Chapter 1: The Emergence of the Martial God (Part 2)

Liu Sihai took the pill, and Liu Jiandong brought some purified water to assist him in taking the medicine. Before long, Liu Sihai felt a rumbling in his stomach and hurried to the restroom, where he expelled a foul-smelling waste. He understood that this was the expulsion of residual toxins and felt a surge of energy. After returning, Wu Tianyuan took his pulse again and then opened another wooden box. Inside was a pill the size of a "Four Happiness Dumpling." Wu Tianyuan carefully broke the wax coating, and an unusual fragrance instantly filled the room. Liu Jiandong, who was quite far away, also sensed the aroma and felt an indescribable comfort throughout his body. Wu Tianyuan said, "Liu Gong, please take this pill as well, and you will be able to restore your strength."

Wu Tianyuan said: "Before the late master passed away, he repeatedly mentioned Liu Gong, instructing me to restore Liu Gong's internal strength at all costs. Following the late master's instructions, I traveled far and wide to gather medicinal materials. Finally, heaven did not disappoint those with determination, and through some fortunate coincidences, I succeeded in refining an extraordinary elixir three years ago that can revive the dead and restore flesh to bones. I believe restoring Liu Gong's internal strength will be effortless. " Upon learning that his internal strength could be restored, Liu Sihai was overjoyed, but then he pondered and found it quite strange: "Since you refined the elixir three years ago, why have you waited until now to bring it to me?"

In his surprise, Liu Sihai quickly signaled to Liu Jiandong with his eyes, and Liu Jiandong immediately understood, hurriedly chasing after Wu Tianyuan. Only then did Liu Sihai turn to Liu Ping and say: "Tell me, what exactly is going on here"

Zheng Qianli said: "Brother, I have roamed the rivers and lakes for over 20 years; how could I possibly be mistaken about this? You have a natural talent for eating, and every one of us here acknowledges you as the best in the world (the term 'glutton' was on the tip of Zheng Qianli's tongue, but he managed to hold it back)." Saying this, he gave Li Yueqian a thumbs up. Upon hearing this, Li Yueqian thought Zheng Qianli was praising him, and he couldn't help but laugh heartily, forgetting even his own surname, exclaiming: "I am the best in the world? My elder brother often says I am a big glutton; I didn't expect my eating skills to truly be the best in the world." The others at the table, seeing Zheng Qianli teasing Li Yueqian in this manner, felt that Zheng Qianli had vented their frustrations, yet they did not remind Li Yueqian, allowing him to make a fool of himself.

Liu Sihai took the pill, and although he was somewhat skeptical, he immediately sat cross-legged and swallowed the pill. At that moment, Wu Tianyuan said, "May I now, as agreed, read this 'Xuantian Treasure Seal'?" Liu Sihai nodded and closed his eyes to cultivate his energy. Wu Tianyuan, not hesitating, took the wooden box, tore open the seal, and began to study the 'Xuantian Treasure Seal' carefully.

Zheng Qianli, upon seeing the expressions of the two men, realized that Li Yueqian's earlier words were not unfounded. He then said, "There are many people in this world who practice 'Zhusha Palm'; how do you know that this gentleman has mastered the unique 'Zhusha Palm' of the Li family from Sichuan?" Li Yueqian replied, "Isn't that simple? Just now, I noticed a dark red mark on the 'Laogong' acupoint in his palm. The martial arts capable of producing such a mark can only be the 'Zhusha Palm' of the Li family from Sichuan."

Wu Tianyuan observed Liu Sihai's expression and understood what he was thinking. He smiled slightly and continued, "Little did I know that when I brought the elixir to your esteemed residence, upon seeing your senior's complexion, I discovered that the antidote given to Liu Gong by my late master was not thorough. Liu Gong still harbors residual toxins in his body. If he were to consume only my elixir, it would merely clear the residual toxins, but it would not restore his martial prowess. Therefore, I have additionally refined the 'Lingxi Detoxification Pill' for Liu Gong, which was only completed last month. Thus, I took the opportunity of Liu Gong's fiftieth birthday to detoxify and heal him, fulfilling my late master's wishes."

