"Guiding" Xue Qinghe, seeking the stirrings within

The fist clashed with the wooden sword, and the result was unexpected.

Click!

A crisp cracking sound rang out as the wooden sword shattered inch by inch, starting from the blade, sending wood chips flying everywhere. Tang Shan's iron fist, however, remained relentless, advancing inch by inch.

The sword's edge shattered, followed by the blade, and finally the hilt. When Tang Shan's palm was less than a millimeter away from Xue Qinghe's sword-wielding hand, the force suddenly subsided, and his figure instantly retreated and stood still.

Xue Qinghe remained in the thrusting posture, lost in thought, savoring the exhilarating feeling of his body being completely connected, his power perfectly transmitted, and then thrusting forward with all his might.

After a long while, she finally let out a long breath. "Now I understand what Bright Force) is."

"We can't be careless just because we happened to do it occasionally. The most important thing now is to turn this kind of accidental occurrence into a regular occurrence."

Tang Shan walked up behind Xue Qinghe and said, "Your Highness, please try again."

Xue Qinghe nodded, his foot striking the ground again, the force transmitting layer by layer. Relying on the smooth feeling left in his muscles, the force was successfully transmitted to his spine. However, this time the force stopped abruptly at his lumbar vertebrae, leaving Xue Qinghe with a stuffy feeling of being stuck in the middle.

Fortunately, Tang Shan was prepared. With a gentle pat of his large, warm palm, the force continued to be transmitted. He did not let go immediately, but instead pushed upwards along with the force.

Click!

As Juan Gui adjusted naturally, Xue Qinghe felt his hair stand on end, and a surge of energy within him stirred.

Call!

This time, he didn't have a wooden sword in his hand, but he brought his index and middle fingers together and suddenly thrust forward, and a faint sound of air being cut rang out again.

"One more time!"

Tang Shan's voice was deep, his hot breath carrying a faint warmth as it gently brushed against the back of Xue Qinghe's slender neck. A layer of fine goosebumps instantly rose on her delicate skin, and a tingling sensation shot up her spine to the top of her head, causing her to tremble slightly involuntarily, even slowing down the flow of her energy.

She dared not hesitate, forcibly suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, and her strength erupted again. However, whether it was due to the influence of Tang Shan's breathing just now, or because her condition had begun to decline after continuously unleashing Bright Force, this time, the strength only barely reached her tailbone before it could not go any further.

Tang Shan frowned. The position was indeed a bit awkward, but he didn't hesitate for long. He put two fingers together, gathered a wisp of strength, and suddenly lightly touched Xue Qinghe's coccyx.

Hiss!

Xue Qinghe gasped in surprise. The touch of the fingertip carried just the right amount of pressure, not a stinging pain, but a warm, tingling sensation that shot through her entire body like an electric current, centered on the point of contact. Every hair on her body...

The orifice tightened abruptly at that moment, and the previously restless and scattered Qi and Blood instantly condensed.

Snap!

The fist struck out with a resounding crack, the bones and muscles creaking, the air vibrating from the force, and a crisp, explosive sound suddenly rang out.

Ignoring the incredibly smooth transmission of power, Xue Qinghe felt all his strength drain away, his body went limp, and he fell backward.

Fortunately, Tang Shan reacted quickly. He stretched out his arm, gently lifted and pulled Xue Qinghe, and took a big step to the table, steadily helping her sit down in a chair.

"Your Highness, your physical condition is still too poor. You couldn't hold on after only three uses of Bright Force."

Tang Shan felt helpless but also somewhat admiring of Xue Qinghe for being so responsible. Knowing that he was a "Crown Prince" with "mediocre cultivation," he actually displayed ordinary physical qualities. However, this performance was a bit too fake. An ordinary person would need at least five or six Ming Jin Bright Force before exhausting their strength. Weren't three blows a bit too few?

If Xue Qinghe knew what Tang Shan was thinking at this moment, she would definitely consider whether to use Sacred Flame to completely purify this guy who not only blasphemed Angel but also made sarcastic remarks from the sidelines.

