Becoming a martial arts saint starting with Black Tiger Fist

"This is a 'silk-wrapped rattan ball,' which has excellent elasticity and can easily deflect strong external forces."

Jiang Cheng stepped forward, holding the rattan ball in one hand. "Look carefully!"

Unlike Chen Yuan, he didn't gather his strength to punch. Instead, his palms were pressed against the surface of the rattan ball, and his forearms seemed to tremble and twist very subtly as his five fingers gripped and released with lightning speed.

"Snap!"

A very faint muffled sound came from beside my ear.

Jiang Chengsong let go.

Chen Yuan stared intently, and his heart skipped a beat.

On the surface of the rattan ball, centered on the point where Jiang Cheng's palm touched it, dozens of tiny cracks appeared in the tightly interwoven vines!

It wasn't broken by a tremendous force, but rather like the internal fibrous structure was torn apart from the inside by a force in an instant.

The fracture is uneven, and the overall shape of the rattan ball remains unchanged, but anyone with a discerning eye can see that its internal structure has been severely damaged and its toughness has been greatly reduced.

"This is 'Silk Reeling Force,' another basic application of the hidden force."

Jiang Cheng tossed the half-ruined rattan ball aside and explained calmly, "What I demonstrated to you last night was 'penetrating force,' one of the basic applications of internal strength. It gathers force into a line, penetrates straight through, and breaks through armor and destroys strong points. As for 'silk coiling force,' its essence lies in the word 'change.'"

He extended his right hand, his five fingers slightly bent, making a loose clenching gesture: "The power of hidden force originates outside the body and lies dormant within, without showing any trace. It is the moment when the fist or palm makes contact with the target, the highly concentrated force within the body is instantly released at different frequencies inside the point of contact, like burying a miniature thunderbolt inside the enemy's body and then detonating it."

Chen Yuan listened intently, his eyes widening at the subtle power of the hidden force.

He resumed his boxing stance, closed his eyes and concentrated, no longer deliberately pursuing an explosive burst of power, but instead focusing his mind on his body, carefully sensing the blood and qi and tendons within, trying to unleash hidden internal energy within his muscles and bones.

He gathered his strength like a drawn bow, his spine trembling like a great dragon, penetrating segment by segment.

The power rises from the soles of the feet, ascends through the knees and hips along the spine, and finally condenses at the fist.

But instead of striking directly, he stored the power within his fist bones and then gave a slight tremor.

"Buzz!"

A barely audible soft sound rippled from the tip of his fist.

The rattan ball in front of him was not bounced off, and the cracks on its surface widened further.

A hint of surprise flashed across Jiang Cheng's eyes, which quickly turned into satisfaction: "Not bad, your comprehension is indeed extraordinary. Remember the feeling from just now, and practice diligently in the future. Accumulate external force within your body and turn it into instinct. Only then can you be considered to have entered the realm of internal strength."

Chen Yuan nodded emphatically, and just as he was about to ask about the key to activating internal energy, Luo Heng, who was teaching new disciples in the outer courtyard, strode in.

"Master, Master Xu from the Xu family in the north of the city, and Chief Escort Liu from Xingsheng Escort Agency have come to pay their respects!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Cheng shook his head and smiled to himself, "These guys, they come here quite often!"

"You figure it out for yourself first." Jiang Cheng casually tossed a sentence to Chen Yuan, quickly put on a polite smile, and strode towards the front yard.

As soon as Jiang Cheng left, the atmosphere in the inner courtyard relaxed a little, and several disciples who were nearby couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

"How many waves is this now? Ever since Senior Brother Li Hao came back, the threshold of our Martial Academy has been worn down by visitors, hasn't it?" a young disciple exclaimed in amazement.

"Indeed," another disciple chimed in, his tone tinged with envy. "The day before yesterday it was Master Zhou from the rice shop in the west of the city, yesterday it was the Zhang family from the inner city, and today even Chief Escort Liu from the Xingsheng Escort Agency came in person!"

"They're all here because of Senior Brother Li Hao. Senior Brother Li has made a great contribution this time and has caught the eye of the Four Symbols Sect's deacon. With the martial arts exam just around the corner, who wouldn't want to build a relationship beforehand? Even if they can't recruit him directly, just offering a sponsorship will be a way of showing their appreciation when Senior Brother Li rises to prominence in the future."

"Master has a good eye. He took Senior Brother Li as his last disciple early on. Although Master has been busy with social engagements these past few days, the smile in his eyes and brows is impossible to hide."

"Of course, when the disciple is successful, the master is proud, and the reputation of the martial arts academy will be even greater."

"Master has been spending most of his time instructing Senior Brother Li lately, I'm so envious!"

......

Chen Yuan remained where he was, repeatedly practicing the same method of exerting force, carefully experiencing the mysterious resonance between the tremors in his bones and the flow of his qi and blood.

Before we knew it, the sun had risen high in the sky.

Chen Yuan and Zhou Yue sat together for lunch as usual.

The two ate and chatted.

Zhou Yue took a sip of wine and casually asked, "A-Yuan, now that you've completed your bone forging, will you participate in this year's martial arts examination?"