Liu Sihai felt a wave of confusion in his heart: "When did Wu Tianyuan come to see me three years ago? How come I don't know?" He glanced at Liu Jiandong, only to find that Liu Jiandong also wore a bewildered expression. Wu Tianyuan took out two small boxes from his bosom. He opened one of them and saw three black pills inside, releasing a pungent and acrid smell. Wu Tianyuan said: "Please, Liu Gong, take these three detoxification pills first." He opened one of them and saw three black pills inside, releasing a pungent and acrid smell. Wu Tianyuan said: "Please, Liu Gong, take these three detoxification pills first."

Liu Sihai said: "Ten years ago, I saw Brother Li in good health. At this moment, he should be in the prime of his life. I never expected that ten years later, both Brother Li and I would be on different paths, which is truly lamentable and sorrowful!" The feelings of deep sorrow were evident in his words. In truth, while Liu Sihai mourned the passing of the world's foremost physician, Li Qingshan, what truly pained him was the fear that the matters he entrusted to Li Qingshan would likely remain unresolved in this lifetime. The thought of this deepened Liu Sihai's sorrow.

Just as this was said, hurried footsteps were suddenly heard outside the door. A servant from the Liu residence rushed in in a panic. Upon seeing him, Liu Sihai could not help but scold, "Liu Ping! Have you lost your mind? How could you barge in like this? Don't you care about the family rules?" The servant replied, "Master, Young Master, Lord Wu, something terrible has happened. The young master Li, who came with Lord Wu, has injured the young lord of 'Dongfang Fort.' The second and third young masters should not be involved in this; I was sent to seek your instructions, Master."

Wu Tianyuan clasped his hands in greeting and replied, "Wu Tianyuan has met with Liu Gong. My late master passed away five years ago and could not fulfill this ten-year appointment; I hope the senior will understand." Upon hearing this, Liu Sihai felt a chill in his heart and exclaimed, "Brother Li's medical skills are extraordinary, renowned in the Jianghu as 'The Divine Needle of Silver'; how could he not even cure his own illness?" Wu Tianyuan, with a heavy heart, responded, "Medicine cannot cure all ailments, and the Buddha saves only those with fate. In fact, my master had known of his terminal illness over a decade ago and sought various miraculous herbs everywhere, hoping to refine them into an elixir to escape this calamity. Unfortunately... sigh!"

Liu Sihai, plagued by a virus, often perused medical texts and Taoist classics. Upon seeing this situation, he suddenly seemed to recall something and exclaimed, "Could this be... could this be...?" Wu Tianyuan smiled slightly and said, "You guessed correctly, Liu Gong, this is the 'True Fire of Samadhi'!" After saying this, he flicked his finger, and a silver needle shot out, directly piercing the 'Qugu Acupoint'.

Unable to endure any longer, Liu Sihai let out a muffled groan. Wu Tianyuan, who was reading the "Xuantian Treasure Seal," was startled and quickly asked, "What is wrong, Liu Gong?" Saying this, he grabbed Liu Sihai's wrist to take his pulse. Liu Sihai struggled to say, "Although I have internal energy, I cannot channel it into my meridians." Wu Tianyuan nodded and said, "This is because your meridians have not been in operation for a long time, and there is also some residual poison in your body blocking the meridians. Allow me to assist you." Liu Sihai struggled to say, "Although I have internal energy, I cannot channel it into my meridians." Wu Tianyuan nodded and said, "This is because your meridians have not been in operation for a long time, and there is also some residual poison in your body blocking the meridians. Allow me to assist you."

Liu Sihai was taken aback and said, "What? Have I already mastered the 'True Fire of Samadhi'?" Wu Tianyuan nodded slightly and replied, "Indeed, I have infused a trace of 'True Fire of Samadhi' into your body. If you don't believe me, try circulating your energy and see for yourself." Liu Sihai hurriedly circulated his energy to test it, and indeed felt a trace of scorching energy moving restlessly within him, only to suddenly vanish without a trace. It seemed that this technique was quite difficult to control.

