Fierce Tiger Force

Beneath the moonlight, Jiang Ning began practicing his fist forms.

This time, he moved rather slowly, nowhere near the speed at which he usually practiced the Five Animals Fist.

Yet when Wang Jin saw this, he was faintly surprised instead.

Because the patterns of Jiang Ning's muscles were changing, as though they were imitating the force that had just circulated within Wang Jin's body.

One had to know that force was a power that could only be wielded at will after the Five Animals Fist had reached perfection. Through bodily contact, its destructive power was extremely formidable.

Under certain circumstances, the rank of one's Martial Dao did not represent one's true combat strength.

Once a martial artist whose blood and qi had reached completion and penetrated all four limbs cultivated a technique to the level of mastering force, they could rely on force's tyrannical might to directly trade blows with a novice ranked martial artist for several rounds without falling behind.

And if a martial artist had reached blood and qi perfection, with their entire body fully penetrated, then once they mastered force, they would be able to press a novice ranked martial artist into the ground.

Moreover, certain exceptionally gifted individuals, such as those born with divine strength, could possess a thousand jin of immense force upon reaching blood and qi perfection—twice the strength of ordinary martial artists at the same level. Such gifted individuals could likewise chase ranked martial artists around and beat them.

One force could crush ten thousand techniques; nothing more than that.

The birth of force meant that any low-grade Martial Dao technique could grant mastery of force once cultivated to perfection.

This was also how low-grade techniques were divided by rank.

As for the Five Animals Fist, if all five stances reached perfection, one could produce Fierce Tiger Force, White Ape Force, Savage Bear Force, Azure Crane Force, and Spirit Deer Force.

The strongest among them was Fierce Tiger Force. Once the body made contact, it could be driven into the opponent's body, shattering sinews, bones, flesh, and blood alike.

That was why he had specially captured a fierce tiger and kept it in an iron cage for the disciples to observe. He hoped that someone with exceptional comprehension might grasp the perfected Tiger Form Fist in a flash of inspiration. Once the fist technique reached perfection, Fierce Tiger Force would naturally be born.

Martial artists who had mastered force and those who had not could be said to exist on two entirely different planes.

Just now, he had relied on the various forces of the Five Animals circulating through his body and driving changes in his muscle patterns before he could display the essential principles of a minor achievement in the fist technique.

He did not hold much hope that Jiang Ning would gain any insight.

If the Five Animals Fist could break through so easily, then in the two or three years since he opened his martial arts school, he would not have had only so few true disciples.

The vast majority of apprentices who entered the martial arts school simply packed up their bedding and left once their six-month term expired.

Just as Wang Jin was lost in thought, Jiang Ning finished a round of fist techniques.

[Five Animals Fist experience +1]

"How was it?" Wang Jin asked, coming back to himself.

"This disciple has gained a little insight!" Jiang Ning said. "I want to try again!"

As soon as the words fell, he drew in a breath and began practicing again.

This time, he did not recall the images in his mind, but practiced according to his own understanding.

Once he let go, and followed the insight he had gained from the previous round, Jiang Ning instead felt something different.

Somewhere in the haze, he seemed to seize a spark of insight into softness within hardness, and hardness within softness.

His strength flowed as he wished. After the Tiger Form Fist gathered momentum, its eruption gave him the exhilarating sensation of power pouring forth without restraint.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn.

Jiang Ning withdrew his fists.

[Five Animals Fist experience +2]

[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Proficient 17/200)

Looking at the notification before him.

It seems my comprehension can only be called passable. At most, I've grasped a little of the superficial essence of minor achievement!

Jiang Ning was extremely clear at this moment that although practicing this round of fist techniques had increased his experience by two points at once.

It did not mean that he had comprehended the essential principles of a minor achievement in the Five Animals Fist.

In his estimation, if he had truly and thoroughly comprehended the Five Animals Fist's principles, he would be able to achieve softness within the hardness of the Tiger Form Fist, and hardness within its softness; he would be able to make the Bear Form Fist steady yet light and nimble.

