Chapter 25 : Chapter 25
Chapter 25. Thunder-Running Fist
Next, he entered one of the quiet rooms. The space inside was small, only enough for a single person to move around in.
Xu Yuan sat down cross-legged and, after a moment of thought, opened the fist manual that had been distributed earlier.
“Thunder-Running Fist focuses on practical combat. Long chops, short strikes—swift, fierce, and ever-changing. Hard, violent, fast, and ruthless… when practiced to a profound level, it can split steles and shatter stone!”
As Xu Yuan flipped through the Thunder-Running Fist manual in his hands, he became more and more absorbed, as if his whole body and mind had sunk into it.
“This Thunder-Running Fist may not be some top-tier martial technique, but it suits my taste quite well.”
After a long while, Xu Yuan had already memorized the entire set of techniques. He then began imitating it move by move, practicing several rounds.
His exceptional physical talent soon began to show its effect. Before long, he felt warmth building in his hands.
[Skill: Taiji Boxing Drill (Major Mastery 1%) Stone Platform Stance (Minor Mastery 3%) Thunder-Running Fist (Beginner 1%)]
[Aptitude: 8 (Extraordinary Bones)]
“The fist technique has been recorded.”
Xu Yuan wiped away his sweat, delighted.
This fist technique actually demanded fairly high comprehension. With his original aptitude, he likely would not have been able to record it even after an entire night.
“So this is the overall change brought by improved talent. For all cultivation methods that require comprehension and physical ability, the efficiency of practice has increased by who knows how many times.”
Xu Yuan’s eyes shone. After practicing another set of fist techniques, he reinforced his stance training as well, fully refining all the medicinal power from earlier. His Qi and blood increased noticeably, leaving his body warm all over, like a little furnace.
“With this kind of accumulation over time, even without actively circulating Qi and blood, a martial artist’s physical functions can far surpass those of ordinary people.”
“And I am only at the One-Meridian Realm. If I reach the Four-Meridian Realm, the Six-Meridian Realm, or even the level of the Extraordinary Meridians, how far will the body be strengthened? It would probably no longer even count as human.”
After a moment of wonder, Xu Yuan examined the meridians within his body again.
“Next, I need to gradually guide my Qi and blood into the Du Meridian. Once it has been tempered to the limit, when no further progress can be made, I will touch the bottleneck of the Second Meridian.”
“And the Thunder-Running Fist must also be trained to Beginner. I want both!”
He had already calculated things out. At present, he still had some silver on hand, so he did not need to worry about cultivation resources for the time being.
Vein-Nourishing Powder and Blood-Activating Pills worked best together, but they were expensive. Most people probably only used Blood-Activating Pills alone and took Vein-Nourishing Powder only occasionally.
Even then, one tael of silver was barely enough.
Xu Yuan shook his head, deeply feeling the truth of it.
Martial arts training tempered the body, but what it truly burned through was money.
Only after managing a household did one understand how costly daily necessities were. Once Xu Yuan broke through to the Second Meridian or Third Meridian in the future, this large sum of money on him likely would not last long.
Still, he felt no reluctance. Money was meant to be spent—especially when it was spent on himself. The cultivation gained from it was tangible and real.
As for what to do when the money ran out, he would deal with it then. When the cart reached the mountain, there would always be a road.
By the time Xu Yuan came out, night had already grown deep. The cold wind drilled straight into his neck, but his expression did not change as he returned to the dormitory.
By then, Tian Yang had also returned. As soon as he saw Xu Yuan enter, he hurried over and said in a low voice, “Brother Yuan, I heard about what happened this afternoon. So, what do you think? Should we teach that brat a lesson?”
As early as their days in the outer courtyard, Tian Yang had already known what kind of person Chen Sanli was—greedy for petty advantages, quick to change sides with the wind, and mediocre in talent. Beating him up would come with no guilt at all.
Xu Yuan shook his head. It was only a small matter, and there was no need to blow it up. He rubbed his stomach, feeling a bit hungry after training.
“At this hour, I wonder if there is still any late-night food left?”
“Yes. I already checked. The dining hall closes at xu time, so if we go now, there should still be leftovers,” Tian Yang replied, clearly craving food as well.
The two of them had just stepped out of the dormitory when the others began returning one after another. When they learned the two were going to eat, Chen Sanli could not help but remark, “Brother Xu is only going now? Could it be you just did not want to eat with us earlier?”
