Covering the Sky: I Prove the Great Dao Through the Gate of Immortality

Ba Liming sat cross-legged, and with each breath he took, the thick iron chains wrapped around his body vibrated. The air was heavy, and Li Chenzhou, standing at the door, felt his skin tighten and the hairs on his body stand on end.

"hold head high--"

A deep sound emanated from Ba Liming's body; it wasn't a roar, but a resonance caused by the compression of air by his muscles, bones, and skin.

Dragon's Roar Iron Shirt! Tiger's Roar Golden Bell Shield!

At his level, his mastery of martial arts was unfathomable, and the essence of dragons and tigers was ever-present in his breath.

Ba Liming lifted his eyelids, his gaze calm, his shoulder blades only slightly shrugged back.

call!

The thick, pungent smell of sweat in the cell vanished instantly, as if wiped away by an invisible hand, and the previous oppressive feeling receded like a tide.

"I benefited greatly from yesterday's discussion." His voice was low but resonant. "According to your words, we have formed a bond, and I will return the favor with this martial art."

He looked at Li Chenzhou, hoping to find fellow travelers on the path of martial arts.

Li Chenzhou stood quietly with his hands at his sides, listening attentively.

Ba Liming slightly adjusted his sitting posture, and the iron chains made a dull "creaking" sound with the movement.

"Ming Jin (manifest strength) is the strength of muscles and bones; An Jin (hidden strength) penetrates the internal organs; Hua Jin (transformation strength) leaves no leaks in the whole body; Bao Dan (embracing the elixir) returns Qi and blood to their origin; Gang Jin (forceful strength) spreads Qi to the surface of the body; Jian Shen (seeing the spirit) is indestructible...seeing one's own spirit and breaking through the void." His voice was clear, each word as if engraved. "Chinese martial arts is the exhaustion of the human body, the ultimate control, and a struggle against the heavens."

"sand…"

Several rusty spots fell from the chains on the arm.

Boom!Boom!Boom!

Several muffled thuds, like a thick string snapping.

With a slight stretch and contraction of the tendons throughout his body, Ba Liming snapped the iron chains, each as thick as a child's arm, inch by inch. The power of his pure physical body had reached a state of returning to simplicity.

"My fist!" Ba Liming looked at the broken chain at his feet, his tone calm. "It originated from Bajiquan, with six major openings and eight major moves, ingrained in my bones." His gaze swept over Li Chenzhou. "Later, I also practiced various other styles of fist and footwork. The fluidity of Bagua, the wholeness of Xingyi, the softness of Taiji, the hardness of Hongquan, the length of Tongbei, the ruthlessness of Chuojiao, the softness of Mianzhang... I took them apart, chewed them up, and melted them into this body."

He looked at Li Chenzhou:

"I've witnessed your spiritual realm; now, let me see your fists!"

Li Chenzhou didn't respond; his body had already sank down.

With knees slightly bent as if sitting on a galloping horse, left palm lightly pressing in front of the body, elbow like a hanging weight, the muscles and bones of the whole body are in a strange tension.

Relaxed yet not slack, steady yet not rigid.

He silently took a half step forward with his left foot, his toes carving a shallow arc on the ground, and then his right fist suddenly shot out!

Without warning, the shrill sound of the fist tearing through the air came later!

laugh!laugh!

The cell was small, but Li Chenzhou moved like a fish swimming through the gaps.

The Three-Body Stance is the axis, the Twelve Forms and Intentions rotate, and the Five Elements Fist unleashes its sharp edge.

Li Chenzhou's footsteps were extremely light, yet his landings seemed rooted to the ground. His fist shadows were so fast they were blurred, and each strike brought forth a dense burst of sound as if his bones and muscles were resonating.

Suddenly, the momentum ceased! The spine, segment by segment, connected like a dragon raising its head, and a concentrated force instantly gathered throughout the body.

"Stance... passable! Playing style?"

Ba Liming's gaze swept over Li Chenzhou with a tangible intensity: "Xingyi Quan is the simplest of all styles. The Five Elements are the root, the Twelve Forms are the branches and leaves, and the key is just one thing—'Hard strikes, hard advances, no obstruction,' fierce and unyielding! And your fist," he paused, "is like inserting the key into the lock."

