Mindset (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"And what comes after the Bone Forging Realm?" someone else asked.

"After Bone Forging, it is..." Yang Chong paused, then immediately snapped back to his senses.

"Why ask so much? This isn't something you should be concerned with yet; go focus on practicing your fists first," Yang Chong said, sounding annoyed.

Such experts had never even appeared in the entirety of Wuxi County.

Even in the surrounding counties, such figures were rare.

It was said that only in the prefecture city were there experts of that caliber holding down the fort.

Li Yuan firmly etched this information into his mind.

Ox Skin, Stone Skin, Iron Skin, Bone Forging... was this the path ahead for martial arts?

Once the demonstration and explanation were finished, Yang Chong told everyone to practice on their own while he stood to the side to offer corrections.

The training ground was suddenly filled with shouts as the new disciples imitated tiger lunges, deer leaps, and more.

Li Yuan, however, was in no rush to move.

Having watched the moves Yang Chong demonstrated, Li Yuan decided to start by practicing the Tiger Form Fist.

Practicing the Deer Form Fist or Bird Form Fist might improve his speed.

But what Li Yuan needed right now was not speed; it was power.

As a hunter, Li Yuan still had to brave the mountains to make money, and only large, ferocious beasts could satisfy his daily expenses.

What he needed was silver!

Only large, ferocious beasts could provide him with silver.

Moreover, at his current level, he wasn't necessarily faster than those beasts.

Therefore, he would first use his bow and arrow from a distance to pierce armor and drain blood, then engage in close-quarters combat once the timing was right.

Having thought it through, Li Yuan first planted his feet firmly in a stance, feeling his qi and blood circulating along the familiar paths.

In his mind, he repeatedly replayed every detail of Yang Chong's Tiger Form Fist demonstration, especially that fierce gaze and the aura that seemed ready to devour anyone in its path.

"Fierce, violent, swift, venomous..." Li Yuan pondered these four words repeatedly in his heart.

To practice the Tiger Form, it seemed one first had to cultivate a "tiger spirit" within.

Li Yuan recalled the martial arts novels he had read in his past life; moves were easy to learn, but the intent was hard to grasp.

Now experiencing it firsthand, he realized those words were true.

The tiger fist Yang Chong threw carried Sha Qi, while they, the apprentices, had only the frame—no better than house cats scratching at the air.

The increase in comprehension brought by studying and learning skills—perhaps that is the key, Li Yuan suddenly thought.

It can help me understand these movements and the intent behind them faster, rather than just blindly copying the form.

He hesitated no longer and began to practice the five stances of the Tiger Form according to his inner realization.

Once, twice... sweat soaked Li Yuan's clothes.

Time passed bit by bit, and some of the disciples around him had already started slacking off.

Li Yuan turned a deaf ear to them.

As expected, understanding the principles is just as important as tempering qi and blood or practicing moves—perhaps even more critical.

Just as Li Yuan was immersed in this focused realization, a feeling of natural success suddenly welled up.

[You are practicing the Five Animals Tiger Form Fist with full concentration]
[Skill: Five Animals Tiger Form Fist (Entry)]
[Progress: 1/500 points]

It worked!

Li Yuan felt a surge of joy within.

With a clear goal and a progress bar, all that remained was persistent effort.

He continued to train until noon, when it was time to eat and rest.

[Skill: Five Animals Tiger Form Fist (Entry)]
[Progress: 10/500 points]

The martial arts hall provided meals, but since Li Yuan hadn't paid the food fee, he had to fend for himself.

Of course, if one truly couldn't afford to eat, they would still be given food.

However, if you couldn't even afford a meal, there was no point in practicing martial arts; finding a job was the only sensible path.

During the lunch break, everyone took out their food.

Li Yuan also sat to the side and took out his lunch: a few pieces of dried Silver-Backed Bear meat.

He chewed the tough jerky slowly, feeling the familiar warm current dissolve in his stomach, nourishing the qi and blood that had been depleted by his training.

