Chapter Six: Idealist Martial Arts, Knowledge Is Poison

"So long as my will is firm enough, the entire world will yield and clear a path for me." Fang Can listened to Yang Lie’s words, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion.

Yang Lie nodded earnestly. "That is correct. What is known as 'exceptional talent' is not merely a gift of the flesh, but a firmness of the will."

"Legend has it that the founding monarch of the Great Yan Dynasty was deceived in his youth, misidentifying a common 'Iron Wire Fist' as the 'Maha Solar Divine Fist'."

"Yet, he still practiced with painstaking devotion, throwing ten thousand punches every single day. Fifty years later, his punches truly began to carry the essence of a scorching sun; a single strike could roast the surrounding ten miles into charred earth."

"It was precisely by relying on this Maha Solar Divine Fist that he carved out the vast, boundless territories of the Great Yan Dynasty."

"Conversely, if your resolve is divided, the fragility of your spirit will manifest in your body. A single glare from an enemy could cause your body to shatter and dissolve into a pool of blood."

"Take, for instance, the greatest enemy of that first Great Yan monarch, the Overlord of Great Chu. His dominance was unparalleled; wherever he passed, he slaughtered cities and razed strongholds. All who heard his name trembled in fear."

"Yet, this very Overlord, when facing the Divine Monarch of Great Yan, was defeated seven times by the Maha Solar Divine Fist. His own arrogance was suppressed and reversed by the monarch’s indomitable spirit, and then..."

Yang Lie paused here, his expression turning peculiar. Fang Can could not help but press, "And then?"

"And then..." Yang Lie said with a complex tone, "After being defeated by the Divine Monarch for the seventh time, the once-mighty Overlord suffered a qi deviation. He awakened the 'feminine' within his heart, and his intent reversed its influence on his flesh. Transcending nature, he transformed from a man into a woman and was taken into the Great Yan monarch's harem."

Fang Can: *Hm... Ah? Hiss!!! Wait... no!*

By the time Fang Can realized what he had heard, it was too late. His expression shifted from eager curiosity to sheer shock. Just listening to this martial arts folklore, he felt a chill run down his spine, a thousand retorts surging into his throat, nearly spilling out.

Seeing Fang Can’s shock, Yang Lie added languidly, "That is why, for a martial artist, the most important thing is a singular, unwavering intent—to walk one path until the very end."

"If you waver halfway, at best you lose your cultivation and explode; at worst, you might find yourself bearing children and being toyed with by others."

*That is indeed terrifying,* Fang Can thought, nodding in agreement. He hadn't expected that failing a battle in this world could lead to a 'defeat CG' sequence, though for some masochists, that might count as a reward.

"Therefore, on the path of cultivation, while physical aptitude is important, the execution of your will is of the utmost priority. The more clear and unhindered your intent, the more it can nourish your spirit."

Yang Lie spoke with gravity, "To achieve this clarity of intent, you must cultivate an invincible mindset in every waking and resting moment."

"In every battle, you must strive to win. In your food, clothing, and lifestyle, you must seek only the best. Only then can you subtly strengthen your conviction, which in turn reinforces your body."

Watching Fang Can, who was deep in thought, Yang Lie raised his voice for emphasis. "Did you understand?"

"I understand," Fang Can nodded seriously. "You mean that to keep my intent clear, if anyone dares to defy me, I should leave no one in their family alive—not even my own father. If I see something I want, I buy it; if I can't afford it, I seize it; if I can't seize it, I swindle and cheat; if I can't steal it, I use poison and assassination. The core philosophy is to be utterly lawless."

Listening to Fang Can’s lengthy summary, Yang Lie wiped sweat from his brow. He couldn't deny that Fang Can wasn't entirely wrong; if one could pull off such a streak without being swarmed and killed by the entire world, becoming the world's greatest would indeed be just a matter of time.

"There is no need to be quite so extreme," Yang Lie placated. "Martial arts are not just about killing; they are about finding your own Dao."

"You can seek the Dao in walking, sitting, or sleeping—whether it be persistence, brilliance, love, immortality, lust, sloth, or greed... as long as you walk in one direction and never lose heart, your martial path will be smooth."

Listening to Yang Lie's explanation, Fang Can felt something was wrong. How could this subjective, idealistic martial arts system be filled with nothing but lunatics? Could anyone who obsessively fixates on a single thing for a lifetime be considered normal? And if a lunatic with high destructive power is let loose, it would be strange if the world remained stable.

Ignoring Fang Can's musings, Yang Lie continued, "Next, I will teach you to identify the acupoints."

Pointing into the distance, Yang Lie said, "Look there."

Following the direction of Yang Lie's finger, Fang Can saw a pitch-black, life-sized iron statue, one point eight meters tall. Dozens of indentations were distributed evenly across the figure, with lines connecting each one.

Yang Lie said, "Do you see those indented acupoints? Those are the acupoints of the human meridians—eighty-eight in total."

"Isn't eight times eight sixty-four?" Fang Can asked reflexively.

"You see? You have already begun to doubt me. This proves that your heart for martial arts is not yet firm enough."

Yang Lie spoke sternly, "True cultivation is letting your own heart replace the laws of heaven and earth. If you are bound by petty arithmetic, it only proves your will is not firm and you do not trust yourself enough."

"No, Instructor Yang, you are wrong. Eight times eight is sixty-four." Fang Can insisted stubbornly. "If I were easily swayed by you after just two sentences, it would mean my own will and spirit are not even as strong as yours, let alone the heavens and the earth."

Fang Can’s response made the instructor freeze for a moment, before he broke into a beaming smile.

"Good, good, good! You have begun to understand what the martial path is. Perhaps your talent for martial arts is indeed quite good."

"In any case, these eighty-eight acupoints are all the points in the human body. You must firmly memorize their locations and depths."

"Then, when practicing, follow the lines shown and firmly believe that internal energy is flowing through these major acupoints within your body."

"When you can truly feel the flow of qi circulating through all the points and completing a full cycle, you will have officially stepped into the first realm of martial arts: 'Shedding the Mortal Coil'."

"Remember, the most important aspect of practicing martial arts is the 'heart'."

"The Great Yan monarch once said: as long as you have the heart, anyone can become a Martial God."

With that, Yang Lie tossed a quaint, small manual into Fang Can’s hands. "This is the entry-level martial art of our Tiger Sha Sect: The Thirty-Two Tiger-Devouring Fists."

"Coordinate the movements described in this manual with the visualization of internal energy flow. If you can develop a sense of qi within a month, your talent is excellent. If not, go sleep in the barracks with the servants."

Fang Can took the manual. The cover was still filled with those unfamiliar, blocky characters. He flipped through it; every page contained diagrams of meridians, clearly designed so that even an illiterate person could learn.

He looked up and asked, "Instructor Yang, where can I learn to read? I don't know a single character. How will I understand martial arts manuals in the future?"

"You want to study?" Yang Lie paused, then said firmly, "I advise you not to."

"That knowledge is highly toxic; it will only affect your heart. The more you learn, the weaker your conviction will become."

He offered an example: "The seventh disciple of the former Grandmaster of the Taixuan Sect was a peerless genius. He developed a sense of qi in half a day and transcended his mortal body in a few months. But because he read too many books, guess what happened to him?"

"What happened?"

Yang Lie slowly spat out two words: "He went mad."