Sacrificial Artifact System: From Bell-ringer to the Ancestral Patriarch of the Sect-Chapter 4 Qi Sense

Li Qian suppressed the excitement in his heart, focused his attention on the sensation of Qi, and continued to slowly practice without halting his movements.

The sense of heat grew stronger and stronger.

Once, twice, thrice...

Not until the sensation of Qi dwindled from its peak to a mere hint did he stop.

As long as he closed his eyes and concentrated on the area below his navel, he could feel a warm tingling.

That was the seed of Qi sensation.

It meant that he not only generated Qi sensation but also stabilized this seed of sensation.

According to Elder Song's words, many servant disciples had to repeatedly attempt before they could stabilize their Qi sensation seed.

For him to stabilize the Qi sensation on his first try was extremely rare.

This signified he had taken yet another step forward on the path of a martial artist.

In the following period, Li Qian rang the Chen Bell daily, cultivating the bell, and after ringing it, he would practice the Sword Stabbing Fist, nurturing his Qi sensation.

He could feel a warm current below his navel gradually growing stronger.

If he could control this bundle of Qi sensation to circulate within his body through his breathing, it would mean he had entered the Inner Breath stage.

Qi sensation and Inner Breath both belonged to the Martial Arts Foundation level.

Once Inner Breath grew sufficiently strong, one could attempt to refine breath into strength.

That would mean the Inner Breath possessed offensive power.

This stage was known as Inner Strength.

Though not yet an official martial artist, one who had cultivated Inner Strength could be referred to as a Martial Apprentice, a Reserve Martial Artist.

Inner Strength could not leave the body but only amplify the strength of different body parts. Even so, it far surpassed the physical limits of an ordinary person.

For a true Martial Artist, focusing strength into Qi to attack externally, even casting the Hundred-step Divine Fist with astonishing power, was the manifestation of true transcendental power.

Noon.

Li Qian shared a meal with Elder Song.

The dishes were quite plentiful, and being mostly medicinal cuisine, they were extremely rare for a servant disciple.

Ever since Li Qian experienced the Qi sensation, he felt an increased appetite, consuming more food each day.

After finishing one bowl, Li Qian fetched himself another large one.

"Li Qian, have you already developed your Qi sensation?"

Elder Song suddenly asked.

He had been observing Li Qian for many days.

During this time, Li Qian's appetite had noticeably increased.

Normally, even with martial arts training, without Qi sensation, the increase in appetite wouldn't be so pronounced.

"Elder Song, I developed the Qi sensation a few days ago."

Li Qian spoke while eating.

He knew he couldn't hide it from Elder Song's discerning eyes and did not deny it.

Moreover, it was only the development of the Qi sensation.

"It seems your talent is better than I imagined. What a pity."

Elder Song revealed a hint of regret.

The quick development of Qi sensation indicated that Li Qian's talent was not lacking. It could be bad luck, perhaps the batch he was assessed with had too many outstanding talents, which resulted in him not being selected as an Official Disciple.

It could only be attributed to fate and timing.

...

The hour of si.

Atop the bell tower.

Having just finished ringing the bell, Li Qian practiced the Sword Stabbing Fist and felt the warm current below his navel had grown significantly, as if it were about to take shape.

Once this Qi sensation took form, it could fully transform into Inner Breath and then be guided to circulate throughout the body with each breath.

As Inner Breath traveled, it would strengthen various parts of the body.

Day by day, accumulated over months, the body would gradually become stronger and eventually reach and breakthrough human limits.

Whew!

After a few repetitions, Li Qian's body heated up. As he retracted his fists and let out a white breath, the boiling Qi sensation in his abdomen gradually calmed down.

"Just a little more, and this Qi sensation should take form, transforming into Inner Breath, for me to control."

Li Qian's eyes sparkled with light.

To make progress every day felt truly wonderful.

Moreover, his connection with the Chen Bell grew more and more intense.

Initially, he could only maintain this connection next to the Chen Bell.

But now, even below the bell tower, he could sense the presence of the Chen Bell.

Suddenly, with a thought, he summoned the system interface.

Host: Li Qian.

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Cultivation: Foundation Establishment (Qi sense).

Sacrificial Artifact: Chen Bell (Common 49/100).

