Gou Zai Wu Dao Chao Shi Xing Nian Da Gong

Several days later, late at night, in the bedroom.

Zhou Fugan picked up the large bowl and drank the last dose of Body Tempering Powder, then began practicing the Hammer Cloud Stance Technique.

He assumed the stance of the Hammer Cloud Stance, his feet seemingly rooted to the ground, exuding an aura as heavy as a mountain.

A stream of scorching medicinal power emanated from his abdomen, continuously tempering and strengthening his body, including his skin, bones, and muscles, as he cultivated.

"Host, you are practicing the Hammer Cloud Stance Technique. Effects: It can mobilize your body's potential, absorb external nutrients, and temper your body."

"The cost: Overworking and exhausting the body, causing hidden injuries."

"An exemption can be activated without incurring a cost, while retaining its effectiveness."

After completing one round of cultivation, Zhou Fugan looked at the virtual interface.

"Hammer Cloud Stance Method: Introduction (299/300)"

During this period, he took Body Tempering Powder daily and secluded himself for intensive training, making rapid progress. After finishing five packets of Body Tempering Powder, he noticed that its effectiveness had decreased, seemingly indicating the development of drug resistance. So he went to Chunhetang to buy more and took more each day to enhance its effects.

Today, the progress bar for the Hammer Cloud Stake Technique is finally about to reach its end!

"Break through the skin barrier today!"

A hint of joy flashed in Zhou Fugan's eyes, but he composed himself and continued his cultivation.

After practicing several times, when the medicinal power of the Body Tempering Powder was mostly used up, Zhou Fugan felt his whole body tighten. It seemed that some uncontrollable force was pulling his skin inward, making him feel like he was wearing a bodysuit that was a size too small, making his whole body feel tight.

At the same time, various pulling and contracting forces are generated inside the body. When the hands and feet are extended, a strong pulling interference can be felt, making it very difficult to perform the originally smooth and flowing moves.

Even the heartbeat seemed to be hampered, each beat was very heavy, as if it contained not blood, but thick lead and mercury.

Zhou Fugan focused intently on resisting the pulls and practicing the stance training with all his might, over and over again, his back soaked with sweat.

Boom boom boom~~~

Suddenly, a sound like a bowstring snapping came from his body.

The mysterious tension within his body snapped one by one, and the feeling of confinement quickly vanished. The breaking tension seemed to transform into positive energy, merging into his body.

Zhou Fugan felt himself rapidly growing stronger, not only in terms of physical power but also in the enhancement of his five senses. The world around him seemed to be gradually clearing away a layer of mist; his eyes could see more clearly in the darkness, his ears could hear subtler sounds, and he could feel the gentle breeze on his skin...

He was so engrossed in his cultivation that he didn't stop. Only when the changes in his body completely ceased and he no longer felt his cultivation increasing did he gracefully stop.

"Hammer Cloud Stance Method: Minor Success (1/800)"

"The membrane barrier has been broken through!"

Zhou Fugan's eyes were bright, and his face showed undisguised joy.

Only after breaking through the skin barrier could he truly step into the realm of martial artists and possess a certain degree of self-defense ability.

"Let's test our strength!"

Zhou Fugan had just broken through, and like a child who had received a favorite toy, he was immediately eager to try it out and see how much his strength would be enhanced by breaking through the skin barrier.

He first pinched the skin on his hand, and sure enough, it was as tough as old cowhide, greatly increasing its defensive capabilities.

Then, he moved swiftly and unleashed the Hammer Cloud Fist.

Boom boom~~

His punches were like dragons, each punch accompanied by a series of muffled thuds.

"Breaking through the skin barrier, the entire body's skin undergoes a qualitative change, unleashing even greater power. As the saying goes, 'power is like a snapped string.' This power is visible on the surface and very obvious, and is also known as 'manifest strength'..."

Zhou Fugan could clearly feel that his strength had increased several times over. Now, even a simple move of his was as powerful as his full-force ultimate technique before his breakthrough.

"How powerful would it be if I used my ultimate technique now?"

Zhou Fugan withdrew his move, a look of eager anticipation appearing on his face.

"snort!"

He grunted and unleashed his Hammer Cloud Technique, channeling his power through his strengthened skin and unleashing terrifying force. The force of his punch whipped through his sleeves, producing a shrill sound like tearing fabric.

"This punch is several times more powerful than a normal move. And my body can withstand it completely now."

Zhou Fugan's eyes gleamed.

Before his breakthrough, he used his ultimate technique, which was extremely taxing. He was completely exhausted and dizzy after just one use.

However, after the breakthrough, he only felt slightly out of breath after using it once. According to his estimation, he could use the ultimate move ten or eight times in a row without any problem.

