Celestial Human Diagram

Inside the training hall, Teacher Xue and Chen Chuan sat facing each other. Beyond the row of long, wide windows at their side stretched a dim, gloomy sky.

Beneath a thick curtain of dark, rainy clouds, countless raindrops battered the windows. The hall’s soundproofing was excellent, but they could still hear the faint, dense patter of the impacts. Below, the city’s radiance frequently bloomed against the cloud layer, its reflection casting intermittent flickers upon the glass beside them.

Teacher Xue’s voice echoed through the empty hall.

"After the Old Empire was overthrown, the Dashun Government acquired numerous cultivation Classics from the National Church and the Old Imperial Family. They then organized and compiled them."

"With the dawn of the new era and advancements in technology, they built upon that foundation to develop a set of methods better suited for the modern day. Subsequently, they invested significant resources into further refining and optimizing them."

"The method I’m teaching you is one of those."

"However, this method is now forbidden. Its circulation is prohibited, and most related materials have been sealed away or destroyed."

Chen Chuan was surprised. "Forbidden?"

Teacher Xue said, "To be precise, this method was never truly circulated in public. It was only taught privately within a limited circle, and even monopolized by certain people. Hah..."

He gave a derisive laugh and lightly slapped his thigh. "In any case, the reasons are complicated, so I won’t get into the specifics with you today. You’ll find out eventually."

"Since this method was ordered destroyed, it no longer has an official name. For now, I’ll refer to it by its name from the old era: the ’Reflecting the Inner Light’ technique."

"An old saying describes it: ’Cleanse the spiritual flower, and the soul self-awakens. A flicker of the heart’s lamp reveals a jade-like clarity. It illuminates others, myself, and the boundless void. Return to glimpse celestial emptiness, and cast off this turbid form.’"

"The Old National Church’s doctrine held that a person’s soul originates from the ’Void.’ By holding fast to one’s self while returning to that ’Void,’ one could achieve great transcendence."

"But that’s just a theory. Whether it’s truly possible to achieve what our ancestors aspired to, no one knows. I, however, have always believed that if the flame of knowledge is passed down unceasingly, each generation will surpass the last. Perhaps one day, someone will finally reach that state."

"Alright, I’ll now impart the specific method to you. Chen, prepare yourself."

Chen Chuan immediately held his breath and focused his mind, saying, "I’m ready."

Teacher Xue remained seated and motionless, but a light began to shine from his eyes.

Chen Chuan felt a torrent of essential techniques and Dharma Gates imprinting themselves upon his mind. Only after some time did he emerge from this receptive state.

As he probed the information, he found that in addition to the techniques for sensing and absorbing Essence that Teacher Xue had mentioned, there was also a method for training to expel the Outer Taint.

Teacher Xue waited for him to process it for a moment before continuing, "As I said, the Outer Taint and the Essence arrive together. Some people, in their greed for the Essence, neglect to repel the Taint. That is precisely where things go wrong."

"At first, you won’t even feel some of the Taint, but it will be there, subtly and imperceptibly changing you."

"Many don’t realize something is wrong with them until it’s too late—until the Outer Taint has become one with their very being, inseparable. By then, there’s no turning back."

His voice softened. "They might be able to go far, yes. But by the end of their cultivation, they become another self—a ’non-self.’ At that point, they might not even be considered human anymore. And when they stop seeing themselves as human... that leads to even more terrifying consequences."

He shook his head, not elaborating further, and instead returned to his lecture on the method.

His expression turned serious. "Chen, if you want to break through your current stage to a higher limit, your mind and body are both indispensable. Both must be honed to perfection."

"I won’t elaborate much on physical cultivation; just be mindful of it yourself. I will focus on your Spiritual Cultivation."

"Spiritually, it’s impossible to advance all at once. You must gradually wash away the impurities and filth from your mind. In the old parlance, this is the ’postnatal defilement’ one accumulates from tumbling through the Mortal World since birth. It must be refined away to return to a state of ’innate purity.’"

"What Fighters can normally do is what you’ve been doing: honing yourself again and again, lingering below the threshold, and gradually accumulating power."

"But once the Celestial Gate opens and the Essence descends, if you can draw in enough of it to cleanse your spirit, you can drastically shorten the time needed for your Spiritual Cultivation."

Chen Chuan nodded in understanding.

Teacher Xue smiled, then added, "But that alone is not enough. The times are different now."

"This method is actually best suited for a time before the World Ring. Now that the World Ring exists, this technique can provide you with a relatively stable environment for cultivation, but its influence also prevents your spirit from ascending too high."

"You might not understand what I mean. Hmm, let me put it this way: while expanding the breadth of your spirit, you must also pursue height."

"Theoretically, the deeper your spirit ventures beyond the Celestial Gate, the more Essence you can obtain."

