Overview:
Forbidden Cultivation Methods are dangerous, morally ambiguous, or taboo techniques that were banned or abandoned due to their risk to the practitioner, others, or the balance of murim society. While some promise immense power, misuse can result in madness, death, or uncontrollable destruction.
Notable Forbidden Methods:
Blood Qi Ascension
Origin: Hermit master from the Crimson Valley
Description: Harnesses the user’s own life force to dramatically amplify Qi, increasing strength and speed.
Risks: High chance of permanent physical damage or death if overused.
Soul Binding Technique
Origin: Lost sect of the Shadow Peaks
Description: Allows the practitioner to bind their Qi to another being, controlling or drawing power from them.
Risks: Can corrupt the practitioner’s mind and make them vulnerable to the bound target’s will.
Eternal Flame Meditation
Origin: Azure Lotus offshoot sect
Description: Channels fire Qi to extreme internal temperatures, boosting elemental power beyond natural limits.
Risks: Internal Qi can become unstable, potentially incinerating the user from within.
Void Step Technique
Origin: Jade Serpent hermit master
Description: Grants the ability to move in ways that appear instantaneous, effectively teleporting short distances.
Risks: Overuse can fracture the body and disrupt Qi alignment permanently.
Iron Soul Pact
Origin: Stone Tiger rogue master
Description: Merges one’s spirit with a weapon or object, vastly increasing power.
Risks: If the weapon is destroyed, the user may lose their life or become irreversibly corrupted.
Impact on Murim:
These methods are mostly relegated to legend, but knowledge of them drives curiosity, rivalry, and dangerous experimentation.
Some sects secretly maintain fragments of these techniques for elite disciples or emergencies.
The presence of forbidden cultivation emphasizes the delicate balance between ambition and morality in murim culture.