353: Chapter 352: Ancient Martial Combat Skill – Eight Zen Mantra 353: Chapter 352: Ancient Martial Combat Skill – Eight Zen Mantra Bright lighting, various high-tech equipment, and a computer streaming with countless data gave the laboratory a profound sci-fi feel.
Xu Ruolan, draped in a white lab coat with her hair pinned up, looked remarkably efficient.
Her graceful figure was not concealed by the coat; instead, it added an intellectual charm to her presence.
Xu Ruolan had been researching a genetic drug but, unfortunately, had recently run into trouble, making progress challenging.
“Begin recording, attempt number three hundred twenty-five, today trying a new method…”
Xu Ruolan entered her working state, her expression gradually focusing while she documented the experiment’s processes.
In the villa, after parting from Xu Ruolan, Ning Fan headed straight to his room, locking the door firmly behind him to practice an ancient martial heart method.
Ning Fan sat cross-legged on the bed, his breath long and continuous, seemingly merging with the surrounding space.
The ancient martial heart method he learned was called “Eight Zen Mantra,” a set of inner strength mental methods taught to him by Guiguzi to consolidate the True Qi within his body.
The “Eight Zen Mantra” Ning Fan learned was extraordinarily powerful and domineering, and it was not just a set of inner strength mental methods; it also included other ancient martial combat techniques.
Unfortunately, Ning Fan’s current strength was limited, and he could not yet comprehend how to utilize those ancient martial combat techniques.
“Sigh, still no good.
Trying to break through the True Qi Realm is indeed not that simple!”
Suddenly, Ning Fan opened his eyes, which were clear, without a hint of impurity, and his entire demeanor seemed utterly transcendent as if he had been purified.
Cultivation in ancient martial arts was fraught with difficulties; every martial artist would eventually develop True Qi within their body.
But the True Qi Realm was merely the initial phase.
However, to become a true ancient martial artist, the True Qi Realm was a nearly insurmountable barrier, which many could not overcome in their lifetime.
Beyond the True Qi Realm lay the Object-Manipulating Realm, True Origin Realm, Aerial Mastery Realm, and Heavenly Gang Realm, and Ning Fan was only at the peak of the True Qi Realm.
Ning Fan had been a practitioner for several years by now, having spent considerable time reaching the True Qi Realm, and even more from the early stage to the peak of this realm.
Advancement in realms was exceedingly tough, but once one stepped into the True Qi Realm and became a genuine ancient martial artist, such individuals were indeed rare, capable of facing a thousand or even ten thousand enemies, which was no mere hyperbole but a reality.
“The ‘Eight Zen Mantra’ the old man taught me truly requires time and cannot be thoroughly mastered in haste…”
Ning Fan shook his head and wiped the sweat with his hand.
Though merely at the True Qi Realm, Ning Fan had rarely found adversaries over the past few years.
However, he had not slacked because he understood all too well that there were always greater skills and mountains beyond mountains out there, and Ning Fan also had his pride, as being at the True Qi Realm was far from satisfying him.
“True Qi Realm peak, it felt like I could break through today at the start, another illusion?”
Ning Fan was at the bottleneck stage of the True Qi Realm.
To advance further to the Object-Manipulating Realm, he needed to invest more effort and sweat.
The sensation of being on the verge of breaking through had appeared in Ning Fan’s mind more than once, but each time he tried to seize it, he fell just a step short.
Just one step away from breaking through to the Object-Manipulating Realm, whenever this sensation that felt almost tangible slipped away, Ning Fan was filled with intense regret.
A genuine ancient martial artist, upon generating True Qi within the body, had already entered the ranks of ancient martial artists, that is, the True Qi Realm.
True Qi Realm could utilize True Qi Body Protection, True Qi Healing, True Qi hurting others…
and so on.
However, the next phase, the Object-Manipulating Realm, as the name implies, once achieved, one could use their own True Qi to move objects, maneuvering knives, swords, and hidden weapons to kill enemies; the True Qi also becomes purer.
“Object-Manipulating Realm, what opportunity am I missing exactly?”
Ning Fan lay on his bed, his hair soaked with sweat.
From the early stage to the intermediate stage, and finally to the peak, Ning Fan had spent considerable time; who knows how much energy it would take to break through to the Object-Manipulating Realm.
But rather than energy, it was more about some kind of opportunity, still unable to break through, Ning Fan could only console himself with thoughts that the time had not yet come.
However, one thing was certain: Ning Fan was not content, feeling the sensations of failure was somewhat hard to bear.
“Cultivating to the peak of True Qi Realm already took so much time, breaking through the Object-Manipulating Realm, I don’t even know what opportunity is needed, and what about the True Origin Realm after that?”
Ning Fan curled the corners of his mouth, revealing a bitter smile.
True Qi Realm is the first stage for an Ancient Martial Artist, followed by the Object-Manipulating Realm, the True Origin Realm, the Aerial Mastery Realm, and finally the Heavenly Gang Realm.
“I still need to put in effort!”
Unlike described in martial novels, only through personal experience did Ning Fan appreciate the hardship of cultivation.
Although still at the peak of True Qi Realm and not yet able to break through to the Object-Manipulating Realm, Ning Fan would not belittle himself.
Because becoming a true Ancient Martial Artist was already rare, truly one in ten thousand.
Similarly, Ning Fan would not slack off because of this; repeated failures were just paving the way for success, and he would grow increasingly determined with each battle.
“Object-Manipulating Realm, manipulating objects with Qi; True Origin Realm, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth; Aerial Mastery Realm, briefly flying with True Qi; Heavenly Gang Realm, also known as Martial Saint, reaching the True Origin Realm is already rare, let alone achieving the grandeur of a Martial Saint…”
Apart from the Heavenly Gang Realm, Ning Fan knew something about all of them; it was only this Heavenly Gang Realm whose severity Ning Fan did not understand.
About the Heavenly Gang Realm, all he knew was that this realm was also termed as the Martial Saint, and very few could reach this stage, with modern records being scarce.
“Martial Saint, in this era, has anyone else achieved Martial Saint?” Ning Fan muttered to himself, his eyes shining with an indescribable light.
Merely achieving the True Qi Realm, Ning Fan felt the whole world looked wonderfully new.
What then, of the Object-Manipulating Realm, the True Origin Realm, and the Aerial Mastery Realm after this?
Especially the Heavenly Gang Realm, those who have achieved the grandeur of a Martial Saint, what is their world like?
Ning Fan was curious and excited, his blood boiling, his mood surging passionately.
The path of Ancient Martial Arts is full of thorns, extremely arduous, and it’s rare to become a true Ancient Martial Artist, advancing realms is fraught with difficulties, and reaching the Heavenly Gang Realm seems akin to ascending to heaven.
Ning Fan, a man who grew more determined with each setback, although he hadn’t found the breakthrough opportunity this time, he could feel he was getting closer and closer to the Object-Manipulating Realm.
He was not in a hurry, what was meant to come would come, and what was not meant to, even if he prayed, heaven wouldn’t grant it.
“Nine Souls Jade, I wonder if my opportunity lies with you?”
Ning Fan held a piece of Nine Souls Jade and a bracelet in his hands, not knowing when they had appeared.