Arhat Enters the Room

The Eighteen Hands, they were merely a simple set of eighteen movements.

Yet, as performed by Monk Tianming, they were something entirely different; they contained a profound essence, a logic that defied verbal explanation.

Every punch, every posture, delivered a tremendous impact to Li Su.

It was a beauty he had never encountered before, something he had never felt.

This was not just a martial art; it was a logic, a manifestation of the Way.

In an instant, Li Su could not help but sink deeply into a trance. He could feel that, accompanying Monk Tianming's movements, a flow of energy coursed through the man's body, while his muscles, bones, and cells all rejoiced and danced in unison.

The Eighteen Hands seemed to go on for a long time, yet it was also over in a flash.

Soon, Monk Tianming stopped and said, "This is the Arhat Fist. From now on, aside from your morning scripture recitations and assigned chores, you will practice the Arhat Fist every afternoon to strengthen your bodies."

"Yes!"

The young monks of the Xuan generation were ecstatic. The secular disciples who had joined at the same time had been practicing martial arts for nearly a year, while they had seen no progress, forced to watch others grow stronger while they could only burn with impatience.

Now that it was finally their turn, how could they not be happy?

Look at the future Abbot Xuanci—he jumped three feet high. Had his leg strength been any greater, he might have torn the roof off.

It was a pity there were no cameras; if he could have taken a photo and shown it to the future Abbot, it would surely have been enough to make the man die of embarrassment.

Li Su blinked his eyes and looked longingly at Monk Tianming.

The Arhat Fist—he was truly looking forward to it.

Just watching it once, he clearly couldn't remember it all.

Soon, a group of young monks clamored for Monk Tianming to teach them. Monk Tianming chuckled and performed it again, though this time much slower, pausing specifically at each movement to provide explanations.

Before long, the afternoon had passed.

After watching all the disciples, including Xuankong, perform the set and ensuring their stances were roughly correct, he dismissed them.

Despite having been at it all afternoon, the sweat-drenched Xuanci remained full of energy, dragging Li Su back as he urged, "Xuankong, let's practice the fist technique."

Li Su smiled. At this moment, he felt a fondness for Xuanci; after all, he had restrained himself quite a bit while practicing in front of the old monk.

He was not truly a child, and with an adult's comprehension, he had basically memorized the technique after two viewings. Since most of the young monks had only grasped one or two moves, it would have been too shocking to show his full ability, so he chose to hide his talent, merely imitating the structure without integrating his own understanding.

Back in the small courtyard assigned for their cleaning duties, Xuanci began to punch and kick with gusto.

Although his movements were all over the place—the typical result of a student developing his own style once the teacher was gone—the accompanying shouts gave the impression that he was actually doing something.

Li Su smiled, picked up his broom, and began to sweep diligently.

Of course, he was anxious; he wanted to cultivate as well.

Even the entry-level Arhat Fist of the Shaolin Temple was not that simple.

However, he held back. There were still fifty years until the events of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils began; he had plenty of time to cultivate slowly, and this was only his first time entering a world—there would be many more opportunities in the future.

Jin Da's novels were different from Huang Da's or Gu Da's.

They required a combination of talent, effort, and character; none could be lacking.

Even a genius like Zhang Wuji had spent five full years in a valley before he could master the Nine Yang Divine Skill, hadn't he?

The martial arts of this world, especially those of the Shaolin Temple, were not to be rushed.

Xiao Yuanshan and Murong Bo were prime examples.

Li Su did not want to rush his cultivation only to end up suffering from qi deviation and dying.

In any case, he wasn't seeking to be the world's greatest or to conquer the realm. Regarding the book Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, the only plot point that depressed him was how miserable Sect Leader Xiao was—not only did he lose his reputation, but his beloved A Zhu was killed by his own palm, and in the end, he committed suicide for the sake of loyalty and righteousness. If not for the fact that the three protagonists were the focus, with all the satisfaction centered on Duan Yu and Xuzhu, one wondered how many blades Jin Da would have received in the mail.

In other words, once the story of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils began, taking a trip down the mountain to save A Zhu's life was likely the only thing Li Su wanted to do in this world.

Therefore, there was no need for doubt.

For the next fifty years, he would stay in the Shaolin Temple.

He had no interest in the Bodhidharma Institute or the Discipline Hall; just being a big shot of the Xuan generation would be fine.

After messing around for a while, Xuanci grew tired and stopped, saying, "Xuankong, I'm going to get some food. I'll bring some back for you."

Li Su nodded and held up three fingers.

"Three steamed buns, you got it."

Watching Xuanci leave, Li Su unhurriedly swept up the last of the fallen leaves, put away his tools, and stood in the courtyard.

He closed his eyes slightly and began to recall the memory of Monk Tianming performing the Arhat Fist for the first time.

As if the scene were replaying, the content echoed directly in his mind. Not only that, but the words Monk Tianming had used while teaching the young monks also seamlessly integrated into the memory.

Li Su couldn't help but open his eyes.

Was this the bonus brought by analyzing the world?

He naturally didn't think his own martial arts comprehension was peerless; it had to be the boost from the World Book.

He just didn't know if this bonus was 75% or 175%.

If it were a 75% bonus, then clearly his talent wasn't top-tier, but if it were 175%, then that would be truly formidable—likely even surpassing Xiao Feng. In Jin Da's works, the undisputed masters of martial talent were Xiao Feng and Zhang Wuji.

Especially since his personality aligned so perfectly with his martial arts, the Dragon-Subduing Eighteen Palms in Xiao Feng's hands were truly unforgettable, leaving a profound impression on anyone who witnessed them.

With this in mind, Li Su began to practice the Arhat Fist as taught to him by the monk Tianming.

However, unlike the rapid pace of Xuanci and the others, and unlike the fluid grace of the monk Tianming, he performed the movements very, very slowly.

He did not seek speed in his strikes; he only sought to capture the essence that Tianming possessed.

Although the Arhat Fist was a striking style, the monk Tianming had noted while teaching it that it was, first and foremost, a form of stance training—a way to temper the physical body and strengthen oneself.

In other words, compared to the striking techniques, the stance training was far more important.

One punch, one kick.

Li Su moved with great deliberation, each motion taking several seconds, sometimes even over ten, yet his form remained fundamentally accurate.

Soon, he finished the entire set of movements.

He withdrew his stance.

In an instant, a surge of heat shot up from the soles of his feet, rushing straight to his crown. It felt as if something within him had been unlocked; his entire body burned with a sensation of immense comfort.

Exhaling a long breath, Li Su could not help but break into a smile.

Whether it was the Nine Yang Divine Skill or the Northern Dark Divine Skill, at this moment, they seemed less important to Li Su.

Compared to those two divine arts, the Arhat Fist—merely the most basic introductory martial art of the Shaolin Temple—was what truly ignited his excitement.

Is this what martial arts is?

Is that which courses through my body what they call internal energy?

Interesting, truly fascinating.

Breathing and exhaling, energy flowing through the Six Meridians, guarding the heart and dwelling on the connection, stilling the mind so it does not wander, both internal and external, both spirit and form, both stillness and motion.

As the descriptions from the monk Tianming's teachings echoed in his mind, a flicker of burning intensity appeared in Li Su's eyes.

That must be the scene of the Arhat Fist reaching its pinnacle; I wonder what that truly looks like!