Gou Zai Wudao Shi Lian Shen

After mastering the stance training, Lu Chen shifted his focus to fist techniques.

After all, breaking through to the next stage of the Panlong Stance Technique requires a full thousand progress points.

This cannot be accomplished in a short time.

The Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist is different; it is only a few hundred points away from mastery.

If Lu Chen can master the Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist and combine it with the mastered Panlong Stance, his combat power will definitely rise to another level.

When the time comes, he will be even more at ease when facing an old hand like Liu Heng.

Before his morning shift, Lu Chen practiced his boxing.

After finishing his shift in the evening, Lu Chen practiced boxing.

After soaking in a medicinal bath at night, feeling refreshed and invigorated, he would practice his boxing techniques a few more times in the training ground.

Azure dragon extends its claws, green dragon coils its body, piercing through clouds and entering the sea, dragon roar piercing the sun...

Each move became increasingly smooth in his hands.

In the past, when he practiced boxing, he mostly followed the boxing routines and relied on proficiency to create variations.

However, after mastering the stance training, Lu Chen felt completely different when practicing the Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist.

His feet were more stable, his back was more flexible, and all his muscles seemed to be connected in one line, making the transmission of power extremely smooth.

This made his punches faster and his moves smoother.

However, in between practicing the Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist, Lu Chen did not forget the Iron Wire Grappling Hand.

Lu Chen intended to learn this signature martial art of Weiyuan Hall.

Iron Wire Grappling Hand and Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist are completely different.

It doesn't aim to knock someone down with one punch, but rather to disrupt the opponent's power generation, seize their joints, and force them into a corner.

As Lu Chen practiced alone in his room, he found this martial art increasingly difficult to master.

A few days later, Lu Chen had a sudden realization: "The key to Iron Wire Grappling is not wrist lock or elbow lock... but blocking the opponent's point of force."

When a martial artist throws a punch, it's not just about using the force of the fist.

The transmission occurs layer by layer, starting from the feet, waist, hips, shoulders, back, and arms.

If the energy flow is cut off at any point, the opponent's punching power will dissipate.

"If you can learn this grappling technique and incorporate it into actual combat, it will definitely have a surprising effect."

Lu Chen pondered to himself.

Then, he glanced at the transparent light screen:

[Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist: Minor Success]

[Progress: 289/500]

[Iron Wire Grappling Technique: Beginner]

[Progress: 52/100]

Lu Chen watched the progress increase and slowly exhaled.

"First, master the Azure Dragon Tongbei Fist."

"Then practice the Iron Wire Grappling Technique until you reach the basics."

"With the combination of the two, I should be able to sweep through any initial-stage martial artist."

……

At dawn, the martial arts guards arrived one after another in the backyard to check in.

The fog hadn't completely dissipated, and smoke was already rising from the direction of the kitchen, the blue brick floor damp with moisture. Some people were yawning, others were rubbing their sore shoulders, complaining about the physical and mental exhaustion from days of martial arts practice.

Lu Chen was also standing in the crowd.

He practiced boxing until late last night, and then got up early this morning to stand in the Panlong stance for half an hour. Logically speaking, with such exertion, he should be suffering from back pain and fatigue today.

But at this moment, his eyes were clear and bright, his breathing was long and even, and his blood and qi were flowing slowly in his chest and abdomen. He was not weak at all, but was more energetic than usual.

This is the benefit of medicinal baths.

After all, it costs one or two taels of silver per set, and the effect is quite noticeable.

Without medicinal baths to cleanse the body, the fatigue, soreness, and minor injuries accumulated during martial arts training will gradually seep into the muscles, bones, and flesh.

It may not be noticeable in the short term, but over time it will eventually backfire and harm you.

Many martial artists, relying on their abundant energy and vitality in their youth, practice their skills tirelessly, seeking only to progress faster. However, as they age and their energy and vitality begin to decline, the hidden injuries accumulated in their early years will erupt all at once.

In the end, he was plagued by various illnesses and felt that life was worse than death.

A short while later, Zhao Yiting came over.

