Martial Artist

After returning from Lu Family Village to Hidden Dragon Martial Hall, Lu Chen took the three taels of silver his parents had given him to the Medicine Hall and exchanged them for thirty bowls of Tiger-Bone Body-Strengthening Soup.

This way, he could drink a bowl of Tiger-Bone Body-Strengthening Soup every day.

While replenishing qi and strengthening his blood, it could also loosen his sinews and bones, relieve fatigue, and let him practice his fists and stances several more times each day.

He practiced his stance in the morning and trained his fists in the afternoon.

After several consecutive days, his martial progress surged by leaps and bounds.

[Coiling Dragon Stance Art: Minor Accomplishment]

[Progress: 1/500]

[Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist: Beginner]

[Progress: 21/300]

"The stance art has reached Minor Accomplishment!"

"With this, the efficiency of tempering my sinews and bones every day will soar again!"

Lu Chen beamed with delight.

The Coiling Dragon Stance Art was divided into four realms: Beginner, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, and Perfection. Each time he broke through a realm, the stance art's efficiency in tempering sinews and bones and moving blood and qi would rise by a whole level.

"I'm another step closer to breaking through to the Blood-Moving Realm and becoming a martial artist!"

Afterward, he went to the pile of stone locks beside the Martial Practice Yard, preparing to test his current arm strength.

These stone locks were normally used by outer courtyard disciples to build strength. They varied in size, with the lightest weighing fifty jin and the heaviest reaching three to five hundred jin.

Lu Chen started with a hundred-jin stone lock and tested them one by one.

He lifted the hundred-jin stone lock with ease. He could still manage a hundred and fifty jin with one hand. Two hundred jin began to strain him, while he used both hands to lift three hundred jin.

"Three hundred jin is more or less my limit right now!"

Lu Chen set down the stone lock and muttered to himself.

If it had been a month ago, even lifting a hundred-jin stone lock would have been arduous for him.

The hard training of this period, coupled with the nourishment of the Tiger-Bone Body-Strengthening Soup, had truly transformed into strength in his body.

Just then, a familiar voice suddenly came from the other side of the Martial Practice Yard.

"Lu Chen."

Lu Chen looked up.

Chen Chong was walking over from the entrance to the inner courtyard.

He wore a black short martial outfit, a cloth belt around his waist, and rolled-up sleeves that exposed a section of solid, muscular forearm.

His gaze swept across the Martial Practice Yard before finally settling on Lu Chen. He beckoned to him.

"Come."

"Let's spar."

Ever since Lu Chen began learning fist techniques, Chen Chong had kept an eye on him and often sought him out for sparring these past few days.

"Alright!"

"Senior Brother Chen, please instruct me."

Lu Chen smiled, nodded, and cupped his fists toward Chen Chong.

"Then I won't hold back!"

Chen Chong did not hesitate in the slightest.

The instant Lu Chen's words fell, Chen Chong stamped his foot and bore down on him.

A muffled thud rang across the bluestone slabs. Chen Chong lowered his shoulders and back slightly, drew his right fist to his ribs, and charged forward like a block of iron.

Lu Chen's eyes narrowed.

Here he came.

Chen Chong was a Blood-Moving Realm martial artist, and his pressure was astonishing.

Before he even threw a punch, Lu Chen could already feel a fierce wind rushing at his face.

Yet after becoming proficient in the Coiling Dragon Stance, Lu Chen stood firm and showed no trace of timidity.

He spread his feet, planted his soles firmly into the ground, sank his knees and hips slightly, and straightened his spine. His whole body resembled a great tree rooted deep in the earth.

When still, qi sank to the soles of his feet.

When moving, power rose from the ground.

By then, Chen Chong had already closed in.

His right fist blasted out from beside his ribs. It was not exceptionally fast, yet it was terrifyingly heavy. The instant the fist bore down on him, Lu Chen felt as though what stood before him was not a fist, but an iron hammer.

Lu Chen drew in both arms, sank his shoulders and back, and lowered his center of gravity. Borrowing the steady strength cultivated through the Coiling Dragon Stance, he guided Chen Chong's incoming fist to his side.

Bang!

Fist and arm scraped together.

Lu Chen's forearm went numb, as if an iron rod had struck it. Even half his shoulder began to ache.

But Lu Chen did not stop.

Even as he deflected the force, his waist and hips were already twisting.

He stamped his foot, and power rose from the ground, traveling up through his legs, hips, waist, and back.

Dragon's Roar Pierces the Sun!

Lu Chen's right fist shot out from beside his ribs, tearing through the short distance between them and driving straight for Chen Chong's nose bridge.

