C4 The World of the Warrior

The ceiling's subtle elegance gradually captured Mo Fanchen's gaze. He tried once more to connect with each part of his body, but an overwhelming fatigue washed over him like the relentless currents of a mighty river, leaving him feeling utterly drained.

"Maybe it's due to the awakening of my martial spirit."

Mo Fanchen mused, surveying his surroundings. The room's layout was quite plain, its only distinction being the tasteful decor.

A realization struck Mo Fanchen as sunlight streamed through the window: "I must have been at Su Muyan's place for quite some time! My family must be frantic by now!"

With this thought, Mo Fanchen attempted to shift his body to grab his phone from the bedside, but his hands were so feeble that even lifting the phone seemed an insurmountable task.

"Clack!"

The phone unceremoniously hit the floor, the sound piercing Mo Fanchen's heart.

"Squeak!"

The door to Mo Fanchen's room cracked open, and a head cautiously peeked in.

"Mo Fanchen? You're finally awake!"

Su Muyan's voice rang out as she entered and sat on the edge of his bed, her eyes, bloodshot yet relieved, fixed on him. "You have no idea how worried I was!"

Mo Fanchen cast a woeful glance at the phone on the floor before asking anxiously, "How long was I out?"

"Just overnight," Su Muyan replied with a smile, her tone comforting. "I've taken care of things with your family, so there's no need for concern."

After giving Mo Fanchen a once-over, Su Muyan hesitantly inquired, "By the way, how are you feeling now?"

Mo Fanchen, fully aware of what Su Muyan was hinting at, playfully rolled his eyes and quipped, "Hehe, Muyan! Now that we're part of the same world, shouldn't you finally agree to be my girlfriend?"

"What are you saying!" A blush crept onto Su Muyan's cheeks as her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. She then looked at Mo Fanchen, a mix of surprise and curiosity in her expression. "Does this mean you're aware of what's happened to you?"

"Exactly! After Feng Qingliu hurt me, you helped awaken my martial spirit, right? So, does that mean I can now do all those incredible feats like the heroes in martial arts novels, scaling walls and mastering extraordinary skills?" Mo Fanchen asked, his excitement palpable.

"It's not as simple as you think! You're barely scratching the surface of the Body Tempering Realm, nowhere near the ability to scale walls with ease! To reach that level, you need a combination of cultivation, skill, talent, and luck—none of which you can afford to lack!" Su Muyan didn't mince words with Mo Fanchen, "Frankly, at your best, you might not even be able to take me down!"

"Of course! If it hadn't been for Heroine Yan's timely rescue, I, Mo Fanchen, might have met my end in that alley."

Mo Fanchen grinned and heaped praise on Su Muyan. Despite knowing that the person who saved them the previous night was the odd woman who had requested takeout from the Su family, Mo Fanchen, who prided himself on his principles, felt it was still necessary to butter up the goddess.

Su Muyan blushed slightly at Mo Fanchen's flattery but didn't overthink it and candidly shared the truth with him.

"Actually, I didn't defeat Feng Qingliu last night. We were rescued by someone else."

"Who was it?"

Mo Fanchen's curiosity was piqued regarding the identity of the strange woman, especially since the Su family had shown her such deference, bordering on fear. This was not just due to her identity but also her formidable Three Flowers Gathered Atop strength.

"Crime and Punishment! A mysterious organization that oversees the conduct of all warriors! That's also why warriors refrain from displaying their martial arts in front of ordinary people," Su Muyan explained with admiration. "My dream is to become a member of Crime and Punishment one day! To punish the wicked and promote righteousness—that's the true path for a warrior!"

"Ah, so Crime and Punishment is akin to our real-world inspectorates and disciplinary committees?" Mo Fanchen had an epiphany, then followed up with another question, "What about Feng Qingliu from last night? Surely an ordinary prison couldn't contain him, could it?"

"Someone like Feng Qingliu would likely be detained in Scourgehold, I suppose," Su Muyan responded, somewhat unsure.

"Scourgehold? That's another peculiar term," Mo Fanchen mumbled, somewhat lost.

