The Martial Path and Pursuit of Dreams

Don't be fooled by the seemingly limited number of realms. Even within the realm of body refining, there are nine stages of transformation. The levels consist of meat training, skin training, tendon training, bone training, marrow training, blood exchange, cultivation of the five internal organs, cultivation of the six organs, and finally, the highest level of introspection. Each stage poses its own challenges and is incredibly demanding."

Becoming a proficient martial artist requires a minimum of ten years of dedicated effort to progress from the first level of meat training to the ninth level of internal vision. It's a long and challenging journey.

Another important aspect to note is that the realm of body refining is commonly known as the martial artist level, the Qihai realm as the martial master level, the Xiantian realm as the master level, the Linggang realm as the grandmaster level, and the Shenxuan realm as the martial sage level. For example, Wu Yinghou of the dynasty is recognized as a martial sage of the Divine Profound Realm.

Xu Hongtao openly shared this information, opening a new door of understanding for everyone.

"The five realms of body refining, Qihai, Xiantian, Linggang, and Shenxuan correspond to the titles of martial artist, martial master, grandmaster, great master, and martial sage. Is this the world of martial arts practitioners?" Chen Shaojun took a deep breath, his eyes shining with excitement.

A deep sense of longing emerged within him, as he felt drawn to the world of martial arts practitioners that lay before him.

"What about cultivation and the realm of Taoism?" one of the handymen inquired, curious to learn more.

"Cultivation is a different path of practice. I have some knowledge, but it's not much better than yours," Xu Hongtao admitted. "I do know that there are very few Taoist practitioners, and cultivating in that path is much more challenging than martial arts. While there is a Taoist palace in the Great Zhou Dynasty, their teachings mainly cover the basics. To truly delve into advanced practices, one has to explore various paths, and opinions on realms differ greatly among cultivators."

Xu Hongtao shook his head, acknowledging his limited understanding. He laughed good-naturedly, indicating that he didn't have much more to share.

Curiosity still lingering, one of the handymen couldn't resist asking, "Then, Uncle Xu, what realm have you reached in martial arts?"

Xu Hongtao's expression changed, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. He seemed no longer as jovial as before, and impatience crept into his voice as he replied, "That's enough, let it go. Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

With that, Xu Hongtao fell silent, refusing to provide any further information.

Chen Shaojun couldn't help but observe Xu Hongtao, sensing that there might be something hidden behind his reluctance to share. However, he reasoned that Xu Hongtao's past experiences as a member of gangs and his current position as a pawnshop worker must have shaped his circumstances and possibly led to undisclosed secrets.

"How can I learn martial arts?" Chen Shaojun pondered upon returning to his residence. The idea of delving into Taoism seemed too lofty and inaccessible, with high costs and limited opportunities for ordinary individuals like him. Even gaining admission to the Taoist Palace would only provide basic knowledge. True mastery of Taoism was said to be found within specific Taoist sects.

In contrast, martial arts appeared to be more accessible to common people, even farmers who employed their skills to protect their crops.

Therefore, Chen Shaojun was faced with a dilemma. He had a strong desire to learn martial arts, but his limited savings posed a financial challenge. The nearby iron wire boxing gym required three taels of silver per month, which would only sustain him for two months at most.

In his contemplation, he thought about seeking the help of Xu Hongtao, the experienced handyman in the pawnshop. Since the shop had a relatively lenient atmosphere, as long as the routine appraisal work was completed, pursuing martial arts was not prohibited.

However, the main constraint he faced was the lack of silver. Chen Shaojun's predecessor had entered the Lin family at a young age and worked as a book boy, receiving occasional monetary rewards. But when he was fifteen, he was no longer favored and was sent back to the old house of the Lin family. Although his life became more difficult, he still sent money home regularly.

When the eldest brother got married, Chen Shaojun seized the opportunity and voluntarily entered the Lin's pawnshop. With a lump-sum reward of ten taels of silver, he became an apprentice to the court, which slightly improved his situation.

