"You've been at the hall for some time now, and your stance training has laid a foundation. Today, I will formally teach you the Mountain-Breaking Fist."
Beneath the blazing midday sun, Zhao Zhong stood in the outer courtyard's training grounds, dressed in fitted black martial clothes, his hands clasped behind his back.
Not far away, several inner courtyard disciples had made a rare appearance, watching with keen interest.
At his words, the outer courtyard disciples immediately grew excited, craning their necks, their eyes shining.
"Before I teach you the Mountain-Breaking Fist, let me first explain what it is."
He paused, his voice suddenly deepening, taking on a solemn gravity:
"Stance training is the foundation of the martial path, but knowing only how to hold a stance doesn't count as practicing martial arts. Stance training develops your lower body and force, tempering the sinews, bones, and skin throughout your body. But what truly unleashes that force is martial skill, is fist technique!"
"A fist technique is a method of gathering all the force in your body into a single point and unleashing it in an instant!"
Before his words had faded, he suddenly punched.
The air seemed to tear apart, giving off a muffled blast.
Boom!
Over thirty feet away, the trunk of a locust tree as thick as a bowl's mouth shuddered violently. Its bark burst apart, wood chips scattered, and a fist imprint roughly an inch deep remained.
The disciples watched, dumbstruck, sucking in cold breaths.
Splintering wood with a punch from thirty feet away?
Was this the Mountain-Breaking Fist?
"The Mountain-Breaking Fist centers on one word: 'burst.'"
Zhao Zhong withdrew his fist, his expression calm, as though that punch had been nothing more than a casual gesture.
"Force snaps out like a bowstring, released and withdrawn in an instant, fierce and domineering, leaving nothing in reserve."
"The Mountain-Breaking Fist is the fist art paired with the Mountain-Breaking Stance. Its levels of mastery are, in order: Entry, Minor Achievement, major attainment, perfection, and the Transformation Realm!"
"An ordinary person can reach Entry after several months of practice. Minor Achievement requires a year or two of unremitting diligence, major attainment takes a dozen or more years, and perfection takes several decades."
"Of course, nothing is absolute. The speed of martial cultivation varies from person to person. Those with exceptional aptitude and extraordinary comprehension fall outside these bounds."
Zhao Zhong shifted the subject, his voice deepening once again:
"The martial path is as vast as the sea. Do you know that the martial methods and skills in this world are also divided into ranks?"
The entire grounds instantly fell silent.
Everyone held their breath and pricked up their ears.
Zhao Zhong raised one finger and slowly said, "Cultivation methods have four grades. From highest to lowest, they are Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Each grade is further divided into upper, middle, and lower tiers."
He pointed at himself, his tone level yet carrying a trace of pride:
"The Mountain-Breaking Stance and its accompanying Mountain-Breaking Fist taught by our Zhao Clan Martial Hall are both mid Yellow Grade."
A faint stir immediately rose among the disciples below.
Quite a few exchanged glances.
Mid Yellow Grade?
That sounded... rather unimpressive.
Zhao Zhong snorted coldly.
That snort cracked like thunder, instantly drowning out every whisper.
"Do you think it's merely a trifling mid Yellow Grade?"
No one answered.
But quite a few lowered their heads, plainly admitting it through their silence.
"You can't see beyond the ends of your noses!"
Zhao Zhong abruptly raised his voice, the force within it making everyone's eardrums buzz.
"Though Huang Rank methods are the lowest ranked, they are still the foundation countless martial artists dream of securing for themselves! How many people in this world can't even reach the threshold of the martial path, much less possess the complete inheritance of a cultivation method?"
His sharp gaze swept across every face as he enunciated each word:
"A complete mid Yellow Grade cultivation method, out in the world..."
He deliberately drew out his words, pausing before delivering the rest heavily:
"Would require a small lineage to empty its entire fortune just to obtain it!"
Those words were like a basin of cold water poured over everyone's heads.
Everyone's heart jolted, and the dismissiveness on their faces vanished without a trace.
His expression grave, Zhao Zhong continued, "The higher a method's grade, the harder it is to cultivate. Only those with extraordinary talent and exceptional aptitude can learn it. If someone of ordinary aptitude insists on practicing a high-grade method, they will only get half the results for twice the effort, progressing slowly, perhaps never advancing an inch their entire lives!"
He paused, his tone softening slightly, though it remained serious:
"Your master isn't saying this to frighten you. Though Huang Rank methods aren't highly ranked, their strength lies in their low threshold for Entry. They suit most martial practitioners and are the first choice for entering the martial path."
"The same holds true for cultivation methods and martial skills alike. You must never set your ambitions higher than the heavens, reaching beyond your grasp and blindly pursuing high-grade methods."
"Take the Mountain-Breaking Fist, for instance. Though it is mid Yellow Grade, I began practicing it in my youth. More than thirty years have passed, yet I've only barely reached perfection."
At these words.
The entire grounds erupted!
"What?"
"More than thirty years just to reach perfection?"
"Master Zhao is a Transforming Force expert! He's a figure of standing even in Qingshan County! Even he has only reached perfection?"
"Then how difficult must it be to cultivate a martial skill to the Transformation Realm..."
The disciples' eyes widened, their faces filled with disbelief.
Zhao Zhong's expression did not change as he quietly waited for the discussion to subside.
Just then, someone in the crowd gathered the courage to ask:
"Master Zhao, then how long would it take to cultivate the Mountain-Breaking Fist to the Transformation Realm?"
Zhao Zhong fell silent for a moment.
Only after a long while did he slowly speak, his voice low and complex:
"The Transformation Realm... is a realm you can encounter, but cannot seek."
