Gao Wu Da Ming: Starting as a military household and ascending to the rank of Martial Saint

After two days of instruction, Yu Shaowu had a basic understanding of some training methods. He even memorized all the formulas for the hidden strength of the Boxer Rebellion.

Whether you understand it or not, write it down first. How much you can absorb depends on your understanding during the learning process.

Generally speaking, this kind of understanding requires years of accumulation. Just like the Tao Te Ching, which is only about five thousand characters long, some people spend a lifetime trying to understand it.

After Ji Shouyi entrusted all of these to Yu Shaowu, he seemed to have unloaded a heavy burden, and his mindset suddenly became relaxed.

He said to Yu Shaowu, "Junior brother, there are many mysteries in this incantation that even your senior brother cannot fully understand. Even if I could, they might not be correct. If there are any parts you don't understand, you'll have to figure them out yourself in the future. But there's one thing you must remember: if you encounter any obstacles, never force yourself to break through."

Yu Shaowu laughed and said, "If I encounter anything I don't understand, I'll just ask my senior brother."

Ji Shouyi paused for a moment, then smiled slightly and said, "Alright, as I said before, as long as I know it, I will definitely teach you everything I know."

Observing the situation, Yu Shaowu recalled the long queue at the entrance and took the initiative to say, "In a few days, I will be going to Mulberry Forest Mountain to hunt wolves. I wonder if Senior Brother has received any notification from the government?"

Ji Shouyi's expression immediately changed, and he asked, "What, you're going wolf hunting too? Who gave you the order?"

Yu Shaowu said, "This is an order from the commander."

Ji Shouyi's expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "Junior brother, are you going to listen to your senior brother?"

Yu Shaowu replied sincerely, "You are called my senior brother, but in reality, you are my master. How could I dare disobey your orders?"

Ji Shouyi said, "Then you must listen to me and absolutely not go to Sanglin Mountain."

Yu Shaowu said, "This is an order issued by the prefectural government to the Thousand-Household Office. How can it be so easy to disobey?"

"Then leave Baode Prefecture as soon as possible!" Ji Shouyi's tone brooked no argument. "Sanglin Mountain is a dangerous place. Our wives, children, and even entire families are all here. We cannot disobey the government's orders. But you are merely an exiled soldier here; you can escape whenever you want. As long as you don't flee to Fujian, they won't be able to catch you easily. Moreover, your uncle is the General of Fujian, and it is all thanks to him that we are able to resist the Taiwanese and Penghu barbarians. The court cannot easily touch him..."

He kept talking and talking, trying his best to persuade Yu Shaowu to leave this place, as if he valued Yu Shaowu's safety more than his own.

Yu Shaowu looked at Ji Shouyi and asked in a deep voice, "Senior Brother, is this why you won't let me join the martial arts school? Is it because the entire Juyi Martial Arts School has been conscripted to go to Sanglin Mountain to hunt wolves?"

"Yes..." Ji Shouyi sighed, helplessly saying, "You're a smart person; you should be able to see that this is a game where nine out of ten will die. We're all already in it, and we have no choice in the matter..."

He placed his hand on Yu Shaowu's shoulder and said earnestly, "Promise your senior brother, leave this place. You are a martial arts prodigy. It would be such a pity if you were trapped in Sanglin Mountain and harmed by those bastard officials in the prefecture."

Previously, Ji Shouyi didn't want to implicate Yu Shaowu, but now he was even more reluctant to let Yu Shaowu be in danger. Firstly, he cherished Yu Shaowu's talent, and secondly, he also entrusted Yu Shaowu with the mission of promoting the Boxer Rebellion.

Therefore, he wants Yu Shaowu to live more than anyone else.

Seeing how kind Ji Shouyi was to him, Yu Shaowu was deeply moved. He stared into Ji Shouyi's eyes and said, "Hasn't Senior Brother ever thought of rebelling against the prefecture?"

Ji Shouyi sighed and said, "It's easier said than done. As I just said, my Ji clan has ten households in Baode Prefecture, and all my family members are in Baode. If I disobey the prefecture's orders, all of them will suffer along with me."

Yu Shaowu said, "What if we find out who's behind this, and then only deal with them?"

Ji Shouyi was stunned. He suddenly realized that his junior brother seemed to know more than he did.

Yu Shaowu continued, "Raising a beast tide in the mountains is tantamount to treason. I don't believe that all the officials in the prefecture were involved. The reason they tricked us into going into the mountains is precisely because this matter is not something that can be openly discussed."

What if we find and deal with the person responsible for this? I don't believe the prefect would dare to investigate. If he did, it would inevitably bring up the beast tide incident in Lüliang Mountain. With local officials like the Kelan Military Commissioner and the Shanxi Governor below, and the imperial court above, the prefect of Baode Prefecture can't possibly have absolute power.

