Chapter 1125: Thank You for the Guidance, Teacher

Shi Hao had stayed at the peak of Saint Domain First Layer for a full twenty years, accumulating such formidable power. He thought the other person was like him, having spent at least decades, which was why he lamented the long time. He never dreamed...

One month...

One month...

Long your sister!

Accumulating so much in such a short time and still calling it long... Can't you live without showing off?

Shi Hao's heart ached even more.

The others had the same expression, itching to go over and beat this guy up.

He was just asking for a beating.

Even a month felt long, and he couldn't compare to his students... His students weren't cultivating; they were flying!

After his remark, he finally noticed everyone's expressions. Zhang Xuan helplessly forced a smile.

He had spoken from the heart, not deliberately showing off. Not to mention Zhao Ya and Yuan Tao, who had received inheritances, even Wang Ying, who stayed by his side, was already at the peak of Saint Realm and could break through at any time. And Luo Qiqi, his alchemy student, had already reached the same cultivation level as him, also at the peak of Saint Domain First Layer. If he didn't break through soon, he might actually be surpassed by her.

It wasn't that he insisted on cultivating desperately; his students were chasing after him. If he didn't cultivate, he would fall behind... In fact, he was also full of bitterness, but when he said it, others just didn't believe him.

Being a teacher wasn't easy either!

"In one month, you've accumulated such depth. May I ask how Teacher Sun cultivates? Could you... be willing to share a bit, so we can learn?"

Suppressing the urge to punch him, Shi Hao said.

The others were also full of curiosity.

At the same cultivation level, they had accumulated for years or decades and still found it difficult to break through one stone tablet. This man, cultivating for only a month, easily broke through ten. If they could learn his method, they would surely progress quickly.

"How to cultivate?"

Hearing the question, Zhang Xuan looked over: "Actually, it's very simple—artistic conception! Take your Qinghai Art as an example. I heard that when you cultivated, you hunted sacred beasts, gathered sacred herbs to compensate for your body's innate deficiencies, and even went underground to use lava to temper your inner qi... This might seem like solid progress, but in reality, achieving greater progress is very difficult!"

"The Qinghai Art drains the rivers and seas. To truly comprehend this technique, you must observe the vastness of the ocean, experience the nature of heaven and earth. When your state of mind reaches that level, your body will become as broad and vast as the ocean!"

He had just read the cultivation manual for the Qinghai Art in the library. After integrating it, he understood the most fundamental essence of this technique.

"Artistic conception?"

Shi Hao hesitated: "I once spent a full half year on an isolated island in the sea, but made little progress. That's why I sought other methods, working from the outside in..."

There were at least several thousand books in the library explaining the Qinghai Art, some mentioning artistic conception. He had also tried to cultivate it, but with little success.

The Qinghai Art indeed required comprehending a special artistic conception, working from the inside out as the best cultivation method. He couldn't achieve that, so he went the opposite way, from the outside in. Fortunately, perseverance paid off, and his strength reached an extraordinary level.

"Do you know why you couldn't work from the inside out?" Zhang Xuan said.

"This..." Shi Hao paused.

If he knew, he would have learned it long ago, without having to go through so much hardship.

"You were too eager to break the record!" Zhang Xuan sighed, clasping his hands behind his back. "Because you wanted to break the record, you were anxious about gains and losses, even lacking the courage to take the assessment. You focused solely on accumulating to the peak... But do you know what the peak is? Are you at the peak now? If you were, why couldn't you break even one of my fingers?"

"The sea embraces all rivers; its capacity comes from its breadth. To cultivate the Qinghai Art, your state of mind must first be broad, without contention or desire. Only then can you comprehend its true essence... You were too concerned about surpassing Feng Mo's record as a battle master. Your mind was narrow from the start, so naturally you couldn't perceive the vastness of the sea's surface!"

Zhang Xuan sighed.

When the other had fought him, various flaws had appeared in his mind. At a glance, he knew that although Shi Hao had cultivated the Qinghai Art solidly, he had actually gone in the wrong direction.

"I..." Shi Hao's body stiffened. Twenty years of hard work flowed through his mind, scenes from the past surfacing one after another.

After who knows how long, he slowly closed his eyes, then suddenly stepped forward and knelt: "I have been taught. If not for Teacher Sun's guidance, I might have continued down this path, straying further and further, ultimately limiting my strength!"

Recalling everything, he now understood that his cultivation direction had indeed been wrong.

Had it not been for this man's reminder, continuing down this path, although it might increase his strength faster in the short term, it would be nearly impossible to advance to a higher realm and impact the Primordial Spirit realm later.

Fortunately, it was not too late to mend the fold after the sheep were lost.

"You're welcome. It's just an exchange between us!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"I have been at the peak of Saint Domain First Layer for a full five years. Five years ago, I couldn't pass the assessment; five years later, I still can't. I hope Teacher Sun can guide me—whether my cultivation is wrong or my state of mind is insufficient."

A battle master stepped forward.

"Throw a punch and let me see."

"Yes!" The battle master threw a punch into the air, his inner qi crackling within his body.

