Manifested Strength

Back at the Shen Family Outer Courtyard, the sky was already dimming. Xiang Qichen told everyone there would be no training today and that they should get a good night's rest. Only Zhuang Jin, Bi Kai, and Wu Hao still insisted on going to the Training Ground.

When the Training Ground closed, the three returned. Zhuang Jin and Bi Kai went to wash up, while Wu Hao lagged a step behind and called Xiang Qichen to the doorway. Embarrassed, he took out fifty copper coins, intending to repay Xiang Qichen for covering his dinner tonight.

Though his family circumstances were not very good, he was still a Formal Martial Artist. He could afford this little bit of money.

As the self-appointed eldest brother of the dormitory, Xiang Qichen naturally had to look after his younger brothers. He would not accept it, so he grandly waved a hand. "No need. I know your family's having a hard time, Eighth Brother. Keep the money for yourself. Consider tonight's meal my treat."

Wu Hao's face reddened, and he lowered his head. Seeing that Xiang Qichen refused to take it, he still felt bad about owing someone a debt, so he took out a small packet of persimmon cakes instead.

The commotion alerted Qian Wende, who was lying on his bed. Seeing what Wu Hao had taken out, he called, "Persimmon cakes? Eighth Brother, do you have any more? Give me some too, will you? I was just saying I'm hungry!"

"Yes, I do." Wu Hao still had a small bag. He could not bear to eat it himself and had originally planned to take it home for his younger brother and sister, though his father had brought it from home for him in the first place, telling him to use it to fill his stomach when training left him hungry.

—His family truly was strapped for cash, with few good things to eat. He still remembered the day he became a Formal Martial Artist, when his father had brought his younger brother and sister over and given him those two small bags of persimmon cakes. His siblings had stared at them with longing in their eyes. They probably had not eaten more than a few persimmon cakes themselves—more likely, not even one. He knew why. Seeing that he had become a Formal Martial Artist, his father had brought every good thing the family had, hoping only that he would train hard in martial arts!

Still, hearing Qian Wende's words now, Wu Hao felt reluctant, yet honestly prepared to go get them.

"Enough, don't take any more. Haozi, keep the rest for yourself!" Xiang Qichen took the small packet of persimmon cakes Wu Hao had given him and, with a broad sweep of his hand, shared them among the dormitory.

Zhuang Jin and Bi Kai had just returned from washing up and did not feel right eating, so they declined. Xiong Lei, Jiao Kun, and Lin Hong each took only one to taste, merely going through the motions. Qian Wende still ate the most.

Those who ate more naturally had to relieve themselves more. Once the lamps were blown out and they went to sleep, Qian Wende rushed off in a blaze of wind and fire to take a dump. As usual, he used Xiong Lei's paper and did not close the door, forcing Xiong Lei to get up and shut it himself.

This had become the dormitory's daily staple performance.

Listening to Xiong Lei curse and grumble, Zhuang Jin turned over and faced away, thinking, Tomorrow marks the start of a new month. I've spent these past nights lying in bed pondering martial skills and have accumulated quite a few questions. Tomorrow will be the perfect time to ask them.

Outside the door, the cold wind howled with sharp, mournful cries. Before long, Qian Wende returned, sucking in cold air through his teeth and making another round of commotion. Then everyone gradually fell asleep. Zhuang Jin lay on his bed with his eyes still open, silently pondering as he simulated and practiced martial skills in his mind.

The next day was the First day of December. When Zhuang Jin and the others arrived at the Training Ground, a middle-aged man soon entered. He appeared to be forty or fifty, tall and round-faced, wearing a gray robe marked with three silver stripes.

Clearly, he was a Three-Insignia Servant.

Compared to the Martial Arts Instructor teaching Martial Students, who is only a Two-Striped Servant, the Shen Family truly values Formal Martial Artists far more. The one teaching martial skills is actually a Three Meridian Warrior. Zhuang Jin thought.

"My name is Tang Wentao. For the coming month, I will teach you the martial skill Black Fiend Palm." Tang Wentao briefly introduced himself, then called each of them by name to get acquainted before speaking of the end-of-month assessment. Based on their Cultivation Realm and Black Fiend Palm proficiency, they would be rewarded with different amounts of time to choose their own assignments.

Likewise, just like the martial masters who taught Martial Students, he had quotas to meet. Within a month, he had to teach at least one person who either broke through to the Second Meridian or gained entry into Black Fiend Palm, otherwise his pay would be docked. Of course, exceeding the quota also brought rewards. For every person who broke through to the Second Meridian and gained entry into Black Fiend Palm, he would receive two taels of silver. If only one of those two conditions was met, he would receive one tael of silver.

Zhuang Jin and the others had long known about the assessment.

