Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike

Chapter 34 An Unforgivable Catastrophe

At this point, Cheng Yuanhua extended his right hand, gesturing for Li Xin to shake it.

"Xin'er, carefully feel and remember the most subtle reactions of your body."

"it is good."

Li Xin reached out and gently grasped it.

Where the palms touched, a warm, comforting sensation, like the winter sun, emanated from them.

His arm trembled slightly, and a ripple spread throughout his body...

It's hard to describe the feeling; it's as if something has slipped out of my control.

The line of sight suddenly rose higher.

Li Xin looked down and found that his feet were already half a foot off the ground.

He moved his wrist and found that he could move it, but his body was lifted up by his master.

It seemed that, besides muscles, bones, skin, and flesh, there was something deep within his body that supported him and was being controlled by his master.

That thing is invisible and intangible, yet it truly exists.

"This is... qi?"

"That's right. External training focuses on muscles, bones, and skin, while internal training focuses on the internal organs, blood, and marrow. Our internal martial arts primarily train the vital energy within the body."

Cheng Yuanhua opened up and spoke without reservation: "Strengthening muscles and bones, refining skin and flesh, this kind of external martial arts is actually training strength."

When refined to its peak, its combat power is extremely strong and should not be underestimated.

But if you really want to go far, sooner or later you have to take the path of working from the outside in, gathering strength and transforming it into energy.

Only by strengthening one's qi and blood, nourishing one's primordial energy, and consolidating one's strength can one transform into innate qi, undergo a complete metamorphosis, and extend one's lifespan.

"This point is beyond doubt. Whether it is the Qi practitioners of the pre-Qin period, the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic, or the classics of Taoism and Buddhism, they have all said this principle."

When ordinary people practice martial arts, their muscles and bones become strong, their skin and flesh become firm, and their strength is integrated into their whole being.

Just like when you throw a punch, you gather the power of your whole body; we call this "whole-body power".

In reality, this is merely the integration of forces, a concerted effort, and cannot be described as "exerting energy".

Only by grasping the flow of qi and blood, understanding its fluctuations and rhythms, and controlling the movement of qi can one truly possess power.

Upon hearing this, Li Xin felt it was incredibly profound, as if he were about to develop a brain, yet he still didn't quite understand.

This is certainly not because I lack comprehension skills; it's probably because my master, being an ancient person, tends to speak in a way that's often vague and unclear.

To put it bluntly, he's not very good at teaching apprentices.

He turned to look at Cheng Feiyan.

I couldn't help but look at them with new respect.

She thought to herself, "My master taught me this way, and I've actually mastered the art of internal energy cultivation. No, I mean, I can actually understand it. That's truly remarkable."

Cheng Feiyan immediately understood what Li Xin was thinking when she saw his blank look.

Suppressing a laugh, he gestured and asked, "Junior brother, you've seen a great river, haven't you?"

"I've seen you before, what's wrong?"

"You can think of your blood as a great river, flowing powerfully through your body. When the waves rise and fall, that overwhelming force, or rather, that strong wind, is Qi (vital energy)."

You're not grasping the river itself, but rather the momentum of its movement. Do you understand now?

It's easier to understand what young people are saying.

Li Xin gently patted his forehead. "Now that you say that, I'm not sleepy anymore."

In scientific terms, this is called potential energy, or a magnetic field, or an aura.

Therefore, qi drives blood to move, and blood moves qi to move; the two seem to be two different things.

One is real, the other is virtual; in reality, they are interconnected and complement each other.

"To grasp the Qi and Blood, you don't grasp the blood itself, but rather the fluctuations that arise as the blood circulates and evaporates..."

"No wonder, these people's attacks are almost instantaneous. Their thoughts are swift, their power erupts in milliseconds."

"Ripples, I understand, it's the fastest transmission speed."

Upon seeing Li Xin's expression, Cheng Yuanhua smiled, quite pleased with his teaching results: "You've grasped it, haven't you? Master only explained it once, and I understood it immediately. Although it's somewhat obscure, the principle isn't difficult to understand."

