NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 133: Awakening Beyond Sleep
山海苑,演武场上,数十道大大小小的身影早已满头大汗,依旧勤修不辍.
At the Martial Training Grounds of Shanhai Garden, dozens of figures, both large and small, were drenched in sweat yet continued their relentless practice.
演武场后方,巨大的仓储库房中,黑白石台被四面八方错落有致的一排排架子包围、遮挡.
Behind the training grounds, in a massive warehouse, a black and white stone platform stood surrounded and concealed by rows of neatly arranged shelves.
此时,凌易双目紧闭,身穿宽松棉布衣,屹立在黑白交错的石台中央,维持着《兽武魂·形意拳架》第一式·烈马奔腾的架势.
At this moment, Ling Yi, eyes shut and dressed in loose cotton garments, stood firm in the center of the stone platform, adopting the stance of the first form, "Galloping Steed," from the "Beast Martial Soul: Form and Intent Boxing Framework."
自两年前,也就是斗罗历二六零六年五月初,魂力达至二十级,凌易凭借八百年「女萝·蓝银草」魂环的能量,以及「十全大补汤」的元气,一举将体魄打熬至千斤巨力.
Two years ago, at the beginning of May in the year 2606 of the Douluo Calendar, Ling Yi's spirit power had reached level twenty. With the energy of an eight-hundred-year-old "Dodder Vine and Blue Silver Grass" spirit ring, and the vitality provided by "Supreme Nourishment Soup," he bolstered his physical strength to the might of a thousand pounds.
那时起,这由种种百年以下魂环魂技推演出来的《兽武魂·形意拳架》,对于凌易来说,只能起到活跃气血,以及改良出每一式拳架相应‘自创魂技’的作用,再不能让他的力量、体魄,得到一丝的提升.
Since then, the "Beast Martial Soul: Form and Intent Boxing Framework," crafted from spirit skills of rings less than a hundred years old, could only serve to invigorate Ling Yi's life force and refine personalized spirit skills for each form. It could no longer enhance his strength or physique at all.
换句话说,当前版本的《兽武魂·形意拳架》,潜力已尽!
In other words, the current version of the "Beast Martial Soul: Form and Intent Boxing Framework" had reached its potential limit!
按照凌易一开始的打算,有考虑过,找寻每一式拳架相对应的,更强的魂环魂技,百年以上的魂环魂技,凭借着之前的底蕴,应该不需要再从头研究,最多三、五个月就能够推演出《兽武魂·形意拳架2.0》来.
Initially, Ling Yi had considered seeking stronger spirit skills that corresponded to each form, with spirit rings over a hundred years old. With his prior foundation, this process should not require starting from scratch, and within three to five months, he could deduce the "Beast Martial Soul: Form and Intent Boxing Framework 2.0."
可惜,巧妇难为无米之炊!
Unfortunately, even the most skillful cannot cook without ingredients!
遍寻整个【水木公国】,也找不到可以正好衔接九式拳架的魂环魂技来.
Searching throughout the entire Shuimu Principality yielded no spirit skills or rings that perfectly aligned with the nine forms of the framework.
从第一式的烈马奔腾开始,到第二式·灵蛇绞杀、第三式·身轻如燕、第四式·猛虎咆哮、第五式·蛮牛冲锋、第六式·金猿投掷、第七式·暴熊摧石,第八式·龙蜥抖甲,第九式·蝶舞纷飞.
From the first form, "Galloping Steed," to the second, "Serpent Entwine," the third, "Graceful Swallow," the fourth, "Tiger’s Roar," the fifth, "Bull's Charge," the sixth, "Golden Ape’s Throw," the seventh, "Bear Crushes Stone," to the eighth, "Dragon Lizard Shakes its Scales," and finally the ninth, "Butterfly Dance."
The focus is on physical constitution, flexibility, agility, breath, strength, dexterity, explosiveness, defense, and force dispersal—essentially covering every aspect required for strengthening the body and combat, both inside and out, from every angle.
This selection process has been meticulously curated by Ling Yi from over fifteen hundred soul masters across the entire "Shuimu Principality."
In making these selections, apart from considering that the age of spirit rings and skills should not exceed a hundred years, to facilitate analysis and respective effectiveness, one must also consider whether the chosen soul masters can be approached by Ling Yi within close proximity, with at least seven to ten days of interaction.
To find soul masters possessing century-old spirit rings of horse, snake, bird, tiger, ox, ape, bear, dragon lizard, and butterfly soul beasts, a place like this small principality is insufficient for Ling Yi's needs. He must look beyond its borders towards the "Heaven Dou Empire" or even the entire Douluo Continent for possibilities.
Currently, although there are some soul masters within the "Shuimu Principality" meeting the spirit ring conditions, they are not research subjects Ling Yi can easily access.
According to the description in his past life memories, as depicted in the original work, decades later, as per "Spirit Hall" statistics, the total number of soul masters on the continent will not exceed a hundred thousand, among which the permanent soul masters in the "Barak Kingdom" number around two thousand.
