Body Refinement for Longevity: From Health Cultivation Exercises to Overcoming All Techniques

The first step in martial arts training is standing meditation and practicing boxing, which nourishes the blood and qi, strengthens muscles and bones, and consolidates the foundation of martial arts training.

When the Qi and blood reach the necessary conditions, one can proceed to the gate-opening stage. There are three levels of gate-opening. As long as the first gate-opening is successful, one can truly step into the path of martial arts and become a martial artist.

The key points are Ming Jin (manifest strength), An Jin (hidden strength), and Hua Jin (transformation strength).

Each challenge is a major test of the body and vital energy. The further you go, the more difficult it becomes, and the greater the cost of failure.

Of course, each breakthrough can bring about tremendous changes to the body, including blood and qi, strength, spirit, and even primordial yang.

These are merely the thresholds to the path of martial arts. Beyond the martial artist, there are martial artists, martial masters, martial saints...

He had once reached the level of Dark Force, but due to his physical condition, he could no longer exert his former strength. However, he could still exchange blows with a Ming Force martial artist by avoiding direct confrontation.

This was all thanks to the Tai Chi health exercises and the dietary supplements provided by his father-in-law's family. Although it was just ordinary food, it still helped him recover some of his strength. Otherwise, he would still be powerless to even kill a chicken.

"What brings you here, sir?"

Returning to the present moment, Chen Han respectfully bowed to the man before him and asked.

Those who practice martial arts are people that ordinary civilians, and even officials, dare not offend.

What's frightening isn't just one person, but the fact that behind them could very well be a martial arts school or gang.

If it's a martial arts school, they can at most apologize. But if it's a gang... tragic things like families being destroyed and people dying are not uncommon.

"It's nothing, I've come to pick up my Yi'er."

Yi'er?

Chen Han looked at the boy beside him, who had his head held high and a smug expression on his face.

He was clearly the Yi'er the man was talking about, and he was very proud that his father was a martial artist.

The man looked at Chen Han with surprise in his eyes. He sized him up and asked, "Brother, judging from your demeanor, have you trained before?"

After practicing Tai Chi health exercises, Chen Han's behavior, demeanor, and even his appearance have changed somewhat, giving people a sense of calm and easygoing yet authoritative without anger.

Chen Han gave an awkward smile, "I did practice a little bit, but I stopped because my physical constitution wasn't good enough."

"Oh, really?"

Seeing that the other party was avoiding his sharp edge, the man stepped forward without any politeness and placed his large hand on Chen Han's shoulder, his knuckles digging into his bones to examine his physique. Chen Han's face contorted in pain, but he did not stop him.

In an unjust world, without absolute strength to subdue your opponents, swallowing your pride is the best option.

After a long pause, the man laughed, his face filled with arrogance. "As expected, no wonder you couldn't master it; you're just a spineless coward."

Chen Han also chuckled bitterly a few times.

"Just kidding, don't take it personally, bro."

Shen Yue, Chen Han's younger sister, looked very unhappy upon seeing this. She secretly glared at the man before pulling Chen Han away.

Unbeknownst to them, four burly men were silently watching the father and son from a hidden spot in the crowd.

"The higher-ups are strict and time is tight. We'll collect the 'peace money' here first, and then kill the whole family before we leave."

······

Throughout the journey, Shen Yue didn't utter a single word, simply walking dejectedly ahead of Chen Han.

Chen Han knew that although Shen Yue didn't get along very well with him, she still considered him her older brother from the bottom of her heart.

He smiled with satisfaction and said nothing. In truth, he hadn't taken the matter to heart at all; he had simply made a note of the person in his little notebook.

The sun set in the west, and night fell.

The Shen family gate was closed early. Ten days later, the younger sister returned home. Madam Lu, Chen Han's current mother, specially went to the butcher shop to buy half a pound of meat.

Chen Han ate the most, which earned him a few eye rolls from the elderly couple.

Under the hazy moonlight, Chen Han practiced Tai Chi health exercises in the courtyard until late at night, and as expected, the progress bar did not increase at all.

Chen Han now realized that without highly nourishing substances like exotic beast meat and medicinal soups, the bone reshaping stage could not be advanced at all, and would instead ruin his body.