Martial Technique: Sword Stabbing Fist (Expertise).

....

The sacrificial refinement progress of the Chen Bell has reached forty-nine, which means that in just another fifty-one days, the Chen Bell as a Sacrificial Artifact could be upgraded.

Additionally, his Sword Stabbing Fist had also reached the level of expertise.

The proficiency in martial arts is deeply intertwined with the progress of one's cultivation.

The levels of mastery in martial arts are mainly categorized as: Beginner, Expertise, Minor Success, Great Success, and Perfect.

The reason he was able to quickly achieve expertise in Sword Stabbing Fist was not due to high comprehension, but because the sound of the Chen Bell naturally aided in his enlightenment.

Because he attained expertise in Sword Stabbing Fist, he was able to sense Qi so quickly.

"According to Mentor Song, after becoming an Official Disciple, one doesn't practice common boxing techniques like Sword Stabbing Fist, but rather real Inner Strength... Although Sword Stabbing Fist is an Inner Boxing method and can eventually generate Inner Qi, turning one into an Official Martial Artist, that's pretty much the limit."

Li Qian sighed silently to himself.

Without the system, he had no doubt that becoming a Martial Apprentice and generating Inner Qi would have been his limit in this lifetime.

As for advancing further, that was almost too much to hope for.

He touched the Chen Bell, savoring that strange sense of connection.

Suddenly, his gaze turned to the distant hillside where a staggering figure appeared.

It was Mentor Song.

Today was the day Divine Sword Sect disbursed monthly silver and cultivation resources.

Early in the morning, Mentor Song had already gone down the mountain.

Swoosh!

Li Qian leaped directly down from the bell tower.

For him, with his current agility and strength, a height of less than four meters was no challenge at all.

A little over a minute later, Li Qian arrived in front of Mentor Song and took two bags from his hands.

Mentor Song's trip down the mountain wasn't only for collecting silver and cultivation resources but also for daily food.

On this occasion, the goods Mentor Song brought back were probably not less than two hundred pounds, certainly more than one hundred pounds.

Back in the bell tower.

"Li Qian, this is your salary in silver, as well as your Contribution Value certificate."

Mentor Song tossed a small bag and a wooden token to Li Qian.

The small bag contained the monthly silver.

Ten taels each month.

Ten taels of silver could provide for all the annual expenses of an average family of three.

For those who practice martial arts, ten taels of silver is just a drop in the bucket.

It is only in a large sect like Divine Sword Sect, which is wealthy and generous, that even servant disciples could eat nutritious meals and thus save on this expense.

Some servant disciples from poorer families often send their salary back home to improve their families' livelihoods.

Li Qian didn't have this concern.

He just needed to save his salary.

As for the wooden token, it recorded Li Qian's Contribution Points.

Very few.

Only one point each month.

Within Divine Sword Sect, Contribution Points were valued higher than gold and silver.

Whether exchanging for cultivation resources or martial arts techniques, they were all needed.

Many servant disciples, without hope of becoming an Official Disciple, try to stay in Divine Sword Sect as long as possible to accumulate enough Contribution Points to exchange for a suitable martial arts technique before leaving.

Seeing the single Contribution Point recorded on the wooden token, Li Qian couldn't help but shake his head; without several years of accumulation, these points would hardly be of any use.

He was a bit curious about how many Contribution Points Mentor Song had saved up at his age.

"Li Qian, you're in luck this time, old man here got a bit of Exotic Beast Meat Jerky. This is good stuff, something you rarely see even in several years, I've only eaten it a few times myself."

Mentor Song said with a smile.

He took a wooden box out of a cloth bag and opened it, revealing a small piece of dark jerky that was only about two fingers wide and one finger long.

"This is Exotic Beast Meat Jerky?"

Li Qian was quite surprised.

He had heard from Mentor Song that they usually ate Medicine Beast Meat.

Medicine Beasts are typically pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, etc., specially bred with medicinal feed, which is more nutritious and blood-rich than ordinary meat, making it more suitable for martial artists.

As for Exotic Beast Meat, that comes from Exotic Beasts.

Anything qualified as an Exotic Beast is certainly not an ordinary wild beast; it is equivalent to a Martial Artist, possessing strength far beyond that of ordinary wild beasts.

....