NOVEL WEB Chapter 60: Human Anatomy
On his way, Ling Yi greeted several groups of injured people and chatted briefly with Old Man Yao who was drying herbs. After that, he returned to his own tent located at the corner.
As he approached, patches of blue caught his eye, and the refreshing scent of herbs filled his nostrils, soothing his lungs.
It was the Blue Silver Grass, a high-quality batch of seeds, carefully nurtured by Ling Yi himself.
Around Ling Yi's tent, within a hundred-meter radius, seven or eight other tents were surrounded by this Blue Silver Grass.
Inside his tent, Ling Yi placed his long-handled battle axe on the weapon rack, glanced at the other three weapons, and shook his head, exhaling a long sigh.
The saber, steel spear, iron staff, and the long-handled battle axe—four weapons forged by his own hands, each with five hundred folds. Except for the saber, the other three were still too heavy for Ling Yi to wield for long periods.
Ultimately, it was because he was still young, his body had not fully developed, and his strength was still lacking.
While other protagonists at the age of eleven were often at the twenty-plus level, contemplating which millennium spirit beast to choose for their third spirit ring, Ling Yi had only just reached a spirit power level slightly above twelve.
Thanks to his first spirit ability, 'Brimming Vitality,' which nurtures the body and heals internal injuries, Ling Yi had been able to slightly intensify his physical training in the past six months.
Whether it was executing the thirty-six styles of 'Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique,' researching how to use counterforce to temper his body, or delving deeper into the 'Three Farmer Styles' and 'Basic Body Conditioning Techniques' to enhance their effectiveness, Ling Yi was slowly exploring and validating each step.
As of today, in terms of physique alone, Ling Yi, standing just over 1.7 meters tall, wields a strength of nearly four hundred pounds. In the ancient times of his previous life, with his mastery in handling both long and short weapons, he'd surely be considered a promising young warrior.
Approaching a prepared tub of warm water, Ling Yi casually stripped off his clothes, first washing his feet before leaping in for a soak.
After a thorough scrub, feeling refreshed, Ling Yi donned clean clothes and lay down on his bed. He closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds, surrounded by the 'Blue Silver Grass' on all sides.
At this moment, within a hundred-meter radius, the 'Blue Silver Grass' transformed into specks of pale blue starlight, manifesting within Ling Yi's consciousness.
In deep sleep, autonomously entering a state of profound rest, Ling Yi's formidable mental strength kept him acutely aware of his surroundings without hindering the quality of his physical and spiritual recovery.
This state was quite peculiar, as if his spirit was divided into two parts: one used daily during his waking hours and the other, usually dormant, that awakened and took over his body during deep sleep.
Whether it was the various apertures and meridians of the body drawing in the spiritual energy from the heavens and earth, the automatic adjustment and coordination of various organs, the rapid absorption of nutrients, or the keen perception of all external movements—this other part of his spirit operated autonomously.
In this state, Ling Yi combined his previous life's knowledge and imaginative theories from various novels he had read, temporarily classifying it under the 'Theory of Three Selves'—the Id, the True Self, and the Superego!
The 'Theory of Three Selves' is analyzed from three perspectives: time, yin and yang, and biology.
From the perspective of time: the Id is my past self; the True Self is my present self; the Superego is my future self.
To speak of Yin and Yang, the original self is the primal me, devoid of black and white; the true self is the evolving me, harmonizing Yin and Yang; the transcendent self is the detached me, where chaos returns to unity.
In biological terms, the original self is my instinctual self; the true self is my coordinated self; the transcendent self is my ideal self.
Now, given Ling Yi's vast knowledge, he feels like a fledgling at the edge of an ocean of wisdom, gingerly extending a small claw to touch the very fringe of the sea, tasting just a hint of its saltiness.
Time is too profound and Yin-Yang too esoteric. Ling Yi is only familiar with their names and superficial meanings. As he embarks on this journey, not having found his path yet, he has no intention of delving too deeply into these complexities.
Focusing on the biological perspective, Ling Yi categorizes his daily state as the self, while his state during deep sleep is the awakening of the primal self.
When he fully mobilizes his mental faculties, significantly enhances his senses, and his mind becomes highly active, this peak of learning ability may be an initial manifestation of his transcendent self.
After two quarters of an hour, Ling Yi opened his eyes, and a phrase suddenly emerged in his mind.
Unbidden, this insight surged from within, and Ling Yi muttered it several times, tucking it deep into his consciousness, intending to ponder over it in detail later.
Having had a restful sleep, Ling Yi awoke refreshed, sensing that not only had his soul power completely recovered, but it had also slightly advanced. His body was brimming with vitality and energy, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
He stepped over to a desk opposite the weapon rack on the other side of the tent. Eight or so thick books, neatly stacked, were placed in the corner of the desk.
Linyue set aside the top few books on the stack and picked up the last three, placing them on the desk in front of him. He sat down on a chair beneath him.
The books set aside had a title on top, written plainly on the cover: "Martial Soul of Weaponry—Linyue."
In front of Linyue, three books lay spread apart, each with its own title:
"An Introduction to Human Anatomy—Linyue,"
"The Inextricable Relationship Between Soul Power and Human Meridians—Linyue,"
"The Basic Principles of Soul Techniques—Linyue."
He scanned through the three books, the scent of ink mingling with the smell of paper. Linyue placed the "Soul Power" and "Soul Techniques" books, which had content only in the first seven or eight pages, on the stack with the "Weaponry" book. He opened "An Introduction to Human Anatomy" before him and turned to page twenty-three, his eyes settling on the ink marks that covered half the page.
Picking up a pen, Linyue's eyes momentarily wandered into nothingness, before focusing with determination. His pen began to trace across the page:
‘Injured Patient No. 113, fracture in the left ankle joint, the state of the bones differs from the muscular, vascular, and skin conditions seen in Patient No. 27's shin tibia-fibula fracture... Similarities noted... Differences highlighted...'
One line at a time, Linyue wrote meticulously. Upon completing his writing, he retrieved a crisp white sheet of paper from a drawer under the desk, and started sketching on it with his pen.
Swift strokes of the brush, and a drawing of a human lower leg, complete with foot, emerged under Ling Yi's pen. The detailed depiction of bones, blood vessels, and muscles gave it a slightly eerie appearance.
Satisfied with his work after meticulously observing it, Ling Yi put his brush down and nodded approvingly.
After a brief pause, Ling Yi pulled out another stack of papers from a different drawer and neatly spread them out alongside the freshly finished drawing on the desk.
Left hand, left arm, right hand, right arm, legs, feet, arms, waist, rib cage...
Each sheet contained a meticulously drawn body part. To the unknowing eye, such a display might deem him an eccentric or even a wayward soul master.
His calm gaze swept over each illustration before resting on the center of the array.
There, on the wooden desk, was an empty space—paperless and bare.
Though his expression remained unchanged, a whisper echoed in his mind: "The progress is a bit slow. It's time to scrutinize the internal organs..."
(End of Chapter)
