Nascent Soul Rebirth: Starting as a Wizard

What they hone is merely the external "strength" or "physical ability" obtained by pushing their bodies to their limits.

Rather than "internal strength" or "skill" that can nourish life, develop potential, and produce all sorts of magical effects.

In Solo's understanding, the martial arts of the Xuanhuang Martial World have a relatively clear division of power and core principles.

It is a sophisticated system that has undergone a long period of refinement and is centered on "internal strength".

Strictly speaking, internal energy practitioners are not martial artists; they are merely apprentices or those who have acquired some rudimentary breathing techniques and perform tricks on the street.

They are collectively referred to as "low-class".

Third-rate martial artists are the entry-level practitioners of martial arts.

They typically possess three to four hundred pounds of pure physical strength, and the internal energy cultivation they practice is mostly a widely circulated, rudimentary method.

The internal energy is weak, flowing only gently through the meridians like a stream.

Even so, this meager internal energy was enough to make them surpass ordinary people—when fully activated, the force they unleashed was enough to dislocate bones and tendons.

A sudden burst of force can even tear a person's jaw off or grab their throat and rupture their trachea.

At the same time, his movements became lighter and more agile, making it easy for him to leap over walls and scale high walls, and he could easily deal with a dozen or so ordinary strong men.

However, his internal strength was not enough to withstand the sharp blades.

When facing real weapons or stronger attacks, one still needs to rely on agile movements to dodge and parry.

For a second-rate martial artist, this represents a qualitative leap.

They not only honed their physical strength to over a thousand pounds through more rigorous training and the aid of precious external medicines, but more importantly, they mastered more exquisite and profound internal energy cultivation techniques.

As one's internal energy accumulates to a high level, it can be released externally as a more penetrating and destructive "force".

With a flick of a flower or a pluck of a leaf, one can shatter gold and break jade.

His breath was long and deep, his strength was clear and smooth, and he exerted his full power.

Cracking stone tablets and splitting rocks is nothing more than a trivial matter; the legend of a horse galloping over a swallow is not an exaggeration.

They can leap and fly, truly achieving the lightness of "walking on water," moving on water without sinking.

On a battlefield with thousands of troops, such warriors are capable of becoming the sharpest blades charging into battle.

They are undoubtedly the backbone of the team, capable of slaying generals and capturing flags.

The most outstanding among them can even use secret methods to refine the essence of exotic beasts' hearts and blood, condense it into protective qi, and step into the ranks of true masters.

Before fully dedicating himself to the path of cultivation, Solo had already reached this level in his previous life.

Top-tier martial artists are the ones who truly stand at the pinnacle of mortal martial prowess.

They possessed terrifying physical strength exceeding ten thousand jin, and further cultivated top-tier internal skills that were passed down in an orderly and secret manner.

It can further refine the strength into a more refined and solid "qi energy".

It is incredibly powerful, and its amplification effect on the body is beyond comprehension.

If a top-tier martial artist unleashes their full power without reservation, the immense force they generate is enough to tear apart tigers and elephants, making them veritable humanoid beasts.

It can also transform and release its energy outwards, or condense it into an invincible sharpness like swords, spears, and halberds.

It can also be modeled after the true forms of a hundred beasts such as tigers, cranes, dragons, and elephants, galloping and pouncing with endless variations, which can be described as divine.

Those who reach this level are qualified to be appointed as generals or prime ministers in mortal kingdoms, enter and leave the Imperial Martial Pavilion, and be honored as "Dragon and Tiger Guardian General".

When one breaks through the Heavenly Barrier and reaches a high level of mastery, one can even transform intangible energy into tangible energy.

By channeling tangible energy into one's limbs and torso, the body is fundamentally transformed and strengthened, resulting in a significant increase in strength and physique far exceeding the power boost from breaking through the Heavenly Barrier.

