The Metamorphosis of the Black Tiger Fist Stance

"System? Panel?"

"...Main God? Golden Finger?"

Liang Qisheng stared for a long time before finally accepting the situation.

Then his attention refocused on the "Technique" section:

Black Tiger Fist 8%+. Looking at the "+" behind it, ripples began to stir in his heart.

"What does Merit Point do? I'll find out by trying."

Liang Qisheng thought to himself.

He had been in this world for three years, only discovering this today.

If he hadn't killed those three thugs, he might have gone his whole life without uncovering this secret.

Five Hells Immortality—kill Man-Ghouls to gain merit.

So-called Man-Ghouls were people burdened with immense sin.

Only by killing those worthy of death could one obtain Merit Points.

So this thing had always been in his mind, yet never activated.

This moment, without hesitation, he immediately used his consciousness to tap on the "+".

Instantly, Liang Qisheng felt his mind spin, his vision blurring.

Then the data in his mind shifted, Merit Points directly decreasing by one.

Immediately after, the number behind Black Tiger Fist suddenly blurred, then rapidly transformed.

"Name: Liang Qisheng

Lifespan: 65 years.

Technique: Black Tiger Fist 13%(+)

Merit: Two Points!"

Ao!

A tiger's roar echoed in his mind, deafening and thunderous. Liang Qisheng felt only a ringing in his ears, completely unable to hear anything else.

A torrent surged into Liang Qisheng's mind, his face paling slightly.

An image appeared in his mind: himself on a rocky outcrop, practicing fist techniques.

The fist stance opened, steady and stable, fierce and unyielding—one look showed he was cultivating exactly Black Tiger Fist.

Though it ended in an instant within his mind, Liang Qisheng felt as if he had tirelessly, rain or shine, practiced the Black Tiger Fist stance for months or even longer.

Liang Qisheng felt his body dry and parched, his bones and sinews aching as if rusted.

He couldn't help but stand, trying to stretch his skeleton, his body uncontrollably breaking into the fist technique, still steady and stable—the Black Tiger Fist stance he knew best.

And since arriving in this world, this was the only martial arts stance he knew.

Black Tiger Fist, thirty-six forms: kick, seize, strike, trip, chop, cut, thrust, Intercepting Undercover Cannon, Black Tiger Digs Heart, Flying Claw Slashes Bottle, Fierce Tiger Leaps Ravine, Hungry Tiger Exits Cage.

Each move and stance surged in power; the fist scripture he had practiced for three years as basic training, already deeply familiar, now climbed another step, becoming ingrained in his heart.

Now the fist technique seemed to merge with his limbs and bones, carved into flesh and skeleton—no longer just familiarity, but nearly instinct.

As he swung, his hands clawed, scraped, stabbed, or grabbed, tearing fiercely, wind whipping with tiger-like force.

After a moment, Liang Qisheng steadied his stance, the fist frame closing with a finishing gesture.

He withdrew his hands, calming the surging blood energy, then slowly exhaled a stream of white breath.

His chest heaved violently, taking a long time to return to normal, but a sharp light burst from his eyes.

"So unbelievable."

Liang Qisheng focused on the data in his mind.

In that brief moment, one Merit Point had transformed the Black Tiger Fist stance he had practiced for three years, nearly remolding it from the ground up.

As if a genius had trained madly for a long time, gaining insights.

The improvement of Black Tiger Fist, the enhanced power he had just demonstrated in evolving the technique—all confirmed this.

This thing in his mind was indeed useful; Merit Points could transform and elevate the power of his techniques!

More importantly, this wasn't just in the realm of consciousness.

Throughout the process of cultivating and improving the fist technique, Liang Qisheng felt changes from the inside out—his blood, flesh, and body all transformed along with it.

It was as if he had truly trained hard for half a year, blood boiling, bones, sinews, and skin beginning to evolve.

As the fist stance unfolded, surging with power, his skin toughened like cowhide, tightly wrapping his whole body, rich with elasticity, a sensation of tightening throughout.

"Since it's real, then I'll put all the Merit Points into Black Tiger Fist."

Looking at the two Merit Points remaining on the data panel, Liang Qisheng made his decision directly.

This world was extraordinary, not simple at all. Now, venturing alone into this unfamiliar world, what he urgently needed was an increase in strength.

Deep mountain herb gathering wasn't safe either—danger came not only from wild beasts but also from other herb gatherers.

Where there was great profit, there was conflict. Herb gatherers who greeted you warmly on ordinary days could turn into ruthless highwaymen who killed without hesitation.

In the desolate wilderness, the only thing one could rely on was their own strength.

This was also the true purpose behind the old man forcing him to practice his fist stance bitterly for three years and passing down the Black Tiger Fist to him.

The stronger one's strength, the greater the chance of survival, the longer one could live, and the more ability one would have to pursue other things.

Liang Qisheng unhesitatingly used the remaining two Merit Points.

Buzz buzz!

This time, the impact was even stronger. Liang Qisheng felt as if an even larger torrent had surged directly into his mind.

Suddenly, a dizzying sensation hit him, blurring his vision, but it quickly subsided.

Then, he saw a scene:

He himself was in a basic fist stance, limbs extended, diligently cultivating the Black Tiger Fist.

His figure stood atop a massive boulder, regardless of scorching summer or bitter winter—training through the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer.

His fist stance shifted. The thirty-six forms of the Black Tiger Fist flowed freely, each linking seamlessly into the next, evolving through their variations.

Spring passed, winter came. The sun and moon cycled.

He shed countless drops of sweat on that high platform, yet seemed to know no fatigue, no hunger or thirst, completely immersed in it, like a cold, lifeless machine working madly.

After countless days and nights of cultivation, he finally stopped.

And at that moment, his perception and understanding of the Black Tiger Fist stance had reached yet another level.

Liang Qisheng stood up, feeling his entire body's blood boiling, an unbearable restlessness surging through him.

His skin membrane tightened, like a drawn bowstring. His flesh and blood began to writhe and transform wildly.

A new skin membrane was growing. Thick white steam rose from the top of his head, forcing him to let out a pained grunt.

Name: Liang Qisheng
Realm: Skin Tempering Peak.
Lifespan: 65 and a half years.
Technique: Black Tiger Fist 25% (+)
Merit: 0!

As the data refreshed, Liang Qisheng gasped heavily, as if just waking from a dream.

He felt nothing but soreness in his bones and utter mental exhaustion, as if he had truly endured torment.

But what surprised him even more came next. He discovered that this change wasn't limited to the Black Tiger Fist—his lifespan had also increased by half a year.

"What the old man said was true. I thought his ramblings back then were just stories from a folktale."

"No wonder there are martial artists in this world who can anchor a nation for centuries. So improving techniques, breaking the limits of the human body—can it actually increase one's lifespan?"

Liang Qisheng stared at the data panel.

With his breakthrough in the Black Tiger Fist, his lifespan had also increased by half a year. This was truly an unexpected joy.