Gou Zai Wudao Shicheng Dao

Since Lin You broke through, the disciples of the same class in the outer academy have felt a greater sense of urgency.

Lu Sheng, Meng Zhang, and Zhang Yuan all became anxious.

The three of them were all determined to become the second person after Lin You.

Especially Zhang Yuan.

After he humbled himself and flattered Lin You, he reaped some benefits.

Lin You would set aside his free time each day to give him some pointers.

He abandoned his dignity and became Lin You's lackey, all for the sake of martial arts!

Therefore, what he most wanted to prove was his choice.

Fang Xia remained humble and diligent in her daily practice.

He always adhered to his own rhythm, painstakingly refining the Thirty-Six Forms of the Three Yang Stance.

Every breath, every stretch of muscles and bones.

All of these factors are pushing his stance training progress steadily forward.

This made Shi Jian secretly admire him...

What if the root bone is below level C?

On the path of martial arts, it's better to walk steadily than to walk fast!

Many exceptionally talented geniuses have failed because they were too eager for quick success.

On the contrary, Fang Xia's composure and tenacity are the foundation for the long-term success of martial arts.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

It was a hot afternoon.

Most of the outer disciples could no longer maintain their stance training and took a break in twos and threes under the shade of the trees.

Only Fang Xia and a few other disciples remained in their stances.

Maintaining the Sanyang stance, Fang Xia closed his eyes slightly and breathed deeply.

At this moment, he is on the verge of a breakthrough.

My muscles and bones felt constantly sore and swollen, and there was a warm energy inside my body that was surging and struggling, but I couldn't find an outlet.

Sweat soaked through his clothes, but Fang Xia remained motionless, his mind completely absorbed in the flow of Qi within his body.

At the center of the forehead, the golden light of the "late bloomer" destiny becomes increasingly warm and gentle.

This person's destiny is blessed with the characteristic of "perseverance will surely lead to success".

Even with the excruciating pain that felt like her bones were being torn apart, Fang Xia remained as steady as a mountain.

Fang Xia diverted a sliver of her attention to examine the destiny chart between her brows, where she saw a golden light trembling slightly.

[Destiny: Late bloomer.]

[Attribute: Perseverance will surely lead to success.]

[Introduction to Sanyang Zhuang (99/100)]

"Sink your Qi to the Dantian, use the stance to guide the blood, and use the blood to generate Qi..."

Fang Xia silently recited the key points of stance training and slowly adjusted her breathing rhythm.

When inhaling, it is like a whale sucking in water, drawing in all the subtle spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the dantian.

When exhaling, it is like a surging river, drawing out all the accumulated qi and blood.

Qi and blood flow slowly along the meridian pathways of the Sanyang stance.

In the instant Fang Xia took a breath, the blood and qi in his dantian suddenly boiled!

That unwavering barrier shattered with a deafening roar!

Fang Xia felt a surge of vital energy instantly welling up from her dantian.

It flows along the meridians to the limbs and bones, nourishing every inch of skin, flesh, and bones.

The aching and stinging sensation in my body was instantly enveloped by a feeling of fullness.

My blood and energy flowed smoothly throughout my body, and all the fatigue I had accumulated earlier vanished.

A warm, soft glow spread across her skin, and her flesh, nourished by the blood and qi, became increasingly firm and resilient.

Slowly finishing her practice, Fang Xia exhaled a breath of stale air.

The breath that landed turned into mist, carrying a trace of heat and dryness.

Slowly moving his limbs, his bones made a series of crisp cracking sounds.

Fang Xia felt that her senses were clear and sharp, and her five senses were several times more acute than before.

He could hear clearly even the hushed conversations under the shade of trees dozens of steps away.

At the same time, Fang Xia used his mental power to look inward, and the golden characters on his destiny chart also changed.

[Destiny: Late bloomer.]

[Attribute: Perseverance will surely lead to success.]

[Sanyang Zhuang Minor Success (1/100)]

[Body Tempering Realm: Skin Barrier - Initial Stage of Superior Strength]

"We finally succeeded!"

Slowly regaining his composure, Fang Xia sighed softly, "Is this the wonder of achieving minor mastery of the Three Yang Stance and tempering the body's skin?"

He sighed inwardly, finally understanding how Lin You felt when he broke through to the next level!

That wasn't showing off, but rather the scenery after breaking free from shackles and being reborn—it was simply too beautiful.

"Brother Fang has actually broken through!"

A gasp broke the tranquility of the outer courtyard.

Meng Zhang was the first to react, rushing to Fang Xia with a look of shock and envy on his face.

