Basic Fist Techniques Perfection!

The second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day...

Every day, the apprentices rose, practiced, and worked according to schedule.

Their time was packed to the brim.

Yet not a single apprentice cried exhaustion. Every one of them gritted their teeth and trained the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique with a fire burning in their hearts.

Still, after several days in a row, no one had been heard of mastering the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique.

Lu Changsheng had also learned some details about the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique.

There was indeed a way to speed up progress: Medicinal Cuisine.

If one consumed specially prepared Medicinal Cuisine every day, progress in the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique would be much faster.

But Medicinal Cuisine was only provided to the Guard Team. Why would it be given to Regular Apprentices?

As for buying it themselves, that was even more impossible.

Regular Apprentices had no wages and not a single coin on them. Where could they get the money to buy Medicinal Cuisine?

In the blink of an eye, eleven days passed.

That day, just as Lu Changsheng and the other apprentices arrived at the square, they heard one apprentice take the initiative to speak. "Elder Liu, I... I think I've sensed my qi and blood."

"Hm? Come over and let me take a look."

Elder Liu's eyes lit up.

Then, a tall and thin apprentice stepped before Elder Liu and held out his hand.

Elder Liu grasped the apprentice's hand, then closed his eyes.

"Not bad. You've indeed entered the gate."

"To enter the gate in eleven days, your aptitude is quite good."

"Good. From today onward, you no longer need to do the work of a Menial Apprentice. Go straight to the Guard Team. Practice every day with Medicinal Cuisine, and the results will be better."

"Ah... Thank you, Elder Liu."

The apprentice was beside himself with excitement.

He was going to the Guard Team. From now on, he would become a powerful martial artist. Once his martial arts amounted to something, even in the worst case he could become a guard of Miraculous Garden. Compared with ordinary Menial Apprentices, it was the difference between heaven and earth.

"Alright, go to the Guard Team."

Elder Liu waved his hand. His gaze swept across the many apprentices, and he said with a smile, "Did you all see that? As long as you can master the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique within a month, you can join the Guard Team. For you, that's practically ascending to heaven in a single step!"

The apprentices stirred restlessly.

As they watched that apprentice from before, their hearts burned with longing.

"Wasn't that apprentice Zhao Ergou?"

"Zhao Ergou was so timid. He was one of the ones bullied among the apprentices, but now he's struck it rich."

"Zhao Ergou has a boundless future ahead of him. From now on, he and us will be people on two different roads..."

"I'm so envious. When will I be able to master the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique?"

Among the crowd, Lu Changsheng felt immensely envious as well.

He did not want to remain a Menial Apprentice either. He wanted to practice every day too.

Unfortunately, his Great River Blood Strengthening Technique had yet to enter the gate.

Host: Lu Changsheng

Comprehension: 98 (utterly ordinary)

Basic Fist Techniques: Proficient

Tiger Pounce Hand: Skilled

Great River Blood Strengthening Technique: Uninitiated

In Lu Changsheng's Attribute Panel, "Basic Fist Techniques" and "Tiger Pounce Hand" had appeared.

Both were Martial Skills taught by Elder Liu.

According to Elder Liu, when practicing martial arts, one had to know at least some fist and kicking techniques. Otherwise, no matter how strong one's physique or qi and blood were, they would be of no use.

Lu Changsheng discovered that while his Great River Blood Strengthening Technique had stubbornly refused to enter the gate, his Tiger Pounce Hand and Basic Fist Techniques were progressing at a tremendous pace.

Basic Fist Techniques in particular were truly simple. Back and forth, there were only a few moves. He had already reached Proficient and was not far from Minor Accomplishment.

He believed that in a few more days, reaching Major Accomplishment would not be a problem.

Since the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique could only be practiced for two hours each day, Lu Changsheng seized every spare moment to practice Tiger Pounce Hand and Basic Fist Techniques.

As time passed.

With the first apprentice entering the gate of the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique, there came a second, then a third.

After that, another seven apprentices successively entered the gate of the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique and were taken by Elder Liu to the Guard Team.

When twenty days had passed.

The one-month deadline drew closer and closer, and the remaining apprentices began to grow anxious.

They started thinking of every possible method.

Some even tried to "steal" Medicinal Cuisine.

They were discovered and beaten to death on the spot.

On the twenty-eighth day.

Zhou Sheng had actually sensed his qi and blood as well, entering the gate of the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique.

This left Lu Changsheng feeling somewhat dejected.

Usually, Zhou Sheng was slippery and crafty, always looking for ways to slack off.

Yet even someone like him had mastered the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique and shed the identity of a Menial Apprentice.

At last, the month came to an end.

