A Scroll of Infinite Glory

September 23.

In the early hours of the morning, Guan Luoyang and the coach bid farewell to Tian Gongyu and embarked on their journey to Guangzhou.

The coach's original attire was really too eye-catching, so this time he changed into a blue coarse cloth outfit before setting off.

Those were Tian Gongyu's clothes. Tian Gongyu was a bit shorter than the instructor, so the clothes were a little tight on the instructor.

However, in those days, there were many people who had no clothes to wear. Guan Luoyang himself had seen quite a few naked corpses that had starved and frozen to death on the roadside.

The instructor's clothes were just a little ill-fitting, but that wasn't suspicious enough. He had hidden his roster and short stick himself, and no one knew where he had hidden them. Anyway, he moved around freely, and no one could tell.

On the contrary, Guan Luoyang's longsword was a bit of a problem. After much deliberation, it was decided not to bring it.

The sun had not yet risen, and the sky was dim. On the open field path, the two walked and chatted.

"Back in the day, Lei Gong was a master of both fist and sword. His grappling techniques were almost as effective at killing enemies as his swordsmanship. You don't carry a sword, so how much of his skill in fist and foot techniques do you know?"

"I've studied the Five Grappling Techniques for longer than the swordsmanship, but my master mastered bone-strengthening, while I only mastered skin-strengthening. I wonder which is stronger, him or her at his peak?"

The Five-Step Grappling Technique, as the name suggests, is a set of grappling techniques divided into five parts.

Arhat, Eagle Claw, Entangling Silk, Crane Broken, Through Back.

In the simplest and most straightforward language, "Luohan" refers to a grappling technique that uses powerful force to target the joints of the human limbs, dislocating tendons, bones, and flesh.

The move that twisted Zhu Changshou's right arm originated from the Arhat sect.

Eagle Claw is a technique used to train one's wrist and finger strength. It is mainly used to target the enemy's facial features, lower back, groin, and other vital areas. When fighting, it involves gouging out eyes, tearing ears, gouging lips, and hooking faces.

The "Entangling Silk" technique involves pulling and dragging to disrupt the opponent's balance. It targets extremities such as ears, fingers, hair, and clothing, and often relies on striking or throwing to injure the opponent.

Crane Break emphasizes its own unique way of generating power, pursuing unique training results such as palm strike, finger strike, and inch power. It is roughly a selection of the essence of Crane Fist.

Tongbei is a training method for improving one's breathing, extending the range of attacks, and maintaining long-lasting strength. It also incorporates hypnotic techniques that evolved from the Boxer Rebellion's fighting style, aiming to bewitch the enemy at crucial moments, distract them, and achieve a surprise attack.

According to Tian Gongyu, this set of grappling techniques was first passed down from his grandmaster to his master, and then to him. It was only after the Tianjin Alliance, where he obtained valuable manuscripts from the exchanges among the great boxing masters, that it was truly perfected.

"Your master achieved mastery of bone refining through thirty years of arduous training, while you only took six years to reach mastery of skin refining. This is not only due to your astonishing talent, but also because he truly taught you according to your aptitude. Your teaching methods are excellent. A disciple need not imitate his master, nor need he be inferior to his master."

The instructor adopted this nickname because he was a teacher in the Boxer Rebellion and had mentored many promising young talents.

Having arrived here today, he couldn't help but feel the urge to instruct the younger generation again, saying, "However, since you practice the Five Forms of Grappling Techniques, you must have extracted a lot of essence from the manuscripts of your fellow practitioners back then. While you have mastered the skin techniques, you must have also achieved considerable skill in the muscles, bones, and qi."

Guan Luoyang is not a humble person, and he spoke frankly: "I can exert more than 2,000 jin of force at will, hold my breath for 15 minutes, bend over with my head down and my hands hugging my knees, curl up like a ball all night without ever relaxing, and I have no soreness in my cervical or lumbar spine. This is a test I did around May of this year."

Is this really something that was developed in just six years of training?

The instructor couldn't help but sigh, saying, "It seems that you might be able to try and step into the threshold of Qi Refining Mastery in the near future."

In the world of martial arts and boxing, "qi cultivation" refers to the practice of breathing.

When Tian Gongyu explained the so-called "Four Great Trainings" to Guan Luoyang, he once said that although each of the four trainings requires both talent and hard work, if we had to compare them, it could be said that Bone Training requires the most hard work, while Qi Training requires the most talent.

