Start with push-ups to gain experience

Chapter 387 Qi Refined Like a Blade: The Hope of the Martial Arts World

Looking at the dazzling light screen that only he could see, Fang Cheng's lips curled up slightly.

We definitely found the right path!

However, the unlocked skill was not the "karate" that was initially expected.

It's not something you can master immediately after learning it, like "White Crane Fist," "Bagua Palm," or "Eagle Claw Kung Fu."

Rather, it refers to a broader and more generalized concept: "palm technique."

Fang Cheng was pleased but not surprised by this.

After so much time exploring, he had a general understanding of the rules for unlocking new skills on the panel.

By repeatedly practicing basic techniques or directly challenging your own limits to reach an unprecedented level, you have a chance to unlock a skill slot on the panel.

The probability depends on the basic skills mastered; the more proficient you are, the higher the probability.

However, there is a limit to the number of skill slots.

If the increasing number of similar skills are not combined into new talents, you will only be able to master about twenty-five skills.

Therefore, the answer is obvious.

The system cannot encourage itself to infinitely unlock skills with similar techniques and effects.

Otherwise, if the basic framework remains unchanged or only minor adjustments are made, simply changing the name and calling it a new skill would be child's play.

Similarly, when the basic skills learned in a new martial art overlap too much with the skills already mastered, this applies to other martial arts.

Without new breakthroughs or fundamental improvements, it will be difficult to unlock independent skill slots.

Like many traditional martial arts, karate is known for its comprehensive techniques, including kicking, punching, throwing, and grappling.

In reality, Fang Cheng had already mastered the techniques of punching, kicking, elbowing, wrestling, and grappling through practicing several combat skills.

Some have even reached the level of grandmasters, enough to establish their own schools, so there is no need for them to inefficiently repeat learning other similar fighting techniques.

All martial arts in the world, no matter how they vary, share the same fundamental principle.

They differ only in their focus and training methods, but both follow the underlying logic of human kinesiology.

Modern combat sports with distinct characteristics, such as boxing, Sanda, Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai.

While it may lack the all-encompassing depth of traditional martial arts, it is often more specialized and efficient in a specific area, without unnecessary fancy moves.

The panel clearly focuses on extracting the core essence rather than elaborating on details.

Fang Cheng chose to learn different fighting styles in order to make up for his shortcomings in various aspects of combat.

The changes in his hand techniques represent the missing piece in his fighting skill puzzle.

This is also a part that modern fighting styles have long neglected.

Now, this piece of the puzzle called "Palm Technique" has finally been completed!

Looking at the shimmering panel, Fang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and he understood.

His figure, which had been moving around the courtyard, paused for only a moment before resuming his movements, without stopping his practice.

If the moves we just practiced still showed some signs of imitation and learning.

At this moment, Fang Cheng is creating something entirely based on his own inspiration.

He no longer adhered to any particular school or sect.

Instead, it integrates the simplicity of karate, the elegance of white crane fist, the power of Baguazhang, and the ruthlessness of eagle claw kung fu into the overall concept of "palm techniques".

Four distinct martial arts styles were completely dismantled, reshaped, and reconstructed in his hands, seemingly forming a completely new fighting art.

"Goodness... this doesn't seem to be any of the kung fu you taught, does it?"

Zhang Haixiang stared wide-eyed, scrutinized the details, and asked in surprise.

Ma Jianguo stroked his beard and smiled, watching the figure nimbly maneuvering on the field, and explained:

"He wasn't imitating, he was absorbing, transforming the essence of various martial arts schools into a force that nourished his body's instincts."

The old men in the courtyard watched intently, sometimes nodding in approval, sometimes whispering among themselves.

Dong Yunchuan's face was flushed, filled with undisguised smugness, and he kept gesturing with his chin towards the person next to him:
"See? I wasn't wrong. This kid is a prodigy. Even his comprehension is genius among geniuses!"

Professor Wu Dewang pushed up his glasses, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for knowledge.

It was as if the person in front of him was not a young man practicing martial arts, but a subject worthy of in-depth study.

Fang Cheng was completely absorbed in the world of palm techniques, without the slightest distraction.

Finally unlocking a brand new fighting skill is incredibly exciting and motivating.

It was as if his entire body had suddenly unlocked its potential.

All the palm, finger, and claw techniques he had learned before flowed forth like a spring, and he used them at will without thinking.

Freed from their inherent constraints, all parts of the body work together, with every muscle contributing to the refinement of palm techniques.

At the same time, on the panel in front of them, a series of prompts flowed by like a waterfall.

[Palm Technique Experience +1]

[Palm Technique Experience +1]

[Palm Technique Experience +1]

………………

The experience points skyrocketed, seemingly unstoppable.

