Li Canghai

Three months later, in the square of a country estate on the outskirts of the city.

Beneath the scorching sun, Shi Mu swung a three-foot-long green blade, its flashing shadows flickering unpredictably within a radius of several yards.

Around the square stood several wooden posts and straw dummies. There were even a few heavy stone locks, and a long rack lined with commonly used weapons such as blades and spears.

"Stop!"

A gruff male voice suddenly rang out.

Shi Mu halted, the blade shadows vanished, and he stopped with the blade in one hand.

"Not bad. You've finally gotten the hang of the Thirteen Wind-Galloping Styles. But you've only just learned the basics. You're still a long way from the minor mastery needed to use them against an opponent."

The speaker was a gaunt man standing at the edge of the square with his arms folded across his chest. His eyes gleamed, and his skin was bronze, giving him a shrewd, formidable air.

"I have Master Li to thank for personally instructing me. Without you, I could never have learned to perform such a profound blade technique in just three months," Shi Mu replied respectfully.

The gaunt man was none other than Li Canghai, a renowned instructor at the Flowing Wind Martial Hall and a Houtian Mid-Stage martial artist.

Three months earlier, he had come to the estate and demonstrated a single astonishing blade technique. Shi Mu had immediately approved of him, and ever since, the two of them had practiced martial arts together for two hours each day.

"Although the Wind-Galloping Blade Technique is a Martial Disciple-level martial art, if you later cultivate the corresponding art properly, you'll still be able to use it against opponents even after reaching the Houtian Realm. Its main strength lies in harnessing the wind: each slash is faster than the last, and the moves themselves aren't especially complicated. I once used this technique to kill two martial artists of the same level in a single battle. It took me only a few breaths. The most intricate and complex Martial Disciple-level art is probably the Small Heavenly Circuit Sword Art. It has three hundred and six forms, and many people can't truly master it even after a lifetime of practice," Li Canghai said slowly.

"Master Li once told me that martial arts—martial arts—are actually divided into martial techniques and cultivation arts. Martial techniques are dedicated to defeating enemies and surviving deadly combat, while cultivation arts train the qi and body. They complement each other, and neither can be lacking. But if you had to say which one mattered more, Master Li, which would you say deserves greater emphasis, martial techniques or cultivation arts?" Shi Mu asked after thinking it over.

"Heh, you really do think about a lot, kid. But people have been asking that question since ancient times. Every martial arts expert probably sees it differently. As for me, those who only practice martial techniques can't even reach the Houtian Realm. They're all top-heavy, with shaky foundations. And those who only practice cultivation arts, no matter how profound their qi, might still be beaten to death by someone of a lower level. Still, I've heard that once a martial artist reaches the Xiantian Realm, they can use their qi to protect their bodies. Even if they stand still, ordinary blades and swords can't harm them in the slightest. They can even use their qi to vibrate someone of a far lower level to death. Besides, an ordinary person is considered long-lived if they reach a hundred years, but once a martial artist enters the Xiantian Realm, their lifespan doubles," Li Canghai said with a few chuckles.

"Sounds like Master Li still thinks cultivation arts are more important," Shi Mu said with a smile.

"Many profound martial arts already include both cultivation arts and martial techniques. Once you cultivate the art to a certain level, the corresponding techniques come into play. The two were never meant to be separated. Forcing them apart and comparing them is pointless. But for Martial Disciples like you, practicing martial techniques is naturally the way to improve your strength at this stage. Even if an unparalleled cultivation art were right in front of you, you couldn't practice it without first sensing qi. Besides, most profound martial arts are suited to martial artists of a particular level. If you insist on practicing one beyond your level, you'll either make no progress or suffer a backlash from your qi. It simply isn't worth it," Li Canghai said indifferently.

"I understand. But Master Li, could I watch you perform the Thirteen Wind-Galloping Styles one more time?" Shi Mu nodded, then asked.

"Performing the Thirteen Wind-Galloping Styles takes a lot out of me. I still have to teach you the Crushing Stone Fist, so I can only demonstrate it once today." Li Canghai frowned, then reluctantly agreed.

Shi Mu readily accepted.

The next moment, Li Canghai walked to the middle of the square and took the long blade from Shi Mu. With a low shout, he began to swing it rapidly.

In an instant, the sound of blades slicing through the air filled the square. A white ribbon seemed to swirl around the gaunt man, moving faster and faster until it blurred into a wash of cold light. The whooshing of a gale soon followed.

Shi Mu watched without even blinking.

After a moment, the cold light slowly drifted toward a wooden post at the edge of the square.

Li Canghai let out a shout, and the cold light swept toward the post with a wild gust of wind. The wind abruptly died, and the cold light vanished at the same time.

"Pa! Pa!" After a few sharp cracks, the post was cut diagonally into seven pieces, which tumbled to the ground.

That seemingly ordinary slash of Li Canghai's had actually struck six times in a single breath.

