Set a goal, and the system takes over the body.

Qi Xiuyuan's body automatically assumed a boxing stance, sinking his waist, twisting his hips, and throwing a punch.

Every movement was extremely precise, the power was transmitted through the muscles and bones, the blood and qi flowed smoothly in the meridians, and even the breathing was perfectly synchronized with the moves.

The same move, when used by the system, is heavier where it's heavy, faster where it's fast, and the force goes straight through the fist when it's exerted, which is completely different from what you would learn by yourself.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye.

With control of his body returned, countless insights into cultivation surged forth, all clearly etched into his mind.

【Five Animal Fist (Beginner, 96→101/166)】

"Five points of proficiency are indeed much better than my own training. But thinking about it, it makes sense. When the system takes over, all the movements, details, and strength are more standardized and smoother. Every bit of strength is used effectively, and then it is fed back to me 100%, so the effect is naturally stronger."

"Next, take a Qi and Blood Pill and then test the effects of your cultivation!"

Qi Xiuyuan had already taken two Qi and Blood Pills from Qingshan Pharmacy. He poured out one, tilted his head back and swallowed it, and set a goal of cultivating for another hour.

One hour later.

[Cultivation Level: Qi and Blood Realm (Early Stage, 36→38/100)]

【Five Animal Fist (Beginner, 101→111/166)】

"The Five Animal Fist has a proficiency of ten points. That means that with my current martial arts talent, a Qi and Blood Pill can add an extra five points of proficiency and two points of cultivation. Not bad."

1 o'clock, 5 o'clock, 10 o'clock!

After three hours of testing, the differences in the effects of the three different cultivation methods were quite obvious.

However, Qi Xue Dan should not be taken in large quantities.

One pill a day.

That's the limit.

If too much is consumed, it will accumulate toxins in the body. At first, nothing will be visible, but over time, these toxins will turn into shackles that hinder cultivation and breakthroughs.

This is the experience left by countless martial arts predecessors, and we dare not be careless.

Qi Xiuyuan then tried the Five Elements Stance Exercise.

He didn't waste any more time cultivating on his own, and directly let the system take over the cultivation for an hour.

[Cultivation Level: Qi and Blood Realm (Early Stage, 38→40/100)]

【Five Elements Stance Exercise (Beginner, 103→105/166)】

"It only increases proficiency by two points per hour. In less than two days, I can't break through to the mid-stage of the Qi and Blood Realm. It seems I still need to prioritize breaking through the Five Animal Fist, as it is more useful in actual combat."

Qi Xiuyuan secretly made his plans.

"The Five Animal Fist, if practiced at full strength for one hour, can increase proficiency by five points. I am currently fifty-five points away from breaking through to the minor completion stage, which is eleven hours. If I combine it with a Qi and Blood Pill, ten hours will be enough, and I can definitely finish before Li Yan's birthday banquet."

"Set your goal: master the Five Animal Fist!"

[Target detected: Five Animal Fist, minor mastery]

[Method 1: Focus on intensive cultivation, combined with Qi and Blood Pills; it can be completed in ten hours.]

[Method 2: Practice freely, combined with Qi and Blood Pills, and you can achieve success in seven days.]

Please select a method to complete the objective.

"Cultivate with all your might!"

[The system has taken over the body and will begin full-scale cultivation!]

As he watched his body repeatedly practice the Five Animal Fist, Qi Xiuyuan was not idle either, recalling all the principles of the Five Animal Fist in his mind.

"The fist is divided into five forms, each form corresponding to one of the five internal organs; the method is divided into two paths, nurturing and killing in parallel..."

Five Animal Fist imitates the forms of the five animals: bear, tiger, deer, ape, and bird. It is in accordance with the principles of the five internal organs and the flow of qi and blood in the human body. The practice method nourishes the body and strengthens the foundation, while the killing method is used to fight and subdue the enemy. It combines movement and stillness. Although its upper limit is not the highest, it lays a very broad and stable foundation.

Other styles of boxing often emphasize one type of force.

The Five Animal Fist, with its five completely different forms of force—the tiger form being fierce, the bear form being heavy, the deer form being agile, the ape form being unpredictable, and the bird form being graceful—is a complete application of force.

It's more difficult.

But once mastered, one's martial arts foundation becomes broader and more stable.

Moreover, this fist technique can be developed from visible strength to hidden strength.

The state of Qi and Blood is Ming Jin.

The inner strength is hidden power.

The Five Animal Fist is perfectly suited for these two levels.

If one can cultivate internal strength, one is considered a skilled person in the Tianfu region. If one joins a security escort agency, one can become a captain. With more experience and seniority, it is possible to be promoted to head escort.

