Fierce Tiger Force

Fierce Tiger Force

Beneath the moonlight, Jiang Ning began to practice his fist techniques.

This time, he practiced at a rather slow pace, far slower than when he normally practiced the Five Animals Fist.

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

Because the texture of Jiang Ning's muscles was changing, as though imitating the force that had just circulated through Wang Jin's body.

One had to know that force was something that could only be wielded at will once the Five Animals Fist had reached perfection. Through physical contact, its destructive power was immense.

Under certain circumstances, the rank of one's martial arts did not represent one's actual combat strength.

Once a martial artist who had achieved great mastery of qi and blood and opened the channels in all four limbs cultivated a technique to the level of mastering force, they could rely on the tyranny of that force to confront a newly ranked martial artist head-on for several exchanges without falling into a disadvantage.

And if a martial artist had achieved perfection in qi and blood and opened the channels throughout their entire body, then once they mastered force, they would be capable of pressing a newly ranked martial artist into a beating.

Besides that, there were certain exceptionally gifted individuals, such as those born with divine strength. Upon reaching perfection in qi and blood, they could possess a massive strength of a thousand jin—twice that of ordinary martial artists at the same level. Such gifted individuals could likewise chase ranked martial artists down and beat them.

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

The birth of force came when any low-grade martial arts technique was cultivated to perfection, allowing one to master force.

This was also how low-grade techniques were classified.

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

Among them, Fierce Tiger Force was the strongest. Once one's body made contact with an opponent, it could strike into their body, shattering their tendons, bones, flesh, and blood.

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

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

Just now, Wang Jin had relied on the various forces of the Five Animals Fist circulating within his body and driving changes in the texture of his muscles to display the essence of minor mastery in the fist technique.

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

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

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

At that moment, while Wang Jin was deep in thought, Jiang Ning finished a round of the fist technique.

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]

"How was it?" Wang Jin came back to himself and asked.

"This disciple gained a little insight!" Jiang Ning said. "I'd like to try again!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he drew in a breath and began practicing again.

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

After letting go, and drawing upon the insights from his previous round, Jiang Ning instead felt something different.

Somewhere in the haze, he seemed to have grasped a spark of inspiration about softness within hardness, and hardness within softness.

His strength flowed as he wished. The explosive release after the Tiger Form Fist had gathered momentum gave him the exhilarating sensation of strength 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, Jiang Ning thought, It seems my comprehension can only be called passable. At most, I've grasped a little of the surface of minor mastery's essence!

At this moment, Jiang Ning was very clear that although this round of fist practice had increased his experience by two points at once, it did not mean he had comprehended the essence of minor mastery in the Five Animals Fist.

In his estimation, if he had truly and thoroughly comprehended the essence of the Five Animals Fist, then 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 unpredictable 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, his heart following his will.

If he could achieve those five points, then practicing one round of the fist technique would probably immediately grant him a massive 185 experience points, and the Five Animals Fist would instantly reach minor mastery.

Rather than merely gaining two points as he did now.

But thinking about that is a little greedy of me, Jiang Ning mocked himself inwardly.

His mood turned joyful. This harvest was already not bad!

It confirmed his earlier conjecture. If Wang Jin guided him in the Five Animals Fist, then so long as he could comprehend even a little of the minor mastery-level Five Animals Fist, it would help improve his efficiency in grinding experience.

He clenched his fist, feeling greatly invigorated.

Though it had merely given this round of fist practice one extra experience point.

It had confirmed his guess, undoubtedly opening up a path for him—a path to grind experience more efficiently.

That feeling from just now—so long as he could find it again and stabilize it, then before the Five Animals Fist reached minor mastery, his efficiency in grinding experience would double.

If he gained insights into other forms as well, the efficiency at which he acquired experience could increase even further.

At the same time.

Wang Jin nodded slightly.

Then he said, "It seems you have gained something?"

Jiang Ning nodded. "A little."

Wang Jin said, "The best way for the Five Animals Fist to improve is actually 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 those five animals."

"Eight days from now, the tiger in the yard will be released to fight someone. You can go and observe it carefully then. This will be of immense help when your Tiger Form Fist enters the realm of great mastery, and even the realm of perfection in the future."

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

Setting aside anything else, so long as he mastered the form and spirit of the Tiger Form Fist, the increased efficiency of grinding Five Animals Fist experience would not merely last until the realm of minor mastery.

He could continue gaining more than double the experience all the way until before entering the realm of great mastery.

If he could accomplish that, then before his Five Animals Fist entered great mastery, every round of fist practice would grant him two additional experience points. That was no different from doubling his efficiency.

Although gaining experience did not increase the efficiency of refining qi and blood.

For example, although the round of fist practice he had just completed gave him two experience points at once, his qi and blood strength had not doubled. Just as before, he had only refined two strands of qi and blood strength.

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

After all, he had no such thing as a bottleneck. So long as he filled up his experience, he could naturally break through.

One round of the beginner-level Five Animals Fist could refine one strand of qi and blood, while one round of the proficient Five Animals Fist could refine two strands. Its efficiency doubled outright.

One could imagine how much more efficient the Five Animals Fist would be at refining qi and blood after reaching minor mastery.

As for great mastery, that would likewise increase the efficiency of refining qi and blood.

The qi and blood refining efficiency of the great mastery-level Five Animals Fist would certainly far surpass its current state.

This way, his chances of entering the Inspection Office within three months would greatly increase.

Jiang Ning felt extremely energized.

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

"Not bad! If you wish to advance fiercely and diligently on the martial path, you must have 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. "Enough with all that unnecessary nonsense! Practice your fist techniques properly and reach the realm of great mastery as soon as possible—that will be the best expression of gratitude! Only then will there truly be a bond of master and disciple between us. Though your fortune is poor 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 everything he has learned in his lifetime without reserve. Your future achievements may even surpass this old man's."

Jiang Ning smiled without committing himself.