Chapter 53: Hard Training, A Change in the Situation
Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Hard Training, A Change in the Situation
Even after learning the final set, the Yiyang Technique, Tang Wen still couldn’t understand what made Elder Physician Lin so superior.
The Yiyang Technique was the most difficult; some of its postures required excellent flexibility.
The last middle-aged physician laughed as he taught, "Have your woman practice this with you. You’ll experience double the pleasure."
An image of Zhou Bing in such a posture subconsciously appeared in Tang Wen’s mind.
*Hiss!* ’Too stimulating.’ He nearly embarrassed himself on the spot.
By the time he finished learning this set of the Yiyang Technique, it was already the early hours of the morning.
Tonight, the middle-aged physicians had witnessed the birth of Tang Wen, this kidney-nourishing—er, health-cultivating genius.
They were all overexcited and a bit tired.
After instructing Tang Wen to practice diligently and achieve the small goal of having one wife and dozens of concubines soon,
the four physicians patted him on the shoulder and returned to their dorms to sleep.
On his way back, Tang Wen’s Panel suddenly flashed:
[Compatible Cultivation Techniques detected. Fuse?]
[Fusion will result in an upgraded Cultivation Technique.]
He froze, looking down to check the information.
The techniques available for fusion were precisely the ones he had just learned: Yiyang Technique, Wall-Facing Yang Returning Stance, Primordial Sleep, and Sleeping Posture Technique.
’Fuse!’
There was nothing to hesitate about.
He learned Cultivation Techniques to gain Attribute boosts.
But if he didn’t fuse them, these four highly similar techniques with extremely narrow functions probably wouldn’t add many Attributes even if he mastered them.
The information for the four new Skills disappeared.
In its place, a new message appeared.
[Skill: Mixed Element Stance, Beginner (5/500)]
’Hmm, this has the same feel as the Eight Vajra Techniques.’
Tang Wen closed his eyes for a moment, and the new training method for this Mixed Element Stance appeared in his mind.
It was still a combination of a Breathing Technique, a Pile Skill, and some bedroom movements.
’It seems even more potent now.’
He returned and began practicing quietly. By the next morning, he could already feel remarkable results.
This motivated him even more.
He spent the entire morning practicing.
[Skill: Mixed Element Stance, Beginner (45/500)]
At this rate, it wouldn’t take more than a few days to level up.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Commander Zhao is back! Everyone to the plaza for a meeting!"
A heavy knock sounded, followed by someone shouting from outside his door.
’Commander Zhao is back?’
The three of them lived closest to the plaza, so they were the first to arrive.
There weren’t many people in the Underground Palace, and everyone had gathered within a few minutes.
Commander Zhao stood with Elder General Xia. "I know you’re all concerned about the situation outside, so I’ll give you a brief summary. Our opponents, besides Black Mountain Camp, include an external group. They were with that Awakened who died."
"The Black Mountain Ghost paid a high price to hire them. They were originally trying to screw us over at the open-pit coal mine, but we beat them so badly they couldn’t even lift their heads! In short, everything is still under control. You all just rest well and practice your techniques."
After speaking, he left immediately.
It seemed as if he had made a hurried trip just to calm everyone down.
’The situation is probably not optimistic at all!’
Tang Wen and Zhou Bing exchanged a look.
The latter suddenly said, "My internal injuries haven’t healed, so I can’t do any strenuous training. Can I learn that Vajra Technique you and Tangtang are practicing?"
"Of course you can."
That morning, Tang Wen taught her step by step.
Zhou Bing was a bit slow to learn. By the time seven days had passed, and Tang Wen’s Hard Qigong and Traceless Step had both reached the Beginner level, she had only just managed to learn it.
On this particular morning, the three of them appeared in front of the bulletin board on time.
Two Forbidden Guards were posting the latest battle report.
"General Zhou killed thirteen enemies, Commander Zhao killed twenty-seven..."
Just like the previous days, the battle report only announced victories and never mentioned sorrows.
It only listed the number of enemies killed, not saying a single word about the casualties from Flame Camp.
The three exchanged a look.
They trained even more diligently each day.
WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!
CRACK!
Two Forbidden Guards swung bamboo poles, striking Tang Wen hard on the chest and back. With a crack, the wrist-thick bamboo pole snapped.
"Brother Tang, that’s the tenth one you’ve broken today. Take a break!"
"Yeah, Tang Wen. Even if you’re not tired, we are!"
