“This punch of mine is the culmination of twenty years of effort!”
Li Cang unleashed a punch towards the wall, then grimaced and pulled his fist back a second later.
The wall was completely undamaged.
His fist was almost fractured.
Rubbing his excruciatingly painful hand, Li Cang, after several attempts, initially summarized the abilities of the Path of Idealism.
Firstly, the condition to trigger the Path of Idealism is to firmly believe in something with unwavering conviction.
Secondly, the strength and effect of the Path of Idealism are related to its tier.
Even if he firmly believed he could do it, he couldn't punch through a wall made of high-strength shield material.
The first-tier Path of Idealism couldn't provide such a massive power amplification.
Thinking of this, a wicked thought suddenly popped into Li Cang's mind:
“If Su Xi’s irregular menstruation was truly willed by my Path of Idealism, wouldn’t I make a fortune by opening a gynecology hospital…?”
“However, my parents in this life seem to be very rich… Never mind, making money can wait; let’s look at the Breathing Technique first.”
Li Cang cast aside distracting thoughts, picked up the “Yuan Gang Breathing Technique,” and began to flip through it.
He skipped the “Foreword: The Origin and Importance of the Yuan Gang Breathing Technique” and directly turned to “Basic Steps of the Yuan Gang Breathing Technique.”
“Origin Qi is a mysterious energy state, Formless and substanceless, existing within all phenomena of the universe. The Yuan Gang Breathing Technique can absorb Origin Qi into the body and, after refining, make it one’s own.”
“The first step of the Yuan Gang Breathing Technique is to sit cross-legged, embracing unity. The intention is to discard distracting thoughts, clear the mind, and focus the spirit, allowing the body and mind to reach the optimal cultivation state…”
Li Cang immediately entered a state of study, meticulously reading this breathing technique, which was universally popularized in the Great Xia Federation.
When he read about the three exhales and three inhales, he sat cross-legged and gave it a try.
The three exhales mentioned in the “Yuan Gang Breathing Technique” were: expelling turbidity, dispelling miasma, and releasing impurities.
The three inhales were: entering the chest and abdomen, sinking into the hundred bones, and settling in the Dantian.
He embraced unity, discarded all distracting thoughts, and could clearly feel dense Origin Qi filling his surroundings.
However.
When he tried to use the method of three exhales and three inhales to absorb the surrounding Origin Qi into his body, the progress was extremely slow.
If the body were compared to a labyrinth with paths in all directions, the Origin Qi he absorbed moved like a crawling snail, inching forward little by little within the labyrinth.
No matter what he did, he couldn't make it speed up.
At this rate, he wouldn’t be able to complete one circulation of the breathing technique until the year of the monkey and horse (a very long time).
However, this was completely different from what the book said: “Origin Qi entering the body will flow like swift wind; focused guidance will allow it to complete one circulation.”
“Where did it go wrong?”
Li Cang fell into deep thought.
The Yuan Gang Breathing Technique itself was definitely not the problem.
Countless cultivators had personally verified it over thousands of years; it was a breathing technique with the widest applicable demographic, extremely low entry requirements, and a very high Upper limit.
Moreover, this breathing technique was not only popularized in the Great Xia Federation but was even promoted and used by many forces in other star regions among the populace.
His posture, movements, and process were also fine; he had strictly followed the instructions in the book.
Even if there was a tiny mistake, the speed shouldn't be this slow.
Excluding these two reasons, there was only one possibility left—
His physique had a problem.
Could it be…
Li Cang’s heart stirred, as if he had suddenly thought of something, and he looked at his hands with a hint of excitement.
“Could this be that kind of once-in-ten-thousand-years, extremely difficult to cultivate, yet when cultivated to great accomplishment, it allows one to look down on all realms and be invincible, some kind of Sacred Body?”
“Hmm, no doubt about it, it must be like this! Otherwise, there’s no way to explain why the Origin Qi absorption speed is so slow.”
“Generally, for this kind of special Sacred Body, ordinary breathing techniques cannot be used; I need to find another way…”
Li Cang frowned and pondered for a moment, then a flash of inspiration suddenly crossed his mind, and he subconsciously blurted out four words:
“Qi and blood imbalance!”
