Purple Mist Dao Master-Chapter 172 - 153: Limit-breaking 9th Rank, I Do Not Conform!

Chapter 172: Chapter 153: Limit-breaking 9th Rank, I Do Not Conform!

Seeing off Wang Kuan and Jian Rong.

Upgrading the "Derivation Skill".

Establishing three new research tasks.

Next, Yan Chuan still didn’t rest, he had more work to do.

...

"Here it is."

Yan Chuan pulled out the "Twenty-Four Volumes of All-Knowing Notes" left by Tian Jing, which recorded the master lists across fifteen counties in four states and the details of experts from the Nine Counties of Jian Province.

Four days after Tian Jing left—

That day, Yan Chuan continued the martial arts lecture, with the "Xingyi Boxing" reaching completion in its research progress.

For the next three days, he devoted himself entirely to an enlightenment of "Xingyi Boxing", spending three days and nights writing the boxing manual.

He didn’t manage to look at it until now.

"Masters of the Twenty-Four Counties."

Yan Chuan first flipped through it casually.

Upon seeing it, he discovered that those qualified to be recorded were at least Limit Breakers, the likes of Huo Zhen before or Yan Chuan before breaking the limit, who were unmatched below the limit, constantly on the verge of limit-breaking, the level Tian Jing noted and recorded starts at this point.

As for other states and counties, Yan Chuan didn’t know much.

But as for the Guangling and Taikang counties of Jian Province, he was familiar with them—

"Guangling County, has the Ten Elders of the Academy."

"Besides Elder Jiang in the Cangwu Department, there are actually four Limit Breakers? I’ve never seen them!"

"Four Officers in the Military Suppression Department."

"The Three Chariots of the County Magistrate’s Mansion."

"Three Commanders of the Guangling Army."

Tsk, tsk!

Unseen and unexpected!

In Guangling County, not only are there the Guangling Ten Elders, but also more low-key Limit Breaker-level powerhouses in various departments and in the officials.

In just one county, there are over twenty official Limit Breakers!

This is the peak period.

Since Yan Chuan’s rise, among the Guangling Ten Elders, Wu Qi, Wen Wu, and Yuan Shicai were killed one after another, and one of the four officers in the Military Suppression Department, Liao Huang, came to cause trouble, and was crippled by Jiang Bianliu of the Cangwu Department and thrown out.

So with this calculation—

The limit-breaking level in Guangling County, at least the obvious ones, is about to fall below the mark of twenty.

This is the official count.

As for the unconventional ones in the Jianghu—

"Not a single one?"

Yan Chuan was surprised, with such a vast Guangling County and so many Old School Martial Artists, there wasn’t a single Limit Breaker amongst them?!

He originally thought there might be one or two hidden ones.

It seems that the Old School, unable to access the Mountain and Sea Realm, has very few who can break the limit.

Taikang County.

Liyang County.

These two counties do have Old School Limit Breakers.

For example, Huo Zhen from Taikang County.

For example, Yue Junyang from Liyang County.

However, Huo Zhen’s breakthrough was thanks to Yan Chuan’s pointers and Shao Yancong’s help.

Yue Junyang relied on the "Star Gate Prototype," fundamentally similar to the New Faction, also supported by the Mountain and Sea Realm.

But there were no such lucky individuals among the Old School in Guangling County, at least none in Tian Jing’s records.

However.

It’s worth noting.

Tian Jing’s investigation isn’t completely accurate, subject to timeliness and limitations.

As for Guangling County.

Speaking about Taikang County and Liyang County—

Huo Zhen broke the limit at the end of November in Taikang County, when Tian Jing had already passed through Taikang County and hadn’t known or recorded it, it was only added on the day he ’submitted the manuscript’ to Yan Chuan.

Not just Huo Zhen.

Yue Junyang and Tang Huai Ren from Liyang County, one from the Old School Jianghu, one from the New Faction government office, both of them broke the limit with the ’Star Gate Prototype,’ which was earlier than Huo Zhen, but Tian Jing hadn’t discovered this either, in the ’Liyang Volume,’ these two were only labeled as ’Famous Masters,’ labeled as ’Limit,’ with even a ’suspected’ note after ’Limit.’

