From absorbing the essence of the sun and moon to achieving divine mastery in martial arts

The National Martial Arts Hall base, in a private training room.

The air felt as if it had been boiled, stifling and scorching.

Cang Lian was shirtless, his muscles as hard as cast iron, sweat dripping down his smooth lines, glistening in the sunlight.

He was in a state of extreme excitement, practicing the "Eight Formations of Military Formation".

Although this is a basic military boxing technique, in Cang Lian's hands it produced a fierce and terrifying momentum, like thousands of troops galloping.

"boom!"

Cang Lian took a step forward, and the floor trembled with a dull sound.

His back suddenly trembled violently, and his arms thrust out like spears, accompanied by a piercing whistling sound.

First move: Charge into battle!

His body suddenly turned, his arms swept horizontally like a chariot crushing everything in its path. With such powerful and sweeping movements, a breathtaking aura of bloodthirstiness swept over us.

Second move, horizontal halberd!

Next came the barricades, the drawing of bows, the trampling of the camp, the strangulation, the turning back of the horses, and the breaking of the army!

The force of the punches surged, creating a visible vortex of air within the training room.

Every move and every stance is not just a stretch of the limbs, but also a highly refined expression of spirit and energy.

Before the fist even landed, the intent preceded it; that fierce killing intent seemed capable of tearing apart the very void before them.

Finish the movement and exhale.

"call--!"

A white, ribbon-like jet of energy shot out from Cang Lian's mouth, traveling a full two meters before slowly dissipating.

This is a manifestation of the organs being extremely powerful.

The Eight Formations of Military Formation, now complete!

At the doorway, Ning Chongli and Ning Geng exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing undisguised shock.

"This... how is this possible?" Ning Geng lowered his voice, his throat dry. "Just half a month ago, we personally witnessed Master Huang teach him this boxing technique. In just half a month, he's already reached the mastery level?"

Ning Chongli took a deep breath, his cloudy old eyes gleaming with a sharp light: "Not only has he reached the Great Perfection stage, but he's also just one step away from perfection. Such martial arts talent is simply unheard of. It seems we haven't followed the wrong person this time. He's definitely not someone to be underestimated, and his future achievements will probably... be no less than General Chu's."

"Young Master, are you finished practicing?"

A clear and sweet voice, like a nightingale singing in a valley, rang out.

Seeing that Cang Lian had finished her practice, Ning Ke quickly stepped forward. She had dressed up specially today, wearing a simple white dress, her long hair tied up, revealing her slender and fair neck.

Because the blood evil energy in her body had not entered her bone marrow, it had been completely removed last time. Now, after half a month of recuperation, her complexion was rosy and her skin was as white as snow. There was no trace of her previous sickly appearance. She was a beautiful and refined woman.

With a sweet smile on her face, she gently handed over warm water, then took a handkerchief with a faint fragrance and carefully wiped the sweat from Canglian's forehead and back.

"Young master, you've worked hard. Please have some water to soothe your throat."

Cang Lian stiffened slightly. In both her lives, she had never enjoyed such treatment as having a beautiful woman by her side.

Suddenly I felt that saving this girl was worthwhile!

He took the water bottle, took a sip, and glanced at Ning Ke's delicate face. His expression didn't change much; he simply nodded slightly, then looked at the people at the door: "Old Ning, why are you all here? You've just recovered; you should be resting more."

"Thanks to the young master!"

Ning Chongli led Ning Geng and Ning Xiaoxing in, his attitude even more respectful than before. He bowed slightly and said, "We've been lying in bed for half a month, and our bones are almost brittle. Our bodies have recovered to about 70-80%. Now that we're out and about, it's actually good for our blood circulation."

Cang Lian nodded as he looked at the obvious improvement in their complexions: "It seems you're recovering quite well. At this rate, once the remaining bloodthirsty energy in your bodies is completely eliminated, it should only take a year or two for you all to regain your peak strength."

However, upon hearing this, the expressions of the group darkened.

Ning Chongli gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and exuded a desolate air of a hero past his prime: "Young Master, you are unaware that the bloodthirsty aura is extremely insidious and has already eroded the foundation of our martial arts. It's like a roof beam hollowed out by termites; even if you kill all the termites, the beam is already rotten."

He sighed and continued, "We have damaged our very essence. Even if the evil energy is completely eradicated in the future, I'm afraid our cultivation will never be fully restored. I was originally at the peak of the Dan Jin realm. If I can retain even half of my strength in the future, I will be grateful for the mercy of heaven."

