Meditation Training, Refreshing Combat

"Ah Shi, why did Brother Ze treat you like Old Liang's disciple? What's the difference between a disciple and a student?"

At precisely eleven in the evening, Qin Shi changed back into his original short-sleeved shirt and long pants and clocked out with Li Yuan and Xie Yucheng.

They still exited through the back door and exchanged goodbyes with Sister Hua, a fierce woman of the bear type.

Facing Xie Yucheng's confusion, Li Yuan scratched his head:

"Master and disciple is a term from the Old Era martial arts world. This relationship is quite formal. I heard that to enter, you have to serve tea, and after being accepted, you must invite fellow practitioners and hold a banquet to celebrate. There are many rules, anyway.

My grandpa likes listening to storytellers, and they always talk like that."

Xie Yucheng rubbed his chin and turned to stare at the calm Qin Shi:

"Ah Shi, come clean! Are you Old Liang's personal disciple? Have you already mastered divine skills and are about to have a surge in vitality and soar to the heavens?"

Qin Shi nodded and said seriously:

"I didn't expect you to find out. That's right, Old Liang is actually a peerless master hidden in plain sight, the kind who can fight the current Martial God for three hundred rounds.

And because of my outstanding talent and pure heart, he secretly passed down his legacy to me, allowing me to cultivate invincible divine skills.

You two each sponsor me five hundred yuan now. When I pass my rank promotion exam, claim the title of Martial Artist, and win the Stellar Cup, I'll reward you with permanent residency in the Imperial Capital!"

Li Yuan and Xie Yucheng were stunned, then hooked their arms around Qin Shi's neck from left and right:

"You, a child of Old Factory Street workers, think being a Tai'an citizen is a big achievement, and you're still dreaming of becoming a Beijing resident! Such heresy!

Come on, let us see what invincible divine skill Old Liang taught you. Is it Yan Haishan's Infinite Soldier Forging Art, or Ning Yuanhai's True Scripture of All Ages?!"

It was clear that the two of them thought his words were too ridiculous and didn't take them seriously.

If Old Liang were truly a peerless master, he wouldn't have ended up as a sports teacher at No. 9 Vocational Middle School.

Anyone with a bit of ambition would aim for a stable position in the Tai'an Metropolitan Area; how could they look down on the dilapidated Old Factory Street?

Qin Shi quickly took out the "meeting gift" that Cheng Ze had given him and held up a few banknotes like a white flag:

"Spare me, great hero! I'll treat you to a late-night snack!"

At twenty-seven minutes past eleven, Qin Shi returned to the shed. His youngest sibling, Qin Lan, had already fallen asleep.

He suppressed his fatigue and did a few more sets of Exhaustion Training, completing the upgrade conditions for the [Muscle Memory] achievement.

Only then did he tiptoe and hastily wash up, throwing his exhausted body, which had been undergoing high-intensity training, onto the bed.

"A new job, nightclub waiter, salary of two thousand yuan per month, plus tips, and flexible hours.

That Brother Ze gave me six hundred yuan. I spent eighty-seven yuan treating Li Yuan and Xie Yucheng to a late-night snack, leaving five hundred and thirteen.

I didn't eat enough Nutritional Paste today. I'll pay for it myself tomorrow.

Remember to go to the Youth Palace in the afternoon, the new teacher is coming..."

Qin Shi habitually calculated his gains and losses for the day, going over the scattered trivial matters in his mind.

He also made a simple schedule, which made him feel at ease.

He liked a planned life and a structured future.

This way, as soon as he woke up each day, he could systematically tackle everything like a player completing quests.

It was so satisfying!

In his previous life, Qin Shi had experienced the harm of indulgence and laziness, the torment of watching his body decay like rotten wood, rotting and stinking, yet being powerless to stop it.

It was truly unforgettable, a memory that would last a lifetime!

Therefore, in this life, Qin Shi, who had been given a second chance, was extremely eager for progress, wishing he could seize every bit of benefit and growth.

"A sure bet to pass the rank promotion exam, secure the Hongzhi Class scholarship, and then continue to develop my vitality, aiming for the score lines of Hengda University and Keda University..."

Thinking of the "tasks" to be completed, one by one, Qin Shi's lips curved into a smile.

He closed his eyes, his body and mind relaxed.

