On the day Chen Tang was injured, the Mountain Lord carried him back to the Snow Mountain, and he roughly recounted the events that transpired after descending the mountain to the Mountain Guest.
The Mountain Guest remained expressionless and indifferent.
Judging by his demeanor, the deaths of three White Servants in Changze County were of no concern to him, and even if everyone had died, he would likely have the same reaction.
He showed no reaction to the death of Chen Da'an either.
In the following days, Chen Tang did not practice his fist technique and mostly lay in the cave recovering from his injuries.
He alternated between competing with Xue Tuan'Er for milk and eating mountain ginseng that the Mountain Lord brought back from who knows where.
The taste of the ginseng was extremely bitter and hard to swallow, but its medicinal power was evident.
Every time Chen Tang took a bite, he could feel a warm current reverberating in his stomach, then dispersing into his limbs and bones, circulating throughout his body.
With tiger milk and ginseng, within just three days, most of his injuries were gone!
Regrettably, he couldn't eat too much; overeating would result in nosebleeds and setting up a tent.
Moreover, Chen Tang noticed some amazing changes happening in his body.
Over these three days, a layer of dead skin began to shed from his body, and his strength had noticeably increased!
Chen Tang asked, "Senior, is this a sign of the Rebirth Realm? Have I already reached Entry Level?"
The Mountain Guest leaned against the cold stone wall, pretending to nap, without lifting his head or opening his eyes, saying, "You're still far from it."
Chen Tang nodded.
It made sense; he couldn't simply sleep on top of the Snow Mountain for three days, without practicing his fist technique, and become a Ninth Grade Martial Artist.
"There's one more thing."
Chen Tang recounted the peculiar feeling he experienced during his fight with Master Chai: "Is this what you call Entering the Divine State?"
"Yes."
The Mountain Guest said, "Even if I had told you in advance, you wouldn't understand unless you experienced it at the brink of life and death. That's the only way to remember it for quick mastery."
Indeed, he experienced it firsthand, but at the cost of nearly losing his life.
Chen Tang murmured to himself.
"What exactly is Entering the Divine State, and why did my opponent's movements seem much slower in that state?" Chen Tang asked again.
"It's not that he slowed down; it's that your reaction speed increased."
The Mountain Guest said, "Under Divine Illumination, you enter a state of clarity, your mind active and focused, with a greatly increased reaction speed. This is the meaning of Spirit Platform Clarity."
Having experienced the Divine Illumination State, Chen Tang found it much easier to understand when the Mountain Guest spoke of it again.
"Does Entering the Divine State only bring about such changes?" Chen Tang asked.
"Of course not,"
The Mountain Guest shook his head, "If it were only like this, how could it be a technique that only a First Grade Grandmaster could cultivate?"
"Entering the Divine State is manifested on two levels. Internally, it is a state where every detail is evident and nothing is overlooked."
"Externally, it is a state of discerning the whole from the details, understanding the autumn from one leaf."
Chen Tang was somewhat puzzled and said, "With that explanation, I don't understand again."
The Mountain Guest smiled faintly, "Just experience it yourself when you enter the Divine Illumination State. However, this time, focus not on your opponent, but on yourself."
Yourself?
Introspection?
Chen Tang pondered, attempting to enter the Divine Illumination State.
Since he hadn't mastered the technique well, in the absence of a sense of crisis, it took a long time before he entered the Divine Illumination State again.
His brow seemed to split open, growing an eye!
This time, without the need to handle any crisis, Chen Tang could better appreciate the different sensations brought by this state.
The surrounding environment suddenly became vivid and clear.
The sunlight fell on the Snow Mountain Peak, shimmering with brilliance, emanating an extraordinary beauty.
Even the slender hexagonal tiny ice crystals on each snowflake could be seen clearly.
Not only did his eye power enhance, but his hearing also became extremely acute!
Following the Mountain Guest's guidance, Chen Tang looked towards himself.
This look left him stunned.
Every inch of muscle and bone, every segment of meridian and acupoint, every drop of bone marrow and blood in his body, appeared clearly under the Divine Illumination State!
He finally understood what it meant by every detail evident and overlooking nothing!
This was likely more advanced than X-rays or MRI from his past life...
Through Divine Illumination and introspection, Chen Tang became acutely aware of his body, even sensing the new skin forming at the scabbed wound on his chest.
This feeling was too amazing.
Being able to introspect, improve his reaction speed, and enhance focus, it seemed there was a lot of room for maneuver...
Chen Tang had a vague idea, but how exactly to utilize it would need further development.
As he immersed himself in this amazing perception, suddenly his expression changed, and the tearing pain deep in his brow reappeared!
Ugh!
Chen Tang grunted, trembling all over with pain.
This pain was ten times stronger than the feeling of a migraine!
The Mountain Guest seemed to sense something, suddenly opened his eyes, and stared at Chen Tang's brow.
That pair of eyes was even more captivatingly bright than the Mountain Lord's gaze, as if two flames were burning!
Chen Tang felt a surge of warmth rushing into the depths of his brow, swirling there for a moment.
The headache has noticeably eased a lot.
Chen Tang gradually regained consciousness, breathing heavily, feeling a bit shaken.
Unable to resist, Chen Tang asked, "What just happened? I experienced something similar at the foot of the mountain."
"One breath."
The Mountain Guest said, "This should be a technique cultivated by a First Grade Grandmaster. You unexpectedly entered the Divine State, but your body, cultivation, and Mud Pill cannot withstand this state."
