Douluo Continent: From Internal Martial Arts to the Law of Heaven and Earth

Snapped!

Xue Qinghe gritted her teeth and raised her sword to strike upwards. The wooden sword collided with the palm blade. With a dull thud, an incomparably powerful force came through the wooden sword. Her arm went numb, and her body involuntarily retreated rapidly, leaving shallow imprints on the blue bricks beneath her feet.

Tang Shan moved with lightning speed, his right arm swinging out like a steel whip, the bulging muscles crackling and exploding with a resounding crack! The force multiplied, increasing dramatically. At the same time, his left hand moved like a venomous snake, his fingertips gripping Xue Qinghe's shoulder.

clap clap!

Xue Qinghe spun rapidly, her body swaying sideways like a willow catkin, barely dodging the left hand's grab, and then blocked with her wooden sword once more. This time, an even more violent force surged forth like a tidal wave, forcing her to retreat three steps.

Tang Shan did not press his advantage, but waited for Xue Qinghe to catch her breath before launching another attack. With each punch and kick, his will was firmly locked onto his opponent. Xue Qinghe felt the air around her freeze, as if she were being watched by an ancient god. Every punch and every palm strike carried a deadly killing intent, making her dare not relax for a moment.

The essence of sparring lies in striking the right balance; one cannot be too lax, leaving the opponent with nothing to gain, nor too ruthless, forcing an unexpected attack. If Tang Shan had not already entered the Dan Jin realm and attained a state of perfect control over his internal energy, it would have been extremely difficult for him to apply just the right amount of pressure to Xue Qinghe.

Of course, he also had a backup plan—he didn't force Xue Qinghe into a state of self-forgetfulness. After all, martial spirits exist in this world, and if he accidentally unleashed something like angel wings or a purple spirit ring, things would get interesting.

He was confident he would survive, but he also knew that he would most likely never be as carefree as he was now.

Their figures intertwined, fists clashed, and swords struck, the clanging sounds of their attacks ringing out incessantly. Tang Shan and Xue Qinghe's figures drew closer and then separated.

The continuous high-speed sparring caused Xue Qinghe's blood and qi to surge like boiling water. Her pores, which she had deliberately kept closed, were burning hot, as if heat was about to burst out of her skin. She knew that once her pores opened, her strength would be lost with the sweat, and her morning training would have to end there.

Just then, Tang Shan keenly sensed the subtle fluctuations in Xue Qinghe's blood and qi, as well as the burgeoning power within his bones and muscles. A glint flashed in his eyes, and his figure suddenly shot up, unleashing a terrifying aura like a tsunami. At the same time, a roar echoed through the courtyard: "Step! Stomp! Forward thrust!"

The sound was like a morning bell and evening drum, or a sudden, sharp rebuke, instantly clearing Xue Qinghe's mind.

Seeing Tangshan rushing towards them with overwhelming force, before the brain could even react, the body moved instinctively—

With a sudden stomp of his right leg, his foot landed heavily on the ground with a thud! Amidst the dull sound, a surge of energy erupted from the Yongquan acupoint, flowing like a dragon up his calf and thigh, converging into the Dantian Qihai. The energy then split into two paths: one rushing upwards to the Tanzhong acupoint, and the other sinking downwards to the coccyx.

Immediately afterwards, Xue Qinghe's heel trembled violently, and crack! The blue brick beneath his feet cracked, and his tailbone felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer. A powerful force surged up his spine, and with a crackling sound, his spine straightened instantly, like a fully drawn bowstring. The muscles in his waist, abdomen, and thoracic spine tensed up abruptly, and all the strength in his body gathered in his spine at this moment, then flowed down his shoulders and into his arms.

Brush and pull!

A piercing sound suddenly rang out, and the wooden sword in Xue Qinghe's hand transformed into an extreme silver rainbow. Almost the instant the force was gathered, the tip of the sword was already at Tang Shan's face.

Tang Shan's expression remained unchanged. He suddenly clenched his left hand, and with a loud thud, the muscles in his entire arm bulged instantly. His latissimus dorsi muscles spread out like wings, the clear muscle lines coiling like a dragon, every inch of muscle exerting its power wildly. Then, he lowered his stance and delivered a simple, unadorned straight punch, carrying immense force, directly to meet the wooden sword.

