Physical immortality begins with Bajiquan

Datong Street, Cui Family Pharmacy.

Qin Heng slowly withdrew his fist and stood up.

While rubbing his aching right shoulder, Cui Ran shook his head and smiled wryly at him: "Good lad, I was able to beat you a few times the month before last, but last month, in a full thirty days, I only won three matches against you. And in the first two days of this month, I didn't win a single match. At this rate, I'm afraid I won't be able to win a single match in a while."

He took out five packets of high-quality blood-nourishing powder from his pocket, raised his hand and handed them to Qin Heng, "The martial arts exam is in a little over a month. It's a crucial time to replenish your qi and blood and strengthen your foundation. You'd better work harder, kid. If you can successfully pass the second test and enter the Dark Force realm, you'll have a great chance of passing the martial arts exam."

Qin Heng accepted the medicine packet with both hands and bowed slightly: "Thank you very much, Uncle Cui. I will do my best."

His fingertips touched the mulberry paper of the four packets of blood-nourishing powder, and he understood that the two extra packets were a token of their goodwill.

Although a gift from a businessman is never a gift given without reason, it is still a genuine act of kindness.

Since it's a favor, it must be repaid later.

But since we've already received their assistance, this extra bit isn't much.

Without lingering any longer, Qin Heng cupped his hands in farewell, turned and left the Cui family pharmacy, heading straight for the Songxuan Martial Arts Hall.

As soon as I returned to the martial arts school and entered the outer courtyard gate, I heard shouts rising and falling.

With the martial arts exam approaching, everyone is putting in their best effort to hone their skills and refine their techniques. No disciple in the school dares to slack off, for everyone has trained hard for years in order to achieve fame in public.

"Senior Brother Qin Heng is back!"

Hou Xiaomei, with her sharp eyes, spotted him immediately. She stopped her attack and ran over excitedly, her face beaming with joy: "I have great news for you! Senior Brother Shoutian successfully passed the challenge this morning and is now a Ming Jin martial artist!"

Qin Heng turned around upon hearing the voice, looked at Li Shoutian not far away, and sincerely congratulated him with a smile: "Congratulations, Senior Brother Shoutian! Now that you have entered the Ming Jin realm, you have successfully passed the first hurdle. The road ahead will only become wider and wider."

Li Shoutian was honest and simple, so he was a little embarrassed by the congratulations. "It was just luck! It was just luck! I was inspired by Senior Brother Qin Heng's success in passing the test, which gave me more motivation, and I gritted my teeth and persevered."

He took two steps forward, scratched his head, and continued somewhat shyly, "From now on, don't call me senior brother. Although I arrived earlier than you, if you ask me, you are the senior brother. I am far inferior to you."

Upon hearing Li Shoutian's words, the people around him couldn't help but laugh. Guo Man made a few jokes in a muffled voice, and Hou Xiaomei covered her mouth and laughed until her eyes crinkled. Even Wu Geng and Meng Shun, who were practicing their boxing in silence, stopped and looked over with smiles.

Qin Heng glanced at the group of partners he had worked with for several months, his gaze sweeping over them casually.

Ok?

Hou Xiaomei, Li Shoutian, Guo Man, Wu Geng, and Meng Shun, several of the hardest-working people, were present, but it seemed like one person was missing.

His heart sank slightly, and he was about to ask a question when Guo Man beside him wiped the smile off and said in a deep voice:

"Don't bother looking anymore, Erniu is gone." He paused, his tone becoming more bitter. "Yesterday he tried his best to break through to the Ming Jin stage, but he was still just one step short. All the Qi and blood he had accumulated over the past few months were exhausted, and his foundation was also damaged. Erniu left the martial arts school yesterday afternoon without letting me tell you."

Guo Man sighed heavily, his tone full of empathy: "For a poor kid like us, if he fails once, he's failed for life. How can his family afford to let him try again?" He scratched his head, his tone softening, "But everyone doesn't need to worry about him. People are like that, they go back to where they came from. If Erniu can farm his own land well, he might be able to earn a living from God."

Hou Xiaomei nodded gently and whispered, "I hope Brother Erniu's return to the village goes smoothly."

At that moment, a hearty and unrestrained laugh suddenly came from deep within the inner courtyard.

His voice was booming and full of energy, making the copper bells under the eaves ring out.

What's going on?

All the disciples were taken aback and stopped, looking towards the inner courtyard.

Before the crowd could even utter a sound, a figure stumbled out of the inner courtyard gate.

