Chapter 176: Enlightenment
"Just like Mystic Arts, cultivating a single martial art can elevate you to the Soul Reformation realm as well. However, unless the art you’ve chosen is some kind of supreme, unique technique devised by a Celestial, there will always be room for improving your physique.
"What separates martial arts from mystic arts in this aspect is the fact that you can always fill in that gap in your physique, eradicate all of your weaknesses, and perfect your vessel even after crossing over to the Soul Reformation realm.
"But in the case of Mystic Arts, any new technique you practice past the Physique Transformation realm will fail to produce effective results. The Elders teaching you about Mystic cultivation must have told you about this phenomenon already.
"So, for now, don’t go looking for multiple Martial Art manuals. Practice properly the ones you’ve purchased, even if its endpoint is a mediocre physique. There will be chances to make up for it later on, once you’re a stronger, wealthier, and wiser cultivator."
With this advice from Elder Long, Han Xuhan had gone to the archives to purchase the simplest martial art manual he could find. Senior Brother Lin had brought out a scroll a bit too quickly upon hearing his only requirement.
"I’ve heard that Elder Long won’t agree to teach these simple martial cultivation techniques. The sect master has given him tight instructions not to veer off his current curriculum of weapon-based martial arts. Why don’t you pick something he’s teaching in his classes?"
Han Xuhan shook his head while grabbing the presented scroll, face despondent.
"You might not know this, Brother Lin, but the Elder has already cut down half the disciples of the outer court from his lessons. He favors only the most talented and hardworking disciples, and he will never agree to waste his time teaching a newbie like me after such a long time has passed since the first lesson."
"Yeah, that man is as stubborn as a mule," Senior Brother Lin said shiftily, eyeing their surroundings.
Then in a lower volume, he added, "This is just his way of protesting against our Sect Master’s tyrannic new rules. He’s intentionally angering the entire outer court by claiming that the sect master is forcing him to follow such strict methods of teaching."
Han Xuhan recalled the pissed look on Elder Long’s face when he had tried to ’convince’ the man to teach him martial arts from scratch by invoking the sect master’s name, since he did have a special, provable relationship with the sect master now.