The airflow between the mouth and nose is so weak that even if you blow with all your might, you might not be able to move two ounces of pork on the chopping board.

However, after being transformed through respiration and entering the human body, this airflow can drive a person weighing 100, 200 or even 300 pounds to perform all sorts of strenuous movements.

In this process, the effectiveness of these subtle airflows is amplified many times over!

The practice of cultivating Qi in martial arts involves exploring the mysteries of the transformation of breath.

But to be honest, the descriptions of the mysteries of Qi cultivation in those martial arts masters' manuscripts were far too abstract for Guan Luoyang.

Over the past six years, he has made significant progress in other aspects of his martial arts training, but in terms of breath control, he has not found any other direction for practice besides increasing his lung capacity.

Guan Luoyang then explained his confusion.

The instructor laughed and said, "Practicing Qi is not about brute force, nor is it simply about increasing the strength of your heart and lungs. The saying that Qi cultivation relies most on talent means that you need to be able to capture a certain special state through long-term practice."

Some people never encounter this state in their entire lives, while others encounter it three to five times a year. The latter are naturally considered to have higher talent and are more likely to reach the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

However, if a highly accomplished Qi cultivator were to teach and guide an apprentice, the apprentice's chances of reaching that state would greatly increase.

As the coach spoke, he slowed his pace and lowered his voice, saying, "Stay by my side, listen to my breathing, and watch the rise and fall of my chest and abdomen as I walk."

Guan Luoyang stood sideways in position and listened intently.

breathe--

breathe--

The instructor faced south, with his arms slightly raised and then slowly lowered.

The sound of breathing clearly reached Guan Luoyang's ears; each breath, each inhale and exhale, was distinctly different from the last.

As the daylight grew brighter, in the wilderness, the distant cliffs were steep, covered with moss, and filled with towering rocks.

The nearby thicket is lush and overgrown with weeds, glistening with morning dew.

The two stood amidst this lush, open space, a gentle breeze blowing dew from the branches, bringing a slight coolness to Guan Luoyang's face.

At some point, Guan Luoyang suddenly realized that he couldn't tell whether the instructor was exhaling or inhaling.

The two voices intertwined, their differences diminishing until they became increasingly similar.

Guan Luoyang frowned and stared intently.

The coach had disguised his face with ointment and powder, making his skin appear much darker and covered in pockmarks. When a person inhales, their nostrils tuck in, and when they exhale, their nostrils open. Normally, at such close range, it shouldn't have been difficult for Guan Luoyang to identify him with his sharp eyesight.

But he couldn't tell whether the coach was breathing or exhaling at that moment.

What he heard in the end was like an endless, drawn-out sigh.

Just then, the coach stepped forward.

Guan Luoyang was completely bewildered, so he had no choice but to follow. He walked to the side, his eyes constantly scanning the instructor's chest and abdomen.

The coach's chest did not rise and fall noticeably, but the fabric taut over his chest and abdomen rippled with subtle movements.

The clothes, though made of coarse cloth, looked like silk ruffled by a gentle breeze on the coach, rippling endlessly from an indiscernible source.

The more Guan Luoyang tried to observe, the more incomprehensible it became.

Before they knew it, they had walked from dawn to midday. The mountain road, stretching for dozens of miles, had many steep and muddy sections, which they traversed at a leisurely pace.

The coach's breathing remained soft and even, seemingly only going in and not coming out.

When they reached a river, the instructor stopped, turned to face Guan Luoyang, and pointed to his neck and side abdomen.

Guan Luoyang understood and placed his hands on those two spots respectively.

A very slight tremor came from his palm.

The instructor wasn't a master of skin training, but at this moment, Guan Luoyang suddenly had a feeling that the instructor's skin resistance in this state was definitely no lower than his own.

The coach then had him touch his chest, then his back, touching his shoulder blades and lumbar vertebrae, each of which had a similar trembling sensation.

This subtle sensation is invisible to the naked eye and can only be felt by touch. Moreover, you can clearly feel that the vibration frequency is exactly the same everywhere, without any difference depending on where there is more bone and less flesh or where there is less bone and more flesh.

A moment later, the instructor raised his hand to signal him to move aside, then turned to face the water and slowly exhaled.