Xu Yuan looked up at him. Before he could speak, Tian Yang cut in first.
“He did not want to eat with you. So what? Is it any of your business?”
Chen Sanli touched his nose and still smiled cheerfully. “It is nothing really. We are all in the same dormitory. Everyone just wants to get along better, that is all.”
The implication was clear—everyone else was acting together, but you alone would not join in. Did that mean you looked down on the others?
Xu Yuan merely glanced at him, said nothing, and left with Tian Yang, who still seemed ready to keep arguing.
When they ran into Li Shan, they exchanged greetings.
“Brother Xu, you are only going to eat now?” Li Shan asked curiously.
“Yes, I just finished training and got hungry.”
After that brief exchange, the two sides headed off in different directions.
Xiao Sheng gave them a friendly smile, while Wang Huan only glanced at Xu Yuan before entering the dormitory on his own.
“Hah, Wang Huan really puts on airs.”
Tian Yang was clearly displeased and muttered, “What good is talent? Maybe he will get stuck at the First Meridian forever and never advance another step…”
“That is enough. Let us eat first.” Xu Yuan shook his head at him.
The Formal Martial Artists had a large dining hall of their own. As for the outer courtyard, that one was specifically for the trainees and the martial instructors who taught them.
Most other martial artists ate in this dining hall. The food here was much better than when they had been servants—there was meat and vegetables, plenty of oil and richness, and after finishing, one could even get more.
The price was also much cheaper than the restaurants outside, counting as an internal discount.
After eating and drinking their fill, the two returned to the dormitory. Once they had washed up, they each lay on their beds and chatted casually.
Just then, a pattering sound suddenly came from outside.
It had begun to rain.
Chen Sanli’s expression changed, and he sat bolt upright. “Damn it, I forgot to bring in the clothes I hung out to dry!”
He immediately turned to Li Shan. “Brother Li, do me a favor and bring them in for me, will you? I banged my leg this afternoon, so it is really inconvenient.”
Li Shan was wrapped in his blanket and said irritably, “Why do you not go yourself? I already told you earlier that it might rain tonight.”
Chen Sanli smiled awkwardly. “I really did hurt it. It hurts badly. Please, Brother Li, help me out in an emergency!”
Li Shan glared at him for a long while before finally climbing out of bed unwillingly. “You really are a lot of trouble.”
Muttering to himself, he wrapped his clothes tighter and rushed into the rain. Soon, he brought back Chen Sanli’s soaked clothes, while he himself shivered from the cold.
Although he had become a martial artist and had Qi and blood to protect his body, the cold winter rain was still unpleasant.
Chen Sanli thanked him over and over, pouring out a basketful of flattering words.
Not long after, Chen Sanli suddenly got up again to go to the latrine. A short while later, he ran back in, shivering so hard that hissing sounds kept escaping his mouth as he quickly crawled back under the blanket.
But he failed to shut the door tightly. A gust of cold wind roared through and blew the door open, flooding the entire room with icy air.
Li Shan was awakened by the cold at once. Seeing that it was Chen Sanli again, he flew into a rage. “Didn’t you shut the damn door properly again?!”
“Sorry, sorry. I came back too quickly and forgot. Brother Li, please trouble yourself to close it again. Thanks!”
Chen Sanli smiled apologetically at him, and with just a few nice words, Li Shan’s anger quickly subsided.
“Honestly, be more careful…”
Li Shan cursed under his breath as he went to close the door. For the first time, he felt a little regret over being so nice to him. The man spent all day thinking about how to exploit little openings.
The others in the dormitory merely smiled faintly at the scene and teased a little, not taking it to heart.
Xu Yuan watched coldly and said nothing. If he had compromised with Chen Sanli today, this treatment might have become his own.
Shaking his head, he no longer paid attention to them. Turning over, he recalled the sensations from practicing the Thunder-Running Fist earlier. Soon, his eyelids grew heavy, and he fell asleep.
…
The next morning,
the group of six went neatly together to the dining hall and finished breakfast.
At the fork between the training ground and the dormitory, Li Shan saw Xu Yuan turn toward the training ground and could not help asking,
“Brother Xu, you are starting training already?”
“Mhm.”
“No way, Brother Xu. We only just became martial artists, and we have not even rested for a few days. You are already pushing yourself this hard? There has to be a balance between work and rest,” Chen Sanli could not help saying.