Realms

"Then what comes after the Force Unification Realm?" Fang Zhixing asked.

Cheng Tian'en immediately replied, "The Force Unification Realm means twisting all the strength in one's body into a single force. But at first, that force is very thin and long, so the Force Unification Realm is jokingly called the 'Thin Snake Realm' or the 'Long Snake Realm.'

"However, as that thin snake gradually grows stronger, it will one day become a giant python. Thus, the second realm is called the 'Giant Python Realm' or the 'Python Force Realm.'

"After that come the Five Beasts Realm, Nine Oxen Realm, Hundred Oxen Realm, Thousand Soldiers Realm, Ten Thousand Men Realm, and so on. The higher the realm, the greater the strength and combat power.

"For example, in the Hundred Oxen Realm, how strong are you? Strong enough to match a hundred oxen, peerlessly valiant!

"In the Thousand Soldiers Realm, one person can sweep through a thousand troops like rolling up a mat, unmatched among the three armies.

"And in the Ten Thousand Men Realm, one man can hold a pass against ten thousand; with a flick of the finger, he can shatter ten thousand suits of armor and laugh proudly across the martial world."

Fang Zhixing nodded, quickly grasping the idea.

The classification of martial artists' cultivation realms was actually simple and crude: advancement was measured by strength, each step higher than the last.

Having confirmed this, Fang Zhixing could not help glancing sideways at Skinny Dog.

Sure enough.

Skinny Dog lay sprawled on the ground, his ears drooping as he wilted completely, as if he had lost all reason to live.

Clearly, this was a world where martial arts reigned supreme. There was no spiritual energy or spiritual roots, and no path of immortal cultivation.

Skinny Dog's dream of "taking human form" had been shattered.

He might have to spend his entire life as a dog.

What was the point of living?

Amused, Fang Zhixing could not help asking Cheng Tian'en, "Other than practicing martial arts, are there any other ways for people to become stronger?"

Cheng Tian'en shook his head. "Every expert I've seen has been a martial artist."

Fang Zhixing understood and asked, "What martial art do you practice?"

Cheng Tian'en immediately replied, "I am a disciple of the Iron Mountain Sect. I cultivate the Iron Mountain Art."

Fang Zhixing pressed on. "At your peak, what realm were you in?"

A complicated expression surfaced on Cheng Tian'en's face. He rubbed his thick hands together and answered, "Early Giant Python Realm, I suppose."

Fang Zhixing fell silent briefly, then said solemnly, "I wish to learn the Iron Mountain Art. Would you be willing to teach me, Senior?"

Cheng Tian'en fell silent for a long time.

Seeing this, Fang Zhixing added, "The price is negotiable."

Cheng Tian'en's mouth twitched slightly. With a long sigh, he nodded. "I can teach you. The fee will be the same as for my five apprentices: eight hundred large coins a month, not including food or lodging."

Fang Zhixing looked around the spacious courtyard and replied, "I'll give you one gold bean per month. I'll stay here, and I'll handle my own food and drink."

Cheng Tian'en waved his hand. "If you want to stay here, it'll be at least one gold bean and five hundred large coins."

Fang Zhixing bargained, "Let's each give a little. One gold bean and two hundred large coins."

After pondering for a moment, Cheng Tian'en slowly replied, "Fine, that'll do."

Fang Zhixing was delighted. He readily paid the tuition and moved into the Cheng Family Compound.

Skinny Dog took a lap around the compound, then ran back and transmitted, "I checked everything. Other than an old servant woman and five apprentices, there's no one else in the compound. This Cheng Tian'en seems to have no parents, wife, or children."

Fang Zhixing understood.

Skinny Dog suddenly said, "Aren't you being too hasty? You just met him, and you're already learning martial arts from him. Do you think Cheng Tian'en will truly teach you? Will he give you everything he knows? Do you even know him?"

Fang Zhixing replied, "Cheng Tian'en is seen as a hero by others, so his reputation should be fairly good. Besides, he's seriously ill and can barely stand. He can't stir up any trouble."

Skinny Dog said bluntly, "You can never truly know what's in someone's heart. We'd better be careful."

