Chapter Eight: The Eight Great Stages of Cultivation, The Ginseng Energy Treatise of the Great Snow Mountain

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Shen Haohua frowned as she looked at the plainly dressed young man before her. This youth had remarkably handsome features, and his expression and speech revealed a genuine simplicity, unlike the arrogant noble sons in Xuantian Capital. Yet, at the age of seventeen or eighteen, he possessed only the Qi Transformation cultivation stage. Compared to those young masters in the capital, and even within this Su Nan Prefecture, he was hardly noteworthy.

“But… how could Chen Zhian have transformed blood qi without cultivation?” Shen Haohua was somewhat surprised. Hearing Chen Zhian’s sincere and earnest inquiry, free of any mockery, she patiently answered, “In today’s Great Yu, it is an era flourishing in both literature and cultivation. Renowned scholars all practice martial arts and cultivation; noble lineages value both cultural heritage and cultivation equally. I heard you never studied for the imperial exams and assumed you had started training in cultivation. How could you not even know what Qi Transformation is?”

“Qi Transformation is the first of the Eight Major Stages of martial cultivation. It involves tempering the body to transform blood qi, which in turn nourishes the mortal flesh. The body then supports the blood qi, allowing one to enter the second stage, Qi Nurturing.”

“Qi Nurturing strengthens the physique further; blood qi spreads throughout the limbs, skin, bones, muscles, and internal organs, making the body stronger and stronger, eventually allowing one to cultivate tremendous strength.”

“I saw you just now resist Si Hougui’s pressure with blood qi surging through you. It seems you have indeed transformed blood qi… but why do you know nothing about it?”

Chen Zhian listened intently, quietly digesting Shen Haohua’s words.

“The Eight Major Stages of martial cultivation… Qi Transformation, Qi Nurturing… The second stage already allows one to cultivate tremendous strength?”

“It seems the red ginger from Kunlun Marsh is truly extraordinary. I only drank one cup of ginger tea and unknowingly transformed blood qi.”

After thinking this through, Chen Zhian bowed to the sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl before him. “Miss Shen, I am deeply grateful for your enlightenment… but I wonder, besides Qi Transformation and Qi Nurturing, what are the other six stages of cultivation you mentioned?”

“I have lived all my life on Qihuang Street and never met anyone who practices martial cultivation, so I am truly curious.”

Shen Haohua asked, “Has your uncle Chen not told you?”

Chen Zhian shook his head.

Frowning, Shen Haohua sighed like an adult. “It seems, as Uncle Chu said yesterday when he visited, that your uncle Chen is truly disappointed in the court and those officials in Xuantian Capital.”

“He no longer wishes to have anything to do with Xuantian Capital.”

The youth within Chen Zhian’s body was not merely a naive boy of seventeen or eighteen. The events in the courtyard today made him realize that his father, who had taught primary school for over a decade on Qihuang Street, might indeed have some background. The purple-robed general who left with his father just moments ago, the arrogant Si Hougui—they both seemed to have come for his father.

“Since you asked, I’ll tell you casually,” Shen Haohua sighed again. Seeing Chen Zhian deep in thought, she continued, “The path of cultivation for martial practitioners is like crossing mountain ridges—once you pass one mountain, there is another. Stepping onto the path of martial cultivation is like climbing a heavenly ladder; each mountain is more difficult to overcome.”

“Qi Transformation and Qi Nurturing are just the entry stages. After Qi Nurturing come two stages called True Essence and Spirit Embodiment. These refine one’s qi and body, transforming blood qi into true essence. The true essence resonates with the mud pill, nurturing the spirit and transforming into the martial spirit embodiment.”

“Beyond these are the Jade Core and Innate stages. At Jade Core, the body and spirit are like uncut jade; one true essence breath enters Innate. Upon reaching Innate, one can communicate with all the energies of the world—every move and breath strengthens one’s cultivation and physique.”

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“The Innate stage, even within a single province, counts as a true powerhouse. Innate martial cultivators, upon arriving at the bustling Su Wu Prefecture’s main government office, easily become honored guests of the prefect. In the military, even without battle achievements, they at least become deputy commanders with a sixth-rank military salary. With achievements or demonstrated command talent, they immediately rise to sixth-rank generals!”

“Now that I’ve explained, do you understand how precious the sixth stage, Innate, is?”

“True Essence, Spirit Embodiment, Jade Core, Innate… Once at Innate, one enjoys a sixth-rank military salary…” Chen Zhian clicked his tongue in amazement. With his current perspective, he had no idea what realm the two lofty wanderers he once met had reached. Nor did he know how formidable the Innate stage was, but he understood how high a military rank a sixth-rank deputy commander was.

“To enter the military at such a high position shows just how extraordinary Innate is.”

“Miss Shen, what realm does that third young master of the Si family belong to?” Chen Zhian asked, recalling how Si Hougui had not struck him but merely pressed him down with an overwhelming aura until his whole body ached, his breath flickering like a candle in the wind, so weak it was almost snuffed out.

Shen Haohua glanced at him and said, “The third young master of the Si family, Si Hougui, is not an unlearned noble son. He ranks 347th on the ‘World’s Young Tiger Stele,’ one of the nine legendary steles under the Dao Sect. He is a genuine prodigy, only a year older than you, already embodying the Jade Core stage with a pure, untarnished spirit embodiment. He is truly a Jade Core martial cultivator, having entered the fifth stage of martial cultivation.”

