Tai Chi

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

After returning, the 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. Meanwhile, the smile on Ning Fengzhi's face gradually vanished, and his expression grew somewhat grave.

"Ninth Elder, you have worked hard this time. The Poison Array you described should be Dugu Bo's Herb Garden in Sunset Forest. Did you clean up all traces?"

The Ninth Elder nodded. "Reporting to Sect Master, I have erased all traces around the perimeter. Even Dugu Bo will never 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, Ninth Elder. Rest well for a while."

The 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 spoke. "Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, what do you think of Yang Xiong's training this time, especially his venture into Dugu Bo's Herb Garden?"

Bone Douluo thought carefully before speaking. "Fengzhi, Yang Xiong has always been extremely cautious. Yet this time, he actually ventured deep into the Poison Array set 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 all these years. Even whenever he contributed to the sect, he was always exceedingly careful. With the contributions he has made to the sect, it would be enough for us to specifically plan for anything he wanted. It seems there must be something unusual in Dugu Bo's Herb Garden, which was why he was willing to take such a risk."

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

Bone Douluo seemed somewhat angry 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 go through so much trouble, much less take such a great risk. Dugu Bo alone is hardly worth us putting in so much effort."

"Fengzhi, should I arrange for Yang Xiong to come over so we can question him personally? I always feel that boy is hiding some secret."

Ning Fengzhi fell silent for a while before speaking. "Forget it. As long as Yang Xiong remains loyal to our sect, his little secrets will be exposed sooner or later. There is no need for us to concern ourselves with such petty thoughts of his. If Dugu Bo learns of it someday, then we can simply trouble Uncle Sword to intimidate him. At worst, we will pay a small price."

Sword Bone Douluo both nodded, clearly accepting Ning Fengzhi's view. Naturally, they also held the weakest Titled Douluo, Dugu Bo, in rather low regard.

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 suffering of Biphosphorus Snake Venom! I will wipe out your entire family!"

The Ice Fire Yin Yang Well was now in an utterly miserable state. Every medicinal herb had been dug up clean. Even the entire ground seemed to have been turned over once, with everything underground excavated completely. Not even the roots remained. Even the poisonous herbs Dugu Bo had planted himself were gone without a single stalk left behind.

Dugu Bo's face twisted somewhat, 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 basically none of them could act freely. Only Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo had the time to enter the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well. In particular, his sworn enemy Chrysanthemum Douluo was the most suspicious.

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

Spirit Hall:...

After Yang Xiong returned home and greeted his parents, he cultivated alone in his room. He had not left it for many days.

During the 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 agony, as though he had sensed something unknown within his body.

That was the meridians—the true route map for meditation.

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

However, Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill was completely different. It circulated through the meridians, and its efficiency far surpassed current Meditation Methods.

After being affected by the two extreme poisonous attributes of ice and fire this time, Yang Xiong instead came to understand his body better. In particular, the ice and fire poison seemed to have assaulted his meridians from beginning to end, making his entire network of meridians seem to expand by a full circle.

Through the effects of the ice and fire poison, Yang Xiong thought of an alternative method of cultivation.

The power of ice and fire could, in a sense, also be called the power of Yin-Yang. If he wanted the power of ice and fire to reach balance within his internal organs, then Soul Power had to circulate rapidly and continuously within his body, eventually forming a certain equilibrium. This was the solution Yang Xiong had devised amid the extreme agony at the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well.

When all was said and done, Yang Xiong had thought of a term from his previous life—Tai Chi.

In any martial arts world, the Daoist Sect held an unquestioned leading position, 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 all kinds of television shows and films gave detailed introductions to it. Back then, his grandfather had taken him along to learn for a few days, but he had always felt that Tai Chi had no effect at all, so he had not looked into it further.

Now that Yang Xiong considered it again, Tai Chi might not be suitable for combat, especially not battles in the soul master world. But for meditation among soul masters, it was an entirely different matter.

With that thought, Yang Xiong casually performed a set of Tai Chi Fist 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 felt exceptionally natural. In particular, the Soul Power throughout his body seemed to be drawn along as he practiced, surging invisibly through him.

He remembered seeing all sorts of introductions to Tai Chi in his previous life. Legend said that practicing Tai Chi could harmonize the Yin-Yang energies within the body and enhance flexibility and coordination. In combat, the Tai Chi Art overcame hardness with softness and controlled movement with stillness, skillfully deflecting an opponent's attacks. At the same time, it could promote the circulation of qi and blood and improve bodily functions. It was a profound Daoist art that combined physical training with health cultivation.

Yang Xiong had never believed in such things before, but now he was starting to believe. Especially since Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill could be cultivated in the soul master world, Tai Chi should work as well, and might even be stronger.

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