Daily life of a teacher in the martial arts department

"...30%"

"Thirty percent? You only have thirty percent of your internal energy left."

"Yes."

"What a surprise... You actually told me directly? Since you answered like this, I'll take it as true for now. Ying Qin Guan, with 30% of your inner energy, are you confident you can kill me before your inner energy is exhausted?"

"Not now."

"..Now?"

Ying Qin Guan did not answer Kui's question, but instead asked:

"Kui...why do we need to chat now?"

Kui answers questions without needing to think, although he does think about it, but to others it seems like he answers instantly.

"You're trying to recover your inner energy, and I'm trying to recover my strength and injuries. We each have our own reasons. Besides that, we probably wanted to influence each other's fighting spirit through words. But it seems I failed. However, judging from the question you asked, it seems you have some other purposes for chatting with me."

He asked, "What is it?"

"You'll find out soon enough..."

Kui's gaze was deep and unfathomable.

"I already guessed it..."

The two sides clashed again, and during the battle, Ying Qin Guan's speed began to slow down.

It keeps slowing down... If the initial speed is 10, it gradually becomes 9.5, 9, then 8, 7.

This speed was far too slow. Kui seized several opportunities, instinctively taking Ying Qin Guan's life. However, due to the lack of any openings, even though Ying Qin Guan's speed was less than half of what it was at the beginning, he was still unable to seize the opportunity to truly take Ying Qin Guan away.

At the same time, Ying Qin Guan's punches and kicks landed on his body... each one more painful and more severe than the last.

The speed decreased, but the power increased... Kui knew what Ying Qin Guan was doing.

"Modern martial artists prioritize speed over strength, while ancient martial artists prioritize strength over speed... Realizing that they cannot defeat me using modern martial arts techniques, they began to modify their training methods, developing in the direction of ancient martial artists...?"

"I don't understand you martial artists, but modifying the core elements of your cultivation method during battle and immediately applying it to yourself... there's no doubt about that; you've already accomplished that."

Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Difference Between Ancient and Modern Times

Ancient martial artists pursued offensive power, while modern martial artists pursue effective hits—in other words, speed.

Many martial artists have this question when they first start out and only have a vague understanding of the sport.

The reason why modern martial artists pursue speed is to achieve effective hits. So what is an effective hit?

The answer is to attack the part of the opponent where the internal energy barrier was not covered, or where the internal energy was covered in a very rushed manner, without forming an effective internal energy barrier.

Upon hearing this statement, questions naturally arise. If that's the case, wouldn't pursuing offensive power be better? Even modern martial artists who prioritize speed occasionally manage to shatter an opponent's internal energy barrier through direct confrontation. If one prioritizes offensive power, wouldn't it be even easier to break through it?

Such doubts don't need explanation; the answer will naturally emerge through a long period of learning.

After they've studied the modern usage in depth, some things will naturally become clear... Ancient martial artists were too slow.

It's not that the body's speed is slow, but rather that the speed of internal energy mobilization is slow.

A martial artist's internal energy fills all the meridians in their body. When needed, they immediately draw upon the internal energy from the corresponding area to achieve an 'instantaneous' effect. For example, Ying Qin Guan's Consciousness Slash draws upon the internal energy around his eyes. As long as the internal energy around his eyes is not depleted, the move remains 'instantaneous'. However, once depleted, he must draw upon internal energy from other areas, which takes time, thus degrading it from 'instantaneous'.

The speed at which internal energy is mobilized affects the skill's pre-cast animation, cooldown, and even the post-cast animation of certain skills. Therefore, those with a fast internal energy mobilization speed, like Ying Qin Guan, are strong. Ye Jiao Fang, who mastered all the martial arts in the world and had hundreds of secret techniques, had countless methods, but he still couldn't match Ying Qin Guan's short cooldown and short pre-cast animation, and was defeated.

It can be said that the speed of internal energy mobilization is the most important attribute of a martial artist. In extreme cases, it is even more important than the amount of internal energy. How many people die before they have enough internal energy to release?

Ancient martial artists' internal energy regulation speed was extremely slow.

Because their internal energy doesn't come from the meridians, but rather from the "dantian," which has been abandoned by modern martial artists.

Modern martial artists generally don't use the dantian (lower abdomen); they usually disperse their internal energy (qi) throughout the body's meridians. Therefore, their internal energy mobilization speed is extremely fast. However, ancient martial artists didn't develop a proper method for meridian circulation. As a result, their internal energy remained stored in the dantian, leading to a very slow mobilization speed. Correspondingly, each time they mobilized their internal energy, the entire dantian surged forth at once. If a modern martial artist's attack is like a water gun, then an ancient martial artist's attack is like a torrent.