"You've mastered the Three Yang Stance and unlocked the Body Tempering Barrier! Brother Fang, your speed is incredible!"

Meng Zhang's shout drew a crowd of teenagers.

Looking at the aura of blood and qi surrounding Fang Xia, he was filled with envy.

"Twenty-three days!"

"Fang Xia achieved minor mastery of stance training in just twenty-three days!"

"Is this still considered a Class C bone structure?"

"This speed is comparable to someone with exceptional physical abilities!"

Amidst the murmurs, people came forward to offer their congratulations.

Congratulations, Senior Brother Fang!

"I hope you will take good care of me in the future!"

........

Fang Xia cupped her hands in a light gesture and responded to each response, without the slightest hint of arrogance.

Outside the crowd, Lu Sheng clenched his fists tightly, his expression complex.

Looking at Fang Xia, his cold face showed shock, resentment, and an ignited desire to catch up.

He has a C-grade aptitude and practices diligently every day without fail, but he is still a little short of breaking through.

But Fang Xia, whose aptitude was only at the lower level, actually broke through before him.

"Okay, very good."

Lu Sheng muttered to himself, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Fang Xia, I will not lose to you."

On the other side, Zhang Yuan's face turned pale and then red.

Seeing Fang Xia's dazzling success, he was consumed by jealousy, which almost consumed his reason.

On what grounds?

He abandoned his dignity and became Lin You's lackey in exchange for guidance.

It will take at least another half month for my stance training to reach a minor level of mastery!

But Fang Xia, who also had the same C-grade root bone, broke through in less than a month?

They even beat him to it? Why should they?

.......

Just then, Shi Jian strode over.

"Good! Good lad! You've achieved minor success in the Three Yang Stance after twenty-three days, your Qi and blood are generating naturally, and you've unlocked the body's tempering barrier!"

After a brief examination, Shi Yuan's face revealed undisguised approval.

"With your exceptional talent and aptitude, your achievements are entirely due to your composure and understanding! Well done!"

Gently patting Fang Xia's shoulder, Shi Jian said with satisfaction, "Follow me into the inner courtyard to pay our respects to Master Ning!"

According to the rules, once you've achieved a minor mastery of stance training, you can enter the inner sect for further cultivation! The abbot will personally teach you breathing techniques!

"Thank you, Master Shi!" Fang Xia bowed respectfully.

Amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, Fang Xia followed Shi Jian and turned to walk towards the inner courtyard.

Only after the two figures disappeared did Zhang Yuan finally lose his temper.

Seeing that everyone was praising Fang Xia, he said sarcastically, "Hmph, so what if he broke through?"

It was just pure luck, a stroke of good fortune.

The moment those words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.

"Brother Zhang, you can't say that, can you?" a young man who was usually on good terms with him hesitated. "After all, Fang Xia broke through on his own merit!"

"Skill?" Zhang Yuan scoffed, raising his chin with a hint of sarcasm: "What good is hard work alone on the path of martial arts?"

Ultimately, it comes down to innate talent and resources! Do you understand?

Another boy asked curiously, "Brother Zhang, you often hang out with the senior students from the inner courtyard. Are they... really that different?"

Zhang Yuan had been waiting for this question, and a hint of superiority appeared on his face: "Fortunately, thanks to Senior Brother Lin's guidance, I have learned what true cultivation is!"

A minor mastery of stance training? That's just the beginning!

The senior disciples from wealthy families in the inner court directly used elixirs to accumulate qi and blood, thus solidifying their foundation!

A bottle of the finest body-tempering ointment costs a full three taels of silver!

That's enough for several months of our food expenses! And they used it without even blinking an eye!

Zhang Yuan's gaze swept over the crowd and landed in the direction where Fang Xia had disappeared. His tone was full of sarcasm: "And look at our 'Senior Brother Fang' now?"

He's just a penniless nobody!

Every day it's rice, steamed buns, and thin porridge. How many times a month can you eat meat?

From now on, we'll have to be very careful with even a bottle of ointment!

How far do you think he can go?

"Hmph, without foundation and resources, in the end, won't they still be left far behind?"

After Zhang Yuan finished speaking, the surroundings fell into a deathly silence.

The envy on everyone's faces gradually faded, leaving only a deep sense of helplessness.

My heart is filled with extreme bitterness.

Zhang Yuan's words were harsh, but they reflected the stark reality.

In this world of martial arts, innate talent is predetermined, and resources are king.

Disciples from humble backgrounds are already doing their best just to survive!

How can they compare to those scions of wealthy families and exceptionally talented geniuses?

Even Lu Sheng, who had always disliked Zhang Yuan, didn't utter a rebuttal at this moment.

.......