Advancing to Entering Martial Master

Lin Zhao stared at the Proficiency Panel that appeared in his mind, a surge of martial ambition almost bursting from his chest—the text on the panel was a testament to his six years of arduous cultivation:

- Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique: Third Tier (Perfection, can break through), Internal Breath Refinement 98%

- Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique: Third Tier (335/10000), Internal Breath Attribute: Silver Frost (Increased Speed, Stealth)

- "Three Talents Slash": Third Tier (9672/10000), Special Effect: Advanced Shocking Force (Infusing Internal Breath can shatter Mystic Iron)

- Beast Taming: Third Tier (Perfection), Special Effect: Heart of the Tamer (Can roughly communicate with Mystic Arm Snow Apes)

- Martial Blacksmithing: Third Tier (6897/10000), Special Effect: Guaranteed Exquisite (Pulse Protecting Pattern compatibility +30%)

Let's start with the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique. Ever since he began practicing the "Heart Meridian Qi Gathering Method" taught by Zhao Tieying and taking an Ink Flood Dragon Body Tempering Pill every morning at dawn, his Internal Breath progression had been two-thirds faster than expected. Now, his Internal Breath had formed a "vortex" within his meridians, touching the threshold of Third Tier Perfection.

However, this was not the end—to advance the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique to the Fourth Tier, one must first pass the "Heart Meridian Qi Seed" stage: all the Internal Breath in the body must be gathered into the Heart Meridian to form a "Mystic Dragon Seed."

Once successful, he would no longer be a mere "Novice Martial Master" hovering at the threshold, but a true "Entering Martial Master." Only then would he have a genuine foundation for survival in this chaotic, high-martial world.

As for the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique, it was originally a bloodline breathing exercise from a minor noble family in the north, with a more agile style that perfectly complemented the Yin and defensive nature of the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique.

Moreover, Lin Zhao already had the foundation of a Novice Martial Master. After inscribing the technique into his Proficiency Panel, practicing it became effortless—bloodline breathing exercises were inherently "difficult to start, easy to advance." Now, with the panel's assistance, his Internal Breath steadily grew each day simply by consuming Mystic Mane Fierce Wolf meat for nourishment.

The improvements brought by this breathing technique were also tangible: his movement techniques were several times more agile than before, especially his "Silver Frost Steps" underfoot, which allowed him to sprint like a monkey even on the rocky slopes of Qixia Mountain.

A few days ago, when he tested his skills in the deeper parts of the mountain, he was surrounded and attacked by over a dozen Mystic Mane Fierce Wolves. Without any armor, he relied solely on the dual techniques and the "Three Talents Slash" to defeat the wolf pack within the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn—a level of strength that far surpassed the Novice Martial Master realm. Even an ordinary Entering Martial Master fighting bare-handed might not have been able to achieve such ease.

Next, the "Three Talents Slash" was also nearing the breakthrough threshold.

If all went as expected, after refining the last batch of armor next month, he would be able to enter the Fourth Tier and master the long-awaited "Entangling Force"—Qi Force that could wrap around a blade, capable of deflecting the opponent's Internal Breath during a strike, a crucial technique for defeating enemies.

This morning, Lin Zhao stood on the arrow tower of Lin Family Fortress, watching Zhao Tieying, with his Mystic Iron Saber slung across his back, lead over a dozen sturdy villagers and Western Frontier Snow-Treading Colts laden with goods westward along the official road—it was time to deliver armor to the "Iron Mask" Martial Masters of the Northern Garrison.

During this period, he had forged twenty-two sets of Mystic Iron Plate Armor with Pulse Protecting Patterns. Five sets were kept for the five Squad Leaders in the fortress, and the remaining seventeen sets were to be delivered by Zhao Tieying to the Northern Garrison City. He also asked Zhao Tieying to inquire about Pangolin Dragon Essence at the Xuanyao Tavern—ever since the "White Horse General" Zhu Chenhao monopolized Pangolin Dragon Essence, his Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine was running low. If he couldn't find a new source, his subsequent cultivation would likely slow down.

