Qin Feng watched him leave, gathered his thoughts, and walked toward the open alloy door.
Inside was a private training room, roughly two hundred square meters in size.
Unlike the public training grounds outside, this room lacked the clutter of complex equipment, making it feel exceptionally spacious. The floor was a warm-toned wood, and an entire wall consisted of a massive floor-to-ceiling window. Beyond the glass lay the hazy gray sky of No.3 Industrial Zone and a crisscrossing network of steel pipes.
Sun Chan Hall was sitting cross-legged in the very center of the room.
He had changed into a loose, black training uniform, and the oppressive presence of his tower-like frame had softened, replaced by the dignified air of a Grandmaster.
"Come in. Close the door." His voice was still deep and raspy.
"Yes, sir."
Qin Feng did as instructed and entered, the alloy door slowly shutting behind him.
The room fell silent.
Sun Chan Hall opened his eyes, his gaze landing on Qin Feng like a bolt of lightning.
"Age."
"Fifteen," Qin Feng answered, his demeanor neither humble nor arrogant.
"Tell me your understanding of Martial Dao cultivation," Sun Chan Hall continued, as if conducting the simplest of interviews.
Qin Feng didn't hesitate, articulating what he had learned from school and books, combined with his own understanding.
"The essence of Martial Dao cultivation is the evolution of one's life form. By practicing a specific Body Refining Technique, one tempers and tortures the physical body to its limit, causing deep-seated damage. Then, by consuming resources rich in Spiritual Energy—such as Nutrient Liquid or the flesh of Exotic Beasts—the body is repaired. Through this repeated process of destruction and rebirth, the physical body becomes stronger and stronger, and one's life force index naturally rises. But the life force index is just an external manifestation. It is the body growing stronger that causes the life force index to read higher, not a rising life force index that makes the body stronger."
When he finished, he waited quietly for Sun Chan Hall's assessment.
For the first time, a look of satisfaction appeared on Sun Chan Hall's face.
"Not bad. Much better than that kid from earlier who only knew how to throw money at his problems. What you've described is the 'Refining Technique,' one of the three pillars of the Martial Dao, and the foundation of all cultivation."
He stood up, his towering figure casting an immense shadow.
"But the Refining Technique alone is not enough. Martial Dao cultivation requires the integration of three methods: 'Refining,' 'Killing,' and 'Nourishing.' You can't do without a single one."
"The Refining Technique is the path of body tempering you spoke of. It is the foundation."
"The Killing Technique is the art of combat. It allows you to take the power you've painstakingly refined and release it in the most efficient manner, converting it into destructive force. The Imperial Army's hand-to-hand combat systems and various weapon skills are all considered Killing Techniques. These are core subjects that are only systematically taught once you get into a Martial Arts High School."
"And the Nourishing Technique is the art of sustenance. Given the same Spiritual Resources, a person with a superior Nourishing Technique can absorb eighty percent of it, while someone with a crude technique might not even absorb thirty. This dictates the efficiency of your cultivation."
With every sentence Sun Chan Hall spoke, Qin Feng's eyes grew brighter.
These theories were far more profound and systematic than anything taught in school. 'This is exactly the knowledge I've been craving.'
"Beyond that, there's also mental cultivation, but that's for Third-rank Martial Artists and above. It doesn't concern you for now."
"What you need to do now is focus on the 'Refining Technique' and the 'Nourishing Technique.' As for the Killing Technique, we can worry about that after you've passed the exam for a Martial Arts High School." Sun Chan Hall walked to stand before Qin Feng, his towering body radiating an intense pressure.
"Hold out your hand."
Qin Feng obeyed, extending his right hand.
Sun Chan Hall reached out with a hand as large as a cattail fan and took hold of Qin Feng's wrist.
His fingers were coarse and warm, covered in thick calluses, yet his movements were surprisingly gentle.
Starting from the wrist, his hand traveled up Qin Feng's arm, pressing and probing inch by inch.
From the arm to the shoulder, then to the neck, the spine...
The moment his hand touched Qin Feng's body, Sun Chan Hall's brow furrowed. As his examination continued, the vertical lines between his eyebrows deepened.
