385: Chapter 385 The Five Levels of Qigong, Forging the Cauldron with True Essence

The morning sunlight was just right.

Passing through the branches and leaves of the old locust tree in the courtyard, it cast mottled light and shadows on the ground.

In a cage hanging from the treetops, a black-feathered myna bird emitted a crisp chirp, adding a touch of tranquility to this small courtyard.

However, the moment Fang Cheng stood still,

this tranquility seemed to be pushed aside by an invisible Qi field.

His feet were apart, shoulder-width, his knees slightly bent, sinking his waist and sitting in a horse stance.

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Just by striking a horse stance that could not be simpler, his whole person seemed to undergo a fundamental transformation.

If he was still a humble and polite Junior just moments ago,

then at this moment, he faintly exuded the Grandmaster demeanor of an abyss-like depth and mountain-like standing.

It was as if he was not standing there, but rather a stone statue growing out of the ground, steady and heavy, fusing into one with the earth beneath his feet.

The bird chirps in the courtyard had stopped at some unknown point.

The few old men sitting by the stone table subconsciously held their breath.

Even Ma Jianguo put down the teapot in his hand, his Focus reaching the extreme.

Fang Cheng's eyes were slightly closed, his breathing long and deep.

The next second, an abnormal change suddenly occurred.

First came a low hum, like the distant and endless reverberation after an ancient bell was struck.

The sound was very faint at first, but like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, it stirred ripples in everyone's heart.

Soon, it rapidly became clear and robust, like muffled thunder coming from deep within the clouds, growing closer and closer.

Hum-hum-hum—

The air was vibrating, and the invisible sound waves continuously spread through the courtyard like a tide.

On the stone table, the lids and bodies of the teacups collided rapidly, making a slight "click" sound.

The leaves of the old locust tree began to rustle even without a trace of wind.

The source of that sound was precisely Fang Cheng, standing in the courtyard.

His chest and abdomen, like a bellows, were unexpectedly bulging subtly and powerfully at a frequency visible to the naked eye.

Every rise and fall was accompanied by a roar that directly struck everyone's eardrums.

Rumble— Rumble—

The sound grew louder and thicker, like rolling spring thunder echoing between heaven and earth.

This was not merely the sound of the lungs, but the resonance of the viscera, tendons, bones, and even every inch of flesh and blood under the agitation of True Qi.

This power went from the inside out, penetrating the body surface and vibrating the surrounding air.

Gradually, amidst the dull thunderous sound, another sound actually branched out.

Deep and full of oppression.

Resembling the low roar of the king of beasts patrolling the mountain forest, it made people's eardrums ache and the Qi and blood in their chests churn.

Following closely, "Crack!" and "Rumble!"

A series of rolling-thunder-like explosive sounds pierced through his spine dragon section by section, reaching straight to the back of his head.

That sound possessed a primitive and wild sense of power.

Like the resonance produced by the friction of tendons and bones and the tremor of internal organs when a vigorous cheetah galloped across the grassland, merging and uniting with the sound of wind and thunder.

"It is the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound!"

Ma Jianguo blurted out.

He could no longer maintain his composure, suddenly standing up from the stone stool with his eyes wide open, his face filled with incredulous shock.

Professor Wu Dewang's eyes flickered, and he could not help reaching out to push his glasses, as if this would allow him to see more clearly.

Zhang Haixiang and Chen Zizhen looked at each other in dismay, seeing the same astonishment in each other's eyes.

Even Dong Yunchuan, who had long witnessed Fang Cheng's extraordinary aspects, now had his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg.

He pointed at Fang Cheng, his throat making a "he-he" sound, but he could not say a single word.

He originally just wanted Fang Cheng to demonstrate to his old friends to give them a good shock.

As a result, he was dumbfounded all over again instead.

What on earth did this brat still have hidden up his sleeve?

However, this was not the end yet!

As that breathtaking thunderous sound reached its peak, wisps of white mist began to steam out from the Baihui acupoint on the top of Fang Cheng's head and the pores all over his body.

