Cultivating Techniques and Combat Styles

Another day ended. After taking the Blood-Qi Pill and finishing his fist practice, Chen Jing collapsed onto his bed, utterly exhausted, and checked his panel:

Name: Chen Jing

Realm: Body Tempering (Greater Accomplishment), Blood-Qi (Minor Accomplishment)

Martial Arts:

Fierce Tiger Stance (Greater Accomplishment: 2300/5000)

Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord (Minor Accomplishment: 21/1000)

Basic Spear Technique (Entered the Hall: 500/2000)

Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique (Greater Accomplishment: 205/5000)

Talents:

[Butcher] You are extremely familiar with the pig-slaughtering blade. When holding a pig-slaughtering blade, your blade speed increases by 50%, your strength increases by 50%, and Bone-Breaking increases by 50%.

[Spear Like a Dragon] You handle spear-and-staff weapons with practiced ease. When using spears or staves, accuracy increases by 25%.

[Tiger Valiance] You have mastered the marvel of circulating force, and can erupt with the strength of your entire body in an instant. Strength instantly increases by 150%.

[Mountain Lord: You have gained a slight understanding of fist techniques. Your fist momentum is like a fierce tiger, lord of the mountains; with force circulating, speed increases by 15%, and strength increases by 15%.]

The fourth day.

Chen Jing arrived at the inner courtyard's martial field.

Cheng Lianshan was already waiting in the field. Seeing Chen Jing walk over, he simply and efficiently extended his hand.

"Come. We continue today."

But Chen Jing did not step forward as he had the previous three days and place his hand in Cheng Lianshan's palm.

He stood where he was and cupped his fists in salute.

"Master, there is no need."

Cheng Lianshan's hand hung in midair, and he froze slightly.

He stared at Chen Jing, his gaze slowly sweeping over that young face.

No need? Was he giving up?

This kid's temperament did not seem like someone who would lightly speak of giving up.

Could it be...

Cheng Lianshan was just about to ask when he saw that Chen Jing had already taken his position at the center of the martial field, his feet slightly apart, assuming the opening stance of the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord.

Cheng Lianshan immediately withdrew his hand, his eyes shining brightly.

Chen Jing moved.

Starting from the descending-the-mountain posture, he performed the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord one by one. Each punch, each form—though his movements were slow—already possessed the first traces of spirit and shape.

From the outside, he seemed like a Mountain Lord crouching and leaping; when viewed within, there was the roar of a tiger and the rumble of thunder.

Cheng Lianshan looked at the youth in the field, slapped his thigh, and burst into loud laughter.

"Good, good, good! I truly did not misjudge you!"

Cheng Lianshan strode up to Chen Jing, his tiger-like eyes filled with admiration.

"To comprehend the force of tiger roars and thunder rumbling in four days—though it cannot be considered top-notch, it is still upper tier."

"Your Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord already shows signs of Minor Accomplishment. The frame has been established, and the force has also begun to be trained into the marrow."

His tone shifted. "You have already touched the threshold of the training method. Next, I will teach you the combat method of the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord."

"The training method strengthens the body and tempers the bones, shaking the marrow. The combat method overcomes enemies and wins victory, kills men and preserves your life."

"Watch carefully."

Cheng Lianshan leapt into the field again and demonstrated for Chen Jing. It was still the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord, but every form was completely different from the training method.

When using the training method, he was a Mountain Lord as dignified as a mountain. When using the combat method, he was like a fierce tiger with all its savage might laid bare.

Sometimes explosive, sometimes ferocious, sometimes tricky, sometimes sharp and fierce.

Every punch and kick was clean and decisive, killing intent cold and awe-inspiring, meant only to slay the enemy.

After completing the nine forms, Cheng Lianshan drew in his posture, adjusted his breathing, and turned to look at Chen Jing.

"The Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord is about training yourself into a fierce tiger."

"The training method is raising the tiger; the combat method is releasing the tiger."

"What the training method nurtures is your own blood-qi and force. The combat method is about releasing that force. The transformation between each form's training method and combat method is the measure between nurturing and releasing. When you should sink, sink all the way to the bottom; when you should erupt, do not hesitate."

"Did you understand?"

Chen Jing watched until his heart surged and his blood raced, feeling as though he had not had nearly enough.

This was the true face of the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord. The training method was the foundation, the combat method the killing move; one nurtured and one released, hard and soft aiding each other, cultivating both within and without.

"I understand, Master."

Cheng Lianshan nodded. "Come. I'll teach you one by one."

Over the next five days, Chen Jing immersed himself in training the combat applications.

Cheng Lianshan carefully demonstrated and explained the combat application of each form to Chen Jing, then personally showed it again before having Chen Jing practice it over and over.

If he made a mistake, Cheng Lianshan corrected him; once it was corrected, he practiced again.

Until the movements were carved into his muscle memory.

