To Be the Scorching Sun in the Firmament

"I've just started learning the Xingyi Stance, but after practicing for a day, I still haven't grasped the knack of it."

Meng Yongzhi comforted him:

"Stance training is a slow, grinding process. It's easy to enter the door, but hard to master. When I first started, I think it took me about half a month to get the hang of it."

"Chuan'er, your aptitude is better than mine. If you apply the same effort you put into the Guoyi Fist to your stance training, I believe you'll be able to master it very quickly."

Meng Yongzhi had been stuck at the third blood-energy barrier for over a decade. Ever since he passed the exam for the police force and started working, he hadn't really practiced martial arts much.

The fourth blood-energy barrier requires the ability to convert between overt and covert fist power; it is the first minor threshold in martial arts. Unless one possesses superior aptitude, it requires grueling effort and the mastery of covert power to break through.

Therefore, for Meng Yongzhi, the path of martial arts was also a source of regret.

He often fantasized about what his life would be like today if he had focused solely on martial arts and trained consistently.

Perhaps it wouldn't be any better than it is now.

He only had inferior aptitude; even if he had reached the sixth blood-energy barrier, it wouldn't be as useful as the navy-blue uniform hanging on the coat rack.

His younger brother had passed away early. Although Meng Chuan was his nephew, Meng Yongzhi had raised him since he was small and had long since regarded him as his own son.

When he told his wife, Xue Na, that Meng Chuan could become a Martial Artist, he was just humoring her. If everyone could become a Martial Artist, wouldn't they be as common as cabbages in the street?

He simply wanted to provide as much help as he could for Meng Chuan on the path of martial arts, without truly expecting him to become a Martial Artist.

But one never knew. The boy was hardworking, and his aptitude was better than his own. Meng Yongzhi fantasized that perhaps Meng Chuan could truly fulfill his dream for him.

"High school is not too late. Let's both give it our all this time," Meng Yongzhi secretly vowed.

Meng Chuan returned to his room, glanced at the latest newspaper, and then continued his stance training.

"Warmly celebrating the perfect conclusion of the 26th River Gathering, and congratulations to Principal Sui Chunqiu, the Martial Mourning Peak, from the Northern United Martial Arts University for taking the crown!"

Sui Chunqiu, a Six-Limit Heavenly King level powerhouse.

He was a pillar of the Great Chu, and indeed the entire world, as well as Meng Chuan's idol.

Whenever he felt like giving up on his fist training as a child, he would either think of his past life or look at his idol, Heavenly King Sui, for comfort.

On the path of martial arts, setting aside talent and aptitude, everything depends on the word "strive."

It is nothing more than a distinction of high and low; you use your two fists to carve out a path. If you can do it, you rise; if you can't, you yield your resources to others.

The Tianshan Martial Assembly, the Yellow River Gathering, and even the World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament—all these events are where powerhouses fight their way up, selecting the best from the best.

What kind of hero dreams big while hiding in a mountain valley? If you have the ability, come out and compete to see who is the scorching sun in the sky!

Meng Chuan secretly made up his mind that he would also participate in these events in the future, meeting all the heroes and fighting against the heavens to prove his worth.

Thinking of this, his blood boiled, and Meng Chuan seized the time to continue his stance training.

As his intent flowed and his mind obeyed his commands, every muscle and fiber in Meng Chuan's body began to align with the Sancai Stance.

With his body upright and his spirit guarded within, Meng Chuan gradually grasped the feeling. The Sancai Stance was almost mastered...

Early the next morning, Meng Yongzhi woke up early, which was rare for his day off.

"Uncle, do you have a shift today? Why are you up so early?"

Meng Chuan was at the door changing his shoes to head to the martial arts hall; there were still some small details about the stance training that he needed Instructor Liu Ru to help him adjust.

"No shift. Let's go, I'll go to the martial arts hall with you. I happen to have something to discuss with Master Luo."

