Six Harmonies Fist: Beginner's Guide [Seeking Follow-ups] [Seeking Monthly Votes]

Physical talent is a broad and vague concept.

For a Martial Cultivator, as long as the body has no hidden ailments, the bones are complete and sturdy, the blood and qi are full, and the body proportions are symmetrical, one is considered to have ordinary talent.

If one is born with supernatural strength, that is a superior endowment, one in ten thousand.

However, more often than not, talent is hidden deep within the flesh and blood, difficult to measure.

Only through day-after-day tempering can the true nature be revealed.

Lu Jing'an belongs to this category.

After successfully mastering the Mountain Crushing Fist, Lu Jing'an closed his eyes and focused, sensing the details carefully.

He could clearly perceive that his entire body's flesh and blood were like soil soaked in spring rain.

They were silently adjusting and reshaping themselves to comply with the requirements of the fist technique's circulation.

This change was extremely subtle, impossible for outsiders to glimpse.

Only he himself could perceive it; this was the profound mystery brought about by the new Affix.

A moment later, Lu Jing'an opened his eyes and looked at Chen Xuan, his breath steady: "Master, were there any flaws?"

Chen Xuan shook his head, a trace of imperceptible approval flashing in his eyes:

"No flaws. Rest for a moment, then you may begin practicing the Thunderclap Fist."

After a brief silence, Chen Xuan's tone turned serious: "Young Master, you must understand, once you begin, there is no turning back."

Lu Jing'an's expression was calm: "This disciple understands."

After about half an hour of regulating his breath, Lu Jing'an set his stance once again.

It was completely different from the heavy and steady nature of the Mountain Crushing Fist.

The Thunderclap Fist seeks one thing: speed.

Extreme speed and explosive power.

This means that the Mountain Crushing True Qi, originally as steady as a mountain, must transition from extreme stillness to extreme motion in an instant.

The tearing force exerted on the meridians, flesh, and bones during this process is no less than being sliced by a thousand knives.

And this is merely the standard for mastering the Thunderclap Fist.

It is not the standard for mastering the Six Harmonies Fist.

The standard for mastering the Six Harmonies Fist is that the True Qi can switch between motion and stillness, hardness and softness at will, arriving the moment the thought arises, without any stagnation.

And this places even higher demands on the body.

It is like accelerating a car from zero to a high speed of 200 in one second, and then slowing it back down to zero in another second.

Furthermore, it gives you no time to prepare.

And this cycle is not performed just once.

It is performed hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of times.

Following the mental cultivation method of the Thunderclap Fist, Lu Jing'an struck his first posture.

"Hiss!"

It felt as if countless fine blades were scraping through the depths of his tendons simultaneously, and intense pain surged through his entire body like a tide.

Cold sweat instantly beaded on Lu Jing'an's forehead, yet his stance did not waver in the slightest.

However, this pain lasted for only a single breath.

In the next moment, a warm and vigorous vitality naturally surged from his limbs and bones.

His flesh and blood adjusted, mended, and strengthened themselves as if they were living things.

By the time he threw his second punch, the pain had vanished completely.

Only the True Qi flowed like lightning, moving without obstruction.

After one round, the fist intent was already formed.

After another, the True Qi could flow freely with the momentum of the punches, with motion and stillness dictated by his will.

Lu Jing'an withdrew his stance and closed his eyes, clearly feeling that between the alternation of high speed and stillness, a certain deep-seated talent was being awakened bit by bit.

The flow of his blood and qi was thirty percent faster than before, and a faint sound of thunder echoed between his muscles and bones.

To the side, Chen Xuan watched silently, waves of emotion surging in his heart.

Watching from the side, Chen Xuan even had a feeling that it was somewhat unreal.

Chen Xuan had seen geniuses before; in fact, he himself was a genius when it came to fist techniques.

From Chen Xuan's perspective.

As for himself, mastering a fist technique in a single attempt was something he could achieve.

Mastering two different fist techniques in a single attempt, however, was beyond his reach.

By his own estimation, he would need at least three days to accomplish that.

The potential and talent of this disciple, who had only decided to pursue the path of a Martial Cultivator halfway through his life, were even more exaggerated than he had initially projected.

If one were to add hard work and family background to the mix.

Chen Xuan felt that the future achievements of his disciple might truly be worthy of the phrase "limitless potential."

Chen Xuan even had a vague premonition that the resurgence of the Martial Cultivator path might rest entirely upon the shoulders of this disciple.

The massive influx of Western firearms.

The first to bear the brunt of this impact were the Martial Cultivator practitioners.

Although a Martial Cultivator who had crossed the Blood Barrier could effectively withstand the bullets of foreign guns.

But for an ordinary martial artist, the cost required to cross the Blood Barrier.

The amount of effort and resources that needed to be invested.

Those expenses were enough to purchase over a dozen guns on the black market.

