Blood Qi Breaks Through

"Little junior apprentice brother, what are you standing there in a daze for? Hurry up and call him master!" Yu Kan saw Chen Yue seeming to be in a daze from the side and couldn't help but laugh and remind him, his tone already carrying a hint of closeness.

Chen Yue hesitated no longer. He stepped forward two paces, knelt solemnly before Zhou Jingfeng on both knees, touched his head to the ground, and performed a standard apprenticeship bow: "Disciple Chen Yue sincerely seeks to take you as master! From this day forward, I will diligently train, respect my master and honor the path, and never disgrace the sect!"

"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!" Seeing this, Zhou Jingfeng laughed heartily, his laughter echoing through the martial hall courtyard. Anyone could hear the genuine joy and satisfaction in it.

He stepped forward, raising his hands in a gesture of support. "Rise. We martial artists don't stand on such empty formalities. Respect in the heart is enough. From today on, you are my seventh personal disciple!"

Zhou Jingfeng looked at Chen Yue, who had respectfully risen, and the more he looked, the more pleased he became.

A simple and clean background, a steadfast and resilient nature, and what was even rarer was this astonishing martial talent and combat instinct! A disciple like this was something one could only hope to encounter by chance, never seek out. And now he had voluntarily come to the door of Iron Mountain Hall—how could he not be overjoyed?

He was getting on in years. He wouldn't dare claim his martial arts had reached the pinnacle, but he had his own insights and had long wanted to find a true successor, someone who could carry on his legacy, perhaps even surpass him.

Ma Jun's talent was limited, and his temperament was a bit too flighty—he couldn't handle great responsibility. Yu Kan was steady and diligent, but bound by his natural aptitude, he would likely stop at the Flesh Refining Realm, unable to glimpse higher realms.

The other disciples roaming outside might have better fortunes and temperaments than Yu Kan, but when it came to this terrifying comprehension and growth speed, none could compare to the Chen Yue before him.

Father Chen and Mother Chen stood to the side, listening to their son's conversation with Zhou Jingfeng, watching him perform the apprenticeship bow. At first, they were dazed, then a surge of immense joy welled up in their hearts, making their hands tremble slightly.

They had thought that after injuring so many from the Sea Shark Gang today, even if Hall Master Zhou was willing to protect them, he would weigh the pros and cons, perhaps even show them the door to avoid trouble.

But they never expected that not only did Hall Master Zhou not disdain them, but he had formally accepted their son as a disciple at this very moment!

Hall Master Zhou was using this action to tell them, and to tell the Sea Shark Gang: Chen Yue's matter, Iron Mountain Hall will handle. This trouble, I, Zhou Jingfeng, will take on!

This heavy weight of protection and responsibility made Father Chen and Mother Chen, who had spent their lives scraping by under bullying and oppression, feel both immense gratitude and a dreamlike unreality.

Zhou Jingfeng, having received Chen Yue's apprenticeship bow, grew even more solemn in expression. He spoke: "Now that you have entered my sect, you are one of us. There are some things I hope you will honestly tell me, so I can have a clear understanding of you and guide your training accordingly.

When did you first begin practicing martial arts? What is your current cultivation level? Speak in detail, hold nothing back."

Chen Yue knew this was his master testing his foundation and the beginning of building trust.

He paused briefly, then replied respectfully: "To answer Master, I formally began cultivation with a crude technique called the Wave-Turning Breathing Technique. This method occasionally circulates among some old Pearl Households in Pearl Village. It's said to strengthen the body and aid in holding one's breath."

Then, Chen Yue described the general cultivation method and qi circulation path of the Wave-Turning Breathing Technique.

With Zhou Jingfeng's keen eye, just hearing Chen Yue's brief summary was enough to grasp the essence of the technique.

He nodded slightly and evaluated: "Mm, this Wave-Turning Breathing Technique focuses on regulating breath, nourishing qi, and tempering the internal organs. It's a foundational internal method for building a base, roughly equivalent to external foundation exercises like Iron Mountain Fist. Both are entry-level groundwork.