The effects of the Silver-Backed Bear meat were truly remarkable; he could clearly feel the sensation of fullness in his stomach.

And the subtle feeling of energy slowly flowing into his limbs.

"Lu Ming, what is that you're eating...?" A new disciple noticed the distinct-looking dried meat in Lu Ming's hand and asked curiously.

"Black-Striped Tiger meat," Lu Ming, sitting beside Li Yuan, answered calmly.

Lu Ming's father was the leader of a gang, and he had entered the courtyard a month earlier than Li Yuan.

"That Black-Striped Tiger meat that costs ten silver per jin?" A knowledgeable disciple raised his voice, drawing more attention.

"Mm."

Hearing this, Li Yuan also took a curious look; the entire piece of meat resembled a red agate.

He hadn't heard of this type of meat at the butcher shop where he bought his supplies, so he assumed Lu Ming must have acquired it from somewhere else.

Li Yuan was also eating Silver-Backed Bear meat on the side, but compared to Lu Ming's, it was significantly inferior.

For a moment, the surroundings went quiet, and then various complex gazes were cast their way.

There was surprise, envy, and indifference.

"Ten taels a jin... tsk tsk, he's really willing to spend!"

"No wonder his stance training is progressing so fast; turns out he's supplementing with this every day..."

"We're gnawing on dry rations while he's eating prime meat—how can we even compare..."

Lu Ming's expression remained unchanged as he continued to eat his dried meat.

He wasn't the only one among the disciples eating such meat; most people were just grumbling.

After lunch, they rested for a while.

Then, they began their training again.

But only an hour had passed.

Not far from Li Yuan, a sudden surge of blood energy rippled through the air.

He saw a disciple practicing the Bear Form Fist, his blood energy surging throughout his body.

A faint, bronze-colored luster shimmered on the surface of his skin; although it vanished in a flash, the sound of his palms striking the wooden stake was exceptionally deep and resonant.

Li Yuan recognized him, and was even quite familiar with him—it was Lu Ming.

Yang Chong appeared beside him almost instantly, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. After a brief examination, a smile appeared on his face.

He announced loudly: "Blood energy is full, and the skin membrane has begun to develop toughness!

Good! Lu Ming, you have initially stepped into the Ox Skin Realm! From today on, you are an official disciple of our Five Animals Martial Hall!"

Stepping into the Ox Skin Realm meant truly entering the path of martial arts.

The entire courtyard seemed to explode with noise.

Two months! Only two months since starting! And it was said that Lu Ming had only failed once when he previously attempted the breakthrough.

"Senior Brother Lu... he's already at the Ox Skin Realm?"

"Sigh, we're still stuck on stance training, and he's already broken through!"

"Comparing people to people really is infuriating..."

Exclamations, congratulations, and envious remarks rose one after another.

Almost all the disciples crowded around. Those who might have treated him as an equal before now showed a hint of respect and sycophancy in their words and demeanor.

Even several senior brothers who had joined earlier stepped forward to offer encouragement, hoping to build a relationship in advance.

These senior brothers hadn't even spoken a word to Sun Huan.

Sometimes, people are just like this; once you step into the next level, things that were previously out of your reach.

Suddenly become easy to obtain.

Li Yuan also went up to offer his sincere congratulations.

"Mm."

Lu Ming glanced at him and responded indifferently.

The enthusiastic and shy smile he used to show had long since vanished.

Li Yuan wasn't annoyed; he simply understood a certain truth.

The vast difference in how people treat you once your status changes from apprentice to official disciple.

Just a moment ago, everyone was still a struggling apprentice in the same batch.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Ming had leaped up to become an official disciple, gaining lower tuition fees and better instruction.

As well as the respect of everyone, simply because he had demonstrated sufficient value and potential.

The path of martial arts is, in essence, a small reality of its own.

Here, strength is worshipped, and the strong are respected.