Without understanding the difference between blood vessels and qi vessels, and without knowing the yin and yang transformations of emptiness and fullness, truth and falsehood, this Qianyang Blazing Palm technique is truly difficult to master.

Both are explosive and springy forces, but the one that comes straight and direct is the hard force.

When it condenses into a needle, winds into a rope, and permeates like water, it becomes a gentle yet powerful force.

When the entire body is covered in a net, the Qi is activated, which is called transforming strength.

Therefore, the practice of the Qianyang Fierce Fire Force involves following the Twelve Regular Meridians and the Three Yang Meridians before making a move.

It transforms internal energy into fire, burning away meridians and destroying energy channels, resulting in extremely powerful attacks.

Finally, Cheng Yuanhua concluded: "What is merit? This is merit. Merit is application, and spirit is the foundation."

Actually, it would have been better and safer for you to start practicing when you were a few years older, when your energy and blood were stronger, and your physique was more robust. Unfortunately…

"But the people behind the Qing brand can't hold back anymore?"

Li Xin lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then he understood the reason why his master had rushed to impart his skills today.

It would be too late to delay.

I have undoubtedly infringed upon the interests of certain individuals.

It's not as simple as killing a few scoundrels.

Most likely, the boys and girls who were rescued are closely related.

It could be funding, personnel, or both...

If I'm not mistaken, the Qing brand is just a front for the real deal.

I had repeatedly thwarted the other party's goals. That's why my master was so anxious and gave me these instructions.

The Qing brand alone is not to be underestimated, but it is not enough to make the Cheng family martial arts school so prepared.

Judging from the master's attitude, the mastermind behind it all is someone who can't be spoken of. Everyone knows the truth, but they all pretend not to know.

If the lid is really lifted, there could be a great disaster.

The waters here run deep.

"I just injected a burst of Qian Yuan Fire Energy into your body. It can only last for eight hours. Comprehend it carefully."

"Flying Swallow, when you're controlling your strength, you need to focus and counter. You and your junior brother should practice push hands."

"Understood, Father."

Cheng Feiyan wasn't afraid of trouble at all.

When she first tried to master the art of condensing and refining her Qi and blood, it was like catching a little mouse in the yard, and it took her a long time to figure it out.

Now we'll see how much comprehension this junior brother has, and whether he'll be tormented to the point of questioning his existence.

Compared to Cheng Feiyan's attitude of watching the whole thing as a joke.

Li Xin, on the other hand, was eager to try.

"So, the 'whole force' I was wielding was just the strength of my muscles, bones, skin, and flesh. No wonder the several masters I encountered in succession all seemed to lack strength, their power crumbling at the slightest touch."

The eldest brother, Li Cheng, and Zhuang Hongxiu are probably only at the Tongli realm, and have not truly mastered the Gangjin realm.

Without the true teachings, one has to slowly hone their skills on their own, which requires an unimaginable amount of effort.

I just thought of this.

Then they heard the sound of horses' hooves outside the door.

"Woo-la-woo-la," the sounds of string and wind instruments rang out together, blending into a sacred and melodious tune.

"Could it be an opera troupe coming?"

As Li Xin was thinking this, he saw his master and senior sister's faces suddenly turn extremely ugly.

He turned to look outside the door.

The carriage had stopped, and a bald monk wearing a yellow robe and a rooster-comb hat stepped out.

The man was large and stout, and he was carrying something in his hands.

The object was narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, gleaming with gold, and was about the size of a water vat.

It looks very heavy.

As the monk walked, the stone slabs on the ground shattered with a series of cracks, leaving a crater with each step.

They trampled the ground and broke the threshold, making their way into the Cheng family's courtyard.

Behind him were four men and four women, all dressed as monks.

Holding musical instruments in their hands, they walked along, playing music as if they were attending a funeral.

"I heard that Master Cheng has taken on a fine new disciple. I am overjoyed and have come to offer my congratulations and present a generous gift."

The monk spoke in a loud, clear voice, so powerful that it made everyone's ears ring.

What gift should I give?

Cheng Yuanhua seemed to know who the other person was, and without bothering with formalities, he went straight to the point.

"Send the bell."

The monk laughed loudly.

……