Upon hearing this, Wu Tianyuan's expression changed dramatically. He said to Liu Sihai, "My younger brother is naturally rough and does not distinguish between light and heavy when he strikes. I will go and take a look now. I apologize for causing trouble to you, Liu Gong, and I hope you can forgive me." After saying this, he swayed his body and was already outside the house, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Liu Sihai and Liu Jiandong were unable to see how he exited; his lightness of foot was indeed something they had never witnessed in their lives.

Liu Sihai knew that the "True Fire of Samadhi" was the supreme mental technique of Taoism. As for who had successfully practiced it, there were no records in various ancient texts. It is said that once mastered, one could achieve a state of being unafraid of water and fire, immune to all poisons, and nearly attain the status of an earthbound immortal. Liu Sihai never dreamed he would witness this extraordinary skill today. He thought to himself: "This Wu Tianyuan is at most only in his twenties; how could his martial arts have reached such a level? Logically, if his martial arts were this high, there should be some rumors about him in the martial world..."

As soon as he thought of this, the silver needle had already entered his body. Liu Sihai felt a surge of heat collide with the "Qugu acupoint," and the meridians between his dantian and the "Qugu acupoint" became unobstructed. He dared not think too much and quickly focused his mind to circulate his energy. The true qi in his dantian found a place to be released, surging into the "Ren meridian" like a tidal wave, and Liu Sihai immediately felt an unparalleled sense of comfort throughout his body. However, that trace of "Samadhi True Fire" remained elusive; whenever his true qi stagnated, it would emerge from an unknown source, crashing through all obstructions as if it were effortlessly uprooting withered plants. He dared not dwell on it and quickly concentrated on circulating his energy. The true qi in his dantian found a place to be released, surging into the "Ren meridian" like a tidal wave, and Liu Sihai immediately felt an unparalleled sense of comfort throughout his body. Yet, that trace of "Samadhi True Fire" remained elusive; whenever his true qi stagnated, it would emerge from an unknown source, crashing through all obstructions as if it were effortlessly uprooting withered plants.

After speaking, Wu Tianyuan took out a silver needle. Suddenly, his expression changed, and his pupils revealed two points of crystalline red. At the same time, the tip of the silver needle was gathering a small ball of fiery, intense light, causing both Liu Sihai and Liu Jiandong to be greatly alarmed. Liu Jiandong thought to himself: "This internal energy is usually formless, yet Wu Tianyuan can condense his true qi at the needle's tip, transforming it into a tangible substance. This is something I have never heard of before. My goodness! What kind of martial arts is this?" Liu Jiandong thought to himself: "This internal energy is usually formless, yet Wu Tianyuan can condense his true qi at the needle's tip, transforming it into a tangible substance. This is something I have never heard of before. My goodness! What kind of martial arts is this?"

Zheng Qianli understood that what Li Yueqian meant was "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles." He couldn't help but chuckle to himself: "You can tell what martial arts others possess at a glance; this foolish boy really has no limits when it comes to boasting." However, sitting beside him, Liu Hanyan's eyes lit up, and she smiled, saying: "Brother Li, I find it hard to believe what you just said. The other party hasn't even engaged you yet, so how can you know what martial arts they possess?" Li Yueqian replied proudly: "It would be too late to find out what martial arts others have only after the fight begins. If you don't believe me, just point out anyone at random, and I will tell you about that person's martial arts skills, and you can see if I'm right."

Liu Hanyan smiled faintly and pointed to the middle-aged man beside her, saying, "Why don't you tell us what skills he possesses?" Li Yueqian glanced at the middle-aged man and replied, "Him? I've seen him long ago. He has practiced the unique martial art 'Zhusha Palm' of the Sichuan Li family for about twenty-five or six years. Later, he also learned the Xuanmen mental method 'Taiyi Heart Formula' from the Kongtong School. Am I right?" Upon hearing this, Liu Hanyan's expression changed, and the middle-aged man beside her was even more shocked. He had not revealed his true name when he came here, yet Li Yueqian was able to name the two martial arts he was most proud of. He couldn't help but scrutinize Li Yueqian again, but he could not figure out how Li Yueqian discerned the origin of his martial arts.