That mist was initially like smoke, then like clouds, rapidly enveloping his entire body.

Just like boiling water, it emitted astonishing heat.

The temperature in the courtyard seemed to have risen by a few degrees because of this.

Sunlight pierced through this layer of hot mist formed by the evaporation of human essence, Qi, and sweat, refracting a hazy halo.

Making his whole person look like an Immortal stepping on clouds coming from legend.

Simply magnificent and miraculous!

Finally, when that thunderous sound and roar reached their peak,

Fang Cheng slowly raised his palms in front of his chest.

Then, he let out a long breath of white foul Qi.

This arrow of Qi unexpectedly shot straight out for more than two feet before dissipating in the air.

In an instant, the wind stopped and the sound ceased.

All the abnormalities came to an abrupt halt at this moment.

The white mist lingering around his body was re-inhaled into his body, as if it had never appeared.

The courtyard restored its previous tranquility, leaving only the heavy panting sounds of the old men.

Fang Cheng slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clear, and his breath steady and long.

As if the heaven-shaking scene just now had nothing to do with him.

Fang Cheng withdrew his skill and stood up, looking at the old men who seemed completely petrified in front of him, and spoke calmly:

"Junior Martial Uncles and Elders, I have made a fool of myself."

The entire courtyard fell into a dead silence, with no response for a long time.

"I surely am not dreaming, right...?"

The first to react was Zhang Haixiang, who had just lost the chess game.

He rushed forward in one step, disregarding any Senior demeanor, and his hands patted all over Fang Cheng's body, clicking his tongue in wonder.

"It's hot, still piping hot! Kid... you motherfucker, are you a monster?"

Chen Zizhen also swarmed over, his eagle-like eyes staring fixedly at Fang Cheng's abdomen, as if trying to see through his Dantian.

"In Martial Forest legends, the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound is a divine skill for training the inner organs and washing the tendons and marrow. When practiced to a profound level, the five viscera are as firm as iron and stone, and the tendons and bones surpass dragons and tigers."

"But this skill has extremely high requirements for Aptitude. A slight mishap will result in damage to the internal organs and Qi Deviation. For nearly a hundred years, no one has ever been heard of successfully practicing it. You brat actually succeeded in practicing it?"

Dong Yunchuan finally snapped out of his shock.

His old face flushed red, he slapped his thigh hard, and laughed out loud, his voice resonant and likewise making the locust tree leaves rustle:

"Did you see it, did you all see it! Wasn't I right? This is a Genius! A once-in-a-century martial arts prodigy!"

Then he walked to Fang Cheng's side, pushing others away like protecting his own treasure, and asked with a concerned expression:

"A-Cheng, how do you feel? Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable?"

Wu Dewang sat by the stone table, reached out to take off his glasses, and rubbed the corners of his eyes hard.

Then, with a trace of tremor in his voice, he looked towards Ma Jianguo.

"Senior Brother Ma, the Qigong that Fang Cheng demonstrated just now... should be the sign of Major Achievement in the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound, right?"

Ma Jianguo took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the towering waves in his heart.

The gaze he looked at Fang Cheng with was no longer pure appreciation for a Junior, but carried a hint of awe.

Then, he said in a deep voice:

"The Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound, washing the tendons and marrow, is the supreme method of practicing Punching techniques into the Transcendent Realm, using internal organ resonance to train the tendons and bones."

"Since ancient times, those who can practice it to 'hearing its sound' are already as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. To be able to make the sound condense into substance and form sound waves of this degree, throughout history, not even a few people can be found! A-Cheng, you..."

For a moment, he actually didn't know how to describe it.

Seeing this, Fang Cheng explained:

"I also recently figured out a little trick. After getting the Qi sensation, this situation occasionally appeared when practicing, but the control is not very good, sometimes working and sometimes not."

"Sometimes working and sometimes not?"

