After Wang Jian bowed and left the meditation room, Du Chun led Chen Yan and his mother inside.
The meditation room was much more spacious than Chen Yan had imagined, with two sections, one inner and one outer.
The outer room was arranged like an ordinary living room, with a soft, long sofa and a coffee table shrouded in the steam of hot tea. The atmosphere was calm and soothing.
Du Chun gestured for the two of them to sit while he turned and went into the inner room.
Before long, he came back out carrying a metallic-looking instrument with a faint indicator light blinking on it.
"This is the Blood-Qi Measuring Instrument we use at the Martial Arts Hall," Du Chun said as he plugged it in. "It may not be as precise as the big machines used for research in the Association's labs, but it's more than accurate enough to get a rough reading."
Chen Yan looked at the instrument, and an invisible question mark slowly appeared above his little head.
So Mom had brought him here specially to get this measured?
He had already achieved [Perfect Foundation Establishment]. Yin and yang converged within him, and his blood-qi and spirit had become an Integrated Whole. He had officially entered the ranks of the martial artists.
If this news got out, it would be enough to shake the entire East Continent!
As his thoughts raced, the [Shadow Concealment] ability quietly activated. The surging power within him was instantly concealed layer by layer, restrained and locked firmly inside his body.
I'll keep it at... 555 points, he decided.
After all, he'd already measured an astonishing 305 points at his hundred-day celebration. Some time had passed since then, so reaching 555 points was still outrageously high for a baby...
But it was at least within the bounds of "genius," not so shocking that it would be impossible to explain.
The instrument's probe lightly touched his wrist. A faint light flashed, and the numbers on the display raced upward before finally settling at 555.
Du Chun stared at the number. His pupils contracted slightly, and the hand holding the instrument trembled.
He abruptly looked up at his daughter, his face brimming with disbelief and delighted amazement.
Although Du Qionghua had been mentally prepared, seeing the number with her own eyes still made her draw in a sharp breath. She covered her mouth without thinking.
She looked at her son with pride and a dazed disbelief.
[Fortune +2]
Suppressing her tumultuous emotions, Du Qionghua crouched down and gently drew her son into her arms. "Xiao Yan, from now on, I'll have to leave you in your grandfather's care."
"If you miss me, use Grandpa's phone to call me, okay?"
Then she stood up and carefully reminded her father, "Dad, Xiao Yan especially loves to paint. Remember to buy him plenty of oil paints and brushes."
"I'll have the Alliance send his share of cultivation resources directly to the Martial Arts Hall from now on. Be sure to check that they arrive, so he doesn't miss out."
Only after giving instructions about every last detail did Du Qionghua finally leave, turning back again and again as she went.
Only the grandfather and grandson remained in the meditation room.
Du Chun put down the instrument and scooped his little grandson into his arms. Unable to resist, he rubbed the prickly stubble just sprouting on his chin against Chen Yan's tender cheek, his eyes full of affection and indulgence.
"Your father's skills are military combat techniques. They're governed by strict rules and can't be passed on!"
Holding Chen Yan, Du Chun spoke more seriously. "From now on, I'll lay the best foundation for you myself. Our Du Family's Yellow-Black Fist is no worse than any other martial art! How does that sound?"
Chen Yan looked at the sincere anticipation and pride in his grandfather's eyes and nodded firmly.
"Hahaha! Good! My Yan'er really is clever!" Du Chun laughed heartily, his voice reverberating through the meditation room.
In high spirits, Du Chun carried Chen Yan downstairs to the Training Ground in the Martial Arts Hall's front building.
Quite a few students were in the hall. For many of them, it was their first time seeing the legendary old master from so close, and their eyes held unmistakable excitement and admiration.
After all, which of these young people hadn't gone to great lengths to join Zhenwei Martial Arts Hall for its prestigious title, "Mountain-Suppressing Yellow-Black"?
The old master rarely appeared in public these days, teaching just one large class a week.
Unless they were exceptionally lucky or showed outstanding promise, students had no chance of receiving his personal instruction.
Du Chun carefully set Chen Yan down in front of the students so he could see clearly.
Then he strode to the center of the Training Ground and settled into a low, stable stance.
He didn't need to raise his voice. His deep, resonant words reached everyone with perfect clarity:
"Yellow-Black Fist! Its core lies in drawing upon the 'Earth Yellow-Black Qi'!"
"Practitioners must spend years with their feet firmly planted on the ground, standing atop mountains and sensing and absorbing the 'Earth Vein Power,' then blending it into their blood-qi and true qi!"
"That's why every strike of this fist carries the weight of a thousand jun. It also produces a powerful counterforce. At the highest levels, you can withstand high-tier attacks and reflect some of the damage back at your opponent!"
"Paired with its unique mental cultivation method, it can lay invisible 'Yellow-Black Formation Patterns' across the ground around you, severely restricting your enemies' movement. It's ideal for defensive martial artists and serves as an indispensable, sturdy bulwark for any team!"
"That's why, compared to other fist techniques, Yellow-Black Fist places greater emphasis on the lower body and puts greater demands on stance training!"
"Today, I'll start by teaching you the foundation of Yellow-Black Fist—the 'Earth Stance,' one of the Three Stances of Heaven, Earth, and Man!"
With that, Du Chun assumed the stance. He demonstrated every detail of the "Earth Stance" slowly and clearly, explaining the rhythm of breathing and the method of exerting force as he went.
"Balance emptiness and substance, let motion and stillness flow naturally, breathe evenly, and find strength within the stance..."
Chen Yan looked around. Every student was holding their breath, eyes bright as they unconsciously edged closer, afraid of missing a single detail.
Wang Jian was especially engrossed, watching as if entranced.
After demonstrating the stance, Du Chun was so fired up that he moved—
—and performed the entire Yellow-Black Fist routine from beginning to end!
His fists were steady as mountains,
his steps shifting like an earth dragon turning over,
his movements seemingly slow yet concealing tremendous power.
Every punch and every form carried an oppressive force that made it hard to breathe,
as though he were one with the earth itself, immovable!
A wave of barely suppressed gasps rose from the crowd. The students watched, dazzled and enthralled.
Chen Yan couldn't help admiring it, too.
Yellow-Black Fist was a powerful, weighty style, focused on defense and counterattacks, with an imposing air.
It really was the perfect match for Wang Jian's "Mystic Rock Bone" physique.
As he was thinking this, a clear "Ding!" rang out in his mind.
[The host is observing a high-tier martial art. With heaven-defying comprehension, you have successfully mastered a new martial skill—Mountain-Suppressing Yellow Fist!] [The host's Fist Technique skill—Arrow Barrage—has been detected!] [The power of a fist technique depends solely on the skill's sequence rank!]
"!!!"
Chen Yan's heart shook. Had he really learned it just by watching?
And it was using the sequence rank of [Arrow Barrage]? Did that mean... he didn't need to train in it specially?
Suppressing his excitement, he looked around again.
The students in black training uniforms had already started imitating the movements. Their forms were clumsy, but every one of them was focused.
Some, like Wang Jian, were especially gifted. They had already closed their eyes completely, immersed in the weighty, surging artistic conception of Yellow-Black Fist!
The aura around them had begun to resonate faintly with the earth beneath their feet.
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