Chapter 1, Yun Hong

Some martial arts techniques are highly effective but require a significant consumption of the body's vital energy and blood. If nutrition is insufficient, it may lead to a depletion of vital energy and blood, thereby undermining one's foundation

Yun Hong timely spoke up: "Stop!"

Not long ago

Do not compare Yun Ge with those individuals

One by one, these youths displayed expressions of shock

Large, dilapidated tents.

Ningyang County, an ordinary prefecture among the nine counties under Yangzhou, is located at the confluence of the Yang River and the Ning River, and within its territory lies the vast Black Dragon Lake, spanning thousands of miles.

Ye Lan was taken aback: "Hope?"

The young man in a black outfit, who maintains order, gazes into the distance.

This is the 'power' of the martial artist

Currently, there are only two disciples in the entire martial arts academy who have reached this level

The chubby young man, You Qian, said while distributing porridge: "Brother Yun is nothing like them, who take elixirs and eat demon beast meat every day. Brother Yun truly cultivates diligently step by step on his own."

At the beginning of September, the late summer sun rises, already hot and oppressive

If one is wealthy and resourceful at home, one can consume spiritual rice, take spiritual medicine, and cultivate precious secret texts of the immortals to establish a foundation in martial arts

The chubby young man smiled and said: "That is only natural. With eight hundred disciples in the Martial Arts Academy, gathering the elite from the nine towns of Donghe, the paper examination only considers the top one hundred. However, in the realm of martial arts, Brother Yun has already reached the pinnacle of the Yi Jin level, placing him among the absolute top five among the elite disciples in the academy."

"We will stop practicing here for today and go have a meal," Yun Hong announced

Food

Yun Hong nodded in satisfaction and said in a deep voice: "Body Forging Fist Technique, First Form, prepare."

"Hey, Yun Ge, Senior Sister Ye Lan is here, why aren't you going?" A chubby boy in black beside him winked at Yun Hong.

These youths are somewhat confused; before the great disaster, although they practiced martial arts in their respective villages and towns, they had never heard of the concept of a martial immortal

Yun Hong nodded gently

These youths are all over the age of twelve, and in this world where one becomes an adult at sixteen, they are no longer considered children. They understand the principles of life and are very aware of the importance of strength to an individual

Although these youths are far inferior to their peers in the martial arts academy, they all received basic martial arts training before the great disaster, and they are capable of standing post. A few of them have even achieved success in body refinement.

Time flows

Donghe County, the county seat

These young individuals have undergone significant changes in their lives. Through martial arts training, they can strengthen their will and enhance their physical health; however, due to insufficient vitality and energy, their training cannot be sustained

I do not ask you to become warriors, but if you wish to slay the demon clan in the future to avenge your parents and relatives, and to rebuild your family, then strive to cultivate diligently, meet the minimum requirements of the garrison, and at the very least, become a true warrior, do you understand?" Yun Hong's sharp gaze swept over each young person.

The chubby boy with a bitter expression said: "Brother Yun, I want to reiterate, my name is You Qian, and I truly have no money"

Because the weakest among the three thousand ordinary Yang troops are all Return to Aperture martial artists. Yun Hong articulated each word clearly: "The foundation of martial arts cultivation lies in the tempering of the physical body, which can be divided into ten levels. The first three levels are Body Forging, the fourth to sixth levels are Muscle Transformation, the seventh level is Meridian Condensation, the eighth level is No Leakage, the ninth level is Spirit Communication, and the tenth level is Return to Aperture"

Outside the porridge shed, thousands of refugees are queuing to receive their porridge, each one emaciated and frail. It is not that no one wishes to fight for it, but ever since dozens of strong young men, who relied on their own strength, were subdued by six young boys in black, the order in the entire camp has stabilized.

Yangzhou, one of the nine regions of Zhongyu, is home to many great rivers and large waterways.

