All realms have enabled me to achieve the Great Dao.

Chapter 332 The Three Realms of Martial Arts

Walk along a main road through a magnificent botanical garden, which is a spacious courtyard.

Unlike outside, this place doesn't have many mysterious plants.

There are three mysterious houses on three sides of the courtyard, which look very similar to the courtyard wall they saw from the outside.

There was a mysterious river on the right side of the courtyard. Yang Xiuchang felt that the river looked a bit strange. He couldn't see where it came from or where it went.

Besides, he's lived in this area for so long, there aren't any rivers here.

Beside the mysterious river stands a pavilion, inside which sits a young man dressed in a Taoist robe.

Yang Xiuchang's first impression of this place was its mystery; everything here seemed shrouded in mystery.

Upon entering the pavilion, Yang Xiuchang and Qiao Daifu clasped their hands in a gesture of respect.

"Greetings, Daoist Master."

Yang Xiuchang was surprised that the owner of this mysterious courtyard was so young. Even though he looked young, Yang Xiuchang did not dare to be too casual.

Zhou Yongcheng got up to greet them, offered them seats, and then poured them the tea he had prepared.

After drinking tea, Yang Xiuchang introduced himself and his disciples.

Zhou Yongcheng also gave a brief introduction of himself.

“I live in a courtyard not far away. I had to go out for some time recently, and when I came back, I saw the Taoist’s courtyard, so I came to pay my respects. I hope the Taoist will forgive me if I have bothered you,” Yang Xiuchang said.

“There’s no disturbance at all. I live here alone. Although I live here for peace and quiet, I’m not living a life of complete isolation. It’s nice to have people come over for tea and a chat,” Zhou Yongcheng said with a smile.

As the conversation flowed, Yang Xiuchang found Zhou Yongcheng to be easy to get along with and speak in a very approachable manner, not the kind of person who acted like a superior being.

Yang Xiuchang has practiced martial arts for many years and has met many masters. Martial arts masters who have reached the level of grandmasters give people a sense of superiority, as if they are unapproachable, and people dare not get close to them.

"Has Master Zhou's martial arts realm reached the level of Grandmaster or above?" Yang Xiuchang inquired.

The reason he asked this question was that Zhou Yongcheng's place was too mysterious. Besides the mysterious courtyard, he also couldn't see through Zhou Yongcheng's cultivation level. In his perception, Zhou Yongcheng was not a martial artist at all, but more like an ordinary person without any cultivation.

Furthermore, even before entering the courtyard, Zhou Yongcheng's voice penetrated deep into his soul, making him realize that Zhou Yongcheng could not possibly be an ordinary person.

His cultivation level has probably reached an extremely high level.

"I suppose so. I see that your cultivation level is quite good. You're considered a top expert in China," Zhou Yongcheng said.

Yang Xiuchang was quite shocked upon hearing this. The realm above Grandmaster was a legendary realm. He had never seen a martial artist above the Grandmaster realm in all his years of life.

Although he was shocked by Zhou Yongcheng's high level of cultivation, he still answered Zhou Yongcheng's question: "I can't be considered a master. I have been cultivating for many years, but due to my poor aptitude, I have been unable to break through to the Martial Arts Grandmaster level and have been hovering in the Martial Arts Inner Qi Realm."

The martial arts realms in this world are divided into the Inner Qi Realm, the Grandmaster Realm, and the Divine Intent Realm.

The Inner Qi Realm is divided into three stages: External Refinement, Internal Refinement, and Qi Nourishment. Yang Xiuchang has only reached the late stage of the Inner Qi Realm, which is the Qi Nourishment Realm.

Yang Xiuchang is over seventy years old this year. He entered a Taoist sect to cultivate when he was young, but due to his poor aptitude, he was unable to become a formal disciple.

If he hadn't grown up inside the sect, he would have been expelled from the sect long ago.

Later, after his master passed away, he had no one to protect him and was expelled from the mountain gate.

After descending the mountain, he traveled extensively and came to Kyoto a few years ago.

A year ago, he unintentionally displayed his martial arts skills, which was seen by Qiao Daifu. Qiao Daifu then pestered him relentlessly, wanting to become his disciple and learn martial arts from him.

Unable to resist Qiao Daifu's persistent pestering, he set a condition: he would accept the apprenticeship, but he would have to pay extra.

Yang Xiuchang said that if you want to become his disciple, you have to find a place to live that satisfies him, and all your living expenses will be covered by Qiao Daifu, and you can't skimp on the money.

Qiao Daifu's family was not an ordinary family; they were a merchant family and very wealthy. All the conditions set by Yang Xiuchang were met.

So Yang Xiuchang took a fancy to the courtyard next door. The Qiao family bought the courtyard and the surrounding area and gave it to Yang Xiuchang.

Zhou Yongcheng knew more about Yang Xiuchang's situation than Yang Xiuchang himself did.

"You can't be too hasty in your cultivation; sometimes being too hasty can backfire," Zhou Yongcheng advised.

Aside from his own physical condition, Yang Xiuchang's biggest problem was related to the cultivation method he practiced. Secondly, he was too obsessed with cultivation, always cultivating for the sake of cultivation without considering other issues.

Whether it's cultivating immortality or practicing martial arts, the techniques are very particular. Some techniques are not suitable for everyone, and some techniques are for specific practitioners. If others practice them, not only will they not be effective, but they will also have the opposite effect.

Yang Xiuchang was stunned when he heard this. Cultivation cannot be rushed.

Over the years, he has cultivated almost every day without ever stopping. He believes that as long as he works hard, his cultivation will always improve. However, in recent years, no matter how he cultivates, it seems that he has not made any progress.

Cultivation is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind. He has always thought this way and has never stopped.

Now this mysterious Taoist priest says that one cannot rush one's cultivation. Could it be that this Taoist priest has seen the problem in him?

However, he wasn't very familiar with Master Zhou yet, so he couldn't ask too many questions.

"Master Zhou is right. I really want to break through. After all, I'm already so old and don't have many years left to live. I always think about breaking through to the level of a martial arts grandmaster."

Reaching the Grandmaster level in martial arts cultivation greatly extends one's lifespan; it is said that martial arts Grandmasters can live to be at least 120 years old.

He was over seventy years old. Although he appeared to be in good health, his body was slowly declining because his internal energy had not improved much.

If he can't break through in the next two years, then he won't want to break through again for the rest of his life.

Yang Xiuchang stayed with Zhou Yongcheng for less than an hour before taking his leave, saying he would come back to bother him again when he had time.

After all, we've only just met, so we don't have many topics to talk about yet.

Once outside the courtyard, Qiao Daifu began to speak.

“Master, that Taoist priest Zhou is so young, he’s probably no more than thirty years old.”

"You can't judge a book by its cover. Some people may look young, but they are actually quite old."

Those who cultivate to the level of a martial arts grandmaster or above can preserve their youth, so he estimated that Zhou Yongcheng must be quite old.

"Master, that Taoist Master Zhou has cultivated to the Grandmaster realm or above. I wonder what realm is above the Grandmaster realm?" Qiao Daifu asked.

He had been training with his master for over a year and only knew that martial arts were divided into the Inner Qi Realm and the Grandmaster Realm.

"Above the Grandmaster realm, that's a legendary realm. I don't know if anyone can cultivate to that level. Maybe they can, maybe they can't. I've never seen one."