Force Unification

Fang Zhixing asked instead, "Other than learning martial arts, is there any other way for a person to become powerful?"

The owner thought for a moment, then gave a dark chuckle. "There really isn't."

Fang Zhixing raised his brows slightly and pressed on, "What should I do if I want to become an official?"

"What? Become an official?"

The owner laughed speechlessly, looking at Fang Zhixing as if he were an idiot. "Heh, only children of aristocratic clans can become officials. Are you one?"

Aristocratic clans!!

Prominent noble families that had served as officials for generations, also known as great houses, gentry, noble lineages, scholar clans, powerful families, hereditary families, grand households, and so on!

Fang Zhixing understood. This world had rigid social ranks. Ordinary people could not become officials.

Born a lowborn, dying an ant!

Aristocratic families were like the sun, moon, and stars, lofty above all else and in control of everything!

A moment later...

Fang Zhixing left the teahouse and headed west, winding through the streets.

Suddenly, he spotted a banana tree. Its branches were thick, its leaves broad, and its canopy stretched toward the sky like a bird spreading its wings in flight—free and magnificent.

As he approached, a white wall came into view.

Fang Zhixing then saw a vermilion-lacquered gate, with two stone lions standing proudly at the entrance, imposing and majestic.

The gate was tightly shut.

"Hey!"

"Ha!"

Fang Zhixing heard shouts coming from inside the courtyard. He walked up to the gate and peered through the crack.

The courtyard was covered in sand, with a row of wooden training dummies set up within it.

At that moment, five bare-chested youths were doing push-ups on the ground, sweat pouring from their bodies.

Seeing this, Fang Zhixing knew he had found the right place.

Knock, knock!

He raised his hand and knocked on the gate.

Before long, the gate opened. A sweat-drenched youth poked his head out. He looked sturdy and simple-minded, and after sizing Fang Zhixing up, shouted, "You filthy beggar, what do you want? Get lost! There are no leftovers for you here!"

Fang Zhixing glared at him and said solemnly, "I'm not a beggar. I'm here to see Hero Cheng."

The youth was startled by Fang Zhixing's fierce gaze and stammered, "Y-you wait here."

He turned and ran off.

Not long after, he returned, opened the gate, and called out, "Come in. Master wants to see you."

Fang Zhixing stepped through the gate. The moment he looked up, he saw a tall, long-haired man standing beneath the eaves. His temples were streaked with gray, his cheekbones protruded, deep wrinkles lined his pale face, and he held a gourd in one hand.

"This man seems sick."

Skinny Dog caught a strong medicinal scent.

Fang Zhixing smelled it too. He carefully observed Cheng Tian'en and found that his breathing was overly heavy, his face as pale as paper, and his figure thin and slight, even somewhat frail. No matter how he looked at him, Cheng Tian'en did not seem like a highly skilled martial artist.

Walking forward, Fang Zhixing cupped his hands and said, "Junior Fang Zhixing pays respects to Hero Cheng."

Cheng Tian'en glanced at Fang Zhixing and was just about to speak when he suddenly covered his mouth.

"Cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough!"

After a violent coughing fit, an unnatural flush rose to Cheng Tian'en's face. He recovered for a while before asking, "What do you want with me?"

Fang Zhixing paused briefly, then said earnestly, "This junior wishes to learn about certain matters concerning martial arts and hopes Hero Cheng can clear up my doubts."

Cheng Tian'en curled his lips and said irritably, "Hmph, clear up your doubts? Do you think I'm that free?"

Fang Zhixing quickly said, "I have money. I won't treat you poorly."

As he spoke, he directly took out three hundred copper coins.

Cheng Tian'en's expression changed, and faint anger surfaced on his face.

Seeing this, Skinny Dog immediately transmitted his voice, "What are you doing? This guy isn't simple. He cares about his pride—he won't bow and scrape for a few lousy coins."

Fang Zhixing transmitted back, "He's sick. His expenses must be huge, so he must be badly short of money. Besides, even if he turns hostile, I'm not afraid. I don't think he's stronger than me."

Skinny Dog was taken aback.