Ji Shouyi listened silently, then asked, "Does Junior Brother know who's behind this? Is it really Prefect Hu Nan?"

"I don't know who's behind it all, but I do know who the executors are—Liu Xingye, Chang Qi, Zhao Daikui, and Wang Rongdian from the prefecture," Yu Shaowu said. "Killing their executors will be a good warning to the masterminds. At the very least, this wolf hunt in Sanglin Mountain will come to an end without any consequences."

Upon hearing Liu Xingye's name, Ji Shouyi seemed to have expected it and was not particularly shocked. He remained silent for a while before saying in a deep voice, "Among them, there are two military officers and one government official. If things go wrong, they could face confiscation of their property, extermination of their entire family, and death without a burial place."

Yu Shaowu smiled slightly and said, "Senior Brother, do you really think you won't die without a burial place if you go into the mountains? Don't get your hopes up. This time, their preparations will be much more thorough than before. Besides, your family won't be spared after you die."

Ji Shouyi hesitated for a long time, still unable to make up his mind, and said, "This matter still needs to be considered carefully. Putting aside that clerk Wang, even my senior uncle Liu Xingye, Deputy Commander Chang Qi, and Battalion Commander Zhao Daikui are not easy opponents. Especially Zhao Daikui, who has at least the strength of the fifth level of Body Tempering Realm. Killing them is no easy task. Moreover, killing them would bring endless trouble. No one is willing to work with us. In comparison, it is easier to find a way to survive by going into the mountains to hunt wolves."

Seeing that Ji Shouyi remained unmoved, Yu Shaowu was somewhat disappointed. He knew that Ji Shouyi and his group had long been based in their hometown and had always been obedient to the court. Killing an official was too treasonous, and it was truly difficult for them.

So he stopped trying to persuade him and simply said, "Anyway, there are still a few days until August 16th, Senior Brother, please think it over..."

-----------------

After returning to Yaomaodun, Yu Shaowu calculated the time and found that there were still five days before he could go to Sanglin Mountain.

He had Wan prepare sour rice, water, and cured meat for him. Except for relieving himself, he never went out and spent all his time in his room studying internal energy.

At this point, the routines and techniques of the Boxer Rebellion no longer needed to be reinforced, but the accompanying breathing methods became of paramount importance.

Previously, the breathing technique was coordinated with the movements; now it is coordinated with the Qi (vital energy) accumulated in the body.

The purpose of cultivation is to regulate the Qi in the arteries through breathing techniques, allowing this Qi to enter the muscles, and then, with the exertion of the muscles, to act on the target through techniques.

At this stage, most martial artists passively absorb Qi and are unable to condense it effectively. Therefore, the amount of Qi they can mobilize is extremely limited.

But Yu Shaowu was different. He had mastered the unique skill of Qi Guiding and Flowing, which allowed him to absorb several times more Qi than others, and he was born with the ability to guide Qi.

With the aid of this unique skill, he can mobilize much more Qi than others, and he can also guide it well into his muscles.

In this way, Yu Shaowu completed the initial stage of internal strength almost effortlessly.

This is the effect of the combined blessing of talent and the system. What some people can never cross in their entire lives, Yu Shaowu accomplished in less than a day or two.

This reminded him of mathematics from his past life. Some people can learn calculus at the age of fourteen, while others simply can't learn it.

Yu Shaowu is now experiencing the joy of being a top student. It's truly exhilarating.

After mastering the basics of internal strength, the focus of practice shifts to achieving ultimate control over bones, muscles, and even pores through internal visualization. Internal visualization involves entering a meditative state to examine the microscopic world within one's body, clearly observing the flow of meridians, internal organs, bones, and blood. Ultimately, this leads to the precise perception of the flow of Qi within the body, achieving its ultimate application.

This process is entirely dependent on talent. The only help the system provides is to turn successful experiences into positive feedback, which can improve the efficiency of comprehension to some extent.

The most crucial point is that you must not be impatient for quick results at this stage. After all, the energy contained in Qi is enormous, and it is regulated within the body. If you are not careful, you will play with fire and get burned.

Therefore, unlike his previous reckless and extreme training style, Yu Shaowu became very cautious. He sat cross-legged on the bed, starting with the simplest twelve meridians in his limbs, gradually moving towards his internal organs, constantly improving his control.

On the evening of the fifteenth of August, the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yu Shaowu awoke from his meditation. He was drenched in sweat, his skin had a strange pinkish hue, and his body was constantly radiating heat.

Several lines of information flashed through my mind again:

[Boxer Rebellion: Ming Jin (Exquisite Skill)]

[Boxer Rebellion: Hidden Strength (Initial Understanding)]

[Realm Advancement: Body Tempering Realm (Level 4)]

[Mastering the Ultimate Skill: Bone-Penetrating Force]