Dong Yunchuan glared:

"A-Cheng, stop being modest with us old men. This Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound technique trains the five viscera and six bowels, which is the most fundamental essence, Qi, and spirit of the human body."

"Ordinary people practice for a lifetime without even hearing a sound. If not practiced well, Qi and blood will reverse, and you will suffer internal bleeding on the spot!"

"What you have done is no longer as simple as 'practicing Qi out'. It is the manifestation of essence, Qi, and spirit beginning to condense and unite as one. Tell me honestly, what level has your Qigong reached now?"

"That's right, Fang Cheng, tell us in detail."

"Although we old fellows lack skills, our experience is definitely more than yours, so let us help you refer to it."

The other old men also swarmed over, talking all at once, their eyes filled with curiosity and exploration.

Facing the rapid-fire questions, Fang Cheng's heart stirred slightly, showing an appropriate look of confusion:

"I don't really understand the Cultivation Realms. I just practiced according to the Cultivation Technique taught by Master, and this sound naturally came out."

"As for this white Qi, it should be because the Qi and blood circulated too fast during exercise, and the body generated too much heat."

This remark was spoken casually, but it made the corners of the old men's eyes twitch directly.

What does "naturally" mean? They had practiced for a lifetime and hadn't even touched the threshold of this "nature"!

Ma Jianguo pondered for a bit, then slowly opened his mouth to clear his doubts:

"A-Cheng, the 'Qi' in traditional martial arts is not an illusory thing. According to the years of exploration and internal classification of our Martial Arts Research Association, Qigong Cultivation can roughly be divided into five levels."

"The first level is called 'Refining Qi into the Body'. This stage is mainly through the stance-standing, breathing, and other methods I taught you before to feel the existence of Qi, allowing this energy to take root and sprout in the body. Most students in our Research Association stay at this stage."

"The second level is called 'Qi Circulating the Heavenly Orbit'. When Qi accumulates to a certain extent, it can open up the Meridians, allowing it to form a complete circulation within the body, which is the so-called micro and macro heavenly orbits."

"When reaching this Realm, Qi can nourish the five viscera, strengthen the tendons and bones, resist cold and heat, and remain immune to all diseases. Several of us old fellows reached this Realm more than ten years ago, and our current physical fitness can be said to be completely no worse than young people."

"And the 'Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound' is precisely one of the best methods to impact this Realm. Being able to emit thunderous sounds shows that your True Qi is already strong enough to temper the bone marrow and reshape the Physical Body. In ancient times, this would be the beginning of shedding mortality and transcending divinity."

Fang Cheng nodded, indicating understanding.

Ma Jianguo continued to narrate smoothly:

"The third level is 'True Qi Externalization'. At this step, Qi is no longer just circulating in the body, but can penetrate out of the body and affect the outside world."

"Your Junior Martial Uncle Dong is an expert in this. His 'Boiling Water in the Palm' penetrates True Qi out of the palm, rubbing water molecules to make them heat up. This step is the beginning of 'Qi' going from the inside out and producing actual physical effects."

Hearing this, Dong Yunchuan showed a trace of complacency on his face, but when he looked at Fang Cheng, that bit of pride instantly vanished into thin air.

"This layer belongs to the embodiment of control. To what extent True Qi Externalization can achieve, and whether it can be controlled at will and finely manipulated for use in actual combat, also has a world of difference."

Ma Jianguo continued to speak:

"Therefore, the fourth level is named 'True Origin Casting the Cauldron'."

"Upon reaching this layer, Martial Artists can completely fuse True Qi with their own flesh, blood, tendons, and bones, carrying out deep-level 'washing and refining' and 'tempering', causing the body to gradually present the characteristics of an 'indestructible vajra'. Anti-strike ability and self-healing ability are greatly enhanced, and physical functions such as strength, speed, and perception all obtain a comprehensive, qualitative leap."

"True Qi is no longer a wild horse off the reins, but a servant as obedient as an arm commanding a finger. Martial Artists can further condense Qi into various forms, attaching it to weapons, fists, and feet, and even achieving harming people across space."

