Unorthodox Kung Fu Techniques

Everyone found themselves in this peculiar state, as if a mysterious door had swung open within them. They began to perceive things previously beyond their grasp, and a profound tranquility settled over their entire being.

Only the incantations and Sheling’s voice echoed in their ears.

The incantations themselves were brief, consisting of only a few lines. Consequently, Ye Qingyun committed them to memory after a single recitation.

Unbeknownst to them, however, a peculiar true qi began to emanate from everyone’s bodies.

This true qi drifted out from within each person, revealing the power of the heretical path – a force meticulously extracted by Five Poisons Sect cultivators from various venomous creatures.

While the orthodox path drew most of its power from within, the heretical path harnessed strength from diverse external sources. This fundamental difference explained why the orthodox sects often branded them as ‘crooked and evil’.

The greater a heretical martial artist’s emotions, the stronger their power became. This was precisely why practitioners of the heretical path were often described as ruthless, heartless, or utterly demonic.

They completely unleashed their negative emotions. While this might be manageable in the short term, prolonged exposure led to extreme emotional states, making self-restraint impossible. Consequently, they would become increasingly skewed towards certain aspects: those who loved killing grew more brutal, and those with cold personalities became even colder.

This explained why Ye Qingyun observed the male and female disciples of the Five Poisons Sect to be uniformly cold and detached, resembling emotionless automatons or individuals who had been thoroughly brainwashed.

Naturally, brainwashing was a common tactic. Every organization, regardless of its alignment, would devise methods to control its subordinates. The orthodox path was no different; they instilled specific ideologies, which, over time, transformed into ingrained habits.

Why did the world perceive the heretical path as evil? It was because generations had been influenced by the orthodox path’s doctrines, embedding the notion of ‘evil’ into their very minds.

Of course, most individuals susceptible to brainwashing possessed wavering resolve. Such people, whether aligned with the heretical or orthodox path, would never truly advance far. While most tenets of the two paths differed, one principle remained constant: the self.

To achieve true power, one had to strengthen oneself – this fundamental truth held for both. However, their methods diverged greatly. The internal cultivation techniques of the heretical path were incredibly diverse, yet most practitioners focused on a single one, never changing it throughout their lives.

The Five Poisons Heart Mantra that Ye Qingyun and the others chanted was merely a key to unlock the door of cultivation, not yet a true internal cultivation method.

As for the hand seals, they were specific gestures designed to activate certain acupoints within the body. The human body possessed countless acupoints, many of which served little purpose ordinarily but were crucial to open during cultivation.

For several consecutive days, Ye Qingyun and the others listened to Sheling’s lectures. She expounded on the origins of the heretical and orthodox paths, alongside various other cultivation-related knowledge.

[Martial arts realms are generally divided into: Easily Defeated, Initial Glimpse, Minor Accomplishment, Proficient, Thorough Understanding, Pinnacle of Perfection, Outstanding, Divine Skill, Masterful, Overlooking All Heroes, Reaching the Zenith, Unparalleled, Invincible, Grandmaster, Peerless Martial Arts, Unrivaled in the World, Shocking the World, Earth-Shattering, Astounding the Ages, Transcendent Saint, Dominating the Universe, Unprecedented, Unity of Heaven and Man, Hidden Depths, Unfathomable, Returning to Simplicity.]

Martial arts cultivation lacked rigidly defined boundaries; rather, one’s realm depended entirely on the strength of the internal cultivation technique they practiced.

These hundreds of individuals had nothing to do but attend lectures daily. While seemingly mundane, the depth of knowledge imparted was immense. Initially, many ordinary people and some players resisted, yet as the days passed, their reluctance slowly faded.

Of course, among the assembled crowd, only the players maintained their original resolve. They had not succumbed to the heretical path’s manipulative tactics, as Ye Qingyun – who was among them – had known their intentions from the start.

Moreover, they considered this merely a game. How could a game alter their fundamental thinking? With such a mindset, no one could truly influence them.

Since they were aware from the beginning, their minds automatically distinguished between what was acceptable and what was not, directly filtering out the latter.

The other ordinary people, however, remained ignorant of these underlying manipulations. As they listened, they gradually became ensnared.

As the heretical true qi within them grew denser, their temperaments and personalities began to turn cold and sinister. Even Ye Qingyun was no exception; he could feel a strange power coalescing within him, though he couldn’t yet access it, as it remained dormant in his dantian.

‘Goodness, the methods of this heretical path are truly insidious. If I hadn’t known their intentions beforehand, I might have ended up just like them,’ he mused.

Ye Qingyun, who had been meditating, slightly opened his eyes. He cast a glance around the room, observing the individuals quietly refining their heretical qi.

Ye Qingyun merely took a quick look before withdrawing his gaze. While he might not have wanted attention, Sheling had been observing him constantly. Every single one of Ye Qingyun’s actions was well within Sheling’s grasp.

‘Excellent. She truly possesses a special constitution. While other ordinary individuals couldn’t resist the Five Poisons Heart Mantra’s mental suggestion, this girl still maintains her true self. She is indeed worthy of my attention,’ Sheling thought, watching Ye Qingyun.

This was precisely what she desired to see. In the heretical path, only those who preserved their individuality could truly advance. The heretical path did not demand exceptional talent, but it placed an extraordinarily high premium on one’s state of mind. A weak mind would inevitably succumb to evil thoughts, transforming its owner into a monster.

This constituted the flaw of the heretical path. The orthodox path suffered from a similar issue concerning one’s mental state: its practitioners were prone to inner demons. By suppressing negative emotions within themselves, an eventual eruption would inevitably give birth to a heart demon.

Heretical cultivators, conversely, were less susceptible to inner demons, yet they were far more likely to become demonic slaves, losing their sense of self. Once self-identity was lost, they would grow exceptionally extreme, either unable to control their actions or their emotions.

Such individuals were ultimately doomed to destruction.

Several more months passed in this manner. Throughout this period, the Five Poisons Sect continuously captured new disciples from outside, swelling their ranks. Among these captives, players were undoubtedly hidden.

While cultivating, Ye Qingyun simultaneously monitored his personal information.

Name: Ye Qingrou

Faction: Heretical Path

Age: 19

Realm: Minor Accomplishment

Attributes: Five Poisons Heart Mantra [Arm Strength 30, Agility 40, Physique 20, Internal Breath 25, Aura 20]

Sect: Five Poisons Sect

Identity: Junior Disciple of Five Poisons Sect

Equipment: Five Poisons Skirt (Identity Set), Rose Dancer’s Garb (Lifestyle Identity Set)

Internal Cultivation Techniques: Creation Art (Fourteenth Layer), Five Poisons Heart Mantra (First Layer), Seven Emotions and Six Desires Art (Four Fragments)

Skills: Basic Swordplay, Five Poisons Palm.

Wealth: 230 Gold, 980 Silver, 550 Copper.

Ye Qingyun’s personal information had been updated. Since he was currently practicing the Five Poisons Heart Mantra, his attributes surpassed those of the Sitting-Forget Technique.

As for the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Art, he still needed six more fragments to obtain the complete internal cultivation technique.

Meanwhile, the original Phoenix Immortal Sect had undergone a drastic transformation. Its architectural style and overall appearance had completely changed. Where the sect once exuded the aura of an orthodox establishment, it now possessed a distinct heretical quality. Red, purple, and black ribbons fluttered everywhere, adorned with unique patterns. The buildings’ colors had shifted from their former bright gold and silver to shades of purple and black, and the sect’s territory had more than doubled in size.

They had excavated the surrounding mountain rocks of the canyon, significantly expanding the sect’s grounds.