Through-Arm Fist

Qin Feng realized he had misspoken, wisely shut his mouth, and lay down to sleep.

Li Chuan did not mind. After washing up, he summoned the panel.

[Mountain-Holding Stance (Initiation)]

[Proficiency: 110/500]

"Practicing for one night added ten points of proficiency."

Li Chuan nodded to himself, satisfied with this progress.

Though it looked like little, its strength lay in perseverance.

As long as he kept practicing every day, not a single point of proficiency would be lost.

And... most importantly, the panel allowed him to cultivate the Mountain-Holding Stance directly to Minor Mastery and complete Gate-Knocking!

Martial training was divided into two steps. The first was accumulating qi and blood, using methods such as stance work and dietary supplements to store qi and blood within the body.

Once the body, this "container," was filled, it was time for the next step.

Gate-Knocking!

Gate-Knocking was the mobilization of all the qi and blood in the body to launch an assault upon the body itself.

If successful, it would push the body to a new level: Bright Force!

That was why a breakthrough was called "Gate-Knocking."

This was not something easily accomplished, like water flowing naturally into its channel.

There were risks involved!

The better one's bone constitution, the greater the chance of succeeding at Gate-Knocking.

For someone with a Low-Grade Bone Constitution like Li Chuan, the chance of succeeding on his first Gate-Knocking attempt was only one or two in ten.

This was also why those with Low-Grade Bone Constitutions were considered to have dim prospects.

Breaking through to Bright Force was already so difficult; how much harder would Dark Force and Transforming Force be?

"But I'm different. With the Once-Proven, Always-Proven Trait of the panel, as long as I have enough proficiency, I can succeed at Gate-Knocking."

Li Chuan's eyes flickered. He knew this was another great function of the Primordial Jade Record.

It could even be said to be just as important as increasing proficiency.

With that thought, Li Chuan's eyelids grew heavy.

Covered by a reed-floss quilt that was neither soft nor particularly warm, he smelled the sweat stench lingering beneath his nose.

From time to time, he could even catch the fishy reek drifting over from the latrine outside.

The Outer Courtyard disciples' quarters were merely livable, not comfortable.

Li Chuan's thoughts drifted.

He had heard that Inner Courtyard disciples lived in separate houses, beneath snow-white, fluffy cotton quilts that were exceptionally warm.

When would he be able to move into the Inner Courtyard too?

His eyelids gradually closed, and he sank into a deep sleep.

Li Chuan was awakened by Qin Feng's rustling.

Qin Feng was changing clothes. Seeing that he was awake, he apologized, "Sorry, Senior Brother Li. They'll be teaching Through-Arm Fist shortly, so I need to head out at once."

"Wait," Li Chuan called after him. "I'll go with you."

Qin Feng froze for a moment. "...All right."

Martial Arts Arena.

The sun had yet to climb over the mountaintop, casting only dim light.

Yet this did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the many newly enrolled disciples.

Pine Wind Martial Hall recruited disciples once every month. Once they had settled in, the hall would organize a martial arts instruction session.

They would be taught Pine Wind Martial Hall's signature boxing art, Through-Arm Fist.

"How strange. Usually Master teaches us martial arts. Why has it been switched to Second Senior Brother today?" Qin Feng muttered softly.

Li Chuan followed his gaze.

A square-faced man in black training clothes stood atop the raised platform, surveying the crowd.

Pine Wind Martial Hall's Second Senior Brother, Luo Zheng.

"Master is not in the hall. Today, I will teach martial arts in his stead," Luo Zheng explained to the crowd.

His gaze slowly swept over everyone.

All new faces... so why was there an old face among them?

Luo Zheng's gaze landed on Li Chuan, and his brow furrowed deeply.

Logically speaking, Through-Arm Fist was a boxing art every newly enrolled disciple learned.

Yet Li Chuan had been in the hall for four months and had missed every single boxing lesson.

As Second Senior Brother, Luo Zheng knew quite a bit about many people.

He knew of Li Chuan. His family circumstances were ordinary, and only through the support of his entire family had he been able to enter the Martial Hall.

Yet after entering, not only had he failed to strive ahead, he had become idle and dissolute, spending all day carousing at Jiang Ting's side.

Thus, Luo Zheng had an extremely poor impression of Li Chuan.

At once, Luo Zheng said with a cold face, "Through-Arm Fist is this hall's foundational boxing art. All of you, pull yourselves together and learn it properly—especially those old hands who have been in the hall for a long time!"

The disciples looked somewhat bewildered, not knowing whom Luo Zheng meant.

Li Chuan was not some famous figure. He was only known among the older disciples.