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Chapter 176 "Guiding" Xue Qinghe, Searching for Inner Emotion

The fist clashed with the wooden sword, and the result was unexpected.

Card wipe!

A crisp cracking sound rang out as the wooden sword shattered inch by inch, starting from the blade, sending wood chips flying everywhere. Tangshan's iron fist, however, remained relentless, advancing inch by inch.

The sword's edge shattered, then the blade, and finally the hilt. When Tang Shan's palm was less than a millimeter away from Xue Qinghe's sword-wielding hand, the force suddenly subsided, and his figure instantly retreated to a standing position.

Xue Qinghe remained in the thrusting posture, lost in thought, savoring the exhilarating feeling of his body being completely connected, his power perfectly transmitted, and then thrusting forward with all his might.

After a long while, she finally let out a long breath: "Now I understand what Ming Jin is."

"We can't be careless just because we managed to do it by chance. The most important thing now is to turn this kind of accidental situation into the norm."

Tang Shan walked up behind Xue Qinghe and said, "Your Highness, please try again."

Xue Qinghe nodded, his foot striking the ground again, the force transmitting layer by layer. Thanks to the smooth feeling remaining in his muscles, the force successfully traveled to his spine. However, this time the force stopped abruptly at his lumbar vertebrae, leaving Xue Qinghe with a stifling, unsatisfying sensation.

Fortunately, Tang Shan was prepared. With a gentle pat of his large, warm palm, the force continued to flow. He didn't let go immediately, but instead pushed upwards along with the force.

Card wipe!

As his spine naturally adjusted, Xue Qinghe felt the hairs on his body stand on end, and a surge of energy stirred within him.

call!

This time, he didn't have a wooden sword in his hand, but he brought his index and middle fingers together and suddenly thrust forward, and a faint sound of air being cut rang out again.

"One more time!"

Tang Shan's voice was deep, his hot breath carrying a faint warmth as it gently brushed against the back of Xue Qinghe's slender neck. Goosebumps instantly rose on her delicate skin, and a tingling sensation shot up her spine to the top of her head, causing her to tremble slightly and even slow down the flow of her energy.

She dared not hesitate, forcibly suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, and her strength erupted once more. However, whether it was due to the influence of Tang Shan's breathing just now, or because her condition had begun to decline after continuously unleashing Ming Jin, this time, the strength only barely reached her tailbone before it could not go any further.

Tang Shan frowned. The position was indeed a bit awkward, but he didn't hesitate for long. He put his two fingers together, gathered a wisp of strength, and suddenly lightly touched Xue Qinghe's coccyx.

hiss!

Caught off guard, Xue Qinghe gasped. The touch of the fingertip carried just the right amount of pressure—not a stinging pain, but a warm, tingling sensation that shot through her entire body like an electric current, centered on the point of contact. Her pores tightened instantly, and her previously restless and scattered energy gathered in a rush.

Snapped!

The fist struck out with a resounding crack, the bones and muscles creaked, the air vibrated with the force, and a crisp explosion suddenly rang out.

Ignoring the incredibly smooth transmission of power, Xue Qinghe felt all his strength drain away, his body went limp, and he fell backward.

Fortunately, Tang Shan reacted quickly. He stretched out his arm, gently lifted and pulled Xue Qinghe, and took a big step to the table, steadily helping her sit down in a chair.

"Your Highness, your physical condition is still too poor. You couldn't hold on after only three uses of Ming Jin."

Tang Shan felt helpless but also somewhat admiring – Xue Qinghe was truly dedicated, knowing that he was a “prince” with “mediocre cultivation”, he actually displayed ordinary physical qualities. However, this performance was a bit too fake. An ordinary person would need at least five or six Ming Jin strikes before exhausting their strength. Weren’t three strikes a bit too few for you?

If Xue Qinghe knew what Tang Shan was thinking at this moment, she would definitely consider whether to use holy flames to completely purify this guy who not only blasphemed angels but also made sarcastic remarks on the sidelines.

