Eternal Life Starts from Tai Chi-Chapter 136: Talent Surpassing the Founding Master, Meditation and Breath Holding Technique
Yang Chan walked out of the Instructor Hall with a discouraged look on his face, as if he had failed to learn the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method and the Flood Dragon Demon Martial Seal.
To Han Zhengcheng, however, this seemed perfectly normal. Even for someone who had reached the Perfection stage of External Iron Bone Refining, learning the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method and the Flood Dragon Demon Martial Seal took a considerable amount of time. Reaching the Beginner stage would take even longer.
This was especially true for a disciple like Yang Chan, who was only at the External Refining Copper Skin stage. Although he had some Talent as a Pharmacist, Martial Arts Cultivation was a different matter. Talent in pharmacy could not be directly transferred to Martial Arts.
Just as Gu An had mentioned in the letter Yang Chan delivered, the idea was to make Yang Chan recognize the limits of his Martial Arts Talent. This way, he would spend more time on his pharmacy studies and could be promoted to Intermediate Pharmacist sooner.
The best way to dissuade someone wasn’t to tell them "no" to their face, but to let them realize they had no talent for it. Once they understood that no amount of effort would let them catch up to others, the effect would be twice as potent. It solved the problem at its root.
As the Medicine Hall Master, Gu An had seen many Pharmacists who were more interested in Martial Arts Cultivation or developed hobbies like Artifact Refining. His method for dealing with them was to help them give it a try. They would inevitably give up after realizing the difficulty, which was always the most effective outcome.
This approach wasted the least amount of time and could guide them back onto the Righteous Path of pharmacy all the sooner.
The reason for this was that the Pharmacists of the Cyan Yuan Sect were unlike other disciples. They generally had ample Cultivation Resources and more free time. It was like the old saying: a full belly leads to an idle mind. His job was to make these idle people face reality.
After leaving the Instructor Hall, Yang Chan didn’t head directly back to his residence. Instead, he went to the Cyan Yuan Sect’s Library Pavilion, because he needed a Concealing Breath Technique.
After breaking through to Inner Refining, a cultivator’s aura would change. While unnoticeable to those in the External Refining stages, it was easily detected by an Inner Refining Expert, especially in the period immediately following the breakthrough.
Naturally, Yang Chan didn’t want anyone to know about his breakthrough into Inner Refining, which was why he had come to the Library Pavilion to find such a Concealing Breath Technique.
This was something the Instructor Hall Master had mentioned while teaching him the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method.
Han Zhengcheng’s intention was to inform him of the changes that occur when an Inner Master breaks through and the heightened power of their senses. With a supplementary Cultivation Technique, they could become difficult to detect. Even if someone possessed a danger-sensing ability, an Inner Refining Expert using a Concealing Breath Technique could hide their killing intent, rendering themselves completely unnoticeable.
From this, however, Yang Chan gleaned the importance of a Concealing Breath Technique and realized it would prevent anyone from discovering his breakthrough to the Inner Refining stage.
This was similar to when he’d broken through to External Refining Copper Skin and had to prepare for the visible changes to his skin. If people found out, it wouldn’t be good for him—it would only mean trouble.
Thus, Yang Chan came to the Library Pavilion in search of such a supplementary technique. It had to be exchanged for with Contribution Points. He had spent nearly all his points on the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method, but he still had some left, and this type of Concealing Breath Technique didn’t cost much.
By the time Yang Chan left the Library Pavilion, he was holding a manual for the Meditation and Breath Holding Technique.
It was a technique for nurturing one’s state of mind and concealing one’s breath, both of which were useful to Yang Chan.
The Flood Dragon Demon in the Martial Seal Visualization Image for the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method was extremely vicious. One needed to calm the mind and cultivate their disposition, achieving a unity of heart and spirit to better perform the Visualization of the Flood Dragon Demon Martial Seal. This was also necessary to subdue the Flood Dragon Demon’s malevolent aura and prevent oneself from being influenced by it.
Since the Meditation and Breath Holding Technique fulfilled both of his needs, it was naturally his first and best choice.
After all, once he exchanged for the Meditation and Breath Holding Technique, his accumulated Contribution Points were completely depleted. But such things were meant to be spent. Hoarding them wouldn’t make them multiply, so there was no point in saving them.
Converting them into tangible strength was what truly mattered.
It was already afternoon by the time Yang Chan returned to his residence with his new acquisitions. He had no pressing tasks, however, so he had plenty of time.
Once inside his room, the blank expression on Yang Chan’s face vanished, replaced by a look of delight.
In Han Zhengcheng’s eyes, he had made no progress in cultivating the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method and Flood Dragon Demon Martial Seal. But only Yang Chan himself knew the truth: after Han Zhengcheng’s very first lesson, both Cultivation Techniques had appeared on his panel.
Beside the names of the two Cultivation Techniques, the word "Beginner" had appeared, signifying that he had already reached the entry-level stage of cultivation for them.
Yang Chan knew this was the effect of his 21 points in Talent. It allowed him to learn any Cultivation Technique with incredible speed, and the results of his diligent practice were outstanding.
He’d had a similar feeling when he was cultivating the Tiger Demon Bone-Refining Fist and the Tiger Demon Martial Seal. Now that his Talent had risen to 21, the effect was even more pronounced when learning an unfamiliar and profound Cultivation Technique.
According to Han Zhengcheng, for someone at the stage of External Refining of Iron Bone Perfection, reaching the Beginner stage of the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method within a month was already considered excellent. Reaching it within ten days meant one’s Talent was Superior, and reaching the Beginner stage within three days was a feat on par with the founder of the Cyan Yuan Sect. Yang Chan, however, had reached the Beginner stage after hearing it just once. He had no idea what Level his Talent had reached.
’This is beyond my expectations.’ Of course, it was also possible the proficiency panel had automatically granted him one point of proficiency. He couldn’t rule out that possibility, as he had enjoyed such benefits before.
Regardless of the reason, he had now reached the Beginner stage for both the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method and the Flood Dragon Demon Martial Seal. After practicing with Han Zhengcheng three times, his proficiency had already reached three percent. At this rate, he figured it wouldn’t be long before he reached Tier One.
Raising the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method to Tier One was equivalent to cultivating the Flood Dragon Demon Internal Strength Fist to the Perfection stage, which meant comprehending the Flood Dragon Demon Force. This was similar to his previous cultivation of the Ox Demon’s Mighty Fist and the Tiger Demon Bone-Refining Fist; it was the foundation upon which all subsequent cultivation could be built.
Raising the Flood Dragon Demon Martial Seal to Tier One wouldn’t bring about many changes, but it would increase his Spiritual Power, which was always a good thing.
All of this meant that before long, Yang Chan would be able to break through and become an Inner Master, making him the youngest Inner Master in the history of the Cyan Yuan Sect.
As for Han Zhengcheng’s suggestion to return to the Instructor Hall and spend more Contribution Points to continue learning the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method and Flood Dragon Demon Martial Seal after reaching the External Iron Bone Refining stage—that was now completely unnecessary. This was great news for Yang Chan, as it would save him a considerable amount.
Those with outstanding Talent spent far less in this regard, which was a very good thing indeed.
He had a good amount of Cultivation Resources now, but they weren’t unlimited. Saving points on learning Cultivation Techniques would allow him to widen the gap between himself and others while simultaneously reducing his risk of exposure. From any angle, it was a win-win.
"Hall Master Han, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you, haha."
Yang Chan muttered, then burst out laughing.
