Chapter 347 346: What is the Mystical of Martial Arts
Although Ling Fei had comprehended numerous Mysticals, his understanding of the Path of Mystical was still somewhat unclear.
Since Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun had brought it up, Ling Fei didn't hesitate to ask for guidance.
After all, guidance from a senior on the path of Martial Arts could save one from many detours.
This way, Ling Fei could achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Right now, he was desperate to increase his strength and become a true powerhouse, so naturally, he didn't want to waste any time.
"What is the Mystical of Martial Arts?" Upon hearing this, Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun's gaze sharpened. He then explained, "When you condense your Physical Power and unleash it through a Martial Technique, pushing that power to its absolute limit—that is Martial. As for a Mystical, it is an extension of Martial. The difference is the addition of a person's Willpower, which is fused within to transform it into a Mystical."
'A person's Willpower?' Ling Fei fell into deep thought.
"Correct. Some people observe the roiling of great waves and use it to comprehend the Overlapping Waves Palm. Their palm strikes become like waves, one layer after another, with a torrential momentum that contains the force of a great river," Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun said. "This begins with Willpower. Only through visualization can one achieve comprehension. When that comprehension is finally fused into a Martial Art, it becomes a Mystical Martial Art."
"Others might watch a meteor streak across the Void. Its speed is astonishing, and they believe this quality can be integrated into the Sword Dao. Thus, they create the Meteor Sword Technique. The sword becomes like a meteor. This too is creating something from nothing, and it results in a Mystical Sword Technique," Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun explained.
'Creating something from nothing?' Ling Fei was on the verge of an epiphany.
"Correct. Creating something from nothing. Martial Arts have no inherent Mystical. A Mystical is born only when a person's will is focused. However, a newborn Mystical is still ethereal and intangible. Only by condensing a Mystical Technique Pattern—fusing the Mystical with your heart and spirit, integrating it into your very being—can it truly transform from the ethereal to the tangible," said Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun. "Once a Mystical becomes tangible, it's like having a foundation. Only then can it grow strong and eventually evolve into a Mystical Divine Technique."
"The Sword Dao Mystical and Mystical of Martial Arts you have comprehended are all still in an ethereal state. Only by making them tangible can you truly help them advance to the next level!"
'Make the ethereal tangible!' Ling Fei's gaze sharpened, a flicker of understanding in his eyes.
He had previously comprehended Sword Intent and condensed a Sword Intent Seed.
That was how he made his Sword Intent tangible.
However, his Sword Intent still lacked a unique Sword Dao Mystical.
Only by comprehending the Mystical of the Sword could he give this Sword Intent a soul.
For example, the Sword Qi River!
This was also a Sword Dao Mystical.
Now, he needed to take his various Mysticals, firmly imprint them, and make them tangible.
"Make the ethereal tangible," Ling Fei murmured. Though he understood a great deal more, he suddenly felt lost, unsure where to begin.
"The Path of Mystical is determined by the heart. Your Mystical is where your heart leads," Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun said with a smile. "Alright, the Path of Mystical is ethereal and difficult to articulate; it all comes down to personal enlightenment. For now, go back and think carefully about what you seek, what you need, and what you desire. Then you can decide on your Path of Mystical and condense your Mystical Technique Pattern."
"Remember, the Mystical Technique Pattern is the foundation upon which Divine Techniques are built, so you cannot be careless. You must contemplate it thoroughly and follow your heart's true intention to successfully condense your Mystical."
Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun said with a solemn expression.
"I will be sure to remember your words, Peak Master," Ling Fei said.
"Very good. The Cultivation Dao must be walked step by step. There is no need for you to be overly hasty," said Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun.
At this point, everything was up to Ling Fei.
Therefore, Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun said no more.
Saying any more might only confuse Ling Fei further.
"This disciple understands!" Ling Fei nodded, then bowed and took his leave.
"If Ling Fei can break through to the Celestial Pill Realm, I believe he'll be able to become a Second Grade Alchemist even faster." As he watched Ling Fei's departing figure, Master Yuan Lang's eyes filled with anticipation. 'And once he's a Second Grade Alchemist, becoming a Third Grade Alchemist will be that much easier.'
"With Ling Fei's talent, becoming an Alchemy Master won't be difficult. The real question is when he can break through to the Nascent Soul Realm. If he can't reach the Nascent Soul Realm, his achievements will ultimately be limited," said Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun. In his eyes, it wouldn't be hard for a talent like Ling Fei to become a Celestial Pill Realm Cultivator.