He stood upright, his mouth at least two meters above the water, but when he blew out, his breath hit the water's surface, creating a small, noticeable dent and calming the ripples.

After exhaling that breath, the coach's breathing finally showed a noticeable difference.

"Mastering Qi cultivation is a kind of rhythm, just like you felt it just now. It is a unified rhythm that flows from the mouth and nose through the heart and lungs to the extremities of the whole body. The skin, muscles, blood, and bones are originally just a whole. Qi cultivation makes people feel this connection more clearly."

The *Suwen* (Plain Questions) chapter on the ancient concept of innate nature states, "Breathe in the essence of qi, stand alone and guard your spirit, and let your muscles be as one." This may be referring to this very state.

As the coach spoke, Guan Luoyang fell into deep thought, sometimes clenching his hands together and looking at the muscles in his arms, and sometimes turning his palms over and pinching his knuckles to feel the pressure on his bones and joints.

After a long while, the coach was already sitting there eating dry rations.

Guan Luoyang finally came to his senses and said, "I think I understand why they say the Four Great Trainings get harder and harder as you progress."

The four major training methods—muscles, bones, skin, and qi—lead to a new mountain and a new heaven with every step.

In recent centuries, there have been dozens of masters who have mastered the first stage of martial arts in each generation, but the number of those who have mastered the second stage has decreased tenfold.

One who has mastered the third stage of the training might not appear even once in a hundred years, while one who has mastered the fourth stage might only be a legendary figure like Zhang Sanfeng.

Guan Luoyang had always found it hard to understand, since objectively speaking, the stronger a person's certain qualities are, the easier it should be to improve other shortcomings.

However, in addition to objective factors, subjective feelings also need to be considered.

Since Guan Luoyang mastered the art of skin training, he has developed a feeling that his entire body is indestructible. No matter how much force his bones and muscles exert, his skin is strong enough to withstand and unleash it.

He knew this was just an illusion; any foreign gun, if fired at close range, could break his skin, so he thought he had overcome this mental barrier.

But now that I think about it, that feeling still left a certain impact on my heart.

Guan Luoyang had unconsciously begun to view his skin as separate from other parts of the body.

Those who have mastered bone and tendon training must have similar feelings. Therefore, to achieve mastery of the second training, one must suppress the primary importance of the first training from the bottom of one's heart.

When one reaches the pinnacle of Qi cultivation, one must disregard the differences between the five senses, internal organs, muscles, and bones. This understanding even contradicts the sensations brought about by other cultivation methods.

If this mindset isn't corrected, then one will unconsciously go astray during practice, wasting nine-tenths of their hard work. Life is so short; if this is continued, it will be difficult to make much progress.

To overcome these challenges, you must constantly remind yourself to adjust your mindset. The further you go, the more mental effort you will have to put in, and the more your spirit will be depleted.

Guan Luoyang had heard of cases where some great martial arts masters died suddenly from nasal bleeding while exploring higher realms. Now that he thought about it, it was probably because they were too obsessed, lacked self-control, and overworked their brains, which led to their sudden death.

The instructor had finished his pancake and drunk a few mouthfuls of water from his gourd. He said, "When I first arrived at Lei Gong's place, I was grateful for your kindness and intended to demonstrate for you. However, I was injured at the time and couldn't maintain that state. Moreover, you seemed to have minor injuries in your internal organs, so you couldn't easily practice. That's why it was delayed until today."

Guan Luoyang nodded: "My injuries are completely healed now, but although I know roughly what the state of Qi Refining Mastery is like, I still have no clue how to reach that state myself."

"It's alright. The mountain road is difficult to travel. It will take the two of us at least two days to get from here to Guangzhou. We'll continue this afternoon and tomorrow."

The instructor handed over the dry rations, saying, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. It's not that you have to reach that threshold before you arrive in Guangzhou. It's just that I have some free time now, and since it's a good opportunity, I'll teach you a thing or two."

He had something left unsaid: Since Lei Gong has successors, I... should also pass on some of my skills.

Guan Luoyang took the dry rations, sat down by the river, and chewed slowly. Through this chewing process, he gradually calmed his mind and settled his chaotic thoughts.

Practicing martial arts is important, but we must not put the cart before the horse. The most important thing right now is to enter Guangzhou and deliver the roster to where it is.

They continued their journey in the afternoon and rested in the forest that night.

