Master of Kaidan
Chapter 268: Lecture

Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Lecture

In Jining City, Feng Xue sat on a high platform with a table in front of her. On the table rested a bronze bell. Arrayed before the stage were rows of desks and chairs occupied by renowned figures from the martial arts world and officials from the government. Further out was a circle of temporarily erected fences, beyond which stood the commonfolk and those of lower standing within the martial arts community.

Seeing that the audience had gathered sufficiently, Feng Xue flicked her finger lightly.

Though the bell was small, its sound was both exceedingly distant and carried a chilling coldness that induced a hint of trepidation.

Almost the instant the bell’s tone rang out, the crowd’s clamor came to an abrupt halt.

This mere action had instantly energized those who had been somewhat dismissive of Feng Xue due to her youth. They listened attentively as the young person began:

"In the past few days," she said, "we have separately discussed the characteristics and commonalities of the demonic, gu, demon, and poison branches of the Demon Path. Today, let us talk about their essence, which is the so-called Demonic Qi."

In recent days, Feng Xue had been analyzing the traits of Demonic Qi and the individuals from the Demon Sect. Initially, the martial artists did not find anything particularly noteworthy, considering it merely common old discourse. Had it not been for Feng Xue possessing a true method to counter Demonic Qi, they might not have even paid her any attention.

But as she delved deeper into her analysis, these martial artists gradually took notice. Seemingly common details were, in fact, fraught with mysteries. Many things deemed common knowledge became entirely different upon deeper consideration of the question "why?".

Even now, some of the prominent figures in Yan State who had honed their skills for decades, reaching the Transformation Realm, took serious interest in the nuances of Feng Xue’s words, with some even taking notes on the spot.

Feng Xue was quite pleased with this development. After a brief pause, she continued, "As everyone knows, Demonic Qi is the tricky core of the Demon Sect’s demons. It has an extremely aggressive erosive nature. If our True Qi can be likened to clear water, then Demonic Qi is ink. In combat, the clear water is inevitably polluted by the ink, whereas the Leakless True Gang cultivated by Grandmasters can be compared to blocks of ice, capable of obstructing the pollution of the ink but still ultimately unable to prevent it completely."

To those who had struggled in Yan State, this was unquestionably common knowledge, but no one objected because, in the previous days, those who had declared "everyone knows this" were consistently proven wrong.

Feng Xue paused for a moment and, seeing that no one had any quips, inwardly sighed, thinking whether she should find a stooge in the future. For now, she could only continue on her own, "Many know that I have developed a cultivation technique that prevents the erosion of Demonic Qi. However, I am also aware that many harbor doubts about it..."

As these words were spoken, the previously quiet crowd began to stir, with even those seated showing changes in their expressions.

After all, dealing with such matters was truly difficult. Although Chu Country remained the only force in the world still resisting, the current situation was at a standoff, not yet at the point of risking everything in a desperate gamble.

Confronted with the cultivation technique Feng Xue, who had emerged from Qing Province, had presented, everyone had to adopt a cautious attitude. After all, no one could be certain whether this technique, which claimed to resist Demonic Qi, might not be another form of cultivation under the Demon Path.

"Mr. Ironshirt," began a middle-aged man who appeared to be over fifty from the audience, likely a high-ranking member of the Demon Extermination Department, judging by his attire. "This isn’t us being overly cautious, as you should know..."

However, Feng Xue didn’t let him finish, interrupting, "I am indeed well aware, which is why I am explaining here. Since you do not trust my technique, I will share my research and the thought process behind creating this technique with you, so that you can conduct your own research and create anew."

Creating cultivation techniques was, for many people, something beyond the scope of their knowledge, because for many martial artists, a cultivation technique was something inherited from ancestors. To acquire a more advanced technique, one would seek out the relics and adventures of earlier generations or find a master from a higher-level sect.

As for creating on their own... it wasn’t that they lacked creativity, but they had never been educated in this area.

Knowing only the surface without understanding the underlying principles — this was the state of most martial artists, especially under the current climate of combating the demons of the Demon Path. All sects were focused on rapidly cultivating their disciples to the Grandmaster Realm, giving little attention to knowledge unrelated to combat power, such as which meridians could endow Inner Strength with what attributes, or the significance of the breathing cycle during meditation.

However, Feng Xue didn’t care what these people thought; he simply continued to explain,

"As I’ve said before, ’Demonic Qi is like ink, True Qi is like water.’ The concept behind the cultivation technique I’ve created is to transform clear water into an oil that won’t mix with ink. In this way, Inner Strength won’t merge with Demonic Qi, and even without Leakless True Gang, there’s no need to worry about Inner Qi becoming polluted by Demonic Qi."

The principle sounded simple, indeed many of the older generation immediately had some inspiration, but they soon realized that turning this inspiration into reality was not easy —

Because they simply couldn’t come into contact with Demonic Qi.

Without being able to touch Demonic Qi, one could not sense its properties, making it particularly difficult to study a form of Inner Strength that wouldn’t merge with it.

Moreover...

As everyone fell into thought, an elder sitting in the front row suddenly raised his hand. His right little finger was somewhat deformed, resembling a snake’s tail without discernible joints yet able to curl and stretch at will.

"Master Mo, please speak," Feng Xue, recognizing the elder’s identity, invited him to talk. The elder was from Zhenwu Temple and had arrived in Yan State forty years earlier, bearing a grand name — Mo Wentian.

Master Mo’s demeanor was calm as he lowered his right hand and spoke with a slightly questioning tone,

"Mr. Ironclad’s idea is indeed insightful, but this can only ensure that one won’t be infected for reasons such as staring contests, Qi confrontation, or when weapons clash. However, if one is directly injured by Demonic Qi, even if Inner Qi remains unpolluted, the flesh and blood would still undergo transformation."

Saying this, he lifted his deformed right little finger, sighing,

"In my reckless younger days, I was wounded by a cultivator from the Demon Sect..."

"That’s right, and that’s the second step I was about to discuss," Feng Xuexin found support in Master Mo’s words and immediately continued,

"Demonic Qi is in itself a form of energy, but let’s consider it as a kind of vine that sinks its roots into the flesh and blood of living beings to draw Essence Qi, or sticks onto inanimate objects to attack any living being it touches.

"That is to say, if our flesh and blood become unsuitable for rooting, then, like with ordinary weapons, Demonic Qi may contaminate us but cannot induce transformation.

"In the ’Mystical Lord Secret Scripture’ I devised, there are seven parts: Inner Strength, mental method, Medical Skill, Cross Training, fist and foot techniques, Weapons, and movement technique. Cross Training is based on this principle.

"As long as one cultivates Inner Strength that does not merge with Demonic Qi, Cross Training can be practiced to infuse Inner Strength into sinew, bone, skin, and membrane, rendering one’s flesh impervious to Demonic Qi. Thus, Demonic Qi cannot ’take root,’ draw sustenance from our flesh, or parasitize and induce abnormalities."