Improving the Cultivation Technique, the Plot Begins

Pa~ pa~ pa~~

Don't overthink it; this is the sound of Xu Ai and Xu Xin practicing their punches...

On the Earth of Swallowed Star, there are two essential training methods to follow before reaching the standard for cultivation: one is standing meditation, and the other is punching!

Created by martial arts masters like Hong and Thor, this body-tempering fist technique can greatly activate the tendons and bones while promoting human blood circulation. After completing this entire set of movements, following up with exercises like push-ups and sit-ups yields twice the result with half the effort!

This body-tempering fist technique is the most widely used in the world today, and it has a very down-to-earth name—Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist.

As for the version Xu Ai and the others are practicing now, it is a new version of the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist modified by Empress Ruthless, which has significantly increased its efficiency.

Xu Ai and Xu Xin now practice three times a day: once when they wake up, once before showering, and once before their main workout.

Pa!

"Done for now. Next up is the daily workout."

Xu Ai stood up to finish the set, took two deep breaths, and ran off to continue her training.

It has been nearly a month since Xu Ai and Xu Xin became disciples, and both have gained a great deal.

Setting Xu Xin aside, Xu Ai's physical fitness and punch strength have reached 637 kilograms, with a speed of 18.4 m/s, not far from the data required for a high-level student.

Huh? Why not mention Xu Ai's Neural Response Tester results?

Well, first you have to understand that everything Empress Ruthless knows, Xu Ai knows too.

Therefore, Xu Ai can also execute the footwork of Empress Ruthless, which has already surpassed the realm of intent!

If she actually used it, the Neural Response Tester wouldn't have a chance to touch Xu Ai even once!

By the same logic, the same would apply if she used her force-exertion amplitude on the Punch Strength Tester or the speed tester.

Although Empress Ruthless has focused most of her energy on cultivation and hasn't spent much effort on stacking domains or force-exertion amplitude, she has still reached a level of 12 times.

If Xu Ai were to actually use that 12-fold force-exertion amplitude, her punch strength would instantly reach 8,832 kilograms, which is already at the level of a Low-level War General...

In a speed test, if Xu Ai gathered 12 times the force and leaped, she would probably reach the finish line instantly—how could that even be measured?

...Alright, she probably can't actually use 12-fold force-exertion amplitude yet. After all, her physical fitness is too poor; if she blindly used such high force-exertion, the parts of her body exerting the force would likely explode on the spot...

But two or three times is definitely manageable.

Empress Ruthless sat cross-legged on the floor not far from Xu Ai and Xu Xin, and after a long while, she finally opened her eyes.

"The 'Five Hearts Towards Heaven' method uses the palms, the soles of the feet, and the brow to sense cosmic energy, which is then absorbed into the body and converted into Genetic Origin Energy.

My version of this cultivation method senses and absorbs cosmic energy directly through the internal organs, skipping the process of flowing from the 'five hearts' to the rest of the body. Since it saves time in this regard, let's call it the 'Five Qi Towards Origin' cultivation method."

The 'Five Qi Towards Origin' cultivation method can be considered a deeper development of the 'Five Hearts Towards Heaven' by Empress Ruthless. It increases cultivation efficiency and reduces the time required, though, of course, the difficulty is much higher. Empress Ruthless estimates that it is more suitable for those at the War General level.

One must realize that for a genius, the time consumed by this accumulation of energy is a true waste.

If the process of cultivating from Planetary Level 1 to 9 were skipped for Empress Ruthless, she would likely have already fully stacked her Nine-Fold Domain and, while she was at it, stepped into the threshold of the Law of Water...

If she had the corresponding spatial secret techniques, Empress Ruthless estimates she could have also stepped into the threshold of the fundamental Laws of Space...

But there is no help for it; Earth is simply too barren, and the resources are insufficient to support Empress Ruthless in cultivating with peace of mind.

Therefore, she can only rely on her own exaggerated comprehension to try and improve or create techniques that can save her a lot of trouble.

"Next is the Guidance Technique. With the Taoist 'Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown' and 'Five Qi Towards Origin,' it feels like I have a target..."

It must be said that there is quite a lot to learn from the wisdom of the ancients.

Then, let's continue!

With that thought, Empress Ruthless closed her eyes once again.

Time flew by, and before anyone knew it, it was May of the year 56...

As the school bell rang, students rushed out of the school in droves.

A short-haired girl wearing a mask and old-fashioned black-rimmed glasses, looking slightly drowsy, let out a yawn. Rubbing her hazy eyes, she walked slowly out of the school.

At the school gate, a girl with a ponytail was leaning against the wall. Seeing the short-haired girl appear, she immediately stepped forward and patted her.

"Xiao Ai, I'm here!"

Xu Ai looked helplessly at her older sister, Xu Xin, and then down at the hand still resting on her own backside.

Even though your strength can't hurt me, that's no reason to slap my butt for no reason...

Considering they were still at the school gate, Xu Ai decided she would take her revenge when they got home!

"Waited long? Let's go back."

"Okay."

Xu Xin smiled and hooked her arm through Xu Ai's, just about to leave.

At that moment, a voice that wasn't particularly loud drifted over.

"Huh? A-Feng, look, that's the one you have a crush on! And her younger sister."

Hearing this somewhat familiar voice, Xu Ai's bright eyes turned sharp, and she glared fiercely in the direction the sound came from.

