Spiritual Techniques and Realms

“First, let us understand what Spirit Arts are.”

‘Are we really going to start with definitions?’

‘After defining Spirit Arts, will we then delve into their historical development, significance, and value?’

Shangguan Xue’s mouth twitched. ‘I heard all this before I transmigrated, and I’m still hearing it now,’ she mused.

On the platform, the Instructor lectured the seventy or eighty disciples.

“Spirit Arts are methods for cultivating and utilizing spiritual energy. A superior Spirit Art not only enhances cultivation efficiency but also imbues spiritual energy with unique properties.”

Shangguan Xue grumbled inwardly.

‘They also change hair and eye color… Ordinary people like me have black hair and black eyes, but after cultivating high-grade or sacred-grade Spirit Arts, one’s hair and eyes change color.’

‘But your definition was just one sentence?’

Unaware of Shangguan Xue’s internal monologue, the Instructor continued to lecture in a clear voice.

“Spirit Arts are categorized by their power into common-grade, fine-grade, and sacred-grade, yet this does not imply that common-grade Spirit Arts are inherently inferior.”

“In truth, there is no inherent superiority or inferiority among Spirit Arts, only suitability for a cultivator. The one that aligns with you is always the best.”

‘That’s a rather sound perspective…’ Shangguan Xue nodded in agreement. ‘My Martial Art is quite weak, yet it allowed me to reach the Creation Realm. For me, it is indeed the best.’

Soon, Shangguan Xue recognized that this Instructor possessed considerable skill, explaining the intricacies of Spirit Arts with remarkable clarity and guiding the disciples on their cultivation practices.

Even Shangguan Xue gleaned valuable insights from her lecture; though a practitioner herself, with her own theoretical understandings, they could not compare to the accumulated wisdom of the Ink Pavilion over centuries.

‘Sometimes, theoretical knowledge truly is beneficial…’

The young Martial Saint nodded, then suddenly noticed Luo Jin, the Child of Fortune, dozing off, clearly unable to focus on the lecture, and couldn’t help but let out a sneer.

‘Sleeping on the very first day of class?’

With so many people in the classroom, the Instructor could not attend to each individual and paid no mind to those who were sleeping.

“Cultivating Spirit Arts marks the initial step onto the path of a cultivator. However, at present, you cannot yet be termed cultivators.”

“Only upon advancing to the Body Tempering Realm will you truly be considered cultivators.”

Pausing briefly, the Instructor began to elaborate on the realms of cultivation. “Cultivators are divided into nine distinct realms.”

“The Body Tempering Realm, which refines the physique, and the Spirit Condensation Realm, which gathers spiritual consciousness, constitute the two foundational realms.”

“In the Free Roaming Realm, spirit and body merge, and spiritual consciousness and the physical form are no longer constrained by one another, allowing for unrestrained freedom and a lifespan exceeding several centuries.”

“Upon reaching the fourth realm, the Life Comprehension Realm, one can achieve eternal youth, and ordinary injuries will no longer prove fatal.”

Shangguan Xue mumbled to herself.

‘But they still eventually die of old age… The Life Comprehension Realm only grants an ageless body; the soul will still weaken.’

“The fifth realm is the Death Comprehension Realm.” The Instructor revealed a faint smile. “In a fit of rage, one can leave a thousand li strewn with corpses.”

‘That’s assuming no one intervenes… Any Death Comprehension Realm expert audacious enough to act so arrogantly in the Central Continent would surely be annihilated by the Sun Palace, Ink Pavilion, and Violet Mist Tower.’

Shangguan Xue continued her internal commentary.

The Instructor, oblivious to her silent complaints, pressed on with the lecture.

“The sixth realm is the Nirvana Realm, where, building upon Life Comprehension and Death Comprehension, one grasps the cycle of life and death. At this realm, as long as the soul persists, one can resurrect from death.”

The Martial Saint adult interjected in her mind.

‘That’s not necessarily true… If I cut them down, even with their soul intact, they wouldn’t be able to achieve Nirvana rebirth.’

“The seventh realm, the Earth Integration Realm, allows one to merge with the earth. The eighth realm, the Heaven Access Realm, enables one to transform into the vast heavens.”