“He’s not the strongest among the younger generation of the Si family, but he commands considerable prestige.”

“If it weren’t for me and my grandfather’s timely arrival today, if you dared speak to him like that, you might have ended up kneeling on shattered bricks.”

“World’s Young Tiger Stele? Ranked 347th?” Chen Zhian pondered.

Seeing Chen Zhian’s lack of understanding, Shen Haohua explained, “Don’t be deceived by the ranking beyond 300. The nine Dao Sect steles are treasures famed throughout the world, descending from the heavens; only fate can reveal them.”

“The World’s Young Tiger Stele includes countless young elites from the seven great kingdoms, dozens of minor states, all the prominent sects, and scholarly clans across the world. Only about a thousand young cultivators have their names inscribed there. Our Great Yu has just over a hundred on that list, despite a population of 80 million… Do you understand what that means?”

“Only 346 young people in the entire world have cultivation surpassing his?” Chen Zhian swallowed nervously.

Shen Haohua shook her head. “The Young Tiger Stele does not only measure cultivation. It also considers age, talent, background, inheritance, the cultivation method practiced, and the weapons wielded.”

“Because cultivation is essentially a competition of talent, age, wealth, inheritance, and treasured weapons. More than three hundred surpass him in some aspects, but considering all factors and the powerful Si family backing him, the third young master of the Si family truly deserves the word ‘extraordinary.’”

Chen Zhian fell silent for a moment. The World’s Young Tiger Stele was quite a realistic measure.

“I just mentioned the first six stages of martial cultivation. As for the last two, Jade Pavilion and Fate, I will not elaborate…”

Shen Haohua added, “The mysteries of these two stages cannot be explained in a few words… In fact, I don’t really know how profound these two realms are. A great cultivator of the Jade Pavilion once told me that the Eight Stages of cultivation are actually three broad realms—before Jade Pavilion, Jade Pavilion, and Fate. Reaching Jade Pavilion is like truly ascending the first great mountain.”

“As for the Fate stage… I only know that those inscribed on the Dao Sect Fate Stele sometimes can determine the rise and fall of a nation. The Great Xi empire’s sudden collapse was due to the mysterious deaths of two Fate cultivators in the royal family, leaving the royal house powerless to suppress the three great clans, splintering the once-dominant empire into three.”

“All of these are matters never recorded in books.” Chen Zhian finally grasped the so-called Eight Major Stages of martial cultivation.

“Qi Transformation, Qi Nurturing, True Essence, Spirit Embodiment, Jade Core, Innate, Jade Pavilion, Fate!”

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“I transformed blood qi after drinking a cup of ginger tea yesterday…”

Chen Zhian felt a surge of excitement. Clenching his fist, whether from imagination or not, he sensed his blood flowing more vigorously.

It was not until two years later, after crossing into this world, that Chen Zhian truly felt this new realm was far more interesting than his past life.

Shen Haohua noticed a subtle change in Chen Zhian’s expression and recalled the kind sister she had in Xuantian Capital and the arrogant manner Si Hougui had displayed towards Chen Zhian just now. A complex emotion stirred in her heart.

Suddenly, she said to Chen Zhian, “Wait here.”

Before Chen Zhian could reply, Shen Haohua turned and left the small courtyard. After a moment, she returned briskly, her cheeks flushed with a spirited glow that Chen Zhian found almost heroic.

She pulled two yellowed books from her sleeve and thrust them into Chen Zhian’s hands.

“I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll reward you with two beginner manuals.”

“The ‘Great Snow Mountain Ginseng Qi Patch’.”

“The ‘Tiger Embrace Fist Revision’.”

“These two… are cultivation techniques and martial arts manuals!” Chen Zhian’s mouth opened in surprise as he looked at Shen Haohua.

But Shen Haohua immediately dampened his enthusiasm. “Cultivation is not just hard labor; it requires more than strength. Entering the path of cultivation is like entering a money pit, a prison of hardship. Money, willpower, talent, and time are all indispensable. I can only give you these two books for you to look at. You probably won’t be able to practice them, so don’t thank me.”

Having said this, she turned to leave.

Chen Zhian looked at her retreating figure and suddenly asked, “Miss Shen, why are you giving me these two manuals?”

Shen Haohua did not answer and walked straight towards the gate.

Chen Zhian did not press further but said, “I will remember your kindness, Miss Shen, and repay it one day. Now, I have no wealth or power—I can only paint. Allow me to paint a portrait of you as a small token of my gratitude.”

Shen Haohua waved her hand and walked out of the courtyard into the Iron-Armed General’s mansion opposite.

Chen Zhian’s expression remained unchanged. He spread out a sheet of Luoshan paper from Luoshen Mansion, usually too precious to use, on the table, took out his homemade charcoal pencil, closed his eyes, and pictured Shen Haohua standing beneath the pear blossoms, then began to draw.

“It’s a pity I have no pigments; otherwise, I wouldn’t just do sketches. If I could paint oil paintings, though not as grand as Danqing, the colors would be richer and the likeness better. That might please a lady.”

He thought quietly to himself.