He would also be able to make the Ape Form Fist agile and flexible, with an unfathomably shifting body; make the Deer Form combine movement and stillness, with stillness in motion and motion in stillness; and make the Crane Form soar into the clouds, with his heart following his intent.

If he could achieve these five points, then practicing one round of fist techniques would probably make his experience surge by 185 points at once, and the Five Animals Fist would immediately reach minor achievement.

Rather than only gaining two points as he did now.

Still, thinking like this is a little greedy of me! Jiang Ning mocked himself inwardly.

His mood turned joyful. This harvest was already quite good!

It had verified his previous guess: if Wang Jin guided him in the Five Animals Fist, then so long as he could comprehend even a little of the Five Animals Fist at the minor achievement level, it would improve his efficiency in grinding experience.

He clenched his fist, his heart filled with excitement.

Though this had merely granted him one additional point of experience for this round of fist techniques.

It had verified his conjecture, undoubtedly opening a path for him—a more efficient path for grinding experience.

If he could find and stabilize that feeling from just now, then before the Five Animals Fist reached minor achievement, his efficiency in grinding experience would double.

If he gained insights into other fist stances as well, the efficiency with which he acquired experience could increase further.

At the same time.

Wang Jin also gave a slight nod.

He then said, "It seems you've gained something?"

Jiang Ning nodded. "A little."

Wang Jin said, "Actually, the best way to improve in the Five Animals Fist is to observe every movement of tigers, bears, apes, cranes, and deer—even their fights. After all, this fist technique was born from the movements and bearing of the five animals."

"In eight days, the tiger in the courtyard will be released to fight someone. You can go and observe closely then. It will be of tremendous help when your Tiger Form Fist enters the realm of major achievement, or even perfection, in the future."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning's eyes immediately lit up.

Setting everything else aside, so long as he grasped the form and spirit of the Tiger Form Fist, the increased efficiency of gaining Five Animals Fist experience would not merely last until the realm of minor achievement.

He would be able to obtain more than double the experience all the way until he entered major achievement in the future.

If he could achieve that, then before his Five Animals Fist reached major achievement, every round of fist techniques he practiced would gain an additional two points of experience. This was no different from doubling his efficiency.

Although gaining experience could not increase the efficiency of blood and qi refinement.

For example, although the round of fist techniques he had just practiced had increased his experience by two points at once, his blood and qi had not doubled. As before, he had only refined two strands of blood and qi.

But that did not matter. So long as he could grind fist technique experience faster, he would break through faster as well.

After all, there was no such thing as a bottleneck for him. As long as he filled up his experience, he could naturally break through.

At the entry level, one round of the Five Animals Fist could refine one strand of blood and qi, while one round at the proficient level could refine two strands. The efficiency doubled directly.

One could easily imagine that after the Five Animals Fist reached minor achievement, its efficiency in refining blood and qi would be even greater.

As for major achievement, that would likewise increase the efficiency of refining blood and qi.

The efficiency of a major achievement-level Five Animals Fist in refining blood and qi would certainly far surpass its current level.

In that case, the possibility of entering the Inspection Office within three months would greatly increase.

Jiang Ning was greatly invigorated.

Seeing the expression on Jiang Ning's face, Wang Jin nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad! If one wishes to advance valiantly and diligently in the Martial Dao, one must possess confidence and vigor!"

Jiang Ning came back to himself and cupped his hands in salute.

"This disciple thanks Master for your guidance!"

Wang Jin chuckled. "None of that empty nonsense! Practice your fist techniques properly and reach the realm of major achievement as soon as possible—that will be the best expression! Only then will you and I truly have the fate of master and disciple. Though your timing is unfortunate and you will miss the best opportunity to enter the Inspection Office, if you can pass this old man's test, this old man will impart all the learning of his lifetime to you without holding anything back. Your future achievements may even surpass this old man's."

Jiang Ning smiled without committing himself.

(End of Chapter)