“How did your coach train you?” Su Jie asked. He did not immediately tell Liu Guan what he should do next—to “sever,” and then to “clarify.”
He wanted to see how Liu Guan had studied at Blackwater Training Camp.
“Master Blackwater said that for someone at my level to reach the exceptional, I must break through in psychological quality. He told me that to be exceptional, one’s mindset must first be exceptional—to have a God’s-eye view. God sees all living beings as lambs. God sees that all beings are filled with sin, and so He sounds the trumpet of doom to destroy the world.” Liu Guan did not elaborate on the specifics of his training, but from this passage alone, Su Jie could see the path of his cultivation.
It was exactly the same as Feng Hengyi’s.
“Exceptional” was a benchmark used by various training camps.
In traditional martial arts cultivation, Su Jie’s level was called “Living Dead,” also known as “Divine Enlightenment.” In modern training systems, however, they classified by physical constitution.
Larich’s life sciences laboratory, having preliminary contacts with many training camps, divided human constitution into: extremely weak, weak, normal, strong, super-strong, exceptional.
Some divisions were even simpler. People like Zhang Manman and a group of bounty hunters used D, C, B, A, S.
They classified normal people as D, and so on up. Those who reached S-level were people like Su Jie.
But whether using “strong” or letters, neither was truly the same as the realm of mind.
For example, Su Jie was “exceptional”—S-class. But someone like Yang Shu, a Tai Chi grandmaster, though he shared the same realm as Su Jie, might not even rank as A in the dark world.
Because Gu Yang was at the peak of A-class. If Gu Yang received a mission to assassinate Yang Shu, the success rate would be very high.
As for Liu Guan before him, his ability was undoubtedly also at the peak of A-class—super-strong. But his mental cultivation was somewhat weaker. Su Jie could see that according to the seven levels of Minglun, he was at “tranquility” and had not yet touched “severance.”
Stability, stillness, tranquility—these came from Confucianism. In principle, following Confucian cultivation of spirit and moral standards, reaching “tranquility” was only a matter of time.
But “severance” came from Zen Buddhism—very difficult to grasp. Even if told the method, a person might not succeed in “severing,” in cutting cleanly.
In this life, there were too many things one could not abandon.
In Su Jie’s view, although Liu Guan was very capable, skilled in combat techniques, and had undergone much training, he was still far from the Living Dead realm.
He was a smaller version of Feng Hengyi.
Feng Hengyi had not reached the Living Dead realm, yet even those who had might not be able to escape his killing.
Feng Hengyi’s physical constitution was too formidable—unfathomable. And his realm of “severance” was deeply terrifying—he had already entered the demonic path.
The demonic path was not necessarily a bad thing.
In fact, even though Liu Guanglie had summarized the seven levels of Minglun, it did not necessarily mean his method was correct.
Even the Living Dead realm did not require everyone to follow this path of cultivation.
Perhaps in the future, other psychological training methods would replace it.
Su Jie did not believe this set was the absolute truth.
Take science: on Earth, the law of universal gravitation holds true. But perhaps in some parts of the universe, universal gravitation is not the truth. Indeed, what is currently considered correct science might all be wrong.
Perhaps Feng Hengyi’s deeper “severance”—the psychological training after entering the demonic path—was actually correct? Could it lead to the highest peak, turning a person into a cold-blooded, emotionless creature, and at the extreme, make them even stronger?
Su Jie, now gradually studying the connection between psychology and kinesiology, understood that the Living Dead realm was actually a path of harmony between yin and yang—a synthesis of life and death, of humanity and inhumanity.
It was the Middle Way.
Feng Hengyi was going further and further down the path of inhumanity—still moving forward.
The road ahead had no end. No one knew who was correct.
If Heaven had feelings, Heaven too would grow old.
Perhaps Feng Hengyi’s path aligned with the Way of Heaven?
God sees all beings as lambs, not as equals. This mindset was what it meant to be exceptional.
The seven levels of Minglun, the Living Dead—ultimately, they were still “human.” They treated themselves as human.
These two mindsets were completely different.
In the single question Liu Guan had asked, Su Jie had considered many things in an instant.
Liu Guan’s method of cultivation alone was enough for Su Jie to write a lengthy paper for discussion and research.
Which was superior? For now, there was no conclusion.
“Through long-term psychological suggestion, believing oneself to be above ordinary people—even not human, but a higher life form, a god—through this training of psychological suggestion, combined with physical superiority, over time one naturally develops an inhuman quality. This quality penetrates deep into the bones, subtly influencing the genes and greatly improving many functions of the brain, gradually eliminating some of human weaknesses,” Su Jie nodded.
