Stronger with Crimson Modifier-Chapter 61: Giant Whale

"The fastest record for achieving the Entry-Level in our sect belongs to the Sect Leader, of course. The old master only took a day and a half. Next are his Direct Disciples, the slowest of whom still only took ten days."

Wang Luo explained, his tone filled with emotion.

"These are all true geniuses. If any of you can reach the Entry-Level of the Snake Form Posture and cultivate Qi Blood Power within ten days, you might also be noticed by the Sect Leader and taken as a Direct Disciple."

"Teacher, when you say the Sect Leader... are you talking about *that* person? Is he still alive?"

At Wang Luo’s words, someone seemed to realize something and couldn’t help but exclaim in shock.

"That’s right. The Sect Leader is indeed the one mentioned in the basic information manual you saw.

As for exactly how long the old master has lived, even I don’t know."

As he finished speaking, everyone’s expression turned to one of shock.

Hu Qi’s eyes flickered, but he didn’t show much surprise.

He had already suspected as much when he saw that information yesterday.

"For a truly powerful Secret Martial Artist, a hundred years is nothing. You’ll naturally come across this kind of information in the future."

Wang Luo couldn’t help but chuckle at their astonished reactions.

He seemed to recall that he had reacted the same way when he first entered this place and heard the news.

"Alright. Now, begin practicing the pile skill. Adjust your posture and use the breathing method I just taught you."

Wang Luo said.

He then pulled a stick of black incense, about the length and thickness of a chopstick, from somewhere and lit it with a lighter.

Instantly, a faint fragrance filled the room.

The moment they smelled it, everyone felt their minds go fuzzy, a sense of drowsiness washing over them.

"This is Gathering Spirit Incense. It costs one thousand yuan per stick. It relaxes the body, clears distracting thoughts from the mind, and helps you quickly enter a meditative state.

As new disciples, you can collect ten sticks.

This stuff is specially made; it can burn for a very long time.

After this, you’ll be given three sticks per month.

If you need more, you can buy them from me. In addition, there’s also Spiritual Snake Ointment."

As Wang Luo spoke, he took out a round tin box from his pocket.

The box wasn’t large. When opened, it revealed a layer of a pale green, solid substance.

"This is good stuff. Not only does it stimulate your Qi and Blood, but it also accelerates the circulation and strengthening of your Qi and Blood.

It costs ten thousand yuan a jar. To use it, you apply it to your body below the neck. If you use it sparingly, one jar is enough for seven or eight applications.

But this stuff isn’t free. You can only buy it from me."

As he spoke, the disciples clearly felt that it was just as he had described.

Although a hint of drowsiness had set in, their distracting thoughts had completely vanished.

The class session ended quickly.

Unsurprisingly, aside from their legs feeling a bit sore from holding the pile skill posture, they felt nothing else.

The same was true for Hu Qi.

’If it weren’t for the flashing text on his panel, he would have started to doubt whether this was actually effective.’

After class, some disciples went about their own business, while others approached Wang Luo, pulling out their money to buy Spiritual Snake Ointment.

Seeing this, Hu Qi’s expression shifted slightly.

’The monthly stipend of ten thousand yuan for the core class is a lot, but even if I save all of it, it’s only enough to buy a single jar of Spiritual Snake Ointment.’

’It seems the saying "scholars are poor, but martial artists require wealth" applies everywhere.’

After a short while, once the disciples who were buying Spiritual Snake Ointment had left, Hu Qi thought for a moment before stepping forward.

...

"The Nourishing Essence Breathing Technique?"

Wang Luo glanced at Hu Qi, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"You’re Hu Qi, right? Lin Tong told me about you. I didn’t expect you to have been practicing this breathing method since you were young.

It is indeed a breathing Dharma Gate that pairs with a pile skill. Its origin is the Giant Whale Sect.

According to records, that was an extremely powerful school. Its Secret Martial Artists had exceptionally strong Qi and Blood and were incredibly fierce."