Meng Yongzhi had thought about it all night and decided he couldn't let Meng Chuan waste any more time on the Guoyi Fist.

He was going to talk to the master in person and insist that he correct Meng Chuan's path.

In the current Great Chu, if one wants to practice martial arts, a martial arts university is the only way forward.

The teachers, classmates, and martial resources within the academy are the most important assets for any practitioner.

To get into a good martial arts university, blood-energy is the foundation.

On Li Mountain in the suburbs of Yong'an, the Northern United Martial Arts University, which occupies one of the nine top-tier university spots in the country, requires the fifth blood-energy barrier just as a threshold for application.

Meng Yongzhi didn't dare to hope for a top-tier university; he would be overjoyed if Meng Chuan could just get into the local Yong'an Martial Arts University.

However, Yong'an Martial Arts University also required at least the third blood-energy barrier. Practicing only the Guoyi Fist would never reach the third barrier in a lifetime.

Therefore, he had to warn the master and force Meng Chuan to learn other fist techniques. Practicing only the stance wasn't enough, as fist techniques and martial skills provided a much stronger boost to blood-energy than stance training.

To reach the third blood-energy barrier before the high school martial arts exam, given Meng Chuan's aptitude, he had to start practicing other fist techniques now.

Time was tight and the task was heavy; Meng Chuan had already wasted too much time on "baby fists."

Meng Yongzhi finished changing his shoes and suddenly thought:

"Chuan'er, did you measure your blood-energy yesterday? Did you reach the first blood-energy barrier?"

"I was busy with the stance training yesterday and forgot. I'll measure it as soon as I get there today."

At the Infinite Martial Arts Hall in Greenland Plaza.

After arriving at the hall, his uncle parted ways with Meng Chuan to go straight to the master.

Meng Chuan walked around but didn't see Wang Yue, and when he called Wang Yue, his phone was turned off.

This kid must have been afraid of being disturbed during his nap, so he specifically turned off his phone to block him.

He couldn't miss the breakfast at the martial arts gym cafeteria today; after clocking in, he immediately entered the cafeteria to feast. At one thousand yuan a day, it was his own money, so he might as well eat his fill.

Several students he had seen yesterday greeted Meng Chuan cheerfully, as his hard work from the day before had left an impression on them.

"Hey there, are you new?"

Seeing Meng Chuan eating so voraciously, a tall and sturdy youth carried his tray over and sat down.

"My name is Le Ping, third-year at Aizhi Martial Arts High School, at the third stage of blood energy. Seeing you eat like that, want to get to know each other?"

"Meng Chuan, yesterday was my first day here, first-year at Ping'an, my blood energy should be at the uninitiated stage; I'm going to test it later."

Le Ping sat across from him, eating as he spoke:

"From Ping'an? Your first-year class has quite a few legendary figures. I heard there's a monster who reached the third stage of blood energy and insisted on staying at your school instead of attending the preparatory course at Yong'an Martial Arts University.

And there's also some... some Grandmaster of Doll Fist?"

Meng Chuan felt helpless:

"..."

Le Ping was the type to get familiar quickly:

"Let's go, I'll take you to get tested in a bit. I was already at the first stage of blood energy back in my third year of middle school. Judging by your ability to put away food, you should have the strength of the first stage as well."

After the meal, the two arrived at the blood energy measurement room. Le Ping helped Meng Chuan put on the blood energy sensor device and pressed the button on the main console, followed by three long "beep" sounds.

"Alright, just demonstrate your fist techniques against the wall. As you punch, the sensor will collect your blood energy data and transmit it to the console. Just stop once you've finished a set of techniques."

Meng Chuan calmed himself, raised his hands, and began to perform the Guoyi Fist. Le Ping kept leaning over the console screen, staring at Meng Chuan's data.

The display panel looked like a vertical bamboo pole, divided into individual segments. Before Meng Chuan had even finished his fist techniques, Le Ping saw the bottom-most red segment was already nearly full.