In the past, he handled these matters himself. However, recently, he had been feeling a restless surge of Internal Breath in his Heart Meridian, signaling that the time for "Heart Meridian Qi Seed" was approaching. How could he afford to delay?

Zhao Tieying was a veteran general at the Peak Martial Master realm, and he handled matters reliably. With him overseeing the delivery, there would be no mistakes.

"There are still over a thousand taels of silver in the accounts. With this batch of armor sold, it should bring in at least another fifteen hundred taels. With twenty-five hundred taels in hand, it should be enough for me to safely advance to Entering Martial Master," Lin Zhao watched the Snow-Treading Colt convoy disappear into the morning mist, muttering a few words. He turned and descended the arrow tower, returning to the main office in the center of the fortress. He closed the door behind him—the next step was the critical moment of breakthrough.

Ever since he began practicing the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique with his father at the age of six, progressing from "Martial Trainee" to "Novice Martial Master," a full six years had passed. He had finally reached this point. Once successful, he would no longer have to bow his head to every Entering Martial Master he encountered—while Entering Martial Masters couldn't roam freely in the north, they were sufficient to handle situations around the Northern Garrison.

In the back room of the main office, Lin Zhao moved the wheat cakes and clear water on the desk aside and sat cross-legged on a Mystic Iron rush mat—this mat was his father's memento, filled with Northern Desert camel down, which could stabilize Internal Breath and was perfect for breakthroughs.

He gazed at the ink painting of "Mystic Dragon Emerging from the Sea" on the wall. Following Zhao Tieying's "Heart Meridian Qi Gathering Method," he slowly closed his eyes and began circulating the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique.

According to Northern martial arts texts, the "Mystic Dragon Seed" was not formed in the "Dantian" like in Daoist cultivation, but required gathering Qi in the "Heart Meridian"—the heart was the source of Internal Breath. Only by forming a Qi Seed here could the Internal Breath circulation become smoother, and the subsequent breakthrough to Peak Martial Master would be less perilous.

The Mystic Dragon Internal Breath flowed through his meridians at a speed far exceeding normal. Lin Zhao repeatedly practiced the "Mystic Dragon Coiling Pillar" stance, his muscles bulging like ancient tree roots, every inch of his physique filled with latent power.

Soon, steaming white vapor rose from the top of his head, and his short tunic was instantly soaked with sweat—he could clearly feel his body rapidly losing moisture but dared not drink water for fear of disrupting his Internal Breath circulation.

His throat was parched, and Lin Zhao endured the dizziness of dehydration, his Internal Breath circulation becoming even more rapid.

His blood seemed to thicken as his Internal Breath boiled, and his heartbeat slowed—he knew this was an unavoidable danger of "Heart Meridian Qi Seed" formation: if the Internal Breath was insufficient, the Qi Seed would be difficult to form; if the Internal Breath was too volatile, it could injure the Heart Meridian.

"I will succeed!" Lin Zhao roared in his mind.

Every point of progress on this Proficiency Panel was earned through his swords, his hammers, and his three daily practices. How could he possibly fail now!

Boom!

Just as the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique reached its peak, a torrent of majestic Internal Breath surged from his limbs and bones, rushing towards his Heart Meridian like a tide through his blood vessels—a piercing agony suddenly erupted in his left chest, as if a blunt knife was churning within his organs.

Lin Zhao knew this was the critical moment of "Qi Seed solidification": before the Internal Breath touched the Heart Meridian, he could still give up; once the Qi Force entered the meridian, there was no turning back—success meant becoming an Entering Martial Master; failure meant his Heart Meridian would rupture and he would die. Many Novice Martial Masters had met their demise at this very step due to a lack of willpower or an unstable foundation.

Fortunately, the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique was a high-grade Northern breathing technique, and the risk of forming the seed was inherently lower than with ordinary methods; moreover, his Internal Breath was solidly refined through the Proficiency Panel, without any shallowness.

