Shackles of Humanity

Inside Yonghong Hall, a group of elders was discussing matters concerning the Bo Han Class. With tens of thousands of teachers and students at Shangjing University, choosing just nine from among them was no easy task. Although the sole measure of a Body Technique Cultivator was combat, everyone had different specializations and performed differently depending on the environment and circumstances. Some excelled at long-range sniping, others in close-quarters combat, some in piloting Mechas, and still others required coordination with their War Beasts...

They had to not only ensure fairness and impartiality but also select the best of the best. Saint Master Yun Shan never involved himself in the details, not even when accepting his own students, so it was up to them to come up with a plan.

Pei Hong cleared his throat. ”The last Bo Han Class was established nineteen years ago. The selection method back then was to reach the top floor of the Geomagnetic Tower. This method has significant drawbacks, as some students don’t focus on Body Refining. Does anyone have other ideas for the selection process?”

An old man with a scruffy beard, seated below him, said loudly, ”I think we should just hold a fighting tournament. That’s the fairest method.”

”That’s not feasible. A fighting tournament would require too much time and energy. Besides, the arenas are too small, which wouldn’t be fair to students who specialize in long-range combat.”

”Why don’t we just require that only High-level Martial Artists can apply? That would eliminate half the candidates right away, making the rest of the process much easier.”

”Absolutely not. Our university has always upheld the principle of education for all without discrimination. We judge based on talent, not rank.”

”You say no to this and no to that. Why don’t you come up with a perfect plan then!”

Pei Hong waved his hand to stop the argument. His gaze fell on Elder Ou, who was sitting in the corner. ”Teacher Ou,” he said, ”you are deeply versed in the Yi Skill. Surely you have a good solution.”

Elder Ou stroked his beard and said thoughtfully, ”For us Body Technique Cultivators, Body Refining remains paramount. I think the Geomagnetic Tower selection method is viable, but the top floor is too demanding. The seventh floor should be about right. Even a talented Mid-level Martial Artist would have a chance to reach it.”

”Too many students would pass that way,” Pei Hong said with a frown.

”Indeed. Body Techniques are ultimately a combat art. So, for the next stage, I propose we open up the Beast Taming Valley and let these students venture inside. Only through personal combat with Fierce Beasts can they truly temper their bodies and minds!”

The meeting room fell silent. The path of evolution was unpredictable, and the resulting Abilities were bizarre and varied. To know one’s enemy is to be invincible in battle, and the Beast Taming Valley was precisely where Shangjing University raised Fierce Beasts for research. Over hundreds of years, a large number had been raised there, all of them at the Growth Stage or beyond. A select few had even advanced to the Mature Stage. To study how Fierce Beasts evolved into their Complete Form, the university had long refrained from culling them.

”Elder Ou, you’re spouting nonsense again! There are Mature Stage Fierce Beasts in the Beast Taming Valley. Even a Body Master would have to flee for their life if they ran into one. Sending the students in there would be a death sentence!”

Elder Ou sneered, ”If any student can escape the pursuit of a Mature Stage Fierce Beast, it would prove they are truly a talent worth nurturing!”

Pei Hong suddenly sighed, stood up, and said, ”Yesterday, Yun Ye completed the analysis report on the alien creature. It’s an intelligent, social, deep-sea species. In other words, it wasn’t the only one that came ashore, and they are spreading a parasitic species among humans. Once a parasite enters a host’s body, it absorbs the host’s Essence Blood to grow slowly. Within an estimated five to eight months, it will drain the host of all their Essence Blood and burst from their body. This indicates the deep-sea creatures intend to advance onto land. Humanity’s future will undoubtedly be fraught with disaster. That is why I support opening the Beast Taming Valley for the students’ trial.”

The room was silent for a moment. Then, with a grave expression, Elder Ou asked, ”Old Pei, is there any way to counter this parasite?”

”The parasite can’t be detected through blood tests. Many students here at Shangjing University are already infested. You can only imagine what it’s like outside. The only thing that counteracts it is high salinity. If a host’s body has an excessively high salt content, the parasite will detach. However, rolling out this preventive measure will be a very long process.”

The next day, the selection rules for the Bo Han Class were announced. First, candidates had to climb to the seventh floor of the Geomagnetic Tower. Then, they had to survive in the Beast Taming Valley for seven days. During this period, they would be ranked by the number of Fierce Beasts they killed. The top nine would be admitted into the Bo Han Class.

...

”Luo Kai, have some candy.” A slender and pretty girl walked up to Luo Kai’s desk.

Luo Kai sighed to himself and looked up. ”Thanks.”

The girl’s name was Shen Lan, the president of their Class 101. Ever since the day before, the way she looked at him had been different. Her attitude had become fiery with enthusiasm, and she kept finding excuses to come over and talk to him, which gave Luo Kai a major headache.

”Don’t mention it. You don’t have to spend all day reading. Teacher Ou already went over this stuff once, though I’m not sure why he started lecturing on it again the past couple of days. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask me.”

Luo Kai closed his textbook on human meridians. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand; he was busy correlating the meridians in his own body with the diagrams in the book. He unwrapped a piece of candy and put it in his mouth. It was sickeningly sweet, and he couldn’t help but feel a wave of nausea. He hadn’t eaten anything in a long time. Not only was his body rejecting ordinary food, but his mind and spirit also seemed to be craving purity and simplicity.

”It looks like you haven’t registered yet. Do you not know where to go? I can take you,” Shen Lan said, showing no intention of leaving.

”That’s not necessary.” Luo Kai quickly got up and fled the classroom.

Shen Lan watched his retreating back, her face flushed like a sunset and her eyes filled with adoration. She hadn’t paid him much attention before, but now she realized just how handsome her classmate was. He was utterly captivating. Everyone appreciates beauty, and women are no exception.

Luo Kai found himself back at the small lake. It was far from the center of campus, so the Gravity was much weaker. No one would disturb him here, making it a good place to rest his body and mind.

The great-horned deer was nestled by the shore. When it saw him, it immediately shot to its feet and snorted, sending two plumes of frost from its nostrils. Its eyes were filled with wariness. After a moment of hesitation, it slowly moved away.

Luo Kai paid it little mind. All Fierce Beasts were territorial. ’This great-horned deer must have claimed this spot as its own.’ He didn’t particularly want to return, but it was incredibly difficult to find a quiet place with water on campus.

Walking to the shore, he suddenly noticed a book lying on the grass where the great-horned deer had been. He picked it up curiously. Its pages were filled with row after row of wavy, dashed lines. It resembled a musical score, but with no notes.

He glanced around and, sensing no one nearby, sat down and began to flip through the book. He was immediately engrossed. Anyone else would have found it completely incomprehensible, but Luo Kai had previously perceived the subtle fluctuations of human spiritual consciousness. The dashed lines depicted in the book were fragments of the frequencies produced by that consciousness. If one could decipher these frequencies, they would naturally be able to use external means to influence it.

There are three thousand paths to the Great Dao, and any Dharma Gate, when researched to a certain depth, can be considered a ”Dao” in its own right. This book was a cultivation method for the Dao of Sound.