"Fifty percent?" Cang Lian frowned slightly; this was indeed unexpected.

"Yes." Although Ning Chongli's expression was somber, he quickly straightened his back, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "But rest assured, young master, even with only half my strength, I still possess the insight and experience of a peak Dan Jin cultivator. I might be outmatched by those in the mid-to-late Dan Jin stages, but if I encounter an opponent in the early Dan Jin stage, I'll risk my life to hold them off for you!"

Ning Geng, standing to the side, clenched his fist and said in a deep voice, "Me too. My strength will probably drop to the early stage of the Transformation Realm. Unless I can find the legendary 'Dragon-Tiger Golden Pill' or 'Exotic Beast Blood'—top-tier secret medicines that can rebuild my foundation—I'll be lucky if I don't regress, let alone return to my peak."

"Dragon-Tiger Golden Elixir? Precious Blood of Exotic Beasts?"

Canglian repeated the two names in a low voice, seemingly lost in thought.

He knows both of those things.

In the National Martial Arts Hall's exchange list, these are treasures at the very top of the pyramid, hundreds of times more precious than the "Great Golden Pill" and "Marrow Cleansing Pill" that are the top rewards in the National Martial Arts Hall Grand Competition.

Those are truly rare and precious materials that can defy fate and solidify one's foundation; even experts with the Gang Jin skill would covet them.

"Indeed rare." Cang Lian echoed calmly, his expression as serene as still water.

But deep down, a slight stirring occurred within him.

Is the foundation damaged? Is the source depleted?

He suddenly thought of the essence of the sun!

That golden, vibrant liquid energy.

He didn't know if the essence of the sun could repair their damaged martial arts foundation.

Once the idea popped into my head, it grew wildly like weeds.

If the essence of the sun can be used to help them repair their foundation, then Ning Chongli will immediately become his sharpest trump card!

But he quickly suppressed the thought and his eyes regained their clarity.

The Heaven and Earth Pearl is his greatest secret.

He was always wary of others coveting even a divine weapon like the "Blood Soul Needle," let alone the Heaven and Earth Pearl.

This is the foundation of his livelihood.

He would never reveal this secret to anyone in the world, even if it was kept to himself.

Unless, he becomes invincible!

Thinking of this, the slight fluctuation in Cang Lian's eyes completely disappeared, replaced by an unfathomable depth.

He picked up a towel, casually wiped his neck, and said in a calm tone, "If that's the case, then just rest and recover for now. As long as you're alive, there's always a way. Elder Ning, since you're here, you can give me some pointers on how well I'm practicing the 'Eight Formations of Military Formations'."

Ning Chongli smiled slightly: "Young Master, you have mastered the form of these eight moves and even grasped some of their power. However, the 'Breaking Army' move is about putting yourself in a desperate situation to survive. Your punch just now, although it had a fierce intent, lacked the 'madman' spirit of truly facing a hopeless situation. If you encounter a real master, once that breath is released, it will be a dead end."

Before the words were finished, Ning Geng, who had been itching to learn, strode forward, clasped his hands, and said, "Second Uncle is right! Young Master, the Eight Formations of Military Formation are methods for killing enemies on the battlefield. Just practicing the forms is just fancy footwork. This martial art needs enemies, it needs the stimulation of bloodshed! Why not let Ning Geng be the whetstone, helping Young Master to comprehend it more quickly!"

A glint flashed in Cang Lian's eyes, and he nodded, saying, "Alright! Ning Geng, there's no need to hold back."

"Young master, be careful!"

Ning Geng let out a low shout. Although he had only just recovered somewhat, the murderous aura he exuded from surviving countless battles was genuine.

He descended the mountain like a tiger, and punched straight at Cang Lian's face.

Instead of retreating, Canglian advanced, its back trembling as it unleashed the first move, "Charging into the Formation"!

The two collided instantly.

Ning Chongli originally thought that Cang Lian was a beginner and it would be difficult for him to last ten moves against Ning Geng.

However, what happened next caused the old man, who had seen many storms, to slightly shrink his pupils.

During the sparring session, Cang Lian's moves were initially a bit clumsy, but under Ning Geng's relentless pressure, he was transforming at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Less than half an hour had passed.

Ning Geng launched a sweeping kick, but Cang Lian's lower body remained still, and her elbows sank down—"Barricade!"

With a muffled thud, Ning Geng felt as if he had kicked an iron stake, and his calf went numb.

