Chapter 174: Foundations

Shen Changqing sat down at the desk, scroll in hand, completely absorbed by its contents.

For a long while, he remained thus.

Then, he finally put the scroll down, a look of contemplation upon his face.

"Heaven and Earth are ever-present, but to be able to draw inspiration for Martial Arts True Intent from them… one has to admit, this person truly had vision."

"What a pity, though, that vision remains just vision. There’s no concrete confirmation. While one can glean some things from ancient records, there’s no solid evidence to speak of."

Rumors!

They aren’t necessarily wrong, but they aren’t necessarily right either.

To judge the existence of Worldly True Intent based on legends ultimately lacks persuasive power.

Unless—

There truly is a powerful cultivator who has comprehended Worldly True Intent from it.

Otherwise, all conjectures are nothing more than empty talk.

"If one wishes to comprehend Worldly True Intent, one must sense the desired elements from Heaven and Earth. However, there are traces to follow when comprehending from martial arts, but sensing from Heaven and Earth feels somewhat illusory."

Shen Changqing couldn’t help but shake his head.

The world is boundless.

Even if one were to sense, where would one even begin?

However, since martial arts possess True Intent, it seems highly probable to him that the manifestations of Heaven and Earth are also a kind of True Intent.

It’s just that comprehending them would be many times more difficult than comprehending True Intent from martial arts.

After finishing the scroll, Shen Changqing got up, returned it to its original place, and began to browse other scrolls.

The third level might not seem very large, but the number of scrolls placed there was quite substantial.

Even with the category divisions, finding what he wanted would take considerable time.

Over half an hour passed.

Shen Changqing finally found the scroll he sought.

It contained records related to multiple True Intents.

At the desk, he carefully turned the pages, silently reciting the contents, attempting to memorize everything.

Perhaps half an hour passed.

Or perhaps it was an hour.

Shen Changqing finally put down the scroll in his hand, letting out a long breath.

"The scrolls in the Martial Pavilion truly record a wide range of knowledge. Countless Grandmasters have left their insights here. Even someone with no foundation placed in the Martial Pavilion would likely have the opportunity to grow into a Grandmaster."

He couldn’t help but once again marvel at the vastness of the Martial Pavilion’s content.

Although talent is very important to martial artists.

The accumulation of knowledge is equally crucial.

The more one knows, the fewer detours one will take in the future.

Not to mention that what’s recorded here are the insights of various Grandmasters, equivalent to Grandmasters teaching hand in hand from various levels.

This would undoubtedly achieve twice the result with half the effort.

"Judging from the records in the scrolls, different True Intents can interconnect to some extent. The more True Intents one comprehends, the more powerful one’s spiritual power becomes.

It’s just that the spiritual power from stacking two True Intents doesn’t provide as much enhancement as taking a single True Intent to its end.

Moreover, a martial artist’s energy is limited. Generally, one focuses on one True Intent. Only when a True Intent reaches the point where there’s nothing further to improve can one consider comprehending a second True Intent—"

Reviewing the scroll’s contents, Shen Changqing gained a definite understanding of multiple True Intents.

In simple terms.

The combined enhancement from two True Intents at 10% Truth each is less than that of one True Intent at 20% Truth.

Don’t think that one plus one equals two.

In reality.

One True Intent at 20% Truth will make spiritual power purer, something that two True Intents at 10% Truth cannot compare to.

"In that case, a martial artist can indeed comprehend multiple True Intents, but few do so. After all, the difficulty of comprehending True Intent from a martial art is extraordinary.

With that kind of time, it’s better to bitterly cultivate a single True Intent.

If one can achieve a breakthrough, it would undoubtedly be more beneficial than obtaining a new True Intent."

Having obtained an answer from the scroll, Shen Changqing now knew how to proceed.

For now.

He must focus on the Hundred Battle True Intent.

The Iron Sand Palm and other martial arts’ True Intents were dispensable.

At least.

It wasn’t something he needed to comprehend right now.

Unless the Hundred Battle True Intent reached its peak state, then he could seize the opportunity to comprehend a second True Intent.

Thinking about these things, Shen Changqing then considered other matters.

"Since martial artists can comprehend a second True Intent, it means that those who have reached the peak of the mental system may not have mastered just one True Intent.

Perhaps they have mastered a second True Intent. One can never be certain."

"However—"

Shen Changqing recalled other content he had seen in the scroll.

Judging from the records.

A martial artist’s spiritual power couldn’t be recklessly increased.

Just like the peak of the physical body system is the Great Sun Furnace, it’s not because Qi and blood have reached the Great Sun Furnace that it’s the peak, but rather that the Human Limit can only cultivate to that extent.

It’s like a bottle filled with water. If one wants to load more water without spilling, it’s almost impossible under normal circumstances.

Unless there are other factors influencing it.

Similarly.

The spirit is more mysterious than Qi and blood, but since the human body has limits, it means that spiritual power cannot be recklessly increased either.

Because each martial artist’s physical fitness is different, the limit they can reach is also different.

Some Grandmasters.

