Tang Dynasty Demon Suppression Division

"No problem."

Li Yuan's expression remained unchanged. With a touch of his fingertips, he knew the amount was not small. He nodded slightly and did not refuse.

Back at Tingzhu Pavilion, Shen Lian still didn't speak to him. Li Yuan was happy to have some peace and quiet, so he fetched water, washed himself, and changed out of his sweat-soaked clothes.

Wu Yu came looking for Li Yuan and invited him to lunch at the dining hall. Along the way, Wu Yu excitedly talked about the morning's competition, but Li Yuan just listened with a smile.

When we arrived at the dining hall, it was during peak mealtime and bustling with noise.

Li Yuan's appearance immediately attracted a lot of attention.

The level nine talent had already caused a sensation throughout the school, and everyone wanted to see what this genius looked like.

"Look, that's Li Yuan."

"That level nine talent!"

"I heard that he got first place in the Tian Shu class assessment as soon as he arrived."

"Tsk tsk, level nine, huh? They'll probably be something special in the future..."

The discussions were incessant, mostly filled with envy and curiosity, with the occasional sarcastic remark.

Li Yuan acted as if he hadn't heard anything, calmly took his food, and found a corner with Wu Yu to sit down and eat quietly.

At this moment, several pairs of eyes also fell on him in a private room on the second floor of the dining hall, separated by a screen.

Several people were seated in the private room.

At the head of the table sat Su Wenyuan, the dean of Shenwu Academy. Beside him sat a stern-faced old man, Yan Feng, the vice dean in charge of discipline at the academy.

The others were all instructors.

By the window sat a middle-aged scholar in a gray robe, who was none other than the man who had appeared on Li Yuan's roof that night.

He was still holding a gourd of wine, his expression slightly dejected, but his eyes were clear and bright.

"Mr. Mo!" Su Wenyuan looked at the gray-robed scholar and asked, "You've been secretly observing him these past few days. What do you think of this young man?"

Mr. Mo slowly took a sip of wine: "Decisive in killing, meticulous in thinking, and with a composure that is far beyond what ordinary people his age can match."

"A maturity far beyond his years?" Vice Dean Yan Feng frowned slightly. "Is Mr. Mo overestimating him? Even if he is somewhat precocious, he is still just a child."

Mr. Mo shook the wine pot but did not answer.

Su Wenyuan stroked his beard and pondered, while the other instructors also looked down at the slender boy in surprise.

In the afternoon, after parting ways with Wu Yu, Li Yuan went to the library alone.

The library of Shenwu Academy contains over four hundred years of collections, including martial arts manuals, historical documents, monster illustrations, geographical records, and even miscellaneous notes.

He showed his student ID card, and after the old man guarding the gate checked it, he pointed to a stone tablet at the entrance, on which were engraved the rules for entering the pavilion.

Li Yuan looked around and saw that the first floor was a free open area, mostly containing basic common sense, historical notes, low-level general techniques, etc. Borrowing these books would not deduct credits, but they could not be taken out.

Access to the second floor and above requires points in the corresponding subject; the higher the floor, the more points are required, and the more valuable the books become.

Li Yuan's goal is very clear.

Since his transmigration, he has devoted most of his energy to revenge and knows very little about the cultivation methods of this world.

Now that I've entered the Divine Martial Academy, I must quickly make up for these most basic knowledge gaps.

The interior of the pavilion is spacious, with rows of towering rosewood bookshelves reaching the ceiling. The bookshelves are densely packed with countless books, and the air is filled with a faint scent of ink.

At this time, many students were quietly reading inside the pavilion, and no one was making a fuss.

Li Yuan walked straight to the area marked with the general outline of cultivation, his eyes sweeping over the rows of book spines, and finally pulled out a book titled "A Brief Introduction to Cultivation".

Holding the book, I walked to the long wooden table by the window, sat down, and began to immerse myself in reading.

After reading it for a while, he finally understood the complete cultivation system.

The path of cultivation is to go against the will of Heaven, yet also to follow it. It is divided into nine realms, with each three realms forming a threshold: lower, middle, and upper.

The lower three realms are Body Tempering, Qi Guidance, and Subtlety.

These three realms are the foundation of cultivation, primarily focusing on strengthening muscles and bones and refining qi and blood, supplemented by drawing on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to expand meridians and cultivate qi sensation.

The Body Tempering Realm, which involves external training of muscles, bones, and skin, is also the limit for ordinary martial artists.