"There's nothing I can do. My talent for cultivation is mediocre, and I don't cultivate much anyway. It's already quite good that I have this much stamina."

Xue Qinghe spoke through gritted teeth, and if one ignored the faint mist in her eyes and the subtle blush rising on the tips of her ears, she might still have some intimidating power.

Tang Shan sat across from Xue Qinghe with a serious expression: "Your Highness, now that you have mastered the basics of Ming Jin, the rest is just a matter of practice makes perfect. You probably won't encounter many bottlenecks before you have fully refined your skin, flesh, and tendons."

Xue Qinghe managed to calm down the shy emotions surging in her heart. Apart from her ears still being a little red, there was nothing else unusual about her.

She had already planned that if Tang Shan asked, she would say it was because of excessive physical exertion, but clearly, she had overestimated someone's observation skills.

Or rather, Tangshan's observational skills noticed this anomaly, but he didn't connect it with the relevant memories in his mind. His brain automatically treated this information as invalid information and processed it away. In layman's terms, he didn't think much about it.

Hearing Tangshan get straight to the point, Xue Qinghe also collected his thoughts and began to listen attentively.

……

"So that means I basically won't encounter any bottlenecks anymore, right?"

After listening to Tangshan's explanation of the next stage of cultivation, Xue Qinghe seemed to be deep in thought. To prevent herself from misunderstanding, she asked Tangshan for a second confirmation.

"That's right, theoretically, you shouldn't encounter any bottlenecks before reaching the peak of Ming Jin."

Tangshan gave a definite answer.

"How should I break through after reaching the peak of Ming Jin?"

Tang Shan originally wanted to say that she should reach the peak of Ming Jin first, but then she thought that the other party asked about the breakthrough of Ming Jin, not the higher levels. It would be good to tell her about the future prospects and give her a goal to strive for.

"The change that follows is still at the level of internal strength, that is, the transformation from visible strength to hidden strength."

As Tang Shan spoke, he casually pressed his hand on the stone table, and a clear handprint appeared on it.

With a simple flick of his hand, he easily shook off the stone powder stuck to his hand.

Even though it wasn't the first time he'd seen it, Xue Qinghe still couldn't help but be amazed by the skill in controlling such power.

"Ming Jin and An Jin are essentially the same techniques for applying force in internal martial arts. From the perspective of the level of force itself, there is no difference between the two. The only difference is that the way of exerting force, the difficulty of training, and the characteristics of actual combat are completely different."

Tangshan clearly explained, "Simply put, there are three core differences between the two:"

First, the method of exerting force. Ming Jin is "fierce and outward, direct and straightforward". The force bursts out from the muscles and bones and acts directly on the body surface. Wherever the fist or palm strikes, the power is clearly visible, like an iron hammer hitting an object, hard and direct. On the other hand, An Jin is "soft yet strong, the force travels through the internal organs". The force is not exposed, but penetrates into the target through the body surface, like warm water boiling tea. It seems gentle, but the killing power is hidden inside.

Secondly, the difficulty of cultivation. Ming Jin is the foundation of internal martial arts, emphasizing "strengthening the muscles and bones and connecting the power." As long as the method is correct, most people can get started through hard work and practical experience, just like a beginner swordsman who randomly slashes and hacks and eventually gets to the basics. However, An Jin emphasizes "the unity of intention and strength, with the power flowing through the internal organs." It requires first concentrating the will and then letting the will drive the power. The difficulty of getting started is extremely high, just like a beginner swordsman trying to learn to use slow to defeat fast opponents. Hard work alone will not get you anywhere.

Third, practical characteristics. The advantage of Ming Jin (manifested strength) is its 'quick learning and strong explosive power,' making it suitable for head-on confrontations and highly efficient against ordinary opponents; while the advantage of An Jin (hidden strength) is its 'strong concealment and deep destructive power.' Once mastered, it can penetrate armor and injure internal organs, offering greater tolerance for error and stronger deterrent power against opponents of the same or even higher levels.