That was why he was already looking ahead to the Nascent Soul Realm.
"The Nascent Soul Realm!" At these words, Master Yuan Lang's gaze sharpened, a complex look in his eyes.
For him, that Realm was like a distant, unreachable mountain peak.
For so many years, he had been trying to break through to that Realm, but unfortunately, he was still just half a step away.
"If I could reach the Nascent Soul Realm, refining Spirit Pills would be so much easier," Master Yuan Lang sighed.
Unfortunately, Nascent Soul Realm Powerhouses were extremely rare, even among the major sects of the Southern Wilderness. Even geniuses of Martial Arts found it incredibly difficult to take that step.
So what hope did Alchemists like them have?
...
Ling Fei left Medicine Peak and returned to his own mountain peak.
'I've spent the last two months immersed in Alchemy, making fundamental improvements in my Alchemy Dao. Now, it's time to condense my Mystical Technique Pattern and break through to the Celestial Pill Realm,' Ling Fei murmured to himself inside his Cultivation Room.
Grand Alchemist Yuan Chun's words had given Ling Fei an epiphany, providing him with a much deeper understanding of the Path of Mystical.
'A Mystical is formed from one's will, which makes it ethereal. Only by solidifying the ethereal into the tangible can I truly control a Mystical and lay the Foundation of Mystical Skill.'
'With this Foundation of Mystical Skill, I can continuously master even more profound mystical techniques.'
For a Cultivator, the Celestial Pill Realm represented a massive leap in power.
Once a person entered this Realm, their understanding of Martial Arts would far surpass that of an ordinary person, putting them leagues above the average Cultivator.
The Celestial Pill Realm also served to lay the foundation for the Nascent Soul Realm.
'What Mysticals do I control right now?' Ling Fei's mind raced as his various techniques came to mind.
First, the Sword Dao.
Ling Fei had studied the sword, mastered Sword Momentum, and possessed an indomitable, forward-charging force.
'Momentum isn't a Mystical,' he quickly concluded. 'At least, not yet. I can't transform it into one of those so-called mystical techniques right now.'
Momentum was too vague.
A Mystical had to be a foundation, and it needed to be crystal clear. Only then could it naturally be extended into Divine Techniques, building a solid base for the future.
'The Celestial River Nine Swords?' Ling Fei continued to ponder, the memory of his enlightenment regarding the Celestial River Nine Swords surfacing in his mind.
The sword, like a river. The Nine Swords, like crashing waves. The sword, like a raging dragon!
A sword has no shape of its own; it only takes form where the will directs it.
This was the form of a Mystical.
'This counts as one type of Mystical,' Ling Fei murmured. 'And there's the Meteor Sword... If I think about it, does 'sword like the wind' count too?'
He had comprehended so many Sword Dao Mysticals in the past.
'Do I have to turn all of them into Mystical Technique Patterns?'
Ling Fei shook his head. That felt unrealistic.
'If I learn too many, it will only slow me down. The essence of Martial Arts lies in mastery, not quantity.' Ling Fei was well aware of this fact.
A person's energy is finite. Rather than spending it all to learn dozens of Mysticals, it was better to master a few practical ones.
'Besides the Sword Dao, there's the True Dragon Mystical Technique.'
'And the Cold Dao Mystical.'
His thoughts grew clearer.
'The Nascent Soul has Nine Layers. Mastering one Divine Technique raises it by one layer, and at the same time, one's Nascent Soul Power is enhanced. Condensing Mystical Technique Patterns in the Celestial Pill Realm lays the foundation for the Nascent Soul Realm.' Ling Fei had some understanding of the subsequent Cultivation Dao. In other words, the Mystical Technique Patterns he condensed now would affect his future in the Nascent Soul Realm.
Of course, even if he only condensed a single Mystical Technique Pattern, he could still attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm.
'Condensing Mystical Technique Patterns is a monumental task, so I can't be hasty. I'll start with the Sword Dao.' With his mind made up, Ling Fei had a clear goal.
Now that he had a goal, his previous confusion began to fade.
'The Sword Dao Mystical... I've comprehended several different ones. Should I condense each of them into patterns separately, or condense them all together? And how would I even go about condensing them?' Ling Fei sank back into contemplation.