Immediately afterwards, Cang Lian changed her move extremely quickly. Taking advantage of Ning Geng's old strength being exhausted and new strength not yet generated, she twisted her waist strangely and swept her arms horizontally like a battle halberd - "Horizontal Halberd"!

This move was executed flawlessly, forcing Ning Geng to retreat half a step to defend.

In that half-step, Cang Lian lunged forward, her hands wrapping around Ning Geng's joints like chains—"Strangulation"!

"So fast!"

Ning Geng was startled.

This is hardly the work of a beginner.

This grasp of the situation is like that of a veteran who has crawled out of a pile of dead bodies!

The two moved with lightning speed, exchanging hundreds of moves in the blink of an eye.

Only when Ning Geng was completely exhausted did he shout, "Young Master, stop!"

The two separated, and Ning Geng looked at Cang Lian with disbelief in his eyes, even with a hint of looking at a monster: "Young Master... your progress is simply astonishing! If that 'strangulation' attack had been even half a step faster, my arm would probably be ruined."

Ning Chongli, standing to the side, also took a deep breath to calm the shock in his heart.

He had lived for so many years and seen countless so-called geniuses, but he had never heard of anyone like Cang Lian, who could evolve in real time during battle and apply his knowledge to other situations.

This is no longer just talent; this is simply a prodigy born for martial arts.

"Young Master's talent is unparalleled in my life," Ning Chongli exclaimed sincerely.

Ning Geng rubbed his numb arm and said seriously, "However, young master, I also noticed a problem during our sparring just now. Although your attacks are fierce, like a raging tide crashing against the shore, they lack a bit of agility. If you encounter an opponent with ghostly movements, or get surrounded, relying solely on brute force will be extremely dangerous once you run out of strength. The only thing you lack right now is movement technique."

Cang Lian wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "I know that too. The Eight Formations of Military Formation are unparalleled in their power and ferocity, but they lack flexibility. However, apart from this set of fist techniques, I really don't have any superior movement techniques to learn right now."

At this moment, Ning Chongli hesitated for a moment, then suddenly said, "Young Master, if it's a movement technique, I do have one here. This movement technique is extremely difficult to master. Ning Ke, Ning Xiaoxing, and even Ning Geng couldn't grasp its essence. In our Ning family, only I have learned a few parts of its core. I wonder if Young Master would be willing to give it a try?"

"Oh?" Cang Lian's eyes lit up. "Even Ning Geng and the others haven't learned it?"

Ning Geng said from the side, "Young Master, that movement technique is indeed not something ordinary people can learn."

"It is precisely because it is difficult to master that it is so powerful." Ning Chongli smiled slightly, his expression revealing a sense of confidence. "If you can learn it, young master, with this movement technique, you will be able to remain undefeated in the National Martial Arts Hall competition next spring, even if your cultivation level is lower than others. You can even play your opponents with ease."

"What kind of movement technique is it?" Cang Lian asked, a strong sense of anticipation rising in his heart.

Ning Chongli slowly uttered a few words: "This movement technique is called 'The Dragon's Startling Transformation'."

He paused, then extended a finger and pointed to the taut muscles on Cang Lian's body, explaining, "Ordinary movement techniques emphasize footwork and the flow of qi. But this 'Dragon's Shocking Transformation' is different; its brilliance lies in 'the exquisite control of the major tendons throughout the body.'"

"Control the major tendons?" Cang Lian pondered.

"Not bad," Ning Chongli said in a deep voice. "The human body has a great dragon, as well as countless tiny tendons. This movement technique uses special methods to instantly shake, stretch, and twist the large tendons in the body, thereby generating explosive power and the ability to change direction that defies common sense. When mastered, the body is like a swimming dragon, and the bones are like soft whips. When there is nowhere to use as leverage in mid-air, one can forcibly twist the large tendons to change direction and perform all kinds of incredible maneuvers, making it impossible for the enemy to predict your landing point."

At this point, Ning Chongli's eyes gleamed: "The Eight Formations of Military Array are fierce and domineering. If you add the unpredictable and ever-changing 'Dragon's Shocking Transformation,' one forceful and the other gentle, one orthodox and the other unorthodox, then you, young master, will truly be a human weapon."

"What level is this movement technique?" Cang Lian asked.

"This is a truly top-tier movement technique, comparable to a national-level technique, and it is a secret technique that my Ning family has never passed down!" Ning Chongli said in a deep voice.

"Comparable to a national-level treasure...?!" Cang Lian's pupils shrank sharply, thinking he had misheard.