At the lower right corner of the formation, Gu Yang was intently practicing the Blood Nourishing Stance Art.
Even after hearing what Qin Hu had said, there was no reaction on his face.
One movement followed another. Gu Yang's body rose and fell slightly, every transition incomparably fluid.
Very soon, he completed a full set of stance training, and a line of tiny text immediately flashed before his eyes.
Skill 'Blood Nourishing Stance' Proficiency +1
"Finally full..."
Muttering to himself, Gu Yang lowered his head and closed his eyes.
The next instant, text appeared.
Skills: Blood Nourishing Stance · Entry Level (100/100); Azure Dragon Dance · Entry Level (57/500) Talent: None
This was the first time Gu Yang had ground a skill's proficiency to the maximum. Though it was only the initial Entry Level, his heart was still brimming with a sense of achievement.
Ignoring the furtive glances of the others, Gu Yang took a step back and sat down to rest.
Bracing both hands against the ground behind him, he closed his eyes and tilted back his head, letting the sunlight spill across his face.
This time, he rested for quite a while.
Only after he felt his mental state had completely recovered and more than half his strength had returned did Gu Yang stand again and assume the posture of the Blood Nourishing Stance Art.
"Place the center of gravity between the legs; push, pull, draw, and lift, steady as a roly-poly..."
"Strength rises from beneath the feet; force travels from the waist..."
Scenes of Qin Hu instructing his disciples surfaced in his mind. Gu Yang took a deep breath, adjusted his breathing rhythm, and began practicing the Blood Nourishing Stance Art once more.
"Exhale..."
"Inhale..."
Three sets of stance training, forty-eight movements, unfolded as smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water.
After one round, Gu Yang's body paused slightly, and a smile appeared on his face.
"I broke through!"
Even without that line of tiny text appearing, he could feel the changes occurring within his body.
His physical condition was growing stronger, and his strength was increasing as well!
Though he had yet to test it specifically, Gu Yang could tell by feeling alone that in that brief span of time, his strength had increased by at least several dozen jin.
He withdrew his stance and exhaled.
The next instant, two lines of tiny text flashed before his eyes!
Skill 'Blood Nourishing Stance' Proficiency +1 Skill 'Blood Nourishing Stance' realm has broken through. Potential Development in progress...
"Potential Development? Does that mean my first talent is about to appear?!"
Gu Yang was both startled and overjoyed.
He had never imagined that merely breaking through the Qi Cultivation stage would cause his first talent to appear.
"What will it be?"
Gu Yang drew a deep breath, anticipation filling his heart.
Initial Potential Development complete. Talent 'Vitality Surge' successfully manifested!
A few breaths later, another line of text flashed before Gu Yang's eyes.
"It's here!"
"But Vitality Surge... what kind of talent is that?"
After glancing around, Gu Yang lowered his head with a blank expression and closed his eyes, looking toward the starlight before him.
Skills: Blood Nourishing Stance · Minor Accomplishment (1/200); Azure Dragon Dance · Entry Level (57/500) Talent: Vitality Surge
Neither skill's proficiency had changed in the slightest, but an additional talent called Vitality Surge had appeared.
As his thoughts focused, a detailed description of the talent immediately emerged in Gu Yang's mind.
Talent Vitality Surge: A small portion of the vitality hidden within the body has been activated. Physical stamina recovery speed and injury recovery speed are slightly increased.
"Just how much can a slight increase amount to?" Gu Yang could not help feeling curious.
Although his first manifested talent was not an increase in strength or some other attribute, which disappointed him somewhat, what mattered more now was figuring out this talent's characteristics first.
Even if this was not a talent that increased combat power, so long as the Blood Nourishing Stance's proficiency kept rising, a second and third talent would appear later. He could afford to wait.
"Hm? This is..."
Before he could think of a way to test it, Gu Yang suddenly sensed an unusual change in his body with each breath.
His stamina was recovering so quickly—more than twice as fast as before!
Was this recovery speed also only a "slight" increase...
Then what would a major increase look like? Could he become a "perpetual-motion machine"?
The disappointment in Gu Yang's heart instantly turned into delight.
A doubled stamina recovery speed meant that his efficiency in practicing stance training could increase by at least twofold in the future.
For Gu Yang, who was currently most lacking in time, this was undoubtedly heaven-sent news.
With the support of the Vitality Surge talent, it seemed he had a chance to contend in the Year-End Grand Competition.
Not to mention that this talent could also increase the speed at which injuries healed, meaning he would no longer fear getting hurt during sparring.
Very soon, a quarter of an hour passed.
In only that short quarter of an hour, Gu Yang felt that more than half his stamina had recovered.
He no longer kept his head lowered and eyes closed. Opening his eyes, he began practicing the Blood Nourishing Stance Art again.
As the stance training unfolded, Gu Yang's stamina slowly began to drain away.
Yet at the same time, he discovered that something within his body seemed to be surging forth without end, continuously replenishing his stamina.
"Vitality... so this is what they call vitality? I never imagined the human body contained something so miraculous."
Gu Yang split his attention in two, practicing the stance training on one hand while sensing the changes within his body on the other.
Soon, he finished a set of stance training. Gu Yang drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He could clearly feel that his stamina remained abundant.
Under the effect of that endlessly flowing vitality, this session of stance training had consumed fully half as much stamina as before.
"Keep going. Let me see your limit!"
Excitement gleamed in Gu Yang's eyes. He assumed the stance training posture and began practicing once more.
"Haah, haah..."
The sun slanted westward. Gu Yang let out a long breath and finally stopped moving, supporting himself with his hands on his knees as he panted heavily.
"So tired..."
His vision blurred, his chest heaved violently, the muscles in his limbs spasmed without cease, and waves of soreness surged into his mind. Gu Yang even felt that if he lay down, he could fall asleep at once.
However, the gains from this high-intensity training were also extremely obvious. Over the greater part of the day, the notification of proficiency +1 had appeared in his vision six times in succession.
This was the rate of progress after breaking through Strength Training and manifesting the Vitality Surge talent.
Too fast!
At this rate, if he continued training the Blood Nourishing Stance Art with all his strength, the stance training would break through again in less than a month.
What kind of concept was that?
Martial Academy disciples took an average of eight months to break through Qi Cultivation, and two years and seven months to break through Strength Training. As for the final Blood Condensation, many disciples could not achieve it even by the time they turned sixteen.
From that comparison alone, one could see just how terrifying Gu Yang's rate of improvement was.
Of course, Gu Yang could not keep training the Blood Nourishing Stance Art forever. After breaking through Strength Training, he also had to pick up his Martial Techniques.
Practice martial arts without practicing combat; when you meet someone, do not make a move.
If he did not know how to hit people, then during the Minor Competition, he could only take a beating.
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