Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chapter 12 "Practice!"

Chen Zhan wasn't in a hurry. He didn't know what changes altering his fate would cause to his body, and he certainly wouldn't be able to do it on the street.

Continuing to wander through the streets and alleys, Chen Zhan was completely unfamiliar with the layout of Tianjin a hundred years ago, but fortunately there were many rivers. Tianjin was an important shipping town, and walking along the river would lead him to bustling areas.

He couldn't find any fancy clubs or restaurants where he could register his identity.

He's quite far from the location of the crime, so it seems there's no warrant for his arrest yet.

I could only find a random inn and ask for a single room.

The place is called "Shunda Inn". It is a single-story brick and wood structure with simple facilities inside, including a bed and a table. The common areas include a courtyard and a kitchen, where simple tea is provided.

Meals are at your own expense.

It suits him perfectly; he has no identification, but a few extra copper coins are all it takes to settle things.

calmly.

Chen Zhan set up an old stump in the Three-Body Stance inside the house, and his slightly excited aura immediately calmed down.

My thoughts sank into the sea of ​​consciousness.

[Fate: Short-lived Ghost - Black (Can be changed)]

As consciousness focused on 'can be altered', the handwriting became blurred, and the luck value rapidly decreased.

It gradually decreases from 60 points to 10 points, consuming 50 points of luck.

[Short-lived Ghost - Black] changes to [Short-lived Ghost - Gray]

Chen Zhan was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself: Damn, that's it? ???

What's the point of turning black into gray?

However, I soon felt a real change: I had more muscle, less pressure in my chest, and felt lighter.

Clench your fists and feel the control you have over your body.

Much better than before.

Chen Zhan looked at his sea of ​​consciousness again.

[Subject: Chen Zhan]

Age: 28

[World: Republic of China]

[Fate: Short-lived Ghost - Gray]

Lifespan: 108 days

[Ability: Fist Technique - Hidden Strength]

[Talent: Devouring Fate and Forging Destiny]

[Luck: 10 points]

Note 1: Due to illness, I can only perform at 80% of my full potential.

Note 2: Talent can steal luck, and destiny can be altered through luck!

Excellent. Lifespan increased by several dozen days, and strength went from being halved to being able to perform at 80%.

Although it only changed from black to gray, the recovery effect was quite good.

With one more change, it can unleash its full potential.

Chen Zhan is now twenty-eight years old, but he didn't reach the peak of Dark Force cultivation at the age of twenty-eight.

He had already developed internal strength by the age of twenty-one, and reached its peak three years later.

He then fell ill for three years, and his condition worsened instead of improving.

Chen Zhan often wondered if he would have already reached the level of mastery if he hadn't fallen ill.

But at this moment, he had a new idea.

What about internal strength? What about mastering it?

In the modern city, amidst the steel torrent, what can he do? At most, he can live a few years longer than the average person, or perform online, or spar with others to earn some money.

But is that what he wants?

Those who practice martial arts cannot do so without money, but if their goal is to make money, they will not achieve anything significant.

Because real kung fu is not as good as performance, and real fighting is not as good as fake fighting.

You study diligently day and night, oblivious to the heat and cold, but it's not as lucrative as a performance.

Over time, who will actually practice? Who will actually fight? Who will actually teach?

But now, everything has changed, he has been reborn, his circumstances are different, and the knots in his heart have been completely untied. Chen Zhan wants to know: is there a limit to martial arts, and what does it mean to reach the pinnacle?
Later generations often say that Sun Lutang, the Martial Saint, did not die, but instead went into seclusion to cultivate immortality.

While this explanation is somewhat far-fetched, it does have a degree of basis.
The reason why Master Sun's performance was so mysterious at the time was that it made people suspicious.

According to Sun Lutang's descendants, he predicted his death six months in advance. His family was shocked and forced him to go to the hospital for a checkup. However, the doctor said, "Mr. Sun's body shows no signs of illness and is even healthier than that of a young person."

Later, a renowned traditional Chinese medicine doctor was invited to consult on the case. The doctor said, "Mr. Sun's pulse is perfectly balanced, without the slightest flaw. This is the first time I have ever encountered such a good pulse."

The family was finally relieved.

