Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique

After learning the Black Tiger Gang's background in detail, Cheng Heng began today's arduous training. His fate prompt stated: ten practice sessions a day, minor achievement in three months.

But he intended to speed up the process. The sooner he broke through to Bright Force, the better!

After all, in this chaotic age where human lives were as cheap as grass, only great strength gave one the right to speak!

He found an open space and began practicing the eighteen sets of movements in the Tiger-Subduing Stance Art again. As the movements shifted continuously, soreness, swelling, and numbness instantly swept through his entire body.

Cheng Heng remained unmoved by the pain, completing every stance movement with meticulous precision.

[Tiger-Subduing Stance Art Beginner (11/1000): Ten practice sessions a day, minor achievement in three months, major achievement in one year]

Time passed bit by bit, yet Cheng Heng continued training with his head down.

In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.

Over those ten days, Cheng Heng was always the first to arrive at the martial hall and did not leave until after dark. Such desperate diligence had already drawn the attention of quite a few martial hall disciples.

"That guy comes so early every day and leaves so late. He really trains like his life depends on it!"

"You don't know? He has inferior bone aptitude. If he doesn't train like this, breaking through to Bright Force will be difficult for him."

"He's been grinding himself to death for ten days straight. I wonder how much longer he can keep it up?"

Some admired him, while others dismissed him, believing he was merely trying to attract his master's attention and gain more instruction.

Cheng Heng cast all those discussions behind his back and simply continued practicing the Tiger-Subduing Stance Art with unwavering determination.

[Tiger-Subduing Stance Art Beginner (110/1000): Ten practice sessions a day, minor achievement in three months, major achievement in one year]

Compared to all the gossip behind his back, Cheng Heng was more delighted by the changes steadily taking place within him.

After ten days of tempering through stance work, his once-thin frame had gradually become straighter. Beneath his training clothes, faint muscle lines had begun to emerge, and his vigor and spirit were far stronger than when he had first entered the martial hall.

Wu Zhong slowly approached. Seeing Cheng Heng's diligence, he nodded slightly and said:

"Cheng Heng, come here!"

Cheng Heng immediately stopped what he was doing and walked over to his master.

Wu Zhong measured Cheng Heng's bone aptitude once more.

A moment later, Wu Zhong's expression remained unchanged as he said, "Your bone aptitude has not changed. It is still inferior, but your qi and blood are clearly much stronger than before. You now meet the minimum requirement for practicing the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique!"

Hearing this, Cheng Heng immediately said respectfully:

"Please instruct me in the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique, Master!"

In truth, Wu Zhong was usually quite busy at the Tiger-Subduing Martial Hall. After teaching disciples the introductory rules, he generally no longer involved himself in their cultivation.

Only disciples within the martial hall who possessed outstanding talent and potential received Wu Zhong's focused instruction.

According to the martial hall's customs, one of his formal disciples should have been responsible for teaching Cheng Heng.

Wu Zhong fell silent for a moment before finally nodding slowly.

Seeing that this boy had practiced tirelessly these past few days, he would lend him a hand.

The surrounding disciples immediately revealed envious looks. They had not expected this disciple with inferior bone aptitude to receive the treatment reserved for those truly talented disciples of the martial hall!

"However, the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique has many moves. I can only give you basic instruction. Afterward, your third senior brother will be responsible for your cultivation!"

Cheng Heng was naturally overjoyed by such treatment. As long as he could enter the fist technique as quickly as possible, he only needed to keep grinding away. He did not care who was responsible for supervising him.

In all of Gaoyang County, only Wu Zhong had trained the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique to the Perfection Stage. If his master taught him personally at the start, it would naturally be many times faster than learning from anyone else!

Time was precious. Wu Zhong swept his gaze over the surrounding disciples and said sternly, "True martial arts are not flowery fists and embroidered kicks. They are arts of killing. Watch carefully today!"