On the bed, Chen Han lay with his eyes half-open, unable to fall asleep despite wanting to, his mind filled with thoughts of how to obtain the exotic beast meat and medicinal soup.

Both of these items are priceless and cannot be bought even with money. Chen Han thought the simplest solution was to join a martial arts school.

But with his current physique... which martial arts school would accept him?

Should we use silver to bribe them?

Where did he get so much money?

"Are you tired today?"

Shen Wan'er turned around and gently hugged Chen Han, her voice soft and sweet, asking in a half-dreaming, half-awake state.

This is a young woman with a youthful face, delicate and tender as water. She is Chen Han's wife, Shen Yue's older sister, and the elderly couple's eldest daughter.

"Yeah, I'm a little tired, but it's okay."

Chen Han was indeed exhausted. He practiced health-preserving exercises morning and evening, and sat for several hours at noon. Most people would be fine, but his body...

Tai Chi health exercises are not like the leisurely tea tasting and moon-gazing of a refined gentleman; they require stance training, horizontal palm strikes, and so on, and the level of hardship is no less than that of martial arts training.

"Okay, don't work too hard."

Shen Wan'er seemed to be in a half-dream state, and her words were very unclear. After a while, she said again, "Practicing martial arts is very expensive. If you don't have enough, I have some saved up here."

Chen Han was somewhat surprised. "Haven't you always been against me practicing martial arts?"

The latter gave a helpless smile. "So, should I object to you listening?"

Chen Han was speechless.

"Since you won't listen, I might as well give in to your wish, so you won't blame me later. Besides, you're my man now. If I don't help you, who else can you rely on?"

Chen Han was stunned for a moment. This was the first time he had ever felt this way in his past and present lives.

He smiled, said nothing more, and became even more determined to practice martial arts.

This is not only an explanation to oneself, but also an explanation to those around them. A person without foresight will have immediate worries. In this world, only the strong can control their destiny.

······

Three days later, the sun set in the west.

Across from the Chen family, someone shouted, "No money! This is the only shabby shop we own, and what we earn isn't even enough to eat. Where would we get the money to feed you bloodsuckers!"

The middle-aged man, his face flushed and neck thick with anger, roared.

He let out a small sigh of anger, but the next moment he regretted it.

Two or three burly men surrounded him and beat him half to death, breaking his legs. In front of his son and daughter-in-law, he howled like a wild dog.

The middle-aged man's pride was shattered, and he cried uncontrollably, like a child.

"You can't even come up with half a tael of silver a month, yet you dare to yell at me..."

……

"What, three taels?"

Shen Wufu stood in front of his house, his face filled with shock and anger, the bones in his hands bulging.

Lu stood helplessly to the side, her fingertips trembling.

In front of the couple were four middle-aged men, all wearing straw hats and with sinister eyes; they were all thugs of the Black Mountain Gang.

He was the one who caused the tragic scene across the street.

The leader was bald and incredibly burly; upon closer inspection, he turned out to be a martial arts master!

"Old man, you mean... you think it's too much?"

The bald, burly man, named Xiong Ye, stepped forward. His curly chest hair almost touched Shen Wufu's face, and his threatening gaze was undisguised as he stared intently at the old man, who was over forty and whose hair was turning gray.

The Black Mountain Gang is the veritable local tyrant of Black Lion City, and they make a living by collecting taxes from the common people.

Regardless of whether it's a wedding or a funeral, regardless of the size of the shop, and regardless of their background, they accept everything without question, and they even dare to rob the government's tax revenue.

Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake!

The government had organized a campaign to suppress the rebellion, but all attempts failed, and the county government office was burned down several times.

When the sun rose that day, they discovered that the commander who had been organized to encircle and annihilate them, along with the heads of his entire family, were hanging at the city gate!

Shen Wufu was also a Ming Jin martial artist, and his strength was naturally beyond that of ordinary people, but he had to admit that youth had an advantage in boxing.

In recent years, his vital energy has begun to decline, and some old injuries and hidden ailments from his youth have gradually begun to plague him. Even when he sparred with some young men who had not yet reached the required level, he seemed powerless.

Now, facing an opponent of the same level who is even more vigorous in terms of energy and vitality, he has no chance of fighting back.

But what can we do?

Presumably, the other party knew these things, which is why they took this action, raising their tax from half a tael to three taels.