Four Stages of Martial Arts, Obtaining a Cultivation Method

"Basic Fist Technique had reached perfection!"

Three days later, Shen Han had just gotten up and glanced at the Bronze Mirror when he saw the good news on the panel.

Mirror Owner: Shen Han

Cultivation: None

Martial Arts: Basic Fist Technique (Perfection)

Skills: Medical Arts (Minor Accomplishment)

Over the past three days, his clone, Black and White, had not rested for a single moment.

During the day, Shen Han went to Clinic No. 8 and assisted Huang Tie, while also having his clone study different medical books. As his medical arts advanced to Minor Accomplishment, the clone went from learning two books a day at first to five books a day later on.

The old physician, Huang Tie, found Shen Han's progress in medicine unbelievable.

For several patients whose conditions were not too serious, Huang Tie even had Shen Han take their pulses, prescribe medicine, and treat them himself. Not a single mistake was made.

At night, Shen Han returned home and directed his clone to practice fist techniques.

Because he spent a full fifty copper coins every day on highly nutritious food to ensure his clone always had something to eat, the clone could cultivate through the entire night without wasting a moment.

The Basic Fist Technique truly was something everyone knew. The clone had reached perfection without much effort.

Of course, that was also thanks to the clone's extraordinary talent for martial arts. Otherwise, even if an ordinary person trained day and night like this, he could not have perfected the fist technique in three days.

"Something feels off..."

After getting out of bed and performing a set of punches, Shen Han muttered to himself.

The entire fist technique was indeed swift, and its moves had their own unique merits, but there was no force behind them at all. In other words, even if his fist struck an enemy, it would not cause much damage.

He drew in a breath, but his body was utterly empty, without the slightest sense of qi.

"Let's try again..."

Next, Shen Han tried to move a stone weighing more than two hundred jin in the small courtyard, but it did not budge an inch.

Damn, I'm still that same boy!

Shen Han thought to himself, So after three days of training, my cultivation has not risen at all? Could it be that practicing only fist techniques does nothing to improve cultivation? Although the fist technique has reached perfection, I would have no chance of winning if I truly had to deal with Hu Jiao.

How about... asking Guard Zhan after work this evening?

Shen Han made up his mind.

He hurried to the clinic. Once inside Clinic No. 8, he began the day's work.

"Little Shen, prescribe medicine for this old gentleman."

"Little Shen, that young wife over there says her lower abdomen is bloated and painful. Take her to the back hall and examine her."

"Little Shen, the baby has a fever. You know how to handle it, right?"

Huang Tie was clearly training Shen Han deliberately, letting him handle more and more patients on his own.

Fortunately, Shen Han's medical arts had already reached Minor Accomplishment, so he dealt with them quite easily. Aside from a very few thorny cases, he could handle everything himself.

At first, the patients did not trust this newcomer, but when they saw how quickly and effectively he treated them, they all began singing his praises.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, dusk arrived.

"Little Shen, why haven't you gone home yet?"

After consultations ended, Huang Tie tidied up the clinic room. Seeing that Shen Han had not left, he asked curiously.

"There's something I want to ask Guard Zhan about."

"About martial arts?"

"Elder Huang truly has a clear and keen mind. Yes."

"You want to learn martial arts?"

Huang Tie said seriously, "Little Shen, this old man can tell that you have no talent for martial arts. Besides, learning martial arts costs a great deal of money. I advise you not to waste your time. Listen to me—if you devote yourself to the study of medicine, with your potential, your name will surely go down in history!"

Naturally, Shen Han understood Huang Tie's good intentions. "Elder Huang, please rest assured. I'm only going to ask Guard Zhan a few questions. I won't abandon the path of medicine!"

"That is good, then. Go on."

"Farewell."

Leaving the clinic room, Shen Han headed toward the guards' quarters.

There were thirteen guards in total, each one vigorous and strong as a tiger. Their leader was surnamed Zhan, Zhan Chaoyang. He looked imposing and valiant, with a long saber gleaming silver at his waist.

After hearing Shen Han explain his purpose, Zhan Chaoyang invited him into the room.

"Little Shen, do you want to ask why practicing fists has not increased your strength?"

"Yes."

"Do you know the Four Stages of Martial Arts?"

"Please tell me, Guard Zhan."

Under Zhan Chaoyang's detailed explanation, Shen Han quickly understood everything clearly.

The Four Stages of Martial Arts: Skin Refining, Flesh Refining, Tendon Refining, and Bone Refining.

The first realm among them was Skin Refining.

So-called Skin Refining meant tempering one's qi and blood without cease, forming a sense of qi, and making the skin all over one's body incomparably tough. This improved physical fitness and increased strength and speed.

A Skin Refining Realm martial artist possessed at least five hundred jin of force.

Even facing three to five burly men at once would pose no difficulty at all.

"Guard Zhan, how can one enter the realm?"

Shen Han continued asking.

Zhan Chaoyang smiled. "To cultivate a sense of qi and raise your cultivation, you must practice a cultivation method."

"A cultivation method?"

"Listen, and I'll explain it slowly."

It turned out that martial arts manuals in this world could broadly be divided into two different types.

One type was martial arts techniques.

Saber techniques, sword techniques, leg techniques, staff techniques, and so on—including the Basic Fist Technique Shen Han had already perfected—all belonged to this category.

They could also be understood as methods for attacking enemies.

The other type was cultivation methods.

In other words, they were internal cultivation techniques. Their primary purpose was to draw qi into the body, condense true qi within, and strengthen one's physique.

Improving one's cultivation required practicing cultivation methods.

On this foundation, physical qualities such as strength, speed, and agility would naturally rise like the tide lifting a boat.

Furthermore.

As cultivation increased, the power displayed by martial arts moves would naturally grow stronger and stronger, no longer mere flowery fists and embroidered kicks.

"Little Shen, cultivating a method is extremely difficult."

Zhan Chaoyang continued, "Countless people exhaust their heart and soul, yet still gain nothing and fail to enter the realm. To be honest, even I trained for a full three years before barely breaking through into the Skin Refining Realm."

So Guard Zhan was a Skin Refining Realm expert... Shen Han silently praised him in his heart. No wonder Master Han had hired him as the captain of the clinic's guard team.

"Guard Zhan, may I ask what cultivation method you practice?"

"Just the most ordinary Breathing Technique."

Zhan Chaoyang did not keep anything hidden. He opened a drawer and generously took out a small booklet.

Three large characters were written on its cover: Breathing Technique.

Zhan Chaoyang handed the booklet to Shen Han. "Little Shen, if you are interested, you can take it home and practice."

"This..."

"It's nothing. The Breathing Technique is not rare, and this is merely a copied version I made. Just take it."

"Then thank you, Guard Zhan."

After tucking the booklet into his robes, Shen Han did not linger any longer and left the guards' quarters.

Watching Shen Han's departing back, Zhan Chaoyang sighed.

"Over the years, no fewer than twenty servants have come to ask me for cultivation methods, and I have fulfilled every one of their requests.

Yet not a single one ever succeeded in cultivation.

How could learning martial arts be so easy? Without talent and natural aptitude, it can only end without a cure.

This Little Shen will likely be the same.

Besides, anyone with real aptitude would surely have family willing to smash pots and sell iron to send him to a martial arts school. Why would they let him come work at a clinic?

Alas, for people at the bottom to turn their lives around is harder than ascending to the heavens."