Tai Chi

At the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi had returned from Heaven Dou City after attending Xue Ye's birthday banquet. Sword Bone Douluo stood beside him.

After returning, Ninth Elder gave a detailed account of everything that had happened along the way, especially the part where Yang Xiong had ventured deep into the Poison Array.

Sword Bone Douluo showed no expression throughout, while the smile on Ning Fengzhi's face gradually faded, his expression turning somewhat solemn.

"Ninth Elder, you have worked hard this time. The Poison Array you mentioned should be Dugu Bo's rumored Herb Garden in Sunset Forest. Have all loose ends been dealt with?"

Ninth Elder nodded. "Reporting to Sect Master, I have eliminated all traces around the perimeter. Even Dugu Bo will absolutely be unable to find the slightest clue. However, I was unable to venture deep into the Poison Array."

Only then did Ning Fengzhi smile. "You have worked hard this time, Elder. Go and rest properly for a while."

Ninth Elder did not waste any words and left directly. Only Ning Fengzhi and Sword Bone Douluo remained.

After pondering for a long time, Ning Fengzhi finally said, "Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, what do you think about Yang Xiong's recent training, especially his venture into Dugu Bo's Herb Garden?"

Uncle Bone thought carefully before speaking. "Fengzhi, Yang Xiong has always been extremely cautious in his actions. Yet this time, he actually ventured deep into the Poison Array set up by that old monster Dugu Bo. He must have received some information. There must be something he wants in Dugu Bo's Herb Garden, and it must be something critically important."

Ning Fengzhi nodded. "Yang Xiong has never sought attention over the years. Even when contributing to the sect, he has always been exceedingly careful. With the contributions he has made to the sect, they would be enough for us to make special arrangements to obtain anything for him. It seems there must be something extraordinary in Dugu Bo's Herb Garden for him to risk such danger."

"You should know that this boy has been hiding an External Soul Bone all along. He has not even revealed a fraction of his Soul Skills. That alone shows just how cautious he is."

Uncle Bone seemed somewhat irritated upon hearing this. "What exactly is this boy hiding? If he had told me, I could have handled it. He would not have needed to resort to so many methods, much less take such a great risk. A mere Dugu Bo is not worth us putting so much thought into."

"Fengzhi, should I summon Yang Xiong and question him personally? I always feel that this boy is hiding some secret."

Ning Fengzhi fell silent for a while before speaking. "Forget it. As long as Yang Xiong is loyal to our sect, those little secrets of his will be exposed sooner or later. There is no need for us to concern ourselves with his minor schemes. If Dugu Bo discovers it one day, we can simply have Uncle Sword intimidate him. At worst, we will pay a small price."

Sword Bone Douluo nodded as well, clearly agreeing with Ning Fengzhi. Naturally, they also looked down somewhat on Dugu Bo, the weakest Titled Douluo.

Within the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo stared at the devastated ground, looking utterly grief-stricken and furious.

"Which bastard stole my Medicinal Herbs? If I find out who it was, I will make you taste the agony of Biphosphorus Snake Venom! I'll make sure your entire family dies without a single one left!"

The Ice Fire Yin Yang Well was in an utterly miserable state. All the Medicinal Herbs had been dug up completely. Even the entire ground seemed to have been turned over once, with everything beneath it excavated clean. Not even the roots remained. Even the Poisonous Herbs Dugu Bo had planted himself had been left without a single stalk.

Dugu Bo's face twisted, but he quickly calmed down. The Ice Fire Yin Yang Well was located in a special place, and he had set up a Poison Array outside. Even Soul Douluo could not break in; only Titled Douluo could enter.

Not to mention the Poisonous Herbs within the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well—especially those two, one white and one red, which even he himself could not approach. It had to be the work of a Titled Douluo. Yet there were only a handful of Titled Douluo in the world, and practically every one of them could not move freely. Only Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo would have the time to enter the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well. In particular, his mortal enemy Chrysanthemum Douluo was the prime suspect.

Dugu Bo's eyes glared with rage. "Chrysanthemum Pass, Spirit Hall, this matter will absolutely not end like this. This old man will never let it go."

Spirit Hall: ...

After Yang Xiong returned home and greeted his parents, he shut himself in his room to cultivate. He had not stepped outside for many days.

During this Ice Fire Body Tempering, Yang Xiong had endured extreme pain. In particular, his body and martial soul seemed to have undergone a transformation amid that suffering, as though he had sensed something unknown within his body.

Those were meridians—the true route map used during meditation.

There was no concept of meridians in the Douluo World. Especially in Douluo Continent 1, there were only some relatively simple Meditation Methods.

But Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill was completely different. It circulated through meridians, making it far more efficient than current Meditation Methods.

After being affected by the two extreme poison attributes of ice and fire this time, Yang Xiong understood his body even more thoroughly. In particular, the ice-fire poison seemed to have assaulted his meridians from beginning to end, expanding his entire meridian network by a full circle.

Through the effects of the ice-fire poison, Yang Xiong had conceived of an unconventional method of cultivation.

The power of ice and fire could, in a sense, also be called the power of yin and yang. If he wanted the power of ice and fire to form a balance within his internal organs, then Soul Power would have to circulate rapidly throughout his body without pause, eventually creating a certain equilibrium. This was the solution Yang Xiong had come up with during the most excruciating suffering in the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well.

In the end, Yang Xiong had thought of a term from his previous life—Tai Chi.

In any martial arts world, Daoism held an undisputed position of leadership, and Tai Chi was known as the pinnacle of Daoism.

Back on Blue Star in his previous life, Yang Xiong had not studied martial arts much, but he had encountered Tai Chi. People practiced Tai Chi in parks everywhere, and it was even introduced in detail in all kinds of television shows and films. His grandfather had once taken him to learn it for a few days, but he had always felt that Tai Chi had no real effect, so he had not looked into it further.

But now that Yang Xiong considered it again, Tai Chi might not be suitable for combat, especially not for battles in the world of Soul Masters. Yet when it came to meditation for Soul Masters, it was on an entirely different level.

With that thought, Yang Xiong casually performed a set of Tai Chi Fist moves from his previous life. Perhaps because of the Ice Fire Body Tempering, performing it now gave him a completely different feeling from before.

The entire set of Tai Chi Fist flowed with remarkable naturalness. In particular, the Soul Power throughout his body seemed to be guided as he practiced, surging invisibly.

He remembered seeing all kinds of introductions to Tai Chi in his previous life. Legend had it that practicing Tai Chi could harmonize the yin and yang energies within the body, increasing physical flexibility and coordination. In combat, Tai Chi overcame hardness with softness and controlled movement through stillness, skillfully neutralizing an opponent's attacks. At the same time, it could promote the circulation of qi and blood, improve bodily functions, and was a profound Daoist art that combined fitness and health preservation.

Yang Xiong had never believed in such things before, but now he was beginning to believe. In particular, if Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill could be cultivated in the world of Soul Masters, then Tai Chi would certainly work as well—perhaps it might even be stronger.

I originally wanted to write Baji Quan, but Tai Chi Fist seemed to be more widely spread. Everyone learned a little of it as children. Besides, Tai Chi was the true treasure and pinnacle passed down from the ancestors, and even complete outsiders would learn a little.