Growing Stronger While Walking, Sitting, and Lying Down

With every circulation of a major heavenly cycle, his internal qi increased by a strand.

In just a short while,

his internal qi had already increased by more than a dozen strands.

More than a dozen strands of internal qi combined were still far inferior to Yangwu Sword Qi, but they were already comparable to his previous Mount Hua Sword Qi.

And the limits of this cultivation method clearly did not end there.

With each breath Ji Shu took, it automatically circulated through a major heavenly cycle!

This was the effect brought by Peak Inner Strength Talent!

Once one comprehended a cultivation method, it could circulate automatically. Even while breathing or walking, it could continue circulating and growing stronger!

Ji Shu was overjoyed.

Internal cultivation was internal cultivation after all. It could not be compared to swordplay.

After practicing sword techniques a few times, one could no longer increase their internal qi.

But internal cultivation was different.

Its upper limit was clearly much higher!

It just made him hungry faster.

Ji Shu therefore went to eat.

Lu Dayou sat beside Ji Shu, looking at him uncertainly. Was it an illusion? Why did it feel like Ji Shu had just comprehended the Huashan Heart Method? And seemed to have successfully cultivated it as well?!

But he quickly shook his head, denying his own guess. How could that be possible! Ji Shu was already so old. Cultivating the Huashan Heart Method, how could he achieve anything without ten or more years of painstaking effort?

"By the way, Ji Shu."

Lu Dayou thought of something.

"Did Little Junior Sister teach you any other martial arts? She didn't just toss you a Huashan Heart Method and leave you to figure it out yourself, did she?"

"She also taught me Mount Hua Swordplay."

Best not mention the Nurturing My Sword Style. After all, Master Yue had stolen that Secret Manual.

"How is your progress?"

Lu Dayou asked with interest.

"Not bad, I suppose."

"It's only been one day. If you can learn it decently well, that's pretty impressive!"

Lu Dayou gave him a sidelong look. "Looks like I underestimated you before. Want to exchange a few moves with me? I can give you some pointers."

"If I need help, I'll definitely ask Sixth Senior Brother."

"Mm."

Seeing Ji Shu only keep his head down and eat, showing no enthusiasm even when he had volunteered to guide him, Lu Dayou could not help but think, Other players beg me for pointers, and I cannot even be bothered with them. Yet Ji Shu isn't interested? This guy must be terribly lazy! If Little Junior Sister has taken on this sort of disciple, she really can only wish herself luck!

Lu Dayou shook his head and stopped bothering with Ji Shu.

He had already decided that Ji Shu was someone beyond hope. How long could Little Junior Sister possibly remain interested in teaching someone like that? Once she lost interest and embarrassed herself, perhaps she would never take another disciple again.

With that thought, Lu Dayou sighed inwardly, rose, and left.

Some time later,

after Ji Shu had eaten and drunk his fill, he left the kitchen.

On the way, he ran into that brawny player again. The man threatened Ji Shu once more, but Ji Shu ignored him.

He warned Ji Shu, "Ji Shu, my father is a general of the Blue Star Hong Kingdom. One of the commanding generals guarding the Tower of the Multiverse. If you form an alliance with me, you can ensure your safety. Otherwise, no one will be able to protect you. The moment you leave Mount Hua, you'll be as good as dead!"

Mount Hua did not permit internal conflict; violators would be expelled from the sect. If not for that, the brawny player would have acted long ago. He looked down on Ji Shu, which was why he dared threaten him so brazenly.

Ji Shu continued walking on without paying him any heed.

The brawny player was furious, but he made one final attempt. "Remember my name. I'm Hong Chen. If you change your mind, you can find me at Outer Sect Courtyard 22!"

Tap, tap!

Ji Shu walked farther and farther away. Cold light flickered in Hong Chen's eyes. He snorted angrily and left as well.

After he had gone far away, "Second Senior Brother" emerged from behind a large tree. He gazed thoughtfully in the direction Hong Chen and Ji Shu had gone. After a long while, he shook his head and chuckled.

"They are merely ants trying to shake a tree. They want to change their fate by learning martial arts? How could it be so easy? Learning martial arts is not that simple!"

Ten years had passed.

How many players had actually achieved anything?

They could be counted on one hand!

The main reason was that players had not built a proper martial arts foundation from childhood. Their bones and meridians had already taken shape. Unless they possessed exceptional talent, they would only ever be nobodies.

"Ji Shu. A minor character. No need to pay him any more attention in the future."

Second Senior Brother vanished into the thick forest, disappearing in an instant.

Ji Shu glanced back over his shoulder.

He had felt someone watching him earlier, making him feel as though thorns were pressing against his back. That sensation was gone now. Who had it been?

It seems I'm still too weak.

The sense of urgency in Ji Shu's heart deepened.

But when he felt the upright, pure, and rich internal qi continuously growing in his Dantian, he relaxed somewhat.

Peak Inner Strength Talent truly was different. Ji Shu did not know about others, but whether he walked, sat, or lay down, the Huashan Heart Method seemed able to automatically circulate through a major heavenly cycle!

Each major heavenly cycle added another strand of internal qi.

By the time he reached the courtyard, several more strands of internal qi had accumulated.

What surprised him even more was that within this courtyard, he could sense a faint, indistinct qi all around him, drawn into his Dantian by the Huashan Heart Method.

This qi was extremely unusual—ethereal and elusive, impossible to capture with the naked eye or perceive with the mind.

Only when it was drawn by the Huashan Heart Method could he sense a trace or two of it.

It was only because his inner strength talent was supreme that he could sense this qi at all. Otherwise, it would have been absolutely impossible.

Could this be the Spiritual Qi or Primal Qi recorded in novels?

Ji Shu's eyes lit up slightly as he walked several circles around the courtyard.

He discovered that only beneath the Old Sophora Tree could he clearly sense the Qi Mechanism. Everywhere else, it was nearly nonexistent.

...What is the principle behind this?

Ji Shu looked at the tree before him. It was so thick that several people could not encircle it with their arms. It had to be at least several hundred years old!

In many people's eyes, sophora trees are yin trees, and yin trees cannot be planted in a yang residence. Yet one has been planted here.

No matter what mysteries this tree holds, standing beneath it can draw Qi Mechanism and increase internal qi. I should spend more time walking beneath it in the future.

He could not keep eating all the time.

Nor could he constantly consume potent tonic medicine. At his rate of cultivation, even one dose of potent tonic medicine a day would most likely not be enough! If he kept it up for a year or two, he would eat Mount Hua into poverty!

He had been troubled by this earlier.

But now, beneath the Old Sophora Tree, his Dantian could automatically draw in Qi Mechanism and increase his internal qi. Nothing could be better!

I did not sense any Qi Mechanism being drawn in when I practiced swordplay, but I did when cultivating an Internal Cultivation Method.

Ji Shu seemed to grasp something.

It seems Internal Cultivation Methods are ultimately different from pure swordsmanship.

An Internal Cultivation Method required the circulation of a major heavenly cycle, opening a bridge that connected one to the outside world.

The internal qi born from perfected swordplay circulated through comparatively simple meridian pathways, which could not compare to the complexity of an Internal Cultivation Method.

I wonder whether other places have this Qi Mechanism too?

Ji Shu walked and paused beneath the Old Sophora Tree.

Feeling his internal qi continuously increase, he felt immensely comfortable.

I'll sleep here tonight too!

Ji Shu made up his mind.

He had figured it out.

In the world of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, places with this kind of Qi Mechanism had to be extremely rare! To increase internal qi, one could only refine essence into qi!

And where did essence come from?

Food and Great Medicine!