The other youths nearby brightened at the sight.

"Good punch!"

But Chen Chong merely tilted his head slightly.

Lu Chen's fist grazed past his cheek, stirring a wisp of wind.

The next instant, Chen Chong's left palm was already resting on Lu Chen's wrist, pressing down lightly.

The force of Lu Chen's punch immediately sank. His entire arm felt as though it had been caught in iron pincers, its power severed in an instant.

Chen Chong took half a step forward with the momentum and lightly bumped him with his shoulder.

Bang.

Lu Chen's chest tightened. He staggered back two steps, his soles screeching against the bluestone slabs.

"You deflected it well, and your counterattack was quick."

"But it's still not enough!"

As Chen Chong spoke, he lunged forward again, giving Lu Chen no chance to catch his breath.

Though it was only a spar, the pressure Chen Chong gave Lu Chen was no less than a life-and-death struggle in actual combat.

The two exchanged several more moves in quick succession. The other disciples nearby could not help stopping what they were doing and gathering around to watch.

"Lu Chen can actually trade moves back and forth with Senior Brother Chen Chong? Unbelievable!"

"Senior Brother Chen Chong is a Blood-Moving martial artist. He definitely isn't using his full strength, or Junior Brother Lu couldn't possibly take even one punch!"

"You blockheads, can't you see it? Senior Brother Chen is feeding him moves!"

"That's practically Senior Brother Chen teaching him hand in hand!"

Someone looked on in immense envy.

Senior Brother Chen Chong was a Blood-Moving martial artist. If he sparred with Lu Chen, who had yet to cultivate blood and qi, at full strength, Lu Chen would not withstand a single move.

The reason the two could exchange moves now was clearly because Senior Brother Chen had intended it.

He was deliberately feeding Lu Chen moves to help him improve his proficiency in the Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist.

None of the other youths had ever received such treatment.

"Could Senior Brother Chen have taken a fancy to this kid Lu Chen? But from what I can see, he's... not even as fair-skinned as me!"

Someone muttered sourly, earning the other disciples' eye rolls.

"Get lost."

When the spar ended, Lu Chen was panting heavily, but his gains were considerable.

Every spar with Chen Chong gave him a little more understanding of fist techniques.

It also gave him greater insight into real combat.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Chen!"

Lu Chen cupped his fists toward Chen Chong with deep gratitude.

"As the saying goes, practice martial arts without cultivating skill, and you'll have nothing to show for it in old age; cultivate skill without practicing martial arts, and you'll have strength with nowhere to use it."

"Whether training methods or fighting methods, both are exceedingly important to a martial artist. When the two advance together, twice the result can be achieved with half the effort!"

As Chen Chong spoke, he looked at Lu Chen.

Lu Chen nodded. "I've benefited greatly from sparring with Senior Brother these past few days."

Chen Chong's eyes held a smile. "Your comprehension is far greater than Ma Sanjin's. Study it well in the future, and you may hope to train the Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist to Major Accomplishment!"

"When that time comes, Scarlet Cloud County will surely have a place for you!"

Being able to train a martial art to Major Accomplishment was enough to be called an expert.

Many people spent their entire lives without necessarily achieving it.

At that moment, a burst of commotion suddenly came from outside the martial hall.

Lu Chen looked up and saw a group of people filing in through the main gate.

There were escort agency martial artists clad in fitted outfits with sabers at their waists, the radiant Manager Han of Fragrance Gathering Tower, and several young masters Lu Chen had never seen before.

Some carried gift boxes, while others brought attendants. They appeared to be coming to celebrate something.

"Senior Brother Chen Chong, what happened?"

"Why is the martial hall so lively today?"

Lu Chen asked Chen Chong.

Chen Chong glanced at the incoming crowd and smiled. "You wouldn't know in the outer courtyard. Shi Hao succeeded in breaking through and has advanced to martial artist."

"Shi Hao advanced to martial artist? So quickly?" Lu Chen was astonished.

He never would have expected that the youth who had come out of the mountains with him would become a martial artist so soon.

It had only been a little over a month!

Chen Chong explained, "Shi Hao's talent is quite good. He entered the Coiling Dragon Stance Art in three days, and afterward received Master's personal guidance."

"He nourished his body with Tiger-Bone Body-Strengthening Soup every day, and the Han Family supplied unlimited refined meat. With his blood and qi adequately replenished, his progress naturally became swift."

Then, as if encouraging Lu Chen, he said, "You are diligent and hardworking, improving every day. Though your progress may be slower, every step you take is solid."

He patted Lu Chen on the shoulder. "Do not be impatient! Keep working hard, and one day you too will become a martial artist!"