As soon as he stood on the stone steps, the guards, who had been somewhat scattered, immediately became alert and ready to fight.

Zhao Yiting's gaze swept over the crowd, and he said in a deep voice, "Today's patrol will not follow the usual schedule."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions became more serious.

Zhao Yiting continued, "It's time to escort medicinal herbs to the deep mountain herb garden again."

Upon hearing this, several whispers immediately arose from the crowd.

"A medicinal herb garden deep in the mountains?"

"We're going into Chixia Mountain again this time."

"Tsk, the mountain road is not easy to travel."

"Hopefully we won't run into bandits this time."

Lu Chen's heart stirred.

He had been working at the yam shop for some time and had naturally heard of the Deep Mountain yam garden.

The truly valuable items at Wangji Yam Shop weren't all in the county town's warehouse, but rather in Chixia Mountain outside the county town.

There was a medicinal herb garden that Wang Ji had run for many years, growing many precious medicinal herbs. Every year when they were ripe for harvest, guards would be sent to escort the herbs from the mountains back to the city.

Zhao Yiting raised his hand and pressed down, and everyone immediately shut up.

"The yam shop has a medicinal garden in Chixia Mountain, where it grows Crimson Blood Vine, Black Bone Ganoderma, Dragon Beard Grass, and several main ingredients for refining Blood Qi Powder."

"A batch of medicinal herbs matured this month. If they can be transported back smoothly, it will be enough for the alchemy room to refine several batches of Blood Qi Powder."

An older guard asked, "Chief Zhao, who's leading the team this time?"

"It's still Wang Zhong, Chief Wang," Zhao Yiting said.

Wang Zhong was a martial artist who had achieved the Lesser Completion of the Blood Refining Realm, trained by the Wang family themselves. He was not originally surnamed Wang, but was given the surname Wang after breaking through to the Lesser Completion of the Blood Refining Realm and became a member of the Wang family.

Lu Chen had not met Wang Zhong yet.

The latter are usually stationed in the deep mountains and medicinal gardens, responsible for escorting the medicinal materials.

Zhao Yiting then added, "Escorting medicinal herbs on mountain roads is much more dangerous than guarding a yam shop."

"There are bandits roaming in the mountains. Neither Black Wind Stronghold nor Golden Tiger Gang are easy to deal with."

"Whoever receives this mission, please be extremely careful!"

"Yes!" the nurses responded in unison.

Then, Zhao Yiting began calling out names.

"Zhou Li, Liu Heng, Li Qing, Lu Chen..."

One by one, the people who were called out stepped forward, and Lu Chen was among them.

The escort job happens once or twice a month, and almost everyone gets a turn.

After Zhao Yiting finished taking attendance, he looked at Lu Chen and instructed him, "Once we're in the mountains, follow orders."

"With Chief Wang Zhong around, he's very experienced, so we won't get into trouble following him."

Lu Chen clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Understood."

Zhao Yiting nodded, then added, "This time we're not just going to collect medicinal herbs, but also to deliver a batch of supplies like salt and cloth to the herb garden. We'll have goods on the way there and goods on the way back."

"We'll depart in half an hour."

"Go back and pack your things."

"If anyone slows us down on the road, don't blame me for docking their pay when I get back!"

The guards responded in unison, "Yes!"

After everyone dispersed, Lu Chen turned around and went back to his residence.

Before leaving, Qian Minglai saw Lu Chen off.

"Take these."

Qian Ming walked into the house and casually tossed a small cloth bag to Lu Chen.

Lu Chen caught it, opened it, and saw that inside were several small black pills and a pinch of insect repellent incense.

"This is?"

"Detoxification pills and insect repellent incense," Qian Ming said. "The mountains are damp and full of poisonous insects. You might even find a centipede crawling into your ear while you sleep at night."

Lu Chen put away the cloth bag: "Thank you."

"Be careful on the road. If you encounter bandits, fight them if you can, and run if you can't."

"It's only a few taels of silver a month, not worth risking your life for."

Qian Ming added.

Lu Chen nodded. "I understand!"