"There's nothing I can do. My talent for cultivation is mediocre, and I haven't cultivated much at all. It's already quite good that I have this much stamina."

o

Xue Qinghe spoke through gritted teeth, and if one ignored the faint mist in her eyes and the subtle blush rising at the tips of her ears, she might still have some intimidating power.

Tang Shan sat across from Xue Qinghe, his expression serious. "Your Highness, now that you've mastered the basics of Bright Force, the rest is just a matter of practice makes perfect. You likely won't encounter many bottlenecks until you've fully refined your skin, flesh, and tendons."

Xue Qinghe managed to calm down the shy emotions surging within her. Apart from her ears still being a little red, there was nothing else unusual about her.

She had already planned that if Tang Shan asked, she would say it was due to excessive physical exertion, but clearly, she had overestimated someone's observation skills.

Or rather, Tang Shan's observational skills noticed this anomaly, but he didn't connect it with the relevant memories in his mind. His brain automatically treated this information as invalid information and processed it out. In layman's terms, he didn't think much about it.

Hearing Tang Shan get straight to the point, Xue Qinghe also collected his thoughts and began to listen attentively.

"So that means I basically won't encounter any more bottlenecks later on, right?"

After listening to Tang Shan's explanation of the next stage of cultivation, Xue Qinghe seemed to be deep in thought. To prevent herself from misunderstanding, she asked Tang Shan for a second confirmation.

"That's right, theoretically, one shouldn't encounter a bottleneck before reaching the peak of Bright Force."

Tang Shan gave a definite answer.

"How can I break through to the peak of Bright Force?"

Tang Shan originally wanted to tell her to reach the peak of Bright Force first, but then she thought again that the other party asked about the breakthrough of Bright Force, not the higher levels that follow. It would be good to tell her about the future prospects so that she would have a goal to strive for.

"The subsequent change is still at the level of internal strength, that is, the transformation from Bright Force to Hidden Force."

As Tang Shan spoke, he casually pressed his hand on the stone table, and a clear handprint appeared on it.

With a simple flick of his wrist, he easily shook off the stone powder stuck to his hands.

Even though it wasn't the first time he'd seen it, Xue Qinghe still couldn't help but be amazed by the skill in controlling such power.

"Bright Force) and Hidden Force (hidden strength) are essentially both techniques for applying force in Internal Martial Arts. From the perspective of the level of force itself, there is no difference in their superiority or inferiority; the only difference lies in their methods of exertion, difficulty of training, and characteristics in actual combat."

Tang Shan clearly explained, "Simply put, the core differences between the two are three points:"

First, the method of exerting force. Bright Force manifested force) is forceful and outward, going straight and direct. The force originates from the muscles and bones and acts directly on the body surface. Wherever the fist or palm strikes, the power is clearly visible, like an iron hammer hitting an object, hard and direct. On the other hand, An Jin (hidden Hidden Force) is soft yet contains hardness. The force travels through the internal organs. The force is not outward but penetrates into the target through the body surface, like warm water brewing tea. It seems gentle, but its lethality is hidden inside.

Secondly, the difficulty of cultivation. Bright Force manifested strength) is the foundation of Internal Martial Arts, emphasizing the strengthening of muscles and bones and the flow of internal energy. With the right methods, through persistent practice and real combat experience, most can achieve a basic level, much like a beginner swordsman who, through random slashing and hacking, eventually grasps some basic techniques. However, Hidden Force hidden strength) emphasizes the unity of intention and force, with energy flowing through the internal organs. It requires first concentrating willpower and then using that willpower to drive the internal energy, making it extremely difficult to master.

It's like a beginner swordsman trying to learn to use slow attacks against fast ones; you can't get anywhere just by practicing hard.

Third, practical characteristics. The advantage of "Bright Force" is its quick learning curve and explosive power, making it suitable for direct confrontation and highly efficient against ordinary opponents. Hidden Force, the advantage of "hidden strength" is its superior concealment and deep destructive power; once mastered, it can penetrate armor and injure internal organs, offering greater tolerance for error and greater deterrent effect against opponents of the same or even higher levels.

Xue Qinghe's brows relaxed, and most of the doubt in his eyes disappeared. "Then is it true that Hidden Force is more difficult to master than Bright Force, and that the effects are better once mastered?"