In the year 6121 of the Common Era, corresponding to the 362nd year of the Great Qian era

Let's go, let's go, to have a meal

on one side of the camp

Although you have suffered great disasters, the empire has good governance and will soon establish resettlement villages for you, providing support until you reach the age of sixteen

"Yun Hong." A clear and melodious voice suddenly sounded outside the camp

The Tenfold Return to the Aperture is merely the limit of the physical body refining, but it is not the end of cultivation. Yun Hong said in a deep voice: If one can break through the Tenfold Life and Death Barrier, one can enter the Dao through martial arts and become the legendary immortal

Even so, among the eight hundred disciples of the Donghe Martial Arts Academy, the majority can only reach the fourth or fifth level of body tempering before graduation, with only a very small number of elite disciples able to attain the pinnacle of muscle transformation, which is the sixth level of body tempering

The path of cultivation is one of moderation; excess is as detrimental as deficiency

In a real battle, even Liu Ming and the other few practitioners of the Pulse Condensation realm may not necessarily be a match for Brother Yun

The youths all stood up; through this period of practice, their bodies had been thoroughly exercised in every part, yet they were also quite fatigued

"Brother Yun and Miss Ye are truly a perfect match" said a short-haired boy in black clothing

Although these youths are precocious, they still possess the innocence of childhood. Upon hearing about food, they, having trained for a long time, also feel hungry and rush towards the other end of the camp.

Let's go said Yun Hong with a smile

Hundred Steps Divine Fist? Approaching the Divine, Approaching the Immortal?

Understood, many teenagers shouted uncontrollably

Ye Lan. Yun Hong looked at the young girl in purple before him

The porridge has arrived

Is the Tenfold Return to the Source the ultimate destination of martial arts? Another person has posed the question

"Once you inherit your father's restaurant, you will be wealthy, so hurry up and get to work," Yun Hong said with a smile, then he sequentially instructed the other young men in black before stepping out of the porridge shed and approaching the young girl in purple.

However, Yun Hong did not wish to speak too much with Ye Lan; as the legitimate daughter of the general guarding Donghe County, her kindness is indeed commendable

In every county and every town, the empire dispatches martial artists to patrol the regions and impart the fundamentals of martial arts

The discourse of immortals and demons is akin to mythology

Hearing a sound, the young man in purple could not help but raise his head

After you turn sixteen, joining the Imperial Garrison will be your best option, but the Garrison requires a minimum of Fourth Stage Body Refinement, and this must be achieved before the age of twenty

Someone is looking for you

Children, women, and the elderly shall be served first, followed by others in order. Everyone will receive their share, and there is no need to scramble.

The camp on the other side

Those elite disciples are all focused solely on their cultivation, unlike Brother Yun, who still comes to help us rescue the disaster victims

In terms of age, he is not much older than these youths, yet at this moment, as they look at Yun Hong, it is as if they are facing a fierce tiger, and they almost wish to stop breathing

In ancient times, our human race contended with the demon race and demon beasts for dominance over this world. It was six thousand years ago when Emperor Chengyang raised his army, established the Fanyang Army, swept through the Central Region, and successfully founded the first dynasty in the history of our human race—the Great Xia. Emperor Chengyang divided the Central Region into nine provinces, which gradually allowed our human race to overpower the demon beasts and the demon race, ultimately becoming the rulers of this realm.

Under the shade of the tree

Higher-level Eightfold and Ninefold martial artists are typically not attainable by disciples of the martial arts academy under normal circumstances, as these disciples are all young and will graduate after four to five years of training in the academy

The short-haired boy in black muttered: "Thirteen disciples of the Hall of Blazing Fire, Liu Ming is the son of the county magistrate, and Wu He, Wang Dong, and others are also sons of powerful families. Only Brother Yun, like us, comes from the common people."

In the martial arts academy, status is determined by strength, and the numerous disciples are generally divided into two levels: ordinary and elite. Only those who are the elite among the elite can enter the Hall of Blazing Fire for training

In early June, Heilon Lake and Ningjiang experienced continuous heavy rainfall, causing the water levels to rise dramatically, persisting for over a month

The horse stance, seemingly simple, actually possesses its own intricacies. A person in this stance resembles a horse, remaining still yet brimming with energy, embodying a certain technique

As they watched Yun Hong and Ye Lan depart, the young men in black at the porridge stall and the women responsible for cooking and serving the porridge began to discuss among themselves

The two individuals left the porridge stall

Immortals, they shed the shackles of their physical bodies, possessing countless supernatural abilities, soaring through the skies, wielding swords to slay, manipulating water and fire... They traverse the lands, vanquishing demons and monsters, safeguarding our human realm.

