Fist Technique Mastery, Inner Qi Doubles!

At the end of every Guard Competition, the lists of those promoted and those who failed to advance were displayed in the courtyard for everyone to see.

On the promotion list, the prefix before the name "Li Xian" had changed from [Grade-D] to [Grade-C].

It announced that he had become a Grade-C House Guard. Even among the guards, he was no longer among the lowest rank.

There were more than three hundred Grade-D House Guards, most of them between twenty and forty years old.

But the number of Grade-C House Guards had dwindled to just over forty. Not only were their benefits better, but when they were sent out on missions, they served as squad leaders and could claim more rewards.

"You've learned two fist techniques. With this promotion, you can choose a Basic Martial Arts discipline. I recommend you pick a leg technique."

Li Xian had always kept to himself at the manor. Now that his rank had risen, he had no one to share his joy with. Instead, he took a copy of Clearwind Leg Technique back to his little quarters.

Commander Pang's words came to mind.

Commander Pang had recommended this leg technique. At the time, he had also said:

"Warriors all have things they're good at and things they're not, but that's for old hands to worry about. You're a beginner, so you should try more things. Don't limit yourself too early."

"If you choose another fist technique, you might apply what you've learned to it and quickly reach Initiation or even Proficiency. But in the end, that would only be icing on the cake."

"Switching to a leg technique will be difficult at first, but the benefits will be greater, too."

Li Xian thought it made a lot of sense.

Though Clearwind Leg was a basic martial art, it had its own unique qualities.

Practicing it not only strengthened his leg technique and lower body, but also significantly improved his foot strength!

"Now I'm a Grade-C House Guard."

"My Patrol Duty time has been reduced, and I have more time to rest. My daily patrols have gone from seven to four. I've gained three whole shichen."

"I have plenty of time now. Learning another martial art should be just right!"

After skimming through Clearwind Leg and getting the general idea, Li Xian didn't hurry to practice it right away.

First, he went to the Dining Hall and ate a Grade-C Meal, enjoying the benefits of being a Grade-C House Guard.

"Ol... Li Xian, congratulations."

Wang Chun had just heard the news that Li Xian had been promoted, and hadn't expected to run into him right outside the Dining Hall. He greeted him with an awkward look.

"Mm, I just got lucky." Li Xian nodded.

Wang Chun lowered his head and walked around him, rejoining Zhao Han and Zhuo Yilie.

The three of them huddled together and whispered, discussing something Li Xian couldn't make out. He merely glanced at them and didn't go over to talk.

"This manor... from top to bottom, it's all about eating people in the end."

"The three of them had hated and resented me. Now that I've been promoted to Grade-C, they seem less resentful instead."

Li Xian could clearly feel the change in their attitudes. It wasn't just the three of them, either; there were also many Grade-D House Guards.

The Grade-C Meal included beef and mutton, rich with fat and oil-all fine meat that replenished Qi and Blood.

Today's dishes consisted of three meat dishes and two vegetable dishes. Martial artists spent a great deal of Qi and Blood when they practiced, so meat was essential.

After eating his fill, he felt full of strength.

The next day.

Li Xian began practicing Clearwind Leg. The first step was to follow the leg manual and imitate its movements as best he could.

As the technique instructed, he first took a large iron basin and filled it with water. He tied heavy stone bricks to his feet, then stood on the rim of the basin.

Keeping his waist still, he used the strength of his ankles to turn the basin, making the water inside form a gentle whirlpool.

The whirlpool wasn't better the bigger it got. In fact, the smaller, the better. Once he could turn the basin quickly without creating a whirlpool in the water, he could begin practicing how to kick.

"Once Clearwind Leg reaches Minor Accomplishment, the legs will be like a clear breeze. You'll be able to tread on grass without leaving a trace and kick people without hurting their skin, while the damage passes through the surface and reaches their insides."

"I don't know when I'll be able to touch the 'Essence Consumption' realm Commander Pang mentioned. But this Clay Embryo of mine is already much stronger than before."

Among the many House Guards, a lot of martial arts overlapped.

Take Clearwind Leg, for example. More than twenty Grade-D House Guards knew it, but most had only reached Initiation to Proficiency.