At the Qi-Gathering Realm, one begins to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, drawing it into the body and initially transforming it for one's own use, nourishing the physical body, cleansing the meridians, and generating wind in fists and feet.

Entering the realm of subtlety allows for meticulous control over oneself, a focused and introspective mind, and the ability to subtly manipulate one's inner energy and perceive changes within oneself, laying a solid foundation for advancing to the middle three realms.

Cultivators in the lower three realms still primarily rely on physical combat, and their lifespan increases slightly, but remains at around 120 years.

Seeing this, Li Yuan realized that he had barely reached the threshold of the Qi Refining Realm.

But strangely, the warm current within my body was different from the spiritual energy described in the book.

Chu Yunhe, Yu Ling'er, and the others were clearly already at a stable Qi Refining Realm, while Shen Lian was likely at the peak of Body Tempering Realm. With his powerful physique and fighting will, his combat strength was no less than that of an ordinary Qi Refining Realm cultivator.

The three intermediate stages are: questioning the mind, breaking through delusion, and achieving the elixir.

Only by entering the middle three realms can one truly step into the gate of cultivation, shedding one's mortal form and condensing magical power.

To understand one's state of mind, one must clarify one's mind and nature, examine one's true self, and firmly adhere to the path. Only then can one guide one's Qi with one's mind, transforming internal energy into purer true Qi. When the spirit and soul begin to manifest, one can introspect and unleash more powerful spells.

The Realm of Breaking Through Illusions allows one to see through falsehoods, further refine one's spirit, and liquefy one's true energy, making it like mercury or syrup. This allows one to briefly control objects and perform supernatural powers, among other things.

The Dan realm involves condensing and compressing one's liquefied true qi and spiritual essence into a primordial elixir in the dantian. The true qi transforms into a higher level of true essence, greatly increasing lifespan to over three hundred years. One can then refine one's natal magic weapon and begin to comprehend the laws of heaven and earth.

Only then can one truly be called a "real person".

At the middle three realms, they are already true masters and the backbone of the Great Tang Demon Suppression Division.

Finally, there are the three higher realms: Condensing Essence, Entering the Dao, and Forgetting Emotions.

The Condensing Yuan Realm involves nine cycles of the Yuan Dan, shattering the elixir and condensing the Yuan, transforming true qi into higher-level magical power. One can initially mobilize the power of heaven and earth, possessing immense power with every move, and can live up to five hundred years.

Upon entering the Dao realm, one comprehends and initially grasps a great Dao of Heaven and Earth. One's magical power aligns with the Dao principles, granting one vast supernatural abilities, including the power to move mountains and fill seas. One can be considered a terrestrial immortal, with a lifespan of over eight hundred years.

As for forgetting the situation...

The book's description suddenly becomes brief, describing the severing of worldly ties, transcendence of material things, and union with the Tao. It is said that those who have reached this state are all legends.

Condensing the essence, entering the Dao, forgetting emotions...

Li Yuan closed the book, his heart filled with turmoil. He had heard that both Captain Chen Shuo and Instructor Liu were experts at the Condensation Realm.

As for Dean Su, as the head of the nation's highest institution of learning, he is probably already at the level of a Taoist master, unfathomable.

He possessed a level nine talent, but he couldn't say how far he could go in the future.

The following morning, an elderly scholar surnamed Han explained the history of cultivation in the Tang Dynasty to them.

"At the end of the Tianbao era, Emperor Xuanzong neglected his duties, and treacherous ministers seized power, which led to the An Lushan Rebellion."

"However, this chaos is no ordinary one. It is not only a war in the human world. The rebels colluded with demons from beyond the realm, using the flesh and blood of living beings as sacrifices to forcibly tear apart the barrier of the Nine Provinces, causing the energy of heaven and earth to be disordered and the yin and yang to be out of balance."

"In an instant, a large number of lurking demons, monsters, and evil spirits appeared in the world, and even extraterrestrial demons were lurking and took advantage of the situation to invade."

"The human world has been turned into a hell, with thousands of miles of white bones and desolation, and the fate of the Tang Dynasty is in grave danger."

With his white hair, Master Han recounted this history in a somber tone.

"At this critical moment, we are fortunate to have loyal ministers, capable generals, and virtuous Taoist and Buddhist figures who stepped forward."

"Generals such as Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi not only fought against the rebels, but also joined forces with cultivators to kill a powerful demon and stabilize the situation."

"During the reign of Emperor Sukjong, various forces were integrated and the Demon Suppression Division was established. The first chief commander was Li Bi, who was responsible for slaying demons and monsters and repairing the barrier."