Deep in the night, a single lamp flickered.
Only the occasional crackling of the wick broke the silence inside the room. Mo Fan sat before that scar-covered wooden table, gently opening that monumental work worth 50 Spirit Stones—the "Body Forging Record".
The pages were yellowed, carrying the scent of aged ink.
This was the first time since his transmigration that he'd so formally and systematically read the "advanced knowledge" of this world.
However, opening the first page of the preface revealed not the anticipated Qi circulation routes or technique diagrams, but rather a general outline regarding cultivation.
Mo Fan read slowly, combining the scattered memories of the original Lu Xiaoqi. A cruel yet realistic picture of the cultivation world gradually assembled in his mind.
In Azure Cloud Sect, and indeed throughout the entire orthodox cultivation world, the path of cultivation was divided into eight strictly hierarchical realms: Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Void Amalgamation, Great Ascension, and Transcendence.
This was both a heavenly path and a narrow bridge filled with schemes.
"Pay-to-win, and it depends on your face."
Mo Fan closed a certain page, the corners of his mouth curling into a mocking sneer.
First, one needed Spirit Roots—this alone eliminated 99% of mortals (including himself). Second, even more disgusting was the sect's "knowledge payment" model—essentially "installment plans."
Outer sect disciples? Only given the first three layers of the Azure Cloud Art; practice those, then receive the middle three layers. Want the Foundation Establishment chapter? Then swear a heart demon oath, or even sign a binding contract, completely becoming the sect's vassal, before obtaining subsequent cultivation methods.
This "give a little, withhold a little" model firmly locked down the upward mobility of lower-level cultivators. It both prevented technique leakage and eliminated the possibility of rogue cultivators rising.
"This is monopoly."
Mo Fan's fingers tapped the table. "Control knowledge, control class."
However, the Body Forging Record in his hands represented another path filled with blood and sweat—body cultivation.
"Heaven won't ferry people, so people ferry themselves."
These words on the page were written with penetrating force.
"If one lacks Spirit Roots to absorb heaven and earth's spiritual energy, then forge the physical body into a furnace that devours heaven and earth. Use the body as sword, blood as catalyst, and shatter all laws through force."
Compared to the complexity of the cultivation system, body cultivation's realm divisions were brutally simple, yet filled with the roar of mortals defying fate:
First Realm: Copper Skin (Mortal Realm Entry). Temper skin and flesh, impervious to blades and bullets. Corresponds to early-to-mid Qi Condensation cultivators.
Second Realm: Iron Bones (Mortal Realm Minor Achievement). Transform sinews and forge bones, strength exceeding a thousand pounds. Corresponds to late-stage to perfected Qi Condensation.
Third Realm: Blood Furnace (Mortal Realm Major Achievement). Blood like mercury, heart like furnace, endlessly regenerating. This step is qualitative transformation, corresponding to Foundation Establishment.
Fourth Realm: Vajra (Transcending the Mortal). Immortal flesh, regeneration from a drop of blood. Corresponds to Golden Core/Nascent Soul.
Fifth Realm: Shattered Vacuum (Flesh Becomes Sacred). Physical body directly resists heavenly dao laws, the theoretical upper limit, corresponding to Spirit Transformation.
"Right now I'm at..."
Mo Fan felt his iron-hard arms, reaching a judgment. "Through corpse poison tempering and System attribute allocation, my physical strength has reached the peak of 'Copper Skin,' equivalent to a mid-stage Qi Condensation body cultivator."
Though body cultivation's upper limit (Spirit Transformation) fell far short of true cultivation's upper limit (Transcendence), and the cultivation process was extremely painful with enormous resource consumption, viewed by orthodox cultivators as "crude martial brutes."
Yet this was the only lifeline that countless waste Spirit Root mortals like him could grasp.
"However, I have a third path."
Mo Fan closed the book, his gaze not lingering on reality but turning toward that pale blue System Panel deep in his retina.
[ Class: Necromancer (LV. 4) ]
[ Core Attribute: Soul Strength (CPU) 35.5 ]
His path neither cultivated spiritual energy to conform to the heavenly dao, nor simply relied on physical hardiness, but rather cultivated "soul" and "death energy."
A vague sensation arose in his heart.
Though current LV. 4 merely corresponded to mid-stage Qi Condensation, he could sense that the Necromancer's upper limit was extremely high. That absolute mastery over souls might even transcend this world's cultivation laws.
If true cultivation was "conforming to the heavenly dao" and body cultivation was "strengthening the vessel," then Necromancer was "rewriting the rules"—toying with life and death, enslaving souls, turning the impossible into possible.
"My positioning is clear."
Mo Fan took a deep breath, the confusion in his eyes completely dissipating.
"Externally cultivate the physique, become the hardest meat shield that people can't cut through; internally cultivate necromancy, become the most sinister mage that people can't defend against."
"This is my 'magic-martial dual cultivation.'"
Having thought this through, Mo Fan reopened the Body Forging Record. This time, his mindset became peaceful and focused.
He began studying word by word the cultivation methods within, comparing them with the fragmented Iron Bone Art he'd previously practiced.
The more he read, the more alarmed he became.
The fragmented Iron Bone Art was like a suicide manual invented by a madman.
Its core logic was extreme and destructive—using iron sand and poison like a hammer to violently strike the body as if it were iron. Though hard, it was riddled with internal injuries; one careless moment and it would shatter.
But this Body Forging Record, worthy of its 50 Spirit Stone price tag, was orthodox teaching material.
It not only taught how to "take hits," but more importantly how to "nurture."
The book recorded in detail a breathing method called "Dragon-Tiger Stance," and how to coordinate with medicinal baths to circulate Qi and blood, repair hidden injuries, and expand meridians. It emphasized harmonizing hardness and softness, sustainable development.
"This is the textbook for the Mortal Realms."
Mo Fan sighed in admiration. Though this book contained no heaven-destroying killing techniques, it laid an incomparably solid foundation. For Mo Fan, who'd only half-learned the Iron Bone Art and whose body was full of hidden dangers, this book was the best patch, timely rain.
"As long as I practice according to this, those hidden injuries in my body, including the rib damage from when the Shadow Leopard struck me, can all be completely eliminated."
Mo Fan extinguished his distracting thoughts.
Outside the window, night fell like water.
Under the eaves, the black-clothed Mo Yan still stood like a sculpture, loyally guarding this small courtyard.
From a room in the corner of the village came faint sounds of water and suppressed groans—that was A-Song gritting his teeth and persisting in that scalding medicinal bath, desperately striving for that sliver of possibility to change his fate.
Inside the room, the oil lamp swayed.
Following the Body Forging Record's guidance, Mo Fan slowly stood and assumed a strange posture.
Feet gripping the ground like tree roots, spine arched like a dragon's bow, breathing becoming long and heavy.
[ Stance Technique: Dragon-Tiger Stance ]
With the breathing exercises, he felt those originally stagnant masses of Qi and blood within his body begin to slowly flow, like warm currents streaming through the subtle hidden injuries and cracks left from practicing the Iron Bone Art.
That sensation was like parched earth finally welcoming spring rain.
Bit by bit, tingling; bit by bit, stinging pain; but more than anything, a comfortable sensation of renewal.
Whether true cultivation seekers pursuing longevity, body cultivators pursuing strength, or Necromancers toying with souls.
In this moment, in this shabby little room, under this obsession to grow stronger for survival's sake—
All things return to emptiness.
All things ultimately reach the same destination through different paths.