Tang Shan nodded and continued, "It's difficult because Hidden Force requires willpower as a bridge. This is something invisible and intangible, far more difficult than simply training the body. And the effect is even better after mastering it, not because Hidden Force strength is more Bright Force strength, but because fewer people master Hidden Force. There are countless ways to deal with Bright Force, but very few people can break through Hidden Force."

Xue Qinghe finally understood and exclaimed, "In other words, Bright Force is the foundation, a powerful technique that everyone can practice; Hidden Force is the advanced level, a subtle technique that only a few can master. The two are at the same level, only the threshold for cultivation and application is different."

"That's exactly right." Tang Shan nodded in agreement.

"There are two paths to mastering Hidden Force. One is to continuously hone Bright Force to its peak, relying on Bright Force change to trigger qualitative change, achieving a breakthrough where yin arises from yang. This is the safest path."

Xue Qinghe knew what was going on as soon as he heard the first road. To put it bluntly, it was just like cultivating Ming Bright Force, gradual effort.

"What is the second path? Is it still about overcoming pressure and fighting to the death?"

The Angel Big Sis has already learned to answer quickly, very good, but unfortunately, she guessed wrong.

"The second path is not about practical experience or breakthroughs through life-or-death battles, but about finding inner inspiration."

Xue Qinghe? Am I really that bad at understanding things? What does it mean to find one's own inner inspiration?

Seeing the confusion and doubt in Xue Qinghe's eyes, Tang Shan paused for a moment, then changed his approach to one that Xue Qinghe could understand. "You know about willpower, right?"

Xue Qinghe nodded obediently.

"The so-called search for one's own inspiration is the process of forming the initial shape of one's will, and to unleash Hidden Force, will and strength must be united."

Tang Shan originally intended to say that the heart and mind should unite, the mind and spirit should unite, and the spirit and strength should unite, but if Xue Qinghe were to ask what the heart, the mind, and the spirit were, he simply changed to a more Douluo Continent way of saying it: when the will combines with the strength, the power naturally becomes gentle, and the Hidden Force strength is formed naturally.

Anyway, it doesn't matter if management doesn't understand the secrets, as long as they can do it.

Xue Qinghe: "How does one comprehend that will?"

Tang Shan: "You can consult Grandpa Golden Crocodile and Senior She on this matter. The main thing is to understand your own heart and ask yourself what you really want. I gained enlightenment about consolidating my will during the battle with a group of monkey-like Soul Beast when I was absorbing and acquiring my Second Soul Ring."

Xue Qinghe astutely noticed the key point. "I remember you had already broken through to the Transformed Force back then, didn't you? How did you break through?"

Tang Shan flashed a bright smile, his forty perfectly aligned teeth dazzling Xue Qinghe to the point of being unbearable. "Your Highness, people are different. Some people need comprehension to break through, while others don't."

Tang Shan stated. "With the First Soul Skill, Self-Control, isn't any change in Soul Skill basic? Why bother searching for one's own inspiration?"

"Alright, Your Highness, it's either a matter of persistent effort or a sudden enlightenment; there's no other way. If you really can't break through, you can focus on cultivating your Soul Power. Even if your talent is lacking, it's not like you have no chance, is it?"

Tang Shan pointedly reminded him, "With innate Level 20 and full Soul Power, your talent can't be wasted. I don't expect you to unleash your full potential, but you should at least unleash some of it. The requirements aren't high; just become a Soul Saint by the age of 20."

Xue Qinghe: Am I searching for inner inspiration? What exactly am I seeking?

Clearly, she didn't heed Tang Shan's reminder and was lost in thought.

"Your Highness, I had an appointment with Senior Dugu today to visit his Medicine Garden, so I'll be leaving now."

Tang Shan stood up helplessly and said.

Xue Qinghe waved his hand casually. "Go ahead, come back soon, and be careful of Dugu Yan; after all, they come from a family that uses poison."

P. S.: Currently, I have 433 monthly votes. Let's all aim for 500! After a day's rest, the author's inner writer is itching to push myself again.