CHAPTER 1363: CHAPTER 1315: LETTING GO OF THE PAST

"So, he failed?" Chen Xi turned his head to look at Hann Qiong and asked, he hadn’t witnessed such an Inner Qi Manifestation breakthrough many times.

"Yes, he failed." Hann Qiong said with a bitter smile, then probably noticed Chen Xi’s puzzled expression and began to explain, "Compared to Qi Refining to Gang, the breakthrough in Inner Qi Manifestation aside from the unimaginable inner Qi, the rest of the differences lie in the body."

"Hmm, I’ve seen this point in Physician Hua’s research data, the recovery speed of Inner Qi Manifestation is far beyond that of an average person. If a normal person takes a hundred days to recover from muscle and bone injuries, Inner Qi Manifestation can recover in just over ten days." Chen Xi nodded his head indicating he did understand this point.

"Do you know where this recovery power comes from?" Hann Qiong asked with a smile.

"I don’t know." Chen Xi shook his head.

"Before the breakthrough to Inner Qi Manifestation, the will accumulated during the Qi Refining to Gang stage begins to infect the body, and during the breakthrough, Heaven and Earth Essence will be channeled into the body using this will as a network." Hann Qiong said seriously, "This is the foundation of Inner Qi Manifestation’s strong recovery power."

"Relying on the cleansing by willpower, imprinting every memory of one’s self into consciousness, as Heaven and Earth Essence washes through the body, it also strengthens the connection between the martial artist and Heaven and Earth Essence." Hann Qiong did not speak further, but Chen Xi could almost fully guess what it was.

"Marquis Chen is indeed as insightful as ever." Hann Qiong nodded, indicating that that was indeed the case.

"So, it sounds like those who can break through to Inner Qi Manifestation, apart from their own willpower and talent, or more precisely, their connection with Heaven and Earth Essence, is far superior to that of ordinary people, right?" Chen Xi pressed his temples and said, knowing that everything inevitably revolved around talent.

"Yes, some people are naturally more distant from Heaven and Earth Essence." Hann Qiong said helplessly, given Li Tiao’s previous performance, having reached that level yet still failed, it’s not mere distance but rejection.

"So, does that mean he’s not suitable to be a martial artist?" Chen Xi looked regretfully at the fellow who was being stitched with a sewing needle by others.

"There’s no such thing as suitability or unsuitability. Even if his body inherently rejects Heaven and Earth Essence, it’s no big deal; he still reached this step. When there’s no path ahead, if Heaven and Earth Essence doesn’t reject, one can forge ahead, and if it rejects, one must still carve out a path." Hann Qiong shook his head in dissatisfaction with Chen Xi’s expression.

"Even if he cannot reach Inner Qi Manifestation, he would still be the strongest among it, and even without the response from Heaven and Earth Essence, it’s not impossible to break through." Hann Qiong admired Li Tiao, a martial artist rejected by Heaven and Earth Essence yet reaching this level.

"During King Xiang’s era, Heaven and Earth Essence hadn’t risen to this extent, yet he still became an Inner Qi Manifestation, bursting from within with enough inner Qi strength." Hann Qiong said seriously to Chen Xi.

"There was never a path before Qi Refining to Gang, each martial artist who breaks through uses different methods, beliefs, and paths in their breakthrough process." When Hann Qiong said this, Chen Xi was inexplicably shocked.

"Li Tiao, are you alright?" Zhao Yun saw the medical soldier sealing Li Tiao’s wound and disinfecting with strong liquor, then walked over to inquire.

"Failed, I thought I had succeeded just now, but after all this accumulation, I still can’t step onto the level of Inner Qi Manifestation." Li Tiao sighed, and the wound stitched like a centipede on his chest trembled with his speech.

"Have you experienced this situation before?" Zhao Yun asked, somewhat surprised.

"Back when Great Leader Guann Hai fell in battle, it was the same as this." After a moment of silence, Li Tiao spoke, Guann Hai’s death almost pushed him, who was closest to Guann Hai’s level at the time, across the boundary due to anger and sorrow, but he fell back almost immediately.

This was also a key reason for Li Tiao’s subsequent retirement. Regardless of why, Guann Hai died at Guan Yu’s hands, Li Tiao, even if he could accept Guann Hai using his life to pave the way for the Yellow Turbans, could not see it with indifference.

But later, as Liu Bei gradually fulfilled his initial oath to everyone, Li Tiao gradually came to acknowledge Liu Bei and began to genuinely support him, not like before when he adhered to Liu Bei’s orders due to Guann Hai’s dying command.

It’s safe to say over a third of the Yellow Turban Commanders retired due in large part to the impact of Guann Hai’s death. Unlike the symbolic Great Commander Xuangu, Guann Hai was familiar to them, ate with them, fought for territory, but stood up in the toughest moments.

Unlike the symbolic figure of the Great Commander, Guann Hai was flesh and blood, and the Commanders of the Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou mostly interacted with him, hence resonating with Guann Hai’s struggle.

Zhao Yun fell silent, not knowing how to continue the conversation, so he simply patted the other’s shoulder, "Take a good rest, you have the potential for Inner Qi Manifestation. If not once, then twice; if not twice, then three times; you are already stronger than all Qi Refiners to Gang."

As Zhao Yun said, Li Tiao is now stronger than all those at the peak of Qi Refining to Gang. Although both breakthroughs ultimately failed due to his body’s rejection of Heaven and Earth Essence causing insufficient accumulation, the insights and changes from twice stepping into Inner Qi Manifestation left Li Tiao far ahead of those at the peak of Qi Refining to Gang.

"General Zhao, do you have a shortage of Military Marshals under your command?" Li Tiao inquired as Zhao Yun prepared to leave, "I wish to serve as a Military Marshal under your command."

"You can assume the position anytime." Zhao Yun turned to glance at Li Tiao.

To be honest, as one of the thirty-six Commanders during Zhang Jiao’s era, this guy has no issue commanding two to three thousand people, and his strength is quite commendable. By merely requesting a Military Marshal position from Zhao Yun, he didn’t mean to trouble him.

Li Tiao grasped his long spear, gazing at the sky, "My brothers, if you could see the life we Yellow Turbans lead under Lord Xuande, you would likely smile in the Nine Springs."

"I’ve thought it through, with my martial arts, it’s possible to earn a noble title with effort. I will adopt my eldest son under your name, ensuring your lineage doesn’t end." At this moment, Li Tiao seemed to see Guann Hai, and muttered to himself while looking up at the sky.

"Achoo!" On Yiizhou, Guann Hai sneezed, then rubbed his nose and looked with delight at Gan Ning and Taishi Ci in front of him.

"So, I’m headed to the battlefield?" Guann Hai said excitedly, he broke through back then by releasing his attachment to life and death, even though his inner Qi amount was not as great compared to other Inner Qi Manifestation, in terms of quality, it was no weaker than those top military generals.

"Yes, the strategist said you could go to the newly opened second battlefield by the end of this year, no need to fight with the Central Plains people, this time it’ll be against foreign clans." Gan Ning said with a smile.