Sparring

"So this is Embracing Qi and Forming a Core!"

Li Xian brought his cultivation methods together.

"Primordial Unity and an impervious body—this means gathering all the body's essence and qi, Embracing the Core within, then nourishing that essence and qi on the foundation of Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing to cultivate blood qi. Then, through this strand of blood qi, Using the False to Cultivate the True, infusing it with spiritual intent and refining it into true qi to enter the transcendent realm!"

He suddenly felt everything fall into place.

Everything before Impervious Body was about laying a foundation and forging a physique pushed to its limits.

After that, through Impervious Body and Primordial Unity, one compressed and nurtured essence and qi to form blood qi, then used spiritual intent as a guide, Refining the Void into Reality and synthesizing true qi!

Li Xian looked back once more at Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing, Internal Organ Refinement, and External Tendon and Bone Tempering. His thoughts were like clouds parting to reveal the sun, with no doubts remaining.

"In my previous life, I couldn't cultivate true qi or reach the innate realm. It wasn't a lack of talent or the absence of a path ahead. It was heaven and earth!"

Li Xian raised his head and looked out the window.

The moon was like a jade platter, clear and bright.

"Heaven and earth were a prison, forging the shackles that limited my growth!"

He reached out, seeming to feel a strand of moonlight pass through the window and spill into his palm.

The space of a palm amounted to no more than a few inches.

He lowered his gaze slightly.

"Stars hung low above the broad plains; the moon surged with the great river's flow."

He did not go to sleep.

Instead, he gathered his essence and qi using the method of Embracing Qi and Forming a Core, maintaining Primordial Unity as he began to sense blood qi.

Reaching beyond his grasp?

Cultivating the Third Realm at once?

No!

He would pour water from a lofty rooftop, cultivating four realms at once to swiftly complete the foundational accumulation of the major realms of tendon and bone tempering, organ refinement, and Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing before attaining an impervious body!

"The grandmasters and Martial Saints of past generations were naturally no fools, but when they were tempering their tendons and bones and refining their organs, they weren't grandmasters or Martial Saints yet."

He was different.

"I am."

The next day.

Li Xian arrived at the martial arts hall.

Compared to yesterday, there were considerably more people at the hall today.

At a glance, there were probably twenty or thirty.

These twenty or thirty people wore fitted training clothes of ordinary styles, but the fine fabrics and exquisite stitching showed that they were well-off.

Zhou Juechen was absent. Hongyu alone taught the twenty or thirty people, moving back and forth, looking quite busy.

Seeing this, Li Xian did not disturb her.

He practiced the Azure Jade Fist externally and the Wuji Art internally off to the side.

Only when she had some free time did he approach and ask, "The hall has many disciples, and teaching them alone seems to keep you rather busy. Do you need any help?"

"You?"

Hongyu looked at him in surprise.

"You're surprised and puzzled because I haven't practiced martial arts for long, so you think I lack strength. But in fact, I've studied martial arts for years and have extensive theoretical knowledge. I simply seldom trained, so my tendons and bones remained undeveloped. After nearly a month of diligent practical training, I've made some progress. I believe I'm no weaker than you."

Knowing she might not believe him, Li Xian said directly, "The greatest advantage martial artists have is that they don't need words to argue over who's right. So why not spar?"

Studied martial arts for years?

Those words made Hongyu take him a little more seriously.

The ingenuity and intelligence of Lijiang's Four Great Talents were beyond those of ordinary people.

She looked at Li Xian.

His tendons and bones were indeed undeveloped, but he was handsome, with a fresh, refined bearing. About him...

There was a distinctive presence.

A confidence that seemed to let him remain composed no matter when or where he was.

Such a person was either ignorant and foolish, or...

Truly confident.

"Accomplished in both letters and arms?"

After weighing it over, Hongyu was ultimately willing to allow him a little more latitude. She nodded in agreement. "All right. Let's go to the inner courtyard."

She told the disciples to practice on their own, then led Li Xian straight to the inner courtyard.

"You first, or me?"

She extended a hand as she asked.

"Come on."

Li Xian beckoned.

He was clearly giving her the first move.