Legend has it that the monsters who stand at the pinnacle of this realm can even achieve physical strength that is "as powerful as a mountain and as overwhelming as the world".

It was as if a small hill had been pulled out of the earth.

Internal strength is the true core and source of power in the Xuanhuang martial arts world.

Without internal energy, even with immense strength and exquisite techniques, one is powerless in the eyes of a true master.

Ultimately, it's just a second-rate amateur skill, unworthy of serious consideration.

They are even less able to reach the higher realms of martial arts.

These reserve members of the Fran family seem to be following a "heretical path" that relies purely on physical training and completely abandons the cultivation of inner energy.

This allowed Solo to adapt to the brutality of the training while maintaining a deep-seated sense of scrutiny and detachment based on a higher level of understanding.

They are forging a hard "shell" instead of cultivating a vibrant "root".

However, today, Instructor Patton's seemingly casual yet astonishing kick piqued Solo's interest.

The explosive power of 347 kilograms was released precisely with the toes, and such exquisite intervention was achieved...

"The power of a knight is indeed not so simple," Solo muttered to himself.

This is a level that cannot be achieved simply by training one's muscles and bones.

More importantly, it was just a split second before Instructor Andrei exerted force with his toes.

Solo's extraordinary sensitivity allowed him to clearly detect a strange fluctuation that flashed through the instructor's body.

It wasn't the muffled thud of muscles expanding, nor the groan of bones bearing pressure, but rather something more like...

The "tremor" is produced by the instantaneous activation of constrained, guided, and uniquely shaped energy within a specific circuit.

This proves that what seemed like a completely inhuman act was not without cost or arbitrary for Andrei.

However, the fluctuation was too small, indicating that it only activated a tiny, almost imperceptible amount of its power, so Solo could not make an accurate judgment.

But based on his experience, it should rely on some kind of intrinsic energy mechanism that Solo has not yet understood.

"Breathing technique...battle aura...or something else?" Solo wondered to himself.

The power system of this world may not be as simple and brutal as it seems on the surface.

This seemingly purely physical "heretical path," upon deeper exploration, may actually conceal extraordinary secrets grafted onto some kind of inner energy.

The biting north wind, like a pack of invisible giant wolves of the ice plains, howled incessantly as it swept across the fjord islands day and night.

This heralds the official arrival of the long "Frozen Season".

In just one month, the busy harvest season had just ended, and the world took on a harsh new look.

Although the sea surface is not completely frozen, the surging waves are already covered with grayish-white ice foam.

The coniferous forests were bent low by the thick snow caps, and the fields and roads were covered with hard, iron-like permafrost and snow.

All life on the island, whether human or wild, has entered a survival mode to fight against the harsh winter.

The fjord islands under the rule of the Fran family stretch for more than two thousand kilometers from north to south.

The terrain is complex, the coastline is winding, and villages of varying sizes and scattered fortresses are dotted throughout.

For the Fran family, who rule this area, the freezing season not only means that agricultural production will come to a near standstill, but also represents the most severe security challenge of the year.

Due to food shortages and some kind of seasonal restlessness, the monsters in the forest have begun to leave their lairs more frequently and harass human settlements.

The viscount's standing defense force, while impressive in appearance, proved insufficient when spread across such a vast territory.

Twenty-one official knights, three of whom are senior knights like Butler Sebastian and Instructor Barton.

Hundreds of elite guards skilled in both cold and firearms, riding warhorses with bloodlines mixed with docile magical beasts, and thousands of well-trained ordinary guards.

These forces are sufficient to protect the "Wolf City" where the Viscount's mansion is located and the surrounding core area, but they are not enough to protect the entire island's long coastline.

And the scattered villages and dangerous areas like the "Silver Creek Basin" that run through the heart of the island and are lined with dense forests on both sides are far from enough.

Therefore, an important traditional task begins around the time of the annual freezing season:

A large number of free men, tenant farmers, and even serfs were conscripted to form a temporary "militia guard".