Boom!
Li Xuan struck out with one palm. His Vital Energy transformed into a raging torrent that slammed into a tree dozens of yards away, its trunk as thick as a thigh. The huge tree was instantly blasted to pieces, splinters spraying across the sky.
"The power isn't bad, but it consumes quite a lot of Vital Energy.
"As expected, relying solely on driving Vital Energy with brute force won't do. If I encounter an opponent of comparable strength, I'll definitely suffer for it.
"I've already gotten a general idea of this palm technique. I just need to compile a set of formulas for it and give them to Xu Yan."
Li Xuan exhaled.
"What about movement techniques? How am I supposed to teach those? I don't know any myself. How can I demonstrate them to my disciple? How can I demonstrate them with nothing but brute force? I wouldn't be able to show the profoundness of a movement technique at all."
At the thought of the movement technique problem, Li Xuan got another headache.
"Am I thinking about this the wrong way? Why do I have to demonstrate it for my disciple? Wouldn't it be enough to pass on the formulas and theoretical framework, then let him comprehend it himself?"
With that thought, Li Xuan immediately came up with an idea.
Outside the village, he found a flat stretch of land.
"How was the Bagua drawn again?"
As Li Xuan recalled the Bagua pattern he had seen in his previous life, he waved his hand. Streams of Vital Energy surged forth and began drawing it on the ground.
"It seems to be something like this."
After looking at the Bagua he had drawn on the ground, Li Xuan nodded in satisfaction.
Once Xu Yan returned, he would have him practice his movement technique here.
He could also have him try to comprehend the Bagua. What if he gained something from it?
Everything was ready. All that remained was to wait for his disciple, Xu Yan, to return.
Li Xuan relaxed from head to toe.
Xu Yan returned less than ten days after going home.
After violently bulldozing through the bandit den and realizing that he lacked martial techniques, Xu Yan had not stayed home for long. He hurried back.
"Master!"
Xu Yan respectfully saluted. In his heart, he was considering how to ask his master for guidance on martial techniques.
"Mm."
Li Xuan nodded, then rose and walked toward the outskirts of the village.
"You came back at just the right time. Come with me."
Before his disciple could speak, he would pass on a martial technique to him and display the unfathomable bearing of a master who had seen through everything long ago.
"Yes, Master!"
Xu Yan was puzzled, wondering what his master had ordered.
They arrived at a small hill outside the village.
With his hands behind his back, Li Xuan said, "Disciple, although you have already entered the path of martial arts, you possess only a body full of Vital Energy without knowing how to use it or how to face an enemy.
"Martial arts aren't something you can master simply by possessing a realm. The stronger the martial artist, the more exquisite and powerful the martial techniques and divine abilities they command."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yan became incredibly excited. "Master is going to teach me a martial divine ability? I'm finally not going to be a brute who only knows how to use brute force!"
Li Xuan turned around and looked at his foolish disciple. In a solemn voice, he said, "Today, I will teach you the Dragon Subduing Palm. It is both a martial technique and a martial divine ability. The higher your realm, the deeper your comprehension and the greater its power."
Since this was martial arts, Li Xuan had originally wanted to call the palm technique the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. But after thinking it over, he decided that eighteen palms imposed too many restrictions and might limit the room his disciple had for comprehension.
So he simply called it the Dragon Subduing Palm. The name was unimportant. What mattered was whether it was powerful.
Moreover, he had positioned the Dragon Subduing Palm as something that could continuously grow stronger with one's realm, ultimately reaching the level of a martial divine ability.
As for whether that would succeed, it all depended on his disciple's comprehension.
"The Dragon Subduing Palm!"
Xu Yan immediately became thrilled. "Thank you, Master!"
"Dragons are divine beasts possessing immense might, born with divine abilities... Disciple, do you know this?"
Li Xuan asked.
"Master, I once read legends of True Dragons in an old storybook. They were symbols of supreme transcendence. When they moved, wind and thunder arose, and even Heaven and Earth changed color..."
Xu Yan answered respectfully.