Sun Lutang smiled and said, "I am in good health, but I will be guided by immortals and gods at that time, and I wish to take a trip."

That autumn, Sun Lutang suddenly returned to his hometown and stopped eating and drinking, spending his days practicing boxing and calligraphy. This state lasted for more than half a month.

By the morning of December 16th,
He told his family, "The gods have come to guide us," and told them to quickly burn paper money to welcome them.

He sat upright on the kang (a heated brick bed), facing southeast with his back to northwest.
He told his family not to cry, and said, "I regard life and death as a game."

His youngest daughter asked him, "Father, is there anything else you want to say?"
Sun Lutang only said one word: "Practice".

After saying that, he smiled and disappeared.

The way Sun Lutang died left a mystery for the martial arts world at that time and for generations to come.

Does this count as death?
No matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem like a natural death. The first six months seem more like a time to prepare the family psychologically and offer them comfort.

The last sentence is even more enigmatic, leaving much to the imagination.

"practice!"

What to practice?
Practicing boxing and martial arts? What's the point?

If one can only live to be over seventy if they have mastered martial arts to the level of Sun Lutang, then what is the point of "practicing"?
Chen Zhan had once searched through ancient books and read about the deeds of Master Sun in his youth. When he was around thirty years old, he traveled to famous mountains and rivers and lived in seclusion for two or three years. When he reappeared in the world, his martial arts had been greatly mastered, and he had entered the ranks of Sun Wudi.

No one knows exactly what they did or what they encountered during those years.

Therefore, Chen Zhan believed that Sun Lutang, the Martial Saint, could not possibly have simply passed away. He might not have ascended to the upper realm and become an immortal.

At the pinnacle of martial arts, if there is still a path forward, that is what Chen Zhan seeks!
Having worked without sleep for two nights, Chen Zhan was also quite tired. After standing in the stance for a while, he lay down directly on the hard wooden bed.

This is nothing unusual; it's normal for martial artists to use the sky as their blanket and the earth as their mat.

Chen Zhan slept soundly, oblivious to the turmoil outside, certain that it was impossible for them to find him within a few hours.

This is not the modern era.

The outside world was in turmoil, which Chen Zhan paid no attention to. He slept soundly for six hours, and when he woke up, it was already dark.

He had the ability to reverse day and night since childhood, and practicing martial arts under the stars and moon was a common occurrence for him.

I left the inn late at night and headed north along the river until I reached a sparsely populated area.

There was a willow grove by the river. Chen Zhan ventured deep into it and found a clearing.

It was a cold winter night, and no one wanted to come out, so he could do whatever he wanted since there was no one around.

He was extremely proficient in the stance training of the three major internal martial arts styles. After standing in the stance for a while, his body felt slightly warm, his chest vibrated, and he coughed twice.

Gradually, he became more active, his breathing became steady, and his body trembled slightly as he stood in the stance.

"Thunderous Sound Refines Marrow!"

The authentic marrow-refining method of Sun-style Tai Chi.

The human body is fragile; muscles, bones, and skin are easy to train, but internal organs and bone marrow are difficult to train.

Therefore, the ancestors of internal martial arts summarized various methods for cultivating internal organs and bone marrow.

The three stages of boxing skill: Ming Jin (manifest strength), An Jin (hidden strength), and Hua Jin (neutralizing strength).
The three levels of principle: refining essence into qi, refining qi into spirit, and refining spirit to return to emptiness.
Three training methods: Bone Strengthening, Tendon Strengthening, and Marrow Strengthening.

This was a summary by Sun Lutang, which was widely circulated in later generations, but it is unknown whether it has become popular today.

However, almost every major sect has its own method of marrow refining; at least the three major internal martial arts styles definitely have one.

Chen Zhan has already entered the stage of marrow refining. There are only two weak points on his body that have not yet been mastered by internal energy cultivation: the perineum and the crown of the head.

These are also some of the most difficult positions.

Although his mind was focused on marrow cultivation, he was always on alert for any disturbance.

A sudden gust of cold wind blew, and Chen Zhan's ears twitched. He leaped up and climbed a large willow tree.

"Chase after them, they went that way!"

The shouts from afar grew closer.

Chen Zhan held his breath and focused, becoming one with the darkness.

(End of this chapter)