That was true. Fang Zhixing had improved three times, mastered two burst techniques, and more people had died at his hands than he could count on both hands.

Yet Cheng Tian'en before them was just a sickly invalid.

Fang Zhixing was respectful on the surface, but inwardly, he looked down on him.

The next moment, Cheng Tian'en sighed, pulled over a chair, and sat down. Pointing at the incense burner beside him, he said, "Ask. Until that stick of incense burns out."

Fang Zhixing hurriedly asked, "What are Celestials?"

Cheng Tian'en gave Fang Zhixing a deep look and replied, "I've only heard of Celestials, but I've never seen them, nor do I know anything about them."

Fang Zhixing pondered, "Are Celestials very powerful?"

Cheng Tian'en said, "I don't know. I told you, I know nothing about them. I can't even be certain that so-called Celestials truly exist. They may only be legends."

Fang Zhixing understood and changed the subject. "You are a martial artist. May I ask how the cultivation realms of martial artists are divided?"

Cheng Tian'en asked in return, "Do you know what 'martial' is?"

Fang Zhixing froze.

For a moment, he realized he could not clearly explain what "martial" was. It was far too broad a concept.

"Please enlighten me," he said.

Cheng Tian'en smiled faintly. "Martial training, martial training—what exactly are you training? Suppose you were a burly man ten feet tall with boundless strength, while everyone else was old, weak, sick, or disabled. Do you think you would still need to train in martial arts?"

Fang Zhixing replied, "You mean martial arts train strength?"

"Exactly!"

Cheng Tian'en nodded. "As long as your strength exceeds others', your explosive power will naturally be greater, and your speed will naturally be faster. So-called martial training is the cultivation of power that enables you to defeat others!"

Martial arts were the power to overcome enemies and claim victory!

Cheng Tian'en continued, "The first realm of the martial path is to temper one's own strength until the strength of the entire body is unified as one. This realm is called 'Force Unification.'"

"Force Unification, unifying the strength of the entire body as one?"

Fang Zhixing frowned. "What does that feel like exactly?"

Cheng Tian'en smiled. "It can be profoundly mysterious, or it can be simple. It means twisting all the strength in your body into a single force..."

The moment those words fell!

Fang Zhixing's mind stirred, and he suddenly drew his blade.

Shing!

He slashed downward!

Then sheathed the blade!

Cheng Tian'en's eyes abruptly widened as a mosquito fell onto his thigh.

The mosquito was still twitching.

But it had no wings!

[Basic Sword-Draw Technique · Mastery]

Cheng Tian'en rubbed his eyes in disbelief. After a long while, he raised his head to look at Fang Zhixing and said in astonishment, "So you're a Force Unification martial artist?! Man and blade as one!!!"

Just as I thought.

Ever since mastering the Basic Sword-Draw Technique, Fang Zhixing had vaguely felt it.

He was far stronger than ordinary people. Killing people was as easy as killing chickens!

Cheng Tian'en asked, "Who is your master?"

Fang Zhixing shook his head. "I don't have one. I trained on my own."

"What? You trained yourself all the way to the Force Unification Realm?!"

"And you trained in blade techniques!!"

Cheng Tian'en was utterly shocked. "There is a saying in martial training: fists first, then legs, then weapons!

"Fist and leg techniques are the easiest to cultivate.

"But even if someone practices fist and leg techniques under a master's hands-on guidance, and begins martial training from childhood, they must still train bitterly for eight to ten years before they might break through to the Force Unification Realm!"

As he looked at Fang Zhixing, Cheng Tian'en's shock continued to mount. "As for weapons training, the difficulty multiplies, and it only takes longer! Without a master's guidance, achieving 'man and blade as one' is almost impossible!"

Hearing this, Skinny Dog cursed inwardly: He's a damn cheat user. What the hell are you praising him for!

Fang Zhixing listened, then could not help glancing at the five youths in the courtyard.

They were all tempering their bodies and building strength, but they were still far from the Force Unification Realm.

Force Unification was the perfect union of strength and technique. Neither could be lacking.

Those five youths lacked strength, and their technique was terrible. They were nowhere near Fang Zhixing's level.