Embodying Myriad Traits, I Will Ultimately Become Immortal - Section 6

Le Ping sat across from him, eating as he spoke:

"Ping'an? There are quite a few legendary figures in your first-year class. I heard there's some freak who's passed three Blood Qi Barriers. Instead of going to Yong'an Martial Arts University's preparatory program, he insisted on attending your school.

And there's some... some Child's Fist Grandmaster?"

Meng Chuan was helpless.

"..."

Le Ping was naturally friendly.

"Come on, I'll take you to get tested later. I reached the First Blood Qi Threshold back in my third year of middle school. Judging by how well you can put away food, you should be at the first threshold too."

After eating, the two arrived at the Blood Qi testing room. Le Ping helped Meng Chuan put on the Blood Qi sensor and pressed the main unit's button. Three long beeps sounded. "Beep, beep, beep."

"Alright, just demonstrate your fist art against the wall. As you punch, the sensor will collect your Blood Qi data and transmit it to the main unit. Just stop after you finish one set."

Meng Chuan calmed himself, raised his hands, and began performing National Obligatory Basic Fist Art. Le Ping remained close to the main unit's display, watching Meng Chuan's data.

The display was a vertical strip of segmented bars, like a bamboo stalk. Before Meng Chuan had even finished his fist art, Le Ping saw the small red section at the bottom nearly fill up.

"Not bad, little bro. Your National Obligatory Basic Fist Art is even better than mine. You'll definitely break through one."

Meng Chuan finished the entire set of National Obligatory Basic Fist Art. The machine detected that he had stopped moving and emitted a buzz.

Please remove the sensor.

Blood Qi value: 0.98. Entry threshold not reached.

The First Blood Qi Threshold required a value of 1, the second required 2, and the third required 4. Each subsequent Blood Qi Barrier required twice the value of the previous one to break through.

Meng Chuan was only 0.02 away from entering the threshold. He guessed that once National Obligatory Basic Fist Art broke past its limit, he would surely enter it.

But Meng Chuan had never heard of anyone entering the First Blood Qi Threshold by learning National Obligatory Basic Fist Art alone.

If he truly succeeded, he would probably be the first.

In fact, he could break into the First Blood Qi Threshold simply by practicing any other fist art until he got started with it. But entering the first threshold did not mean much. Passing the threshold was only the beginning of the martial path; countless mountains still lay ahead.

With the Martial Arts Limit-Breaking Panel, the most important thing was to push martial arts beyond their limits and gain more traits through the panel to strengthen himself.

So he had to first obtain One Proof, Eternal Proof. With One Proof, Eternal Proof empowering him, no martial art would have any bottlenecks before him. He would only need to keep practicing, and he would surely break past its limits.

Seeing that Meng Chuan had failed to pass the First Blood Qi Threshold, Le Ping stepped forward to comfort him.

"It's alright, little bro. You were only a tiny bit short. Maybe you were born physically weak and lacking in Blood Qi. Honestly, though, your punches looked pretty good."

"...I'm not weak."

Afterward, Meng Chuan and Le Ping headed toward the training ground together. Instructor Liu Ru had not arrived yet, so Meng Chuan first stood in a stance by himself to get a feel for it.

After a while, his uncle Meng Yongzhi emerged together with the hall master, Luo Guanyun.

The hall master had changed into a fitted purple-black training outfit today, the fabric stretched taut over his entire body. He looked exceptionally spirited.

After coming out, his uncle smiled and said goodbye to the hall master. He reminded Meng Chuan to train properly at the martial arts hall before leaving.

Luo Guanyun walked over to Meng Chuan and scrutinized him, making Meng Chuan's scalp tingle.

Even when a martial artist kept his aura contained, the pressure that occasionally leaked out was still immense to ordinary people.

The surrounding students moved away from the two as though the area had been cleared. Unless they were attending a members-only class, hardly anyone in the martial arts hall wanted to get close to Luo Guanyun.

Luo Guanyun had a bad temper and often lashed out at students with blows and curses. But because he taught well and would not actually beat anyone badly, people still came in an endless stream to learn from him.

"You're quite the oddball, kid. Your family said you only practice Child's Fist?"

Luo Guanyun had a deep impression of Meng Chuan. The boy was honest. Last night, when he told him not to lock his door, he had really left it unlocked. Damn it.

"Come on, show me a round. They said you've taken your Child's Fist to extraordinary heights. Let me see what's going on."

"Yes, Hall Master."

Meng Chuan planted himself where he stood, took a deep breath, and focused his mind. The students around him were all watching, but he felt no fear whatsoever.

In an instant, Meng Chuan struck.

Straight punches, hooks, elbow strikes—every technique of National Obligatory Basic Fist Art snapped through the air. He unleashed his 99%-perfect fist art without holding anything back. The sequence flowed like clouds and water, without the slightest hitch or stiffness.

"Not bad, not bad. Solid work. Not bad at all."

At that moment, the late Instructor Liu Ru strode over on her long legs and chimed in.

"This kid really is good. He should have reached perfection."

Liu Ru could tell that Meng Chuan's National Obligatory Basic Fist Art had reached perfection, but her discernment could not compare to that of a martial artist. Luo Guanyun knew that Meng Chuan was more than merely perfect.