"Six slashes in one breath, and that's without using any qi! Master Li, you've truly brought this Wind-Galloping Blade Technique to perfection." Shi Mu let out a long breath and applauded in admiration.

"If I used my qi, I could manage more than nine slashes in one breath—that would be minor mastery! At the grand mastery level, this technique can deliver thirteen slashes in a single breath. Unfortunately, I'm still a long way from that myself. There's also a rumor about this technique. Some say the Thirteen Wind-Galloping Styles were originally a single Xiantian blade technique, and that someone deliberately split it into thirteen forms, which is why it fell all the way to Martial Disciple level and lost so much of its power. Of course, don't take that too seriously. If the Wind-Galloping Blade Technique really were derived from a single Xiantian technique, how could it have fallen into common hands so easily? Countless experts would have put it back together long ago," Li Canghai said with a chuckle.

"Thirteen slashes in one breath? That's really possible? If you could unleash a slash like that, who could possibly stop it?" Shi Mu was utterly stunned.

"If you could really manage thirteen slashes in one breath, you might not be able to claim dominion over the Xiantian Realm, but you could at least sweep through the entire Houtian Realm. Enough of that. There's no need to dwell on it. I'll explain the key principles of this Wind-Galloping Blade Technique one last time, then we'll move on to the Crushing Stone Fist. The technique appears to have thirteen forms, but once you begin, the movements flow without end. The main idea is to harness the force of a gale, making each slash faster than the last until it becomes unstoppable..."

Li Canghai explained carefully while Shi Mu listened with rapt attention, committing every word to memory.

"Good. That's enough about the Wind-Galloping Blade Technique. Now I'll teach you the Crushing Stone Fist. Unlike the blade technique, this is a purely external martial technique. Its forms are simple, and all its power comes from your fists. As the name suggests, once you master the Crushing Stone Fist, you'll be able to split stones and shatter rock." As he spoke, Li Canghai walked toward a stone lock about the size of a washbasin. He took a deep breath, and one leg shot out like a streak of shadow.

Bang!

Though Li Canghai was gaunt, his kick sent the enormous stone lock flying into the air.

"Roar!"

Li Canghai suddenly drove a fist into the air. His gaunt frame swelled in an instant, and he stood as majestic as a mighty lion.

With a deafening boom, the falling stone lock was struck by his fist and shattered. Countless fragments flew in every direction.

Shi Mu's eyes lit up at the sight.

"Listen carefully. Whether you practice blade techniques or sword techniques in the future, there may come a time when you don't have a blade or sword at hand. If you encounter an enemy then, all you'll be able to rely on is your own fists. This Crushing Stone Fist may be simple, but it's more than enough for a Martial Disciple. If you really master it, it'll also lay a good foundation for practicing other, more advanced fist and foot techniques in the future. Although this technique is well known among Martial Disciple-level martial arts and packs a punch, not many people actually practice it. That's because it requires you to strengthen your fists with external aids, and you'll have to suffer quite a bit to master it. It also places great emphasis on strength. If you're naturally strong, you can get twice the results with half the effort. And I didn't use any qi in that punch just now, either," Li Canghai explained expressionlessly.

"May I ask how strong you are now, Master Li?" Shi Mu asked.

"As for me, without using qi and relying only on my body, lifting a five-hundred-pound stone lock is no problem at all."

As he spoke, Li Canghai walked over to the second-largest stone lock at the edge of the square.

It was half a person's height and looked incredibly heavy.

Li Canghai let out a low shout, dropped into a horse stance, and reached down with both arms. Then, with a sudden burst of strength, he lifted the stone lock above his head with both hands.

Shi Mu watched, praising him again and again.

The gaunt man's face also showed a trace of pride.

Indeed, there weren't many Houtian Martial Artists in all of Feng City who could lift such a heavy stone lock with ease using nothing but their bodies.

Half an hour later, Li Canghai left the estate, leaving Shi Mu alone in the square with a thumb-sized medicine bottle and a pale-white booklet in his hands.

The medicine bottle held a formula that Li Canghai had concocted himself to aid in practicing the Crushing Stone Fist, while the booklet contained the Crushing Stone Fist manual.

Shi Mu studied the bottle for a few moments, opened it and took a few sniffs, then put it away. After that, he sat on the grass nearby and carefully read through the booklet.

As it happened, if not for an old scholar at the village school near the fishing village, who had taken pity on Shi Mu as an orphan and let him study alongside the other children for free for several years, Shi Mu might never have learned to recognize a single character.

After quickly reading through the booklet once, Shi Mu looked down at the medicine bottle in his other hand. A strange expression suddenly crossed his face.

"The stronger I am, the better?"

The youth murmured to himself, put away the booklet, then turned to look at the stone locks nearby. He walked toward the largest one.

The stone lock was as large as a tabletop, nearly twice the size of the one Li Canghai had lifted earlier and weighing at least a thousand pounds.

He crouched down and moved his right arm, grabbing the stone lock's handle in one go.

With a muffled boom, Shi Mu lifted the colossal weight one-handed and effortlessly raised it above his head.