Chapter 33: Signing an Agreement

Chapter 33: Signing an Agreement

"Five Qi’s to Primordiality Art."

Looking at the small box Zhao Yuan had taken out, even Fang Lingjue felt a little covetous. The secret method of organs-tempering! The Five Elements Sect sure was generous.

Aura Force cultivation was divided into two sections: External Cultivation and Internal Cultivation, also known as External Aura Force and Internal Aura Force.

The cultivation of External Aura Force was more straightforward than that of Internal Aura Force; as long as one's physique was robust enough, speed was fast enough, and strength was powerful enough, one’s punch could break the sound barrier, triggering a sonic boom, forming a white qi wave, known as Aura Force, that would release from the body.

The power of the Five Elements Unity technique Wang Daoyi executed when he killed Cao Zuoqiu was already close to reaching the level of External Aura Force. As long as his physique had been a little more powerful and a little faster, he would've been able to unleash Aura Force. And if he had known a few people who could pull some strings, he would've surely been able to receive a senior title and be recognized as one of the elite few grandmasters of the city.

Whereas the cultivation of Internal Aura Force required the tempering of organs and blood and forming a unique natural frequency by simultaneously exerting force from the five viscera and six bowels to create a cyclical circulation of qi that begins from within the body, resonates outward, and returns within.

As the five viscera and six bowels were tempered through this process, even one’s bone marrow and blood could be thoroughly refined, reaching the apex of physicality. The power of Force released from the strike of an Internal Aura Force user would simply disregard any armor an opponent was wearing and directly pulverize them; such abilities led to Internal Aura Force users being also called great grandmasters.

However, after reaching the great grandmaster level, further training would no longer improve their strength, speed, and vitality, as evidenced by Spirit Force Martial Saints, who stopped tempering their bodies and instead focused on cultivating Spirit Force, which focused on gaining enlightenment. If one could achieve enlightenment regarding Spirit Force, one would be qualified to become a Martial Saint, genuinely standing at the pinnacle of the martial path.

For Aura Force Grandmasters, enlightenment may be achieved in an instant, or they could spend their entire lives seeking it but never find it. It was precisely because achieving enlightenment was so difficult that no matter how amazing a grandmaster's battle records or martial skills were, they would never have the qualifications to become Martial Saints unless they could use absolute strength and overwhelm all others within the adult division of the national competition.

Fang Lingjue's gaze lingered on Li Pin for a while. For the sake of Li Pin’s future, he had no qualms about Li Pin joining the Five Elements Sect.

Li Pin didn't take the box from Zhao Yuan's hand. He looked at Zhao Yan and asked, "What do I need to do?"

Zhao Yuan replied with great sincerity, "We hope you can join the Five Elements Sect, Master Li. In the future, all martial halls in Zanglong City will follow your orders. Additionally, the Five Elements Sect will groom you to be our flag bearer."

Li Pin was a bit surprised by Zhao Yuan’s response; however, after careful consideration, his words were reasonable. Cao Tianyou was already sixty-six years old; at best, he could live for another ten or twenty years. However, this life expectancy would be drastically shortened if he were to fight in these years.

Zhao Yuan and Qi Dongyuan glanced at each other and laughed simultaneously. "If you can really be ranked in the national competition, Master Li, the Five Elements Sect will wholeheartedly congratulate and even honor you as our founding ancestor."

"Never mind," said Li Pin, waving his hand in refusal. “Hall Master Fang and I already have a signed agreement.”

Zhao Yuan glanced apologetically at Fang Lingjue and said, "As far as I know, the agreement between you and the Changfeng Martial Hall is only for one year, right?"

Zhao Yuan smiled faintly. "Since you're confident that you can show your talent in the national competition, then how about this: if you can become ranked in the national competition, my sect will prepare a lavish and generous gift to congratulate you on your bright future. However, before you achieve a ranking in the national competition, why don’t you join our Five Elements Sect when the agreement with the Changfeng Martial Hall has concluded? "

"Are you sure?" Li Pin asked Zhao Yuan, “What if I finish the Jiang Province Competition and immediately go on to the national competition and succeed in winning a ranking?”

Zhao Yuan laughed and said, "Hahaha, if that is the case, our Five Elements Sect will instantly offer the lavish and generous gift as promised."

However, he clearly didn't believe that Li Pin had the ability to do so.

Although Li Pin was interested in the Five Qi's to Primordiality Art, he didn't want to screw the Five Element Sect too severely. "Let's do it this way: during the national competition, I will fight as the Changfeng Martial Hall's secondment to the Five Element Sect."

“That would be best." Zhao Yuan immediately agreed as he felt that the earliest national competition that Li Pin could fight in would possibly be the one three years from now. Still, it was more likely to be the competition six or even nine years from now. Such a long period of time was enough for the Five Elements Sect to recover from its current crisis.

"Then let's sign the agreement," Li Pin said without further ado.

"Please sign here then," replied Zhao Yuan, smiling. "You can release Core Force in one strike even before reaching the realm of Core Formation, so there is no doubt that you can pass the associate-senior rank assessment. I do know quite a few fellow martial arts practitioners in Jiang Province City. One of them is in charge of the martial arts certificate examination, which will begin shortly. Would you like to head there now, Master Li?"

Li Pin smiled faintly. "That is not urgent."

Once he made it into the top ten of the Jiang Province Marital Competition, the martial society would naturally offer him the Associate Senior Title Certification, saving him a trip.