“Upon reaching these two realms, cultivators attain a lifespan concurrent with heaven and earth.”

Pausing for a moment, the Instructor surveyed the classroom, her expression turning solemn.

“Finally, there is the ninth realm, the Creation Realm. Experts at this realm can forge their own miniature worlds.”

“The Creation Realm is further subdivided into Minor Attainment, Major Attainment, and Peerless Perfection. Currently, humanity boasts seven powerhouses who have reached Peerless Perfection in the Creation Realm, revered as the Seven Venerables.”

It was at this point that Luo Jin finally stirred awake, listening to the Instructor’s lecture with sleepy eyes.

“The Seven Venerables are, specifically: Marvelous Dye Saint, the Lord of the Ink Pavilion; Sunwheel Saint, the Palace Master of the Sun Palace;  Violet Gloom Poison Saint, the Tower Lord of the Violet Mist Tower; Zhentian Saint, the monarch of the Xiye Dynasty, and Xiaotian Saint, its vice-monarch; as well as two rogue cultivators: Cailing Saint, and the Martial Saint.”

‘Ugh… I suddenly feel so out of place!’

‘Everyone else has a four-character title, but back then, I was too lazy to bother coming up with some chuunibyou-esque epithet, so I simply used the “Martial” character from “Martial Art.”

‘No, that’s not my fault! It’s theirs. Why do they all choose such chuunibyou names?’

‘Alright, perhaps all the simple and clear titles were already taken.’

The Martial Saint, now in her maiden form, covered her face, unable to articulate her current feelings.

Meanwhile, most of the young men and women, including Luo Jin, found their hearts stirred with longing by these resounding titles.

“Instructor,” a disciple inquired, “Which realm do you belong to?”

“I myself am in the Death Comprehension Realm.”

‘Big sister, teaching here is truly beneath your capabilities… A Death Comprehension Realm expert commands death energy; with a single thought, you could reduce everyone in this classroom to dust.’

Shangguan Xue sighed, acknowledging the exceptional teaching staff of the Grand Spirit Academy.

“However,” the Instructor’s expression suddenly turned grave, “advancement is not as simple as you imagine.”

“When a cultivator reaches the point where they can advance, a tribulation will automatically descend. Succeed in overcoming it, and you will advance; fail, and you will perish. The higher the realm, the stronger the tribulation.”

For a moment, everyone was struck dumb with fear. Of course, Shangguan Xue was merely feigning it. She mused in her mind.

‘Undergoing tribulation is indeed perilous, which is why many choose to suppress their strength, or even lower their realm, to evade stronger tribulations.’

‘For instance, Qingmei’s mother, Beigong Wenhong, could actually advance to Major Attainment, but she has neglected her cultivation precisely to avoid tribulation.’

“Yet, you need not worry too much,” the Instructor shifted her tone. “I will guide you in preparing for your tribulations, ensuring each of you can overcome the Body Tempering Tribulation and successfully become cultivators.”

“However, for subsequent tribulations, you will have to rely solely on yourselves.”

‘They even guide you through the Body Tempering Tribulation? No wonder the Central Continent has such a high proportion of cultivators.’

‘But what about someone like Shi Ledong? Her innate spiritual energy already reached the Spirit Condensation Realm, so she would have to face two tribulations simultaneously upon cultivation.’

‘Therefore, having too much talent isn’t always a good thing. My talent was poor; it took me a year to cultivate to the Body Tempering Realm back then, and I was long prepared for tribulation.’

As Shangguan Xue pondered these thoughts, she reached out to rub her lower abdomen. The Immortal Essence Pill she had consumed possessed its own tribulation-defying properties.

‘She probably doesn’t intend to rely on the pill’s effects to get through it, but rather plans to overcome it herself.’

‘Sigh…’ She glanced at Luo Jin again. ‘Being a Child of Fortune truly is advantageous. With such flourishing luck, even tribulations are weakened to insignificance.’

‘However, once his luck wanes, he might not be able to overcome them.’

This thought filled Shangguan Xue with motivation to create trouble for the Child of Fortune.