Chen Yuan's expression turned serious: "If we have this plan, even if it doesn't work out, it's still good to go and see for ourselves."

"That's right, we should go and broaden our horizons."

Zhou Yue nodded and said, "The imperial document has been issued. This year's martial arts examination for children is scheduled for June 15th, and will be held uniformly in the county town. Counting the days, there are only a little over three months left."

Chen Yuan's expression shifted, and he asked, "Senior Brother Zhou, do you know exactly what the martial arts exam tests?"

Although he knew that martial arts examinations were a path for those from poor families to advance, he was not very clear about the specific details.

"The martial arts examination prioritizes bravery and skill, with strategy being secondary. However, strategy is not tested in the preliminary examination, so it will only consist of two parts." Zhou Yue had clearly already found out the details.

"The first test of strength is to examine basic physical strength, usually by lifting stone weights, running with heavy loads, or testing the strength of drawing a bow."

"The second round, 'Martial Arts Competition,' will be a draw for matches, with the winners advancing until the final rankings are determined."

He paused for a moment and then said, "After the two rounds, the scores will be combined, and the top thirty will be awarded the title of Martial Arts Scholar."

Chen Yuan silently memorized the rules.

"Don't feel too much pressure participating in the martial arts exam for the first time," Zhou Yue patted him on the shoulder. "Just treat it as an opportunity to broaden your horizons."

"What level of strength is required to guarantee admission to the Martial Arts Academy?" Chen Yuan asked.

Zhou Yue said, "No one can say for sure. It depends on the number of people participating in the martial arts exam each year. Last year, there were 994 people who practiced skin-refining martial arts and 182 who practiced bone-forging martial arts. Those who practiced skin-refining martial arts were just there to make up the numbers, and those who practiced bone-forging martial arts needed to reach a high level to have any hope."

"However, if one can break through the barrier and refine the blood, the title of a martial arts scholar will be easily attained."

Chen Yuan nodded silently, his mind racing as he calculated his progress over the next three months.

Seeing Chen Yuan remain silent, Zhou Yue laughed and said, "What's wrong? Lost your confidence? You've only just begun your bone forging process. Going to see for yourself this year is enough. The real challenge is next year."

"Once you've mastered bone forging next year and your fist techniques have reached perfection, your chances of breaking into the top thirty are very high."

Chen Yuan nodded silently. It seemed that even with bone forging, it would still be difficult to pass the martial arts exam.

"By the way, Yuan, now that you've broken through to the Bone Forging Realm, I should increase your funding."

Zhou Yue suddenly spoke, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face, "It's just that the clan's finances are currently tight, and we can't spare any extra resources for the time being. Once the situation improves, I'll give you an extra five Bone-Changing Pills every month."

Chen Yuan laughed heartily, "Why do you say that, Senior Brother? I've always remembered your kindness in helping me in my time of need. Just do what you can."

Hearing this, Zhou Yue felt a surge of warmth in his heart and patted Chen Yuan's shoulder hard.

In the afternoon, after Chen Yuan had grasped a bit of the secrets of internal force, he was sparring with Zhou Yue.

Suddenly, the gates of the martial arts academy were flung open, and a disciple rushed in, pale-faced and breathless. "Something's happened! Something terrible has happened! Senior Brother Li... Senior Brother Li Hao has been taken to the county government!"

The shout was like a thunderclap, instantly shattering the dull atmosphere of the afternoon practice.

"Arrest him? Why would the county officials arrest Brother Li?"

All the disciples gathered around in astonishment.

"What happened? Tell me slowly!" Jiang Cheng walked out of the inner courtyard quickly upon hearing this and asked in a deep voice.

The disciple, panting heavily, quickly began to recount: "At noon, Senior Brother Li, Senior Sister Jiang, and I went to the East Market of the Inner City and ran into some people from the Dragon Rock Martial Arts School."

"One of them said some inappropriate things to Senior Sister Jiang and even tried to touch her inappropriately. Senior Brother Li got angry and rushed over to fight back, taking down the other two people in a few moves."

At this point, a look of lingering fear crossed his face: "But Senior Brother Li was blinded by rage and couldn't stop in time, severely injuring the leader, breaking several of his ribs!"

"And then?" Jiang Cheng asked, frowning.

The messenger, catching his breath, said, "It's not far from the Dragon Rock Martial Arts School. The fight just started here, and seven or eight people rushed over from there. One of them is a bald, burly man with a terrifying aura!"

He swallowed hard. "I saw a figure flash by, and then Senior Brother Li was grabbed by the shoulder and couldn't move."

"That should be a Blood Refining Realm expert from the Dragon Rock Martial Arts School," Cao Lie said in a deep voice.

"Then they took Senior Brother Li and the seriously injured boy and went straight to the county government! Before they left, the middle-aged man told us to come back and tell our master."

After the disciple delivered the message, the courtyard erupted in uproar.

Standing to the side, Master Xu stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before saying, "To behave so outrageously towards a woman in public, could the injured man be Master Liu Yan's grandson?"