"In the world of warriors, there's so much you've yet to learn! Since you're not in a position to go anywhere right now, let me give you a brief rundown."

Su Muyan's bewildered look instantly sparked Mo Fanchen's curiosity, prompting her to finally open up.

Mo Fanchen, who had pursued her for three years, was regarded by her as a friend. Su Muyan, who had kept her secrets for so long, was now ready to share them freely.

As Su Muyan spoke, Mo Fanchen began to grasp the basics of this unfamiliar world of warriors.

To become a warrior, one must first undergo the Body Forging Three Levels.

The initial stage, the Body Tempering Realm, is fundamental for any aspiring warrior. It involves strengthening the body's functions, which is crucial for supporting further cultivation and ensuring steady progress.

The Body Tempering Realm is the most accessible level. Warriors can easily achieve it by practicing techniques from the Outer Sect.

Because of its simplicity, nearly every ordinary servant in the martial sects and clans has reached the Body Tempering Realm. While trivial to warriors, these servants can effortlessly overpower two or three able-bodied men in the ordinary world.

Above the Body Tempering Realm lies the Blood Forging Realm, which distinctly separates warriors from the average person.

Ordinary people might reach the Body Tempering Realm by mastering basic martial skills, but without an awakened martial spirit and the innate ability to circulate genuine energy, they remain commoners, unable to become true warriors.

Most warriors possess an innate martial spirit. However, there are exceptions like Mo Fanchen, who awakened his martial spirit later in life. This requires not only the bravery to face near-death experiences but also the aid of pills like the Essence Renewal Core to open one's meridians.

Thus, Mo Fanchen's awakening of his martial spirit and his transformation into a warrior were also a matter of fortunate opportunity.

The Blood Forging Realm, as implied by its name, involves refining the sinews and muscles and then, from the outside in, using inner cultivation methods to condense one's blood and Qi. This process thickens the initially sparse blood and Qi, empowering martial skills with greater force when executed.

Su Muyan had only reached the Blood Forging Realm, so her knowledge of the subsequent realms was limited. She provided Mo Fanchen with just a rudimentary introduction.

The pinnacle of the Body Forging Three Levels is the Innate Realm. However, since the Innate Realm represents the final stage of the Body Forging Three Levels and a minor bottleneck in the early phases of a warrior's development, it is further divided into three sub-realms: the Qi Sea, the Spiritual Aperture, and the Divine Palace. Feng Qingliu, whom Su Muyan and her companions had previously encountered, was at the Spiritual Aperture stage within the Innate Realm.

Following the Body Forging Three Levels is the Five Levels of Elemental Prana.

One is only considered a truly formidable warrior after entering the Five Levels of Elemental Prana.

These Five Levels are segmented into five distinct realms: Inner Strength, Outer Aura, Three Flowers Gathered Atop, Convergence of Five Energies, and Nature and Man in One.

Nature and Man in One, as the bottleneck of the Five Levels of Elemental Prana, is further categorized into three minor realms: Incarnation, Fusion with Spirit, and Solar Deity.

Warriors who have ascended to this echelon are the linchpin of their respective sects, with many serving as sovereigns of their own domains. Su Muyan's grandfather, who had attained the Three Flowers Gathered Atop realm, was one such individual.

This underscores the formidable nature of Crime and Punishment, the watchdog and judiciary of the martial world.

The martial world is visibly populated with numerous sects and martial families, while clandestine sects and families operate behind the scenes. These hidden entities prefer to avoid the public eye, and Su Muyan, as the daughter of a modest martial family, had little insight into their workings.

"I'm not too familiar with the realms beyond this point. My family hasn't really discussed it with me. Maybe we'll learn more once we're at the Divine Martial Academy. The warrior's world is complex, yet it's equally thrilling. You'll come to understand it in time," she said.

Su Muyan moistened her slightly parched lips and then presented Mo Fanchen with two antiquated, thread-bound tomes, placing them at the foot of his bed.

"Martial arts secret manuals?! After all this talk, we've finally reached the main course!"

Upon seeing Su Muyan produce the two tomes, Mo Fanchen's eyes sparkled with excitement.