"Hah."

Hongyu wasted no words either.

Just as Li Xian himself had said, the greatest advantage martial artists had was that they didn't need words to argue over who was right.

Let him be as arrogant as he pleased; a beating would make him behave.

"Watch out!"

Hongyu's gaze sharpened.

She made her hand into a blade and slashed horizontally.

As her knife-hand sliced out, she leaned forward and stepped in.

Her left hand also clenched into a fist, poised to strike as she surged forward.

Li Xian's expression remained calm.

He raised a hand to parry Hongyu's sweeping knife-hand, the corner of his eye precisely catching the point where the power from her toes, waist, hips, and arm converged.

Then he reached out, spreading his fingers wide, and instantly caught the lunging punch Hongyu threw as she stepped forward.

At first glance, it looked as though Hongyu had deliberately delivered her little fist into the center of his palm.

At this sight, Hongyu's expression immediately changed.

But then Li Xian's finger bones tensed, force bursting forth like a metal lock snapping shut.

For a moment, Hongyu actually could not pull her arm free.

With a sudden shake of Li Xian's arm, a surge of force traveled through her fist and shot like lightning through her entire wrist and arm, threatening to dislocate her arm outright.

Not good!

Every tendon and bone in Hongyu's body resonated.

Hard force erupted!

Her sleeve looked as though it were being torn by an invisible force. Relying on the strength of her tendons and bones, she forcibly dispersed the force transmitted by Li Xian's shake. Then she jolted her wrist, releasing a vibrating force that forcibly broke his five-fingered grip.

Before she could withdraw and retreat to put distance between them, she felt a slight chill against her neck.

"!!?"

As she unleashed force throughout her body to break free of Li Xian's palm, his other hand had already thrust in like lightning, fingers pressed into a sword that swept across her neck.

That strike...

If it had struck her throat or cervical spine directly instead of brushing past her neck...

"I'm dead?"

Hongyu found it somewhat hard to believe.

She had clearly felt that Li Xian wasn't strong, so how had she...

Lost just like that?

"Yes."

Li Xian nodded slightly, as calm as though stating something perfectly ordinary. "The way you exert force is too obvious. Every movement is laid bare before my eyes. You might as well tell me outright that you're about to punch and attack from this direction. With just a little targeted response, I put you in danger and made you forget the greater threat."

"I..."

Her master had told her about these weaknesses, and she had already been consciously avoiding them.

Yet they were still this obvious!?

Seeing her reaction, Li Xian recalled a fault of his own.

In his previous life, he had studied martial arts under an old Taoist, read few books, and lacked a way with words.

Being so blunt now could easily hurt people...

He immediately tried to comfort her with gentler words. "Actually, you're still very strong. Your tendons and bones are fully developed, and your hidden force bursts forth powerfully. Look, you shook my palm red. If I hadn't loosened my grip in advance when your hidden force erupted, you might have injured my bones. So you really are formidable."

As he spoke, he even raised his palm.

It was indeed bright red.

It would have been better if he hadn't tried to console her. His consolation only made Hongyu feel more ashamed, too embarrassed to face anyone.

Especially when she recalled instructing Li Xian yesterday, she wished she could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

Alongside her shame, she also felt somewhat annoyed.

"If you had this kind of strength, why didn't you say so?"

"I did. I said I already had an understanding of the first four realms. You didn't believe me."

Li Xian spoke.

Hongyu froze.

Those words...

He had indeed said them.

"Of course, I merely have extensive theoretical knowledge. Truly reaching the realms of Internal Organ Refinement and Blood Exchange and Marrow Washing will still take time and arduous training."

Li Xian offered another explanation.

"You... you mean you really managed to compile all those theories just by reading books, then arrived at these experiences and insights through prolonged contemplation?"

There was some disbelief in Hongyu's eyes.

Practicing martial arts...

Was this easy!?

"Yes."

Reading books?

Li Xian really hadn't read many.

But he couldn't tell Hongyu that he was someone living a second life.

Something like that was far too inconceivable.

Not wanting to explain, he simply followed her reasoning. "You can understand it that way."

"Well..."