The panel has extracted the essence of the skills mastered, making up for the shortcomings in the fighting system.

At this point, striking while the iron is hot and repeating the practice is undoubtedly the most efficient way to strengthen your skills.

But, this is not enough!

A thought flashed through Fang Cheng's mind, and he remembered Professor Wu Dewang's previous words.

If you cannot coordinate with your inner energy to unleash the power of your palm techniques.

Therefore, in actual combat, its effect is still far less direct and effective than a heavy punch.

Thinking of this, Fang Cheng's eyes instantly became incredibly sharp.

The next moment, the azure true energy in his dantian, guided by him, surged rapidly along the meridians of his arm like a slender snake awakening, heading straight for his palm.

He spun around, facing the old locust tree in the courtyard, his right hand forming a sharp blade with his five fingers together, and gently slashed forward.

This is not simply a matter of muscle exertion, but rather the complete infusion of internal energy into the edge of the palm in an instant.

"laugh!"

A sharp, clearly audible sound suddenly rang out in the silent courtyard, as if cloth had been torn apart in an instant.

Wherever his palm struck, the air seemed to be forcibly sliced ​​open by an invisible blade.

Just then, a withered yellow locust leaf drifted down, passing right in front of his palm strike.

The leaf paused slightly before being split in two.

Then, as if blown by the wind, it floated lightly to the ground.

The entire courtyard was completely silent.

The five sect leaders, who had dedicated their lives to martial arts, stood frozen in place as if they had been struck by a spell.

The expressions on their faces shifted from shock to horror, eventually solidifying into a frenzy akin to witnessing a miracle.

"True energy leaves the body by several inches..."

Chen Zizhen's voice was extremely dry, as if he had a handful of sand stuck in his throat.

"No, it's not simply a matter of true qi leaving the body."

Wu Dewang adjusted his glasses, which were about to slip off, his eyes behind the lenses filled with disbelief:

"That means the Qi has been condensed into a sharp edge, truly achieving 'Qi refined like a knife'..."

"This is the first time I've ever had the honor of seeing this. Even Lao Dong has never done anything like this before!"

Dong Yunchuan, who was being mentioned, was staring intently with his mouth slightly open, showing no intention of refuting anything.

Ma Jianguo's usually serene face flushed slightly with excitement, and his fists clenched unconsciously at his sides.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, striving to maintain his dignified and otherworldly demeanor. His gaze fixed on Fang Cheng's figure, he murmured to himself:
"Our martial arts research association has finally found a true... successor!"

Fang Cheng finished his stance and stood still, his breathing steady as usual.

It was as if that astonishing strike just now was nothing more than a casual wave of the hand.

On the panel in front of me, several new pieces of information clearly appeared.

[Palm Technique Experience +50]

【Palm Technique Lv0 (50/100)】

[You have gained a preliminary understanding of how to apply a type of Qigong in actual combat. Skill experience +30]

Qigong lv2 (189/500)

Fang Cheng's gaze suddenly swept over them.

He then frowned, remaining standing in place, lost in thought.

Seeing this, no one went forward to disturb them.

Having been through similar experiences, they knew that Fang Cheng was currently in a profound state of enlightenment.

Any disruption could interrupt this precious experience.

A moment later, Fang Cheng suddenly raised his head and his gaze fell on Dong Yunchuan, who was closest to him.

"Uncle Dong."

Fang Cheng's tone carried a hint of doubt and inquiry:

"I always feel like there's something wrong with how I'm applying force."

"The true energy seems to only circulate on the surface of the muscles and cannot be truly penetrated with the force. Once it leaves the body a little distance, most of the energy is wasted."

Upon hearing this, Dong Yunchuan seemed to wake from a dream.

His face flushed red, and he quickly stepped forward, feeling somewhat embarrassed by his earlier lapse in composure.

"Yes, yes, you're right!"

He composed himself and immediately assumed the role of a teacher:

"The key to using true qi lies in 'intention'. When you strike with your palm, your intention should not just stay in the palm, but you should imagine how it penetrates the target and still has residual power after reaching the target."

"This is called 'Qi follows the will, and Qi reaches wherever the mind goes!'"

Dong Yunchuan's words had a rather mysterious and enigmatic quality.

Professor Wu Dewang, who was standing to the side, smiled and then added in a more modern tone:
“Acheng, you can think of it this way: your body is the gun, the kung fu you practice is the bullet, and ‘qi’ is the gunpowder.”

"How to manipulate gunpowder to make bullets fly in different ways—whether they spin or explode and disperse—this is the essence of palm techniques at the internal strength level."

