Tiger Crane Double Form Fist

However, Madam Shan Min did not live separately from Scholar Dan all the time. As the Dragon Boat Festival, New Year's Day, and Mid-Autumn Festival approached, she would return to the Dan family.

When Scholar Dan said this, Wei Tu guessed that Madam Shan Min might have sent a letter saying she would be back in the next few days.

After presenting the gift for apprenticeship.

Martial Graduate Dan's attitude towards teaching Wei Tu didn't change much; it was still the same as before, except that his tone of voice had softened a bit.

It wasn't as hurried as before.

Half a month later.

After Wei Tu's archery skills had greatly improved, Martial Graduate Dan led him into his living quarters.

Martial Graduate Dan dismissed the maids in the room, then bent down and pried open a bluestone brick under the offering table. From beneath it, he retrieved a red wooden box about seven inches long.

"With the Stance Training of the Health Cultivation Technique by your side, practicing martial arts and improving your physique is already sufficient."

"But a martial artist not only needs a strong body but also needs to learn the art of killing."

Martial Graduate Dan glanced at Wei Tu, his eyes filled with emotion, and said solemnly.

In fact, by taking Wei Tu as his disciple, he had gotten a great bargain.

Wei Tu had mastered the Health Cultivation Technique and was already familiar with the thirty-two forms of Stance Training in the Turtle Breath Qi Cultivation Technique. Although these thirty-two forms were only basic stances, they were enough to build his foundation in the Martial Way.

In other words.

Before he had taken him as a disciple, Wei Tu's foundation in the Martial Way was already solid.

All that was lacking were the methods of combat and fighting techniques.

These combat and fighting techniques, in practice, translated to archery, fist techniques, and saber techniques...

"The Archer's Stance is the foundation of archery and also the foundation of fist techniques. In your month of practicing archery, you have also unintentionally learned a small part of my fist techniques."

Martial Graduate Dan said slowly.

After speaking, Martial Graduate Dan opened the red wooden box in his hand, took out a yellowed booklet, and handed it to Wei Tu.

"This is the Fist Manual for the Tiger Crane Double Form Fist, and it is also the foundation of our lineage's martial arts. Only after mastering the Tiger Crane Double Form Fist can you proceed to the next step of saber technique practice."

"I don't have high expectations for you, but I want you to master the Tiger Form Fist within a month."

"At that time, I will teach you a part of the saber techniques related to the Tiger Form Fist. If you practice well for the 'Saber Dance' examination, you can at least aim for a Grade B in the Dao Examination."

"Grade B in the Dao Examination?" Hearing this, Wei Tu's eyes brightened slightly.

The Martial Arts Examination, like the civil examination, was divided into the County Examination, Prefectural Examination, Dao Examination, and Provincial Examination.

After completing the County and Prefectural Examinations, one only obtained the status of a Martial Student. A Martial Student was not an official position but rather the qualification to participate in the Dao Examination.

Only after passing the Dao Examination and achieving a result could one obtain the official position of "Martial Scholar."

The Provincial Examination led to the "Martial Graduate" position.

At this moment, Martial Graduate Dan said that if he mastered a part of the saber techniques, he would have a chance to achieve a Grade B in the 'Saber Dance' portion of the Dao Examination.

A Grade B was indeed not a low achievement.

If one achieved Grade B in all subjects of the Dao Examination, and if the candidates for this year's Martial Arts Examination were of lower caliber, it was possible to obtain the position of Martial Scholar.

"Thank you, Master." Wei Tu's face showed gratitude. He took the yellowed booklet with both hands and bowed deeply to Martial Graduate Dan.

"Go and practice."

Martial Graduate Dan smiled with satisfaction, patted Wei Tu's shoulder, waved his hand, and signaled Wei Tu to leave.

"Master, wait a moment."

"There is one thing your disciple does not understand."

Wei Tu, who was at the doorway, suddenly thought of something. He stopped, hesitated for a moment, turned around, bowed to Martial Graduate Dan again, and said.

