Chapter 417 - 296: Progress 2

It felt like soaking in a hot spring after a long, exhausting day.

’The medicinal effect is pretty good. It relieves fatigue, replenishes energy, and repairs the body... Just one pill provides far more nutrients than the basic Secret Medicine from the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall back then. It’s almost on par with the Hundred Beasts Fist’s Secret Medicine after it was fused with Rare Beast Materials. Is it that this world is of a higher level, so the efficacy of the medicinal ingredients it produces is also stronger?’

After trying the Blood Strengthening Pill, Zhao Xuanqi nodded slightly, not particularly surprised.

To be honest, for him right now, these basic supplements weren’t very effective. After all, he still had a massive amount of Life Primordial Qi stored in the Rebirth Jade that he hadn’t used. This small supplement was just a drop in the ocean in comparison.

Putting down the small bottle, Zhao Xuanqi turned his gaze to the small black box. This was what he was truly interested in.

He took the small black box in his hand and opened the lid. A blood-red Seal Paste was revealed, and a faint, metallic scent of blood wafted out.

’Made from the blood of some creature?’

Zhao Xuanqi’s throat bobbed. He felt a slight urge to taste it, but considering there wasn’t much of the Seal Paste, he gave up on the idea.

Next, he was going to truly test the power of a Technique.

He dipped his finger into the Cinnabar. With nimble movements, taking not even a single breath’s time, he drew the talismanic body of the Blood Qi Rune Technique on his palm.

The moment the final stroke of the talisman was complete, he clearly felt a strange resonance between the Cinnabar, the heavens and earth, and his own body.

The talismanic body of the Technique seemed to have touched upon some law of the universe, producing a peculiar effect.

’So that’s how it works...’

The instant he finished drawing the talismanic body of the Technique, Zhao Xuanqi felt the changes in his body and immediately began to understand the principle behind activating a Technique.

All things possess Primordial Qi, and the human body also has latent Life Primordial Qi. However, ordinary people can’t perceive or manipulate it, let alone manifest it outside their bodies.

But upon reaching the Divine General realm, the Baihui Acupoint opens. This is equivalent to opening a major gateway in the body, which not only allows the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to flow in but also enables the body’s own Primordial Qi to be directly manifested.

The talismanic body of the Technique, inscribed on the body with Cinnabar or Qi and Blood, is like temporarily opening a small breach in the body. This allows the body’s Primordial Qi to be released through this opening in a specific way, affecting the outside world.

After completing the Technique’s talisman, Zhao Xuanqi could feel the Primordial Qi in his body flowing along with his Qi and Blood, draining out of his body through the talisman on his palm.

’It’s just as the Dharma Transmission Steward said. Once the Technique is formed, it constantly consumes your Physical Ability. With this body’s current stamina, just keeping the Technique active without doing anything would lead to exhaustion in less than half an hour. In less than an hour, my life would probably be in danger. The intensity is almost equivalent to a continuous slow jog.’

Zhao Xuanqi tested it for a moment, then squatted slightly and made a palm-striking motion.

He could feel a slight increase in the Primordial Qi dissipating from the Technique.

Then, he bent his knees slightly, generating power from his feet. The force traveled up through his body, link by link, and was transmitted to his palm.

CRACK!!

The sound of a sonic boom echoed. This was the "single-crack" technique from the Secret Martial Dao.

This time, Zhao Xuanqi felt a significant increase in the Primordial Qi dissipating from his body, but the effect was still limited.

’Interesting, very interesting. Force and Physical Ability are both driven by the body’s Primordial Qi, but the most important factor should be Qi and Blood. In that case...’

Zhao Xuanqi’s expression hardened, and his will spread throughout his body.

THUMP! THUMP!!

His heart began to pound violently. His Qi and Blood surged, and under his deliberate control, they rushed toward his palm.

This manipulation of Qi and Blood was somewhat similar to the Cross-Training Qi Surge from the Secret Martial Dao of his past. However, under the control of a peak expert like Zhao Xuanqi, the convergence and eruption of his Qi and Blood would only be stronger.

He thrust his palm forward!

BOOM!!

A muffled boom resounded. The air in the room swirled, causing the clothes on the rack to billow up. The instant Zhao Xuanqi unleashed his Palm Force, the Technique on his palm erupted with a bloody light. The Life Primordial Qi was stimulated, enveloping his hand and then exploding outward as he struck.