Xue Qinghe's brows relaxed as he listened, and most of the doubt in his eyes disappeared: "Then is it true that hidden strength is more difficult to master than visible strength, and that the effects are better once mastered?"

Tang Shan nodded and continued, "It's difficult because hidden strength requires 'willpower' as a bridge. This is something invisible and intangible, and it's much harder than training muscles and bones. And the effect is better after mastering it. It's not that the absolute power of hidden strength is greater than that of visible strength, but that fewer people master hidden strength. There are many ways to deal with visible strength in the world, but very few people can break through hidden strength."

Xue Qinghe understood completely and exclaimed in realization: "In other words, Ming Jin is the foundation, a powerful technique that 'everyone can practice'; An Jin is the advanced level, a subtle technique that 'only a few can master'. The two are at the same level, only the threshold for cultivation and application is different."

"That's exactly right," Tang Shan nodded in agreement.

"There are two paths to mastering hidden strength. One is to continuously hone visible strength to its fullest extent, relying on quantitative change to trigger qualitative change, achieving a breakthrough where water flows into a channel and yin arises from yang. This is the safest path."

Xue Qinghe knew what was going on as soon as he heard the first road. To put it bluntly, it was just like cultivating Ming Jin – it required painstaking effort.

"What is the second path? Is it still about overcoming pressure and fighting to the death?"

Miss Angel has already learned to answer quickly, which is great, but unfortunately, she guessed wrong.

"The second path is not about breakthroughs through real combat and life-or-death battles, but about finding inspiration within oneself."

Xue Qinghe? Am I really that bad at understanding things? What does it mean to find one's own inspiration?

Seeing the confusion and doubt in Xue Qinghe's eyes, Tang Shan paused for a moment, then changed his approach to one that Xue Qinghe could understand: "You know about willpower, right?"

Xue Qinghe nodded obediently.

"The so-called search for one's own inspiration is to condense the embryonic form of will, and to unleash hidden power, will and strength must be united."

Tang Shan originally wanted to say that the heart and mind should be in harmony, the mind and spirit should be in harmony, and the spirit and strength should be in harmony. However, if Xue Qinghe were to ask what the heart, mind, and spirit were, he simply changed to a more Douluo Continent-esque way of saying that when the will combines with the strength, the power will naturally become gentle, and the hidden strength will naturally come into play.

Anyway, it doesn't matter if you don't understand the secrets behind it, as long as you can do it.

Xue Qinghe: "How does one comprehend that will?"

Tang Shan: "You can consult Grandpa Jin'e and Senior She on this matter. The main thing is to see your true self clearly and ask yourself what you really want. I gained enlightenment about concentrating my will when I was absorbing and acquiring my second soul ring, during a battle with a group of monkey-type soul beasts."

Xue Qinghe astutely noticed the key point: "I remember you had already broken through to the Transformation Realm back then, didn't you? How did you break through?"

Tang Shan smiled brightly, his forty perfectly aligned teeth dazzling Xue Qinghe like never before: "Your Highness, people are different. Some people need to comprehend to break through, while others do not."

Tang Shan stated: "With the first soul skill, Self-Control, isn't any change in force just basic operation? Why would I need to seek my own inspiration?"

"Alright, Your Highness, it's either a matter of perseverance or a sudden enlightenment; there's no other way. If you really can't break through, you can focus on cultivating your soul power. Even if your talent is lacking, it's not like you have no chance, is it?"

Tang Shan pointedly reminded him that with innate level 20 full soul power, one's talent cannot be wasted. Even if one doesn't unleash all potential, one should at least unleash some of it. The requirement isn't high; becoming a Soul Saint by the age of twenty would be sufficient.

Xue Qinghe: Am I searching for inner inspiration? What am I really seeking?

Clearly, she didn't heed Tang Shan's reminder and was lost in thought.

"Your Highness, I had an appointment with Senior Dugu today to visit his herb garden, so I'll be leaving now."

Tang Shan stood up helplessly and said.

Xue Qinghe waved his hand casually: "Go ahead, come back soon, and be careful of Dugu Yan, after all, she's from a family that uses poison."

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Chapter 177 Arrival at the Dugu Mansion, the Death Date of Prince Xuexin