The many apprentices gathered in the square, each one hanging their head in despair, their hearts turned to ashes.

Elder Liu said coldly, "In one month, a total of nine apprentices sensed their qi and blood. That shows they possess a certain talent for martial arts."

"However, do not lose heart. You may continue practicing the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique. Given enough time, perhaps you will enter the gate. Even if your martial arts do not reach any profound height, at least they can strengthen your body and improve your health."

"Though you have no great talent on the Martial Path, my Miraculous Garden is famed for the healing arts, and within it, 'medicine' comes before 'martial.' You cannot walk the Martial Path, but you can become apothecaries, physicians, or even Famous Doctors of a generation!"

After saying this, Elder Liu left.

That one month had actually been a period of "special training," specifically meant to select promising seeds for the Martial Path and replenish the Guard Team.

As for the remaining apprentices, they still had to work honestly and strive to rise step by step from Menial Apprentices to apothecaries, or even physicians.

If they could become physicians of Miraculous Garden and open a clinic to see patients, they would be no worse off than martial artists in the Guard Team.

After a busy day, Lu Changsheng lay on his bed.

There were already nine fewer apprentices in the Large Common Room, making it much roomier.

However, many apprentices were not at peace in their hearts.

If they could not enter the Guard Team, they could not obtain the Medicinal Cuisine provided by Miraculous Garden.

Even if they could continue practicing martial arts, so what?

Without Medicinal Cuisine, one step behind meant every step behind.

In the end, there was almost no chance that their achievements on the Martial Path could catch up to those martial artists in the Guard Team.

Many apprentices had already resigned themselves to their fate. They would honestly strive for ten or twenty years, and perhaps become physicians who opened clinics and saw patients.

Yet there was still a small handful of apprentices who had not accepted their fate.

Lu Changsheng was one of them.

Host: Lu Changsheng

Comprehension: 98 (utterly ordinary)

Basic Fist Techniques: Major Accomplishment

Tiger Pounce Hand: Proficient

Great River Blood Strengthening Technique: Uninitiated

Lu Changsheng looked at the Attribute Panel. The Great River Blood Strengthening Technique remained utterly motionless, unable to enter the gate.

On the contrary, Basic Fist Techniques had reached Major Accomplishment.

Tiger Pounce Hand had also reached Proficient.

However, over the past few days, the progress of Tiger Pounce Hand seemed to have stalled as well.

Tiger Pounce Hand was a Martial Skill that imitated a fierce tiger pouncing upon its prey. According to Elder Liu's guidance, one had to comprehend Tiger's Intent before reaching Minor Accomplishment.

Only then could Tiger Pounce Hand display a certain degree of power.

But Lu Changsheng did not have even the faintest clue about Tiger's Intent.

Only Basic Fist Techniques were truly simple. It was entirely a matter of practice making perfect.

Lu Changsheng could feel that his understanding of Basic Fist Techniques was growing deeper and deeper. It seemed Perfection was not far away.

Basic Fist Techniques did not really possess much power. Mastering them would at most make one more familiar with fist techniques.

Many apprentices focused single-mindedly on practicing the Great River Blood Strengthening Technique, or perhaps learning another Martial Skill like Tiger Pounce Hand.

Tiger Pounce Hand could at least be considered a useful offensive Martial Skill, so many apprentices practiced it a little.

But Basic Fist Techniques were something almost no apprentice would spend extra effort on.

Only Lu Changsheng, whenever he felt that Basic Fist Techniques could still improve and continue advancing, wanted to keep practicing them.

That night, Lu Changsheng quietly slipped out of bed and left the room.

He came to a secluded corner.

Every night, Lu Changsheng would set aside some time to practice Basic Fist Techniques and Tiger Pounce Hand.

Once, twice, three times, four times, five times...

When Lu Changsheng had practiced Basic Fist Techniques over a dozen times.

A line of small words suddenly appeared before his eyes.

"Basic Fist Techniques Perfection. Comprehension +1."

Lu Changsheng immediately checked the Attribute Panel.

Host: Lu Changsheng

Comprehension: 99 (utterly ordinary)

Basic Fist Techniques: Perfection

Tiger Pounce Hand: Proficient

Great River Blood Strengthening Technique: Uninitiated

On the panel, Lu Changsheng saw that Basic Fist Techniques had reached Perfection, while his Comprehension had risen from 98 to 99, increasing by 1 point.

In that instant, understanding dawned on Lu Changsheng, and only then did he grasp the purpose of the Attribute Panel.

So long as Lu Changsheng could train any martial art or Martial Skill to the realm of Perfection, he could increase his Comprehension.

But with his Comprehension rising from 98 to 99, just how much difference could it make?