After Gu Chen finally finished updating Dragon Snake for the day, a notification sounded in the Central Continent Martial Arts Seminar's private group chat. He opened it.
He Wu: Anyone alive in here? Squeak if you are!
Invincible Little Wave Rider: Squeak!
Ji Taibao: Squeak squeak!!
Cute Pink Rabbit: Squeak squeak squeak!!
Ye Liangchen: Squeak squeak squeak squeak!!
He Wu: All right, enough squeaking! Ahem, bros, I have an important announcement! After three days of seclusion, I've somehow reached Manifesting Strength!!
Gu Chen watched the ridiculous group members chatter, a little surprised. He hadn't expected He Wu, who seemed so carefree and scatterbrained in the chat, to reach Manifesting Strength so quickly.
Most people in a chat this ridiculous were young. They tossed around internet memes and often traded dirty jokes, each pushing the limits further than the last. For someone so young to reach Manifesting Strength this quickly, she was undeniably a genius in talent, insight, and effort alike.
The group fell silent for a moment after her announcement, then burst into chatter.
Invincible Little Wave Rider: You're incredible, He Wu! Voice cracks I want to have your babies!
Ji Taibao: What he said! He Wu, got room for one more hanger-on? I want to be your lackey!!
Cute Pink Rabbit: Make that two! He Wu, you're amazing. I'm still stuck right at the threshold of Manifesting Strength. I'm so close, but I just can't get past it. Sob...
Ye Liangchen: As expected of a woman I, Ye Liangchen, acknowledge! You reached Manifesting Strength so quickly! Not bad! Your speed almost rivals mine!!
That cheap, arrogant posturing drew a chorus of boos. The others couldn't resist piling on.
Invincible Little Wave Rider: Damn it! That bastard Ye Liangchen broke through already? Makes no sense! He was even faster than me! Heaven must be blind to let that poser break through! This is so unfair!!
Ji Taibao: Aaaah... That flex came out of nowhere! Bros, I have news too! You all pushed me over the edge! I just broke through to Manifesting Strength! Pressure really does drive progress!!
Cute Pink Rabbit: Boohoo... All this time, I thought everyone was just bragging! Turns out everyone but me really is amazing! I'm the clown? Would any kind brother or sister give me some pointers? I'll give myself to you in return!!
He Wu: Well, Manifesting Strength doesn't seem that hard, does it? Try following Wang Chao's experience in the book. Maybe that'll work!
Invincible Little Wave Rider: Exactly! He Wu's right!!
Ji Taibao: I honestly don't know how to explain it. Seeing everyone flex in the chat fired me up, and before I knew it, I understood. It felt like static electricity ran through me, my hair stood on end, and I punched straight through the wooden door at home! Gotta go hide before my dad whips me with his belt! Logging off!!
Gu Chen had been lurking as he read the group's discussion. After a moment's thought, he typed a message.
Gu Beichen: You're caught up in what you think you know. Reading about Wang Chao's experience gave you expectations, but no one was there to help you feel the Internal Force for yourself. It's just one leaf blocking your view. Your best bet is to use an external danger to jolt yourself, preferably when you aren't prepared for it.
The others immediately flooded the chat with replies.
He Wu: As expected of Boss Beichen, who's been hiding his true depth! One sentence and you've revealed the secret!!
Invincible Little Wave Rider: What she said! Before Beichen came Heaven; one word from him beats an Immortal's wisdom!
Ye Liangchen: As expected of the rival I value most! Your view matches mine exactly!!
Ji Taibao: A few words from Boss Beichen and the key is clear! A true hidden master!!
Invincible Little Wave Rider: Ji Taibao, weren't you going to hide? Didn't your dad come after you with his belt?!
Ji Taibao: The old man's picking out a sturdy belt, and Mom's choosing a feather duster. They're getting ready for a long-overdue mixed doubles beating...
He Wu: ...
Elsewhere, in a county town far away, a tall, muscular man in a close-fitting shirt rushed into a room with his phone and shouted eagerly, "Master! I know how to reach Manifesting Strength now! An expert in the group said I'm trapped by what I think I know. I need an external danger to jolt me when I'm not prepared..."
Before the muscular man could finish, a fist tore through the air and came crashing down like a massive hammer. Fierce and overpowering, it was the first form of Three Emperors Cannon Punch—Hammer Shakes the Four Directions!!
The punch descended like a cannonball, its force shaking the room. Coupled with the crushing pressure of a Pillaring Grandmaster's presence, it made the muscular man shriek. His hair stood on end as though charged with static electricity. Under the shock of imminent danger, his body's potential surged. In an instant, he grasped Whole-Body Force and its essential principles, stepping into Manifesting Strength.
The Three Emperors Cannon Punch stopped dead. The fierce gust it stirred up still shoved the muscular man several meters back. A disdainful voice came from inside the room. "How did I, Wang Tianba, end up with someone as stupid as you? You took this long to grasp Manifesting Strength. Don't tell anyone you studied under me. It'd be embarrassing if word got out..."
The muscular man slumped to the floor, weak all over but visibly thrilled. With trembling fingers, he typed a message into the group chat.
Cute Pink Rabbit: Sob... Thank you for the pointers, Boss Beichen! I finally reached Manifesting Strength! I've caught up to the group's average at last! I'm not dragging everyone down anymore!!
The group went quiet for a moment after that message, then congratulations poured in. Afterward, Invincible Little Wave Rider suggested they find a chance to meet up and discuss National Martial Arts.
Seeing the messages, Gu Chen decided to join the fun. It sounded interesting, and he wanted to meet these geniuses who had reached Manifesting Strength in barely more than a week. They might even prove useful in his later plan to bring Wu Ming into reality through Refine Falsehood Into Truth.
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