With proper coordination, a dozen guns could kill even a Martial Cultivator who had broken through the Blood Barrier.

That was only the first reason.

The second reason was that in the cultivation system of the Martial Cultivator, no one had heard of a new practitioner reaching a level beyond the Mortal Realm for a very long time.

This led many to believe that the path of the Martial Cultivator had already reached a dead end.

If his disciple could break through the Mortal Realm, perhaps he could revitalize the Martial Cultivator path.

"Master?"

The voice of Lu Jing'an pulled Chen Xuan back from his thoughts.

Seeing his master's distant gaze, he couldn't help but ask, "Did I make a mistake in my practice?"

Chen Xuan composed himself and slowly shook his head, "Young Master is practicing excellently. Do you still feel any discomfort in your body?"

Lu Jing'an answered truthfully, "Except for the first form, which felt like bone-scraping, there have been no further obstructions."

Chen Xuan nodded, his tone complex, "Young Master's talent is more astonishing than I had anticipated.

At this rate, the medicinal bath that I had Doctor Cui prepare.

I fear it will only serve as an auxiliary measure.

If Young Master feels..."

"Master."

Lu Jing'an interrupted him, his gaze clear and upright.

"There is no need to save Qian for my sake.

As long as it can improve my cultivation and solidify my foundation, the medicinal baths must not stop.

Unless there is a better method in the future, we can change it then."

In this current world, if the Lu Family were to fall, having any amount of wealth would be in vain.

It is better to convert it all into strength; every extra bit of power.

Is an extra bit of survival, an extra chance to turn the tide.

Seeing the determination in his eyes, Chen Xuan said no more, only stating:

"Then we shall proceed as usual: two hours of fist practice, one hour of medicinal bath.

However, the prescription may need adjustments in the future to strengthen the effects of consolidating the foundation and nourishing the essence."

Just as Lu Jing'an was about to agree, light footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate.

Lanhua, his personal maid, approached with quick, small steps, stopping a yard away before whispering:

"Young Master, Miss Wen Ling from the Peacekeeping Bureau is here to visit, saying she had an appointment with you."

Lu Jing'an lowered his fists and said, "Please ask Miss Wen Ling to wait for me in the tea room."

"Yes."

Lanhua acknowledged the order and left.

Lu Jing'an finished his stance and stood up, "Please invite Miss Wen Ling to sit in the East Wing tea room; I will be there shortly."

"Yes."

After Lanhua departed, Lu Jing'an quickly bathed and changed.

He donned a bamboo-green summer cloth robe before heading to the tea room.

Wen Ling was sitting quietly by the window, holding a white porcelain teacup in her hands.

His gaze drifted toward an old plum tree in the courtyard, his silhouette sharp and refined.

Hearing footsteps, she turned her head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"For Wen Ling to come in person, I really should have sent a carriage to fetch you." Lu Jing'an swept his robes aside to sit, pouring her a cup of tea himself.

Wen Ling took a light sip and shook her head.

"My visit here is likely already drawing attention."

"If I had let you send a carriage, outsiders would truly believe the Peacekeeping Bureau and the Lu Family were bound together."

Lu Jing'an's hand, holding the teapot, paused slightly. He looked up and asked, "The Peacekeeping Bureau has branches in every city; surely there isn't a single one without ties to local powers?"

"Naturally, there are," Wen Ling said, setting down her teacup, her tone calm. "But the outcome is rarely good."

"Why?" Lu Jing'an pressed.

Wen Ling replied, "Whenever such a situation arises, the Peacekeeping Bureau initiates a clean break immediately."

"Everyone involved is expelled from the Peacekeeping Bureau."

"Once they lose the protection of the Peacekeeping Bureau, they become targets for everyone."

"The enemies of the Peacekeeping Bureau are not just those demons and monsters."

"There are also the cultists who worship those demons and monsters."

"In the past, while they were within the Peacekeeping Bureau's system, those people had fears and reservations about striking."

"Now, without the protection of the Peacekeeping Bureau's system, they act without any restraint."

After a pause, Wen Ling added, "Of course, most people die because they bet on the wrong side."

"In this era, the banners on the city walls change constantly; who can guarantee that the side they bet on is the right one?"

After listening, Lu Jing'an nodded in agreement.

In these chaotic times, to be able to stand apart from the strife like the Peacekeeping Bureau was a rare form of stability.

Even if one could not attain great wealth or status, being safe was the greatest blessing of all.

Lu Jing'an asked no more, taking the light brown file folder Wen Ling had brought.

The wax seal on the opening was still intact, and it felt slightly heavy in his hand.

He broke the seal and pulled out a stack of dossiers.

Lu Jing'an's gaze swept over the ink on the pages, his eyes gradually clouding with contemplation.

Ever since he had gained benefits from that Tiger Demon, he had harbored the intention of seeking out more demonic beasts for training.

But the prerequisite was that the risks had to remain within his control.