But when it comes to combat and explosive power, it's far less refined and practical than specialized fist techniques. For you to enter the path through this method is a proper start, though the progress should have been quite slow."

Chen Yue nodded and continued: "Master is perceptive. I did practice this technique for some time, but progress was always slow. I only felt my breath was a bit longer and my spirit a bit better. Until about a month ago..."

Chen Yue paused, as if recalling. "One day during practice, I suddenly felt the qi in my body surging like a tide, impossible to restrain. My whole body burned unbearably, as if I were placed in a steamer. It lasted for a while before the heat slowly receded.

After that, I felt a great increase in strength. My skin and flesh seemed firmer and tougher, and my hearing and eyesight were sharper than before."

"Yes, yes, yes,"

Mother Chen couldn't help but interject from the side, gesturing with lingering fear. "That day, his father and I were terrified! A'Yue was burning hot all over. We thought he had caught some acute illness..."

Seeing this, Father Chen quietly tugged at his wife's sleeve, signaling her not to chatter in front of the hall master. Mother Chen realized she had spoken out of turn, quickly fell silent, and lowered her head in embarrassment.

Zhou Jingfeng smiled kindly at Father Chen and Mother Chen, indicating it was fine, then turned his gaze back to Chen Yue. The admiration in his eyes was almost overflowing.

He naturally understood that the full-body fever Chen Yue described was precisely the sign of qi and blood reaching a certain fullness, spontaneously breaking through the barrier and stepping into the Skin Refining Realm!

To rely solely on a fragmented, unguided breathing technique in the precarious environment of Pearl Village, cultivating entirely through his own exploration and hard work, and still manage to reach the point where qi and blood self-generate and break through to Skin Refining—this comprehension, this tenacity, was simply astonishing!

Ma Jun, standing nearby, listened to Chen Yue's account and compared it to himself. A wave of bitterness and envy rose in his heart.

He had grown up in a decent family, able to join Iron Mountain Hall, with a famous master to guide him, fellow disciples to spar with, and daily hard training. Yet he was still stuck at the threshold of the Skin Refining Realm, unable to sense that surge of heat from qi and blood breaking through.

And Chen Yue, a Pearl Diver, relying on a technique passed down by word of mouth with no guidance, had actually succeeded!

Chen Yue continued: "After the breakthrough, I felt a great increase in strength, but I had power with no way to use it. Later, I heard that the county martial hall could teach martial arts, so I thought I'd try my luck. After being rejected by Nantong Martial Hall, I happened to meet Senior Brother Yu and Senior Brother Ma."

Hearing this, Zhou Jingfeng turned his gaze to Yu Kan and Ma Jun, a faint, knowing smile on his face: "Oh? While I was away at the Su family, I told you two to close the hall and cultivate in peace. Instead, you two were scheming to open a school and take on disciples?"

Though his tone was calm, Yu Kan and Ma Jun knew their master's temperament well. Embarrassment immediately crept onto their faces.

Yu Kan coughed dryly and said sheepishly: "Master, I... I saw that Junior Brother Chen's determination to pursue martial arts was very strong, and his background was pitiful. I was moved by compassion for a moment, so I... I made an exception and guided him a little. I absolutely did not intend to defy your orders."

Zhou Jingfeng waved his hand. He wasn't truly angry. Instead, a hint of a smile appeared: "Enough. Unintentional actions sometimes bear unexpected fruit. Your compassion has brought me a true gem of talent. This time, you stumbled onto the right path."

Seeing that their master wasn't blaming them, Ma Jun and Yu Kan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Zhou Jingfeng turned to Chen Yue and said: "Now, I don't yet know your exact strength or whether your foundation is solid. Come, follow me to the courtyard. You and I will test each other's strength, so I can consider how to teach you from here."