"Just inserted into the keyhole?" Li Chenzhou raised an eyebrow. He thought he had already mastered the essence of Xingyi, but little did he know that he had only scratched the surface.

"Don't believe me?" Ba Liming stood casually, his feet rooted to the ground like an old tree, his posture extremely ordinary and unremarkable.

He stretched out his palm and beckoned, "Come on, use your fists, punch here." He pointed to his wide-open chest, "Don't hold back."

"I have mastered the Tiger Form Divine Art, and my strength exceeds two thousand jin," Li Chenzhou reminded him in a deep voice, his muscles and bones as taut as a bowstring.

"Ha!" Ba Liming didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, his voice like two rough stones rubbing together, "That's even better!"

"good!"

Before the words were even finished, the blue bricks beneath his feet shattered!

Li Chenzhou's strength rose from the Yongquan point on his forehead. He used one hand to protect his center and the other to conceal his waist and ribs, and suddenly lunged forward!

boom! boom! boom!

Three steps on the ground, the sound like muffled thunder rolling on the earth!

In an instant, he appeared in front of Ba Liming, his toes touching the ground as he twisted his waist, turned his hips, and thrust his shoulders forward!

His right fist suddenly erupted! Two thousand pounds of force were concentrated into a single point, tearing the air apart and striking directly at Ba Liming's dantian.

Tiger crouches, cannon fire! Fierce intent in the fist!

"Well done!"

A glint of light flashed in Ba Liming's eyes, but instead of fading, it seemed to ignite a predatory gleam! His aura remained perfectly still, except for his lower abdomen—

"Buzz—!"

Ba Liming's abdominal cavity suddenly collapsed inward and then bulged outward! The fascia under the skin contracted violently, making a "thump-thump" sound that made one's scalp tingle, as if a giant python was tightening and gathering power under the skin!

Boom!

When their fists and bellies collided, a deep, resonant sound, like a giant tree hitting a mountain rock, exploded out!

Snap! Snap! Snap!

Li Chenzhou staggered back three steps, leaving cracks on the blue bricks! His entire right arm went numb instantly, his bones ached, his blood surged, and a metallic taste rose in his throat!

"laugh--!"

Two condensed, almost tangible streams of white vapor shot out from Ba Liming's nostrils, shooting more than ten feet away. A faint blush appeared on his face.

"Enough!"

Ba Liming's voice was slightly hoarse, "The form is static, but the raw, ferocious energy in this cannon fist technique is very strong!"

He had indeed underestimated the man's immense strength. In his haste to exert his power, he was so shaken by the pure and extreme force that his internal organs were somewhat dislocated.

"This is... the 'swallowing force' of the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Cover?" Li Chenzhou suppressed his churning blood and qi, his heart filled with shock.

Despite enduring such a heavy blow, the opponent seemed completely unaffected!

"Haha!" Ba Liming's old face flushed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and changed the subject to the principles of boxing: "The foundation of Xingyi lies in the Five Elements, with the Twelve Forms for movement. The Five Elements are the source of power, and the Twelve Forms are the key to change. Now that you have grasped the basics, the subsequent training methods must be experienced and integrated through life-and-death trials to develop your own unique 'boxing style'!"

He gestured for Li Chenzhou to come closer, no longer in a pointing manner, but rather as if exchanging insights with a peer:

"Metal is the source of strength, sharpness is its essence, like a spear thrust, its root is in the spine... Wood is the source of strength, resilience conceals change, it originates from the tendons and tips... Water is the source of strength, penetrating everywhere, its emphasis is on penetration... Fire is the source of strength, explosive and fierce, the dantian is the furnace... Earth is the source of strength, deep and heavy, taking root on the ground..." Ba Liming taught Li Chenzhou without reservation all the secrets of the generation, transformation, and overlap of the Five Elements Fist's strength, as well as the key points of capturing the essence of the Twelve Forms and Intentions, the connection of postures, and the circular flow of power.

"Every day at dawn, we will spar here for an hour to test our skills. The rest of the time, you can ponder and comprehend on your own. Once your Five Elements are stable and your form and intent are in harmony, I will teach you the Iron Shirt and Golden Bell Cover techniques." After Ba Liming finished speaking, he said no more, but stood with his hands behind his back, indicating that Li Chenzhou could practice on his own.

He then took out the Tiger Form Divine Communication Technique and studied it carefully. This technique greatly enhanced one's strength!