The many martial hall disciples around them immediately grew solemn. On their own initiative, they formed a circle and began carefully observing Wu Zhong's instruction in the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique.

Wu Zhong's eyes shone brightly as he swept his gaze around. "Stance work tempers the foundation, while fist techniques improve combat power. Only when the two are combined can one be called a martial artist!"

"Watch closely!"

The instant his words fell, Wu Zhong's entire aura changed abruptly, as though he had transformed into a man-eating tiger descending the mountain.

"The Tiger-Subduing Fist draws upon the might of a fierce tiger descending the mountain. It values hardness and ferocity, emphasizing steadiness like a mountain and fists like thunder. Medicinal strength is used to stimulate the limbs, while fist force penetrates through sinews and bones."

As he spoke, Wu Zhong lowered his body, bent his knees slightly, drew in his hips, and tightened his waist and back straight like a full-drawn bow.

As the force throughout his body erupted, even the bluestone ground trembled faintly. Suddenly, Wu Zhong sank his waist and twisted his hips, then fiercely launched his right fist. His knuckles protruded as the wind from his fist tore through the air with a low howl, striking straight ahead. It was the Fierce Tiger Pounces on Prey stance from the fist technique.

"When striking, the limbs must be as one. Force rises from the lower body, passes through the legs to the waist, then surges into the fist!"

As he displayed move after move—heavy punches, lifting palms, chopping elbows, snapping kicks—the movements were unadorned yet solid and powerful. Before the eyes of the many disciples, he fully revealed the heavy, fierce, and domineering essence of the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique.

As Wu Zhong withdrew his stance, the wooden post before him remained perfectly intact on the surface, only to suddenly explode apart from within.

A Skill-Transforming Force expert!

One of the foremost figures in all of Gaoyang County!

A deathly silence fell over the training ground. Everyone was so shocked by the sight that they could not speak!

When they practiced fist techniques normally, they mostly emphasized each move and stance being perfectly proper. Yet after witnessing their master's demonstration today—turning complexity into simplicity, every move lethal—they finally understood the true essence of the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique.

"Did you see clearly? This is the true essence of the Tiger-Subduing Fist. Martial arts are for killing. What matters is being ruthless and vicious, striking at vital points. In a life-and-death struggle, you cannot relax for even a moment to catch your breath."

"Yes!"

The many disciples answered in unison.

After watching the entire set of fist techniques, Cheng Heng felt as though his heart would leap out of his chest. In the past, he had only heard of the wonders of martial arts. Now that he had personally witnessed an expert make a move, he truly felt martial arts' allure.

Cheng Heng took a deep breath. Looking at Wu Zhong's gradually receding back, he cast aside the countless distracting thoughts in his heart and began earnestly practicing the Tiger-Subduing Fist's moves.

Until the setting sun sank beyond the horizon and moonlight blanketed the earth.

[Tiger-Subduing Stance Art Beginner (111/1000): Ten practice sessions a day, minor achievement in three months, major achievement in one year]

[Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique Beginner (1/1000): Ten practice sessions a day, minor achievement in three months, major achievement in one year]

Along with the fate display in his mind, the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique had finally been formally learned, greatly lifting his spirits.

Only then did he realize that the sky had already gone completely dark.

"Grrr..."

His stomach rumbled, and hunger instantly swept through his entire body. Cheng Heng hurriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead and strode quickly toward home.

At that moment, even if a whole cow were placed before Cheng Heng, he could have devoured it clean.

Cheng Heng was short on money. Disciples from well-off families generally ate meat four times a day while training in martial arts, and at night they drank medicinal soup to nourish their qi and blood. Only then could their qi and blood increase rapidly.

What was more, Cheng Heng had only heard that in the Inner City, there seemed to be medicinal baths costing dozens of taels of silver per barrel. After soaking in one, cultivation could advance a thousand miles in a single day. That was true extravagance!

Looks like I need to hurry and find some way to get more silver. I do not need much—having meat to eat every day would be enough!

Cheng Heng thought to himself.