“What you said is exactly what Master Blackwater said. He said that through this inhuman mindset training, one can eliminate the weaknesses of human nature and transform it into divinity,” Liu Guan said. “At Blackwater Training Camp, they conducted a century-long experiment, analyzing every weakness of human nature. Through supercomputer simulation, they discovered that if all weaknesses in human nature could be eliminated, humans would become gods.”
“Do you have any of Blackwater Training Camp’s research reports and data?” Su Jie asked. His interest was instantly piqued.
This was crucial for his research.
He did not have much data on the study of human weaknesses.
If he could obtain Blackwater Training Camp’s research materials, Su Jie could definitely advance his psychological research further. With such a vast accumulation of knowledge, he would certainly be able to step into the realm of “enlightenment.”
According to Liu Guanglie, the realm of “enlightenment” relied on sudden, fortuitous comprehension.
But Su Jie believed this was a matter of luck. True advancement in realm was like doing science—accumulating knowledge, peeling back layers one by one, analyzing clearly, and then it would naturally follow.
Comprehension relied on chance.
Science followed inevitable laws.
Comprehension could not be mass-produced. Science could.
“No. How could I possibly get that?” Liu Guan shook his head.
Su Jie now understood the importance of data.
“You should continue training according to Master Blackwater’s teachings,” Su Jie said. “You’re already accustomed to that training. My system isn’t very suitable for you. If I forced you to change, your psyche would likely develop major problems—it would be like demolishing your worldview and rebuilding it.”
Physical movements could be changed. For example, a professional boxer could also learn Taekwondo or Judo, and with a foundation in sports, they would learn quickly.
But psychological training was different. Once it was set, demolishing and rebuilding it was like completely tearing down one’s established worldview, philosophy of life, and values.
Just as Su Jie could not now go and learn Blackwater Training Camp’s system—treating himself as a god, gradually becoming inhuman in character. His path was the unity of heaven and man, the Middle Way—humanity and nature as one.
“I still prefer the path of unity between heaven and man,” Liu Guan said. “I’ve always felt that Master Blackwater’s system, though reasonable, is something I just can’t accept. That’s why I haven’t been able to advance. I’m still Chinese. I was raised with this culture since childhood—my way of thinking is different.”
“That’s fine,” Su Jie nodded. “Indeed, we Easterners are more receptive to the Middle Way. It seems your childhood practice of Tai Chi also influenced you.”
Liu Shi loved Tai Chi and had trained his son since childhood. Influenced by it, he was certainly affected by its culture.
“I hope to receive your guidance,” Liu Guan said directly.
He was about twenty-five or twenty-six, while Su Jie was only eighteen. But he did not underestimate Su Jie because of his age—having come out of Blackwater Training Camp, he had developed the habit of respecting only true ability.
“Fine.” Su Jie thought again of the “Nine Palaces Great Yu Thunder Section Orthodox Method.” There was no reason not to teach it to Liu Guan.
After practicing it, Liu Guan could provide valuable data and experience, contributing to the study of this technique.
The more people who practiced a technique, the better—because with more people, there were more researchers. The combined wisdom of many would inevitably push the technique to new heights.
“You’ve been talking for a while now—can we stop?” Liu Xiaoguo finally spoke.
She was about twenty-three. Watching Su Jie and her brother Liu Guan’s contest, she was also quite interested. Influenced by Liu Shi, she had also practiced Tai Chi and even studied some fighting, but only at an amateur level. Her skills were only somewhat better than an ordinary person’s—she would probably struggle against an untrained strong man. She could not compare to Xia Yi or Song Qiong.
However, Su Jie could see that her limbs were as soft as if boneless, with excellent coordination—long tendons and a thin back, the back spreading like leaves. This came from purely practicing shaping yoga.
An inch of tendon adds ten years of life. A thinner back adds thirty years.
“Go ahead,” Liu Guan signaled.
“Dad, when are you going back? I think your future itinerary needs to change,” Liu Xiaoguo said. “You plan to fly from Japan to Europe for business negotiations, but that’s too dangerous. Shouldn’t you send someone else to negotiate in your place?”
“You want Wen Ting to go in my place?” Liu Shi seemed to know his daughter’s meaning.
“He should get some experience,” Liu Xiaoguo said.
“Is Wen Ting here now?” Liu Shi asked.
“No. He’s still negotiating the acquisition of Haoyu Film and Television. He’s trying to close that deal,” Liu Xiaoguo said. “This should be nearing success. Haoyu Film and Television is a major obstacle to our expansion plans. Once the acquisition succeeds, we can catch Mingxia off guard.”
“Is that so? The Feng family is actually willing to give up their film and television division?” Liu Shi was somewhat surprised. “Just a while ago, they were cooperating with Liu Zihao, preparing for a big push. How did Wen Ting manage that?”