"It's more than just perfection. This kid's National Obligatory Basic Fist Art can be called master-level."

Liu Ru and the surrounding students were all somewhat astonished upon hearing that. Could a sixteen-year-old kid truly deserve such an evaluation?

"Did Brother Luo drink too much again last night? He still hasn't sobered up."

"Nonsense. How could a martial artist get drunk? Once we circulate our Blood Qi, the alcohol fumes are forced right out."

The surrounding students whispered among themselves. Luo Guanyun's words caused a small commotion.

Master represented the highest level of comprehension of a fist art.

For example, Tiger's Roar Skill master Roaring Sky Tiger Wang Lin of the Imitative Form Lineage's Tiger Walk Fist. He had immersed himself in Tiger's Roar Skill for more than thirty years, ultimately refining it and updating it into an entirely new version that was more powerful and easier to learn.

From then on, every student who learned the Imitative Form Lineage's Tiger's Roar Skill would practice according to the new version optimized by Wang Lin.

Thus, for Luo Guanyun to say this about the National Obligatory Basic Fist Art that everyone had learned was no different from saying that after Meng Chuan finished middle school Chinese, he had revised the Chinese textbooks and put his own name down as their author.

"You worthless lot, quit your fucking yammering! That's exactly what I mean!"

A powerful aura erupted from Luo Guanyun. Dark clouds seemed to press down over the entire training ground, while hazy, indistinct mist drifted through the air. Peals of thunder sounded from within it.

Converting magnetic fields with intent, using one's mental image to alter reality—this was the Xingyi School Martial Arts Grandmaster, Luo Guanyun.

Clouds gathered from all directions, Qianyuan Thunderclap!

"Stop talking. Can't you hear the thunder? The hall master is pissed. Say another word, and lightning will strike."

Whenever Luo Guanyun got angry, the surrounding environment changed with his mood. The older students had all witnessed this before and warned the new students to shut up, lest the weather worsen further.

The entire training ground fell silent. No one dared speak and risk provoking Luo Guanyun. Aside from Liu Ru and Meng Chuan, everyone else lowered their heads to avoid his edge.

Liu Ru's almond-shaped eyes were fixed tightly on Luo Guanyun, and a brilliant light instantly bloomed in her beautiful gaze.

When she had studied at Yong'an Martial Arts University, she had often heard the professors mention Qianyuan Thunderclap Luo Guanyun. They said his strength was extraordinary, and that he was invincible among those of the same rank.

Now, merely from the terrifying mental image before her, she could see that those professors had not exaggerated. She had chosen the right path by coming to this martial arts hall to seek him as her master.

Unfortunately, Hall Master Luo had only agreed to accept her as a nominal disciple, making her work as an instructor at the martial arts hall to pay off her tuition. She did not know when he would accept her as a personal disciple.

Meanwhile, Meng Chuan gazed at the terrifying celestial phenomenon Luo Guanyun had summoned.

He did not have so many thoughts. His eyes held only yearning, while boundless ambition rose within his chest. He firmly believed that he would be able to do the same one day.

Luo Guanyun glanced over and noticed this.

"You're not afraid?"

"Not afraid."

"You've got guts. Solid work. Not bad at all."

Luo Guanyun withdrew his aura, and the gathering clouds and rumbling thunder vanished with it.

"Your experience is insufficient. It's still too early for you to think about improving a martial art. Right now, you should keep your feet on the ground and practice other fist arts to improve yourself."

"Let me tell you this: there has never been a teenage master in this world."

Luo Guanyun instructed him.

Meng Chuan was a good kid. His uncle Meng Yongzhi had come to see him today as well, so he felt it was necessary to teach the boy properly.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Meng Chuan realized that this was a rare opportunity. One hour of lessons from Luo Guanyun cost ten thousand, so he had to make the most of it. He hurriedly asked what he wanted to know, saving his uncle some money as well.

"I feel like I'm just a little short. Hall Master, may I ask how I can make National Obligatory Basic Fist Art convey the feeling of motion and stillness complementing each other, thereby breaking through to master-level?"

"You're asking me? My National Obligatory Basic Fist Art isn't as good as yours. Wait until you have enough experience, then research it yourself."

"Kid, don't be so stubborn. I have time from five to six this afternoon. Follow me and learn something else first.

"I'll teach you Cannon Fist. Cannon Fist is a Xingyi School Five Elements fire-element fist art. It emphasizes explosive power in actual combat. It's far more formidable than Child's Fist."

Luo Guanyun did not want to waste more words with him. National Obligatory Basic Fist Art was a fist art practiced by everyone in the Great Chu Nation. How could it be so easy to become a master and revise it?

Meng Chuan's punches did carry a master's bearing, but he was still short by that little bit. As the saying went, a difference of a hair could lead to an error of a thousand miles. Perhaps even after this kid's youth faded away, he would still be stuck at this step.

Luo Guanyun did not want to help him. Helping Meng Chuan would mean harming him.

Meng Chuan shook his head repeatedly in refusal.

"No. I need to save up my members-only lessons first. I won't practice Cannon Fist yet. Let's talk after I make up the final step of National Obligatory Basic Fist Art."