Chapter 4: Fist Techniques
Feng Yuan shook his head slightly, showing no signs of complacency
If only I could find a master of profound skills to take me as a disciple, whether from the Chan School or the Jie School, as long as I can become a disciple and enter the fold, I would be able to turn my fortunes around. With my grasp of the future trends, it is not impossible for me to survive the great tribulation
In fact, the Dongyi people most wanted to assassinate Feng Zong, the Marquis of Qingzhou. However, Feng Zong possesses formidable strength and is accompanied by the most elite armored soldiers, making the chances of a successful assassination extremely low
With this in mind, Feng Yuan felt a greater motivation to become stronger
General Gan has overpraised me. Even if I were to master the Earth-Subduing Fist to perfection, I would merely be able to step into the first level of the Profound Art of the Universe. I am well aware of my own body; my innate talent and foundation are mediocre, far inferior to others!
This speed can be compared to the outstanding descendants of the military families from the great Shang Dynasty, which is not considered slow
In the Qingzhou army, there are not many warriors of this caliber. For an ordinary person to reach this level, in addition to possessing techniques for honing the body, it also requires about ten years of diligent practice and accumulation
Feng Yuan stood still, feeling as if he had been pushing a stone mill for most of the day, his strength nearly depleted by more than half, barely relying on the remaining bit of energy to maintain his standing posture
There is no need for the young master to be overly anxious; as long as one can master the first level of profound skills, it is equivalent to stepping into the path of cultivation and becoming a martial artist of the human realm. A martial artist of the human realm, when placed within a great army, is sufficient to serve as a commander of a thousand men
Those alchemists who possess magical powers have always been elusive and difficult to encounter. I am not entirely sure which is more powerful, but among the Dongyi people, there are priests and shamans who are similar to alchemists
The warriors of the human realm... even the divine generals of the heavenly realm are seen as mere mortals in the eyes of the Qi Refiners
Within the training grounds of the Marquis's residence
If there are further breakthroughs, then it will be the great general of the land.
The scene before him shook Gan Cen to his core, and his original thoughts were instantly swept away.
If problems arise in Qingzhou, the rear of the great merchant's expeditionary army will become unstable, leading to a significant decrease in the threat to the various tribes of the Eastern Yi.
A mental strength greater than that of an ordinary person has endowed him with enhanced memory and heightened senses, allowing him to detect various inconsistencies in the movements of martial arts techniques
Feng Yuan's physical constitution is not particularly strong, and coupled with his previously impatient temperament, he has yet to make any significant progress in mastering the family inheritance of the Hunyuan Xuangong despite his efforts in recent days. Gan Cen also believed that even with his hard work in cultivation, there would not be much advancement in such a short time.
It is unfortunate that today is an era of great human prosperity, yet hidden within are the causes and effects of a great calamity. Most of the immortals and deities with profound cultivation have chosen to retreat into the mountains and forests to avoid the contamination of worldly affairs
Feng Yuan sighed inwardly, unaware that in just a few years, once Emperor Xin ascended the throne, the cataclysmic calamity of the Investiture of the Gods would engulf the entire world.
Feng Yuan's physical aptitude is average, but with his senses that are stronger than those of ordinary people, he practices various martial arts as if aided by divine assistance. After practicing the basic sword techniques a few times, he becomes exceptionally proficient.
By the way
According to Gan Chen, the cultivation of the body can be simply divided into three levels: Heaven, Earth, and Man. Fully unleashing the potential of the body, achieving a strength of a thousand jun and enduring physical stamina, signifies reaching the first level, which belongs to the realm of human warriors
The Qi Refiners walking in the mortal world are often those who have failed in their cultivation and have descended to enjoy the riches of the human realm as scattered practitioners, lacking authentic cultivation methods
Upon realizing this, Feng Yuan felt a chill in his heart. He had already been regarded as a target by the Dongyi people. Unless he remained hidden within the Hou residence and did not show himself, he would inevitably encounter danger whenever he ventured outside.
If one were to spend a year or several years cultivating the first level of the Hunyuan Xuangong, at such a pace, even without encountering any bottlenecks during the cultivation process, it would still take several decades to reach the level of a Celestial Realm Divine General
Thereafter, Feng Yuan did not ask any further questions
I followed the lord in the campaign against the Eastern Yi tribes and have witnessed the abilities of these priests and shamans, which are quite strange; however, their sorcery has little effect on the divine generals of the heavenly realm
... ...
Feng Yuan was dressed in tight-fitting attire, his forehead glistening with sweat. As he moved, he continuously adjusted his posture according to the instructions, practicing a set of martial arts techniques in the training ground
To engage in battle and unleash the power of growth, one must practice with swords, spears, and various weapons, mastering their techniques. The power is the root, while martial skills are the branches; only when both are combined can one attain true strength
Finally, I added two more sentences: "I remember that the Marquis once said that as long as one can cultivate the Hunyuan Xuangong to perfection and become a divine general of the Heavenly Realm, one's body can reach an astonishing level, with unmatched vitality and blood energy, and even break through the vast majority of unorthodox spells and sorcery relying solely on this vitality and blood energy"
Good! Young master truly possesses exceptional insight! Although this basic boxing technique is simple, it typically takes an ordinary person at least a month to practice and become familiar with it. Unexpectedly, in just a moment's effort, the young master has managed to reach such a level!