"The 'meaning' that Brother Dong mentioned is both the trigger and the scope."

This analogy was easy to understand, and Fang Cheng immediately grasped the key point.

He nodded thoughtfully, a sudden urge to try it out stirring within him.

Subconsciously, he looked around, his gaze sweeping over the artificial hill, stone table, and thick tree trunk in the courtyard, and even passing over a few teachers.

That look in his eyes was like that of a wild beast searching for prey to test the sharpness of its claws.

The old men whose gaze swept over him felt a chill run down their spines for no apparent reason.

"Uu——"

Fang Cheng took a deep breath, suppressing the impulse in his heart, and did not continue to test the power of palm techniques combined with true qi.

The series of actions just now were enough to shock everyone.

If we were to take further action against the artificial rockery table and give these old men a heart attack, things would get complicated.

"Come, come, sit down, everyone."

Ma Jianguo was the first to react, and he smiled and invited everyone to sit down again at the stone table.

Then he personally picked up the teapot and refilled everyone's teacup with hot tea.

A gentle breeze carries the aroma of tea.

The locust leaves rustled, casting dappled, swaying light and shadow on the stone table.

The atmosphere gradually calmed down from the shock, turning into a warm and harmonious discussion.

At this moment, the way the old men looked at Fang Cheng had completely changed.

If before it was admiration and respect...

Now, they are eager to share all their best experiences and insights.

Everyone's eyes held a heavy expectation.

Looking at Fang Cheng is like seeing the future hope of the entire traditional martial arts world.

In their eyes, Fang Cheng was the second Li Guizhen, a ray of dawn for these old-school martial artists who had groped in the dark their whole lives.

"Acheng, you've just started learning palm techniques, so it's normal that your internal energy isn't fully flowing yet."

Ma Jianguo took a sip of tea, spoke slowly, and said in a gentle tone:

"The main reason for this is that you are used to using your fists."

"The fist represents courage, while the palm represents skill. The fist emphasizes the concentration of power in one point, aiming for a fatal blow, with a direct and fierce way of generating force."

"The variations in palm techniques are much richer, with each of them corresponding to different power generation techniques and energy effects, including slapping, pressing, piercing, chopping, flicking, and lifting."

He put down his teacup and continued his explanation:

"To unleash the power of true qi through palm techniques, it is not simply to circulate the qi to the palms. That would be too inefficient and the true qi would easily dissipate."

"I'll teach you a method. Before you circulate your energy, you can first learn how to channel your strength. Once you've mastered channeling your strength, your true energy will naturally flow through your extremities and be released more easily."

"There are many kinds of energy in our Tai Chi Chuan, including silk reeling energy, spiral energy, and springy energy. In summary, the wonder of energy lies in 'flow' and 'penetration'."

“‘Tong’ means smooth, like an unobstructed river; ‘Tou’ means penetrating, like the sun and moon illuminating the dark.”

“You have a solid foundation and a flexible body. You have already grasped the essence of ‘through’. Now you need to practice ‘penetrating’ strength.”

"Acheng, remember this sentence from the Tai Chi manual: 'Extreme softness leads to extreme hardness.'"

Ma Jianguo earnestly taught:

"Only by completely relaxing your body and focusing your mind can you allow your energy to penetrate without hindrance, truly achieving complete control and boundless power."

Fang Cheng listened quietly, nodding repeatedly, and kept these golden words of advice firmly in mind.

"Haha."

Ma Jianguo laughed as he said this:
“These are all things my father told me back then, and I only know a little bit about them.”

"The real key is something you'll have to figure out yourself through real-world practice. But with your comprehension, I believe you'll master it completely very soon."

"Hey, stop talking!"

Dong Yunchuan looked up and saw the sun already high in the sky:

"It's almost noon. Today I'll let you taste my cooking. Ah Cheng, you're in for a treat this time."

As soon as he finished speaking, he enthusiastically rolled up his sleeves and strode towards the kitchen.

The atmosphere of the gathering immediately shifted from a serious discussion of martial arts to a lively family dinner.

"Old Dong is going to make a fool of himself again."

Wu Dewang smiled and shook his head, then said to everyone, "Let's not just sit idly by, let's lend a hand."

Zhang Haixiang brought a large rooster from the carriage outside the courtyard and shouted loudly:

"I'll kill the chicken!"

Chen Zizhen rolled up his sleeves, picked up a bucket, and walked towards the other side of the pool:

"Then I'll handle these fish."

Seeing this, Fang Cheng also stood up with a smile, his gaze falling on the busy figures of the crowd in the courtyard.

It felt like seeing the scene from my first time participating in the martial arts research association.

(End of this chapter)