His second uncle, who practiced Qigong, used to constantly nag him—
Qi is the commander of blood, and blood is the mother of qi. Once they are out of balance, either blood flow is not smooth, or qi is deficient and stagnant.
The reason the Origin Qi he absorbed circulated sluggishly must be because of a severe qi and blood imbalance in this special Sacred Body.
The blood was too stagnant, and the qi was not flowing smoothly.
If internal qi wasn't flowing smoothly, external Origin Qi would have even less chance of circulating smoothly within his body.
It was like a severely congested highway; if you forced a car into it, could it possibly go fast?
If this was truly the problem, the solution was very simple—bloodletting!
“Li Cang of Class 6, Senior Year 3, lend me a dagger!”
Li Cang left the cultivation room, ran to the martial arts training ground to borrow a dagger, returned to the cultivation room, stripped off all his clothes, and sat cross-legged again.
Holding the dagger, he cut a wound on each of his arms.
Seeing the blood flow out, he began to breathe without changing his expression.
If Su Xi were here, she would surely be dumbfounded by Li Cang’s actions.
Because the first major taboo of the “Yuan Gang Breathing Technique” was “Do not perform the Yuan Gang Breathing Technique while bleeding, otherwise it will lead to disordered qi flow and ruptured meridians.”
For this reason, females were strictly forbidden from performing the Yuan Gang Breathing Technique during their menstrual periods.
Su Xi had been practicing the Yuan Gang Breathing Technique since elementary school and instinctively believed this was “common knowledge known to everyone,” so she hadn’t specifically explained it to Li Cang.
However.
When Li Cang let out some blood and then performed the three exhales and three inhales.
An incredible thing happened.
After the Origin Qi was absorbed into his body, its circulation speed underwent a qualitative leap, completing one circulation in about ten seconds.
“Haha, it worked!”
Li Cang excitedly opened his eyes, raised his arms, and cheered loudly.
He knew it was a problem of qi and blood imbalance!
No wonder the academic slacker Li Cang’s martial arts scores were so poor.
His Origin Qi absorption speed was countless times slower than others, but he didn’t know how to solve this problem. His cultivation realm fell further and further behind his peers, and in despair, he simply gave up and stopped studying.
“But who would have thought you were a once-in-ten-thousand-years special Sacred Body…”
Li Cang couldn't help but sigh.
At this moment, he saw that blood was still flowing, so he quickly reined in his excitement, embraced unity, and resumed his breathing technique.
So much blood couldn’t be shed for nothing.
Time passed by second by second, and as more and more blood flowed out, the speed of Origin Qi absorption continued to increase.
From circulating once every ten seconds, it gradually shortened to eight seconds, then seven seconds, six seconds, five seconds…
When the time shortened to three seconds, Li Cang suddenly swayed, feeling dizzy and almost fainting.
“Too much blood loss…”
Li Cang’s lips were pale, his face bloodless, and he shakily stood up.
He looked at the bloodstains on the ground, which resembled a murder scene, and suddenly his heart stirred, and he muttered:
“Logically speaking, a special Sacred Body like mine, unparalleled through the ages, shouldn’t be this weak from just a little blood loss.”
As soon as these words left his mouth, his consciousness indeed cleared up a bit, and his originally numb and weak limbs also regained a good deal of strength.
“That’s really good, the Path of Idealism also has an effect on the Sacred Body.”
“When I get back, I can try other effects… like automatic breathing and cultivation during daily breathing.”
Li Cang nodded in satisfaction, opened the medical kit in the cultivation room, and simply disinfected and bandaged the two wounds on his arms.
After washing off the bloodstains in the restroom and putting on his clothes, he left Cultivation Room 155.
At 11:50 AM, the cafeteria opened on time.
Li Cang got four servings of food and quietly started eating in a corner of the cafeteria.
Having lost so much blood, he urgently needed to replenish his nutrients.
Not far away.
Su Xi walked over with a plate of food.
She had returned to her dorm to change into intimate clothing, taken a shower, rested for a while, and then came to eat.
