True Hidden Strength! The Path to Transforming Strength?

Two days to comprehend Hidden Strength.

Jia Qingshan felt as though Wu Ming kept shattering his understanding again and again. It had taken him nearly ten years to go from practicing the Three-Body Stance to comprehending Hidden Strength, while Wu Ming had succeeded in merely two days.

Even using Gene Evolution as an excuse, it was still far too unbelievable. He could not help asking repeatedly.

In response, Wu Ming had no choice but to reveal his secret: he relied on Spiritual Force to correct his movements and even observe the changes in the texture of his muscles internally, adjusting himself into the most perfect posture at any moment.

Such meticulous observational ability, when used to assist in martial arts practice, was naturally invincible.

After hearing this explanation, Jia Qingshan was finally left speechless. Yet his desire for a Spiritual Force talent only grew stronger.

By then, Wu Ming had already carefully experienced the Hidden Strength technique he had newly mastered, but doubts arose in his heart.

"Master," he asked, "compared to Bright Strength, this Hidden Strength realm seems no different in terms of power, aside from making punches silent. Is that normal?"

He had thought that the Hidden Strength of Xingyi Quan would be connected to the Hidden Strength exertion techniques recorded in the future's Ninefold Thunder Blade, which was why he had chosen this Internal Martial Arts style.

But now, it seemed that Xingyi Quan's Hidden Strength did not have the effect of layered force generation.

"On the surface, that is indeed the case." Jia Qingshan nodded. "However, Hidden Strength is not as simple as you imagine."

"Please enlighten me, Master." Wu Ming's expression turned serious.

"Xingyi Quan has three realms of force: Bright Strength, Hidden Strength, and Transforming Strength."

Jia Qingshan slowly said, "You have already experienced the essence of Bright Strength. It is the integration of your entire body—when you throw a punch, its power is the limit of your physical body."

"This should have been a good thing, but that is also where the problem lies." He glanced at Wu Ming. "You should have noticed that after entering Bright Strength, every punch you threw came with a sharp crack, correct?"

Wu Ming nodded. Back then, every one of his punches had exploded with a resounding boom. The display had been impressive, and he had been quite pleased with himself.

Yet after comprehending Hidden Strength, those sounds had instead vanished.

"Actually... those sharp cracks were warnings from your body."

Wu Ming was immediately startled upon hearing that.

But before he could ask, Jia Qingshan explained, "Integrating the entire body is certainly beneficial, but the force generated by all that power is too fierce and leaves no room for cushioning. Every punch you throw sends the force rebounding into your tendons, bones, and joints."

"Over time, it will leave hidden injuries."

After a pause, he looked at the attentively listening Wu Ming and continued, "But Hidden Strength is different. Advancing from Bright Strength to Hidden Strength means adding more soft force to harmonize the fierce force."

"While retaining its power, it also dissipates the backlash on the body. That is why Hidden Strength punches make no sound."

Wu Ming suddenly understood. Only then did he realize that Bright Strength could injure its user, while Hidden Strength would not.

But remembering the question in his heart, he asked again, "Other than that, does Hidden Strength have any other effects? For example, can it unleash power greater than Bright Strength?"

"Of course it can." Jia Qingshan slowly glanced at him. "Otherwise, why do you think Hidden Strength ranks above Bright Strength? Just because it makes no sound?"

Wu Ming's eyes lit up. He hurriedly said, "Please clear up my confusion, Master."

"Hidden Strength can naturally unleash greater power, but it does not rely on stronger force."

Jia Qingshan explained, "Bright Strength affects the muscle groups used under the body's normal mechanisms. Those muscles are on the surface; even ordinary people can use them, though they cannot integrate them as one."

"However, the human body also contains many deep muscles and fascia that are never normally used. Those areas remain dormant for an entire lifetime, and Bright Strength alone cannot awaken them."

"Only Hidden Strength can penetrate deeper into your body, awaken and mobilize that deeper potential. At that point, you will naturally be able to exert power beyond your body's limits."

As he spoke, he glanced at Wu Ming. "You have only just crossed the threshold of Hidden Strength. Your force has not yet had time to touch the deeper power, so naturally you cannot sense its wonders."

"Once you thoroughly train this force, Hidden Strength will naturally sink deep into your tendons and bones. Then you can unleash several times your current power and enter Dark Force Completion."

Jia Qingshan smiled. "That is also my current realm. I have earned the title of Xingyi Quan master, and in the path of Internal Martial Arts, I have reached the utmost limit."

"So Master has reached Hidden Strength Completion?"

Wu Ming blinked. "The utmost limit? But you just said that there is still the realm of Transforming Strength above Hidden Strength. What exactly is Transforming Strength?"

"In this era, Transforming Strength has already become a legend. I do not know much about it either."

Jia Qingshan shook his head. "I only know that in ancient times, this realm was also called the Grandmaster realm. Its status in martial arts was comparable to that of the sages of the literary tradition. One might not appear even once in a thousand years."

Wu Ming was somewhat surprised. The status of a Transforming Strength Grandmaster could actually rival that of a sage of the literary tradition?

He could not help asking, "Master, which Transforming Strength experts existed in ancient times? And what wonders does this realm possess?"

"As far as I know, there are two confirmed ancient Grandmasters. The most recent was the True Man Sanfeng of Wudang."

Jia Qingshan said, "The other was Bodhidharma. Aside from those two, the remaining records cannot be verified and can only be classified as legends."

Zhang Sanfeng! Bodhidharma!

Wu Ming's pupils contracted. Those two had both been extraordinary figures in Huaxia's history. So they had actually been Internal Martial Arts Grandmasters?

"As for what wonders Transforming Strength possesses... Hidden Strength Completion is already the limit of all Internal Martial Arts. Beyond that, one can only rely on one's own comprehension."

Jia Qingshan said, "Although I have learned some things about Transforming Strength, they may not be reliable. Just listen to them as such."

"Please instruct me, Master."

"The ancient texts describe the characteristics of Transforming Strength as 'mind and body united, the flesh made free.' In my understanding, if Hidden Strength is force refined to the Microscopic Level, controlling the muscles, then Transforming Strength is force transformed and omnipresent, granting an even deeper level of control."

Jia Qingshan's tone gradually grew heavier. "According to modern scientific explanations, it means that the mind affects the cells, perfectly unlocking all the potential within every cell in the body. That is what is known as freedom of the flesh."

"According to some ancient records, a Grandmaster who mastered Transforming Strength, even with only an ordinary person's physical qualities, could lift a cauldron with one hand, run as fast as a swift horse, and unleash at least ten times the power of Hidden Strength!"

"My current maximum explosive power is around four times. According to that description, if I could master Transforming Strength, I could unleash at least forty times the power."

Wu Ming drew in a sharp breath. Fortyfold explosive power? Was that something an Earthling could achieve?

One had to know that ancient Grandmasters were not even Apprentices!

Of course, Jia Qingshan had also said that these were merely records from ancient texts and might not be reliable. After all, ancient people themselves had loved exaggerating when recording such things.

But even so, Wu Ming's heart stirred at the thought of that power.

If he could become a Transforming Strength Grandmaster... then against any Earth Martial Artist, he would have an overwhelming advantage, including Hong and Thunder God!