Chapter 50 - 49: Six Harmonies Fist Entry Level

Chapter 50: Chapter 49: Six Harmonies Fist Entry Level

Physical talent was a broad and vague concept. For a Martial Cultivator, as long as the body had no hidden ailments, the bones were intact and sturdy, vitality and blood were abundant, and the body proportions were balanced, they were considered to have ordinary talent. If one was born with Divine Power, that would be top-tier aptitude, one in ten thousand. More often than not, however, talent lay hidden deep within the flesh and blood, difficult to measure. Only through day after day of tempering could the truth be revealed. Lu Jing’an belonged to this category.

After smoothly reaching the Entry Level of the Mountain-Breaking Fist, Lu Jing’an closed his eyes to focus his mind, carefully comprehending it. He could clearly feel the flesh and blood throughout his body like soil soaked in spring rain. They were silently adjusting and reshaping to adapt to the operational needs of the Fist Skill. This change was extremely subtle, impossible for outsiders to perceive. Only he could sense it. This was exactly the profound mystery brought about by the newly generated entry.

A moment later, Lu Jing’an opened his eyes and looked at Chen Xuan, his breath steady. "Master, were there any flaws?"

Chen Xuan shook his head, a barely perceptible trace of approval flashing in his eyes. "No flaws. Regulate your breath for a moment, and you can begin practicing the Thunder Shock Fist."

After a brief silence, Chen Xuan spoke with a serious tone, "Young Master, you must understand that once you begin, there is no turning back."

Lu Jing’an’s expression remained calm. "I understand."

After about half an hour of breath regulation, Lu Jing’an assumed his boxing stance once again. Completely different from the profound stability of the Mountain-Breaking Fist, the Thunder Shock Fist pursued a single word: speed. Extreme speed and explosive power generation. This meant that the Mountain-Breaking True Qi, originally as stable as a mountain, had to transition from extreme Stillness to extreme motion in an instant. The tearing force exerted on the meridians, flesh, and bones during this process was no less than death by a thousand cuts.

And this was only the standard for reaching the Entry Level of the Thunder Shock Fist, not the Entry Level of the Six Harmonies Fist. The Entry Level standard for the Six Harmonies Fist required True Qi to switch between motion and Stillness, hardness and softness at will, arriving with a single thought without any stagnation. This placed an even higher demand on the body. It was like accelerating a car from zero to a high speed of two hundred in one second, and then decelerating back to zero within another second. Furthermore, it afforded no preparation time whatsoever. At the same time, this cycle wasn’t just a single occurrence, but hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of times.

Following the Heart Method of the Thunder Shock Fist, Lu Jing’an struck out with the very first posture.

RIP!

As if countless fine blades were simultaneously scraping through the depths of his meridians, excruciating pain surged through his entire body like a tidal wave. Cold sweat instantly seeped from Lu Jing’an’s forehead, yet his boxing stance did not waver in the slightest. However, this pain only lasted for a short breath. The next moment, a warm and vigorous vitality naturally gushed forth from his limbs and bones. His flesh and blood independently adjusted, healed, and strengthened like living creatures. By the time he threw his second punch, the pain had completely vanished. Only his True Qi surged like lightning, flowing without obstruction.

After finishing one set, the Fist Intent had been formed. After another set, his True Qi could flow freely along with the momentum of his fists, motion and Stillness following his will. Lu Jing’an withdrew his stance and closed his eyes, clearly sensing that amid the alternation between high speed and Stillness, some deeply hidden talent in his body was being awakened bit by bit. The surging momentum of his vitality and blood was thirty percent faster than usual, and a faint sound of thunder hummed between his muscles and bones.

To the side, Chen Xuan watched silently, waves of emotion surging in his heart. Watching from the sidelines, Chen Xuan even felt a sense of unreality. He had seen geniuses before; in fact, he himself could be considered a genius in Fist Skills. From his perspective, he could manage reaching the Entry Level for one Fist Skill in a single practice run. But achieving the Entry Level for two Fist Skills in one run each was impossible for him. According to his own estimation, he would need at least three days. His disciple, who had only remembered to take up Martial Cultivation halfway through his life, possessed potential and talent even more exaggerated than he had anticipated. If one added his hard work and family background to the mix, Chen Xuan felt that his disciple’s future achievements might truly live up to the word "limitless." He even faintly felt that the resurgence of Martial Cultivators might rest upon his disciple’s shoulders.

The massive influx of Void World Firearms meant the first to bear the brunt of the impact were Martial Cultivators. Although Martial Cultivators who had crossed the Blood Barrier could effectively withstand the bullets of Void World guns, ordinary Martial Artists wanting to cross the Blood Barrier had to pay an enormous price and invest a massive amount of resources. These expenses were enough to buy over a dozen guns on the black market. With proper coordination, over a dozen guns could kill even a Martial Cultivator with a Broken Blood Barrier.

