Dark Force Knocks

Inner Courtyard, Earth-Rank Courtyard No. 28.

Outside the gate.

Liang Chengshi was exceptionally free today and suddenly remembered his previous agreement with Zhou Yun to seek pointers on the Black Ape Movement Technique.

Martial arts mastery is not something one can achieve without sufficient blood and qi to build upon; otherwise, seeking guidance from others is the fastest path to improvement.

I remember that a long time ago, Senior Brother Zhou had already reached the Minor Accomplishment stage in his Black Ape Movement Technique. I wonder what realm he has attained by now?

Liang Chengshi stood at the entrance of Zhou Yun's courtyard, a playful smile on his face.

But I have now knocked on the door of Dark Force—a fact I haven't even told that old man—so if I go to find Senior Brother Zhou now... oh wait, would it be too much of a bully to call him Junior Brother?

Though he thought this way, Liang Chengshi muttered to himself, "It's fine, I'm just asking Senior Brother Zhou for martial arts advice, that doesn't count as bullying... If it really comes to it, I'll just let him use one hand..."

After all, given Zhou Yun's age, achieving Minor Accomplishment in two martial arts was already quite difficult; one could even say he possessed the potential of a genius.

Although he had been in seclusion within the hall for the past two days, it was impossible for that Senior Brother's movement technique to have broken through to Major Accomplishment in just ten days, granting him the ability to evade Dark Force energy, right?

Thinking of this, Liang Chengshi coughed twice and knocked on the gate of Zhou Yun's courtyard.

But after waiting for a moment, there was no response.

"Is he not home?"

Liang Chengshi raised an eyebrow and was just about to leave when he suddenly heard the sound of weapons being brandished from within the courtyard.

"He is home, so why isn't he opening the door?"

Liang Chengshi made up his mind; he hadn't seen this Senior Brother in so long, and he was determined to spar with him today.

If Senior Sister Shen hadn't dragged Zhou Yun away last time, perhaps his own Black Ape Movement Technique would have already broken through to Minor Accomplishment by now.

He simply sat down outside the gate, intending to wait for the sounds inside to die down before knocking again to request guidance.

At this moment, inside the courtyard.

Zhou Yun was completely immersed in spear practice, oblivious to the knocking at the gate.

He gripped the Black Iron Great Spear, executing the first rotation of the spear art with vivid precision, leaving numerous pits in the courtyard floor.

"Not enough blood and qi..."

Zhou Yun felt that the tempering of his internal energy was insufficient. He had been using the Black Ape Fist Technique to modify his spear maneuvers while simultaneously executing the Major Accomplishment-level Black Ape Movement Technique.

While this method could rapidly temper the energy in his dantian, it consumed blood and qi at an alarming rate.

In just one hour, he had already used two Blood Coagulation Pills, not counting the wisp of energy Zhou Yun had squandered.

"Truly, the pen is for the poor, and the sword is for the rich..."

Zhou Yun sighed with deep emotion, yet his spear techniques, modified fist maneuvers, and footwork did not cease.

Soon, the energy in his dantian showed signs of breaking through the seven-finger threshold.

Finally, he crossed that barrier, slowly growing toward eight-finger energy.

"Continue!"

Zhou Yun felt refreshed; the slight soreness in his muscles was gradually filled by the energy expanding within his dantian and flowing into his limbs.

It seemed to be improving the meridians in his limbs at a very slow pace, allowing him to exert greater strength and maintain longer endurance.

By the time the morning had passed, the energy in Zhou Yun's dantian had reached a rare eight fingers.

"Eight fingers... even those geniuses in the main city shouldn't be using an extremely precious Qi Transformation Pill while still at the Bright Force stage."

Zhou Yun felt that his internal energy had reached a brand-new realm, as if he could manifest a tiny wisp of energy upon the surface of his skin.

Although that wisp of energy was small, it was a feat only possible with Dark Force, yet he had achieved it while still at the Bright Force stage.

This sign indicated that the energy, now eight fingers thick, possessed immense value.

"But, it is still not enough."

Zhou Yun adjusted his breathing and continued to brandish his spear!

His goal for today was never merely eight fingers.

It was to thoroughly knock on the door of Dark Force, to possess the qualifications to venture into the main city, and to have the capital to secure a top-three finish in the Three Halls Martial Tournament!

"The Thunder Meteor Spear Art is still too difficult to improve; the first rotation and the second rotation are not at all the same level of difficulty... Perhaps I should focus my efforts on those two other martial arts."

Zhou Yun temporarily placed the Black Iron Great Spear on the weapon rack nearby and began to practice the Black Ape Fist Technique once more.

Furthermore, he utilized that page of insight into unarmed martial arts.

Images flashed through his mind of the countless times he had thrown punches in the training arena, including every instance he had used the Black Ape Fist to slay an enemy; all the memories of his past realizations surged forth like a tide.

Not only that, but these memories also derived many new insights, such as variations on the Black Source Fist... and the path to bringing this martial art to complete perfection!

"The Black Ape Fist Technique can actually reach perfection..."

Zhou Yun's eyes grew brighter and brighter. The Black Ape Fist in his hands became increasingly fast and ruthless, shifting at times into a palm, and at others into a finger strike.

In other words, the variations produced by his Black Ape Fist were no longer confined to just punches.

Instead, using Black Ape Fist as a foundation, he had created the Black Ape Finger Technique and the Black Ape Palm Technique.

Furthermore, both martial arts were already at the Great Success realm from the very moment he began learning them!

"Black Ape Fist reached perfection, and it actually derived two Great Success martial arts?"

Zhou Yun was incredibly excited; he had not expected such a harvest.

But the next moment, feeling his dantian's internal force drying up again, he simply swallowed the remaining three Blood Coagulation Pills in one go.

As his blood and qi rapidly converted into internal force, Zhou Yun transformed his fists into palms, then his palms into fingers.

As he continuously executed the two Great Success martial arts, the final five wisps of internal force were all absorbed into his body.

The internal force in Zhou Yun's dantian grew thicker and thicker, soon reaching the fullness of eight fingers, just one step away from breaking through to Dark Force.

Just as all the internal force in his dantian was about to be exhausted, the internal force within his body seemed to finally reach another level, manifesting in his palms as he circulated it.

Bang!

The internal force in Zhou Yun's palm surged out, striking a nearby rockery and leaving a gaping hole in it.

If this were to strike a person's skull, it could kill them without a trace!

"Dark Force, it's done!"

Zhou Yun inhaled and retracted his stance, a smile appearing on his face.

After a full day of epiphany and absorption of internal force, he had not only reached the realm of projecting internal force.

He had also broken through Black Ape Fist to the Perfection realm and unexpectedly gained two Great Success martial arts.

Although those two Great Success martial arts shared some similarities with the style of Black Ape Fist, the very essence of Black Ape Martial Arts was its myriad transformations, making it extremely difficult for opponents to deal with.

More importantly, Zhou Yun finally had the capital to venture into the main city.

With undercurrents surging in Black Stone County, he had long wanted to move his mother and Ning Yue to the main city.

Now, he only needed to wait for the Three Halls Martial Tournament to end, and everything would fall into place!

Not long after Zhou Yun's joy, a knock on the door suddenly rang out.

"To come knocking just as I broke through to Dark Force, who could it be so coincidentally?"

Zhou Yun was somewhat puzzled, but he opened the courtyard gate nonetheless.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Liang Chengshi with his head slightly tilted upward.

"Senior Brother Zhou, I have come to seek your guidance on the Black Ape Movement Technique. I wonder if you have any free time today?"