"Hmm?"
He let out a soft grunt and paused.
"Kid, this body of yours..."
He released his grip, took a step back, and sized Qin Feng up again with a peculiar look in his eyes.
"Your meridians are narrow and clogged in multiple places. Your vital energy is weak, your foundation unstable. You're far below the average standard for your age... Have you been suffering from a chronic ailment since you were a child?"
Qin Feng's cheeks flushed.
"Yes. When I was seven, I encountered a Subspace rift and inhaled toxic gas from an Exotic Beast."
"I, Sun Chan Hall, pride myself on not misjudging people, but it seems I was wrong today. I took ten thousand Yuan, and what I got was a sickly boy."
"I really lost out on this deal."
Sun Chan Hall's words were direct, holding nothing back.
Qin Feng stood frozen, his hands clenching into fists without him realizing it. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.
Seeing his discomfort, Sun Chan Hall waved a dismissive hand.
"All right, relax. When Sun Chan Hall takes money, he doesn't give it back. Since I've accepted your payment, I have to deliver on my end of the bargain."
"Relax. Stand still."
Qin Feng did as he was told, taking a deep breath and forcing his body to relax.
Sun Chan Hall moved behind him, placing his hands on Qin Feng's upper back and waist.
"I will use my unique technique, the 'Ten-Complete Hand,' to sort through both of your bodies, unblock congested nodes, and expel toxins. This will bring your bodies to an optimal initial state for cultivation."
"That other kid's foundation was good. After I worked on him, his cultivation efficiency should increase by at least thirty percent."
"As for you... at best, you'll just be restored to your original, healthy state."
Before his voice had even faded, Sun Chan Hall's hands suddenly erupted with power.
"Hold your breath!"
BOOM!
A vast and unstoppable torrent of vital energy, like molten iron, surged violently from Sun Chan Hall's palms into Qin Feng's body!
Qin Feng's body shuddered, his face instantly flushing a deep crimson.
He felt like a small boat tossed on tempestuous waves, in danger of being torn to pieces at any moment.
Countless searing currents of energy rampaged through his body, scouring every fragile meridian and withered cell.
Pain!
Unspeakable pain!
It felt as if countless red-hot steel needles were piercing every inch of his body.
But he clenched his jaw, refusing to let out a single groan.
He remembered Sun Chan Hall's command to hold his breath.
"Tough kid."
Sun Chan Hall's voice sounded in his ear, carrying a hint of approval.
"Focus your mind, guard your consciousness! If you can withstand this, the affliction will be purged. If you can't, your meridians will be destroyed!"
Sun Chan Hall's hands began to move with a peculiar rhythm, gliding, pressing, and patting across Qin Feng's back, chest, abdomen, and limbs.
At times his movements were as gentle as a spring rain; at others, as fierce as rolling thunder.
With every strike of his palm, a pulse of pure vital energy penetrated Qin Feng's body, precisely blasting the nodes that had become blocked and atrophied by the poison.
"Pfft!"
The first blockage was broken through. Qin Feng tasted something sweet in his throat, and a trickle of black, viscous blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
"Pfft!" "Pfft!"
As Sun Chan Hall's movements accelerated, more and more blockages were violently forced open.
Black, foul-smelling blood began to seep from all seven of Qin Feng's facial orifices.
His body trembled uncontrollably, and it felt as if countless tiny snakes were writhing beneath his skin.
Just when Qin Feng felt he was about to be torn apart by this savage power, Sun Chan Hall's technique abruptly shifted.
The savage torrent of vital energy instantly became as gentle as water. It flowed like countless tiny streams, beginning to repair the meridians that had been cleared and widened, and nourishing his desiccated cells.
This sensation of alternating between ice and fire nearly caused Qin Feng to faint.
An unknown amount of time passed, which felt as long as a century.
Sun Chan Hall finally released his hands, withdrew his energy, and stood straight.
"Hooo..."
He let out a long, cloudy breath.
Purging the root of Qin Feng's affliction had consumed a considerable amount of his own energy. More than the power output, the drain came from the delicate nature of the work, which demanded his absolute concentration; a single mistake could have irreparably damaged Qin Feng's foundation.