Practicing Kung Fu at Cold Pond

One month later.

The morning mist was vast, and the cold air rose.

No matter how much sword light and sword shadows there were on Blackwood Cliff, the water of Gorilla Beach always flowed unhurriedly.

Downstream from Gorilla Beach, a head floated quietly on the water's surface.

"One hundred and five, one hundred and six, one hundred and eight..."

Internal Energy surged through the extraordinary meridians and eight channels, resisting the invasion of the icy cold. However, the pain that felt like a thousand needles piercing the bone could not be eliminated, and it was undoubtedly a great test of one's will.

"One hundred and seventy-nine!"

The person leaped out of the water, his upper body bare, wearing only a pair of short shorts.

"Three minutes."

Zhang Yu staggered to the shore, his body almost numb.

With his current Internal Energy, holding on for three minutes was already his limit.

After his Internal Energy was depleted, relying on his physical body alone to resist the icy cold would very likely cause serious injury.

"Fortunately, effort always pays off. I'm only one step away from the mid-stage of Dan Energy."

Someone had long ago discovered that using the cold water of Gorilla Beach could refine Internal Energy further.

The source of Gorilla Beach, the Thousand Year Cold Pond behind Blackwood Cliff, was originally a sacred place for cultivating ice-attribute skills.

It was just that the vast majority of people lacked the endurance to persevere.

In the past month, his internal cultivation had improved, which was within Zhang Yu's expectations.

However, there was an unexpected gain that left him with mixed feelings.

"As a member of the Demonic Cult, how will I be able to command respect when I travel the jianghu in the future?"

Zhang Yu squatted by the shore, looking at his reflection in the water. His originally slightly dark skin had become smooth as jade, fair and firm after being soaked in the cold water. Combined with his phoenix eyes and crescent eyebrows, he was even more handsome than a woman.

If he weren't hiding here to train, but walking on the streets of Pingding City, he would surely attract women to throw fruit at his carriage and men to glare at him with anger.

Zhang Yu took out a pot of strong liquor and a roasted chicken from under a rock and began to eat heartily.

He looked at the black mountain behind him and sighed.

Half a month ago, the Eastern Cult Master had once again announced his seclusion.

The disputes in Chengde Hall seemed to have ended just like that.

Cloud Water Hall, like the five previously destroyed halls, became the Sun Moon Divine Cult's sixth nominal hall.

Zhang Yu gulped down a mouthful of strong liquor, which only slightly warmed his throat. After three more gulps, he managed to pull his intestines, stomach, liver, and heart out of the ice cave.

"I don't know what possessed Dongfang Bubai, but he seems intent on letting the newly promoted Yang Lianting and the veteran faction led by Tong Baixiong contend for power, yet he doesn't truly let one side overpower the other."

"If this continues, his position might be stable, but the cult's elite forces will be depleted in infighting, and the cult members and affiliated gangs will gradually disperse. Is this what he wants?"

"Blackwood Cliff has become a place of trouble. I need to find a way quickly to get Tong Baixiong to agree to my transfer to a local post."

Cloud Water Hall was virtually defunct. Zhang Yu's personnel relations were transferred to Wind Thunder Hall, meaning he was now a Deputy Flag Master under Wind Thunder Hall, receiving ten taels of silver monthly.

Wind Thunder Hall owned many profitable industries such as gambling houses, pleasure houses, mines, and manors. The income was good and the benefits were substantial, even more than three taels compared to Cloud Water Hall.

The failed attempt to overthrow Yang Lianting had dealt a great blow to Tong Baixiong. According to Qi Zhaogu, the old man didn't even have the mood to celebrate his sixty-first birthday. He had booked a long-term stay at Thousand Red Pavilion, spending his days listening to music and drinking to drown his sorrows. It was likely he had no intention of assigning Zhang Yu a task right now.

After finishing his roasted chicken and fine wine, Zhang Yu began to meditate and cultivate. In two hours, his Internal Energy was restored by about seventy to eighty percent.

He flipped open the lower volume of the Flying Cloud Divine Skill and spread it on the rock.

The lower volume of the Flying Cloud Divine Skill was a movement technique, consisting of thirty-six pages, which were thirty-six illustrations, marking acupoints, qi circulation pathways, and cultivation methods.

The footwork varied, and the changes were unpredictable: running, leaping, jumping, soaring, spinning, turning, sideways, tilting, kicking, slanting, straight, obvious, hidden, virtual, real...

Between the footprints, lines of different colors connected them. The further back, the more profound and deep it became.

