The Way of Restraint

Chapter 99: Switching Between Two Modes of Cultivation

“There are many fascinating insights from ancient times. Take traditional Chinese medicine, for example—many formulas are remarkably effective. When examined using modern scientific methods, we can uncover some truly intriguing things. The pity is, back then, people didn’t understand what components were in a given remedy, what its molecular structure was, how it combined, or what chemical reactions it triggered once absorbed by the body. There was no chemistry, no molecular theory, no microbiology—only experience to rely on,” said Master Luo. “But in essence, it was all science, a step-by-step search for truth. Even something like ancient feng shui, when analyzed through modern architecture, can reveal many useful findings.”

“Exactly. Su Jie, remember this well,” said Master Ma. “Though people call us masters and say we’re mystical, deep down, we’re simply trying to draw insights from traditional culture and use a scientific lens to uncover truth. The ancients were practical. Through repeated experimentation, they found things that worked, but due to their limited worldview, they didn’t know the underlying principles. Now that we understand those principles, we can refine and innovate. Science is nothing more than a process of using strict logic to explore truth—and prove that it is truth.”

Su Jie listened, deep in thought.

“Alright, let’s move on to our research,” said Master Luo. “When a fetus is in the womb, it possesses a form of consciousness and can perceive external stimuli. The problem is, the brain at that stage doesn’t store memories, which is why we can’t recall anything from early childhood, let alone from when we were still in the womb. Ancient cultivators believed that returning to that fetal mental state—called the ‘prenatal state’—would greatly enhance one’s vitality. But how to return to that state? No one really knew. Many ancient cultivation methods aimed to achieve it—through meditation, holding one’s breath, even inducing brief oxygen deprivation to trigger fainting—but none offered a clear, repeatable path. Some people stumbled into it by chance, but no systematic method ever emerged. In other words, it couldn’t be replicated. That’s the real shame. And whether returning to that state can actually enhance the body is still an open question. There are ancient cases, yes—but modern ones are practically nonexistent.”

“Science tells us that people can’t form memories during the fetal stage,” said Master Ma. “But at the Royal Hypnosis Association, we’ve done a lot of clinical trials. Under deep hypnosis, people can recall events from the womb—and sometimes even past lives.”

“There’s really such a thing as past lives?” Zhang Manman raised an eyebrow. “This is starting to sound pretty far-fetched.”

“Well, that’s more of a psychological phenomenon. My own research doesn’t support literal past lives. It’s likely a kind of mental simulation, similar to dreaming. For example, when I was treating a patient abroad, he often dreamed of a specific place, describing its people and scenery in vivid detail. He’d never been there. But when I went myself—it was exactly as he described,” said Master Ma. “That’s a real case. The mind is astonishing. There’s still so much science hasn’t touched. That’s why we’re explorers.”

“I need your clinical data to support my project,” said Master Luo. “How can we get someone to return to a fetal state—whether through specific exercises, hypnosis, or intense mental suggestion—and what changes occur in the body as a result? This falls into psychology, and that’s your domain. Now, I need Su Jie to be our test subject. But before we begin, let’s go over fetal development.”

As he spoke, Master Luo opened a door to another room. The space inside was oddly shaped and pitch black—unsettling at first glance.

“This room is designed to mimic a womb. Once you’ve studied the material, you’ll go in and use powerful mental suggestion to imagine yourself as an unborn fetus. That’s the true cultivation,” said Master Luo. “Both you and Zhang Manman will try it.”

“Another dark room?” Su Jie gave a wry smile. He’d once been locked in a dark room by Uncle Mang and gone from pain and despair to peace. It had helped him break through to the second stage of the Great Corpse State: ‘Neither Dead Nor Alive.’

Now, it was time for another round in the dark room.

But this was a scientific experiment, not mysticism.

Martial arts cultivation was the same way.

The ancients knew the benefits of the fetal state but didn’t understand the principles. Modern science does.

For example, we now know how the fetal cerebral cortex functions, how nutrients are absorbed, how the body grows—all backed by data.

