RNP Chapter 400 - 401
Chapter 400 - 401
The book taught how to cultivate Fire Qi slowly, absorbing small amounts at a time, refining it calmly, accumulating it patiently, and strengthening the body’s natural affinity with flames and heat over time.
It was a safer technique. Easier.
More suitable for ordinary cultivators, who did not possess exceptional talent or unlimited resources.
Furthermore, it had an interesting focus on regeneration through internal heat, burning small amounts of Qi to accelerate the healing of injuries.
’The old man would probably despise this technique.’ Kyrian thought. He seemed like the kind of man who only respected raw power.
But for ordinary cultivators, it must be far easier to use.
Kyrian quickly noticed several fundamental differences between the two techniques.
The Crimson Flame Solar Art refined Qi until it became extremely violent, concentrated, dense, and explosive.
Meanwhile, the Blazing Ember Scripture prioritized stability, a constant flow, a flame that burned for hours instead of exploding in seconds.
One technique focused on absolute destructive power.
The other is on continuous control.
One demanded absurd talent. The other allowed gradual progress.
Kyrian began to understand something important at that moment.
Even techniques from the same path can be completely different.
The path is only the foundation. The way one walks changes everything.
Then came the techniques found inside the tomb.
The ones he had obtained even before arriving at Red Smoke City.
Kyrian picked up the third book.
The cover was dark green, almost alive, its texture resembling tree bark, and small veins ran across its surface as if the book itself were a living plant.
"The Spiritual Tree Sutra."
A technique from the Path of Wood.
Kyrian showed a bit more interest this time.
The Path of Wood was not something he had explored, his eyes had never manifested that affinity. But the technique itself was interesting.
Instead of dominating Qi, as the fire techniques did, compressing and forcing it, this one taught harmony.
The cultivator slowly absorbed the surrounding natural life energy, connecting with trees, plants, and the natural environment. Not as a conqueror, but as a guest.
The Qi flow described by the technique was calm.
Gentle.
Like roots slowly growing beneath the earth, stretching in search of nutrients without haste, without violence.
The technique greatly strengthened vitality, regeneration, and physical endurance.
Furthermore, it possessed a curious characteristic.
The closer the cultivator was to nature, in ancient forests, untouched mountains, and places rich with life, the faster they would cultivate.
The environment mattered.
Kyrian found that interesting.
’This technique feels almost alive.’ He thought.
’Unlike the fire techniques, which force Qi to obey...’
Furthermore...
The energy circulation of that technique seemed far more flexible.
Less rigid. Less domineering.
The meridians were not forced to follow a single pattern, they adapted, changed, grew.
Kyrian carefully memorized every detail.
Even if he never directly used that technique, even if his eyes never manifested the green of wood, it still gave him new ideas.
New perspectives.
Then came the fourth technique. A technique from the Path of Wind.
Its name was.
"Steps of the Tempest Wind."
Compared to the previous ones, it seemed simple.
Much simpler.
The book was thin, less than fifty pages, and the content was direct, without unnecessary explanations.
The technique focused almost entirely on speed.
Qi circulated through the meridians in light and rapid patterns, reducing the body’s weight, decreasing air resistance, and drastically increasing agility and movement speed.
There was nothing very profound about it.
Nothing extremely complex.
It was direct. Objective. Efficient.
Kyrian completely understood the technique within a few minutes.
’The Path of Wind seems naturally simpler.’ He thought.
’Or perhaps this technique is simply more superficial than the others.’
It lacks depth. It lacks refinement.
Even so, there was something useful about it.
The Qi flow described was extremely fluid.
Without interruptions. Without violent compressions. Without artificial blockages. Almost like flowing water.
Kyrian mentally stored that information as well.
Then he remained silent for a few seconds.
Reviewing everything. Comparing.
The fire techniques are aggressive, domineering, and demanding of strong bodies and exceptional talent.
The wood technique is harmonious, adaptable, and growing alongside the environment.
The wind technique, simple, fluid, focused on a single objective.
Each possessed a completely different philosophy.
Each treated Qi differently. Some dominated it. Others guided it. Others compressed it. Others freed it.
Kyrian obviously still had no idea how to create his own cultivation technique.
He had no method, no plan, not even certainty that it was possible.
But it was already a beginning. A foundation.
He had confidence. After studying dozens... perhaps hundreds of techniques...
He would be capable of creating something truly his own.
Then, his attention finally turned toward the final technique.
The strangest of them all. Kyrian slowly picked up the remaining book, frowning.
"Mature Technique of Fire and Ice."
At first, upon reading the name, he imagined it was a dual-path technique.
A rare technique that simultaneously used fire and ice, two opposing elements that normally annihilate each other.
That immediately sparked his interest.
After all, his eyes possessed precisely both paths.
Perhaps that technique was the key to something greater.
But when he opened the book...
He quickly realized he was completely mistaken.
The book contained very few words. Very few. Most of its content consisted of images.
Images of a man and a woman.
In extremely strange positions.
There were dozens of them, some simple, others complex, and others that seemed to require superhuman flexibility.
Each image was accompanied only by brief explanations about Qi circulation, where the man’s Qi should flow, where the woman’s Qi should meet it, and how the two energies should merge.
Kyrian stared silently for a few seconds.
Confused.
He had never seen anything like it.
But he vaguely remembered hearing disciples commenting about something similar while walking through the Verdant Sword Sect, muffled giggles, meaningful looks, and comments he had not understood at the time.
Then, he finally understood.
"...A dual cultivation technique."
His expression became strange.
Neither shocked nor embarrassed, simply curious.
He flipped back a few pages.
Observing the drawings once more.
’So this is how it works?’