Li He stared at the enormous crater in the mountainside.
"This power, this penetration, this destruction from the inside out." A storm surged through Li He's mind. "It's even mightier than my Ape Demon Three Styles!"
The Ape Demon Three Styles were domineering and forceful, overwhelming opponents with sheer strength.
But the Ape Arm Mountain Crushing Fist relied on vibrations at a special frequency to unleash a penetrating, shattering effect. Its destructive power was on an entirely different level.
The dust slowly settled.
Yuan Shan slowly lowered his right arm. His sleeve was still neat, and his breathing remained steady.
"Did you see that clearly? That was the Mountain Crushing Style! Its essence doesn't lie in brute force. It lies in the frequency of the vibrations—in destroying the target from within."
"Next, I'll break down the movements. Watch carefully."
Yuan Shan demonstrated the technique one movement at a time.
His movements combined the steadiness of the Ape Standing Stake, the agility of the Ape Trace Steps, and the relaxed solidity of Old Ape Stretches Arms. Every subtle shift emphasized how to control the circulation of qi and blood to create a resonant vibration.
"Let your spine coil like a dragon, drawing back to gather force."
"Set your qi and blood vibrating, gradually increasing the frequency."
"Focus your power at a single point, releasing it at the slightest touch."
"At the instant of impact, unleash the vibrations, shattering the target from within."
As Yuan Shan demonstrated and explained the key points, his voice rang like a great bell, carrying clearly to the three of them.
Li He focused intently, his eyes sharp as lightning as he fixed on every subtle movement Yuan Shan made.
On the system panel, a blurry image grew clearer.
Once!
Twice!
Three times!
Yuan Shan finished his demonstration and settled into a standing pose.
"Now, give it a try."
The three of them each found a clear patch of ground and began practicing.
Sun Ao imitated Yuan Shan's movements and whipped out his right arm.
Thud!
A dull impact rang out.
A shallow fist mark appeared on the mountainside, its edges marked by a few cracks, but it was nowhere near shattering.
Sun Ao's face paled as his qi and blood churned. His power had clearly failed to flow smoothly, and the recoil left him feeling quite uncomfortable.
Yuan Lingling went next. Her movements were very fluid, with a hint of grace.
Smack!
A sharp crack rang out.
A fist mark appeared on the mountainside, a little deeper than Sun Ao's, with more cracks, but it still lacked that pulverizing, shattering effect.
Her delicate brows knitted slightly as she seemed to reflect on how it had felt.
It was Li He's turn.
His muscles and bones shuddered, and his right arm became a steel whip as he lashed it out. He smashed a bowl-sized crater about an inch deep into the mountainside.
The text on the system panel remained blurry, without the slightest sign of becoming clearer. Clearly, he had relied on brute force for that punch, and it had nothing to do with shattering.
"This isn't the right approach."
Li He shook his head. He realized that he had instinctively used the forceful approach of the Ape Demon Three Styles, which ran counter to the vibrating penetration of Mountain Crushing Power.
On his second attempt, he shifted his feet lightly, tracing the steps of the Ape Trace Steps as he tried to combine footwork with fist power.
Thud!
The force was greater, the crater deeper, and the cracks denser, but he still hadn't achieved that shattering effect from the inside out. His arm also began to ache and feel sore.
On his third attempt, Li He slowed down and stretched his arm to its limit, relaxing his whole body before throwing a punch.
Thud!
The crater deepened a little, and there were more cracks, but the rock had only split. It hadn't shattered, and no vibrating force had been produced.
"Still not quite there."
He followed with four more attempts.
On his ninth attempt, Li He instinctively activated the Ape Demon Iron Body Technique. His muscles and bones rang together, and his qi and blood vibrated through his arm.
The instant his arm touched the mountainside, inspiration flashed through Li He's mind, and he relaxed his arm.
Crack!
A sound like cracking ice rang out.
Where his fist and arm had struck, a bowl-sized crater about an inch deep appeared in the hard mountainside.
Fine cracks spread around the crater's edge.
At the same time, the system panel text that had remained blurry suddenly came into focus.
