Body Refining and Qi Guiding

Body Refining and Qi Guiding

The moment he entered, he saw the training ground, where dozens of apprentices were practicing their fists. Slapping sounds rose and fell one after another.

Hou Guang brought Lin Le to a corner, and the two stood facing each other.

"Today, I'll teach you the White Ape Shoulder-Hunching Fist first," Hou Guang said. "Once you've gotten the hang of it, I'll teach you the White Ape Spear."

Hou Guang added, "Of course, before you begin learning the White Ape Spear, the martial arts school won't count your time."

"Alright." Lin Le nodded.

"I'll demonstrate the White Ape Shoulder-Hunching Fist once first. Watch the opening stance." Hou Guang stood at ease and began his forms—White Ape Offers Fruit, White Ape Explores Claw, White Ape Flips Over...

Lin Le watched from the side. Once Hou Guang had finished a full set, he asked Lin Le, "How much did you remember?"

Lin Le thought back for a moment. "All of it."

"You do have a good memory." Hou Guang praised him. "But simply remembering it isn't enough. Your body needs to know how to perform it too. Show me a set."

Lin Le practiced while recalling the moves, while Hou Guang watched from the side. Gradually, a trace of surprise appeared in his eyes.

In the past, some youths had arrogantly claimed to remember everything, yet when they actually practiced, their moves had been riddled with mistakes.

But Lin Le's performance was flawless. His movements were already very close to the standard.

Once Lin Le finished, Hou Guang could not help asking, "Junior Brother, what is your name?"

"Lin Le," Lin Le answered.

Hou Guang asked again, "How old are you, Junior Brother Lin?"

"Fifteen by nominal age," Lin Le said.

Fifteen by nominal age meant fourteen in actual years. That was not too late. Hou Guang thought to himself.

"Junior Brother Lin, you did very well just now." Hou Guang clapped. "I didn't perform as well as you the first time."

Lin Le's expression remained calm. "Senior Brother praises me too highly. I'm merely relying on a good memory and learning by rote."

After awakening the mystery within the womb, his memory had indeed become far more powerful. It was as though he had acquired hyperthymesia—so long as he wished it, he could recall anything he had seen.

"Memory is a talent too. Having talent is a good thing; it's always better than having none." Hou Guang sighed. "Let's continue. Since Junior Brother has such a good memory, this senior brother can save himself a great deal of trouble."

"Alright." Lin Le nodded.

After one afternoon, under Hou Guang's instruction, Lin Le had completely learned both the moving and still exercises of the White Ape Shoulder-Hunching Fist.

"Alright, you can be considered to have thoroughly learned the White Ape Shoulder-Hunching Fist. It's getting late, so I'll teach you the White Ape Spear tomorrow." Hou Guang clapped his hands as he spoke to Lin Le. His expression seemed somewhat colder than at the beginning.

"Alright." Lin Le nodded and turned to leave.

Watching Lin Le depart, Hou Guang shook his head slightly. "What a pity."

What was a pity? Naturally, it was Lin Le's Bone Structure.

While teaching him, Hou Guang had also examined Lin Le's bones. His Bone Structure was lower-middle grade. There was hope for him to develop Blood Qi, but without vast resources to support him, even becoming a cultivator would be difficult.

And Lin Le did not look like someone born into wealth and nobility. He probably had some family assets, but not much; otherwise, he would not have come dressed in rough hemp clothes.

After returning to the inn and finishing dinner, Lin Le opened the window and let the moonlight stream in.

His mind sank into the divine ability Inner Scenery. On the two lotus leaves, a single dewdrop had formed on each.

One was Sun Moon Spirit Nectar refined from the essence of the sun and moon; the other was Blood Essence—crossed out—Treasure Liquid, condensed from the vital essence that escaped from his own body.

Though he had only just obtained it, the wondrousness of the Lotus Incarnation divine ability had already begun to show.

He could skillfully refine the essence of the sun and moon, which ordinary people could not absorb. As for the Blood Essence Treasure Liquid gathered from his own scattered vital essence, viewed from another angle, the divine ability had also forged him into a leakless body, one from which no energy could escape.

Lin Le focused his gaze on the Blood Essence Treasure Liquid, then chose to use it.

The lotus leaf swayed gently, and the Blood Essence Treasure Liquid fell into the seemingly tranquil lake.