"It can be said that the first three levels are 'accumulation', and this level is thick accumulation and thin issuance, which can truly be applied to actual combat to compete with those monsters possessing special abilities."

Speaking of this, Ma Jianguo gazed intently at Fang Cheng.

"During your cultivation process, Qi came out like cloud vaporization, indicating that the inner Qi of the body is overflowing and has begun to exchange energy with the external heaven and earth."

"As for the fifth level, that is already a legendary Realm, named 'Internal Scenery External Manifestation'. The practitioner's spirit, Qi and blood, and internal organs are strong to the extreme, and their internal scenery will manifest outwardly, forming all sorts of incredible abnormalities."

"It is said that Bodhidharma Patriarch of ancient times, who cultivated the Yijinjing to Major Achievement, would have the light and shadow of a Buddha behind him when meditating; Wudang Immortal Master Zhang Sanfeng, when practicing Taiji, would have Yin and Yang fish revolving endlessly around his body."

"These are all the supreme manifestations of Internal Scenery External Manifestation. As to whether there are higher Realms above the fifth level, that is not something we ordinary mortals can speculate on."

After hearing this, Fang Cheng roughly had an idea in his heart.

With the Flame Breathing technique he mastered, the ability to bathe his entire body in fire and turn into a humanoid torch clearly counted as reaching the fourth-level Realm.

On his face, he put on a look of sudden realization and nodded slightly:

"Then I should have fortunately reached the third level, True Qi Externalization, barely touching the threshold of the fourth level for actual combat."

Hearing this, Dong Yunchuan waved his hand and said:

"You can practice the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound to produce such a loud sound, practically like a sonic attack. A-Cheng, if you have only touched the threshold, then I am afraid I won't even be able to see the door in this lifetime."

Despite this, the old men looked at him with even gentler eyes.

Endowed with extraordinary talent, yet neither arrogant nor impetuous, with a steady Heart-Nature, this was truly a fine piece of jade and a good talent.

Ma Jianguo sighed deeply and said with a complex expression:

"In the past two hundred years, martial arts have withered. We originally thought Old Dong was already the limit, but who would have thought that in our lifetime, we could still see a prodigy of True Origin Casting the Cauldron."

"If Senior Li Guizhen were still alive, seeing you, he would definitely regard you as a soulmate. When he was young, he was probably just at this level."

Mentioning the name "Li Guizhen", the lively atmosphere in the courtyard cooled down slightly.

Zhang Haixiang sighed along:

"Yeah, Senior Li, with one man and one sword, slaughtered giant monsters in the sea. That was truly the method of an Immortal, but alas, heaven is jealous of talented people..."

"I heard that Senior Li back then was precisely by fusing Qigong and swordsmanship that he reached the legendary 'Internal Scenery External Manifestation' Realm. If he is alive now, he should be trying to impact a higher-level martial arts Realm, right?"

Chen Zizhen's eyes were also filled with yearning and regret.

"Who told you guys he is definitely dead?"

Dong Yunchuan suddenly blurted out a sentence, his eyes glancing at Fang Cheng:

"Besides, judging by the potential A-Cheng is showing now, he is not necessarily worse than Senior Li back then."

Everyone's gaze focused on Fang Cheng once again.

That gaze, from the initial shock, slowly transformed into an earnest expectation.

As if on him, they saw the hope of the severed path continuing once again.

Dong Yunchuan suddenly coughed, straightened his expression, and said:

"A-Cheng, regarding that question you asked me in the office last time, Senior Brother Ma and I have already discussed it."

Saying this, he turned his head and looked at Ma Jianguo.

Ma Jianguo exchanged a glance with him, then took over the topic, his tone turning serious:

"A-Cheng, regarding the matter of Senior Li Guizhen, my father once told me some things. Although my knowledge is also limited, one point is certain."

"The path he chose to walk is precisely this road we are walking!"