Another Raise in Treatment

Chapter 24: Treatment Improved Again

"Li Dingguo, let's start too."

Ai Nengqi was startled for a moment, then said to Li Dingguo.

For some reason, he also felt a sense of urgency in his heart.

There was nothing he could do; Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Huier had also broken through to the Martial Artist realm yesterday.

The Eight Great Kings, Zhang Xianzhong, had also said that although the two of them hadn't experienced the Qi and Blood Limit Break and Marrow Cleansing and Tendon Transformation that came with this major realm breakthrough,

if they broke through to the mid-stage of Martial Artist First Layer before him, and would almost certainly get a Marrow Cleansing and Tendon Transformation, they could immediately close the gap with him!

Unless he also simultaneously broke through to the mid-stage of Martial Artist First Layer, he wouldn't be able to maintain his leading advantage.

Ultimately, a Martial Artist's cultivation still depended on their realm, especially the difference in major realms.

How could the straightforward and competitive Ai Nengqi accept this?

Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Huier could work harder to cultivate, couldn't he?

"Okay! Together."

Li Dingguo nodded and walked over to their usual training spot with Ai Nengqi. They exchanged glances, took their stances, and began practicing Tiger Roar Fist very seriously.

Tiger Roar Fist was an active cultivation method that could continuously improve physical fitness through sustained exercise.

This basic body-tempering fist technique, popularized by the imperial court, was actually of a high enough grade to be considered a mid-level Cultivation Method, reaching the level of "Technique," and was quite valuable.

However, this set of fist techniques was easy to learn but difficult to master.

In other words, as long as your talent was up to standard and you had enough cultivation resources to provide the energy needed for physical consumption, getting started was very simple.

Even the next two realms, Proficiency and Minor Accomplishment, weren't very difficult.

But the two subsequent realms, Great Accomplishment and Perfection, were extremely challenging.

Not to mention the final two realms: Pinnacle and Returning to Simplicity.

These two realms were simply impossible for ordinary Martial Artists to reach, even with their utmost effort and diligent cultivation.

Only those Martial Artists with extraordinary talent had a chance to achieve them, eventually forming an Impenetrable Golden Body.

Therefore, within the current Rebel Army, all three hundred soldiers and various leaders in the Veteran Camp, even the three major leaders Ma Yuanli, Bai Wenxuan, and Feng Shuangli, had only cultivated Tiger Roar Fist to Great Accomplishment at most.

It was precisely because Tiger Roar Fist had a very low lower limit and an extremely high upper limit that it was chosen by the current dynasty's founder, granted for free cultivation to all soldiers in the Nine Border Garrisons at the time, and popularized throughout the entire army.

As soon as he started practicing this already-begun set of fist techniques, Li Dingguo immediately felt that after cultivating the Circumstellar True Scripture to the introductory level overnight, his progress in practicing Tiger Roar Fist now wasn't just a little easier – it was soaring!

The speed at which his Qi and Blood Power increased was at least double what it was during practice yesterday!

"The Circumstellar True Scripture truly lives up to its name as a top-tier Divine Technique and Marvelous Method. After cultivating it to the introductory level, it greatly helps me when cultivating other Cultivation Methods and skills. Comprehending this mid-level Cultivation Method, Tiger Roar Fist, is simply too easy!"

"If the cultivation resources can keep up, I estimate it won't take even ten days for me to cultivate Tiger Roar Fist to the Proficiency realm!"

As Li Dingguo thought this, he quickly stole a glance at Ai Nengqi. It turned out Ai Nengqi was also looking at him with a face full of joy, presumably having also felt the difference in practicing Tiger Roar Fist today.

Even though the Big Dipper Heavenly Gang Star Scripture that Ai Nengqi cultivated was not as high grade as his Circumstellar True Scripture, its profoundness was far beyond that of a mid-level Cultivation Method like Tiger Roar Fist.

This was like laying a foundation for a hundred-zhang tall building, but using it to construct a building only a few zhang high. As long as there was no cutting corners afterward, how could it not be sturdy?

"Hehe!"

Li Dingguo practiced Tiger Roar Fist with audible movements while secretly rejoicing in his heart, "Indeed, one step ahead means every step is ahead! Fortunately, I decided to release my Vitality and Blood and break through in time yesterday, otherwise, I would have lost a lot!"

