Sorting Out the Martial Path! (Seeking Collections)

"Of course, you can refuse me."

At this moment, Ji Changyin continued to speak.

However, he changed his tone and said, "But have you considered that Shi Dian, who has broken through the fourth major hurdle, is not even my match?"

"What are you going to use to save your life?!"

Ji Changyin's gaze was piercing as he stared intently at Qin Zheng.

For a moment, the might of a superior and a Muscle-Refining Realm martial artist radiated from him!

It was just that, at this moment, Qin Zheng was no longer the ordinary executioner he once was.

While this might had some effect on him, it could no longer influence his thoughts or decisions.

His mind rapidly analyzed the current situation.

Both Ji Changyin and Bailiff Xu from the yamen were people he couldn't afford to offend right now.

Otherwise, with just a casual word from Ji Changyin, he would lose his job as an executioner and wouldn't be able to peacefully and easily accumulate Merit.

Therefore, he couldn't refuse directly at this moment, lest he incur Ji Changyin's displeasure and lose his job.

However, acting as bait still carried some risk, and he couldn't agree to it lightly.

Thus, while agreeing, he could only try to secure some benefits for himself!

Afterward, Qin Zheng thought about his actions over the past two days.

The fact that he knew martial arts must have been noticed by those who were paying attention.

Especially Ji Changyin, who was standing before him, must have investigated his background. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said that Qin Zheng had comprehended the Ghost-head Saber Technique on his own.

In Ji Changyin's eyes, Qin Zheng should have appeared as a genius from a humble background but with extraordinary comprehension.

Otherwise, Ji Changyin wouldn't have personally come to him; he would have sent his two personal guards to notify him directly.

Thinking of this, Qin Zheng came back to his senses, looked at Ji Changyin, and said, "Sir, I accept what you have proposed!"

"However... I have one request, and I hope you will grant it!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Changyin's brows twitched slightly. He retracted his imposing aura, let out a light laugh, and asked curiously, "Speak."

Qin Zheng then continued, "I have learned some tricks from a ghost-head saber, but I am still only half-understanding of the martial path."

"I hope you can guide me on the martial path, broaden my knowledge, and clear my confusion!"

This was the condition Qin Zheng wanted to propose!

He had only arrived in this world a few days ago, and the memories of his predecessor contained no information related to martial arts.

The Skin, Flesh, Tendon, Bone, and the four major hurdles that he currently knew about were all learned from Wang Er.

He was unclear about many aspects of martial arts in this world.

Martial arts, strength, and realms.

What was the connection between these three?

Ji Changyin, as a captain of the imperial forces stationed in Black Goose City and a Muscle-Refining Realm martial artist who had broken through three major hurdles, must have a clear understanding and could answer his confusion.

This was the condition Qin Zheng proposed. Such martial arts common knowledge was not precious to Ji Changyin and wouldn't make Qin Zheng seem demanding.

But at the same time, this was also what he most urgently needed to understand.

After Qin Zheng said this, Ji Changyin immediately laughed heartily twice, satisfied.

Then, when he looked at Qin Zheng again, his eyes held a hint of admiration.

"Good! Your comprehension and aptitude are not bad. Just by comprehending the Ghost-head Saber Technique from a ghost-head saber, you were able to take the head of a remnant of the Golden Cicada Gang."

"Your future achievements will surely be extraordinary. Today, I will guide you in the martial path, and perhaps it will become a beautiful story in the future!"

With that, Ji Changyin burst into loud laughter again.

After a few breaths, he stopped and pondered for a moment before speaking again, "The martial path consists of Skin, Flesh, Tendon, Bone, and the four major hurdles."

"This is common knowledge in the martial world. Even a common soldier who hasn't practiced martial arts would know this."

"But how to embark on the martial path, and where to start with Skin, Flesh, Tendon, and Bone, is not something ordinary people can know."

"Because... to embark on the martial path, one needs martial arts!"

As he said this, he suddenly extended his hand, moving as fast as an arrow, and grabbed Qin Zheng's left arm in an instant.

Qin Zheng suppressed his instinctive reaction, wanting to see what the other party would do next.

Ji Changyin merely kneaded Qin Zheng's skin for a moment before withdrawing his hand.

"Not bad, you have entered the Skin-Refining Realm."

He nodded.

Then he continued, "Martial arts are divided into external and internal. External martial arts are methods of combat that can help people quickly possess extraordinary strength!"

"Internal martial arts, on the other hand, are methods for health preservation that can strengthen a person's skin, flesh, tendons, bones, internal organs, and prolong human life."

"The so-called four major hurdles, skin, flesh, tendons, and bone, are essentially the cultivation order for internal energy, proceeding from the outside in, from skin to bone!"

"However, internal energy cultivation is extremely precious, mostly controlled by the imperial court and prominent aristocratic families. Ordinary martial artists have no opportunity to access it."

Hearing this, Qin Zheng's brow furrowed slightly. If one's realm could only be distinguished by cultivation progress after practicing internal energy, then what about martial artists who only practiced external techniques and had no internal energy?

Ji Changyin, as if sensing his confusion, chuckled softly and continued, "Internal energy is precious because it can help a martial artist perfectly temper the human body."

"But that doesn't mean that those without internal energy cannot temper their bodies!"

"You must understand that while external techniques primarily focus on combat, they also require a strong physique as support!"

"Otherwise, no matter how strong your external techniques are, if your physique cannot support them, it's like a child wielding a sledgehammer – useless and self-harming."

"As for us martial artists who only practice external techniques and don't understand internal energy, we can temper our bodies and strengthen our skin, flesh, tendons, and bones, as well as our internal organs, simply by repeatedly practicing our martial arts to stimulate qi and blood and nourish our bodies!"

"However, the drawback to this method is a significantly higher caloric intake – the saying 'eating three cows a day' is no exaggeration – and the tempering of the body is not perfect."

Qin Zheng nodded in understanding after hearing this.

So, the Ghost-head Saber Technique and Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell that he was currently practicing were both external techniques.

And although the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill cultivated both internally and externally, his copy was unfortunately incomplete.

Even though he had forcefully refined it to the introductory level using the Merit scroll, it had only increased his strength without enhancing his physique.

No wonder, despite possessing a strength of thousands of jin now, he was still stuck in the Skin-Refining Realm.

However, thinking of this, Qin Zheng's confusion resurfaced.

If that were the case, then the division of realms couldn't actually determine a person's strength?

He voiced this question, only to see Ji Changyin shake his head.

"External techniques are merely about skill; they can only increase a person's combat power but cannot fundamentally change the person."

"Whereas tempering the body can directly alter a person's strength."

"You just need to know that a martial artist in the Skin-Refining Realm can break two hundred jin with a single punch!"

"A martial artist in the Flesh-Refining Realm can break five hundred jin with a single punch!"

"A martial artist in the Muscle-Refining Realm can break a thousand jin with a single punch!"

"As for a martial artist in the final Bone-Refining Realm, their punch can even break three thousand jin!"

"Tell me, no matter how strong martial arts are practiced, how could a Skin-Refining Realm martial artist defeat a Bone-Refining Realm martial artist?"

At these words, Qin Zheng suddenly saw the light.

But considering the unique nature of his Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill, he thought for a moment before continuing to ask, "Are there then martial arts that can enhance a person's strength?"

Ji Changyin nodded. "Naturally, there are, but such martial arts are invariably rare divine skills, seldom seen in the world."

"Moreover, these martial arts place an extremely severe burden on the human body. Supporting immense power with a frail physique will excessively consume the body's origins, greatly increasing the risk of the practitioner aging prematurely and dying."