Liu, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) standing next to him, nodded in agreement. "I've also heard that the master of the Longyan Martial Arts School has a good-for-nothing grandson who spends his days in brothels, indulging in debauchery. He's only sixteen years old and has already married eight concubines."

At this, everyone's expression changed.

Longyan Martial Arts School is one of the top three martial arts schools in Blackwater City. It has many experts and profound knowledge. Its master is a master of Blood Refinement, and even the county magistrate treats him with great respect.

Li Hao has now injured his own grandson, and with such severe injuries that he is almost crippled. This enmity is now very deep!

Jiang Cheng's expression grew even more serious, and the others also realized the gravity of the situation.

This is not something that can be resolved with a simple compensation and apology; it also involves the reputation of the martial arts school in the public eye.

Especially for a large martial arts school like Longyan Martial Arts School, it's like rubbing dough on the ground!

"Come with me to the county government office, and I'll explain in detail on the way."

Jiang Cheng said something to the disciple, then turned back to the two guests and clasped his hands in greeting: "I apologize, my unworthy disciple has caused this trouble, and I need to deal with it. I will not keep you two any longer."

"It's alright, Master Jiang, please go ahead. If there's anything we can do to help, we'll do our best."

The two exchanged polite greetings with clasped hands.

Jiang Cheng nodded, then pulled the disciple out the door.

For the next few days, a somber atmosphere pervaded the entire Jiangyuan Hospital.

Jiang Cheng was almost always out of sight, running around trying to find a way to make things happen.

Chen Yuan was not affected by this incident and continued to practice diligently every day, becoming increasingly proficient in mastering the hidden strength.

One morning, Chen Yuan was teaching Wang Dahu stance training when Wang Dahu approached Chen Yuan mysteriously, his face full of gossip: "Senior Brother Chen, I heard that Master is about to resolve Senior Brother Li Hao's matter."

He looked around and whispered, "It's said that Master almost emptied his savings to give Longyan Martial Arts School a large sum of compensation, and also spent a lot of favors to ask several old friends who run martial arts schools to plead for them before they reluctantly agreed not to pursue the matter any further."

Chen Yuan nodded slightly upon hearing this, then noticed that the man's posture was off again. He slapped him on the back of the head and scolded him in a low voice, "You haven't even found the right stance yet, so stop asking about these things all day. If you can't get your skin smoothed within three months, you're fired!"

"Understood, Senior Brother."

Upon hearing Chen Yuan's words, the excitement on Wang Dahu's face vanished instantly, replaced by deep anxiety.

He had been a disciple of Jiang Yuan for more than ten days. Almost all the new disciples of the same period had already found their footing and started to cultivate their qi and blood, but he had not made any progress at all.

Thinking of this, he immediately lost his interest in gossiping and obediently followed Chen Yuan in practicing stances.

......

When Li Hao returned to the martial arts academy, his face was gloomy and ashen. Most of his former arrogance had disappeared, but deep resentment was hidden in his eyes.

Chen Yuan glanced at him briefly before looking away, returning to his full focus on practicing his martial arts.

With the martial arts exam just around the corner, he should strive to pass it this year, rather than placing his hopes on next year, which would only make him complacent.

As school was about to end in the afternoon, Zhou Yue found Chen Yuan, who was practicing boxing, and sighed, saying:

"Junior Brother Chen, Master spent a lot of money to settle things with Li Hao, and the Martial Academy's accounts are almost empty. We can't deliver the five Bone-Changing Pills we promised you for the time being."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan's eyes flashed with disappointment, but he still managed a forced smile and said, "It's alright. It's only natural that Master would do this to save his last disciple."

Zhou Yue patted Chen Yuan on the shoulder, then changed the subject: "Without the Bone-Changing Pill, the progress of bone forging will be extremely slow. My Zhou family is also short of money recently due to the medicinal field matter. However, I still managed to plead with my father for you, and in the end, he decided to give you these five Bone-Changing Pills and an extra pound of rhinoceros meat every day."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan was startled.

He was aware of the Zhou family's situation. Two medicinal mountains, into which a great deal of resources had been invested, had fallen into the hands of others, and a large amount of money could not be recovered. They had been struggling to survive for some time.

Under these circumstances, the fact that the Zhou family could still squeeze out this much financial assistance for him is an immense favor!

"Senior Brother Zhou, thank you! I will remember this kindness!" Chen Yuan clasped his hands in thanks and replied in a deep voice.

"It's alright, just focus on your training. If things improve at home, I can try to provide you with some more supplies."

Zhou Yuan smiled, glanced towards the backyard, and then reminded Chen Yuan:

"The matter caused by Li Hao seems to have been resolved, but a rift must have formed between Longyan Martial Arts School and Jiang Academy. And this grudge caused by him may be used against the entire Jiang Academy by the other side."

"The Dragon Rock Martial Arts Academy is very strong overall, and its foundation is much stronger than that of the Jiang Academy. If you encounter someone from the Dragon Rock Martial Arts Academy in the future, you should be careful and avoid suffering losses."

"Especially a genius disciple named Wu Daofeng, who also possesses superior aptitude, is said to have only been in cultivation for half a year, yet is now virtually invincible in the Bone Forging Realm!"