As long as you mastered a Basic Martial Arts discipline to the Minor Accomplishment realm, becoming a Grade-C House Guard was almost inevitable sooner or later, since the Guard Competition was held once a month.

Sometimes, if your opponent was a little weaker and you were a little luckier, you could get promoted. You just had to be willing to put in the time.

"Commander Pang said... any Grade-C House Guard who's diligent and self-disciplined can make it in. But Grade-B House Guards need some talent."

"What martial artists seek is Bone Recasting, washing away their Clay Embryo. But the process isn't easy. Before the age of twenty-seven or twenty-eight, if you can't accumulate Inner Qi to the point of 'Heavenly Cycle Circulation'..."

"Inner Qi won't be able to nourish the body, and Blood Qi will start leaking away through the gaps. Then the body's functions will begin to decline."

"Reaching the 'Essence Consumption' realm will be even less possible."

"But what is Heavenly Cycle Circulation? Does it mean accumulating Inner Qi to a certain level?"

Li Xian pushed distracting thoughts aside and focused on practicing his leg technique.

Two shichen passed in a flash. With a splash, Li Xian fell out of the basin. Water splattered everywhere, soaking his clothes.

Li Xian grew irritated, took off his shirt, and stood in the basin again. He used the twisting force of his ankles to gradually set the basin spinning. As it turned, the whirlpool grew larger and became harder to control.

It looked like he was about to fail.

Then inspiration struck Li Xian. "When I was carrying water earlier, I learned how to apply force to counter the water sloshing inside the bucket and save strength."

"Could the principle be the same? There's no harm in trying. My clothes are already wet anyway."

He used the Water Carrying technique with Clearwind Leg. It really worked. The whirlpool gradually shrank, then vanished altogether.

[You have learned how to practice Clearwind Leg Technique.]

[Clearwind Leg]

[Proficiency: 1/500 Initiation]

With the prompt from the Fate Frame Heaven Rewards Diligence, Li Xian's mind paused, and he couldn't help feeling a sense of accomplishment.

[Skill: Weeding], [Skill: Water Carrying], [Skill: Running], [Skill: Consumption], [Wild Bull Fist], [Four Directions Fist]...

Now he had added [Clearwind Leg] to the list.

"Once I've trained every martial art I've learned to its limit..."

"Maybe I'll finally be able to carve out even the smallest place for myself in this world, instead of living under someone else's roof?"

"No matter how good being a House Guard is, in the end, it still means being a servant. What others can give, they can also take away. Only what's mine can never be shaken!"

Li Xian thought silently.

The Guard Competition was usually held at the end of the month. A couple of days after the competition, the beginning of October arrived.

That day.

Li Xian was practicing his fist technique.

Though Clearwind Leg was his new favorite, Four Directions Fist had not lost its place in his heart.

As he threw a punch, his whole body gave a slight tremor. A red glow appeared inside him, and a warm current continuously welled up from the bones in his limbs.

It surged to every part of his body. Li Xian's breath grew hot, and white mist enveloped his face.

[Four Directions Fist]

[Proficiency: 1/5000 Major Accomplishment]

[Description: With fist technique mastery, Qi flows through the whole body, and the body becomes like a furnace, bringing endless benefits. Through throwing punch after punch, you have mastered the fist technique and gradually grasped the true meaning of Four Directions Fist. You have glimpsed the technique's first scene...]

The warm current in his Dantian surged like a flood, churning without end. The scene before his eyes changed, and he saw a blurry figure.

This was the fist technique's first scene: who had created the technique, and why.

It was a great fortuitous opportunity. The sights in these first scenes often pointed straight to the true meaning of a fist technique, surpassing any master's instruction!

Judging by the figure's shape, it seemed to be a woman...

The woman extended her slender fingers and casually gestured in the air. She swept once to the left, then once to the right, then once up and down.

Then she flicked her sleeve, and that was it.

Li Xian froze for a moment. He had heard Commander Pang mention that Four Directions Fist had been created by the "Madam." The figure in the first scene must have been Madam.

She had created a fist technique just by casually gesturing like that?

It was simply astonishing.

Just as he was lost in thought, a cold wind suddenly blew over, making him shiver.

When he came back to himself and focused on his Dantian, his Inner Qi had tripled!