Now that he had officially crossed into the cultivation realm, he had to decide on his cultivation techniques. A cultivation technique is very crucial in determining one's future path. Changing cultivation techniques later is exceptionally difficult unless one finds a compatible technique of a higher grade. One can utilize multiple fighting techniques, but cultivation techniques, once started, begin similarly shaping one's vessel, making it difficult to switch later.
Mu Yan looked to see if Qin Ying had finished her breakthrough, but she was still in the middle. It would take her some more time to finish her breakthrough and stabilize it. Eager to uncover the truth or coins, he leaned against the cavern wall and closed his eyes, finally turning his attention inward. With great effort, he accessed the coin tattoo, struggling to connect his spirit to its depths. The moment his consciousness touched the mark, a flood of information erupted within his mind. His skull pulsed with unbearable pressure, the sheer force of knowledge threatening to tear his thoughts apart. It felt as though his head would burst. Gritting his teeth, Mu Yan forced his spirit to fully channel and barely contain the torrent of information. Slowly, painstakingly, he began to decipher its meaning. Among the chaos of details, two cultivation techniques emerged—one for the soul, the other for the body.
The Dragon and Phoenix Mirage technique, a technique designed to refine and elevate the soul, was majestic yet mysterious. It carried the essence of two opposing forces—one fierce and destructive, the other elegant and serene—woven together in perfect balance.
The Chaos Engine Bodytechnique was a physical cultivation method unlike anything he had ever heard of. It didn't merely strengthen the body; it reshaped it, forging a vessel that could endure the purest essence of chaos itself. It promised resilience beyond mortal limits, opening paths never known to him. Chaos was the most primal force in existence after the destruction of all that is. It is the herald of a new beginning.
Overwhelmed by the immense weight of the discoveries, Mu Yan sat in silence. He had barely scraped the surface of what the tattoo had to offer, yet already he sensed the magnitude of its secrets.
Energy referred to the physical body, shaping it into a prime vessel capable of storing essence energy with each breakthrough in cultivation. The stronger the body, the greater its ability to harness and refine power.
Spirit governed the soul, enhancing perception, understanding, and control over one's abilities. Without spirit, raw strength, and refined essence meant little—it was the force that elevated mortals into legends.
With his newly obtained cultivation techniques for body and spirit, Mu Yan knew he had laid the foundation for his journey. The cultivation techniques Mu Yan had acquired were akin to a system of their own. These techniques came accompanied by supporting skills and techniques that were said to unlock with each level of cultivation progress. As his soul delved into the complexities of these practices, he couldn't help but be reminded of the harsh reality of the cultivation world—one where might made right, and the strong reigned supreme while the weak were preyed upon by those more powerful.
The two techniques received, one each corresponding to soul and body, were Whispering Soul Awakening and Iron Bone Forge
****Whispering Soul Awakening
Ability: Initial sensitivity to spiritual energy beyond raw Qi. Faint auras can be perceived.
Iron Bone Forge (40-500 Jin)
Ability: Bones harden to the strength of wrought iron, greatly increasing durability against blunt force. Basic Qi flow through meridians is established for physical enhancement.**
A second influx of knowledge flowed from the tattoo on Mu Yan's chest into his soul, detailing the various phases of foundation establishment. As a person from the ancestral world, Mu Yan was already cognizant of this process. However, information about the smaller 108 meridians had never been adequately documented, and people typically discovered clusters by chance or through specific encounters.
Rumors suggested that unlocking all ten primary meridians and 108 lesser meridians would awaken a mythical body known as the Chaos Body. Now, upon learning this detail, Mu Yan felt an unusual resonance between this concept and his newly acquired body cultivation technique called The Chaos Engine Body technique.