"This world has dragon legends too? I wonder whether the storybook Xu Yan read was merely fabricated, or whether dragons truly existed in this world."
Li Xuan was surprised.
Since this world also had dragon legends, and Xu Yan had even read stories related to them, things would be much easier.
"Master, do True Dragons really exist in this world?"
Xu Yan asked excitedly and curiously.
"That is too far beyond your reach. Whether they exist or not, once you grow stronger, you will naturally know."
Li Xuan naturally would not give a definite answer to such questions.
"Yes, Master!"
Xu Yan nodded respectfully.
"Mm. I will teach you the Dragon Subduing Palm. Since this palm is named 'Dragon Subduing,' you should understand how powerful it is."
"This disciple understands!"
"Watch closely."
As Li Xuan spoke, he raised his hand and struck out with one palm.
Boom!
The mighty Vital Energy carried a terrifying force, instantly blasting a tree dozens of yards away, its trunk as thick as a thigh, into pieces!
Xu Yan was dumbstruck!
Was the Dragon Subduing Palm's power actually this terrifying?
Li Xuan was extremely satisfied with his reaction. He withdrew his hand, clasped it behind his back, and began talking nonsense with a solemn face. "This is the power displayed by the Dragon Subduing Palm at the entry level of the Qi and Blood Realm.
"However, in order not to interfere with your comprehension of your own Dragon Subduing true intent, I was unable to use the form of the Dragon Subduing Palm when I struck."
Xu Yan listened respectfully, his face flushed red. His excitement was plain to see.
"That was merely a casual palm from Master at the entry level of the Qi and Blood Realm, yet it possessed such terrifying power. Moreover, Master didn't even use the form of the Dragon Subduing Palm. This Dragon Subduing Palm is truly incomparably powerful!"
Li Xuan's expression turned solemn as he began explaining the Dragon Subduing Palm. "The form of the Dragon Subduing Palm is to blast out a dragon-shaped palm force with each strike. It is as fierce and agile as a dragon. The deeper your comprehension, the more True Dragon palm forces you will be able to unleash..."
He then casually struck out several palms while explaining to his disciple, "I did not demonstrate True Dragon palm force to you because I feared you would become trapped in the true-dragon intent within my Dragon Subduing Palm. Once trapped in it, you will be unable to cultivate your own Dragon Subduing Palm.
"I do not wish for you to remain bound beneath my shadow. The martial path has no end. I hope you can cultivate your own true intent.
"Do you understand?"
Your master has truly gone to painstaking lengths for you!
It definitely isn't because I can't produce dragon-shaped palm force, so I didn't demonstrate it!
Li Xuan wore an extremely solemn expression.
Xu Yan was deeply moved. "Master truly is an unparalleled expert. By accepting me as his disciple, he is not merely teaching me martial arts—he has also placed great hopes in me, hoping that I can walk a martial path and comprehend my own true intent.
"Rather than remain beneath Master's shadow and be unable to surpass him for my entire life!"
His eyes reddened with excitement, and he nodded. "Master, this disciple understands!"
"Very good! Like the martial method I passed on to you, the Dragon Subduing Palm places importance on comprehension and intent rather than form. You must sense it and comprehend its true intent.
"When you can unleash eighteen True Dragon palm forces simultaneously, you will have achieved minor mastery at this stage."
Li Xuan repeated the same old teachings, earnestly instructing his disciple once more to value comprehension and intent and not fixate on the few palms he had just demonstrated. He told him to comprehend it himself from the Dragon Subduing Palm's theoretical framework.
"Yes, this disciple understands!"
Xu Yan nodded.
Li Xuan nodded in satisfaction. Before passing on the Dragon Subduing Palm formulas he had made up, he asked, "Disciple, do you have any questions?"
This was merely a routine inquiry. After teaching something, one naturally had to ask whether the disciple had any parts he did not understand.
"Master, this disciple has one question."
Xu Yan spoke up.
"Ask!"
"Master, since the Dragon Subduing Palm is meant to subdue dragons, why does it produce dragon-shaped palm force when used?"
Xu Yan asked with a puzzled expression.
Li Xuan: ...
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