She was also someone who disliked crowds, so she carried her food towards the corner. From a dozen meters away, she saw the familiar person she had just parted ways with.
Huh, Li Cang?
Sigh, how long has he been cultivating before running off to eat? His grades are already so bad, and he’s still not working hard!
Su Xi gritted her teeth, somewhat exasperatedly walking over. Just as she was about to lecture Li Cang, she saw that both of his arms were bandaged.
“Are you hurt? Who hit you?”
“No one hit me, I just bumped myself accidentally,” Li Cang said casually, looking up to see it was Su Xi.
“You’re lying through your teeth. How can you have two identical injuries in the same spot from bumping yourself?”
Su Xi slammed her tray down, put her hands on her hips, and puffed up aggressively, like a ruffled hen protecting its chicks:
“Tell me, which bastard bullied you? I’ll go get justice for you! How dare they bully someone from our Class 6, they’re asking for it!”
“Really, no one bullied me. You sit down and eat.”
Li Cang was somewhat amused and helpless.
Su Xi was half-skeptical but didn’t press further.
She secretly thought that Li Cang might have strong self-esteem and was deliberately holding back from speaking. She could secretly investigate after dinner.
After just a couple of bites of food, Su Xi suddenly noticed that Li Cang had gotten four servings of food and, clutching her forehead, said helplessly:
“Big brother, it’s best to cultivate the Yuan Gang Breathing Technique on an empty stomach in the early stages, or at least half-full. How can you eat like this?”
“What do you know? This is dietary therapy for me.”
“Dietary therapy?”
“Diet is the mother of the five zang organs and the source of qi and blood. Specific food combinations can harmonize the five zang organs, nourish the meridians, and mobilize qi and blood throughout the body.”
Li Cang’s sixth aunt was a health expert, so these dietary therapy theories came easily to him.
“What kind of nonsense theory is that? Do you think cafeteria food is some kind of rare celestial treasure?” Su Xi curled her lips.
“Don’t you know, every ingredient actually contains the essence of heaven and earth.”
“This spinach of yours is vibrant green, its attribute tends towards wood, and eating it can clear heat and detoxify.”
“This tomato is bright red, its attribute tends towards fire, indicating it can warm and nourish the heart.”
Li Cang spoke eloquently.
Su Xi listened to this theory and burst into helpless laughter.
What kind of ridiculous theory?
Oh, spinach is green so it's wood, tomatoes are red so they're fire. Why don't you just get a stir-fry of pumpkin, white radish, and scrambled eggs and make it a Five Elements meal?
Little did she know.
As soon as Li Cang finished speaking, his entire body’s qi and blood inexplicably became a few points more abundant, and even his appetite increased slightly.
You see.
Where was this theory wrong?
This theory was simply excellent!
Path of Idealism value +1
Halfway through his meal, Li Cang suddenly looked up at Su Xi's back, his gaze slowly shifting to the left behind her.
Su Xi looked back in confusion and immediately chuckled in exasperation.
A woman with a fiery figure walked past behind her, her pant legs rolled up to reveal her legs, her T-shirt tied at her chest to reveal her waist, curvaceous and swaying.
Without even seeing her face, one knew it was Xia Shishi, the campus belle of Xiyuan No. 6 Middle School; only she wore her school uniform like that throughout the entire school.
“Where are you looking?” Su Xi waved her hand in front of his eyes.
“What’s wrong with looking? She has a good figure and is generous; looking is a sign of respect,” Li Cang said very candidly.
“But you’ve been staring.”
“Always looking, always respecting.”
“…”
Su Xi was speechless for a moment, then seriously said, “I’m serious, before reaching the Profound Opening Realm, it’s best to abstain from desire and purify your mind, otherwise, your mind can easily become unstable and plagued by distracting thoughts.”
“Not necessarily,” Li Cang shook his head.
“Ah?”
“Appropriate indulgence helps to dispel internal heat in the kidneys, maintain kidney qi balance, and nourish vitality.”
This was a theory Li Cang had comprehended himself.
Path of Idealism value +1