Feng Yuan suddenly asked: "Has General Gan heard of those Qi Refiners who can cast spells and wield supernatural powers? If one were to cultivate their profound skills to perfection and become a Celestial Realm Divine General, would they be able to contend with the Qi Refiners?"
He practices the family-inherited Hunyuan Xuangong, which is paired with the Dizao Fist used to temper the body and enhance strength. Drawing from the profound essence of the earth and the majestic mountains, this martial art is an essential practice for beginners in the Xuangong.
Hoo ... ...
The Marquis of Qingzhou, Feng Zong, is still outside with three generals and a group of elite armored soldiers, but some news has been relayed back.
Whenever he thinks of this, Feng Yuan becomes extremely calm
As his physical strength rapidly diminished, Feng Yuan seemed to sense that his body was akin to soil, nurtured and watered, where seeds of power were taking root and sprouting, experiencing a hint of growth
After a thorough investigation, the mastermind behind the assassination of Feng Yuan on that day has been identified. Similar to the speculations of several maidservants, the culprit is the Heishan tribe of the Dongyi.
Qingzhou is the major commercial hub closest to the Eastern Yi. During the previous campaigns against the Eastern Yi, Qingzhou served as a rear guard for the army and facilitated the transportation of provisions and supplies
It is said that the Black Mountain faction, upon hearing rumors of the Great Merchant Dynasty planning to conquer the Eastern Yi, sought to take the initiative by creating chaos in Qingzhou, which is closest to the various tribes of the Eastern Yi. Thus, they contemplated assassination
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, several days have passed
This is the world of the Investiture of the Gods, filled with countless celestial beings. Shortly after his birth, Nezha was able to slay a flood dragon, while figures such as Huang Tianhua and Lei Zhenzi, after over a decade of cultivation, could rival the celestial beings.
Feng Yuan's father, Feng Zong, the Marquis of Qingzhou, is the only Celestial Realm Divine General within the territory of Qingzhou, which spans hundreds of thousands of miles. He is a formidable being who has mastered the Hunyuan Profound Art to perfection
Moreover, a powerful weapon and a sturdy set of armor can significantly enhance the user's combat capabilities. Without exceptional martial skills, even possessing a divine blade will not enable one to become a master of the sword
Not far away, Gan Cen changed out of his armor and similarly donned a set of fitted attire. Upon seeing that Feng Yuan had only practiced the Earth-Weight Fist Technique a mere three times, yet had committed all its key points to memory, a look of admiration involuntarily appeared on his face
After honing his body with the Earth-Weighted Fist Technique, Gan Cen began to impart his martial arts skills. The Earth-Weighted Fist Technique is part of the Hunyuan Mystical Arts and serves as a method for increasing strength, lacking significant lethality.
However, it is not enough to simply practice the techniques well; what is important is to apply them in actual combat
Thus, those Eastern Yi people shifted their focus to Feng Yuan, who held a position second only to the Qingzhou Marquis within Qingzhou City
Indeed, it is a martial art specifically designed for physical training! After just three sessions, every part of the body has been exercised! As long as one persists, it is only a matter of time before sufficient strength can be developed
It is said that the Celestial Realm Deity is referred to as 'Half Immortal' among the Dongyi people, and is almost comparable to those legendary immortals
After three consecutive contacts, Feng Yuan began to slowly retract his movements, letting out a long breath of hot air. His entire body was surging with energy and blood, and sweat continuously seeped out from every pore.
Feng Yuan's expression shifted slightly, "Half-immortal? In the end, they are still not true immortals. However, the Hunyuan Xuangong, which focuses solely on refining the body and cultivating vital energy and blood, is already quite remarkable for allowing one to reach this level of cultivation"
The current master of the Marquis's residence, Feng Zongzheng, is in the prime of his life, and can at least sustain the foundation of the Marquis's estate for another ten to twenty years, providing the young master ample time to grow.
One could sense a hint of urgency hidden within Feng Yuan's words, and Gan Cen slightly furrowed her brows before speaking
The young master's physical constitution is somewhat lacking, but his outstanding comprehension is sufficient to compensate for this. According to Gan Cen's calculations, with the abundant supply of spiritual herbs and fruits from the marquis's residence to replenish his vital energy and blood, the young master will be able to cultivate the first level of the profound skill and become a martial artist in the human realm in about a year.
This set of martial arts movements is ancient and appears quite substantial, with each move evoking a sense reminiscent of mountains and the earth
At the beginning, Feng Yuan's movements were quite stiff; however, by the second rehearsal, the stiffness in the techniques had diminished significantly. By the third time, Feng Yuan was already able to skillfully execute this set of martial arts.
Gan Cen pondered for a moment and recalled some information. He answered Feng Yuan's question
The Qingzhou Marquisate is destined to be caught up in a great calamity in the future, and Feng Yuan simply does not have enough time to grow.