31 A Way to Improve Spirit Root Aptitude Through Body Cultivation

The initiation into body cultivation requires cultivators to sense the Gates within their bodies.

Once sensed using the methods described in Qi Fusion Arts, cultivators can channel their qi through them.

According to body cultivation concepts, there are seven Gates in a mortal body: Root Gate, Sacral Gate, Solar Plexus Gate, Heart Gate, Throat Gate, Third-eye Gate, and Crown Gate.

Sensing the existence of any of these Gates marks the beginning of the body cultivation journey.

Aksai was pleasantly surprised to discover he could begin his body cultivation journey immediately.

Through the practice of the initiation method in Qi Fusion Arts, he sensed three active Gates in his body: Root Gate, Solar Plexus Gate, and Third-eye Gate.

This early advantage propelled his progress in body cultivation at a remarkable pace compared to his Spirit cultivation.

A body cultivator typically invests significant time and effort into sensing these Gates, along with diligent daily practice and consumption of life-force-enriching supplements. However, Aksai bypassed many beginner's challenges by already sensing three Gates right off the bat.

The Spirit farmer realized that Spirit cultivation and body cultivation might not be as isolated as he once thought. His progress to the 7th stage of Spirit Refining ensured his vessel was in better condition than mortals, and his access to Spirit Sense provided additional assistance not available to early-stage body cultivators.

Aksai found it intriguing that both body cultivation and Spirit cultivation emphasized innate talent. While Spirit cultivation focuses on Spirit Root Aptitude, body cultivation distinguishes between mediocrity and prodigy based on the number of active Gates. 

More active Gates signify greater talent in body cultivation.

What Aksai found even more interesting was the fact that Qi Fusion Arts mentioned that as long as body cultivators kept increasing their rank and progressing in their Path, opportunities would arise to improve the efficiency of existing Gates and even open previously closed ones.

It meant that a body cultivator could enhance their talent for body cultivation as long as they remained steadfast on their path.

Spirit cultivation did not offer such an option, at least not as far as Aksai knew. Otherwise, why would truly powerful organizations pay so much attention to young cultivators' innate Spirit Root Aptitude before bringing them into the fold?

***

"Maybe what body cultivation describes as Seven Gates are, in fact, part of the same system known as Spirit Root in Spirit Cultivation," Aksai thought to himself as he channeled his qi throughout his body according to the method described in Qi Fusion Arts.

"Perhaps body cultivation and Spirit cultivation utilize the same system differently," Aksai wondered aloud as he kept his eyes closed, sensing the flow of qi with his Spirit Sense.

"If that's true, it might be possible for me to increase my Spirit Root Aptitude by opening more Gates in my body in the future. Currently, I have only three Gates open, which is why I can sense their presence.

Maybe my low-grade Spirit Root is because I only have three Gates open?

Interestingly, Spirit Root Aptitude is also categorized into seven types. If my hypothesis is correct, then each opened Gate represents one of the seven aptitudes mentioned in Spirit cultivation.

The more Gates I open, the higher my Spirit Root Aptitude will become. If I manage to open all seven Gates one day, I might be able to elevate my low-grade Spirit Root to a Celestial Spirit Root," Aksai couldn't help but smile at these self-motivating fantasies.

Of course, Aksai knew that Gate Opening wasn't as easy as he was making it out to be in his head. However, as long as the body cultivation allowed for an opportunity for him to improve his Spirit Root Aptitude, he would keep on investing in this second path of cultivation.

"Time to practice," Aksai mumbled to himself as he got up from his position. He then walked out of the Everwood farm house and came to an open field he had specially reserved for his Martial Arts practice.

A Spectral Screen, describing the only martial arts Aksai practiced during the last two years, floated in front of his vision.

[Harmony Fist and Palm]

[A formidable combat style seamlessly integrated with the principles of the Qi Fusion Arts body cultivation technique. Born from the synergy of disciplined body cultivation and focused martial prowess, this martial art harnesses the power of Qi to deliver devastating strikes and precise palm techniques.]

[At its core, Harmony Fist and Palm emphasize balance and fluidity in movement, aligning perfectly with the holistic approach of Qi Fusion Arts. Practitioners are trained to synchronize their movements with the flow of Qi within their bodies, enhancing the effectiveness of each strike and palm technique.]

[The art comprises two primary components: Harmony Fist and Harmony Palm. Harmony Fist focuses on powerful, yet controlled, punches that deliver forceful blows to incapacitate opponents swiftly. Practitioners learn to channel Qi into their fists, infusing each strike with energy that can shatter even some of the most well-planned defenses.]