It is unclear how much time has passed (though it has not been long), Liu Sihai felt that his entire body’s meridians had become unobstructed, and his limbs and bones seemed to be filled with boundless energy. He opened his eyes and saw that Wu Tianyuan had already finished reading the "Xuantian Treasure Seal" and was looking at him with a smile, saying: "How does Liu Gong feel? Why not try a palm strike?" Liu Sihai nodded in response, took a horse stance, and struck out a palm towards the front. With a loud "bang" that sounded like muffled thunder, Liu Jiandong, who was watching from the side, was startled. He opened his eyes and saw that Wu Tianyuan had already finished reading the "Xuantian Treasure Seal" and was looking at him with a smile, saying: "How does Liu Gong feel? Why not try a palm strike?" Liu Sihai nodded in response, took a horse stance, and struck out a palm towards the front. With a loud "bang" that sounded like muffled thunder, Liu Jiandong, who was watching from the side, was startled. He did not expect that after his father regained his power, his internal strength would become so formidable.

Zheng Qianli suppressed a laugh and said, "Brother Li, your dining skills are unparalleled in the world; we all admire you. However, I wonder how your martial arts are?" Li Yueqian replied, "My elder brother says that my martial arts are already among the best in the world, and moreover, I can discern what martial arts others possess with just a glance. Before I even engage in combat, I have already won half the battle. My elder brother says this is called knowing both oneself and the opponent, which allows one to win a hundred battles."

Liu Sihai inquired, "May I ask, Wu Shaojun, how should one cultivate this 'Samadhi True Fire'?" As Liu Sihai observed Wu Tianyuan's formidable martial arts skills, he unconsciously adopted a much more respectful demeanor, even changing his form of address. Wu Tianyuan replied, "When I initially cultivated this 'Samadhi True Fire', it was quite troublesome, and at the beginning, it required a pure Yang body. However, for someone in Liu Gong's situation, it is much simpler..."

Zheng Qianli smiled and said, "Little brother, I am not sure about your martial arts skills, but in my opinion, your ability to eat ranks first in the world." "Really?" Li Yue opened his eyes wide, looking at Zheng Qianli, half believing and half doubting.

After Liu Sihai took the medicine and slightly circulated his internal energy, he immediately felt the internal energy in his dantian beginning to condense. A wave of ecstasy surged within him, and he promptly directed his true qi into the meridians throughout his body. However, to his surprise, when the true qi reached the "Qugu Xue" point, it could not advance any further, and there was no response when it attempted to surge downward towards the "Huiyin Xue" point. Yet, the internal energy in his dantian grew increasingly potent, with no outlet for release, causing it to surge chaotically within his lower abdomen. In just a moment, Liu Sihai felt the true qi in his dantian intensifying, seemingly boundless. His lower abdomen felt as if it were expanding, on the verge of bursting at any moment.

Since Wu Tianyuan left his seat, the "Shadowless Whip" Zheng Qianli had been contemplating how to test this rascal Li Yueqian. However, he observed that Li Yueqian continued to consume various foods without pause, embodying a spirit of relentless life and unending feasting. Because of him, this table was still being served an array of dishes, while the other tables had mostly cleared their food and replaced it with fragrant tea and snacks. Everyone seated at this table felt an indescribable awkwardness. Because of him, this table was still being served an array of dishes, while the other tables had mostly cleared their food and replaced it with fragrant tea and snacks. Everyone seated at this table felt an indescribable awkwardness

With a shift in his thoughts, Zheng Qianli began to devise a plan. He then started to get closer to Li Yueqian, saying, "Brother Li, do you usually eat this much at home?" Li Yueqian shook his head in response, saying, "Not really." Zheng Qianli found it strange and asked, "Then why are you eating so much today and still feel it's not enough?" While eating, Li Yueqian replied, "Because the dishes here are delicious!"

Wu Tianyuan nodded slightly, showing no signs of surprise, and said: "It seems that Lord Liu's martial arts have fully recovered. Lord Liu has taken the 'Life Creation Pill' and inherited my 'True Fire of Samadhi'. Although this 'True Fire of Samadhi' is not very strong at the moment, the spiritual seed has been planted, and in the future, even if... heh heh, it is not impossible."