Finally, after enduring the bone-piercing pain for the time it took an incense stick to burn, Lin Zhao, pale-faced, let out a long sigh of relief—he could clearly sense a warm, flowing heat in his Heart Meridian, pulsing gently with each breath.

"I, Lin Zhao, from this day forward, am an Entering Martial Master!" He abruptly opened his eyes, a flash of black light appearing within them—a sign of the Mystic Dragon Internal Breath overflowing.

Although he lacked the ability to see through things, the moment he stepped into the Entering Martial Master realm, he could vaguely perceive: a faint, black Internal Qi coiled around the surface of his Heart Meridian, shaped like a curled-up Mystic Dragon, with countless fine threads extending from its tip, crawling like capillaries all over his Heart Meridian and closely connected to his entire vascular system—this was the unique "Mystic Dragon Seed" of the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique.

From now on, the Blood Essence converted from the grains and meat he consumed would flow to his Heart Meridian through his blood vessels, fueling the growth of the Mystic Dragon Seed; and the Internal Qi emanating from the Mystic Dragon Seed, guided by the breathing technique, would flow through his blood vessels to his limbs and bones—this was the "Heavenly Cycle Circulation" of the Mystic Dragon Internal Breath, the fundamental difference between an Entering Martial Master and a Novice Martial Master.

With a slight movement of Lin Zhao's mind, the Mystic Dragon Seed seemed to act like a controllable organ. A wisp of weak black Qi floated out from the seed and traveled with his blood towards his arms. In the blink of an eye, a winding layer of black Qi reappeared on the back of his forearm, his muscles tensing. When he touched it, it felt rough and tough like old cowhide—this was the martial art special effect of the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique.

"The Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique inherently emphasizes defense. This Qi first condenses on the forearm, allowing me to block weapons with my bare hands," he mused inwardly. He then tried to move the black Qi to his palm—half an incense stick later, the black Qi on his forearm dissipated, but a thin, cicada-wing-like film of Qi appeared on his palm.

This discovery delighted him. He tried to move it to his left chest but there was no response—at his current level, the Mystic Dragon Internal Qi could only circulate in small areas like his palms and forearms.

To cover his entire body with black Qi, he needed to nurture the Mystic Dragon Seed further. If he could reach the Peak Martial Master realm like Zhao Tieying, he might even be able to envelop his torso in black Qi, forming true "Mystic Dragon Aura"!

After quickly eating two large meat patties to replenish his strength, Lin Zhao checked his Proficiency Panel again, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips:

- Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique: Fourth Tier (1/20000), Special Effect: Basic Mystic Dragon Defense (Mystic Dragon Internal Qi forms a Qi film, capable of blocking blunt weapon strikes and weakening sharp weapon injuries)

"Finally broke through to Fourth Tier, and even got a martial art special effect!" He clenched his fist, and the black Qi in his palm flashed and disappeared—how could he know the depth of this special effect without trying it himself? With Zhao Tieying absent, Lin Zhao pondered for a moment and then strode towards the "Mystic Arm Snow Ape Garden" in the fortress's backyard—there, he kept three Mystic Arm Snow Apes he had rescued three years ago, named Yuan Da, Yuan Er, and Yuan San. They had become valuable helpers in the fortress, each possessing the strength of a Novice Martial Master.

As soon as he reached the garden entrance, he saw the three brothers lazily leaning by a rockery, gnawing on dried White Scale Flood Dragon meat with gusto, looking like lazy villagers shirking work. "Yuan Er, come here!" Lin Zhao called—among the three brothers, only Yuan Er had the steadiest temperament. Hearing his call, it immediately dropped its meat and trotted over, standing on its hind legs and preparing to leap into his arms.

This Mystic Arm Snow Ape was nearly three years old, stood two zhang tall when on its hind legs, and weighed eight hundred jin. Standing before it, Lin Zhao seemed as small as a child. If he hadn't just broken through to Entering Martial Master and stabilized his Internal Breath, Yuan Er's pounce, even with restrained force, would have sent him stumbling.

