The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS

Qing Yu gathered 550 taels from the bandit village, keeping 50 taels for contingencies and converting the remaining 500 taels into 50 villain points.

Wohu Village was three miles from Yang City, and Qing Yu had traveled swiftly using Qinggong. However, now Qing Yu forcibly used Exorcism Swordsmanship, and despite overcoming the aftermath, he felt completely drained. Using Qinggong to travel was out of the question, but since there were horses in the village, Qing Yu casually rode one and set the rest free.

Still, riding a horse had its own challenges, and since Qing Yu had never ridden before, his first experience left him feeling battered. Ancient roads were unlike modern cement paths; the bumpy ride back to the inn made Qing Yu feel as if practicing with the Exorcism Swordsmanship could be done directly.

Even though his legs were so sore they could hardly close, Qing Yu endured the pain, changed into clean clothes, and went out to buy some golden sore medicine from a drugstore. He felt if he died from wound infection, he would be pinned to a pillar of shame in transmigrator history.

After busying with these chores, the sky gradually darkened.

Qing Yu collapsed on the bed, staring blankly at the patterns on the canopy above, "A day has passed. Although I gained a lot today—enriching my enemy encounter experience, unlocking the system marketplace, and even advancing to Postnatal Fifth Realm—it's still not enough.

This strength could deal with a few mountain bandits or robbers, but it is far from sufficient against disciples from a great sect like the True Martial Dao Sect. Even though those two Zhenwu Sect members were sent to watch me, a minor figure, they might also be disciples with no prospects within the Zhenwu Sect."

"It's a pity I'm still short 100 villain points. Otherwise, with the Exorcism Swordsmanship, my chances of winning would greatly increase, even if their realms are one or two levels higher than mine."

"Host, considering it's your first time accessing the marketplace, the system can exceptionally allow you to convert one lottery draw into villain points. You still have one Basic Lottery draw which can be exchanged for 100 villain points, would you like to make the exchange?" The system came just in time, like charcoal in snowy weather.

Qing Yu sat up excitedly, regardless of the pain in his injuries, and said immediately, "What are we waiting for? Exchange it now. Then I'll have 500 villain points, right? Complete my Exorcism Swordsmanship."

"Basic Lottery exchanged for 100 villain points. Conversion complete.

Executing completion of Martial Art 'Exorcism Swordsmanship', completion successful, transmitting…"

Though it was a cold, mechanical synthetic voice, at that moment in Qing Yu's ears, it sounded immensely affectionate.

In the book "Laughing in the Wind," Master Fang Zheng once said in the 30th chapter: The manual (referring to the Kuihua Treasure) not only contains vast and profound Martial Arts but is also extremely perilous. It's said that the hardest part is the first barrier; once the first barrier is breached, the rest aren't as difficult. All Martial Arts progress step by step, and it gets increasingly difficult as one progresses. The most challenging part of the Kuihua Treasure, however, lies in the very first step, where the slightest deviation during practice could either kill or cripple.

Therefore, once the first barrier is crossed, the subsequent cultivation, whether or not one castrates oneself, becomes immaterial.

For this reason, Qing Yu had seen many speculations in his past life while browsing forums, such as abstinent practice or engaging in Dual Cultivation... all sorts of wild ideas.

When he received the completed martial arts information from the system, Qing Yu felt suddenly enlightened.

The sunflower faces the sun; the Kuihua Treasure, although eerie in execution, contained supreme Yang internal energy. If the Nine Yang Divine Skill is nine Yang, then the Kuihua Treasure was ten Yang. However, the rule of heaven and earth is nine Yang and six Yin. Just as the Dou Wine Monk had judged the Nine Yin Scripture, saying its extreme Yin brought disaster (the Monk surely didn't know the Sanskrit Summary, probably thinking he is Xuzhu, that fake monk). The same principle applies here: lone Yin does not grow, lone Yang does not last; even from Yang to Yin, it's nine Yang and one Yin, which can transform like Taiji to be suitable for the human body.

The founder's imagination was astonishing, combining inner energy with lust/fire, driving the inner energy with lust/fire to reach supreme Yang. Otherwise, how could a weakling cultivate such supreme Yang energy?

After cultivating supreme Yang energy, the overwhelming Yang fire would harm the body. Therefore, like the martial arts of the "Martial Arts Zen" known as the Marriage Dress Divine Skill, effort is needed to blunt its sharpness before its power can be employed.

Using lust/fire to drive the inner energy and then removing its source blunts the edge, allowing a retreat from ten Yang to nine Yang, from Yang to Yin, suitable for the human body.

Yet the combination of lust/fire and inner energy isn't easily managed with conventional methods. Even temporarily sealing the acupoints related to lust/desires or using drugs to suppress them would be dispersed by the inner energy.

Therefore, apart from martial artists who have mastered Martial Arts reaching a balance of Yin and Yang, others can only resolve this by castration. However, castrating oneself during active cultivation is extremely dangerous; after all, lust/fire cannot be easily retracted, plus, there's no time to stop bleeding during active cultivation. The only way is to castrate oneself first, then take an exciting drug (aphrodisiac), to ignite the fire. This fire, rootless water, will naturally dissipate after reaching a certain intensity.

With all this said, Qing Yu still couldn't overcome the first barrier of Exorcism Swordsmanship alone, but fortunately, the 500 villain points weren't for nothing.

Qing Yu crossed his legs and silently practiced the mental method, feeling the fire spread throughout his body, his body stiffening, on the verge of succumbing to deviation.

"System…"

A mysterious great force entered his body from the unknown, bringing a refreshing sensation, and True Qi naturally generated in his Dantian, setting things on the right track.

Next was the conversion of Inner Strength, transforming the Inner Strength from the Quanzhen Heart Method.

As the Kuihua Treasure allowed beginners to experience a process only mastered by high-level martial artists who had attained a balance of Yin and Yang, the purity of Inner Strength was extremely high, which is why merely having the heart to harm one's fellow disciple, regardless of poor aptitude, would lead to rapid advancement thereafter.

After cycling the inner energy through several Celestial runs, Qing Yu opened his eyes, and in that instant, it seemed as if two sharp lights shot out.

"Divine Transformation." Suddenly, the room was filled with ghostly multiple shadows, and Qing Yu's figure transformed myriad times, darting back and forth.

Shortly after, Qing Yu stopped, looking down at his own hands, "I feel... I am full of strength…"

Of course, Qing Yu knew this was just an illusion brought about by the rapid advancement of martial skills. This mental method started at a very high level, involving reaching the Innate Realm to achieve Yang from Yin and balance Yin and Yang. Initially, it unlocked the Hand Three Yang Meridians, Foot Three Yang Meridians, and other six root meridians among the Twelve Meridians, and along with another previously unlocked meridian by Qing Yu, more than half of the Twelve Meridians were already unblocked.

Moreover, Qing Yu felt that unlocking one of the Extraordinary Meridians was not far off.

Without hesitation, Qing Yu kept going, swallowing a Meridian Opening Pill obtained from Mr. Mo and practiced throughout the night. By the dawn of the next day, he successfully unblocked the Chong Meridian, advancing to Postnatal Sixth Realm.

Thus, only the governor and conception vessels among the Extraordinary Meridians remained to be unblocked.

"It's time to pace myself. If I'm not careful and overshoot, I'll exceed the limit line set by Mr. Mo's wager, and that would be bad."

Qing Yu opened the window and looked out at the slightly bright sky. Dawn was upon them, and the world was about to burst into light.