[Ape Arm Mountain Crushing Fist: Beginner (0%)]
"I did it! This is the right approach!"
Delighted, Li He threw several more punches in succession, each movement perfectly executed as an invisible vibrating force spread outward.
Hearing the commotion, Sun Ao and Yuan Lingling stopped practicing and looked over. They stared, speechless.
"Good, good, good!" Yuan Shan praised him three times. He strode over to Li He and carefully examined the fist mark on the mountainside. "Li He, your comprehension is far beyond what I expected!"
Yuan Shan was deeply shaken.
When he had first learned this fist technique, it had taken him a full half-month to reach Li He's current level. This young man's talent was truly astonishing.
He immediately turned to Lin Feng, who was just as stunned, and called out, "Lin Feng!"
"Here, Master!"
"Go to the Tempering Pool and bring back some exotic beast blood!" Yuan Shan spoke rapidly. "Apply it to Li He's arms to stimulate his muscles and bones, improve their resilience, and stabilize his qi and blood."
"Yes, Master!"
Lin Feng didn't dare delay. He turned at once and hurried toward the Tempering Pool. Before long, he returned with a medicine jar in his hands.
"Junior Brother Li, bear with it."
Lin Feng took the exotic beast blood from the jar and spread it evenly over Li He's arms, especially around the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and other joints that generated force.
Sizzle!
The moment the blood touched his skin, it began to boil.
Li He sucked in a breath.
The sensation was exactly the same as when he had tempered his body with the Ape Demon Iron Body Technique. The scalding blood kept burrowing into his bones, bringing a tingling, stinging pain.
Yuan Shan watched beside him. "Use the Ape Standing Stake to guide the blood's energy as it tempers your muscles and bones."
Li He immediately obeyed, putting all his effort into circulating the Ape Standing Stake, which he had mastered.
[Proficiency +1] [Proficiency +1] [Proficiency +1] [Proficiency +1] [Proficiency +1] ... [Ape Standing Stake: Minor Achievement (1%) → Minor Achievement (9%)] [Ape Arm Mountain Crushing Fist: Beginner (0%) → Beginner (10%)]
The burning and pain gradually faded, replaced by a warm, soothing sensation as his muscles and bones were nourished.
"How does it feel?" Yuan Shan asked.
"My muscles and bones are more resilient, and my qi and blood are circulating more smoothly!" Li He said, sensing the changes in his arms. A flicker of delight passed through his eyes.
"Excellent!" Yuan Shan nodded with satisfaction. "Tempering with exotic beast blood can make your muscles and bones better able to withstand Mountain Crushing Power, and help you stabilize the frequency of your qi and blood vibrations. But this is only an aid. The true foundation still comes from your own practice."
"Remember how it felt just now. Control your strength. Focus on grasping the vibration frequency. Don't seek power—seek precision."
"Yes!"
Li He's spirits lifted. He faced the mountainside again and swung his arm. This time, his movements were steadier, and the frequency of his qi and blood vibrations was more precise.
Crack!
Another fist mark appeared on the mountainside, surrounded by fine cracks. Its power was weaker, but the penetrating sensation of shattering stone was much clearer.
[Proficiency +1] [Ape Arm Mountain Crushing Fist: Beginner (10%) → (11%)] ...
Meanwhile.
At Evergreen Martial Arts Hall, in the headmaster's private room.
Chen Changqing sat cross-legged, a floating screen before him.
A carefully edited video played on the screen.
It showed Li He fighting desperately before finally defeating Sun Jiaoyang.
With rousing music and provocative captions, it packaged a brutal fight as an inspiring legend of an underdog's rise.
Chen Changqing watched without expression, his eyes calm and unreadable.
When the video ended, the screen shut off automatically.
He picked up the tea beside him and took a small sip.
"Sun Jiaoyang... I remember that name. Didn't he go off to study at a university?"
"Li He... No wonder Teacher Wang took him on as a disciple. He certainly has something going for him. I hope you'll surprise me at the October Grand Competition."
He closed his eyes, his breath steady and deep. He was on the verge of reaching the fifth tier and had to devote himself completely to breaking through.
Before you continue