After five days of polishing, Chen Jing's combat applications of the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord gradually went from awkward and rigid to smooth and flowing.

Though he was still far from Cheng Lianshan's presence, where a single tremor of blood and qi could give rise to the fierce might of a savage tiger, at the very least, the force emission and routes of every form were now clear in his chest.

At noon on the fifth day.

Cheng Lianshan watched Chen Jing complete the full set of the nine forms' combat applications and gave a slight nod.

"I've already taught you all the training methods and combat applications of the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord."

"What comes next is slow, steady work. Every day, use Tiger Roar Force to shake your marrow, coordinate it with the training methods of the nine forms, and work the force into your acupoints and marrow one place at a time."

"When your force can shake every acupoint throughout your entire body, only then will it be the beginning of transforming the sinews, cleansing the marrow, and shedding your mortal shell for new bones."

Chen Jing withdrew from his stance and cupped his fists properly in salute.

"Many thanks for your instruction, Master."

Cheng Lianshan waved a hand, his tone growing a little more casual.

"From here on, you'll practice on your own. If there's anything you don't understand, come find me at any time."

"At the start of every month, I'll test all of you on your progress in martial training. If anyone is lazy or slack, don't blame the ruler in my hand for not recognizing people."

Cheng Lianshan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, then smiled. "But you, lad, have a hardworking nature. I'm not worried you'll slack off."

"What you should think about instead is finding a money-making job like your senior brothers and sister."

"The farther you go in martial training, medicinal baths, Blood-Qi Powder, Blood-Qi Pills, and even all manner of heavenly materials and earthly treasures—every single one needs silver."

"If you have no income and rely only on bitter training, it will ultimately just be bitter labor. A lifetime is only so long; you must fight for every morning and evening."

Chen Jing nodded in acknowledgment.

He had long since had an idea in mind as well, pondering a return to his old trade and the start of his grand pig-slaughtering plan.

He could earn money and increase his saber technique proficiency at the same time—killing two birds with one stone.

These days, Chen Jing trained bitterly without pause every day.

The Fierce Tiger Stance could raise his proficiency by 60 points each day.

But after the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord reached minor achievement, he needed to use Tiger Roar Force to shake his marrow. Every punch and every move had to drive force deep into the seams of his bones.

The mental effort and blood and qi it consumed had increased severalfold compared to when he had first begun.

Before, he could train for four hours in one go. Now, after training for two hours, his blood and qi were already surging, his tendons and bones sore and swollen. If he kept going, it would damage his foundation instead.

Training four hours each day left him completely exhausted, and his proficiency rose by 20 points. This was already his daily limit.

This made Chen Jing even more eager to push the Fierce Tiger Stance to perfection.

Once his stance skill reached perfection, his physique and blood and qi would rise to another level. At that time, the daily upper limit for training the Nine Forms of the Mountain Lord would increase accordingly.

So for the time being, he shelved his plan to go out and find work, intending to decide after the Fierce Tiger Stance reached perfection.

During the time Chen Jing was immersed in cultivation, the welcome gifts from his other senior brothers and sister were delivered to him one after another.

What Mei Qinghe gave him was a pair of bracers and a close-fitting suit of soft armor.

The bracers were made of cured cowhide lined with steel plates, while the soft armor was woven from fine rattan and covered with thick hemp cloth. The stitches were dense, and the workmanship was solid.

Mei Qinghe had Chen Jing try them on then and there. The bracers fit his forearms just right, and the soft armor, worn close to the body, did not hinder his movements either.

Chen Jing practiced a set of fist techniques and could hardly feel any restriction.

Fifth Senior Brother Hu Yang directly brought a tailor to his door and, beaming, had the tailor measure Chen Jing from head to toe.

Two days later, four sets of clothes were delivered.

Two were long robes, one indigo blue and one deep black-green.

The other two were black martial outfits, made of carefully chosen material with fine stitching. Worn on the body, they looked crisp and spirited.

After Chen Jing changed into them, he looked himself over in the bronze mirror. The young man in the mirror had a tall, straight figure and proper, handsome features.

The fitted black martial attire set off his broad shoulders and narrow waist, lending him a calm, steady bearing.

Compared to the butcher from Shuang'an Town who had worn coarse short hemp clothes with a butcher knife tucked at his waist, he was practically a different person.

"Clothes make the man. That saying isn't false."

Hu Yang circled Chen Jing once and nodded in satisfaction. "With Little Junior Brother's build, he can carry off anything he wears."

Chen Jing had already received the Blood-Qi Pill from Fourth Senior Brother Cheng Qingshi and the Blood-Qi Powder from Sixth Senior Brother Liang Youheng.

Over the past two days, he had refined them one after another, increasing his blood and qi and strengthening his body from within.

The way Blood-Qi Powder was used was different from Blood-Qi Pills. It had to be paired with a hot-water bath, absorbing the medicinal power inside a bathtub.