His tone was filled with admiration.

Hearing this, a glint flashed in Hu Qi’s eyes.

He had noticed before that the breathing method for the Snake Form Posture was somewhat similar to the Nourishing Essence Breathing Technique he practiced, which made him suspect it might also be part of a school’s Limit-Breaking Technique.

Now, Wang Luo’s words confirmed some of his suspicions.

Normally, when his other Skills reached Perfection, they would gain a Trait.

But the Nourishing Essence Breathing Technique hadn’t.

Now it all made sense.

’Perhaps the Nourishing Essence Breathing Technique was originally part of the Giant Whale Sect’s pile skill inheritance. It’s incomplete, lacking the corresponding Moving and Static Postures.’

’Of course, it’s also possible that the Nourishing Essence Breathing Technique involves Extraordinary Power, making it different from ordinary Skills.’

’Besides, he had deliberately revealed that he practiced the Nourishing Essence Breathing Technique to lay the groundwork for the changes his Modifier would bring about later.’

’After all, this breathing method was genuinely effective at conditioning the body.’

Thinking of this, a look of confusion flashed across Hu Qi’s face.

"Oh, was the Giant Whale Sect some kind of Upper-tier School?"

"Heh. Upper Class, Middle Class, Lower Class... these classifications were only created after the Xia Federation was established.

In the past, schools were distinguished only as ’Unranked,’ ’Ranked,’ and ’Overlord.’ The Giant Whale Sect was at the Overlord Level."

Wang Luo shook his head.

"However, an Overlord Level school is not equivalent to a modern Upper-tier School. The reasons are a bit complicated to explain.

You just need to know that before the establishment of the Xia Federation, the limit for Secret Martial Artists was the Martial Arts Family realm. This was true even for Overlord Level schools."

Hearing this, Hu Qi’s heart stirred.

He understood.

’Simply put, the upper limit for Secret Martial Artists was just not that high back then.’

’But now, things are different.’

’It’s highly likely that the Upper-tier Schools contain beings who have surpassed the Martial Arts Family realm.’

"I don’t know what realm comes after Martial Arts Family. That’s a level far beyond my reach."

Wang Luo seemed to have read Hu Qi’s thoughts and cut him off directly.

"What about the Giant Whale Sect, then?"

Hu Qi fell silent, but quickly changed the subject.

"Back then, the Longyuan Empire had not yet been founded, nor had the current Xia Federation.

It was the end of a dynasty.

Heroes rose up from all corners of the land, and warlords fought amongst themselves.

Meanwhile, foreign powers invaded, burning, killing, and plundering. The situation was utter chaos.

Under these circumstances, nearly every school mobilized to defend their homeland.

The Giant Whale Sect was no exception. They sent out almost all their forces and killed a great number of the enemy nation’s experts.

Unfortunately, even the strongest have their limits, especially when faced with terrifyingly lethal firearms.

All the experts in the sect died, and its legacy was left fragmented and incomplete.

As a result, the Giant Whale Sect, once an Overlord Level power, gradually faded from the world of Secret Martial Artists and has now vanished completely."

"Cases like the Giant Whale Sect’s are not uncommon. Before all that, there were nearly a thousand schools. The vast majority of them, just like the Giant Whale Sect, went into decline because their experts died in battle.

Only fragmented legacies remain in the world.

Unfortunately, these legacies are so severely incomplete that they are impossible to practice.

At best, like the Nourishing Essence Breathing Technique, practicing them can strengthen one’s physique.

But trying to cultivate Qi Blood Power from them is simply impossible."

"There’s a rumor that the Shexin Sect was also an Overlord Level school a hundred years ago.

But because of the fight against foreign enemies, only the Sect Leader was left.

That’s why he founded the Shexin Sect as it is today. Of course, this is just something I heard, so don’t take it as gospel."

Wang Luo smiled.

His attitude toward Hu Qi was excellent; he answered almost every question.