Qi and Blood Awaken, Fist Art Initiated

Qi and Blood Awaken, Fist Art Initiated

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Zhou Xing, standing to one side, applauded with both hands.

"Senior Brother Zhou!" Jiang Ning smiled.

Zhou Xing wore a broad smile as well. "Junior Brother Jiang, your learning ability is remarkable. You only started today, yet your Five Animals Fist already looks quite convincing."

Jiang Ning smiled faintly. "Senior Brother Zhou flatters me. I was merely born with a strong memory—Photographic Memory. I was only copying the cat while drawing the tiger!"

"So that was it. Otherwise, it would have been a little too discouraging for me!" Zhou Xing nodded with a gentle smile. Jiang Ning's answer did not surprise him.

To perform such standard fist forms on the very day he entered the school, the key lay in memory, learning, and imitation.

It had nothing to do with martial talent at all.

No matter how high one's martial talent or comprehension was, one first had to memorize the fist forms, movements, and breathing essentials before displaying that talent and insight.

Thus, in Zhou Xing's eyes, Jiang Ning's performance today only proved that his memory and learning ability were extraordinarily high, far beyond ordinary people. It proved nothing else.

Then Zhou Xing said, "Even so, Junior Brother Jiang, your talent is still impressive! At the very least, your starting point is far higher than that of ordinary people!"

A hint of wistfulness appeared on Zhou Xing's face. "I still remember that, just to memorize the essential points of the Five Animals Fist manual, I recited them for three days and three nights straight! I truly envy your talent, Junior Brother Jiang!"

Jiang Ning merely smiled.

Zhou Xing continued, "It's getting late. I should head back! Junior Brother Jiang, don't be hasty in practicing your fist forms. Don't drain your body dry."

Jiang Ning nodded. "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Zhou. I understand!"

Before leaving, Zhou Xing added, "Junior Brother Jiang, are you satisfied with the effects of the wild ginseng?"

"Very satisfied!" Jiang Ning nodded.

"That's good!" Zhou Xing smiled, then walked out of the martial hall.

Outside the martial hall, a carriage had long been waiting at the entrance.

"Young Master, why did you stay at the martial hall for so long today?" asked a man dressed in fitted black clothes, a long saber tucked at his waist.

Zhou Xing showed his customary smile. "I saw a newly joined disciple with considerable talent, so I stayed a little longer."

"Does Young Master intend to recruit him?" the man in black asked.

Zhou Xing shook his head. "Although my family business needs capable hands, we would rather lack than accept the inferior. We can talk about it after he becomes a true disciple of the martial hall. If he cannot become a true disciple, someone from an ordinary family will not find it easy to enter the martial ranks!"

"But didn't Young Master say he had considerable talent? Can't even he pass the test?" the man in black asked.

"Hard to say. Judging from the way he practiced just now, he was clearly relying on his exceptional memory and attempting to practice all five fist forms at once. If he cannot realize the difficulty soon enough, there is more than a ninety-five percent chance that he will fail!"

"If that is so, why not offer him some guidance, Young Master?"

Zhou Xing shook his head. "Everyone has their own fate. There is no need to forcefully interfere! It only makes it easy to invite needless trouble and resentment!"

Inside the martial hall.

Jiang Ning imitated the Deer Rest recorded in the fist manual, taking three short breaths and one long breath as he quietly recovered his strength.

After a while, as the medicinal effects of the wild ginseng continued to take effect within his body, he felt his energy and stamina become abundant once more.

Then he resumed practicing his fists.

With the panel, every complete round of fist practice would grant one point of experience.

And with ten points of experience, the Five Animals Fist could be initiated.

That goal stood right before him, so close he could almost reach it, filling Jiang Ning with motivation.

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]

After completing another round of fist practice, Jiang Ning rested for another quarter-hour, allowing the remaining medicinal power to gradually dissipate through his body.

Only after his stamina and energy had recovered did he begin another round of practice.

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]

[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Not Initiated 6/10)

"Four more rounds!" Watching the experience on the panel steadily increase, Jiang Ning grew more and more excited.

Jiang Ning rested for a full half hour. By then, the sun was gradually setting.

Amid the afterglow of the setting sun, he once more performed a complete round of the Five Animals Fist from beginning to end.

Following the images he remembered in his mind, he constantly corrected his movements against the Five Animals Fist Wang Jin had demonstrated for him earlier, striving to match it as closely as possible.

Gradually, Jiang Ning's fist forms grew faster and faster. His swinging fists drove his sleeves through the air, producing fierce snapping sounds.

