Li Xiuwen let out a long breath of relief.
Though it was another training method, cultivating the Binding Armor Skill had not been as difficult as he had imagined.
Judging by its level, this technique was definitely much harder to get started with than the Sea-Sand Stance.
It had taken him seven days to reach entry level in the Sea-Sand Stance, even with Fish Ball's help.
But he was already an expert approaching the purple membrane stage now, not a complete beginner.
With a foundation in stance training, getting started with any other training method would be easier.
Of course, even with that foundation, his martial constitution should not have allowed him to progress so quickly.
He suspected he might be a one-in-ten-thousand "hardening prodigy" with an extraordinary bone structure.
Old Chen had said that while body tempering was also a training method, it still differed from stance training.
The two required different kinds of talent.
Ordinary training methods depended most heavily on martial constitution.
Body tempering was also affected by martial constitution, but certain special physiques mattered too.
Big Silly Qiang, for instance, had an average martial constitution, but his "innate strength" gave him considerable talent for body tempering, enough to earn Lion-Head Buddha's appreciation.
In the eyes of some body-tempering practitioners, Big Silly Qiang's worth was not much lower than that of someone with a superior physique.
Could I have a hidden special physique too, one that simply hasn't been discovered yet?
Li Xiuwen could not help feeling a little more hopeful.
If he really did, he was not asking for much. A great accomplishment sacred body would do.
He stood before the mirror, admiring his own body.
The first thing he noticed was that his body felt "heavier."
All the medicinal paste from the previous night had turned into medicinal power and seeped into his body, suffusing his skin membrane.
His more vigorous qi and blood also contributed to that heavy feeling.
This "heaviness" was not a bad thing. It did not mean he was less agile, but that his whole body was steady and powerful, like a great bell.
"Hard Qigong practitioners can withstand far more punishment than ordinary martial artists at the same stage."
"If someone punches a Hard Qigong expert and gets knocked back, it's because the expert is heavy enough."
Li Xiuwen murmured to himself. Only after learning the technique did he finally understand the principle.
"As my Hard Qigong advances, I'll grow heavier and heavier, like a great bell as immovable as a mountain, walking through the world."
Li Xiuwen activated his Hard Qigong and carefully examined his skin membrane.
Amid the azure glow, he could faintly make out strands of darker azure patterns, barely visible.
"These are the mysterious markings, faint patterns deposited when qi and blood are circulated into the skin membrane. Normally, they stay hidden, making me look no different from anyone else."
"But if I use the incantation and stir my qi and blood, the mysterious markings will appear in my skin membrane... I'd better keep myself covered when I fight."
"This Hard Qigong is my trump card. Unless it's a critical moment, I can't reveal it, or someone with ulterior motives might take an interest."
Li Xiuwen drew the Butterfly Knife across his azure membrane. As he circulated his qi and exerted his strength, rings of mysterious markings rippled outward like waves on water.
A cushioning force dissipated most of the blade's cutting force against his body.
"If an ordinary person without much strength tried to cut me with a knife, they'd leave no more than a slight flesh wound."
"I've only just reached entry level, but in terms of resistance to blows alone, my azure membrane probably already rivals a purple membrane."
"If I develop it a little further, I won't even need minor mastery. My defenses will have few rivals at the same stage throughout the skin membrane realm."
For the next three days, Li Xiuwen trained at the Four Seas Martial Arts Hall during the day.
At night, he practiced Hard Qigong at home. His uncle-in-law and aunt-in-law took turns administering striking conditioning, while the other watched over the workshop.
He had to admit that Hard Qigong was far harder to cultivate than the Sea-Sand Stance.
A full day of agonizing practice raised his proficiency by only 1%.
Reaching minor mastery and beginning training at the flood dragon muscle stage would take at least three months.
Time flew, and seven days slipped by.
As soon as Li Xiuwen arrived at the Four Seas Martial Arts Hall, he saw a crowd gathered around A Zhen.
"I'm so jealous. A Zhen has reached purple membrane too. We'll have to call her senior sister now."
"Yeah, she's the third disciple from this year's intake to reach purple membrane. Impressive."
"Purple membrane might not count for much in a martial arts hall or a big club, but in the Enclave, you're already a local expert."
Li Xiuwen's heart stirred. A Zhen had reached purple membrane.
He was not surprised. A Zhen had become a disciple a month before him, had better talent, and received financial support from her club. Only reaching purple membrane this month meant she had simply been too lazy.
"A Wen's here! Look, your senior sister has reached purple membrane. Feel it..." A Zhen casually grabbed Li Xiuwen's hand and pressed it against her arm.
"Okay," Li Xiuwen said.
"With this membrane on my body, I could let you punch me once and you still wouldn't hurt me," A Zhen said smugly.
"Hahaha, you're amazing, Sister Zhen!" Li Xiuwen applauded.