These enhancements all stem from physical strengthening and changes in the skin's texture.

"However, there are also downsides."

Zhou Fugan glanced at his sleeve. Several tears were clearly visible in the cuff. This was caused by the speed of his punches. No wonder martial artists always tighten their cuffs and trouser legs; otherwise, it would not only interfere with their power but also require them to change clothes frequently.

"By the way, there's another question. Will I also end up like Sheng'er, unable to unleash my true strength when facing opponents of the same level?"

Zhou Fugan felt a vague sense of worry when he thought about how Zhou Sheng had been beaten.

Although he had mastered the Hammer Cloud Fist to a high level, wielding it with ease and freedom, he still lacked confidence. His easy defeat of Zhang Shun last time was due to Zhang Shun's weakness and the vast difference in their martial arts skills. It was hard to say how much of his strength he could muster against a stronger opponent.

"Looks like I need to find an opponent to test my skills against."

......

Hammer Cloud Martial Arts School, training ground.

"good!"

"good!"

A group of apprentices gathered around, cheering loudly. It turned out that two apprentices were sparring.

One of the boys had dark skin, a tall and strong build, and his punches were powerful and heavy, like a hammer, which was exactly the style of Hammer Cloud Fist.

His opponent, Zhou Sheng, appeared much thinner. Although his cultivation and strength were inferior to his opponent's, he tried his best to avoid direct confrontation and instead used skillful maneuvering to harass him.

"Who do you think will win, Junior Brother Zhou or Senior Brother Wang?"

"It's definitely Senior Brother Wang. Junior Brother Zhou has only been here for less than two months, while Senior Brother Wang has been here for five months. There's a huge difference in their cultivation levels, and Senior Brother Wang is about to break through to the next level for the first time. As for fighting techniques, Junior Brother Zhou has only been practicing for less than a month, while Senior Brother Wang has been cultivating for more than four months. How can they compare?"

"You write a lot, so I believe you."

"....."

Zhou Sheng paid no attention to the apprentices' discussions, focusing only on dealing with his opponent.

In the past few days, he has changed his usual style of burying himself in his training and started to communicate with his fellow disciples. He quickly made several friends and often sparred with them.

The boy across from me named Wang Teng is the one I'm closest to.

Wang Teng had been cultivating for much longer than him, and was stronger in both cultivation level and fist techniques. At first, he was defeated in just a few moves during their sparring. However, he was able to combine his grandfather's guidance with his own experience each time, and his fist techniques improved by leaps and bounds. In just a few days, he was able to fight Wang Teng on equal terms.

"Drink! Buy it!"

Suddenly, Wang Teng shouted and threw a punch, as powerful and heavy as a giant iron hammer.

Zhou Sheng made a careless move, revealing an opening. With no way to avoid it, he could only cross his fists and block the punch head-on.

Boom~~

He immediately felt an irresistible force land on his hands, and his arms could not support him. He staggered and was knocked to the ground.

"Junior Brother Zhou, you flatter me!"

Wang Teng clasped his hands in greeting.

"Senior Brother Wang, your fists are incredibly hard!"

Zhou Sheng rubbed his arm as he stood up and said with a wry smile.

Wang Teng laughed loudly, "Haha, I won by force. But you, kid, your boxing skills have improved too quickly. I'm afraid I can't beat you if I don't put in more effort."

"Zhou Sheng, come here for a second."

At this moment, Liu Cheng, who was watching the battle from a distance, shouted.

"Senior brother."

Zhou Sheng rushed over.

"Is Senior Brother Liu going to give Zhou Sheng special tutoring again? I wonder what's so great about that kid!" one of the apprentices complained enviously.

"If you had Junior Brother Zhou's comprehension, Senior Brother Liu would open a path for you too. Hmph! Instead of being envious of others, you should practice more." Wang Teng sneered at the man. The man immediately dared not say another word.

...

the other side,

"Your boxing skills have improved really fast. If you encounter ordinary mountain bandits, you don't need to be afraid as long as you deal with them carefully."

Liu Cheng looked at Zhou Sheng and praised him.

"You flatter me, senior brother."

Zhou Sheng said modestly.

Liu Cheng smiled and said, "I called you here to tell you that the day after tomorrow is the day of the escort mission. It will take three or four days to go and back. Prepare some food and luggage for the journey."

"good!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Sheng's eyes lit up, and he answered with some eagerness.

He felt excited at the thought of earning money as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort). This was different from his previous job of fishing, which anyone could do. This was the first money he had earned through martial arts.

"Hmm. Don't be too nervous. This shipment is relatively short, so we usually won't encounter bandits," Liu Cheng reassured him, thinking he was nervous.

"Okay, senior brother."