Chapter 60 Practicing the Fundamentals

An intriguing expression flickered across Lin Jiangnian’s face!

He had previously heard Xu Lan mention that the Eldest Princess was at the Second Rank of the Heavenly Profound Realm. At the time, Lin Jiangnian did not have much of a concept for this, until he entered the Ruyi Pavilion and perused the martial arts manuals, finally gaining a general understanding of how martial arts realms were classified in the current world.

Martial arts throughout the world were divided into nine ranks, with the ninth being the lowest and the first being the highest.

Anyone who could reach the Ninth Rank could already be considered as having achieved minor success in martial arts, creating a distinct difference between themselves and ordinary people.

Take Xu Lan for example!

Her martial arts could be considered Ninth Rank—a minor accomplishment, but her combat experience was clearly lacking. Even though she had stepped into the Ninth Rank, she could still be suppressed by Lin Jiangnian due to sheer carelessness and negligence.

This meant that the classification of martial arts realms was not actually strictly rigid, and could not be as heavily stratified by levels as an immortal-cultivating fantasy world.

Situations where a fool could outmatch an expert happened from time to time, and quite a few renowned masters inevitably fell at the hands of petty scoundrels!

The realm classifications prior to the Fifth Rank could only be regarded as rough approximations, and the vast majority of people in the pugilistic world spent their entire lives struggling within them.

Only by stepping into the Fifth Rank, the Formless Realm, could one be truly considered a genuine expert, capable of securing a foothold in the martial arts world. Figures of this caliber were either elders of certain Jianghu sects or capable of leaving behind a resounding reputation while wandering the rivers and lakes.

Strictly speaking, the Fifth Rank served as the watershed dividing the high and low of martial arts across the world. Cross this step, and one would transform like a fish leaping over the dragon gate; fail to cross it, and one would spend their life in mediocrity, drowned and forgotten in the long river of history.

Above the Fifth Rank were the Fourth Rank Withered and Flourishing, the Third Rank Inquiring, the Second Rank Heavenly Profound, and the First Rank Grandmaster.

Every single layer of martial arts realm division represented a qualitative leap, creating a chasm-like gap between them.

For the Eldest Princess to have stepped into the Second Rank Heavenly Profound at such a young age, standing proudly among the top experts of the world, it was no wonder Xu Lan said she could not be measured by ordinary standards.

She truly was a monster!

……

However, what Lin Jiangnian cared more about was… what Zhiyuan mentioned—that the Eldest Princess had also taken only a single night to comprehend and grasp that breath of ‘Qi’?

Just like him?

“You mean…”

Lin Jiangnian looked into her eyes. “My martial arts talent is on par with hers?”

Zhiyuan reined in her wandering thoughts and gently shook her head. “This maid dares not make a definitive conclusion… But His Highness was able to proficiently master ‘Qi’ in just a single night, which is enough to prove that Your Highness possesses exceptionally high martial arts comprehension.”

“If Your Highness practices diligently and hard, given time, you will surely make the world’s expert rankings!”

A slightly fervent look appeared in Lin Jiangnian’s eyes as he raised an eyebrow. “Then tell me, can this Prince compare to that Eldest Princess?”

Zhiyuan remained silent.

“Why aren’t you speaking?”

Zhiyuan stayed silent for a moment before replying, “The Eldest Princess entered the path of the sword from a young age. She practiced martial arts at age three, held a sword at age five, and fifteen years have passed since then…”

“Sword masters poured their lifelong energy into her, piling countless resources upon her, coupled with her once-in-a-century martial arts talent, which is why she achieved what she has today.”

She did not continue.

But Lin Jiangnian understood.

Endowed with exceptional talent and guided by renowned masters, it took her fifteen years to reach her current achievements.

Lin Jiangnian was currently nothing more than an ordinary person without even the strength to truss a chicken; wanting to catch up to her?

Wasn’t this just daydreaming?

Realizing this, Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes. “Are you mocking this Prince in secret?”

“No.”

Zhiyuan’s gaze remained undisturbed as she calmly said, “This maid merely wishes to tell Your Highness not to aim too high and reach beyond your grasp.”

“A person must have ideals.”

Lin Jiangnian’s gaze turned playful. “If this Prince is going to do something, naturally I must do it to the best!”