Tang Wentao was not surprised to see that they were not surprised. The martial masters teaching Martial Students all knew this information. If they thought well of someone and were willing to give them a hint, or if someone had a relative or two in the Shen Family Outer Courtyard, it was perfectly normal for them to know in advance. He nodded and began explaining the martial skill. "When the Inner Breath within us martial artists is unleashed, it becomes force. The force you can unleash now is called Manifested Strength, the foundation of the killing power of offensive martial skills!"

"Teacher Tang, do you mean there are other kinds of force besides Manifested Strength?" Perhaps having learned from his failure to build a good relationship with Ping Yongfeng back when he was a Martial Student, Qian Wende cleverly seized the chance to ask.

But it seemed his flattery had landed on a horse's leg.

Seeing that it was Qian Wende, Tang Wentao immediately fixed him with a sharp stare, making him lower his head awkwardly. Only then did he say, "Naturally, there are other kinds of force beyond Manifested Strength. For example, when our Qi Condensation Realm reaches Seven Meridians, another layer of force is born within the body—Latent Strength."

"Enough. Back to the martial skill Black Fiend Palm. Martial skill proficiency is divided into four levels. The first level is entry. At this level, you can strike out force one inch beyond your body. For this entry level, the Cultivation Realm requirement is only One Meridian..."

Hearing this, Zhuang Jin suddenly recalled the night Bi Kai had been ambushed. Chang Hetong's palm had not touched Wang Rui, yet the latter's skull had caved in. Thinking about it now, that must have been Black Fiend Palm at the entry level.

"The second level is minor accomplishment. At this level, you can strike out force three inches beyond your body. Since Black Fiend Palm at minor accomplishment requires sufficient Inner Breath to sustain it, the minimum Cultivation Realm requirement is the Fourth Meridian. Of course, the minimum requirement being the Fourth Meridian does not mean every Four Meridian Realm martial artist can necessarily reach minor accomplishment in Black Fiend Palm. But it also proves that the Four Meridian Realm is a great transformation. In our Shen Family, One to Three Meridian martial artists are servants, while at the Fourth Meridian, one becomes a Household Retainer."

"The third level is major accomplishment. At this level, you can strike out force six inches beyond your body. Black Fiend Palm at major accomplishment requires all the Hand Three Yang and Three Yin meridians to be opened and form a cycle. Thus, the minimum Cultivation Realm requirement is Six Meridians. So, Six Meridians also brings a great transformation."

"Of course, that transformation cannot compare to the leap from Six Meridians to Seven Meridians. As I said before, at the Seven Meridians Realm, another layer of force—Latent Strength—will grow within the body alongside Manifested Strength. Furthermore, by Seven Meridians, one foot meridian has already been opened, allowing one to gain entry into a Movement Martial Skill. Therefore, compared with the Fourth Meridian and Six Meridians, Seven Meridians is an even more earth-shaking transformation!"

As Tang Wentao spoke, his face filled with longing for such a realm. "As for the fourth level, perfection, it allows you to strike out force nine inches beyond your body. That requires all Twelve Principal Meridians to be completely opened and fused into a seamless whole. The minimum Cultivation Realm requirement is Twelve Meridians. That is far too distant, so we will not discuss it for now."

"Having explained the division of martial skill levels, I have one sentence of advice before formally teaching you: cultivation first, martial skills second."

"What does that mean? Let us first discuss the first half, 'cultivation first.' It means that every Meridian is a mountain. With each additional Meridian Realm, the circulation path of your Inner Breath gains another meridian, the refinement of that Inner Breath enters a new world, and the strengthening of your body likewise enters a new world. Those at lower realms cannot challenge those at higher realms."

Tang Wentao's expression turned incomparably grave as he warned them, "Remember this: never challenge a higher realm from a lower one. That is courting death!"

This book was never meant to follow a fast-paced route. If I truly wanted to take that road, the first chapter would have the protagonist begin learning martial arts, the second chapter would have the Golden Finger appear and bring a breakthrough, and the third chapter would have him take revenge and kill someone. That would be the standard golden first three chapters—the fast-paced route...

I want to slowly shape the characters in this book. Once the characters stand firm and the emotional groundwork has been laid deeply enough, the eventual eruption will be truly shocking... Some people may not enjoy the way character images are sketched out in the daily scenes. After all, it is not as stimulating as conflict and confrontation. Of course I know that... All I can say is that I am very happy for those who can keep reading. Those who cannot probably just are not suited to this book.

Also, let me say this: there absolutely will not be any suppression of the protagonist's realm. The day after tomorrow, the protagonist will break through again and usher in a small climax. But for those hoping for a fast pace, youthful hot-bloodedness, and one grand spectacle after another, this book truly does not have that. You can read other books instead. Books are like people; they can only filter their audience. Do not try to change them.

Finally, thank you to every reader who has followed the story to this point, especially those who came over from my previous two books. I remember many of your usernames vividly, and I am deeply grateful. A bow!