Not accurate!

Not precise!

Yan Chuan, while flipping through, remained skeptical about the accuracy of the "Twenty-Four Volumes of All-Knowing Notes".

"Good enough for reference."

"Blindly believing will surely lead to pitfalls."

Yan Chuan was somewhat concerned for Tian Jing and the "Traveler Department", as with such intelligence capability, with such timeliness and accuracy, the upcoming "Weapon List" in February or March of next year might end up being a big joke in the martial arts world.

What a joke it’ll be!

Yan Chuan laughed but didn’t completely disregard the "Twenty-Four Volumes of All-Knowing Notes," for though the information might be outdated or inaccurate, at least the boxing skills and weapons used by these people, along with their past achievements and performances, were detailed enough, allowing Yan Chuan to estimate their true capabilities.

Limit-breaking level, with slow cultivation and slow strength updates!

Making them more reliable and accurate.

However, the most surprising thing for Yan Chuan in the "Twenty-Four Volumes of All-Knowing Notes" was the "Traveler Department" and the "Three Martial Divisions" formulation of the "Nine-grade System"!

...

"Limit-Breaking Nine Grades."

Yan Chuan, after reading the appendix on the criteria for "Martial Artist Levels", became immediately energized.

The appendix mentioned that the court intends to grade and rank martial artists for better statistics and coordination, including the formulation and implementation of a series of policies related to martial artists in the future, all of which should be linked to martial artist grading levels.

This is a very complex project.

From a few years ago, the court has been working on this, but it hasn’t been fully promoted, only trialed in small areas, with the "Traveler Department" being the earliest to experience and attempt it.

Take Tian Jing, for example, while traveling, he would evaluate the limit breakers of various states and counties based on temporary standards. To differentiate from official ranks, a proposal was made for the grading of limit-breaking martial artists, with the first grade as the lowest and the ninth as the highest.

Sinew, bone, skin, and membrane, each with their own divisions.

Take "Bone Training" as an example—

After breaking the limit, martial artists on the "Bone Training" path can choose to temper the upper or lower limb bones, with 64 bones in the upper limbs and 62 in the lower limbs, i.e., the four limb bones, tempering one limb equals one grade. The full tempering of the four limbs equals the fourth grade!

Not just "Bone Training," "Sinew, Bone, Skin, and Membrane" were also divided into grades based on ’limbs’, ’trunk’, and ’head’—

For instance, Shao Yancong claimed to have "Bone Training" of 44 bones, with only his right arm fully tempered while his left arm was still in training, so he was graded as the first grade.

For example, Wang Kuan, having "Muscle Training" of 78 channels, with both arms complete, belonged to the second grade.

Again, for instance, Jian Rong, having "Muscle Training" of 52 blocks, with a perfect right leg, stood in the first grade.

As for Yan Chuan and Huo Zhen, who have just entered the limit-breaking level, yet to formally temper their bodies, or have not completed any limbs, they are all considered "Basic Limit Breaking", not graded.

This division is simple and crude.

However—

"The same second-grade limit-breaking, one ’Bone Training’, with two arms fully tempered, another ’Muscle Training’, with two legs fully tempered, though of the same grade, can differ greatly in strength."

Sinew, bone, skin, and membrane!

Too difficult to unify!

Including training progress, strength comparisons, it’s all very complex.

The court has delayed implementing the "Martial Artists Ranking" decision largely because it’s difficult to find an absolutely fair standard to measure the strength of different systems and different paths of limit-breaking martial artists.

Rashly introducing it might result in controversies, protests, and becoming a laughing stock, much like the mid-year "Academy Ranking".

It needs caution!

Cannot be rash!

However, as Yan Chuan held the "Twenty-Four Volumes of All-Knowing Notes," with grades determined by Tian Jing based on preliminary grade standards for each limit-breaking strongman, this observation made the training progress quite clear, if not their relative strength.

Jian Province Nine Counties!

Limit-breaking strongmen!

Yan Chuan finally gained a comprehensive understanding.

...

"Master!"

"I didn’t disgrace the mission!"

"All the boxing manuals have been recovered, the thief resisted stubbornly, this disciple failed to hold back and accidentally killed him, please punish me, master!"