Indeed, their hopes of becoming martial artists are quite low, but even if they can cultivate to the fourth level of body tempering, or even just reach the third level, that would be good. Yun Hong said softly, "The most important thing is that I want them to see hope in life"

Yun Hong walked among them, occasionally pointing things out

Yun Hong's voice was like a great bell: "Do you know why Emperor Chengyang's three thousand troops were able to sweep across the world?"

... ...

"If you have money, you can take my place; I will step out for a moment." Yun Hong patted the chubby boy.

"Yun Hong, I acknowledge your prowess in martial arts; you even excel at managing the camp," said the girl in purple as she observed the porridge shed around her. "The last time I accompanied my father to this camp, it was still quite dirty and chaotic. You have only been here for half a month, and the changes are already so significant"

"You have lost your loved ones, lost your homeland, but you still have a future." Yun Hong, dressed in a black outfit, spoke with a cold and sharp voice, standing upright with his hands clasped behind his back, like a straight sword.

In July, the Demon King of Daze took advantage of the situation to create chaos. The eastern dam of Sanhe County collapsed, and the floods of Ningjiang surged. The land of the marshes was inundated for thousands of miles, with corpses floating everywhere. The disaster-stricken people resorted to cannibalism, while the demonic beasts devoured the dead in the wilderness

Yun Hong suddenly laughed and said: "Let us not discuss these matters; everything is ultimately improving. The grand competition among the six counties is approaching, and the elite disciples in the martial academy are all striving diligently in their training. What brings you here?"

On one side, dozens of young men in black attire maintained a serious demeanor as they upheld order among the disaster victims

I won't talk to you anymore. I have brought a lot of food and clothing. " The girl in purple pointed to the four large carts on the road in the distance, " You are now considered one of the hundred generals of the camp, so let's take these items to the Orphan Camp together.

The martial arts academy may not require elite disciples to come here, Yun Hong said as he looked at the young girl

The porridge is here

More people are talking about opening

Though young, one possesses the ability to slay demons

Another young man in black had a gleam in his eyes: "A returning Qi martial artist is truly a significant figure throughout the entire Ningyang County."

You should know that they are relatively older, and it is almost impossible for them to cultivate into martial artists in the future, and even reaching the fourth level of body tempering will be very difficult

Ye Lan and her family's guards distributed the food and clothing from the first two of the four large carts they brought to the hundreds of surrounding children, whose clothes were tattered yet clean.

This knowledge was imparted to Yun Hong by his instructor, but there is not much understanding of the legendary immortal Yun Hong, so it will not be discussed further

The most ordinary martial artist can become a hero of a town or a county, and if they achieve great merit in slaying demons, they may even be granted a noble title and become part of the aristocracy. This is the best path for commoners.

It is precisely because of the numerous immortals that our human race can become the rulers of this world, allowing countless ordinary people like us to live and work in peace and contentment. There is a look of longing in Yun Hong's eyes

Senior Brother Yun

One by one, the youths immediately followed Yun Hong's guidance from a few days ago, grounding their feet, bending their bodies like horses, engaging their entire muscle structure, adjusting their gaze forward, and exercising their whole body through continuous subtle undulations of strength.

The youths listening in the venue shook their heads in unison

Once, I was also one of them," Yun Hong said calmly, "it's just that I was more fortunate...

The first form of the Duanti Boxing method is essentially standing post, commonly referred to as the horse stance. Although it appears simple, it is, in fact, the most straightforward and effective method discovered through the accumulated training experiences of generations of martial arts predecessors, laying the foundation of martial arts.

In the past half month, you have delivered three times.

These youths were astonished; they could hardly imagine what kind of person could be powerful to such an extent, fearing that even the rampant beasts would be easily slain by them

"As long as one can pass the written examination, it is sufficient; martial arts is the true path. Senior Brother Yun reached the pinnacle of Yi Jin at the age of fifteen, and there is a great hope for him to achieve the Ninth Level of Communication with Spirits in the future, and he may even reach the Tenth Level of Returning to the Source," remarked another tall young man in black.

If these conditions are not met, the Body Forging Fist Technique is the best choice. As long as one is sufficiently diligent and hardworking, it is possible to derive true energy from flesh and blood to become a martial artist, and even to become a legendary immortal

This is a flood, compounded by the chaos caused by monsters, affecting several counties and displacing hundreds of thousands of disaster victims. Although the number of victims in Donghe County is not large, one can imagine how difficult it is to properly accommodate the orphans.