His tone carried some wistfulness and yearning:
"Reaching the Transformation Realm in a martial skill isn't something hard practice alone can accomplish. In that realm, intent resides within the fist, and spirit within the intent. Every movement contains the ultimate principles of the fist art. Even I am still one step short of crossing that threshold."
He sighed and shook his head:
"As far as I know, the people in all of Qingshan County who have cultivated a Huang Rank martial skill to the Transformation Realm can be counted on one hand. Every one of them displayed extraordinary talent from childhood, and all gained their understanding through fortuitous circumstances."
Below the platform, not even a crow or sparrow could be heard.
No one spoke, complex feelings welling up in their hearts.
Cultivating a martial skill to the Transformation Realm... was actually this difficult?
Even an expert like Master Zhao had failed to reach it?
Something stirred within Jiang Fa.
He thought of his panel.
[Heaven rewards diligence; Learning Inevitably Bears Fruit]
Others need particular opportunities and comprehension to cultivate a martial skill to the Transformation Realm...
But I don't. As long as I have the panel, no matter the martial skill, everything will fall into place naturally if I practice hard.
For me, the Transformation Realm is merely a matter of practicing a few more times.
As that thought arose, his heartbeat involuntarily quickened, and a trace of burning light flashed through his eyes.
Zhao Zhong composed himself, his expression turning serious once more.
He clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back:
"All right, enough talk. Today, I'll personally demonstrate the Mountain-Breaking Fist for you. Watch carefully!"
With that, he slowly walked to the center of the raised platform, set his feet shoulder-width apart, lowered his waist and hips, and bent his knees slightly. His entire center of gravity sank, like an ancient pine rooted in the earth for centuries.
He drew a deep breath, his chest swelling, then slowly exhaled.
The next instant.
Zhao Zhong moved!
His right fist pushed straight forward, seemingly slow, yet carrying the force of a thousand jun!
Where his fist swept past, the air seemed to warp under the pressure, giving off a low, muffled boom like a huge boulder plunging into a deep pool!
The disciples below felt an invisible wave of air rush into their faces, their robes snapping loudly!
Immediately afterward, Zhao Zhong twisted, smashing his left fist down from above! That punch was heavy and powerful, its momentum so fierce that it seemed as though an entire mountain had truly been shattered by his fist! The wind of his punch howled, sweeping the dust on the ground into a spreading ring!
"Hah!"
Zhao Zhong shifted his feet and suddenly surged forward like a fierce tiger that had long been gathering its strength!
His shoulder and elbow moved together as an Iron Mountain Lean slammed into the air before him!
Bang!
A muffled airburst exploded!
The disciples below felt an invisible gust of force strike their faces, its pressure briefly choking their breath. Several in the front row even involuntarily retreated half a step!
Every movement flowed naturally into the next, without the slightest hitch.
Zhao Zhong's movements grew faster and faster, the wind from his fists fiercer and fiercer.
The Mountain-Breaking Fist had eighteen forms in total. Every form was plain and unadorned, without any flashy techniques, yet every punch conveyed an utterly domineering sense of power!
At times like a massive hammer smashing stone, at times like a raging dragon emerging from the sea, at times like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, every move carried the momentum to crush rotten wood and sweep away withered branches!
When he finished the final form, withdrew his fists, and stood still.
The entire grounds were deathly silent.
Everyone stood stunned, unable to recover for a long time.
Only after several breaths did someone abruptly snap out of it, unleashing thunderous applause and cheers:
"Bravo!!"
"Master Zhao is mighty!"
"Incredible!"
The outer courtyard disciples watched with their blood boiling, itching to immediately copy his movements and perform the sequence themselves!
Some had even begun secretly mimicking him, their arms waving haphazardly through the air.
The few inner courtyard disciples had long since put away their playful expressions as well, their gazes focused and their faces serious.
Only Jiang Fa's expression remained blank.
His attention turned inward, and the panel appeared in his mind.
[Mountain-Breaking Fist (mid Yellow Grade) · Entry (0/200)]
Just now, after Zhao Zhong finished demonstrating the Mountain-Breaking Fist, all manner of information about it had flooded into his mind.
Every movement of the fist art, the footwork and breathing while circulating his power, seemed engraved in his mind.
On the training grounds, Zhao Zhong's expression was unchanged, his breathing as steady as ever, as though that fierce, domineering fist sequence had been nothing more than a casual effort.
He pressed his hands downward, signaling for silence.
"The Mountain-Breaking Fist may look simple, but every form contains its own distinct technique for exerting force and its own breathing rhythm.
For a beginner, performing the complete sequence is already no easy feat. Reaching Minor Achievement takes at least six months to a year."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly:
"Of course, there are exceptions."
With that, his gaze settled on Qin Xuan at the very front of the outer courtyard ranks.
"Qin Xuan, come forward."
Everyone's gaze instantly focused on Qin Xuan.
Qin Xuan froze slightly, then stepped out of the ranks.
After just over a month of daily stance training and tempering, his physique was no longer as frail as when he first entered the hall. Instead, a faint hint of lean strength had emerged.
His steps were steady as he walked, his back straight, already showing the faint beginnings of a martial artist's bearing.
"How much of the Mountain-Breaking Fist I just demonstrated have you memorized?"
Zhao Zhong asked, a hint of appraisal in his eyes.
Qin Xuan considered briefly, then replied, "Master Zhao, this disciple has memorized seventy to eighty percent."
At these words.
Another stir swept through the grounds!
"Seventy to eighty percent? He's boasting, isn't he?"
"I only remembered the first five forms..."
Amid the whispers, some were envious, some doubtful, and some shook their heads inwardly.
Zhao Zhong, however, nodded in satisfaction, approval showing in his eyes. "In that case, demonstrate it before everyone. Perform as much as you can. Don't force yourself."
"Yes."
Qin Xuan cupped his fist in salute, then turned and walked toward the center of the raised platform.