"Senior Brother Tianbao! Senior Brother Qin Tianbao has broken through to the Dark Force realm!"

What?! Qin Tianbao has hidden strength?!

These words struck like a bolt from the blue, hitting everyone in the outer courtyard hard, leaving them stunned and speechless.

Especially the disciples who had been practicing Mingjin for many years, their expressions changed drastically, and a huge shock surged in their hearts.

Qin Tianbao broke through to the Dark Force level in less than half a year!

The so-called hidden strength is a higher realm of martial arts above the visible strength. The strength changes from outwardly fierce to inwardly concealed and sharp. The mind and intention are in harmony, and the intention and strength are in harmony. The force is released silently but can penetrate the body and injure the internal organs. Furthermore, the strength of the whole body can be concentrated into a single point and burst out. It seems to be inconspicuous, but its destructive power is far superior to the visible strength.

The difference in strength and status between Ming Jin and An Jin is like heaven and earth.

Frankly speaking, the Dark Force martial artist is a top figure in the entire Heyang County, while the Explicit Force martial artist is far inferior.

Guo Man's expression darkened slightly, and he remained silent for a long while, only letting out a heavy sigh.

He understood better than anyone how difficult it was to cross the threshold of Dark Force. For three years, he had tried to break through that bottleneck several times, but without exception, he was blocked at the door, stuck at the Ming Force level, unable to make any progress.

Now that he's older, his vitality is not as strong as it was in his youth, and there are even signs of decline. If he can't break through this time, then next time...

Will there be a next time?

Upon realizing this, Guo Man's eyes suddenly hardened. "I can't waste any more time. Next, I'll focus all my energy on stance training, accumulating my Qi and blood to their maximum, and then unleash another burst of internal strength!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Heng opened his mouth but remained silent.

The light in Li Shoutian's eyes dimmed, and the spirit he had displayed earlier after breaking through to the Ming Jin realm was gone.

Hou Xiaomei and the others were speechless at this moment.

For impoverished disciples like them, with ordinary aptitude and no resources to support them, achieving internal strength was an unattainable dream. In the entire Heyang County, only three people with inferior aptitude have been recorded in the county annals over the past century.

Mingjin is almost the highest limit they can reach.

Just then, steady footsteps came from the moon gate in the inner courtyard.

Mo Guangren walked at the front, followed by Zhang Mingyuan, Xu Feng, Huang Hanyan, Li Yiping, and the spirited Qin Tianbao.

Zhang Mingyuan remained calm, his eyes fixed straight ahead. Li Yiping beside him also had a blank expression, her steps steady and deliberate.

Xu Feng, however, frowned slightly, as if he had something on his mind. His hands were behind his back, but his fingers unconsciously clenched.

Huang Hanyan kept her head down, glancing quickly at Qin Tianbao behind her every now and then before lowering her head again, her ears slightly red.

Qin Tianbao walked at the very back, his back ramrod straight, a hint of undisguised expectation hidden in his eyes.

Mo Guangren stopped, scanned the disciples in the arena, and finally fixed his gaze on Qin Tianbao. His voice was not loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears:

"My disciple Qin Tianbao is exceptionally talented and diligently practices; he broke through to the Dark Force realm in just six months. From today onward, I have decided to promote him to the third instructor disciple in the martial arts school!"

What?

Instructing disciples? Not closed-door disciples!

Qin Tianbao's smile froze instantly.

He was stunned for a full two breaths before he realized what his master had said, and then a look of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

But he quickly suppressed all his emotions, stepped forward, bowed, and spoke in a respectful tone, though his voice lacked its usual clarity:

"Disciple Qin Tianbao thanks Master for his guidance and will certainly live up to Master's expectations."

The moment Mo Guangren finished speaking, Xu Feng's tense nerves relaxed, his hands, which had been tightly clenched behind his back, quietly loosened, and he let out a soft breath, his face regaining its usual composure.

Huang Hanyan was slightly taken aback, blinked, and then regained her composure, though she seemed a little surprised.

Soon, a commotion arose below, and several disciples huddled together and whispered among themselves.

"What's going on? Senior Brother Tianbao is so outstanding, why didn't Master directly accept him as his last disciple?!"

"Brother, what are you thinking? Our eldest and third senior brothers are quite talented, and they're direct descendants of the five great families of the inner city. How could Master just decide on Qin Tianbao like that?"

"That's right. I remember before Senior Brother Tianbao came, Master said that we would wait until the martial arts exam was over before deciding on the final disciple."

......