Due to the effect of the [Deep Sleep] achievement, he soon fell into a deep slumber.

Before his consciousness completely faded, he murmured in his heart:

"Combat Rewind! Activate!"

In the training room, dim yellow light streamed in. Qin Shi opened his eyes and calmly looked at Li Yuan, who had adopted the eight-arm stance opposite him.

"As expected, the scene for skill rewind should be the battle I remember most vividly.

This feeling is so strange. My body is asleep, but my consciousness is very clear."

The surrounding world was like a paused, clear video. The sensation of the soft mat beneath his feet, the dust floating in the air – the details were incredibly real.

But as his gaze shifted to the side, Xie Yucheng, standing by the wall, appeared blurry, as if pixelated.

"I was focused entirely on the actual combat at the time and completely ignored A Cheng, so in my subconscious rewind, he had no presence."

Qin Shi didn't rush to review. He stayed put and pondered for a moment.

After more than ten seconds, he suddenly strode towards the sandbag, clenched his five fingers, and threw a powerful punch.

Bang!

Amidst the muffled sound, the black sandbag, weighing a full hundred pounds, shook violently, kicking up large clumps of attached dust.

The genuine feedback from hitting a solid object made Qin Shi's eyes light up with a smile.

"The best way to use the Combat Rewind skill isn't just to find the opponent's weaknesses, but also as a training ground for the mental space!

The legendary 'Meditation Training Method' has been mastered by me without a teacher!"

He no longer paid attention to Li Yuan, who remained motionless like a clay statue, maintaining his pose. Instead, he began practicing his fighting style.

"Training in the mental space seems to allow for greater focus, without any distractions."

Qin Shi broke down basic movements like punching, stepping, and retreating one by one, gradually becoming familiar with them.

He demonstrated each move a hundred times, making it a brand, deeply etched into his consciousness.

"Done!"

After an unknown amount of time, Qin Shi's swinging fists, his shifting footsteps, and his gently swaying shoulders formed a coordinated rhythm. He moved as if he were one, capable of both attack and defense.

"It's time to verify the results! Brother Yuan, I'm sorry!"

He returned to the "battlefield." With a flicker of thought, the mental space, which had been paused, returned to normal.

Swish!

A whistling sound suddenly broke the air as a high roundhouse kick aimed directly at his face!

Qin Shi's gaze was steady, showing no panic.

A roundhouse kick involves a large lateral force, using the twist of the waist and hips to drive the thigh and then the lower leg, making it wide-ranging and fierce!

Experienced fighters often favor this move when crushing beginners, using a rapid series of kicks to easily break through the opponent's guard.

"Brother Yuan's vitality is still a bit lacking; his stamina isn't enough to support him in executing rapid consecutive kicks."

Qin Shi's body shook violently. The hands protecting his head ached, but his stance remained stable and unbroken!

His feet sank deeper into the ground, his tendons taut and bouncing. Seizing the moment when Li Yuan threw another kick, he retaliated with even greater speed!

"Brother Yuan's high roundhouse kick leaves his center of gravity unstable, making his attack less fierce and instead exposing his weaknesses."

Qin Shi's toes jabbed forward, stepping into the bend of Li Yuan's knee!

Crack!

The latter fell to his knees with a thud. Perhaps due to the rewind, the character was a bit stiff and still expressionless.

"Eat my elbow!"

After suppressing Li Yuan, Qin Shi pressed his advantage relentlessly. His elbow struck like a hammer, smashing blood onto that lifeless face!

Among fighting styles, the legs are the most dangerous.

As the saying goes, an inch longer is an inch stronger; hands strike for three parts, feet strike for seven.

But the most devastating is the elbow strike.

The older generation of Martial Artists would rather take ten punches than one elbow.

That's why!

"So satisfying! Again!"

In a flash, he secured a victory, but Qin Shi was not content.

He needed to train repeatedly, strengthen his reaction awareness, and understand the rhythm of offense and defense.

Only by continuously optimizing the details can his fighting style improve day by day!

"Brother Yuan isn't strong enough. If it were Old Liang... that would be amazing!"

He rewound the progress bar back to before the fight and looked at Li Yuan with burning eyes.

He would return the pain he endured in the training room this afternoon, doubled, tonight!

"Hehehehe, Brother Yuan! Feel my storm-like offense!"