"What is it?" Martial Graduate Dan looked at Wei Tu with surprise.

Having spent several months together, he understood Wei Tu's personality well and knew that this disciple of his was very polite, even somewhat deferential.

—The cooking oil in the lamps in the side rooms was used very sparingly, as was the paper and ink. When they ran out, he wouldn't ask the maids for more but would purchase them from town at his own expense.

To say that Wei Tu was not open with him would also be incorrect... When faced with difficult questions about military strategy or archery, Wei Tu would frequently come to him, his Master, for advice without hesitation.

The maids in the house would refill the oil lamps and replenish the paper and ink in the side rooms, and he did not refuse.

Later, Martial Graduate Dan finally understood the reason behind Wei Tu's actions. It was because he had been poor for so long that he understood propriety and knew that acting this way would prevent him from being looked down upon.

Now, he had just given Wei Tu the fist technique booklet. According to logic, this somewhat deferential disciple would not turn back to ask questions but would quietly study the fist manual and practice his stances.

"Master, do you know about the Qi Sensing Realm? Your disciple... read about it in the preface of the Turtle Breath Qi Cultivation Technique..."

At this moment, Wei Tu voiced the question that had been weighing on his mind for a long time.

After becoming Scholar Dan's disciple, he had initially expected Scholar Dan to mention the "Qi Sensing Realm" during their daily lessons.

But to his surprise, after several months, he hadn't heard the words "Qi Sensing Realm" from Scholar Dan at all.

"The Qi Sensing Realm?"

Martial Graduate Dan was taken aback when he heard that. He hadn't expected Wei Tu's question to be related to this.

After a moment of thought, he carefully chose his words and said, "Martial Way cultivation is divided into internal and external. This refers to the distinction between True Internal Martial Arts Techniques and external martial arts."

"The Qi Sensing Realm is the first minor realm of cultivation for True Internal Martial Arts Techniques."

"It's just the first minor realm of True Internal Martial Arts Techniques?" Wei Tu's heart sank considerably upon hearing this.

He had been practicing the Health Cultivation Technique for so long. According to the hint from his "Late Bloomer" Destiny, he needed to practice "nine times a day" and it would take five years to enter the Qi Sensing Realm.

And this was still just the first minor realm of internal energy cultivation.

If the Qi Sensing Realm was this difficult, then the subsequent realms... wouldn't they be even harder to cultivate?

"Don't be so self-deprecating," Martial Graduate Dan seemed to sense Wei Tu's thoughts and shook his head. "The Health Cultivation Technique manual you have describes a method of cultivating internal energy from the outside in. It doesn't mean that external martial arts are inferior to internal martial arts."

"On the contrary, when external martial arts are mastered, the fierce internal energy cultivated can be ten times more potent than internal energy cultivated through True Internal Martial Arts Techniques!"

Upon hearing this.

Wei Tu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He also cursed himself for being foolish, for not having considered this point.

The Health Cultivation Technique only had Stance Training, and lacked the legendary methods of True Internal Martial Arts Techniques for circulating internal energy through the meridians and widening them.

It was clearly not a True Internal Martial Arts Technique.

"Furthermore, generally speaking, Internal Martial Masters are far weaker than External Martial Masters."

"An Internal Martial Master meditating for decades would not possess the same formidable strength as an External Martial Master who has spent years tempering their body."

"Otherwise, all the martial artists in the world would be Internal Martial Masters."

"And they would be the ones winning the Martial Arts Examinations," Martial Graduate Dan added.

"However, if one can enter the Qi Sensing Realm, cultivating both internal and external is beneficial," Martial Graduate Dan mused for a moment before saying. "External Martial Masters, due to their early body tempering and tendency towards aggression, are prone to depleting their Blood Essence and sustaining hidden injuries. If they can become Internal Martial Masters, they can use their internal energy to heal these injuries..."

"The 'Tiger Crane Double Form Fist' I gave you, like your Health Cultivation Technique, has the potential to cultivate internal energy from the outside in if practiced for a long time, allowing you to enter the Qi Sensing Realm."