The ninth resettlement area for disaster victims outside the eastern gate of the city is chaotic, with shanties in disarray and debris scattered everywhere. Even though the flood has receded for more than half a month, the ground remains muddy and slippery.

These disaster victims vaguely understood that these seemingly immature youths were likely disciples of the martial arts academy in this county, all practitioners of martial arts, and could be referred to as warriors

These children are orphans who lost their parents in this flood, and this "Orphan Camp" is merely a portion of the orphans who have arrived in Donghe County

On the open land at the edge of the resettlement area, more than ten rows of temporary houses have been erected, where a few capable young men dressed in black and some women are distributing porridge

"With the guidance of Instructor Yang, and the collective efforts of many disciples from the Martial Arts Academy, the most crucial factor was General Ye persuading the county magistrate to open the granary and distribute grain, for grain is of utmost importance... Otherwise, we would not have the current situation," Yun Hong remarked.

The first formula. "The clouds are solemn and imposing

"Greetings. " Yun Hong nodded heavily: "The return to the essence martial artists have already cultivated true energy within their bodies, forming a circulatory system. When they strike with a punch, the true energy surges forth, forming a protective aura, capable of delivering a hundred-step divine punch that can kill from a distance. On the battlefield, they can be considered as enemies of thousands; they are no longer ordinary beings, approaching the divine and the immortal!"

... ...

Given the current physical condition of these youths, Yun Hong can only have them practice the first form of body training

Less than half an hour

The first six levels are merely the foundation of martial arts, and can only be referred to as warriors

Many young people cannot hold on any longer

It is evident that Yun Hong is highly regarded by them

The girl in the purple dress shook her head: "Once the orphans of the camp are settled, I will not see them off."

The Great Qian Empire emphasizes education and has established a three-tiered martial arts academy system consisting of state, prefecture, and county levels. Donghe County governs nine towns, covering an area of several hundred miles, with a population of one million. Those who can gain admission to the county-level martial arts academy are considered exceptional.

Dozens of adolescents, similarly clad in tattered clothing, some even appearing emaciated, stood in line with resolute expressions on their faces

In August, the human race's immortal slayer defeated the demon king by the banks of Ningjiang. As the flood receded, hundreds of thousands of disaster victims surged towards Ningyang County and the surrounding counties.

Beside the group of disaster victims stood a smiling young girl in purple, flanked by two tall, muscular guards in cold demeanor, who were constantly scanning the surroundings with vigilance

No

Yun Hong could not help but smile

Immortal

"What about the Tenfold Return to the Source?" a young man suddenly inquired

Among the many young boys in black clothing serving porridge in the shed, there is a young boy in purple attire, wearing a token at his waist. He stands nearly as tall as an adult, with a face still bearing the innocence of youth, yet his actions are remarkably composed and full of vitality as he hands out bowls of porridge to the disaster victims waiting in line

As for the higher sevenfold condensation pulse

Only from the seventh level of the Condensed Vein can one be truly called a martial artist, a Condensed Vein martial artist. This is far beyond your imagination, with agility like a civet cat, claws like a tiger or leopard, fists that can split mountains and stones, and feet that can break large trees. Such individuals can be regarded as true human weapons, capable of being a hero in a town, and can even become captains or hundred-man commanders in the army.

Hmm, Yun Hong nodded

Elite disciple? The girl in purple snorted, "You are a disciple of the Flame Hall, and you even rank among the top within the Flame Hall. If you are willing to spend your time here, why can't I come?"

"Brother Yun is indeed formidable in practical combat," said the short-haired youth. "Last time, Brother Yun had just advanced to the sixth level and participated in the competition at the Hall of Fiery Flames for the first time. He defeated three disciples of the Hall of Fiery Flames in a row before finally being defeated by Sister Wu."

The other disciples in black could not help but nod their heads

Looking at these young people, Yun Hong could not help but smile

He spoke with deliberate force, causing his voice to resonate like a thunderous bell, leaving the young listeners with a faint pain in their eardrums

"Yun Hong, every time you come here, is it to supervise them in their most basic body conditioning exercises?" Ye Lan, dressed in purple, had somehow arrived behind Yun Hong.

The unification of the world through military might is the cornerstone of the Great Qian's founding and is also one of the most important national policies