Lin Le immediately sensed an abnormal change in his body. He withdrew from the Inner Scenery and began practicing fist forms in the room he had already tidied.

White Ape Offers Fruit, White Ape Explores Claw, White Ape Flips Over...

As he moved through the fist forms, Lin Le could feel a small ball within his body constantly following the force of his movements and roaming about. It brought numbness to his muscles, along with a faint tingling itch, as though his muscles were growing.

Crack!

On the third run-through, as Lin Le threw a punch, a crisp sound rang out from his arm.

Through-the-Back Nine Sounds—the first sound. This also meant that Lin Le had truly entered the door of the White Ape Shoulder-Hunching Fist.

But that only meant he had entered the door in terms of fist techniques. It did not mean he had entered the door of the Body Refining Realm.

The Body Refining Realm was the term used for martial practitioners to distinguish it from the proper Qi Guiding Realm.

To enter the Body Refining Realm, one needed to temper the body to the limits of an ordinary person, capable of lifting a five-hundred-pound boulder with both arms.

Beyond that came the birth of Blood Qi, which nourished the body and opened the secret realm.

There were four lesser markers during this stage, known as the Four Limits: Blood Qi Gauze, Blood Qi Wolf Smoke, Blood Qi Like a Dragon, and Blood Qi Furnace.

Breaking through the first limit counted as having achieved something in one's studies. One could be called a Martial Master, and could even attempt to break into the Spiritual Platform Secret Realm to become a cultivator.

However, the success rate was less than one in a hundred. Moreover, the Spiritual Platform was located in the heart. Failure to break through would result in severe damage to one's Vital Energy at best, and sudden death on the spot at worst.

Thus, most people only dared attempt the Spiritual Platform after becoming a third-limit Martial Master. At that point, they had a fifty-percent chance of success.

After thoroughly refining the Blood Essence Treasure Liquid, Lin Le clenched his fist. "I wonder where I stand now."

Before the demon calamity had occurred, he could already lift a one-hundred-and-eighty-pound boulder. He had long since surpassed ordinary men who labored year-round.

Now, he did not know whether he had regressed or improved.

I'll go take a look at the martial arts school tomorrow, Lin Le thought.

Standing at the window, Lin Le gazed at the bright moon, his fists unconsciously tightening.

"Wait. Just wait a little longer!" Lin Le muttered to himself.

His Bone Structure was lower-middle grade. Not only did Hou Guang know it, but Lin Le himself knew it as well. How could his father possibly not have examined his bones before?

But with the Lotus Incarnation, he was confident that he was no worse than those with upper-grade Bone Structure. It was even possible for him to surpass them.

He had heard that those with upper-grade Bone Structure could temper their bodies to the peak of ordinary people and develop Blood Qi in just one month. That was only under normal nourishment; with precious medicines to assist them, they could be even faster.

You have precious medicines; I have Treasure Liquid. I'm no worse off.

Lin Le looked at the lotus leaf condensing Blood Essence Treasure Liquid and thought to himself.

The next day, after breakfast, Lin Le went to the White Ape Martial Arts School to train.

Because he had arrived early, there were not many people on the training ground.

Lin Le walked straight toward the Stone Locks at the side. After looking them over, he first chose a one-hundred-and-forty-pound one to warm up.

He lowered into a horse stance and gripped the wooden handle with both hands. Then, with a low shout, force rose from his waist and surged into both arms. In one sudden motion, he lifted the one-hundred-and-forty-pound Stone Lock.

Lin Le tried the one-hundred-and-sixty-pound one and could still lift it. Then came one hundred and eighty pounds.

Heavy, but it doesn't seem to be my limit yet.

Lin Le looked at the two-hundred-pound Stone Lock beside it and exerted strength through both arms once more.

This time, he had reached his limit. He could feel and hear his sinews and muscles crying out in anguish.

Bang!

Lin Le dropped the Stone Lock and took several deep breaths. In the end, he still could not lift it, but he had raised it past his eyebrows. He estimated that his strength should be around one hundred and ninety pounds.

After starving and enduring hardship during these days of fleeing, not only had his strength not regressed, it had reached one hundred and ninety pounds. That truly exceeded Lin Le's expectations.

Is the Blood Essence Treasure Liquid really this effective? Lin Le pondered.

After thinking for only a moment, Lin Le shook his head slightly. Why think so much about it? He would use it once more tonight and find out.

After testing his strength, Lin Le began practicing his fists.