Inside the parlor, incense smoldered gently in a burner, giving off a refreshing fragrance that calmed the mind and settled the spirit. A bamboo curtain swayed softly in the light breeze. Through the arched doorway, one could see the carefully manicured bamboo, trees, and flowering plants outside.
Now and then, a brisk, pleasant breeze drifted in, bringing a cool, soothing comfort.
Chen Chuan said, "I did indeed see some things today, but I can't say clearly what they were, nor did I investigate them. I simply followed your advice, Senior Brother Cao, and anchored my mind without paying them any mind."
Cao Guixi nodded. "Encountering such anomalous visions during an old-method breakthrough is proof enough of your talent. Being able to hold firm and avoid being tainted by the visions means you have already crossed a rather difficult hurdle.
"However, this is only what you must face in the early stage. In the future, as you cultivate, you will encounter these anomalies from time to time. Yet it is not entirely a bad thing. They are both your perils and your fuel for cultivation. As long as you continually restrain your mind and refuse to be swayed, using them to temper and polish yourself to burn away impurities, they will actually benefit you."
He raised his voice slightly and said, "Uncle Ding, bring over that copy of *Investigations of Varied Anomalies*."
Uncle Ding bowed slightly and stepped out. A moment later, he returned carrying a thread-bound volume and offered it to Cao Guixi. The latter waved his hand, signaling him to deliver it to Chen Chuan.
Cao Guixi said, "Recorded here are various strange tales and legends originally preserved in the Imperial Archives during the dynastic era. This is a rubbing. It documents the experiences and observations of most old-era third-limit fighters after achieving their breakthroughs, supplemented with techniques and methods for handling these phenomena. Take it back and look through it, Junior Brother Chen; you may find some useful insights."
Chen Chuan took it from Uncle Ding and voiced his thanks. Flipping it open, he found it printed in vertical columns, mostly using archaic variant characters, which felt unfamiliar at a glance.
Fortunately, with his boundary credential, a quick cross-reference immediately projected horizontal modern text onto the nearby light screen, allowing him to read without hindrance.
Cao Guixi took a sip from his teacup, set it down, and sat upright. "You can take your time browsing through the contents when you get back, Junior Brother. First, let me explain the key cultivation points to keep in mind at this limit."
Chen Chuan set the book down, sat straight in his seat, and assumed an attentive expression.
Cao Guixi said, "From the first limit to the third limit, each level has its own focal points. According to the old sayings, they are respectively 'building bridges of tendon, erecting beams of bone' and 'invigorating the six bowels, generating the five viscera.' I presume your instructors covered this during your studies?"
Chen Chuan nodded.
Cao Guixi continued solemnly, "Now that you have reached the third limit, what you must focus on in this tier is to 'grasp vital essence, anchor the changeless mind'!
"What was once called vital essence referred in the past to the body's primordial qi. But for a fighter, 'vital essence' is inextricably bound to mutated tissue. It requires specific materials and medicines to nourish and refine. Accumulating vital essence is especially crucial, as a fighter's combat capabilities often depend on the abundance of their vital essence.
"Take Wei Wusheng's external conditioning, for instance. His training leaned heavily in this direction. His ability to reattach severed limbs, make flesh sprout from bare bone, and return from the brink of death to fight anew stemmed from the immense reserve of vital essence he had built up.
"Its source lies in the 'heart.'
"As for the changeless mind, it refers to the 'ever-abiding spirit.' It sharpens a fighter's mind and grants smooth, unhindered control throughout the entire body, truly making one the master of oneself.
"Third-limit fighters often possess astonishing speed and superior bodily coordination, all of which stem from this.
"Because the wandering mind is ever-shifting and constantly scatters, it requires perpetual nourishment and refining to keep it anchored and intact. This calls for a specialized method of training. Those self-manifesting anomalous visions are one such crucible, which is why I said they are not wholly a bad thing.
"Fighters who do not come from orthodox backgrounds typically find it difficult to cultivate this path. They can only grind it out through crude, rudimentary methods across repeated life-and-death battles. I have a set of techniques here that you may take back for reference.
"In addition, corresponding methods can be purchased at Wuyi Academy. You can try both approaches to see which suits you better. Using them simultaneously is fine as well. The mind is ever-shifting; the more it experiences, the more resilient it becomes.
"Furthermore, if the changeless mind is anchored to profound depths, one can govern the body's development, preserving youth and prolonging lifespan. Some fighters reach a hundred years of age with youthful faces and jade-smooth skin without relying on medication, all thanks to this.
"Its source lies in the brain.
"Vital essence and the changeless mind complement each other. It is best to advance both in tandem rather than tilting toward one over the other; leaning on just one leaves you limping like a cripple."
Listening up to this point, Chen Chuan connected the explanation with his own experiences and perceptions. His understanding cleared up immensely, and a thoughtful look crossed his face.
Cao Guixi waited patiently for a while. Seeing that Chen Chuan had digested the information and refocused his attention, he continued, "Next, I'll touch upon how you should proceed with cultivation.
"There are only two avenues. The first remains the use of medicine. The government, major corporations, and the academy all supply nourishing and refining drugs. Unlike earlier stages, however, medicines for the third limit are specially formulated, obtained through scarce channels, and exorbitantly expensive.