Only Qin Feng secretly glanced at Li Chuan, knowing whom Second Senior Brother's words were targeting.

Li Chuan's expression remained calm, without the slightest reaction.

Having lived two lives, such words could no longer disturb his state of mind.

Luo Zheng took a sip of tea, moistened his throat, and declared loudly, "You should all know something about the divisions of the martial path: Bright Force, Dark Force, and Transforming Force."

"The rule Master set is that those who cannot break through to Bright Force within six months may not remain in the hall. I hope you cultivate diligently and do not slack off."

Six months?

Li Chuan calculated his own situation.

He had been in the hall for four months, leaving him two months.

If it had been the original owner of this body, leaving the hall would have been his inevitable fate.

But he had the Primordial Jade Record. Breaking through to Bright Force within two months would not be difficult.

Luo Zheng coughed.

"The instructors will teach you stance work. That is not what I am here to discuss. What I am here to teach you is martial arts."

"Senior Brother Luo." Hu Yuan arrived late and greeted Luo Zheng.

Luo Zheng smiled. "Junior Brother Hu, stand at the front. I was just about to teach Through-Arm Fist."

If anyone else had arrived late, Luo Zheng would certainly have given him a scolding. But Hu Yuan was different.

A High-Grade Bone Constitution, a genuine genius—receiving a little preferential treatment was perfectly normal.

Hu Yuan smiled politely and walked straight to the foremost row.

"Hu Yuan!" Qin Feng greeted him excitedly.

Hu Yuan glanced at Qin Feng and Li Chuan, then said indifferently, "So it is Junior Brother Qin and Junior Brother Li."

He immediately turned away, with no interest in making conversation.

Qin Feng's face reddened, and his fists clenched tight, but he did not dare say anything.

"Martial arts are also called the Gua Sect. Those who flaunt their skills in the martial world are called Showy Fists, pursuing splendor and spectacle." Luo Zheng's voice carried across the entire arena.

"Showy Fists may look good, but in a real fight they are utterly useless. What I will teach you is Lethal Fist."

"In other words, killing techniques!"

Luo Zheng's voice suddenly sharpened.

"True martial arts have never been flashy fists and embroidered kicks. They are about defeating the enemy in a single move."

"The perineum, the throat, the eyes—strike wherever is vulnerable!"

A stir rose in Li Chuan's heart.

What he wanted to learn was precisely a killing technique!

Luo Zheng assumed a boxing stance and explained, "Through-Arm Fist emphasizes 'feinting left while striking right,' making it impossible for the enemy to tell where we intend to attack."

"You, come up. I'll demonstrate for everyone." Luo Zheng pointed at a thick-browed disciple.

"The first form of Through-Arm Fist: Throat-Piercing Heart-Lock!"

The moment Luo Zheng finished speaking, he moved. His five fingers formed a spike as he clawed toward the thick-browed disciple's throat with the swiftness of rushing thunder!

The thick-browed disciple went pale with fright and hurriedly raised his hands to block.

Just as Luo Zheng's hand spike was about to be blocked, it abruptly changed direction and shot straight toward his chest.

"If this were a real fight, you would already be dead."

With his five fingers still shaped like a spike, Luo Zheng lightly poked the thick-browed disciple's Tanzhong acupoint.

"Did you see it? This is the essence of 'feinting left while striking right.' Do not let your opponent guess your move!"

"If he had dodged sideways just now, I could have followed the momentum and changed the stab into an upward strike."

Luo Zheng's right hand moved, instantly hooking upward to seize the thick-browed disciple by the throat.

With the slightest exertion, he could crush the man's windpipe.

"Did you notice? Every strike I made was aimed at a vital point. If you strike a person without striking vital points, that is not martial arts—it is flashy fists and embroidered kicks!"

"Remember, martial arts are killing techniques!"

Next, Luo Zheng taught the Entangling Strike Style: Arm-Entangling Tendon-Breaking, and the Heavy Strike Style: Rib-Breaking Mountain-Cleaving.

"I have taught all that I can. How much you comprehend is up to your own ability."

Luo Zheng clasped his hands behind his back and said indifferently, "It is normal for it to be difficult to learn. Do not think martial arts are something that can be learned easily. Even I spent an hour back then just to reach Initiation in Through-Arm Fist."

Li Chuan could no longer hear Luo Zheng's voice. All his attention was focused on every move of Through-Arm Fist.

He extended his hands and imitated Luo Zheng's earlier Throat-Piercing Heart-Lock.

At first, his movements were stiff, without form or spirit.

But after practicing through it once, they suddenly began to look remarkably convincing.

[Technique: Through-Arm Fist (Initiation)]

[Progress: 1/500]