By the afternoon of the next day, small teahouses and inns began to appear in the surrounding area, and many trees showed signs of being felled, indicating that they were already close to Guangzhou.

After making a few inquiries, it turned out that this place was only about 30 miles away from Guangzhou.

Upon arriving here, the instructor became even more composed. Instead of rushing on his way, he chose a thatched-roof inn where an elderly hunchbacked couple busied themselves, and the two enjoyed a hearty meal.

They requested a guest room, which was actually just a small room at the back.

"I won't travel this afternoon. I'll rest and get a good night's sleep."

The instructor wet his fingers and drew a square on the table, then drew a few waves on one side of the square. He said in a low voice, "The Pearl River is to the south of Guangzhou. The city walls have been demolished. It used to be the easiest place to sneak in, but those people will definitely figure that out. They will ask the Guangzhou general to deploy heavy troops to guard and search the south. This road has become the most dangerous and should not be taken."

The other three sections of the Guangzhou city wall are only a little over two zhang high. Once we get close to the base of the wall, we don't even need to go through the city gate; we can climb over it.

Therefore, they certainly won't hold their ground at the city walls, but will instead deploy defenses at key intersections along the surrounding roads. I've inquired, and if we head north, we're likely to encounter the enemy twenty miles from the city walls. Our presence will be exposed, and we'll face a barrage of ambushes and attacks, leaving us no time to infiltrate Guangzhou.

"If we go west, there's a crucial transportation hub about three miles from the city wall. However, that place is too close to Guangzhou city. If we encounter the enemy, we might not even have time to kill their skilled fighters before reinforcements from the city swarm in. That's not a good option either."

Guan Luoyang also whispered, "The only way is east?"

"Yes, the most likely place to encounter the enemy in the east is about six or seven miles away from the city wall. There is a crossroads there. If we are exposed there, we can get through the checkpoint and reach the city wall in no time. Moreover, we have a six or seven mile to maneuver, so we have more options and won't be directly confronted by reinforcements from the city."

The coach chuckled softly at this point, "A moderate choice means taking on some risks in all other aspects. If possible, it's always best to muddle through."

Guan Luoyang knew it was just a joke.

Given the importance the Qing government placed on this roster, checkpoints set up at key transportation points would certainly conduct body searches. The instructors carried the roster with them, so it was not visible from the outside, but if they were searched, how could they possibly escape?

So what awaits them tomorrow is only slaughter and frantic running.

This shabby inn didn't even have beds. In the drafty room with gaps in the wooden planks, two straw mats were laid on the floor, covered with old quilts, which served as beds.

Guan Luoyang and the instructor both slept fully clothed, and the sounds of the elderly couple bustling about outside gradually subsided.

As night deepened, the instructor tossed and turned, half-asleep, when he suddenly murmured, "Do you think we'll succeed?"

Will sending the roster be successful? Even if the roster is successfully sent, will everything else go smoothly?

This question shouldn't have come from a seasoned veteran or a senior, and it certainly shouldn't have been asked of a young person.

After asking the question, the coach suddenly opened his eyes, looking somewhat annoyed, realizing he had spoken out of turn.

For a senior to say something like this at this time is surely demoralizing, isn't it? Coach, you've never backed down in all these years, so why did you actually voice this hesitation in the dead of night?

But his question was heard and quickly received a clear answer.

"Yes, it will!"

Guan Luoyang slept soundly and answered clearly.

Even though the world has changed so much, he has never questioned anything.

Ultimately, it's because... this place is just awful!

You could step on the corpses of starving people, smokers, and unknown people while walking. You had to swallow coarse grains mixed with sand. In those moldy, smelly, and rotten empty houses, lonely old people were moldy along with the houses. Outside the inn, there were groups of people waiting to eat swill, carrying children...

From villages to small towns, the people were emaciated and ashen, a vivid sight. How many of them looked like human beings?

Then, turning around, those half-Chinese, half-Western attire made their grand entrance, from foreigners to fake foreigners to nouveau riche, to people to dogs, and finally to the hierarchy of contempt among ordinary people.

How could one not feel heartbroken and speechless, and be filled with extreme anger and cold laughter?

It's so rotten that even I, a coward raised in eighteen years of peace, can't stand it. It's so rotten that someone like me, who worries about breaking the law even when I'm using a VPN to access the internet, has been forced to kill.

In such a rotten place, what reason do we have not to succeed?!