Chapter 55: The Threshold from Martial Artist to Martial Master
Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Threshold from Martial Artist to Martial Master
In the Underground Plaza, everyone was gathered.
"I have an announcement to make."
Elder Xia stood on the steps and took a long gulp from his wine flask. "This month’s Forbidden Guard assessment is canceled. Next month, you’ll all participate in the Martial Arts assessment! Zhou Bing, Tang Wen, and the other Hunting Team members will also participate!"
When he finished speaking, he glanced behind him.
A middle-aged man emerged from around the corner.
"Father, you... your hand?" Zhang Lin’s initial joy at seeing the man clearly turned to dread. His heart sank, and a sense of panic washed over him.
A stir went through the plaza, but it quickly fell silent again.
Tang Wen glanced at Zhou Bing and his sister, his expression grim.
’If the Commander lost an arm, who knew how many other captains and team members were killed or wounded.’
Commander Zhang glanced at his son, making no effort to hide his empty sleeve.
He scanned the crowd and said calmly, "In this war, we have once again lost many brothers and sisters. And, of course, I have been crippled. Next month’s assessment isn’t just to test your Martial Arts progress, it’s a selection! We will select outstanding individuals to assist the Queen and the General in managing the camp!"
The crowd erupted.
This time, even the Forbidden Guards couldn’t suppress their murmurs.
Everyone began to discuss amongst themselves. "Has the situation really gotten this bad?" someone asked.
Others secretly clenched their fists, seeing this as a rare opportunity.
Tang Wen and Zhou Bing, being the type to avoid trouble and harbor little ambition, weren’t concerned with the selection. They were merely worried about the war outside.
A shadow of unease fell over them.
"Let’s practice our Fist Techniques together tonight!" Zhou Bing said, her tone even.
Something occurred to Tang Wen. "Sister Bing, are you about to break through?"
"Mhm, I’ve been building up to this for a long time."
During this period, Zhou Bing had originally wanted to advance her relationship with Tang Wen.
’Since his ability can counter the Bad Luck Skill of an Awakened, it can surely suppress my "husband killer" curse.’
’Of course, to be on the safe side, we just won’t get engaged or married.’
’I’ll just keep calling him Tang Wen, Xiaowen, or maybe ’little brother’.’
’In any case, we’ve shared a bed—at different times, of course. He’s not getting away from me!’
But she hadn’t expected that after arriving at the Underground Palace, Tang Wen’s frantic dedication to his cultivation would be so contagious.
Besides, with Tangtang around, things were inconvenient.
So she had no choice but to suppress these thoughts and instead compete with Tang Wen in their daily cultivation.
As a Peak Martial Artist whose combat strength was comparable to a Half-step Martial Artist, she had recently felt the threshold begin to give way.
After several months as a Hunting Team Member, Tang Wen had long understood the difference between a Martial Artist and a Martial Master.
The difference could be summed up in a single question: could one execute the Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist anytime, anywhere, in actual combat?
Alternatively, one could channel the Cannon Fist Power through a weapon using Spear Technique, Swordsmanship, or the like.
After all, for a profound Martial Art like the Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist, learning it was not the same as being able to use it in a real fight.
Tang Wen knew this from personal experience.
He had learned it several days ago, but every time he tried to use it, he still had to settle into a stance, enter a state of Meditation, outline the Visualization Image in his mind, and then guide the Power to his arm before he could unleash it.
Through arduous practice, he had shortened the process to just two or three seconds. But in a life-and-death struggle, two or three seconds was enough time for an enemy to kill him several times over!
That was why, ever since learning the Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist, Tang Wen had only practiced it; he had never used it in a real battle.
It was a bit like learning countless mathematical theorems in school, only to never use them in daily life.
Zhou Bing was in the same boat.
She always relied on her Spear Technique to kill enemies, never her Cannon Fist.
However, she had learned the Cannon Fist earlier and was far more proficient with it.
That evening, they practiced their Fist Techniques until they were utterly exhausted.
When the two of them returned to their quarters, Tangtang was already fast asleep.
Zhou Bing came into Tang Wen’s room and sat on the edge of his bed to discuss their experiences with the Fist Technique.
"Many of the Commanders have said it. They all agree that the difficulty with the Cannon Fist lies in how to quickly perform the Visualization of the scene—how to uniformly accelerate every frame you outline in your mind to rapidly strike with power!"
’Uniformly accelerate?’
An image of a movie playing at double speed flashed through Tang Wen’s mind.
’If only I had a phone, I could do it.’
’I would just need to record the scene from the Visualization Image.’
’Hmm?’
’Wait a minute...’
’I could... draw the scenes, couldn’t I?’
A flash of inspiration struck Tang Wen.
Anyone who drew little figures in the bottom-right corner of their textbooks during their school days would know.