"These two, Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Huier, still want to catch up to me and Ai Nengqi in martial arts cultivation in the future? They're probably thinking a bit too much."

He was very glad that he had made the decisive decision yesterday not to continue suppressing his cultivation and to break through to become a Martial Artist in time.

Otherwise, it would have greatly delayed his progress in martial arts, which would have been a loss.

Soon, the other twelve talented youths residing in the inner courtyard mansion also arrived at the scene.

They were a bit bewildered, looking at the four monstrously talented youths practicing Tiger Roar Fist in the arena. They quickly reacted and then eagerly joined in, practicing seriously and methodically on their own.

If someone's talent was stronger than yours, that was one thing – after all, that was a difference in innate aptitude and couldn't be helped.

But if someone's talent was much better than yours, and they were also more diligent than you, then that was your own problem.

These twelve talented youths, each with a tense little face, were unwilling to fall behind. They all made up their minds that starting tomorrow, they absolutely had to wake up early!

Otherwise, the gap between them and Li Dingguo, Ai Nengqi, and the others would widen and widen, until finally, they were left far behind, unable to even catch the dust!

That would be truly tragic!

"Good! Good!"

"Excellent, each and every one of you is excellent, hahaha..."

Just a quarter of an hour past Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Zhang Xianzhong arrived a little earlier than usual today. Seeing the unremitting efforts of these sixteen talented youths, each of them extremely diligent, he immediately burst into hearty laughter!

This kind of healthy competition was undoubtedly what he wanted to see most.

He hadn't come empty-handed on horseback today; he had brought four additional Spirit Beast Warhorses, as well as several large horse-drawn carriages.

The carriages were filled with various equipment, including swords, spears, and bows and arrows.

Evidently, the four Spirit Beast Warhorses were prepared for the four monstrous geniuses who had already become Martial Artists: Li Dingguo, Ai Nengqi, Liu Wenxiu, and Zhang Huier.

In reality, Zhang Xianzhong was even more anxious than Li Dingguo and the others!

These four extremely rare monstrous genius youths had only just become Martial Artists and didn't possess any combat skills.

Not to mention that they couldn't beat the government's Martial Soldiers at all right now, even if he picked any soldier from his own Veteran Camp, they could easily defeat these four little guys.

Therefore, getting them to quickly master the essential cultivation methods and skills of border soldiers was the most important thing.

This would also allow them to leverage their extraordinary talents. In the future, even if they encountered the elite government army, they would have the power to fight back and wouldn't be at their mercy.

Otherwise, if any of them were lost in the upcoming battles, Zhang Xianzhong would truly suffer a huge loss and would likely feel heartbroken for a long time afterward.

Zhang Xianzhong didn't stop the sixteen genius youths from practicing the Tiger Roar Fist. Instead, he enthusiastically went around to guide them individually, correcting their every mistake.

It wasn't until halfway through the morning, when more than a dozen cooks arrived and the one hundred and sixty-four ordinary orphaned youths living in the large warehouse next to the courtyard also came into the courtyard, that Zhang Xianzhong called a halt to Li Dingguo and the others.

"Alright, everyone, let's eat first!"

"After you've eaten your fill and rested for a while, then come back to practice. That way, you won't injure yourselves!"

"Too much is as bad as not enough! You must remember this principle! Especially when cultivating as a Martial Artist, you absolutely must not be too hasty!"

He reminded these youths, particularly addressing Li Dingguo, Ai Nengqi, Liu Wenxiu, and Zhang Huier.

Since he had discovered this situation of mutual competition, he would explain these principles to them today.

Then, Zhang Xianzhong waved his hand, signaling the one hundred and eighty youths present to line up and receive their portion of Spirit Rice Meal and Vitality and Blood Soup.

However, the food distributed to the four monstrous prodigies, Li Dingguo, Ai Nengqi, Liu Wenxiu, and Zhang Huier, this morning was different from the others.

Since these four monstrous geniuses had already begun their journey as Martial Artists and possessed extraordinary talents, they could completely handle a higher level of Spirit Food for nourishment.

This way, their growth speed could be further accelerated, so that when the government army attacked, the four of them would have a certain degree of self-preservation ability.