It’s like ancient medicine: everyone knew ginseng was the king of herbs and extremely nourishing. But what exactly in ginseng provides the benefit? How does the body absorb it? The ancients had no idea. Modern science can break it down, analyze it, and even extract the active components to deliver them via injection rather than oral intake—making it even more effective.

That’s where we’ve outpaced the ancients.

The best example is artemisinin. The ancients discovered that Artemisia annua could treat dysentery—it’s even recorded in the Emergency Prescriptions Kept Up One’s Sleeve. But they didn’t know which substance in it was responsible. They simply boiled it, often with limited results.

Modern Chinese scientists, guided by that ancient clue, extracted artemisinin using modern methods.

The ancients pointed the way. Modern science confirmed the truth.

Since taking up martial arts, Su Jie had studied ancient manuals while integrating modern combat theory and scientific research. He often reflected deeply—drawing parallels between kung fu and every other field.

Traditional medicine and modern medicine. Feng shui and architecture. Cultivation and meditation vs. psychology.

It’s all a search for truth.

There’s nothing mystical about it.

Master Luo and Master Ma began teaching Zhang Manman and Su Jie about the fetal state—how the mind might enter it via suggestion, and what that meant physiologically.

Zhang Manman absorbed the concepts slowly.

Su Jie, on the other hand, progressed rapidly.

In just a few days, he had learned a tremendous amount.

Then, it was time for the “dark room.”

Inside, instead of sprawling out as in the Great Corpse State, he curled up like a fetus—like a comma, or a tadpole.

He began mentally suggesting to himself that he was still unborn, still in the womb.

Most people don’t have the psychological resilience for this kind of self-suggestion. Even if they try, they can’t truly enter the state. But Su Jie’s capacity for psychological self-suggestion far exceeded the average. That was one of his greatest assets in martial arts.

The “intent” in martial arts is a form of strong self-suggestion—it activates emotional and hormonal responses in an instant, unleashing strength and speed far beyond the norm.

“He’s in the state. His physiological readings are almost identical to those of a fetus—though not a perfect match,” said Master Ma, observing the data with Master Luo.

Zhang Manman was impressed. “Su Jie is amazing. His self-suggestion is so intense—I’m nowhere near his level.” She had been doing her own experiments, but no matter how much she tried, her physiological markers were far off from fetal parameters.

In martial arts terms, that meant her “intent” training was shallow—hardly enough for mastery.

“Self-suggestion is intent in martial arts,” said Master Ma. “The deeper the suggestion, the deeper the skill. But the key is being able to exit the state at will. Otherwise, you end up mentally unstable. I treated someone who went off the rails during training. He thought he was a snake and would hiss all day. He couldn’t snap out of the self-suggestion. It took everything I had to bring him back.”

“Yeah, my dad told me that’s what the ancients called ‘qi deviation,’” said Zhang Manman. “Going too deep into a state and losing touch with reality.”

“That’s why ancient martial artists always trained under a master’s watchful eye. Technique errors were one thing—psychological issues were much worse. Even modern fighters need therapists,” said Master Ma. “Su Jie, though, can enter and exit the state in a heartbeat. That’s incredibly rare. Your father was the same way—but not at Su Jie’s age.”

“He’s extraordinary,” said Master Luo. “Really impressive. Old Ma, neither of us had that level of mental control, did we?”

“This is just like the line from Journey to the West: ‘Able to be kind, able to be wicked; whether saint or devil is up to him. In goodness, he’s a Buddha or an immortal—in evil, he grows horns and fur.’” said Master Ma. “Give it a month. As we record his physiological data, we’ll likely gain a lot of insight. And during this process, we can pass on some of our knowledge to him. Multiple wins in one go.”

“Su Jie’s physical condition is clearly improving,” said Master Luo. “The fetal state involves curling up, while the Great Corpse State is all about stretching out. Switching between the two mental states and postures is making his body even stronger. This has to be documented. Looks like our hypothesis was right.”

Su Jie used to sleep in the Great Corpse State—fully spread out.

Now, he alternated unconsciously—sprawling for a while, then curling into a fetal position, then sprawling again.

And with every switch, his body became more comfortable, more powerful.