And this was only one aspect. The second reason was that, within the Cultivation System of Martial Cultivation, it had been a very long time since anyone had heard of a new Martial Cultivator appearing above the Mortal Realm. This led many to believe that the path forward for the Cultivation System of Martial Cultivation had been severed. If his disciple could break through the Mortal Realm, perhaps he could revitalize Martial Cultivators.

"Master?" Lu Jing’an’s voice pulled Chen Xuan back from his thoughts. Seeing his master’s distant gaze, he couldn’t help but ask, "Did I make a mistake in my Cultivation?"

Chen Xuan gathered his wits and slowly shook his head. "You practiced exceptionally well, Young Master. Does your body feel any discomfort?"

Lu Jing’an answered truthfully, "Except for the first stance, which felt like scraping bones, there were no hindrances afterward."

Chen Xuan nodded, his tone complex. "Your talent, Young Master, is even more astonishing than I imagined. Looking at it this way, the medicinal bath Doctor Cui prepared in advance will likely only serve as a supplementary aid. If you feel—"

"Master," Lu Jing’an interrupted him, his gaze clear and upright. "There’s no need to save silver coins for me. As long as it can improve my Cultivation and solidify my foundation, the medicinal bath must not stop. Unless there are better methods in the future, it won’t be too late to change then."

In the current state of the world, if the Lu Family were overthrown, having an abundance of wealth would be in vain. It would be better to convert it all into strength. Every additional ounce of strength meant an extra sliver of survival and a better chance at turning the tide.

Seeing his resolute gaze, Chen Xuan said no more and merely instructed, "Then we shall proceed as usual. Practicing Boxing for two hours, followed by a one-hour medicinal bath. However, the prescription may need to be adjusted in the future to enhance its effects of consolidating the foundation and cultivating vitality."

Lu Jing’an was about to agree when soft footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate. His personal maid, Orchid, approached with quick, small steps, stopping ten feet away to whisper, "Young Master, Ms. Wen Ling from the Anping Bureau has come to visit, saying she has an appointment with you."

Lu Jing’an withdrew his boxing stance and said, "Please ask Sister Wen Ling to wait for me in the east wing’s tearoom. I will be there shortly."

"Understood." Orchid acknowledged the order and withdrew.

After Orchid left, Lu Jing’an quickly bathed and changed his clothes. He changed into a bamboo-green summer cloth long gown before heading to the tearoom. Wen Ling was sitting quietly by the window, holding a white porcelain teacup in her hands. Her gaze was cast toward an old plum tree in the courtyard, her silhouette exuding a crisp and elegant charm. Hearing the footsteps, she turned her head, a faint smile rising at the corners of her lips.

"Sister Wen Ling, since you came in person, you should have let me send a carriage to pick you up," Lu Jing’an said as he lifted his robe and sat down, personally refilling her tea.

Wen Ling took a light sip and shook her head. "My trip here has likely already attracted attention. If I let you send a special carriage for me, I’m afraid outsiders would truly think the Anping Bureau has tied itself to the Lu Family."

Lu Jing’an’s hand holding the teapot paused slightly. He looked up and asked, "The Anping Bureau has branches in every city. Is there really not a single one involved with local factions?" ℯℯ𝘭.

"Naturally, there are," Wen Ling replied, putting down her teacup, her tone calm, "but their ends are usually not good."

"Why?" Lu Jing’an pressed.

Wen Ling answered, "Usually, when such a situation occurs, the Anping Bureau will cut ties immediately. Everyone involved will be expelled from the Anping Bureau. Losing the Anping Bureau’s protection, they become targets that anyone can attack. The Anping Bureau’s enemies aren’t just Demon Fiends and ghosts. There are also the cultists who worship those Demon Fiends. In the past, when they were within the Anping Bureau’s system, those people would have reservations and scruples about taking action. Now, without the protection of the Anping Bureau’s system, they naturally attack without any qualms."

Pausing for a moment, Wen Ling added, "Of course, even more people die from betting on the wrong horse. In this era, the ruling banners on the city walls change constantly. Who can guarantee that their bet is absolutely right?"

After hearing this, Lu Jing’an nodded in strong agreement. In these chaotic times, being able to stand independently and remain aloof from disputes like the Anping Bureau was a rare form of stability. Even if one couldn’t achieve great wealth and rank, keeping one’s life safe was the greatest blessing.

Lu Jing’an asked no more and took the light brown file portfolio Wen Ling had brought. The wax seal at the opening was still intact, and it felt slightly heavy to the touch. He tore open the sealing thread and took out a stack of files. Lu Jing’an’s gaze swept over the ink characters on the paper, and a thoughtful look gradually formed in his eyes. Ever since he had gained benefits from that Tiger Demon, he had harbored the thought of finding another Demon Beast to hone his skills. But the prerequisite was that the risks had to be within his control.