticulously examining every word. Gradually, a gleam of excitement began to appear in his eyes as well.
"Well done! With this 'Basic Body Tempering Technique,' we finally have a chance to open our meridians and establish a foundation!" The refined-looking Zijing, with a boyish tone, responded to the eager eyes of the children around him.
"That's amazing!"
All the children began to cheer wildly, jumping around in joy. They were more excited than if it were the New Year, and a few of them even had tears welling up in their eyes as they hugged each other, crying tears of happiness.
This small group of children, some dressed like beggars and others in rough peasant clothing, was made up of local orphans and street urchins. The refined-looking boy known as Brother Zijing was actually named Chen Zijing, and he was the leader of the group.
In the martial world of Yunzhou Continent, "Opening Meridians and Establishing a Foundation" was a common saying. Every child between the ages of eight and twelve had to go through this process to unblock their main meridians and absorb the essence of heaven and earth to nourish their bodies. If they failed to establish a foundation by the age of twelve, it meant they would have little hope of achieving significant martial prowess in their lifetime.
Chen Zijing turned to Zhang Qiao and said, "Zhang Qiao, you know how it is. Even the most basic body-tempering techniques are tightly guarded by the martial masters of wealthy families. They can afford to hire expensive martial masters to teach their children in hopes of furthering their family's power. We are different. Acquiring this was no easy task! No matter what, your contribution is enormous! Everyone must work hard to study from now on!" He then playfully punched Zhang Qiao in the chest.
Zhang Qiao, who was a bit younger than Chen Zijing, was also dressed fairly well, though his complexion was pale and thin, likely due to irregular meals, leaving his vitality somewhat lacking compared to Chen Zijing. However, his eyes gleamed with a sharp intelligence, making it clear that he was a clever child.
Hearing Chen Zijing's words, Zhang Qiao smiled sheepishly and eagerly asked, "Brother Zijing, I copied the martial technique clearly, didn't I? According to what you just said, how about you lead us in practicing this 'Basic Body Tempering Technique' starting tomorrow?"
His hands anxiously fidgeted with his worn-out shirt, his eyes filled with hope as he looked at Chen Zijing, eager to start practicing the martial technique immediately.
Chen Zijing smiled at Zhang Qiao's eagerness and said, "Yes, your copy is clear, and the content seems complete. But not today, it's getting late."
"Starting tomorrow morning, we'll gather here and begin practicing the 'Basic Body Tempering Technique.' Zhang Qiao, you've contributed the most this time and took the biggest risk. Are you sure Master Li Wu didn't notice anything suspicious?"
After a moment of excitement, Chen Zijing asked this crucial question with concern, while his small face scanned the surroundings, wary of any strangers who might have followed them. The other children also grew anxious, their eyes darting nervously around.
"Don't worry, Brother Zijing! I've been working as a servant at Master Li Wu's house for two years now. If it weren't for that one time when he dozed off in the courtyard at noon and muttered in his sleep, even his wife wouldn't know where he hides that body-tempering technique!"
"If he didn't go to visit his mistress every week, I wouldn't have had the chance to copy such a thick book! Besides, I can't even read, so copying it down was exhausting!" Zhang Qiao answered proudly, his small face showing a mischievous grin as he exaggerated the luck and danger involved in obtaining the martial technique.
Then, Chen Zijing solemnly made an agreement with the other children present: "Stealing a martial technique is a serious crime. If the victim finds out, they could beat us to death, and no one would stand up for us. No one can let even a word of this slip!"
He then gave them a stern look and added, "To be safe, let's all swear a blood oath! If anyone reveals the secret, they'll be struck by lightning and never find peace in the afterlife!"
This was similar to an oath of brotherhood, where everyone would mix a drop of their blood in a bowl of water and drink it after swearing.
As night fell, the group completed their ceremony but still did not disperse. A skinny, dark-faced boy was the first to shout, "Brother Zijing, you're so knowledgeable! We're starting martial arts training tomorrow. Tell us more about martial artists!"
The other children immediately cheered in agreement!
Chen Zijing smiled and sat down on a stone block beside the ruined temple. After adjusting his tattered clothes, he looked up at the sky and began, "In Yunzhou, martial artists are divided into six levels: Martial Disciple, Martial Master, Martial General, Martial Commander, Martial Saint, and Martial God. Martial Disciples are further divided into nine layers, and from Martial Master onwards, each level is split into three sub-levels: upper, middle, and lower...And each minor level difference signifies a significant gap in strength!"
"The growth of any high-level martial master is inseparable from the support of Yuan Crystals. As everyone knows, Yuan Crystals are classified into five types: Primary Yuan Crystals, Secondary Yuan Crystals, Tertiary Yuan Crystals, Advanced Yuan Crystals, and the legendary Supreme Yuan Crystals."
Chen Zijing steadied himself and looked at his companions. Although everyone knew about the classification of Yuan Crystals, most of the children here had never seen any of the more advanced Yuan Crystals.
The skinny, dark-faced beggar timidly added, "I've only seen a Primary Yuan Crystal… and that was at Brother Zijing's house…"
Zhang Qiao chimed in, "Primary Yuan Crystals are pretty common. I once saw a bunch of Secondary Yuan Crystals at Master Li Wu's wife's place, glowing blue like walnuts, absolutely stunning!" Hearing this, the other beggar children all showed expressions of envy.
Chen Zijing smiled and said, "Indeed. Secondary Yuan Crystals are actually smaller than Primary Yuan Crystals, but they contain much purer heavenly energy. Martial artists use Yuan Crystals to buy various elixirs and rare treasures, which not only help strengthen the body quickly but also accelerate the cultivation of martial techniques, eventually allowing them to become high-level martial artists."
At this point, the children's eyes lit up with excitement as they imagined the world of martial artists. They were filled with anticipation and envy!
Chen Zijing continued, "Ordinary martial artists must open their meridians and establish a foundation before the age of twelve to become a first-level Martial Disciple; otherwise, they won't achieve much in the martial arts. After advancing from Martial Disciple to Martial Master, one is considered an expert, capable of soaring through the air and covering thousands of miles in a day. If one becomes a Martial General or even a Martial Commander, they'll be revered by millions... And the truly high-level martial artists can move mountains, fill seas, and even achieve immortality…"
By now, night had fully fallen... The distant moon hung on the horizon, gradually revealing its outline, and a cold breeze swept through, chilling the body.
However, none of the children in the ruined temple felt the cold. After Chen Zijing finished his story, someone shouted, "I'm definitely going to open my meridians and establish a foundation before I turn twelve!" The other beggar children nodded enthusiastically, their eyes glowing with determination. They were eagerly looking forward to starting their martial training tomorrow. Some of them might even find it hard to sleep tonight...