That might have been true before.
But now?
He was not so sure.
Hard Qigong had strengthened his entire body, and he also had the natural physical advantage men enjoyed during the early stages of martial training.
One punch from him would send A Zhen's period knocking at her door.
Li Xiuwen went over to a corner and quietly began practicing his punches.
Big Silly Qiang walked over and said with concern, "You've been coming late lately and haven't been putting in enough work. Don't give up. Senior Brother Liu Chun didn't mean any harm. She's just blunt."
"You're overthinking it," Li Xiuwen said with a smile. "I've been working nights to earn my tuition lately, so I've been getting up late."
"That's good, then. Just don't give up on yourself." Big Silly Qiang sighed in relief, patted Li Xiuwen's shoulder, and left.
Seeing this, Liu Chun shook her head inwardly. He's probably feeling discouraged after seeing Big Silly Qiang and A Zhen reach purple membrane.
She really had meant no harm that day. She had only given an honest assessment and could not understand why her master had scolded her.
With poor talent and little money at home, he really was not suited to martial arts. He was wasting his life.
Big Silly Qiang is a decent guy, Li Xiuwen thought with an inward chuckle.
He had been coming late because Hard Qigong training left him exhausted and short on rest.
He looked toward the Furnace Incense.
[Li Xiuwen] [Martial skills] [Sea-Sand Stance: Entry (99%)] [Stage: Azure membrane (99%)]
It's time to break through. I won't rely on Fish Ball this time.
Li Xiuwen smoothly began practicing his stance training, immersing himself in his own world as he repeated it over and over.
At noon, everyone went to eat, sitting together and chatting.
Only Li Xiuwen was still practicing his stance.
"In just over ten days, we'll be fighting those people from the Night Heron Martial Arts Hall, and only three of us have reached purple membrane... Master doesn't seem worried either," A Zhen said.
"It's going to be tough. Even if someone gets lucky
and reaches purple membrane, they probably still won't be a match for Pine Hall's Four Talents." Liu Chun shook her head.
Big Silly Qiang said, "A Wen's still training. I really hope he wins. Three months without fees would mean a lot to him."
After completing his final round of stance training, Li Xiuwen's gaze grew solemn.
Like a mountain torrent bursting through a dam, a surging wave of qi and blood erupted from his Bubbling Spring Acupoints, coursed through his Eight Extraordinary Meridians and four limbs and hundred bones, and finally poured into his muscles and skin membrane.
The azure light flared, intensely concentrated and tinged with purple.
His muscles visibly grew larger, like bamboo shoots sprouting.
His loose robe stretched slightly.
Then the azure membrane receded like the tide, replaced by a purple surge.
"Purple membrane..."
Li Xiuwen murmured, feeling how much stronger his body had become.
The breakthrough had come naturally, without the slightest resistance.
This was the wonder of the [Incense Burner].
Though it could not speed up his progress, it would never let him stop moving forward.
Effort always brought results.
Every attainment was permanent, and there were no bottlenecks!
One step at a time, he would always be able to pass the bones beside the road and make it through the next hurdle.
He looked toward the [Incense Burner].
The incense stick for the Sea-Sand Stance had burned out, then been reborn.
A thicker, larger, more sacred stick of incense emerged.
[Li Xiuwen] [Martial skills] [Sea-Sand Stance: Minor mastery (1%)] [Stage: Purple membrane (1%)]
Li Xiuwen thought, Now that I've reached purple membrane, as long as I don't provoke the clubs' enforcers or the martial arts halls' experts, what punk or street bully in the Enclave would dare mess with me?
At purple membrane, his qi and blood were at least twice those of a healthy young man.
Twice the qi and blood did not merely mean twice the strength. It was an improvement in every aspect of his physical capabilities.
In a real fight, even bare-handed and without a blade, he could easily take on ten thugs from the Boy Gang alone.
Li Xiuwen finally breathed a long sigh of relief. Even if Third Master discovered who had killed Brother Ji, he would no longer panic.
Killing one is still killing. Killing two is no different...
Author's note:
Some new readers still seem not to understand what the Furnace Incense does. I thought I'd explained it fairly clearly. It's basically a standard proficiency panel.
This kind of panel cannot directly add points to increase cultivation, but it has one special feature: every attainment is permanent, and there are no bottlenecks.
The author's older novel, "Martial Saint!", which reached ten thousand subscriptions, and "Wizard: Grinding Experience Starting with Knight Breathing Techniques" also have the same type of cheat.
Of course, pure proficiency grinding is a little dull, so the "Furnace Incense" in this book has another function related to [Basic Martial Arts Knowledge].
That function will appear very soon. Feel free to guess what it involves.
That's all for the explanation of the Furnace Incense. I won't explain it again later.
Before you continue