“Naturally, this Prince will become the number one expert under heaven!”

“……”

Silence.

The surrounding air grew eerily quiet.

Zhiyuan said nothing.

Lin Jiangnian’s gaze was calm yet tinged with a trace of unruliness.

Their eyes locked in a silent gaze.

Number one under heaven?

Naturally, that was just something Lin Jiangnian had blurted out to boast.

He did not possess such grandiose ideals, but… being the Prince of Linjiang made things different!

As a pampered, impatient prince given to instant gratification and delusional dreams of becoming a martial arts master without putting in any effort, daydreaming about becoming the world’s number one was naturally entirely reasonable.

And Zhiyuan’s silence was also within expectations.

After a brief moment of silence, she finally said, “Then this maid wishes Your Highness an early ascension to the great path.”

Though her tone lacked any ripples, Lin Jiangnian seemed to catch a hint of… disdain within it?

Clearly, her words did not match her true thoughts.

However, Lin Jiangnian did not care; Zhiyuan’s opinion was unimportant to him. What mattered was that Lin Jiangnian needed a plausible and reasonable excuse to cover up his actions.

For a lazy, arrogant prince to spout wild and boastful words was only to be expected.

Just as Lin Jiangnian was about to stand up and leave, Zhiyuan, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly raised her eyes to look at him and spoke, “Although Your Highness’s mental cultivation method has achieved initial success, if you wish to learn genuine martial arts, you must still start from the most basic foundations.”

Lin Jiangnian paused in his tracks. “What do you mean?”

Zhiyuan quietly gazed at Lin Jiangnian, pausing for a moment before speaking, “Martial arts under heaven are divided into external and internal schools. The external school trains the physique, while the internal school trains the mind. Yet since ancient times, to truly achieve something, neither can be dispensed with…”

“If Your Highness wishes to become the number one under heaven, aside from internally cultivating the Profound Yang Mental Technique, externally training your tendons and bones is equally indispensable. In the realm of martial arts, the most important thing is still the foundation…”

Lin Jiangnian understood.

Mental techniques were certainly important, but if one wished to become a true expert, a robust physique and a solid foundation in martial arts were indispensable.

To practice martial arts was, above all, to train.

And the absolute prerequisite to training in martial arts was the martial arts foundation.

That is to say… the basics!

“So…”

Lin Jiangnian raised his eyes to look at Zhiyuan, only to find her gaze tranquil as she stared steadily at him. “This maid has already prepared everything for Your Highness. As for the choice, it is up to Your Highness to make!”

Her calm and unruffled expression suggested she was indifferent to whatever choice Lin Jiangnian might make.

“Lead the way!”

Lin Jiangnian waved his hand without much hesitation and made up his mind.

“After all, this Prince is a man destined to become the number one under heaven!”

“……”

The Prince’s Estate.

The inner courtyard.

An hour later.

Whether he could become the man who was number one under heaven remained unclear, but Lin Jiangnian felt like he was about to die!

Sore, aching!

Limp all over!

Lin Jiangnian collapsed heavily onto the ground, looking disheveled and panting heavily.

He had overestimated himself and underestimated the hardship of practicing martial arts!

In his previous understanding, those who managed to become peerless experts achieved their desires through bitter and diligent hard work. Yet those bitter efforts were always glossed over with a single stroke; without experiencing it personally, it was impossible to imagine how painful and agonizing the process truly was.

An hour ago.

Zhiyuan brought Lin Jiangnian to the back courtyard, initiating the first step of his martial arts training. There was no one else in the courtyard, and Zhiyuan became Lin Jiangnian’s instructor.

Lin Jiangnian possessed no martial arts foundation whatsoever, and his physical condition was practically identical to that of the original Prince of Linjiang.

Of course, perhaps his constitution was slightly better.

But not by much!

Therefore, everything had to start from scratch.

The foundation of martial arts naturally began with the waist, legs, and arms, eventually training toward the unity of waist and horse stance. However, that was still somewhat distant for Lin Jiangnian, who had zero foundation.

Zhiyuan seemed well aware of Lin Jiangnian’s physical condition, so her first lesson today did not teach him any actual techniques, but rather started with the very first lesson every martial artist had to undergo.

Riding the horse stance, standing the pillar!