Now, with his limited savings, Chen Shaojun wondered if he could persuade Xu Hongtao to teach him martial arts or find another way to overcome the financial obstacle and pursue his dream.

With a determined mindset, Chen Shaojun set his sights on accumulating more money for his martial arts pursuit. Currently, he had saved up six taels of silver, which fell short of the tuition fees for the martial arts gym.

Realizing that two months wouldn't be enough time to learn much at the gym, he considered approaching Xu Hongtao for martial arts guidance. However, he sensed Xu Hongtao's reluctance to discuss his own martial arts skills, which made Chen Shaojun hesitant about seeking his help.

After much contemplation, he decided to bide his time. Chen Shaojun's ultimate aspiration lay in obtaining a psychic guide, as the rewards from appraising treasures had proven to be substantial. He reasoned that with continued success in appraising valuable items, he might be rewarded with the opportunity to learn martial arts or even Taoist practices.

Enthused by the spiritual eye technique he had recently acquired, Chen Shaojun couldn't resist using it to examine Zhao Hu, who was peacefully sleeping beside him. To his surprise, he observed that Zhao Hu's spiritual energy was gray, and his blood appeared weak, raising questions about why someone so young possessed such a feeble constitution.

As Chen Shaojun continued his observations, he turned his attention to the other individuals in the vicinity. One notable figure was a tall and thin young man who had been in the area for almost a year. His aura appeared gray and black, lacking vitality and inferior to Zhao Hu. The young man's pale complexion and dark circles under his eyes hinted at a deteriorating condition, suggesting that he might not be far from death, as indicated by the doctor's tone.

Similarly, Li Tie-hammer exhibited a gray and lifeless aura, giving the impression that his vitality was diminishing. Du Hao and Zhang Ke also displayed signs of weakened qi and blood, with their auras appearing gray and their overall vitality diminished. None of them seemed to possess the vigor of a healthy individual.

Concerned about his own well-being, Chen Shaojun examined himself in the mirror the next day. To his relief, he found that his face was rosy and his eyes were bright, reflecting a healthier appearance compared to the others. He attributed this improvement to having consumed the Yangyuan Pill previously, which had significantly boosted his bodily strength. Without it, he believed his condition wouldn't be much different from the rest.

However, Chen Shaojun also realized that the use of the divine vision spell exacted a heavy toll on his essence. Each time he employed the technique, it required him to sacrifice blood and exert his spirit, further highlighting the potentially detrimental effects of its usage.

Chen Shaojun, lost in his thoughts, contemplated the consequences of continually utilizing the divine vision technique. The strain it placed on his body was evident, leaving him weakened and drained for the entire day. He understood that even the strongest individual would struggle to endure such a practice, as it depleted vitality, blood, and ultimately reduced one's lifespan.

Regrettably, as an apprentice of the court service, mastering the divine vision technique was crucial for him to progress and become a full-fledged court servant. Only by attaining proficiency in this technique, particularly reaching the level of Xiaocheng, would he be recognized by the pawnshop and promoted to an official court position. It seemed that the apprentices of Chaofeng had no other option but to pursue this path.

Lost in his contemplation, Chen Shaojun found himself standing in the warehouse alongside the other six Chaofeng apprentices. They were lined up, patiently awaiting the release of the treasures that would be appraised that day. Soon, Shen Lang from Shen Tiaotal arrived, accompanied by several handymen who carried trays containing numerous items in need of identification. The sheer quantity of treasures being presented was quite substantial.

"Six months ago, there was a tragic murder case in Dongjie, resulting in the deaths of an entire family. The yamen sealed off the premises, and the family's belongings were subsequently confiscated," Shen Lang explained as he surveyed the gathered apprentices and treasures.

The half-year publicity period had come to an end, and surprisingly, no one had come forward to claim the items. Realizing this, the shopkeeper hurriedly made his way to the local yamen, determined to resolve the matter. He eagerly presented the assortment of items to the authorities, hoping they would be able to identify their rightful owners.