With his powerful body control, he had directly surpassed the threshold of the Blood Strengthening realm that Hua Guangcan had spoken of!

HUFF! HUFF! HUFF!

After unleashing that one strike, a look of slight surprise appeared on Zhao Xuanqi’s face. He was breathing a little heavily; that single attack had consumed nearly half of his stamina.

In his previous life in the world of Divine Generals, even with his perfect control, it would have been impossible to kill someone with a single palm strike of brute force using a body of this strength. But now, by activating a Technique to mobilize his body’s Primordial Qi, this still-frail body could unleash a strike that concentrated the better part of his Physical Ability into his palm. A direct hit would instantly cave in an ordinary person’s chest, killing them on the spot.

’This explosive power...’

Zhao Xuanqi’s expression was focused. Before reaching the Divine General realm, the burst from any Secret Martial Dao Technique was hardly comparable to the burst from this world’s Techniques.

’Fortunately, it’s only a difference in how efficiently power is used. This world’s application of power is more advanced, but the essence of the power is the same. Whether it’s these new Techniques or the old martial Techniques, their essence is powerful Physical Ability. This is probably why, even though these new Techniques are widespread, Cultivators are still called ’Martial Artists’ in this world, isn’t it?’

’If that’s the case, it strengthens my resolve to continue on the path of the Hundred Beasts Fist. At the very least, I must carry on its core philosophy: a powerful body is the foundation of everything...’

A sharp glint flashed in Zhao Xuanqi’s eyes.

If he used the Hundred Beasts Fist in this world, he would undoubtedly become even stronger.

He then picked up another Blood Strengthening Pill, swallowed it, and began to recover his spent Physical Ability.

’However, these Techniques have a few weaknesses. One is that they need to be drawn on the spot. In a duel between experts, a single blink can decide life and death. Another is the reliance on Cinnabar. I wonder what the effect would be if I used my own blood.’

He pondered for a moment, then stood up again. He bit his finger, letting the blood flow, and quickly drew the Blood Qi Talisman Technique on his palm.

Soon, the Technique was drawn, but Zhao Xuanqi could clearly feel that its effect was much weaker than before.

If he had to make an analogy, the Cinnabar had opened a thumb-sized hole in his body, while his own Qi and Blood had only opened one the size of his little finger. The amount of Primordial Qi they could release wasn’t on the same level.

’Hmm, the effect of blood is a bit worse, but as I grow stronger, it will eventually surpass the Cinnabar. Besides, using blood might solve the problem of the Technique’s long drawing time.’

Zhao Xuanqi wiped the Technique from his palm. Then, with a flicker in his eyes, he suddenly bit the tip of his tongue.

PFFT!!!

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed onto his palms, spattering them in a chaotic, star-like pattern.

But in the next moment, he slammed his palms together.

CLAP!

A soft clap echoed. A Martial Arts Expert, had one been present, would have seen the muscles on his palms ripple like water. Then, he pulled his hands apart. On both his left and right palms, a Blood Qi Rune, condensed from blood, was clearly visible. The entire process, from spitting the blood to the Technique’s appearance, took less than half a breath—it was over in the blink of an eye.

This was an effect he achieved by controlling the muscles in his palms to a degree where they could repel water droplets like a lotus leaf, allowing him to shape the blood!

Although this body was incredibly frail, without the restrictions of any lingering will, his control over it hadn’t diminished in the slightest. It was still at the peak Grandmaster Level!

If Hua Guangcan had been there to witness such a feat, his jaw would have probably dropped to the floor.

’This way, the Technique’s weaknesses are minimized. Not bad, not bad at all.’

Zhao Xuanqi nodded in satisfaction.

Who bothers with proper Seal Formations anyway!

’Next, I need to use the Life Primordial Qi in the Rebirth Jade to increase my strength as quickly as possible and learn more about these Techniques. Hmm, restoring my cultivation to the realms before the Thirty-Six Celestial Spirit Acupoints is relatively easy. As long as I have enough Life Primordial Qi, there won’t be many obstacles. I should be able to return to the Cross-Training realm of the Hundred Beasts Fist within seven days, and recover to the peak of Cross-Training within a month.’

Zhao Xuanqi mused to himself.