In a corner of the Underground Plaza near the wall, Tang Wen stood bare-chested, his muscles looking as if they were carved by a knife and chiseled by an axe.
They possessed both aesthetic beauty and explosive power.
Combined with his face, the effect was devastatingly attractive.
Even cool and aloof beauties like Zhou Bing and An Lei couldn’t help but stare at him.
"Thank you for your hard work." Tang Wen wiped his sweat with a towel. "Later, I’ll use some pebbles to help you train your reaction speed."
"You got it."
The two of them shook out their sore arms and quickly departed.
[Hard Qigong, Beginner (359/500)]
Tang Wen took a short break, drank some salt and sugar water, and put on his clothes and Scale Armor. He then donned a two-hundred-jin Special Lead Clothing and a pair of one-hundred-ten-jin Metal Shoes.
He walked over to the Plum Blossom Stance posts to practice the Traceless Step.
"He’s too hardcore!"
"What day is it now?"
"The ninth day. The ninth day since we came down here."
"Is he going to be okay training like that?"
"Elder General Xia said he’s exceptionally talented. Only he can train like this. We can’t copy him. Look, isn’t Captain Zhou resting too?"
"What a monster!"
A group of Forbidden Guards were discussing Tang Wen.
Their gazes, once filled with doubt and defiance, were now full of admiration.
Of course, this was just admiration for his training attitude.
As for how he’d fare in a real fight, they wouldn’t know until they fought him.
This was the pride of a Martial Artist!
After nine in the evening, the Guards, having trained all day, returned to their dorms to rest.
Only Tang Wen appeared in the plaza again, practicing his Fist Technique in front of a Wooden Man Target.
The clear sound of air being split rang out as he repeatedly unleashed Cannon Fist Inch Force.
The Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist was extremely draining, consuming both physical stamina and mental energy.
Having trained all day, Tang Wen was drenched in sweat after unleashing twenty-seven consecutive Inch Force bursts in the evening, so tired he just wanted to collapse on the ground.
But he discovered that if he could persevere and practice the Eight Vajra Techniques or go back to his room to practice the Mixed Element Stance at this point,
the effects would be much better than usual.
THWACK!
With the last punch, he failed to control his strength, and the Wooden Man Target’s head was shattered.
He slumped against the wall, hands on his knees, bent over and gasping for breath.
After a good while, he straightened up, glanced at the dark corridor, and dragged his exhausted body back to his dorm.
"That kid, he trains like this every day? When I first learned Cannon Fist, I was exhausted after just ten punches in a day! And this kid, he threw more than twenty?"
"He’s a little monster. I suspect he’s awakened dual Talents in stamina and energy."
"Good stock! Such good stock!"
After Tang Wen left, two people emerged from the dark corridor.
One was Elder General Xia, whom he saw every day. The other, the one who called Tang Wen "good stock," was Sang Zhanglin’s father, Commander Zhang.
Unlike before, one of his sleeves was empty, swinging back and forth as he walked.
Elder General Xia looked at his arm and sighed softly, "This kid, the Ice Girl, your son, and the girl from the An Family... they are all the seeds and hope of our camp."
Commander Zhang smiled. "For them, for the future, what’s losing an arm?"
The two fell silent.
...
「Above ground, in the forest outside the city, a bonfire burned outside a tent.」
General Zhou, Commander Zhao, and the others were gathered around it.
"The Black Mountain Ghost wants to negotiate? What does everyone think?"
"Hmph! Make them spit out the coal mine first."
"And the Contemplation Method! The Cannon Fist Contemplation Method! They have to hand over another copy!"
"Old Zhao, what do you say?"
Commander Zhao looked up. A clear black scar ran across his face, as if he had been slashed by a red-hot blade, cutting deep enough to reveal bone.
"Let’s negotiate. We’re not short on coal, and we can do without the Contemplation Method, but..."
"Old Zhao! You get cut once and you lose your nerve?"
"That doesn’t sound like something you’d say!"
"Let Old Zhao finish."
Raising his head with some difficulty, Commander Zhao said in a low voice, "We’ve had a cold snap this month. Logically, we should have had at least one snowfall."
’What?’
Several commanders frowned, not understanding what their old brother meant.
’Has he really gotten scared?’
"A month and a half. It hasn’t snowed in a month and a half. This spring, there might be a major drought!"
"Hm?"
Like a bolt of lightning, General Zhou, who had been resting with his eyes closed, snapped them open. "Give the coal mine to the Black Mountain Ghost. Demand food from them!"
"Yes!"
Everyone agreed in unison.