Simply Trading

"The Completion Realm?"

Qin Feng was naturally interested in that as well. After all, it was supposed to be what all of the disciples, regardless of their position in the Heaven Sword School, were aiming for. Besides, it was the one Realm below Profound, which was only attainable by someone who had accumulated at least twenty-four years of training.

Which made it the pinnacle for all cultivators below that age!

And Ming Guanhe had just revealed that the Grandmaster of the Heaven Sword School was doing what he could to bring the Core Disciples of the School to that stage? That was a little too exaggerated, was it? Did he really think Qin Feng would be more likely to obey without question, by using the Grandmaster's name?

Still, it was a chance that would not show up twice. So he wasn't about to let it slip out of his grasp. Besides, didn't he have an easy job? All he had to do was to confirm the old man's identification of the herbs. Wasn't that as simple as flipping his hand over?

But Ming Guanhe seemed to be confused by his somewhat unthinking exclamation. And smiled as he waved for Qin Feng to look down at the ground between the two of them. He squatted down and began to run his right index finger in the dirt, prompting the younger man to do the same, to stare at what he was drawing.

"There are different Realms and levels in our cultivation, as you must have already heard. But since you are still in the most basic Foundation Realm, it stands to reason that you are somewhat ignorant of what the other Realms are called," he began explaining, even as he drew a small circle in the dirt.

Then he added another one around the first. "After that comes the Qi Accumulation Realm, where you tie the different individual strands of Qi that you have formed, weaving them into a mat, or a basket, or some other form. Whatever makes it easier for you to visualize and form, in your dantian. That is the Qi Accumulation Realm, where the strands start to fuse together, to form a vessel.

"After that is the Initial Core Formation Realm, the Core Consolidation Realm and the Core Completion Realm. That is a little far away for you, so you don't need to know too much about them. These three Realms concern the formation of a Core in your body, that will continuously generate the inner qi, or what we call your zhenqi. That is what powers all your higher martial arts, and grants power to your moves."

Ming Guanhe stopped drawing then, and looked up at Qin Feng, taking care to meet his eyes with a stern gaze. "That is what the Inner School and Core disciples are focused on, and the miracle herbs that we are seeking will make it easier for most of them to break through, and form a higher grade Core. Which will, in turn, make our Heaven Sword School more powerful."

Then he smiled, and reached out to pat the younger man on the shoulder, before he rose upright again. Qin Feng took that as a signal to rise, and continued looking at the scar-faced Elder. And decided to take a risk, and try to find out more about what he didn't altogether understand:

"Elder, I have a few questions concerning the Qi Accumulation Realm."

"Oh? What is it that you wish to know?"

Elder Ming was probably feeling generous, Qin Feng decided, and so he didn't waste any time. "When you were talking about the strands or streams of zhenqi earlier, you mentioned that I would need to weave them together. But how do you actually do this weaving? I know I haven't even made it to the Foundation Realm yet, but I would like to know more about that."

Ming Guanhe seemed to approve of his query, if his smile was anything to go by. "That is a little hard to explain, since you haven't begun to form your own streams of qi. Think of it like the individual straws in a simple basket. You can manipulate those straws so that they can form a basket, or a mat. Or anything else that you can imagine. So long as you understand the method of manipulating such, it shouldn't be a difficulty for you to craft them into whatever shape you wish."

He paused then, and pointed at the fire-pit that Qin Feng had prepared earlier. "Take a look at that, for example. You know the shape that a fire-pit should have, and so dug the hole, arranged the stones, and once you have the firewood, you would start to place them in a way that would make it easier for you to start a fire. Well, handling your strands of qi is very similar.

"The more familiar you are with them, and the more you are able to manipulate them, the easier it would be for you to weave them into the shape that you desire."

Qin Feng thought he understood. "So I should ... try to manipulate the strands of qi that I have, so I can ... familiarize myself with what they can and cannot do?"

"That sounds about correct. But you shall have to be careful, and release them from any set shape that you had twisted them into, once you are done. Or else you shall be stuck with them, and shall have to work within the structure that you have set. And that would be a waste of time."

The young man promised that he would remember that, and quietly fixed all that information in his mind. It was not too far from what he had learned for Old Man Snow Mountain, although Elder Ming's explanation was a little easier to understand.

Perhaps because he was used to dealing with youngsters like him, who had no inkling of cultivation at all? Old Man Snow Mountain had attained such a lofty position before he passed away, so it was no surprise that he couldn't quite explain the smaller, more detailed bits about the Lower Realms in a way that could be easily understood.

In any case, Qin Feng was well satisfied. He now had a better idea of what he was supposed to do! And just how he should go about it!

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