"Furthermore, if you can push your spirit to a great height and leave even a trace of it there, the next time you go, you can use that trace to ascend there quickly. Naturally, this will allow you to claim a greater reward."

"Therefore, when you use this technique, you can’t just focus on circulating the refining method and remaining stationary. You must simultaneously use another method to galvanize your spirit."

At this, a sharp, determined light glinted in Teacher Xue’s eyes.

"And for us Fighters, we must naturally use combat to affirm our existence and perfect ourselves."

He looked at Chen Chuan. "Chen, when the Celestial Gate opens, use everything you have to fight. Experience the joy of battle, pursue your goals, and use that momentum to propel your spirit upward."

He chuckled. "You don’t need to worry about finding opponents. When the day comes, you won’t be short on them."

"After the World Ring was established, the inherent dangers decreased. As a result, many Fighters and organizations around the world have tried to forcibly open the Celestial Gate to access its power. However, doing so would undoubtedly have severe consequences, so these attempts have been jointly suppressed by the world’s governments and corporations."

"Every time Central City’s Domain Creature splits, it inevitably attracts scores of ambitious Fighters."

"So, when that day arrives, many Third Limit Fighters who walk this path will enter Central City. They will try to use this opportunity to gain more power, while numerous other organizations and factions will try to achieve their own ends."

"You have to understand, a breach appearing in the World Ring at the exact moment the Domain Creature, Fumu, is splitting... an opportunity like this might not come again for decades. That’s why I’m telling you not to miss it."

Chen Chuan suddenly had a thought. ’Mishiro Ara suddenly showed up here. He said he came to challenge me, but he gave up almost immediately and said he’d be staying for a while.’

’This must be the reason.’

He took a deep breath. "I understand, Teacher."

"However, you must be careful when choosing your opponents."

Teacher Xue warned gravely, "When a Fighter elevates their spirit to a certain level, they gain some power to interfere with the material world. This is an external manifestation of the Heart Jade."

"At that point, they have one foot over the threshold to the next realm."

"The Fighters on the verge of Breaking the Limit exist in this state. They have not yet undergone the final cleansing and still carry a trace of the Mortal World’s defilement. But make no mistake, these Fighters are incredibly powerful. If you encounter one, you must be extremely cautious."

Hearing this, Chen Chuan’s heart stirred. ’It sounds like Chen Bitong might have reached that state.’ He nodded. "Thank you for the warning, Teacher."

Teacher Xue grunted in acknowledgment. "There’s one more thing. When you circulate this technique during the Heaven Gate Opening, your spirit will connect with the other side. The deeper the connection, the more your spirit will be tempered and purified."

"However, as your spirit ascends to a certain height, the dangers will increase proportionally. You might attract the attention of the entities on the other side, so you must find a way to protect yourself."

With that, he took out an object and handed it to Chen Chuan.

"Take this. It can protect you from being corrupted for a certain period. But remember, if it changes color, you must stop immediately, or there will be trouble. You must judge the timing yourself."

Chen Chuan accepted it. It looked like a bracelet, strung with beads of some unidentifiable material that resembled amber. Each bead was shaped like a teardrop.

He said, "Thank you, Teacher." Then he looked up and asked, "Teacher, when exactly will the Fumu’s split occur?"

Teacher Xue replied, "The exact time is uncertain; it might not even be set yet. But as a Fighter who has embarked on the path of Spiritual Cultivation, you should be able to feel the Fumu’s stirrings. You’ve probably sensed it when taking your special medication, haven’t you?"

"By the same token, when the Fumu is about to split, its spirit will become turbulent beforehand. You can judge the timing from its specific reactions. It will happen around then, give or take."

’I actually didn’t know that,’ Chen Chuan thought.

’When I absorb the medication, I use my Second Self to block all external interference. But now that he’s mentioned it, I can try it when I get back.’

Teacher Xue stood up, his tone relaxed. "Alright, I’ve said what I needed to. That’s all for today’s lesson. If you have any more questions, just contact me."

Chen Chuan stood and bowed slightly. "Thank you for your guidance, Teacher."

Teacher Xue smiled, gave him a wave, and departed.

After watching him go, Chen Chuan gazed at the thick storm clouds outside, lost in thought for a moment before turning to leave. In the elevator on his way back to the dormitory, his Realm Token suddenly began to flash.

He glanced down at it. Yan Yi’s voice emanated from within: "Mr. Chen, the company recently received a formal notice from the government. It pertains to some security matters, so we’d like to invite you to visit the company offices."

Chen Chuan’s thoughts raced. ’This must be related to the upcoming event.’ He still held the title of Security Director at the Fusion Boundary Company, and he was responsible for some of its affairs. "Alright," he replied. "I’ll be there shortly."

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