Later that evening.

Yu Jinpeng finally returned, bringing back the stolen parts of the "Xingyi Fist Manual Manuscript".

As for the thief, he was killed with one punch.

"Dead—"

Yan Chuan nodded secretly.

This is the best outcome.

This person stole his boxing manual manuscript; if not severely punished, it would be hard to deter others, and in the future, others might try to sneak into the Hundred Flower Palace. Yet, a severe punishment, such as crippling martial arts or killing on the spot, or sending to the officials would be inappropriate, especially since he just talked about widely spreading "Xingyi Boxing", pursuing the thief later might appear ungenerous and insincere.

Now it’s just right.

Yu Jinpeng, as a disciple, recovering his master’s boxing manual manuscript, accidentally killed the thief in the process, making it easier to account for.

"Fists and feet know no mercy, life and death are commonplace, you need not blame yourself."

Yan Chuan smiled at Yu Jinpeng and then at Su Ye, who was bending over by his side, "You worked hard too, take a rest early, tomorrow, I will widely spread ’Xingyi Boxing’ at Dragon Tiger Peak, you can learn if you’re interested."

"Xingyi Boxing?"

"Widely spread ’Xingyi Boxing’?"

Su Ye didn’t understand.

What’s all this?

Yan Chuan indicated the parts of the manuscript that had been recovered, explaining to the two, "This is ’Xingyi Boxing’!"

"This—"

Su Ye was shocked!

Yu Jinpeng was shocked too!

...

Not just Su Ye!

Not just Yu Jinpeng!

That night, the entire Dragon Tiger Peak was in turmoil, everyone was shocked by Yan Chuan’s decision.

Xingyi Boxing!

This boxing skill, they watched Yan Chuan develop, watched Yan Chuan defeat Wang Kuan and Jian Rong, watched Yan Chuan break through.

The boxing skill is sharp!

Exquisitely profound!

This is an invincible boxing skill, far superior to the Old School boxing skills and academy boxing skills.

No one could have imagined that Yan Chuan would be willing to teach it to outsiders.

"Perhaps it’s just a stunt."

Luo Bing didn’t believe it, he said to his second brother Luo Yi: "Just like when someone comes to learn martial arts at our Martial Arts Hall, everyone comes for the ’Mantis Fist,’ but in fact, apart from the Luo family, who else gets the true teachings? At most, they are taught the first six forms of the ’Mantis Eight Forms’, the last two forms are never taught."

He looked in the direction of Yan Chuan’s residence, sneering: "In my opinion, Yan Chuan’s so-called widespread ’Xingyi Boxing’ will probably be the same, just showing the superficial parts, only a fool would reveal the real core!"

This is human nature!

Also an Old School tradition!

’Mantis Fist’ is like this.

’Secret Sect Boxing’ is like this.

Luo Bing believed that Yan Chuan and ’Xingyi Boxing’ are likely to be the same.

However—

"Yan Chuan established the Hundred Flower Palace, with the intention of hoping for the flourishing of Jianghu and the blooming of all schools of thought."

"If someone else had said it, I might not believe."

"But him—"

Luo Yi thought of Yan Chuan, recalling the impression of Yan Chuan over the past few days, feeling that this person probably isn’t the slick type, not the kind to hide and conceal.

"Widespread boxing skill?"

"There is a precedent!"

"The boxing manuals and secret manuals of the Martial Arts Academy are openly placed in the Hidden Scripture Pavilion, anyone from the academy can go in and look."

"Yan Chuan."

"The Hundred Flower Palace."

"Perhaps it is aligned with the Martial Arts Academy!"

A ’Martial Arts Academy’ built within the Jianghu!

Is this—

Fighting magic with magic?

Using the strengths of foreigners to counter foreigners?

Luo Yi’s eyes were bright: "Without entering the academy, not joining the New Faction, ’Hundred Flower Palace’, it may be the way out."

He looked at Luo Bing, serious: "You are biased against Yan Chuan, the opportunity is right in front of you, yet you ignore it, in the future, you’ll regret it when it’s too late!"

"Heh!"

Luo Bing was disdainful!

...