CHAPTER 317: CHAPTER 177: ANOTHER SNEAK ATTACK!

Zhang Hong stopped in his tracks, with a slightly smug expression, boasting to Ye Qingzhou with a smile: "This is why the Martial Arts Association established an outpost here. Apart from guarding against potential incidents from Jiuli Grotto Heaven, more importantly, beneath our feet lies a massive Dragon Vein."

"The Feng Shui masters of the Martial Arts Association detected this Dragon Vein, which is why they chose to build the forward station here."

"In recent years, we have gradually arranged powerful Element Gathering Arrays, concentrating the Primordial Qi flowing from the Grotto Heaven onto the five peaks above the Dragon Vein. This is the Xiang Province Martial Arts Association’s ’Five Finger Mountain’ plan, which has been in the making for ten years and is now finally completed, achieving a strategic advantage."

"We haven’t even reached midway up the mountain, yet the Primordial Qi here is already five times that of an ordinary Secret Realm."

Zhang Hong opened up and disclosed all the arrangements of the Martial Arts Association here, without holding back at all.

Ye Qingzhou nodded. Such astonishing changes in Primordial Qi could be clearly felt by any Professional Level Martial Artist who has cultivated Martial Arts True Qi.

It must be said, although this place is dangerous, fortune favors the bold. For Martial Artists, this is definitely a training sanctuary.

"Near the mountaintop outposts, the concentration of Primordial Qi is even higher, at least ten times that of the Secret Realm’s Qi density."

Zhang Hong looked at Ye Qingzhou with considerable emotion: "Ye Qianlong, your residence is one of them."

"Ten times?"

Ye Qingzhou nodded slightly. He had previously made requests to Zhao Zhiyi and Wang Anyuan. He wanted the same treatment a Master Level should have.

It seems, at least in this regard, Zhao Zhiyi didn’t make any trouble.

"Yes, ten times."

Zhang Hong spoke with a tone of envy: "Professional Level Martial Artists spend four to five hours minimum every day on training, up to eight hours or more, needing to digest Primordial Qi from exotic treasures to concentrate Martial Arts True Qi. The longer you spend on it, the less time you have for refining techniques and perceiving higher realms to break through to the Master Realm."

"At the Master Realm, this becomes even more pressing. Even with Qi Penetrating Heaven and Earth, daily refinement of one’s tendons and meridians with Martial Arts True Qi is essential, or else cultivation and realms may regress."

"If one could claim a residence near the mountaintop and train there, given the dense Primordial Qi here, even a slow absorption of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi would only require a maximum of two hours. The rest of the time could be spent studying Martial Techniques."

"I see."

Ye Qingzhou found it very reasonable. To accelerate training, Martial Artists indeed rely heavily on ’medicine’ rather than sheer endurance training, which is purely detrimental.

Of course, relying solely on ’medicine’ cannot make one a master. Just like a couch potato and a boxing champion eating the same amount, when it comes to a real fight, could a couch potato withstand a punch from the boxing champion?

Martial Arts True Qi, transformed from Primordial Qi, only raises the lower limit for Martial Artists. It is the realm of Martial Techniques that truly determines how high a Martial Artist can reach.

Otherwise, a couch potato, equal in weight to the boxing champion, would embarrassingly be knocked over by a single punch from the champion.

Sometimes, the gap between Martial Artists is even larger than that between a couch potato and a boxing champion.

Considering this, Ye Qingzhou couldn’t help asking: "So, there should be many Martial Artists willing to guard the West Xiang Five Peaks. If they can train on the mountains for a long time, wouldn’t more strong ones emerge? Has the Martial Arts Association considered recruiting more civilian Martial Artists to guard here?"

Many civilian Martial Artists calculate even the consumption of a Martial Meal carefully. If there is a place offering free Primordial Qi, they would surely fight to have a chance to benefit.

Zhang Hong smiled and pointed into the distance.

Ye Qingzhou followed his gaze, seeing that the Second Peak he was on was exceptionally beautiful, with ancient-style pavilions nestled among the cliffside, an awe-inspiring sight.

Among the numerous pavilion-like residences, most occupants were staff from the Martial Arts Association, more than seventy percent of them women, each with charming looks and humble demeanor.

With a slight perception, Ye Qingzhou could discern their cultivation; most were Elite Level Apprentice Martial Artists, very numerous, with each residence occupied.

There were some Professional Level Martial Artists, but they were quite few.

"All Martial Arts Apprentices?"

Ye Qingzhou pondered.

"Yes, the majority on the five peaks are Martial Arts Apprentices. These people are elite, selected by the Martial Arts Association, typically sent down the mountain every two years."

Zhang Hong patiently explained to Ye Qingzhou: "The reason for this is that the Primordial Qi originates from the underground Dragon Vein. Although the energy converted from the Dragon Vein via the array is immense, it is still finite."

"While few in number, Martial Arts Masters require a vast amount of Primordial Qi for cultivation, posing a significant burden on the Dragon Vein. With only a few Professional Level Martial Artists also training on the mountain, the issue is manageable, and the Dragon Vein can still cope."

"But if several hundred or even thousands of Professional Level martial artists ascended the mountain to train, the Primordial Qi on the five peaks would drain quickly, potentially affecting the underground Dragon Vein."

The Power of the Dragon Vein comes from the Blue Star’s Star Core. This energy is extremely huge; even draining the Dragon Vein all at once has a negligible effect on Blue Star.

The real impact is on humans themselves. If the Dragon Vein runs dry, all arrays and construction measures relying on it will be rendered useless. A new Dragon Vein would need to be found, followed by reinvesting resources and manpower to rebuild anew.