That afternoon, the instruction officially began.

Cheng Tian'en drank a bowl of medicine, his mouth full of its bitter taste. He exhaled and said, "The Iron Mountain Sect's inherited martial art, the Iron Mountain Art, is a genuine bare-handed martial art. It does not train weapons, only fists and legs. It has many levels, but I only learned the introductory section and the first two levels."

"The introductory section is for young apprentices. Their bodies have not fully developed yet, so they need slow, gradual training and conditioning."

"The first level corresponds to the Force Unification Realm. Its effect is to teach one how to circulate qi and blood, thereby condensing the strength of the entire body into a single force."

"The second level corresponds to the Giant Python Realm."

Cheng Tian'en looked at Fang Zhixing and said seriously, "You are already in the Force Unification Realm, so there is no need for you to cultivate the introductory section. You can begin directly with the first level."

Fang Zhixing nodded.

Cheng Tian'en explained carefully, "The first level includes a mnemonic for circulating qi and blood, along with basic moves. I'll teach you the mnemonic first."

Fang Zhixing listened and memorized attentively.

After hearing it, his head immediately started throbbing.

Cheng Tian'en had recited a long string of rhymes like, "Light as willow branches, the body like wind; the old ape crosses the sun and strokes my crown." Fang Zhixing could not understand any of it.

Fang Zhixing could not help asking, "Is there a martial arts manual?"

Cheng Tian'en shook his head. "Can you read? Even if I gave you a manual, you wouldn't understand it."

Fang Zhixing quickly asked, "Can you read?"

Cheng Tian'en shook his head again. "Never learned."

Fang Zhixing was instantly speechless.

But Cheng Tian'en did not care. He said seriously, "Martial arts are passed down through spoken instruction and personal demonstration. It doesn't matter if you can't read."

Fang Zhixing remained silent and did not argue.

Next, Cheng Tian'en stood up, took a deep breath, and assumed a stance.

"Watch carefully. These are the basic moves of the Iron Mountain Art."

Cheng Tian'en removed his clothes, revealing his thin body. He raised his arms into position and planted his feet in a celestial stance.

A lump of flesh bulged beneath his skin, wriggling back and forth as it traveled through every corner of his body.

It was as though a little mouse were running beneath his skin.

"The purpose of practicing the moves is to help circulate qi and blood, making it flow faster and gather more easily in one place."

Cheng Tian'en demonstrated methodically, each move flowing smoothly into the next. The sequence progressed from simple to complex, and the motions gradually became larger. At first there were only punches and kicks, but later came difficult movements such as midair somersaults and seven-hundred-and-twenty-degree spins.

After roughly seven or eight minutes, Cheng Tian'en finally finished the routine and withdrew his stance.

The fact that he had practiced for seven or eight minutes straight showed just how numerous and complicated the moves were.

Fang Zhixing had only remembered part of them.

But by then, Cheng Tian'en was already breathing like an ox, his face pale and his entire body drenched in sweat. He collapsed into a chair, coughing nonstop, as though he had lost half his life.

Watching him, Fang Zhixing became somewhat worried that Cheng Tian'en might suddenly drop dead.

At that moment, his system panel flashed.

[Iron Mountain Art, First Level: Fist and Leg Martial Art]

[Requirements for Full Level:

1. Recite the mnemonic once (Incomplete)

2. Demonstrate the moves once (Incomplete)]

It's here!

Fang Zhixing's spirits soared. After coming into contact with the specific contents of a martial art, his full-level cheat had been triggered.

This also indirectly proved that Cheng Tian'en had not played any tricks; what he taught was genuine martial arts.

Fang Zhixing poured Cheng Tian'en a bowl of hot water.

More than half an hour later, Cheng Tian'en finally recovered.

Fang Zhixing had him repeat the mnemonic once more. He picked up a branch and wrote on the ground, copying it down in Chinese characters.

Afterward, he silently read it several times, committed it to memory, closed his eyes, and recited it once.

[1. Recite the mnemonic once (Complete)]

"Mm, easy as pie!" Fang Zhixing's mood instantly became exceedingly cheerful.