CHAPTER 818: CHAPTER 425

"What Dragon Guard Clan, Martial Arts Family, remnants of the previous dynasty..."

Upon hearing this, Ma Donghe couldn’t help but mutter quietly:

"I’ve never seen the family give out a single cent since I was little. I have to pay for water, electricity, and gas myself. Even finding a job or passing civil exams requires pulling strings and begging grandfathers and grandmothers."

Though his voice was soft, Ma Jianguo heard it clear as day and immediately glared, his pent-up momentum about to transform into a scolding.

Ma Donghe shrank his neck and quickly blocked him with words first:

"Dad, don’t be quick to scold me. I just want to ask, our family ancestor was so powerful, who is more powerful between him and that former head of the Special Search Team called Li Guizhen?"

This question stumped Ma Jianguo. He stroked his beard, swallowing the rebuke that had been at the tip of his tongue.

After a moment of contemplation, he replied rather vaguely:

"Hmm... the ancestor was a grandmaster, honored by the court, revered by all, highly esteemed in the Martial Arts world."

"Senior Li, by skill, is indeed strong too. He undertook heavy responsibilities, safeguarding national security, achieving great merits. But, after all, he came later."

Trying to regain some ground, he cleared his throat and added:

"Moreover, back then, to break through bottlenecks, he even specifically borrowed our Ma family’s feng shui treasure land from my grandfather for secluded cultivation using the Visualization Method, only then successfully advancing to the Inner Scenery External Manifestation realm."

Though his narrative of the Ma family history was not without a boastful touch of ancestral glory.

Yet, it also clearly conveyed the core concept of this sect’s Visualization Method—"visualize the extreme yang and rigid thunderfire within the extreme yin and darkness"—to Fang Cheng.

Seizing the momentum, Ma Jianguo proceeded to explain in detail the cultivation points of the three Visualization Method levels to Fang Cheng.

While concentrating and listening, Fang Cheng quickly compared and analyzed these theories with his own experience practicing meditation.

Ma Jianguo’s first step "Establishing Intent" requires establishing an eternal and unchanging core in the Spiritual World.

Fang Cheng immediately thought of the perpetually burning Spiritual Fire in his mind.

Is this the "intent" in the Visualization Method?

The second step "Shaping Realm" involves creating a complete Inner World based on the core.

This reminded him of the Memory Palace he gradually constructed in his Spiritual World using Speed Reading Skill.

The two seem similar, but his Palace feels more like a tool for storing information, a room for consciousness’s temporary resting.

Whereas Ma Jianguo’s description of "Inner World" sounded like an almost-real, self-operating small universe.

What’s most confusing to him is the third step "True Self".

According to Ma Jianguo, one must visualize in the Inner World a "self" completely harmonized with one’s Martial Arts Philosophy and Qi Gong Cultivation, as the dominator of this internal realm.

Fang Cheng was unsure about the mysterious golden light orb in his Memory Palace; what exactly is it?

At most, upon entering, he can only use the Spiritual Resonance ability to establish Spiritual Links with others.

Not yet able to control the entire Spiritual Secret Realm, let alone alter its environment at will according to his desires.

At least, this Memory Palace still shrouded in boundless darkness, making it impossible to see its true entirety.

These queries pertain to his most profound secret, naturally impossible to casually disclose.

After pondering for a moment, Fang Cheng asked inquiringly:

"Master, what is the difference between your ’Shaping Realm’ and merely using external environmental info to simulate and construct a memory-dependent Spirit Space in the mind?"

"Also, how should ’True Self’ be defined and shaped? Does it need external references, gaining inspiration from nature?"

"Your questions hit the spot."

Ma Jianguo approvingly looked at him, explaining:

"Indeed, these questions touch on the fundamental distinction between the Visualization Method and ordinary meditation."

"Our traditional Martial Arts visualization targets one’s own Inner Scenery."

"For instance, visualizing the ’Dantian’ as an ocean of chaos, ’consciousness’ as a sun or moon shining, ’meridians’ as rivers coursing through the body."

"Through such concrete imagination, we can more efficiently absorb external Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, then use intent to guide energy’s operation within the body."

"Simultaneously, continuously simulating and evolving interaction between energy and body during visualization ultimately achieves self-transformation, a path birthed from within."

"Whereas many other cultivation systems visualize external targets, walking the ’from outside to inside’ path."

"For example, various religious sects might have disciples visualize the divine form, the dignity of Buddha statues."

"Then there’s those noble families with long-standing traditions, where members can sense Ancestor Spirit condensed from family lineage through bloodline."

"They borrow power from these external entities through faith and spiritual resonance, strengthening personal spirit, thereby awakening Special Abilities."

"This path, though risky too, compared to our Martial Artist’s Visualization Method, carries significantly lower risk."

"Because they always have a definite external target to reference and rely on."

Upon hearing these, Fang Cheng lowered his gaze in thought for a moment, then looked up at Ma Jianguo attempting to summarize:

"So, ultimately, our Martial Artist’s Visualization Method seeks inwardly, relying on oneself to refine and transform the body little by little, keeping the cultivation initiative entirely in our own hands."