I saw two young men looking in their direction, and when she glared at them, they pretended nothing had happened and looked away.

They were feeling guilty!

"Hmph!"

Xu Ai turned back, dissatisfied, but when she saw the slight blush on Xu Xin's ears, she became even more dissatisfied!

Was the little cabbage she had raised for so long about to be snatched away!?

No! Sister, you are still too young, only 17! This age is not suitable for marriage!

If you want to get married, you have to wait at least a few dozen or a few hundred reincarnation eras!

Xu Ai hurriedly wrapped her arms around Xu Xin's waist, glared fiercely at Luo Feng once more, and then quickly slipped away.

She couldn't let Luo Feng and Xu Xin stay together any longer; it was prone to trouble!

Luo Feng's path to winning his wife seemed to be a bit bumpy...

"By the way, Xiao Ai, the Quasi-Martial Artist assessment starts on June 1st. Your physical fitness should be up to standard by now, right?"

Walking on the way home, Xu Xin suddenly asked.

"Still a bit off, but almost there."

Xu Ai had let go of Xu Xin's waist the moment they left school, answering as she walked.

Her current speed could reach 25.3m/s, and as for her nerve reaction speed, she kept it at around 23 hits.

The only problem was her punch strength, which was only about 890kg, still a little short.

However, there was still nearly a week until the Quasi-Martial Artist assessment; that time was enough for her to reach the standard!

There was no helping it; with the diluted Vegetation Spirit liquid that Empress Ruthless had exchanged from Hong and Thor, the improvement was just that fast!

"Then... what about Luo Feng?"

Xu Xin looked at the road ahead and asked, pretending to be casual.

Hearing this, Xu Ai's steady pace faltered for a moment, and she gave her little cabbage, who was eager to go "rooting for pigs," a speechless look.

Although she was a bit annoyed by Xu Xin's beating around the bush, Xu Ai still answered her question.

"He... should be about there too..."

What was Luo Feng's physical fitness level now? How could Xu Ai possibly know? She was just giving Xu Xin a perfunctory answer based on the general situation in the original story.

She had thought Xu Xin was concerned about her, but it turned out she was concerned about her future husband.

And acting all nonchalant, thinking I didn't know? Hmph! I saw through your illicit affair long ago!

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Her own little cabbage was actually addicted to rooting for pigs and couldn't pull herself out!

What? Luo Feng isn't a pig?

I don't care, anyone who wants to hook up with my little cabbage is a pig! Even if this pig can eat tigers!

"What about Liu Ting? She should be about there too, right?"

Hey!? Sister, are you trying to confuse the issue? Heh, I've already seen through it!

"Mm-hmm, she's almost up to standard too."

After saying this, Xu Ai turned her head and stared fixedly at Xu Xin; she wanted to see if Xu Xin dared to ask about the last person from school, Zhang Haobai.

"What's wrong?"

Being stared at like that by Xu Ai, Xu Xin blinked in confusion, feeling a bit uncomfortable, as if she had been seen through.

"Is there something dirty on my face?"

"No, never mind, let's go."

Xu Ai shook her head and took the lead to continue home.

However, after walking only a few steps, Xu Ai suddenly seemed to remember something. She looked up and saw a huge black shadow slowly sweeping across the high sky.

"What's wrong?"

Xu Xin looked at Xu Ai, who had suddenly stopped, in confusion.

Realizing what was about to happen in the plot, Xu Ai hurriedly pulled Xu Xin to the side of the open road and covered her ears.

"Aww~~~"

A high-pitched, piercing screech suddenly rang out, exploding across the entire area; the whole residential complex shook from this extremely shrill cry.

Many windows creaked incessantly under this piercing sound, and finally, some of the glass, unable to bear the strain, made a crack-crack sound and shattered.

Xu Ai, who had been mentally prepared, only felt her eardrums ache a little, but not enough to be injured, and because Xu Ai had covered her ears in advance, Xu Xin didn't feel much discomfort either.

Their location was also far away from the high-rise buildings, so the shattered glass couldn't reach them; they were very safe.

An imperceptible black blade swept across the sky, and then the huge black shadow in the sky stiffened and fell straight down...

The piercing screech continued for a while longer before slowly fading away.

"Was that a Black-Crowned Golden Eagle just now? How did it fall down?"

Xu Xin watched the Black-Crowned Golden Eagle plummet out of sight and glanced at Xu Ai with a puzzled expression.

Xu Ai let go of her hand and dug at her slightly itchy ears.

"I reckon some councilor took action and killed it. Maybe it was even Master; after all, this Black-Crowned Golden Eagle was being far too arrogant."

"That's true. Even if this Black-Crowned Golden Eagle is Lord Level, it's only natural for it to be killed if it dares to act recklessly in human territory."

The flight speed of a Lord Level Black-Crowned Golden Eagle can reach 3.9 times the speed of sound. Calculating based on 340 meters per second, that is 1,326 meters per second, while the flight speed of an average councilor is only 1,200 meters per second, making it impossible to catch up.

According to the agreement, humans cannot use Laser Cannons at will, so in Yangzhou City, the only one capable of taking down a high-speed flying Black-Crowned Golden Eagle is Empress Ruthless.

Although the Black-Crowned Golden Eagle had caused quite a stir, humans had long since grown accustomed to such things over the years, and order returned to normal after a short while.

"Let's go, let's head home."

Xu Ai pulled Xu Xin along and continued walking toward their home.