Layered Cloud Fist

At dawn the next day, Jiang Che arrived at the Martial Arts Hall.

Luo Kun was meditating on a cushion beneath the eaves.

As he passed through the familiar courtyard,

several apprentices doing their morning training cast envious looks at Jiang Che.

Seeing Jiang Che arrive, Luo Kun gave a slight nod and rose to his feet.

"Follow me."

They passed through two moon gates.

Before them lay a courtyard twice the size of the apprentices' yard.

The ground was packed yellow earth, hard and level.

Several old locust trees had been planted in one corner.

Stone locks, wooden stakes, and other training equipment stood beneath their shade.

Several large water jars were set against the western wall, a few fallen leaves floating on their surfaces.

Three people were already standing in the courtyard.

The tallest and strongest of them had thick brows like blades.

He was Zhang Xiong.

The moment he saw Jiang Che, he strode over and gave his shoulder a heavy slap.

"I told you that you could do it!"

Beside him stood a tall, lean youth with an arrogant expression.

His arms were folded across his chest, his narrow phoenix eyes half-lidded.

He was Gong Yulei, the genius disciple who had broken through to the Blood-Qi Realm in just over a month.

He nodded at Jiang Che, counting it as a greeting.

At the edge stood an unfamiliar young woman. She glanced at him, then looked elsewhere.

She was slender and fair-skinned, her jet-black hair gathered into a bun with a silver hairpin.

She looked like she came from a wealthy household.

Jiang Che walked over and took his place beside Zhang Xiong.

"Lin Xue'er. She just broke through on the women's side," Zhang Xiong said softly.

The women's and men's courtyards were separate, but once one broke through to the Blood-Qi Realm, there was no longer any distinction.

"By the way, why are there only four of us? Where are the other senior brothers and sisters?" Jiang Che asked.

"Once their realms rose, they all went out into the world," Zhang Xiong said. "Some joined escort agencies, others entered gangs. They rarely came back to the Martial Arts Hall. We'll be the same in the future."

Jiang Che nodded.

"Now everyone's finally here."

Luo Kun stood on the steps with his hands behind his back, slowly sweeping his gaze over them.

Though thin and withered, he stood upright like a blade. His presence was formidable, and none of them dared meet his eyes directly.

"Today, I'll first teach you the essentials of Qi-Blood!"

"So-called Qi-Blood is the strength you turn the tonics and good food you consume into through training. You've only just entered the path, and your dantians have gathered only a tiny amount of Qi-Blood."

"But don't underestimate that little bit of Qi-Blood."

As Luo Kun spoke, he suddenly punched the wooden stake beside him.

With a crack, the stake as thick as a bowl's mouth snapped in response.

"Do you feel that your strength has grown much greater than before your breakthrough? And that your skin is becoming thicker too?"

Everyone looked at their palms. Sure enough, their skin did feel tougher.

"That is the work of Qi-Blood. It can continuously improve the human body's constitution and strengthen flesh and skin."

"Once you temper the Qi-Blood in your dantian until it is solid, you will possess three hundred jin of strength, and your skin will become as thick and sturdy as ox-hide. Ordinary blades won't even be able to cut it!"

"This is the first level of the Blood-Qi Realm, also called the 'Ox-Hide Realm'!"

"The Ox-Hide Realm!"

Jiang Che silently committed it to memory.

Zhang Xiong raised his hand and asked,

"Master, how many levels does Qi-Blood have? What does it look like at the end?"

"Three levels in total."

Luo Kun raised three fingers.

"At the second level, Qi-Blood fills the five viscera and six bowels, and your skin begins to become as hard as stone. At that point, you can possess five hundred jin of strength! This level is called the 'Stone Skin Realm'!"

"At the third level, Qi-Blood flows freely through all four limbs and every bone. You can lift an eight-hundred-jin weight, your skin becomes hard as iron, and your fists become your finest weapons! This level is the 'Iron Skin Realm'!"

"And above that?"

Jiang Che could not help asking.

Luo Kun shot him a glare.

"Don't aim too high! The Iron Skin Realm is already the limit for many people!"

He paused, then explained further.