"Hmm." Zhang Xuan had him stop and said: "If I'm not mistaken, you cultivate the Fanjiang Art from the Battle Master Hall. Fanjiang and Qinghai both belong to the Inner Breath Hall, techniques with the deepest inner qi. Under normal circumstances, with five years of accumulation, passing the assessment should be simple. Yet you haven't succeeded. It's not a problem with your talent, but... you've been cultivating according to the method left by Battle Master Bai Mo from two thousand years ago!"

"How... do you know?" The battle master was startled.

Battle Master Bai Mo was very famous in the achievements of the Fanjiang Art. He admired him greatly and had always trained according to his insights.

But... following those insights was very secret. How did the other know?

"Battle Master Bai Mo was born with divine strength and was proficient in water-element techniques. Cultivating the Fanjiang Art in water naturally led to great progress. But you have an earth-element constitution. Earth overcomes water, so cultivating in water naturally slows your progress. You might try the Houtu Art left by Battle Master Hong Jiang. You should be able to break through in less than a month!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Earth element? Am I not a water-element constitution?" The battle master was taken aback.

"You are a water-element constitution, but you once took an earth-element treasure. Now the earth element in your body has the upper hand..." Zhang Xuan smiled.

A person's constitution is set at birth, but some heaven-defying treasures can change it.

This battle master was a case in point.

He was born with a water-element constitution, but at some point, he had taken a special treasure, and the earth element forcefully suppressed his original constitution, slowing his cultivation speed and making him less talented than before.

"This..."

The battle master was stunned for a moment, then seemed to remember something. His body trembled, and after a moment, he bowed deeply: "Thank you for the guidance, Teacher Sun. I have been taught..."

At this point, he fully understood that this man was not only powerful in strength but even more so in insight.

"Teacher Sun, I also have some problems with my cultivation..."

Seeing that both battle masters had benefited, the other battle masters' eyes lit up, and they were about to rush over.

"Everyone, don't rush. I know you all want to accumulate deeper inner qi. Since that's the case, let me share some of my insights. They might be of some help to you..."

Seeing everyone gather around, Zhang Xuan smiled and began: "To have abundant inner breath, you must first understand the vessel that stores inner qi... the dantian. Only when the dantian is broad enough can it hold enough qi..."

His voice was clear and resonant, as if flowers were falling from the sky.

Battle masters were the strongest combat force of the Master Teacher Hall. Zhang Xuan would not refuse to guide them.

It was for the master teachers, and also for humanity.

Although they were about to interact with the Xuanxuan Society, having stronger opponents could provide greater motivation, perhaps allowing the latter to go further.

After comprehending the heart of a teacher, he was no longer so biased about sects. As long as the other was willing to learn, he would teach without reservation.

...

"You say... this was done by Teacher Sun?"

Standing in the passage, Hall Master Wei widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Yes. Before Shi Hao came out, it was still intact. After Teacher Sun left, it became like this!" Xiao Bo hurriedly said.

"Shattering all the stone tablets with one palm strike, scoring a hundred points... Just how deep is his inner qi?"

His mouth twitching, Hall Master Wei found his breathing rapid.

He had always thought that this Teacher Sun was only strong in combat power and explosive force, and that his inner qi depth couldn't match ordinary battle masters, let alone geniuses like Shi Hao... Now he realized how naive that idea was!

Clearing the level with one palm strike, the depth of the other's inner qi had reached an astonishing level.

"I don't know how deep, but... being able to do this, once he joins our... Inner Breath Hall, it will definitely make a name for the Enfeoffed Empire Battle Master Hall, unmatched by anyone!" Xiao Bo said.

"Indeed!" Hall Master Wei nodded.

Since the establishment of the Battle Master Hall, the highest record was the thirty-eight just broken by Shi Hao. And this Teacher Sun, with one strike, scored a hundred... It was simply heaven-defying.

Probably no battle master in any other force had such abundant inner qi reserves.

"Let's go, discuss it with him and see if we can invite him to join the Inner Breath Hall!"

Growing more excited, Hall Master Wei turned to leave.

"Hall Master... this place is destroyed like this..." Xiao Bo couldn't help saying.

This place was originally for assessments. Now that it was destroyed like this, what should be done?

"No matter. After handling Teacher Sun's matter, I'll go to the Array Master Guild and invite President Han to help me repair it. Although this array is eighth-grade and he can't set it up, he has studied the detailed array diagram. Just repairing it shouldn't be too difficult!"

Hall Master Wei smiled.

He didn't have the ability to repair the array in the inner breath passage, but President Han Xu of the Array Master Guild could do it.

He would find him when he had time. It wasn't a big deal.

"Let's go out!"

Having explained, Hall Master Wei said no more. He walked out of the passage toward where Zhang Xuan had been standing, pondering how to persuade him to join his ranks...

Before he reached him, a faint voice reached his ears.

"...This is the method to increase inner breath!"

He quickly looked up and saw all the battle masters of his Inner Breath Hall kneeling in heartfelt admiration, full of worship, with devout expressions, chanting in unison.

"Thank you for the guidance, Teacher!"