Divine Drum Cloud Thunder Sound

His movements were minimal, as if he merely flicked his wrist to send the force forward.

Yet, the effect was like a great bear rubbing against a tree; the trunk, as thick as a large bowl, began to sway. Leaves fluttered down, and even thin branches snapped and fell.

"You... you've mastered Hidden Strength?!"

Sha LiFei stammered, his eyes filled with disbelief.

In this world, the hallmark of peak Manifested Strength was the trembling of major sinews and the harmonious resonance of bones and muscles, allowing every move to mobilize the body's full power.

Ordinary people, not knowing how to exert force, would lose at least half of their power with each strike. Experienced martial artists, however, could inflict greater damage with the same force.

The human body's bones are connected by tendons and fascia, like the mortise and tenon joints of woodwork – seemingly simple, yet intricate and stable. One must first build a solid frame and understand how to exert force.

Most people could achieve this with diligent training; it was only a matter of time.

But upon reaching the Hidden Strength stage, the focus shifted from bone to fascia.

The fascia acted like a dense, vast net, connecting all the body's tissues.

Through controlled breathing and internal resonance, the tendons could contract and vibrate at extremely high speeds, elevating the power to a new level.

This was the characteristic of Hidden Strength: the qi-membrane undulating, wrapping the tendons into a sphere!

With Hidden Strength mastered, even movements with little amplitude could generate astonishing destructive power. Some masters could lightly tap someone, and the recipient would later vomit blood and die.

The benefits didn't stop there.

Hidden Strength allowed for countless subtle variations in technique, making combat maneuvers far more adaptable. Furthermore, the same destructive power required less force, allowing one to lift heavy objects with ease and prolong combat duration.

To master Hidden Strength, one needed not only talent but also a master to spar with daily, feeling the opponent's force and carefully studying the subtle changes, before success could be achieved.

This young tiger had no one to teach him along the way. Could his talent be monstrous?

Sha LiFei found it hard to believe, then his face lit up with joy. A thought struck him, and he whispered, "Don't reveal this before the arena! I'll place some bets first..."

Li Yan nodded slightly. "Bet for me too."

Looking at Sha LiFei's excited old face, Li Yan remained calm.

This breakthrough to Hidden Strength was pure chance.

He had practiced martial arts diligently every day for years, through heat and cold.

But during the days after his grandfather's passing, he had been lost in a daze, his spirit adrift, with no time for training.

If not for the Great Luo Dharma Body, even his recently preserved spirit would have dissipated.

He resumed his training on the road to Xianyang.

At first, perhaps due to impatience, he had practiced like a madman, even injuring his tendons and bones.

But this time, it was different.

After Preserving the Spirit, his perception of his body became even more acute. Coupled with the protection of the Great Luo Dharma Body, he could Preserve the Spirit and train simultaneously without distraction.

He had already reached the peak of Manifested Strength, but with his father dead and his grandfather old, no one was there to spar with him and guide his techniques, which had caused him to stagnate at that level.

Preserving the Spirit simultaneously had helped him break through.

Of course, he had only just mastered Hidden Strength. He couldn't use it constantly, nor was he like those Hidden Strength masters who could wield immense power with ease in every move, their techniques infinitely varied.

But with the Great Luo Dharma Body, he could afford to trade injury for injury if necessary.

Just one touch could cripple his opponent!

This commotion immediately alerted many people.

Wang Dao Xuan saw it and visibly relaxed.

His cooperation with Li Yan was not solely due to his Nose Mystical Power.

There was something he hadn't lied about that day.

The day before Li Yan arrived, he had woken up from a nightmare of being tormented by evil spirits.

In dream interpretation, this was called a "ghost dream," an ominous sign. An oracle bone inscription from a merchant read: "Ding Wei divination, King divined, many ghost dreams, no coming hardship?"

It was known that divination was profound and mysterious, especially concerning the more ethereal nature of fate. Even a master of numerology might not be accurate.

But Xuan Gate People were different. After Preserving the Spirit, their minds were usually calm. If an omen appeared, it must be significant.

It was somewhat like a martial artist's intuition, sensing the autumn wind before the cicadas cried out.

After waking up, Wang Dao Xuan felt uneasy. He performed a divination before the ancestral statue, but each time he cast the hexagrams, they indicated a reversal of misfortune and great auspiciousness.

Then, in the morning, a magpie brought a flower to his door.

This was a form of omen interpretation, a good sign.

But his mind stirred, and he cast the hexagrams again, only to receive signs of great misfortune.

Wang Dao Xuan realized that perhaps it was a turning point, where fortune and disaster were unpredictable.

That was why, although he had planned to go out that day, he stayed home and waited.

Upon seeing Li Yan's "phoenix eyes and dragon pupils" appearance, he had a plan. After some probing conversation, finding the young man acceptable, he imparted the secret method.

Indeed, events took a turn afterward.

First came good fortune, then a brush with bandits, fulfilling the omen of unpredictable blessings and curses.

Regarding Li Yan's decision to fight in the Life and Death Arena, although he felt it was fine, he couldn't help but feel uneasy, considering the opponent's youth.

Seeing that Li Yan had now broken through, Wang Dao Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Troupe Leader Zhou of the Spring Breeze Troupe was also somewhat surprised. He looked at Li Yan's youthful face, hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and turned back into the house.