"Beyond that, you begin internal training. Internal training is the art of moving Qi-Blood, gradually transforming Qi-Blood into force."

"This force differs from ordinary strength. Not only can it attack enemies, it can also protect the body on its own!"

"A Force-Entering Realm martial master can take on ten Iron Skin Realm experts without breaking a sweat!"

Everyone listened with eyes wide and mouths agape.

Zhang Xiong's mouth fell open. "That powerful?"

"Of course it's powerful." Luo Kun lifted his chin slightly. "In all of Abyss-Facing City, there aren't even enough Force-Entering Realm martial masters to count on one hand!"

"Master, you..." Zhang Xiong blurted out.

Luo Kun merely smiled without speaking, but the meaning was already crystal clear.

A flash of wonder passed through the eyes of the young woman who had remained silent all along.

"Remember this." Luo Kun suddenly turned serious.

"Qi-Blood may be powerful, but it is also violent."

His gaze slowly swept across the group.

"I know some of you are thinking of consuming massive amounts of tonics to increase your Qi-Blood! But if you train too fiercely or consume too many tonics, you will damage your meridians. In severe cases, you will become crippled outright!"

"So you must train in moderation every day, and you must not consume tonics recklessly!"

Gong Yulei frowned. "Then how do we tame Qi-Blood?"

"Calm your mind and meditate."

Luo Kun pointed at the cushions beneath the eaves.

"Also, the Martial Arts Hall has specially prepared medicinal soup that can help settle your Qi-Blood. One bowl a day costs one tael of silver. After drinking this medicinal soup, you can extend your training time!"

No wonder tuition is free. This is where they make their money.

Jiang Che thought to himself.

Still, that was only normal.

The Martial Arts Hall was not a charity.

Making money was perfectly justified.

Compared to fist techniques, such secret medicines were the true lifeblood of the Martial Arts Hall.

Anyone could practice martial arts moves, but without the matching medicinal soup to regulate the body,

the harder one trained, the faster one died!

If one forced it, sooner or later their meridians would burst, and they would die!

Thinking of this, Jiang Che sighed inwardly.

The path of martial arts truly was fraught with danger at every step.

But if he did not practice martial arts, how could he protect himself in this chaotic age?

"Just one tael a day means thirty taels a month..."

"And that's only for the medicinal soup. If I buy other medicines to replenish Qi-Blood as well..."

Right now, he needed to save money to move while also bearing the cost of medicinal soup.

Jiang Che suddenly felt immense pressure.

I need to find a way to make money...

"Now, I will teach you the Layered Cloud Fist!"

Luo Kun's voice interrupted Jiang Che's thoughts.

Luo Kun stepped into the center of the training ground, his arms hanging naturally at his sides.

Then he stepped forward with his right foot, and the hard-packed earth cracked open with a crack, spreading in spiderweb patterns.

Next, as he raised his fists into stance, visible vortices of air surged up, even warping the air!

The three of them unconsciously retreated half a step.

"Watch closely! First form—'Cloud Rising'!"

Luo Kun then rounded his arms, and his sleeves billowed with a deep hum like muffled thunder.

Jiang Che suddenly felt his chest tighten, as if someone were pressing down on it.

That suffocating feeling is back! And it's far fiercer than when he performed the White Cloud Fist!

Jiang Che was shocked.

"Second form—'Wave Stacking'!"

Luo Kun's fist speed suddenly increased.

Every punch was accompanied by sharp hissing sounds as it tore through the air.

Layers upon layers of fist shadows stacked together, forming a blurred curtain of fists before him!

Zhang Xiong's mouth hung open as he realized that, without knowing when, he had already held his breath.

When Luo Kun reached the fifth form, "Mountain Crushing,"

the airflow within three zhang around him suddenly exploded!

Lin Xue'er, who stood relatively close to Luo Kun, instantly felt a fierce gust scrape past her cheek, leaving it burning with pain!

As he withdrew his stance, Luo Kun exhaled a breath of turbid air.

That stream of white vapor shot out like an arrow for three chi!

The entire training ground fell silent as a graveyard.

"Did you see it clearly?"

Luo Kun asked in a deep voice.

Gong Yulei was the first to step forward, eagerness written across his face.

"Master, let me try!"