A long while passed.
As Jiang Ning turned to the final page, he had thoroughly read through the Five Animals Fist manual.
[During this reading of the fist manual, Literacy experience increased by a total of 10 points.]
Seeing this prompt, Jiang Ning was slightly surprised. Such a brief reading had yielded ten full points of experience—this efficiency far exceeded his expectations.
He promptly put the matter aside for the moment and lightly closed his eyes.
Page after page of everything recorded in the Five Animals Fist manual he had just read instantly surfaced in his mind.
He now had a general understanding of Five Animals Fist.
It was a low-grade martial art that had entered the ranks, a fist technique created through observing five animals in nature: the tiger, bear, ape, deer, and crane.
When Tiger Form reached mastery, its explosive power was extremely strong. When Bear Form reached mastery, one's strength greatly increased. When Ape Form reached mastery, the body became nimble and agile, able to shift and evade at will. When Crane Form reached mastery, one's speed became exceedingly swift, the body light and effortless; with a single breath of qi, one could cross more than a zhang in a single leap.
As for Deer Form at mastery, it made one vigorous, nimble, and light. A single leap could clear high walls, and it was also a fist form that strengthened one's essence, qi, and spirit while regulating the body's condition.
Just like the woman surnamed Li beside him at this very moment.
The fist manual contained records of both breathing methods and training methods.
Practicing Five Animals Fist over a long period could strengthen the qi and blood within the body. Once one's qi and blood had grown powerful enough to circulate through the entire body and fill all four limbs and hundreds of bones, that was the foundation before entering the ranks of the Martial Dao.
If one cultivated all five animals through this fist manual, the Martial Dao foundation forged would be exceptionally solid and exceedingly rare. It was an extremely suitable technique for laying the foundations of the Martial Dao.
Beyond being suited for foundation-building, Tiger Form was for explosive force and Ape Form was for movement techniques. Even in battle, they were not lacking in the slightest.
After fully understanding Five Animals Fist, Jiang Ning approved of this fist technique even more.
For him right now, it truly was an exceptionally suitable fist technique.
At the same time, he secretly marveled at how important it had been to spend those two-odd months reading the books at home.
Had he not read so many books and already recorded so much knowledge about this world in his mind, how could he have understood the fist manual?
For ordinary people, even if they could read the words, handing them a fist manual would not mean they could learn from it at all. They would not understand it. If they rashly tried to practice it, they would inevitably go astray, and in the end, would easily damage their bodies.
This was also why learning martial arts required someone to guide and personally teach you.
A fist manual was the sublimation of countless insights, containing the crystallized wisdom of those who came before.
[Name]: Jiang Ning [Source Energy]: 3.6 [Skills]: Literacy (First Limit Break 57/2000) (Trait: Photographic Memory) Five Animals Fist (Not Yet Initiated 0/10)
Looking at the panel, the appearance of Five Animals Fist on it instantly eased the faint worry that had been hanging in his heart.
The skill Literacy on the panel had also gained a full ten points of experience in a short time because he had carefully read the Five Animals Fist manual.
Jiang Ning then opened his eyes. The fist manual in his hand had long since been closed.
"Senior Sister, I've finished reading it!"
"You remembered it?"
"Mm!" Jiang Ning nodded.
"You remembered all of it?!" The woman's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Jiang Ning, her face full of disbelief.
"I remembered everything!" Jiang Ning said with certainty. "If Senior Sister doesn't believe me, you can test me!"
"Good!" The woman nodded, very much approving of Jiang Ning's suggestion.
Then she asked, "What was recorded on the eighth page?"
Hearing this question, Jiang Ning answered without hesitation, "A fierce tiger descends the mountain; spirit erupts, eyes and claws radiate might, strengthening tendons and bones."
Hearing Jiang Ning's answer, the woman's eyes widened even further. Then she asked again, "What about the third line on page ten?"
"The stance of spreading wings to soar through the clouds is needed before form and spirit can merge as one, issuing forth from..." Jiang Ning directly recited.
The woman stared at Jiang Ning, her eyes gradually widening into perfect circles.
After a while, Jiang Ning spoke. "Does Senior Sister have anything else to ask?"
The woman shook her head. She looked at Jiang Ning with a face full of admiration, none of her earlier seriousness remaining. "Now I've truly seen what Photographic Memory means! With talent like yours, you shouldn't be learning martial arts—you should be taking the civil service examinations."
Jiang Ning smiled but did not respond.
Then the woman spoke again. "Let's go! Since you've already memorized all the essentials of the fist manual, come with me to find Old Wang. It'll be easier for you to get started if Old Wang demonstrates Five Animals Fist for you to observe."
"Thank you, Senior Sister!" Jiang Ning clasped his hands in salute.
The two returned to the martial arts hall's rear courtyard.
"Why are you back already?" The old man lying in the rattan chair opened his eyes and looked toward the two entering the courtyard.
The woman said, "Hall Master, Jiang Ning has memorized all the essentials of the fist manual."
"All of it?" The old man's gaze narrowed slightly, his sharp eyes settling on Jiang Ning.
Jiang Ning clasped his hands. "Master, this disciple was born with Photographic Memory, so I only need to read the fist manual once to remember its essentials."
"So that's how it is!" The old man nodded, then rose to his feet. "Since that's the case, I'll personally demonstrate Five Animals Fist once for you. Watch carefully, remember carefully, and learn carefully!"
"Yes, Master!" Jiang Ning replied.
"Li Qing, go call over those people practicing in the front courtyard. Let them watch it once more!" the old man ordered.
"Yes, Hall Master!" The woman nodded.
Her figure flickered, and she moved with extreme speed. In only a few steps, she crossed out of the courtyard, every movement brimming with lightness.
A few breaths later, more than ten people stood clustered together, packed at the entrance to the rear courtyard.
"You all watch carefully and learn carefully as well! Only by mastering fist techniques can you change your lives! Only then can you take control of your own destinies!" the old man said.
"Teacher speaks the truth!" A burly man immediately hurried to flatter him.
The next moment.
The old man assumed his stance.
Suddenly.
ROAR—
A tiger's roar burst from his mouth.
In that instant, Jiang Ning seemed to see a fierce tiger roaring as it descended the mountain, the aura of the king of all beasts seeming to arrive in person.
Jiang Ning's gaze narrowed slightly as he watched every move and stance of the old man with complete concentration, not daring to be distracted in the slightest.
The woman at the side was likewise watching every move of the old man's demonstration with utmost seriousness.
Even she gained fresh insights every time she watched the completely perfected Five Animals Fist.
Tiger, bear, ape, crane, and deer—the five stances perfected. Even she had not achieved that.
Under the old man's demonstration came Tiger Form Fist first, followed by Bear Form Fist.
If Tiger Form Fist was filled with the explosive power of the king of all beasts, then Bear Form Fist gave one the feeling of taking root in the earth, of immense strength.
By the time the Five Animals Fist had been fully demonstrated, the time it took to drink a cup of tea had already passed.
Once the old man finished his demonstration, Jiang Ning immediately closed his eyes.
At that moment, the scene he had just witnessed surfaced in his mind once more, like recorded film footage playing again.
At the old man's wave, the dozen or so burly men behind him silently withdrew from the rear courtyard as well.
Only after a long while did Jiang Ning slowly open his eyes.
"How much did you remember?" the old man asked.
"Teacher, I remembered everything!" Jiang Ning answered.
"You truly remembered all of it?" the old man pressed again.
Jiang Ning nodded with certainty. "I remembered all of it."
"Good. Then demonstrate it once for me!" the old man said.
"Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed in salute.
(End of Chapter)
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