Ling Yi is uncertain of the current count of permanent soul masters in "Barak Kingdom," but through the instructor Lu Yi at the "Woodland City" Spirit Hall, he learns the number of registered soul masters in the "Shuimu Principality."
One thousand two hundred and forty-three!
Yes, quite a few hundred fewer than the soul masters Ling Yi saw firsthand while roaming the "Shuimu Principality."
Clearly, not every soul master chooses to register with the "Spirit Hall." There are always some soul master families and noble forces who keep some of their strength hidden below the surface, not exactly in concealment, but veiled from outsiders.
Among the over 1,200 registered soul masters, every one of them has a clear record of obtaining their first spirit ring and becoming a recognized soul master. Most of these soul masters continue to receive monthly payments of golden soul coins at various subsidiary halls under the {Spirit Hall}, as well as at branch and main halls.
As for those who are stuck below level ten spirit power, to put it bluntly, they can only enjoy some special treatment in small villages and towns. Outside these places, even to claim the title of 'soul master' is unacknowledged.
But I digress.
At present, Ling Yi began practicing the first move, 'Galloping Steed', of the Fist Frame. Within mere seven or eight minutes, he was drenched in sweat as if it were raining, and his muscles began to tremble all over.
Although it was still the original version of the Fist Frame, and he was a person who had increased his spirit power by one level, theoretically, this shouldn't be happening.
All of this was due to the silver-grey metallic circle placed on the ground, about a ten feet diameter around Ling Yi.
"The Gravity Soul Guidance Array": By consuming the spirit power from the "Stored Soul Crystal", it can autonomously adjust the gravity multiplier within the array.
Four "Measuring Soul Crystals" can be activated individually or sequentially, increasing in potency from 0.1 times, to 0.2 times, 0.4 times, and up to 0.8 times.
Although it doesn't have the effect of the original gravity soul skill, which could adjust gravity between one to three times, these four levels are already enough to further enhance Ling Yi's physique.
Especially, using the "Gravity Soul Guidance Array" to enhance gravity, when practicing "Beast Martial Soul · Xingyi Fist Frame", it results in excellent effects on training the internal organs and other parts!
In this moment, feeling every fiber and organ in his body trembling and weary, Ling Yi inexplicably felt a surge of joy in his heart.
He hadn't experienced this sensation in a long time.
Gathering his thoughts, Ling Yi stopped his aimless thoughts and focused all his attention on his body, practicing the technique of concentrating on his core.
Unlike the usual insecurity that left him unable to fully immerse himself in cultivation, always keeping part of his mind alert to the outside world; this time, Ling Yi gathered even that part of his consciousness, immersing himself completely in his training.
On the beam ten meters above ground, the fur of Miaomiao became even more vibrant, as it quietly lay crouched, its shimmering eyes reflecting the entire space below, with its triangular ears occasionally twitching to catch all external sounds.
At the center of the Yin-Yang stone platform, Ling Yi seized control over his life rhythm in an instant.
From breathing, heartbeat, pulse, blood flow, to the outward radiating mental energy from his brain, everything collectively formed Ling Yi's life magnetic field fluctuations.
For seventeen years in this world, and nearly seventeen years of exploring the 'Path of the Mind' on his own, Ling Yi navigated from being clueless to being able to adjust himself, owning long periods of stillness, breathing, and guidance into a 'deep sleep state,' and later being able to enter a 'deep sleep state' anytime and anywhere, which took two to three years.
However, the third stage of being able to enter the 'deep sleep state' during movement had troubled Ling Yi for thirteen to fourteen years!
There were many reasons, including the lack of an initiating moment for mental insight and the inability to devote himself entirely to cultivation being a significant reason!
The sense of security is not necessarily found in an impenetrable fortress. It requires a deeper connection within one's soul.
At this moment, Ling Yi finds himself in an environment with gravity at 1.8 times the normal on Douluo Continent. His body is experiencing a long-lost fatigue and sense of limits, yet his soul reaches a state of true tranquility for the first time.
Without consciously forming the ‘Lin character sign’, Ling Yi's mind seamlessly enters a state of ‘silent profundity’, where his consciousness and body coexist in a unique mental state.
It feels as if his perspective shifts from first-person to third-person, as his body performs the nine forms of the "Beast Martial Soul: Xingyi Boxing Frame," moves ingrained into his muscle memory, while his spirit slumbers. This slumbering spirit, however, witnesses everything outside, with scenes unfolding in his mind like montages.
At this moment, Ling Yi resembles the protagonists from two old films of a bygone era: one, a drunken man with a large nose practicing ‘Drunken Fist’; the other, a disheveled beggar with long hair using ‘Sleeping Arhat Fist’ with closed eyes.
The former champions ‘mind intoxicated, not steps; steps intoxicated, not mind’. What about the latter?
Ling Yi is unsure. He only knows that his body, which has naturally strengthened and grown with the rise of his soul power and age over these two years, is experiencing a steady but perceptible enhancement and fortification once again.
(End of Chapter)