"Although you are a test subject for Qingnang Jade Workshop, once you reach the third limit, your previous agreement becomes moot. You would need to sign a new one. If you want to acquire medicine, they are one viable path. However, large corporations like that might use drugs to tighten their grip on you, so consider the matter carefully before making a decision.
"As for the second path, that involves information that cannot be freely disclosed. Constrained by confidentiality agreements, I cannot tell you about it right now. But there is no need to rush. Within a month or two at most, the academy or the Disposal Bureau will send someone to brief you and lay it out clearly."
At this point, he added a word of caution. "You will have to choose your subsequent path with great care. Still, you are currently in the stabilization phase, so there is no need to worry about any of this for the next thirty or forty days. In a moment, I will give you a list of conditioning and maintenance medicines; you can simply purchase them through the academy according to the list."
Chen Chuan cupped his fist in his seat and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Senior Brother Cao."
When the Disposal Bureau had introduced Senior Brother Cao as his instructor, the arrangement was only for him to teach Chen Chuan up to the third limit. Anything beyond that had nothing to do with him, yet he was still willing to offer guidance. Chen Chuan was genuinely grateful for that.
Cao Guixi smiled. "The road ahead is difficult, and it will be hard for me to instruct you further in your cultivation. You must walk it on your own. Still, being a few years older than you, I can at least offer some advice. If you have questions, you are welcome to come ask me again."
Chen Chuan thanked him once more. Afterward, the two steered away from cultivation, simply drinking tea, admiring the view, and chatting about the political landscape of Center City. When evening arrived, Chen Chuan took his leave.
After seeing Chen Chuan off, Uncle Ding returned and said, "Young Master truly has an exceptional eye. Little Brother Chen is only eighteen, yet he has already achieved the third limit and could slay a ferocious outlaw like Wei Wusheng right out of the gate. In the future, he might even fulfill Young Master's unrealized ambitions."
Cao Guixi shook his head. "He has his own path, and my path has already reached its end. There is no need to force others to walk it for me. I am willing to lend a hand first because of a rare affinity, and second because Little Brother Chen possesses fine character and disposition. He is worth supporting."
He sipped his tea slowly and remarked as if offhandedly, "Uncle Ding, remember: do not bring up matters concerning me in front of him in the future."
Uncle Ding bowed deeply. "Yes, Young Master. I will remember."
After leaving Mount Motie, Chen Chuan did not rush back. Instead, he drove his Jiade car at an easy pace, taking in the scenery on both sides of the road.
Ever since entering the academy, he had kept up an intense training schedule. Now that he had reached the third limit, there was no need to keep himself strung so tight. It was a rare chance to unwind.
Considering that it was currently break time—he had stayed at the academy before solely for the sake of cultivation, and now that everything was settled—he could make a trip back home.
With that in mind, he planned to head back to Yangzhi in the next day or two.
After thinking it over, he sent voice messages to Wu Bei, Old Qi, and several acquaintances, letting them know that he might be away from Center City for a period of time over the next couple of days, and that they could contact him via telegram if anything came up.
Upon returning to Xuan Palace Building, he first refreshed the food and water for Chaoming. Watching the little creature eat with gusto, he thought that since he was heading home, leaving it behind would hardly be appropriate; it would be better to take it along.
Settling onto the sofa, he pulled out the medicine list Cao Guixi had given him. After glancing over it, he took out the list he had previously transcribed to compare the two.
That list contained the medicines left behind by Instructor Wu and Youxing.
As third-limit fighters, both of them had stored away a fair amount of third-limit drugs.
Youxing in particular had left behind quite an extensive stash in the storeroom. Most of the items Cao Guixi had highlighted could be found on that list. Moreover, judging by the quantities remaining, even daily use would be more than enough to last one to two months. That being the case, he could wait until he returned from home before looking into the matter in detail.
However, he was still a reserve enforcement officer of the Disposal Bureau. A trip home would take at least a month, so he needed to inform the bureau before departing.
Still, that could wait until tomorrow. He did not feel like doing anything else today, so he put the list away, sat back down on the sofa, and turned on the Fringe Channel.
Meanwhile, in the principal's assistant's office on the top floor of Xuan Palace Building, the light screen was replaying the fight between Chen Chuan and Wei Wusheng.
After several minutes passed, the footage froze on the moment Chen Chuan stood before Wei Wusheng's fallen body.
Assistant Ling rested one arm against the sofa backrest and crossed one leg over the other, his eyes filled with admiration. By his assessment, Chen Chuan could not have entered the third limit very long ago—two months at the absolute longest, and perhaps only a few days at the shortest.
Judging by previous entry and exit records, Chen Chuan had spent most of the past month or two in his dormitory without leaving, only heading out in the last couple of days to watch the arena matches. It was very likely that he had been building up his strength before breaking through the boundary in just the past few days.
Yet even having just reached this limit for such a short time, he already possessed the strength to defeat Wei Wusheng. Such talent was rare even among the third limit, and his potential for future growth was immeasurable.
A voice spoke through the boundary credential at that moment: "Now that he's confirmed to be a third-limit fighter, what do you plan to do? Lay everything out to him right now?"
Assistant Ling smiled. "No rush. Once he learns of the situation himself, we will approach him. Right now, he might not necessarily accept what we have to say. We can afford to wait."
Chapter 346