If the little figure you draw only changes its action slightly from one page to the next, then the more pages you draw, the more fluidly the figure will kick and punch when you flip through them. The animation becomes more appealing and realistic.
But if you get lazy and draw each figure in a completely different pose on each page, then when you flip them, the movement will lack the transitional steps and look like it’s been sped up!
’This is exactly uniform acceleration!’
Tang Wen immediately jumped off the bed and started rummaging through the cabinet.
Zhou Bing froze.
She heard him say hurriedly, "Sister Bing, check our luggage and see if there’s any yellow paper."
"Yellow paper?" Zhou Bing was confused, but she returned to the room she shared with Tangtang and came back with a stack of coarse paper. "Will this do?"
"’Do?’ It’s perfect!"
"Got any charcoal pencils?"
"Hold on, there’s coal outside."
Tang Wen took the lump of coal, sharpened it to a point with his dagger, then sat at the table and began to draw, his head bowed in concentration.
Zhou Bing didn’t leave or ask any questions. She simply remained on the edge of the bed, watching Tang Wen as he drew with intense focus.
’Mmm, the more I look at him, the more handsome he seems.’
A Fireball shot out. The Fireball left a trail of afterimages in the air. The Fireball slammed into a mountain and exploded.
Using sparse strokes, Tang Wen depicted three scenes in the bottom-right corner of a stack of Yellow Paper.
"Sister Bing? Sister Bing? Is there something on my face?"
He touched his face.
"No. I was thinking about you—I mean, about things." Zhou Bing, who had been staring, hastily averted her gaze.
Tang Wen excitedly showed her the masterpiece he had just finished.
He flipped through the three pages.
"What is this?" Zhou Bing watched for a long while, but she couldn’t make sense of it.
Tang Wen glanced at it himself and felt a little awkward. There were too few frames.
Even when flipped, it didn’t produce a proper animation effect.
"Uh, Sister Bing, just a moment."
"Alright, take your time."
Zhou Bing gently took out her handkerchief and wiped the non-existent sweat from Tang Wen’s forehead.
He began drawing little figures—stick figures holding blades.
After some time, he had finished drawing on a thick stack of paper.
As Zhou Bing watched curiously, he divided the papers into two stacks. He took one stack of sixteen sheets and, with a flick of his thumb, riffled through the pages.
The stick figure came to life, performing a set of the Wind-breaking Blade.
Then he took the other stack, which had only eight sheets, and did the same.
The stick figure performed the same Wind-breaking Blade set, but much faster.
"This is...?"
The Ice Beauty’s clear, almond-shaped eyes blinked.
Tang Wen flipped through them for her again and again, showing the contrast between the two.
Zhou Bing understood instantly. "This is a shortcut for practicing the Contemplation Method!"
Her voice was filled with utter shock.
"Yeah, I only just thought of it."
"Xiaowen, you’re a genius!" Zhou Bing’s eyes shone with a brilliant light. In her excitement, she leaned forward, revealing a wide expanse of snowy-white skin at her chest. She grabbed Tang Wen’s arms, looking at him as if he were a priceless treasure.
"Ahem," Tang Wen coughed. "I’ll draw the Visualization Image in more detail. The faster you flip the pages, the faster the scene will move!"
"Alright."
As Tang Wen drew, Zhou Bing’s beautiful, glistening eyes scanned him from head to toe.
Once the stack of Visualization Images was finished, she gradually composed herself. She studied them back and front for a long while, then closed her eyes and attempted the Visualization before finally setting the drawings down. "I need to go into secluded cultivation for a few days," she said. "Don’t show these to anyone yet."
Tang Wen handed them right to her. "That’s what they’re for—for your secluded cultivation."
"Mhm." Zhou Bing stared at his well-proportioned lips, fighting the urge to kiss him. She turned to leave. "I’m going to apply for a stone chamber for secluded cultivation. I’ll tell Tangtang tomorrow."
"Alright! Don’t rush things."
Zhou Bing gave a faint smile. She walked to the door and opened it, then suddenly turned back and added, "Wait for me."
Tang Wen was baffled, assuming she was just overly excited about her impending breakthrough.
The next day, Tang Wen and his sister went to train as usual.
But without Zhou Bing by their side, while Tangtang was fine, Tang Wen couldn’t help but feel that something was missing.
That night, he practiced his Fist Technique alone.
His punching speed had improved. Excited, he turned his head. "Sister Bing, I—"
Before he could finish, Tang Wen rubbed his nose. He was alone. The entire Underground Plaza was deserted.
Only the flames dancing behind the glass kept him company.
’Secluded cultivation shouldn’t take more than a few days, right?’
He shook his head and resumed his practice.
BANG!
A wooden stake exploded into splinters.
[Skill: Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist, Initiate → Beginner (1/1000)]
The Fist Technique he’d been stuck on for two days had finally advanced.