Fortunately, there were personal insights and reflections meticulously annotated by Wu Lianjiang in small, fly-like script.

The ink of the old fly-like script had faded, dating back at least twenty to thirty years. The newer ink was still bright, but it was only from a few months ago.

"Since I have taken on the master-disciple relationship, I will also inherit your grudges, whether it be against Fei Bin or Yang Lianting." Given his identity and position, he had no choice but to inherit these karmic debts.

"Miss Hanyu, I will continue to search for you in the future."

Zhang Yu sighed. After the incident in Chengde Hall had slightly subsided, he immediately followed Wu Lianjiang's dying wish to secretly investigate Qingniu Village, fifty miles northeast of Pingding City. However, he discovered that Wu Hanyu had already been taken away by people of unknown identity.

With Zhang Yu's current abilities, self-preservation was barely manageable, let alone further investigation.

"I hope it was Ren Yingying who sent someone to pick her up."

He continued to look at the movement techniques in the lower volume of the Flying Cloud Divine Skill.

Lightness skill was divided into four realms: Flowing Clouds and Water, Cloudy Waves Crossing, Chasing Clouds and Lightning, and Vast Vistas of the Roc.

"The first level is Flowing Clouds and Water."

"Flowing Clouds and Water, natural and smooth. Initially without fixed form, yet following the principles of heaven and earth, always acting where one should act, and always stopping where one must stop..."

When the 'Flowing Clouds and Water' realm is cultivated to perfection, the body's agility is greatly enhanced. One acts when one should act, and stops when one should stop. Even if a hundred weapons were aimed at the body, they would not touch the corners of one's clothes.

"The four realms, though sequential, each have their own marvels. Flowing Clouds and Water, in addition to being a movement technique, also enhances the power of swordplay and fist techniques."

They all say that practicing fists without practicing internal energy leads to an empty old age.

But practicing internal energy without practicing fists doesn't necessarily guarantee you'll live to be old.

After learning the moves of the Nine Swords of Dugu, Linghu Chong could easily defeat senior martial uncles of Mount Hua whose internal energy was superior to his, such as Cong Buqi and Cheng Buyou.

These days, he had focused on improving his internal energy. Now that he had achieved initial success, it was time to "practice fists."

Zhang Yu took out the Green Jade Thumb Ring he had hidden under his clothes and was about to put it on. Suddenly, he saw the numerous scars on his thumb. After a moment's thought, he put it back down.

Sun rises and sets, another day passes.

Following the diagrams, Zhang Yu strode across the rocky beach. After stumbling seven or eighty times, he could finally manage to perform the 'Flowing Clouds and Water' footwork once, but it was merely like a tiger drawn like a cat – he had only learned the general idea. It was stiff and obstructed, not at all fluid.

"Maybe I should wear it after all? Perhaps I'm overthinking it."

Zhang Yu couldn't resist putting on the Green Jade Thumb Ring and then performed the 'Flowing Clouds and Water' footwork diagram again. As expected, he could easily identify the blockages in his footwork that made it un-fluid, adjusting and correcting himself in time.

"The progress I made in this one round surpasses the previous twenty or thirty rounds."

Zhang Yu excitedly stomped his feet and leaped upwards, clearing over two meters while standing still.

"Just a casual jump, and I've surpassed the world record of 1.9 meters. Even if I went back to my previous life, with this skill alone, I could fulfill my parents' long-held wish, get a stable government job, and no longer have to deliver food to thousands of homes."

Zhang Yu was overjoyed but forgot the principle that going uphill is easy and coming downhill is hard. When he landed, his foot slipped, and he pitched forward, performing a perfect face-plant and ending up bruised and swollen.

"What is the limit of lightness skill in this world?" Zhang Yu lay where he had fallen, rolled over, and leaned against a rock, looking up at the hazy sky and the hundred-zhang Blackwood Cliff that pierced the clouds. He pondered this.

That day, in front of Guanyin Nunnery, he had hidden in the bamboo grove and watched. Wu Lianjiang leaped ten meters into the air without any support, moving and shifting in the air solely with his internal energy. His speed was so great, and his movement so elusive, that his opponent could only see afterimages.

"Zhang Yu, why aren't you wearing any clothes again?"

From the reeds, a person emerged, holding two candied hawthorns and looking down at the young man, their eyes full of disdain for this 'savage' behavior.

New writer, new book, creating is not easy. I don't quite understand the rules either. I heard from a writer friend that Tuesday's data affects future recommendations, so I'll shamelessly ask for votes and reads on Monday. Please.