This style of boxing also shares the same lineage as the Five Elements Stance. The stance seeks movement within stillness and gathers qi and blood, while the boxing seeks stillness within movement and loosens muscles and bones. Practicing both together can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

"...The fist is divided into nurturing and killing, and the two methods are different. If you only nurture and do not kill, you will be strong but cowardly and will surely collapse when facing an enemy. If you only kill and do not nurture, you will be powerful but weak, and will suffer hidden injuries sooner or later. Nurturing first and then killing, nurturing and killing in harmony, is the true meaning of the Five Animal Fist."

Qi Xiuyuan recalled the essence of the Five Animal Fist in his mind.

In the blink of an eye, ten hours had passed.

As dusk fell outside the window, then into the dead of night, and from the dead of night until dawn, the gusts of wind from the punches in the courtyard never ceased.

Along the way, Qi Xiuyuan also automatically took a Qi and Blood Pill, the medicinal power of which, combined with his fist techniques, repeatedly cleansed his meridians and bones.

After finishing the final bird-shaped move, his fist gradually stopped and finally ceased.

A strong sense of fatigue instantly swept over my entire body, my limbs and bones ached, sweat dripped down my chin, and the bluestone slabs under my feet were soaked.

The insights gained from practicing the Five Animal Fist instantly flooded my mind.

The tiger's fierceness, the deer's agility, the bear's solidity, the ape's unpredictability, and the bird's elegance—though not yet reaching the realm of perfect form and spirit, have already achieved a preliminary integration.

Qi Xiuyuan collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

"Is this the minor mastery stage of the Five Animal Fist? Among the martial arts school disciples, even Lin Hu, who has the best talent, took seven days to reach the minor mastery stage. I, on the other hand, did it faster than him."

A pale blue panel popped up in front of him.

[Cultivation Level: Qi and Blood Realm (Early Stage, 40→41/100)]

【Five Animal Fist (Minor Success, 111→166/249)】

"My cultivation level has increased by a little? It seems that besides specifically practicing the Five Elements Stance Technique, practicing martial arts can also refine one's qi and blood and increase one's cultivation level to a certain extent."

Qi Xiuyuan smiled with delight, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.

It's wonderful to feel that as long as you set a goal and watch your body execute it, you'll definitely get a reward.

The only downside is that after the system has done its work, you have to bear all the fatigue yourself.

It's a trade-off, you could say.

In the kitchen.

"Senior Brother, you've been cultivating day and night again, how can your body take it?"

Xu Yi walked over with a bowl and chopsticks, and placed the steamed buns and pickled vegetables in front of Qi Xiuyuan.

"My master once said that in the path of cultivation, one must combine work and rest in order to attain the highest level."

Qi Xiuyuan grabbed a hot steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth. The bun was soft and fluffy, and the aroma of wheat mixed with the heat filled his mouth.

He chewed a couple of times and mumbled, "Did my father ever say that teaching according to aptitude is the key to excellence?"

Xu Yi nodded: "Yes."

Qi Xiuyuan stopped talking, tore open the steamed bun, put in a mouthful of crisp kimchi, and took a big bite.

Steamed buns with kimchi, the taste is absolutely amazing.

Xu Yi looked like he had just realized something and leaned his head forward.

"I understand, senior brother, something's wrong with you."

Qi Xiuyuan rolled his eyes and swallowed the food in his mouth in a few bites.

"I call this a natural talent!"

Xu Yi forced a dry laugh.

"Let's get down to business. Will the birthday banquet at Qingyu Pavilion tonight be on track?"

Qi Xiuyuan picked up the second steamed bun, his tone becoming more serious.

Xu Yi glanced around and, seeing no one outside the kitchen, leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "Qingyu Pavilion has already spread the news. The whole city knows that the courtesan Li Yan is having her birthday. If they change their minds at the last minute, they won't be able to do any business in the future."

"In addition, there is new information from the Pang family. Pang Ziming spent a lot of money to order a nine-phoenix gold hairpin from Mingqixuan. He went to such great lengths, he must be after Li Yan, and wants to win first place at her birthday banquet."

Qi Xiuyuan nodded slightly and continued to munch on the steamed bun with kimchi in his hand. He found it sour and spicy, appetizing, and the more he ate, the more delicious it became.

No.

To be honest, the thought of dealing with Pang Ziming tonight and collecting some interest for my father put me in a good mood, and everything tasted better.

Before we knew it, night had fallen.

"The Pang family, tonight I've come to collect interest!"

Qi Xiuyuan's eyes turned slightly cold.