After a True Intent reaches its limit, their spiritual power is completely saturated, and there’s no possibility of further advancement.

However.

Some Grandmasters are qualified to accommodate a second, or even a third, True Intent.

In the words of the Grandmaster who recorded the scroll, this is the difference in talent.

Those with strong talent.

Can tolerate a higher upper limit.

Those with weak talent can tolerate a lower upper limit.

"This kind of talent gap only manifests after reaching the Human Limit. Before reaching the Human Limit, the difference between the two isn’t significant. But am I considered to have good talent, or am I considered to have not-so-good talent?"

Shen Changqing couldn’t help but question himself.

Although those who can enter the Demon Suppression Division are all people with exceptional talent.

There are still upper and lower divisions among those with exceptional talent.

It can be said.

Anyone who can break through to become a Grandmaster is seen as a person with outstanding talent in the eyes of others, but that doesn’t mean their talent is unmatched.

As the saying goes, there’s always someone better, and there’s always a mountain higher than the last.

Some people have exceptional talent, and some people have even better talent.

After thinking for a long time.

Shen Changqing decided not to think so much for the time being.

In the end.

He hasn’t even comprehended the second Truth of his Hundred Battle True Intent. Thinking about the peak of the mental system is a bit far-fetched.

Returning the scroll to its original place.

Shen Changqing picked up other scrolls and looked through them.

Finally.

He went down to the third level and came to the second level.

According to Zhong Ning, many Sect Martial Arts are placed in the second level.

Of course.

Sect Martial Arts is just a general term.

For a sect where the strongest is at the Innate Realm, their Sect Martial Arts may just be a martial art that Point Directly at the Innate Realm.

For a sect that has a Grandmaster, their Sect Martial Arts may Point Directly at the Grandmaster Realm.

Now.

What Shen Changqing needed was the latter.

"The Invincible Golden Body in Perfected state, while not to the point of Tiger Roar Leopard Thunder, is also Qi and blood vigorous. If Tiger Roar Leopard Thunder is considered Body Forging Realm entry, then the fifteenth level of the Invincible Golden Body is equal to the Innate Limit.

No, it’s not just the Innate Limit—"

After all, he, who has Body Forging Realm entry, can already defeat Mierba, who is at the Grandmaster Middle Stage.

In other words.

If the Invincible Golden Body is Perfected, it can actually contend with ordinary Grandmasters.

Therefore.

The Invincible Golden Body shouldn’t be considered an Innate martial art, but rather a martial art that Point Directly at the Grandmaster Realm. Although it barely touches the gate of the Grandmaster, one cannot deny the growth potential of this martial art.

"The Invincible Golden Body has touched the threshold of Body Forging Realm entry. Then other Grandmasters who directly break through to Tiger Roar Leopard Thunder, or even the Great Sun Furnace, must have even more powerful external martial arts to replenish Qi and blood.

Other places may not have this level of martial arts, but the Martial Pavilion—"

Shen Changqing’s gaze rested on the huge bookshelf, his eyes gleaming.

The Martial Pavilion definitely has it.

If the Martial Pavilion doesn’t have it, then Jianghu sects in the world are unlikely to possess it.

He came to a row of bookshelves.

He randomly pulled out a martial art, saw the contents written on the cover.

Qian Tian Divine Skill!

Judging from the name, it’s quite domineering.

Opening the first page, Shen Changqing looked at the contents.

"Qian Tian Divine Skill, extracts Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to Nurture True Qi. When the skill is accomplished, one can match Grandmasters. Qian Tian True Qi has considerable healing effects, and can also prolong life for the martial artist—"

Judging from the introduction.

The Qian Tian Divine Skill is just an internal energy technique for nourishing life. Although one can match Grandmasters after completion, it’s clearly not an attack internal energy technique.

After taking a couple of glances.

Shen Changqing put the Qian Tian Divine Skill back.

After the Grandmaster Realm, Qi and blood spirit are the main focus, but it doesn’t mean that martial artists who focus on internal energy are not worth mentioning.

In fact.

Some strong cultivators may not have Body Forging Realm entry, nor do they have mental system entry, but their strength is not weaker than ordinary Grandmasters.

Those martial artists focus on internal energy.

It’s just that mental attacks are untraceable. If one only cultivates internal energy and not others, there’s no way to contend with powerful Grandmasters.

And abundant Qi and blood can also strengthen the spirit, making one unafraid of ordinary True Intent attacks.

In this way.

Whether one is a Grandmaster or not is based on whether the two major systems have reached Body Forging Realm entry or mental system entry, not on the strength of internal energy True Qi.

However—

Among strong cultivators of the same level, Qi and blood True Intent are similar. What determines the outcome is the strength of the True Qi contained in an individual’s body.

Take Shen Changqing as an example now.

When he doesn’t use True Qi, one punch can deliver ten thousand catties of power.

But if he uses True Qi, then one punch can deliver twenty thousand catties, or even thirty thousand catties of power.

The power of True Qi addition is powerful.

Of course, any addition requires a certain foundation.

An addition without a foundation is just a joke.

The two major systems are the foundation of Grandmasters.

End of Chapter