His fist forms also became increasingly smooth and fluid.

Until he withdrew his fists.

Hah—

A hearty cry burst from his mouth.

In an instant.

His body, having reached its limit, felt as though a surge of qi and blood erupted from his chest. He had been on the verge of exhaustion, but now it was as if sweet rain had fallen upon parched earth, instantly restoring some of his strength.

[Five Animals Fist Experience +4]

Four points of experience?

Jiang Ning was secretly shocked.

Then his attention was drawn to the changes inside his body. At that moment, he sensed a faint, almost imperceptible warm current emerging from his blood.

"This is...!"

His eyes widened.

Bathed in the last glimmer of the setting sun, Jiang Ning's gaze shone brightly. He could clearly feel the warm current flowing through his body on its own. Wherever it passed, it felt like soaking in a hot spring—exquisitely comfortable.

"Could this be the power of qi and blood recorded in the fist manual?" he asked himself.

"According to the manual, producing the first thread of qi-and-blood power signifies that one has touched the foundation of martial arts. Strengthening one's qi and blood until it can empower the entire body is a necessary condition for entering the martial ranks."

He closed his eyes and quietly felt the warm current flow continuously throughout his body, bringing strength wherever it went.

"This feeling! This feeling is incredible!"

A look of fascination appeared on his face.

At this moment, he somewhat understood why so many people in his previous life had become addicted to fitness. The pleasure of becoming physically stronger truly made one obsessed and intoxicated.

This was the first time he had genuinely felt the thrill of martial training. The pleasure of strengthening his body was far more distinct than any workout in his previous life.

[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Initiated 0/100)

Looking at his panel, Jiang Ning wished he could practice another round of fist forms to vent the exhilaration in his heart. But he understood that his body could no longer support further practice.

When practicing fists, too much was as bad as too little!

His body had already reached its limit just now. Had it not been for that great surge of qi and blood bursting from his chest, he would have been facing complete exhaustion by now.

Jiang Ning took the brocade box from his robes and opened it for a look.

"I need to use this sparingly!"

He immediately closed the brocade box again and returned it to his waist.

"Poor scholars, rich warriors indeed!!"

At that moment, Jiang Ning deeply understood the meaning of that saying.

The reason he had been able to practice the Five Animals Fist a full seven times that afternoon was precisely that wild ginseng.

He knew that if he ate another slice of wild ginseng, his stamina and energy would return to normal, enough to support one final round of the Five Animals Fist and bring it to the initiated level.

But he could not bear to do so.

With the kind of consumption he had undergone that afternoon, even one whole wild ginseng root would not last many days.

After recovering a little strength, Jiang Ning pondered for a moment before taking up his stance again.

This time, he intended to conduct an experiment.

He wanted to see whether slacking through the practice could likewise increase the Five Animals Fist's experience.

The next moment.

He casually performed each move and stance, while his breathing remained as casual as usual. He did not employ the breathing method suited to the Five Animals Fist.

After a short while.

A figure dressed in fitted blue clothes emerged from the rear courtyard.

She spoke softly, yet her voice clearly carried into the ears of everyone in the front courtyard.

"The medicinal soup is ready. You may go to the rear kitchen to collect it!!"

At those words, everyone stopped practicing.

"Come on, come on!! Time to collect the medicinal soup from the rear kitchen!!" someone said excitedly.

After saying this, Li Qing looked toward Jiang Ning, who was still practicing his fists.

Seeing his loose, sloppy stance and chaotic breathing rhythm, she could not help frowning.

"Junior Brother Jiang, you should go to the rear kitchen and collect your medicinal soup as well."

"No rush. I'll go after I finish this set of fist forms!" Jiang Ning replied as he continued practicing.

As he spoke, Jiang Ning's fists moved faster, and his breathing became hurried.

Seeing this, Li Qing's brows knit even more tightly.

His movements lacked strength, and his breathing had no method to it whatsoever. In her eyes, it was no different from children playing house.

After watching for a little while longer, she shook her head slightly and turned to leave.

Jiang Ning, meanwhile, sped through and finished a round of fist practice.

Standing still after withdrawing his fists, he waited silently for several breaths. No prompt indicating that he had gained experience appeared.

"So it really doesn't work!"

His suspicion confirmed.

The next moment, Jiang Ning rushed at top speed toward the martial hall's rear kitchen.

Having witnessed the powerful effects of the wild ginseng Zhou Xing had given him, he now attached even greater importance to the medicinal soup Wang Jin had mentioned earlier.

(End of Chapter)