[Harmony Palm emphasizes the precision and finesse of palm strikes. Practitioners harness the flow of Qi to execute swift and accurate palm techniques, targeting vital points with pinpoint accuracy. Each strike is delivered with the intent to disrupt the opponent's Qi flow, leaving them vulnerable to subsequent attacks.]

[The key to mastering Harmony Fist and Palm lies in the practitioner's ability to harmonize their physical movements with the flow of Qi. Through rigorous training and disciplined practice, practitioners develop heightened sensitivity to Qi fluctuations, allowing them to adapt their techniques in real-time during combat.]

[Practitioners can also utilize Qi manipulation techniques learned from Qi Fusion Arts to enhance their defensive maneuvers. By reinforcing their body's natural defenses with Qi, practitioners can deflect incoming attacks and mitigate damage effectively.]

Below each segment of the Harmony Palm was a detailed explanation, represented in text and diagram formats. The neural link fabric organized the information in a concise manner, making it easy for Aksai to digest the concepts and practice accordingly.

"Tch. I have been practicing the same martial arts for the last two years."

Despite the versatility brought by the Harmony Palm, Aksai felt that his body cultivation wasn't being completely stimulated by it. After all, it primarily focused on palm and fist techniques. It barely made use of the qi available in the other parts of his body.

After practicing body cultivation and martial arts for a while, Aksai realized he needed more qi-based Martial Arts to practice to increase the speed of his cultivation. He could tell that his Qi Fusion Arts would support the addition as it was based on fusing various forms of qi molded by various martial arts.

However, when he tried to consciously look for more opportunities from the Everwood inheritance book, it replied to him with one simple sentence– "Try to look for opportunities outside."

At first, Aksai thought that the book was telling him to look for opportunities in the Dadangar five-kingdoms subcontinent. He could only discard that suggestion thinking that qi-based body cultivation didn't exist in the world he was living in the first place. How would he get his hands on qi-based martial arts?

However, as he started practicing the Harmony Palm on the Everwood farm, he coincidentally looked at the 1st order isolation barrier that surrounded the Everwood farm and couldn't help thinking to himself.

"Maybe. Just maybe. It wants me to step outside that barrier," Aksai mumbled to himself as he channeled his qi through his arms and started sort of shadowboxing.

As Aksai entertained this random thought, he felt even more motivated than before, as if he had one more reason to obtain strength as soon as possible.

With only the soft rustle of leaves and the gentle hum of nature as his companions, Aksai began honing his martial arts.

With each movement, he channeled the essence of Qi, flowing seamlessly from one stance to the next. His fists, like coiled serpents, unleashed controlled bursts of energy, striking invisible foes with precision and force.

With fluid grace, he executed intricate palm strikes. Each movement was deliberate, each strike a testament to his mastery over Qi.

With each repetition, he felt the power of Harmony Fist and Palm coursing through his veins, strengthening his resolve and sharpening his skills.

Aksai began to feel his body heat up, his temperature rising above the normal range. However, he felt no discomfort as the Qi in his blood flowed more smoothly with each passing moment.

The eternal twilight zone of the Enchanted Everwood farm made one forget about the passage of time. It was an ideal place for someone to practice body cultivation.

Undeterred, Aksai continued his practice, his body drenched in sweat and his form growing redder by the moment. In the silence of the twilight zone, he found his purpose renewed.

Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.

Aksai's palm strikes and jabs began to be executed with inhuman levels of speed and force with each passing moment. The air around him felt heavy as if the Qi inside his body was trying to burst out from within.

Suddenly, Aksai felt as if he would implode. His muscles contracted to an extreme degree before relaxing in the next moment. An overwhelming feeling of pain washed over his body, so intense that Aksai halted his martial arts practice and clutched his stomach with both hands, convulsing in bodily agony of unknown origin.

In the next moment, Aksai's epidermis began releasing bodily impurities with a certain foul smell. A mixture of sweat, pus, dead skin, dark blood, and accumulated body fat emerged from all over his body. As these impurities were expelled, the sensations of pain subsided, replaced by feelings of lightness and extreme bliss.

"Hm? Is... is it over?"

Straightening up, Aksai inspected his arms and was pleasantly shocked to find them coated in a bronze-colored aura. He controlled his Qi, causing the bronze aura to envelop his entire body, a smile tugging at his lips.

Soon after, his neural link fabric delivered the long-awaited news he had anticipated, confirming his initial guess.

[Body Cultivation 1st Realm – Bronze Body Realm]

[Manifestation of Qi achieved – Upper stage Bronze Body]

"Finally, my body cultivation can be said to have caught up with my Spirit cultivation," Aksai thought to himself, deciding to treat himself to a nice meal once again.

"Hehe. Perfect timing. Today is my 18th birthday too."

Aksai chuckled, then disappeared from his position, reappearing in the outside world.

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