While this fighting style is undeniably fierce and incredibly powerful, it can easily deplete one's internal energy in just a few moves. While you're still circulating your internal energy, a modern martial artist has already slapped you across the face—and this method causes immense damage to the meridians and dantian. Consequently, ancient martial artists not only had short lifespans, but also suffered from declining health in old age, with various internal and hidden injuries recurring repeatedly. Sometimes, their meridians or dantian would even collapse during a fight. Modern martial artists, as long as they don't overdo it, won't have these problems.

This method of cultivating the dantian as its core, while not yet in the trash, is certainly something fit for use as a table leg in a library. To think it's some kind of divine martial arts manual would be a grave mistake. However, to say that this method is completely useless would be somewhat arbitrary, just like... now!

Ying Qin Guan threw a punch with ferocious force, his movements appearing to Kui as slow as a tortoise crawling. Unfortunately, Kui's body and his dynamic vision didn't match... Of course, Kui could capture objects moving at one-twentieth the speed of light with his naked eye; if his body could keep up, what would become of him?

Ying Qin Guan's attack was unavoidable. He raised his arms in front of him to block, and a terrifyingly violent force surged forth. The ground beneath his feet instantly collapsed, and the blue bricks within a hundred-meter radius were thrown into the air and then crushed to pieces by the immense force! Spiderweb-like cracks spread for thousands of meters, affecting the foundations of several surrounding houses. Coupled with the rolling shockwave, the entire buildings swayed precariously and nearly collapsed!

However, even in the face of such an attack, Kui only took a slight step back!

Even the Earth Mother Goddess would have to exclaim that you two are the true progenitors.

"Is it finished...?"

Kui lowered his gaze.

"However... the cultivation methods of ancient martial artists are extremely damaging to the meridians and dantian. With your battered body, what level can you possibly achieve? I'll give you one last piece of advice... Ying Qin Guan, stop. It would be a real pity to kill you."

"ha.."

Ying Qin Guan suddenly chuckled softly. This was really not a suitable occasion for laughing, unless he... couldn't help it.

"You wouldn't understand, Kui... Only after I personally set foot on this land did I truly confront my own ugly heart... How ugly it was, Black Dragon Emperor, that kind of person, and I actually secretly hoped he was still alive, because only in this way, only in this way..."

The internal energy swirling around Ying Qin Guan erupted once again, in an unprecedentedly terrifying way.

This time, the airtight power that erupted was unlike any before. The long accumulation of power brought even more terrifying power. The howling wind that produced sonic booms was mixed with wisps of internal energy that shone with killing intent.

call--

A fierce wind swept through, turning the previously defensive move into an offensive one. The skin on Kui's body was shaved away, revealing his scarlet muscles... Kui! Or rather, Xiao! Their subcutaneous tissue contained no fat?!

Are all owls like this, or is it only the kingfisher?

The answer should be the latter. Even an owl cannot survive without fat. Perhaps only Kui is like that... or more specifically, only he in this state is like that.

Without a single breath, the cutting continued relentlessly, and in the blink of an eye, Kui was covered in blood. Before, his skin was only dark red, but now Ying Qin Guan had scraped off his entire body, and the cutting had not stopped. His eyelids, lips, and ears were covered in crimson skin, creating a bloody and brutal scene that was filled with a strange and violent aesthetic.

【"I see.."】

Kui felt the solid ground beneath his feet and understood. Previously, Ying Qin Guan's "Windless Barrier" had repeatedly ripped away the ground beneath him, causing him to lose his footing and be swept away. Now, having transformed into an ancient martial artist, his attack power had greatly increased, and he had begun a new round of attacks. Therefore, Ying Qin Guan didn't rush to shatter the ground beneath Kui's feet. However, it was foreseeable that once Kui attempted a counterattack, the ground beneath his feet would be shattered by the wind, just like before.

Kui stretched out his bloody hand... He was even redder than Naruto the Four-Tails, but his expression remained unchanged.

"The idea is good, but... are you sure you can still perform such rapid and precise operations after changing the breeding method?"

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Sweet as Honey

Kui had only come into contact with some very basic cultivation techniques, but that did not mean he was ignorant of martial arts principles.

In those long, unimaginably long years, Kui engaged in countless thoughts, some meaningful and some meaningless, in those endless years—starting from scratch, relying entirely on his own step-by-step deductions.

Is he a martial artist?

He is not, because he has never practiced the cultivation method.

But does that mean he wasn't a martial artist?

That's wrong again... because he was well-versed in martial arts principles. Although his subjective views differed from those of other martial artists, he was still a martial arts master, and his judgments were reasonable in most cases.

However, the martial arts masters in the Investiture of the Gods are beings who transcend time and defy common sense.

Although the God of War was not the first martial artist, he is considered the "originator of martial arts." He is the one who truly carried forward this extraordinary power system and can be regarded as the creator who went from zero to one. He is a great man and a pioneer.