Hongyu looked dazed, as though she had suffered an unprecedented psychological blow.

"Is this what a one-in-ten-thousand martial genius is like?"

She thought of how she had trained diligently in martial arts since thirteen, spending one year on Bright Force and five on her tendons and bones. Compared with this Lijiang talent before her...

It was as though all that training had gone to the dogs.

Li Xian could not grasp what Hongyu was thinking. After a brief explanation, he went straight to the point and stated his purpose. "I noticed the hall has twenty or thirty disciples, but you're the only instructor. I wanted to ask whether you need a temporary instructor. I'd like to apply for a month. All I need is daily meals and a bowl of Eight-Treasure Soup."

"Instructor?"

Li Xian's words brought Hongyu back to her senses somewhat.

Her gaze settled on Li Xian.

Judging by how easily he had defeated her...

His combat strength was probably already comparable to a martial artist in Internal Organ Refinement, the fourth martial realm.

Once martial artists reached Internal Organ Refinement, they could already make a name for themselves in the martial world. They could also open halls and take disciples in the city, earning the honorific of martial master.

Most martial arts hall heads in the city were at this level.

Some hall heads were even old and feeble, having retired behind the scenes and relying solely on Tendon Transformation Realm disciples to uphold their halls' reputations, yet prospective disciples still came in an endless stream.

With his strength, Li Xian was more than qualified to apply as an instructor at the Dragon Spring Martial Arts Hall.

It was just...

"Is that not possible?"

Li Xian seemed to notice her hesitation and lowered his demands. "You don't have to provide daily meals. Just one serving of Eight-Treasure Soup each day will do."

"No, no."

Hongyu hastily waved her hands. "Young Master Li, I'd be delighted to have you join the hall. It's just... Master set off for Canglang Mountain early this morning to attend a grand martial gathering. He isn't in the city, and I can't make this decision myself..."

At this point, she seemed to realize something. "Wait! Is this because of the Eight-Treasure Soup? Master left instructions that whenever you come during this period, you can have a bowl."

"One bowl is a little too small a portion."

Li Xian answered honestly.

"You want two bowls?"

"If I'm allowed to replenish myself freely and use a secret technique to aid digestion, three bowls a day would be best."

"Three bowls!?"

Hongyu's eyes widened involuntarily.

Could he digest that?

A moment later, however, she made up her mind.

"Although Master isn't here, he entrusted the hall's affairs to me during this time. As long as you can digest it, I can promise you three bowls of Eight-Treasure Soup. As for becoming an instructor..."

Although Hongyu believed in Li Xian's strength, without her master's endorsement, she ultimately did not dare risk the Dragon Spring Martial Arts Hall's reputation.

Besides...

This Young Master Li also had a major problem hanging over him.

"Focus on your martial training for now. Draw your food and living expenses from the martial hall, and we'll discuss teaching once Master returns."

Hongyu said.

"All right."

With three bowls of Eight-Treasure Soup provided, Li Xian had already achieved his goal, and he would not even have to spend time teaching disciples.

"I'll tell Uncle Fu. Whenever you want Eight-Treasure Soup, just go straight over."

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me."

Hongyu looked at Li Xian, her eyes gleaming.

Only yesterday, Master had told her he did not know whether Li Xian could comprehend force within three months, let alone drive Vibrating Force into his bones to temper them.

She had never imagined...

This went far beyond bone tempering!

At this rate, he might actually reach Viscera Great Accomplishment in three months!

"When Master returns and hears this news, I wonder how he'll react."

She suddenly felt a little anticipation.

Moreover, the Lijiang Three Heroes, the strongest of the younger generation in Lijiang's martial arts circles, were at precisely this level. If Young Master Li really could reach this stage in three months...

He could truly be called a legend!

In letters, one of Lijiang's Four Great Talents, worthy of the name!

In martial arts, one of the Lijiang Four Heroes, in splendid robes astride a spirited steed!

And she... Hongyu!

Would be a firsthand witness to this legend!

Our first Alliance Leader is here! Thank you to First Calm Sword Zhi Chu for the Alliance Leader donation!

(End of chapter)