"Su Mu, advisor at the Forging Academy, granted access, please proceed!"
Upon entering Musashi Hall, the rich scent of books fills the air, with towering bookshelves each over three meters tall, displaying martial arts classics.
Su Mu heads directly to the third floor, arriving at the only bookshelf displaying techniques for Visceral Refining, which is not fully stocked, with roughly just over a hundred books.
Su Mu begins to browse from the first book, with the first few pages of each martial arts classic available to read for free. Choosing a cultivation technique cannot be rushed; patience is required.
The afternoon passes quickly, and Su Mu eventually selects three refining techniques from over a hundred.
"Barbarian Tiger Refining Technique" - powerful and steady, with a certain flexibility. Training in it enhances strength and increases it within the viscera, allowing the martial artist to unleash even more powerful and astonishing force.
This is a strength-type refining technique, aligning with Su Mu's power talent and further bringing out his strength advantage.
"Gale Tempering Technique" - swift as the wind, training in it boosts speed. It strengthens the viscera during refining, enabling the martial artist to achieve faster and more enduring speed.
This is a speed-type refining technique; Su Mu considers his strength talent but acknowledges speed is a weak point, which this technique can help address.
"Third-Turned Refining Technique" is quite unique, offering no enhancements in speed or strength. Its advantage lies in its distinctive multi-layered refining. Initially, refining is quite ordinary, but after two or three times, its advantage becomes apparent, resulting in one's viscera being stronger than those at the same level, and one's qi and blood becoming more consolidated and robust.
The classics mention that after multiple refinements, the probability of breakthroughs in subsequent realms can be slightly increased.
The advantages are evident, but the drawbacks are equally so. Multiple refinings imply more cultivation time is needed.
In terms of alien race points and contribution point exchange, Barbarian Tiger Refining Technique requires the most, followed by Gale Tempering Technique, and Third-Turned Refining Technique is the least expensive.
Su Mu deliberates and finally makes a resolute decision to choose "Third-Turned Refining Technique," having been stuck at the Third Level martial artist stage for ten years—an entire decade.
He profoundly understands the despair of being unable to break through, and so he values the aspect of Third-Turned Refining Technique that increases the chance of breakthroughs.
Su Mu is also aware that he is not a genius, and although progressing steadily might be slow, it might lead him to greater achievements.
"Teacher Su, the registration is completed. You have a one-month borrowing limit for the classics, and you can download the electronic version from the school website anytime during this period."
"Alright, thank you."
After dining in the cafeteria, Su Mu eagerly returns to the underground cultivation room to delve into Third-Turned Refining Technique.
He first reads it roughly, followed by a detailed reading. As he browses page by page, Su Mu's eyes sparkle, occasionally exclaiming in wonder, occasionally furrowing his brows.
After some time passes, Su Mu gently exhales and quietly closes the classic, feeling admiration for the person who created this technique.
Third Level martial artists have initially completed bone tempering throughout the body, while Fourth Level martial artists start internally, and when a martial artist builds a bridge within the body that successfully connects inside and out, they enter Fourth Level Initial Stage.
The five viscera correspond to five bridges; building all five bridges completes the Fourth Level Middle Stage.
At this stage, martial artists officially begin Visceral Refining, with the heart being refined first, completing the Fourth Level High Stage.
Once the remaining four viscera are refined, one becomes a Peak Fourth Level Martial Artist.
The wonder of the Third-Turned Refining Technique lies in the fact that other techniques pursue more stable bridge structures or use qi and blood to solidify bridges.
However, the Third-Turned Refining Technique takes an unconventional path; the first two bridges utilize a double helix structure, which is stable yet conducive to reverse dismantling.
Thus, after refining the five viscera and intentionally destroying the bridges, these five viscera become sturdy bridge piers.
With these powerful piers as a foundation, martial artists can construct broader, firmer, and mightier bridges.
The benefit of this approach is a comprehensive, seamless enhancement.
The difference is akin to the distinction between three rounds of bone tempering and one round for martial artists who haven't formed yet.
"Great courage, great perseverance, realized acquired rapid advancement, defying destiny to change martial arts foundation... The creator of this technique is truly a genius!"
"Tragically, the creator perished early on the Alien Race Battlefield, ultimately only completing the second reconstruction of the bridge; three times was the extreme envisaged by this exceptional genius."
"If not for the difficulty of cultivating, coupled with the creator failing to complete three reconstructions, this technique should not have merely appeared on the third floor."
Su Mu cannot help but express in awe, thrilled inside—he feels he's found a treasure.
Though this technique is arduous to cultivate, time-consuming, and requires enduring the pain of bridge destruction, it boasts remarkable potential once mastered.
"Even such a genius fell on the Alien Race Battlefield… If I enter that battlefield, I must be cautious beyond measure."
Su Mu shudders inside, admonishing himself before looking at the cultivation room clock.
2:45...
Cultivation disregards the passage of time; unknowingly, it is already late at night.
He missed tonight's club activity; determined to not let the momentum fade, Su Mu immediately dives back into deep contemplation.
By dawn, Su Mu exhales deeply; his brow relaxes, revealing a pleasant surprise.
Starting is always challenging; a crucial point in bridge construction is controlling qi and blood to resonate with the viscera, ensuring bridge construction without damaging the viscera.
In this regard, Su Mu considers himself fortunate.
His Breathing Technique is nearing Minor Success, providing a certain foundation and experience in visceral resonance, plus Zhao Meng's Meditation Technique aiding in comprehension. After obtaining the specific technique, he merely experimented for a night and naturally achieved initial resonance with his heart.
Thump, thump, thump!
In resonance, Su Mu attempts to activate the Breathing Technique; it feels as if his heart pounds strongly—like the sounding war drums.
At this moment, his breath, qi and blood, and viscera are all resonating, as though they form a whole, with the slightest move affecting the entire body. His qi and blood surges and flow speed suddenly accelerates.
Su Mu tries to control the consolidation of qi and blood, but suddenly the balance collapses, and the resonance state breaks immediately.
Cough, cough, cough.
After a bout of severe coughing, retaliated against, Su Mu sheepishly smiles; completing resonance in a night made him somewhat complacent, and the backlash sobered him instantly.
"I'm not a genius; bridge construction isn't easy, beware of arrogance and impatience!"
Outside the Forging Academy, Su Mu pauses, hearing numerous hammering sounds echoing continuously.
Inside the classroom, it is empty; he wonders until he encounters Teacher Lin.
Only after questioning does he learn there's a change on the Alien Race Battlefield. After the tutors' assessment announcement, many started customizing weapons, especially tutors and students from the Practical Combat Academy.
Martial artists in this world enjoy favorable national treatment, but the country also expects martial artists to comply when necessary, either to deploy to the battlefield or to defend the country. This is a duty every martial artist must fulfill.
Overall, the Forging Academy is becoming busy, coinciding with an opportunity for students to practically forge weapons. Tutors' weapons naturally won't be handed to academy students, but creating some for student use is just right.
"Teacher Su, do you want to customize a weapon? As a tutor at our Forging Academy, customizing weapons offers a considerable discount."
Weapons?
Su Mu is tempted.
Preparing beforehand, he needs to ensure thorough preparation for entering the Alien Race Battlefield.