"I just counted. You can maintain the Divine Illumination State for about the time of one breath. Exceed that time, and you'll suffer the backlash, with a splitting headache."
One breath roughly equals three seconds from his previous life.
"Isn't the time a bit short?"
Chen Tang frowned.
The Mountain Guest smiled and said, "It's already quite long. In a true battle, even a moment's change can alter life and death!"
Chen Tang indeed deeply understood this point.
In the exchange with Master Chai at the foot of the mountain, he briefly entered the Divine Illumination State, ducked under Master Chai's deadly strike, and counter-killed him in one move.
The entire process was less than one breath!
Later, he entered the Divine Illumination State again to avoid the fat old man's attack, exceeding the time of one breath, thereby causing the backlash.
Chen Tang asked, "How can the effects of this backlash be eliminated?"
"Simple."
The Mountain Guest said, "Get a few hours of sleep, and once your spirit recovers, the effects will dissipate."
"Why couldn't I dodge that old man's strike?"
Chen Tang asked again.
The Mountain Guest said, "Your cultivation is insufficient. In the Divine Illumination State, even if your reactions improve, you may not be faster than others. Besides, often your awareness catches up, but your physical strength may not match your perception."
Chen Tang understood.
That is to say, even in the Divine Illumination State, his reactions weren't faster than that of the fat old man, which resulted in no effect.
Chen Tang asked, "What do you mean by 'seeing the big picture from minute details' and 'seeing autumn from a single leaf'?"
The Mountain Guest said, "With your current cultivation, you cannot fully manifest the ability of Entering the Divine State, so externally, it only shows improved reaction and focus."
"But actually, combined with the cultivation, eye power, and experience of a Grandmaster, as soon as the opponent raises a hand, you can judge the approximate trajectory and landing point of the move. This is seeing the big picture from minute details, seeing autumn from a single leaf."
Chen Tang contemplated it.
The Mountain Guest continued, "You must quickly master the ability of Entering the Divine State; it will greatly benefit you. You can treat it as a backup, a killer move, but when fighting others, you cannot rely on it excessively."
Chen Tang nodded in agreement.
His cultivation is insufficient, the time in the Divine State is limited to one breath, and can only be restored by sufficient sleep.
Once caught in danger or surrounded by strong enemies, there might not be a chance to recover.
If he casually enters the Divine Illumination State, consuming time, he would be helpless when facing a real formidable enemy.
The Mountain Guest sat up slightly, sternly saying, "When you enter the Divine Illumination State, most people can't tell, but it won't escape the eyes of a Grandmaster."
"If this ability of yours is exposed, it could easily lead to disaster. So, you must be cautious!"
The Mountain Guest's tone was markedly heavier, reminding Chen Tang to be careful.
Chen Tang earnestly nodded.
A moment later, he seemed to think of something, and frowned, saying, "That fat old man at the foot of the mountain once grabbed my wrist to probe. He might have already seen it."
The Mountain Guest's eyebrows raised slightly, with a trace of concealed killing intent in his eyes, saying, "Describe the man's appearance and the entire process to me in detail."
"That fat old man, round like a ball, somewhat obscene, with a weasel-like face, holding a bamboo cane taller than himself…"
Upon hearing this, the killing intent in the Mountain Guest's eyes instantly dissipated, his expression returning to normal.
After Chen Tang finished speaking, the Mountain Guest said, "You don't need to worry about this person; he won't harm you."
"Oh?"
Chen Tang was a bit surprised, asking, "Do you know him, master?"
The Mountain Guest remained silent.
Sensing the hint, Chen Tang wisely did not pursue further, instead drawing his long sword from his waist and swinging it a few times, asking, "Do you know any sword skills, master? Why not teach me some sword skills? Always practicing fist techniques is a bit dull."
"You haven't yet mastered this set of Tiger Subduing Fist."
The Mountain Guest said, "Even though it's just a fist technique, it embodies the art of weaponry. Fists like hammers, fingers like swords, elbows piercing like spears, elbows moving like knives."
"You must understand that weapons are merely extensions of the body. As long as you've trained your body to be both hard and soft, round and seamless, any weapon you pick up will be easy to handle."
Chen Tang was persuaded again, asking, "What grade are you at now, master, since you seem to know so much?"
"Grade-less."
The Mountain Guest replied coldly with two words.
Still playing mysterious with me, if you don't want to say, then forget it.
Chen Tang pouted.
The Mountain Guest said, "Let the Mountain Lord take you down the mountain to practice your fist technique against a few wild beasts."
"Again?"
Chen Tang's face darkened, saying, "Can I skip it? I just rested for two days. Can't I practice on the mountain? After cultivating for a decade or so, I'd be invincible once I leave."
The Mountain Guest sneered, "Without continual combat experience, honing your techniques and enriching your experience, forget ten or eight years; even if you practice for decades, others will still be able to defeat you. The idea of practicing hard for decades and emerging invincible exists only in dreams."
"Don't fear getting injured or seeing blood. It's better to suffer superficial wounds now than to die at someone else's hands later. When you wander through Jianghu, you'll understand that battling a few fierce beasts will be your purest and easiest fight. Beasts don't understand deceit, schemes, traps, or assassinations... It's humans that are the most dangerous animals!"
"The path to becoming a Grandmaster is not smooth sailing; it's a bloodied path, paved with injuries, steeling oneself through corpses!"