He stepped onto a stool and took down an old, small wooden box from the wardrobe. He blew off the dust from the surface, then trembled as he caressed it a few times with his hands before carrying it out the door.

"Young Master Yan..."

Troupe Leader Zhou began, "Do you know how to train Hidden Strength?"

Li Yan nodded, "My father taught me."

To make Hidden Strength wrap around the tendons and form a circle, one cannot simply practice martial arts. After all, it wouldn't reach the tendons and fascia, let alone penetrate deep into the internal organs.

To improve, one relies on other training methods.

Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound, Toad Catching Technique, Hēng Hā Two Energies, Crane Cry Sound, Daoist Thunder Sound, Buddhist Lion's Roar, Great Cloud Thunder Sound... all are like this.

Although each school's inheritance differs, the principles of the world are the same: using sound vibrations to agitate the tendons and fascia, allowing them to seep into the bones and internal organs.

Red Fist also has secret methods passed down, namely Thread Penetrating Sound.

A boxing proverb says: With one exhalation and one inhalation, the breath is like a fine thread, passing through the intestines and into the stomach, circulating through the meridians. This perfectly suits Red Fist's characteristics of being as light as a feather, as heavy as Mount Tai, and hitting people as if pinching fire.

As he wondered why this was needed, Troupe Leader Zhou picked up the wooden box, caressed it reluctantly, and said, "Young Master Yan can likely see that this old man has also practiced some martial arts, learning the family-taught Pigua."

"My martial arts are mediocre, but my ancestors passed down something good."

"My ancestors came from Xianyang and learned the Qin Han War Drums. Not only were they the Drum King of that era, but they were also famous in the Jianghu. Unfortunately, they later incurred enemies and had to flee to Huayin for refuge."

"My ancestor received the Great Cloud Thunder Sound from an extraordinary individual and combined it with the methods of the war drums to create this Divine Drum Cloud Thunder Sound. It is a supreme training method, and I wish to gift it to you, young master."

Li Yan was moved upon hearing this. "This... is too precious, Troupe Leader..."

He had heard his father mention Great Cloud Thunder Sound; it was a secret Buddhist inheritance.

The Buddha spoke of Great Cloud Thunder Sound, which is larger than ordinary thunder sound.

The name alone was enough to prove the extraordinary nature of this method. Ordinary people rarely get to see it, yet Troupe Leader Zhou possessed it and was willing to give it away, which surprised him.

However, he was interrupted by Troupe Leader Zhou's wave of his hand mid-sentence.

He shook his head slightly and sighed, "My aptitude is average, and my unworthy son has also passed before me. Keeping this thing is useless. If I were to sell it to a wicked person, it would be a disservice to my ancestors."

"You could retreat yesterday, young master, but you chose to fight in the Life and Death Arena. In a way, you've shielded my Spring Breeze Troupe from disaster. Moreover, with your talent, you won't disgrace this method."

With that, he directly handed the wooden box over.

Wang Dao Xuan, seeing this, pondered for a moment and added his support, "Young Master Yan, please accept it. Troupe Leader Zhou, the previously discussed fees are waived."

This ritual was not cheap. Given the Spring Breeze Troupe's current situation, they would have to sell everything they owned to afford it and would go hungry afterward.

This way, both parties benefited.

Troupe Leader Zhou's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he called his disciples to continue listening to Wang Dao Xuan explain the taboos of the ritual.

Meanwhile, Li Yan sat aside and opened the wooden box.

Generally, such methods were contained in a thin booklet, and some were even passed down solely through oral tradition from master to disciple. However, inside were three yellowed booklets.

One was the Pigua Fist Manual, another was the Qin Han Drum Rhythms, and the last one was the Divine Drum Cloud Thunder Sound.

Li Yan flipped through them casually and was surprised.

This method not only involved breathing but also required the cooperation of a specially made iron drum...

On an autumn day after the rain, the sky appeared even higher.

The afterglow of the setting sun illuminated the scattered clouds, heralding another clear day tomorrow.

The official road was muddy and difficult to traverse. A dozen people were making their way forward with great effort.

Besides Li Yan and his companions, over a dozen members of the Spring Breeze Troupe had come, including puppeteers, musicians, singers, and even a few apprentices.

As for their families, they had remained in Xianyang City.

Soon, they spotted the Mass Burial Grounds.

Among the group was a man who was somewhat pale and plump, the familiar "Old White Face," the band's suona player.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at the Mass Burial Grounds in the distance, his eyes filled with worry. "Daoist Wang, I heard that the mountains are also a den for the West Traveling Beggar Gang. Those people are difficult to deal with. Will they disrupt our plans?"

"No matter."

Wang Dao Xuan shook his head. "The place we are looking for is a convergence of Yin energy, unsuitable for habitation. The Mass Burial Grounds are vast, and we will be performing the ritual in the middle of the night. They won't be disturbed."

With that, he took out his compass, looked around for a moment, and pointed towards a mountain hollow west of the Mass Burial Grounds. "White Tiger holding a corpse is an extremely inauspicious sign, while Black Tortoise bowing its head is a great omen. I didn't expect the Mass Burial Grounds to have such a peculiar formation. We'll approach from this side!"

Although the others didn't understand geomancy, they carefully followed Wang Dao Xuan's instructions. Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, everyone fell silent, supporting each other as they climbed the steep, muddy slope.

In the distance, the last rays of the setting sun disappeared, and the night veiled the land