"Don't rub! You'll lick my skin off!" Lin Zhao laughingly pushed away Yuan Er's large head. "Come, use your right paw and strike my palm with fifty percent of your strength."

Yuan Er let out a low growl, shaking its head like a rattle—though it was intelligent, it knew its own strength and wouldn't dare to truly attack its master. It tilted its head, looking at Lin Zhao with eyes full of confusion, as if asking, "Is Master crazy?"

"It's alright, this is an order, just do it," Lin Zhao patted its back. Yuan Da and Yuan San also came closer, lying nearby to watch the spectacle. Yuan San even excitedly waved its claws, looking eager to try. "You step back, you don't know how to control your strength," Lin Zhao waved Yuan San away, sending it a short distance.

After a while, Yuan Er tensed its body, raising its right claw slightly, retracting its talons—though it didn't understand the Martial Path, it knew not to harm its master. Lin Zhao also removed his short tunic, standing bare-chested, not even wearing his lightweight chainmail underneath. He focused his internal breath, and the dark energy from the Mystic Dragon Seed slowly surged towards his palms.

"Come!"

At Lin Zhao's command, Yuan Er let out a low growl and its right claw swiped through the air—the gust of wind made Lin Zhao's face tingle. This fifty percent effort was likely stronger than a full-power strike from an ordinary novice Martial Master!

"Good!"

Lin Zhao advanced instead of retreating, bringing out both palms. Mystic Dragon internal breath condensed into a thin film in his palms, and he directly took the claw strike!

Bang!

With a dull thud, Lin Zhao was sent sliding back three feet, the bluestone beneath his feet cracking. Yet, his palms felt no pain—though the Mystic Dragon Qi film rippled, it didn't break, and the flesh beneath was completely unharmed.

"Hahaha, again!"

Lin Zhao's eyes lit up, and he charged forward again. Man and ape began to wrestle in the garden, Yuan Da and Yuan San cheering them on from the side. The garden was filled with the dull thuds of clashing fists and the cries of apes.

Half an hour later, Yuan Er collapsed on the ground, panting heavily, its long tongue hanging out, clearly exhausted.

Lin Zhao's forehead was beaded with sweat, but his spirits were high—the Qi film in his palms broke and reformed. As long as the internal breath from the Mystic Dragon Seed wasn't depleted, it could continuously repair itself.

After a series of tests, he figured it out: when operating the Mystic Dragon internal Qi at full power, the Qi film could withstand a full five minutes—in a battlefield skirmish, five minutes was enough to decide the victor.

However, upon further thought, the amplification from the Mystic Dragon Defense wasn't that heaven-defying—after all, he wore Mystic Iron Plate Armor with a Pulse Protecting Pattern. In ordinary fights, he didn't need to use his internal Qi at all.

"Never mind, I now have a fourth-tier Breathing Exercise, plus the 'Three Talents Slash' which is about to break through to the fourth tier. How can an ordinary Entering Martial Master be my opponent?"

Lin Zhao smiled, put on his short tunic, patted Yuan Er's head, waved to Yuan Da and Yuan San, and turned back to the main office. The System Panel clearly displayed that the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique needed to accumulate twenty thousand proficiency points to break through to the fifth tier (Peak Martial Master realm)—although an Entering Martial Master was already a pillar of Lin Family Fortress, in the Northern Martial Path, they were merely at the very beginning.

The gap between a low-tier Entering Martial Master and a Peak Martial Master was even greater than the gap between a Martial Trainee and an Entering Martial Master: in the northern garrisons, there were likely thousands of Entering Martial Masters, but Peak Martial Masters, throughout the entire jurisdiction of the Northern Garrison Commander's Office, might not even number a hundred.

Lin Zhao gazed at Qixia Mountain outside the window, clenching his fist—this Martial Path was fraught with peril and a long way to go; he still needed to continue honing himself!