Ye Jiaofang, a master of all martial arts, is a martial god-level figure. His learning ability is even more outrageous than Ying Qin Guan's—although in reality, Ying Qin Guan actually stole more skills from Ye Jiaofang. But that's because Ying Qin Guan didn't have many skills to steal... In terms of learning ability, Ye Jiaofang is superior. A thousand years of honing, learning, and growth, an iron will, and a single-minded fighting spirit... all of this forged his name as a martial god.

Ying Qin Guan's growth rate is unprecedented and unparalleled, perhaps even surpassing all others. While Yun Xian's novels are already outrageous enough, and Ye Jiao Fang's overpowered abilities are equally outrageous, neither compares to Ying Qin Guan's absurdity. He seemingly appeared out of nowhere, leaving even someone as resolute as Ji Chao Ge with psychological trauma. His unreasonable speed of internal energy manipulation... all of this defies common sense.

The same applies now.

Kui's judgment was very reasonable, but unfortunately his opponent was an unreasonable person.

If we were to quantify and quantify the character data, then Ying Qin Guan would undoubtedly possess a talent or buff such as 'ultra-fast internal energy circulation' and 'extremely precise control'. Even after being transformed into an ancient martial arts system, his internal energy circulation speed and control precision were not fatally affected.

The moment he made his move, the ground beneath his feet crumbled, and Kui once again lost his footing, blown away by the violent, leak-proof wind, just like before. But Kui's perception of time was incredibly sharp; he noticed that the duration of Ying Qin Guan's internal energy circulation had indeed increased as a result.

The timing is extremely delicate, as it coincides with the limit of my attack on Ying Qin Pass. I might hit it, or I might miss, depending on how well both sides perform. The final outcome will be decided by this long, seemingly endless battle.

Yes, Kui had already anticipated this.

This will be an incredibly long and grueling battle for both sides. After transitioning to the ancient martial arts system, Ying Qin Guan possesses the power to injure, and even kill, himself. However, even with impenetrable defenses, he might not be able to completely defend against his own attacks. Furthermore, the ancient martial arts style of attack consumes far more internal energy, so Ying Qin Guan may not be able to hold out until the end.

Although the Kui still holds the advantage, the chances of Ying Qin Guan winning have improved after the system change, and everything that follows is uncertain.

"Who gave out first... your internal energy, your meridians, your dantian, your fighting spirit, or your body?"

Ying Qin Guan's condition was far from terrible. His internal energy was almost depleted, and the ancient martial arts techniques had taken a heavy toll on his meridians and dantian. His fighting spirit was nonexistent; reality wasn't a game, and a weakened state was naturally not the same as a fully healed one. As for his body... the fact that he was still holding on was a miracle.

"But if I manage to get through all of this, will I be the one who ends up dead?"

Kui lowered his head; his entire body had been scraped away—this was genuine gua sha (scraping therapy). This was just the beginning, and it would never be the end.

In this long, seemingly endless battle, both sides tormented each other...

"How much can I pay for freedom?" Kui sighed, his usually calm expression finally changing from the start of the battle until now.

He looked serious, his eyes deep, and gazed down.

"I thought about this question a lot before this battle. But as expected, some answers can't be understood no matter how long you think about them until the time comes. Even if you get an answer briefly, when that moment really comes, the answer will be as clear as the snow on the Saloria Mountains."

The Saloria Mountains have an extremely unique geographical environment. Every winter, it snows heavily, so much so that it seems like you'll never see the snow melt. However, due to the geographical environment and a magical beast in the mountains, the snow will almost melt away by the end of the following summer, resulting in flash floods every year. "The snow of the Saloria Mountains" is a Literary expression meaning that "what you thought would never change will ultimately be subject to the vicissitudes of life."

"Now, I have my own answer..."

Ying Qin Guan circulated his cultivation technique, constantly adjusting his breathing, and asked in a low voice, "What is your answer?"

Kui calmly said, "A deity resides within this body, but unfortunately, I have not gained the corresponding control... Ying Qin Guan. Although I am only in my thirties, the years I have experienced are longer than you can imagine. Every silent, long night has been a prison sentence for me, comparable to a lifetime for an ordinary person. This endless contemplation is a prison that imprisons my soul, and the key to unlocking this prison... is freedom."

Ying Qin Guan understood, and he asked, "More important than anything else?"

Kui responded.

"More important than anything else."

Ying Qin Guan remained silent, already somewhat aware of his own arrogance... Like Ji Chaoge, both only saw each other as enemies. But while Ji Chaoge at least considered others tactically, Ying Qin Guan remained consistently disdainful of everyone. Kui saw through his thoughts, hence his words.

Kui slowly extended his hand.

So... come on.

“I can probably understand how you feel. As a survivor of that war that destroyed your country, you must desperately want to overcome me as an obstacle and see that person. But, just as you have things you must do, I also have things I must do. I don’t care about race or ethnicity, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my long life in prison.”

His eyes gleamed with a sinister light as he looked toward Ying Qin Pass.