Chapter 26: Wang Jin's Shock and Benefits!

Standing under the moonlight.

"Master, my Five Animals Fist has reached the Proficient stage!" Jiang Ning said truthfully.

"Proficient?" Wang Jin's eyes suddenly widened, becoming perfectly round.

"Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded.

"You say you've reached proficiency? Perform the Five Animals Fist for me!" Wang Jin's expression turned extremely serious.

"Yes!" Jiang Ning responded.

In the next moment.

He hoped that demonstrating his achievement would make Wang Jin take him more seriously and grant him greater support.

He also hoped that receiving Wang Jin's guidance would bring about the changes he anticipated.

This thought flashed through Jiang Ning's mind.

Under the shroud of moonlight, he took his stance and began to practice the Five Animals Fist before Wang Jin.

At this moment, due to the effects of his Five Animals Fist reaching the Proficient level, his every movement and every technique no longer possessed the stiffness of before.

It was as if his breathing and his fist techniques had long since integrated into his very bones, becoming bodily instincts; everything appeared seamless and natural.

Watching this scene, the changes in Wang Jin's eyes grew more profound the longer he watched. Under the moonlight, his eyes were wide as ox bells.

Incredible!

Incredible!!

A tempest of emotion surged in his heart.

"It's only been a few days! This kid's Five Animals Fist has already reached the Proficient stage?"

"Does such a martial arts genius truly exist in this world?"

"His learning ability is so strong, and his body is so compatible with the Five Animals Fist that in just a few short days, he has integrated this fist technique into his bones, making his breathing rhythm and every move a bodily instinct?"

"With such exaggerated talent, if his comprehension is up to par, he will surely be able to accept my inheritance!"

"Now, I only wonder how his comprehension actually is. Without supreme comprehension, the Mid-tier martial arts of this sect will not shine brightly in his hands!"

"Furthermore, the disciple I want is one with truly extremely high comprehension, someone who can practice the Mid-tier martial arts of this sect to perfection. Only then is it possible to learn another Mid-tier martial art, merging water and fire, layering strength upon strength—that would become a High-tier martial art!"

"But what a pity, what a great pity!!"

At this moment, the look in Wang Jin's eyes as he watched Jiang Ning turned into one of regret.

"He started martial arts too late! In three months, no matter how heaven-defying his luck is, it will be difficult to meet the requirements to enter the Inspectorate!"

"If he had started martial arts two years earlier, he would surely have seized this opportunity to leap over the dragon gate!"

"Once he seizes this opportunity, his future destiny will be completely different! He will no longer be stuck in this tiny corner of the world, stuck in this small Luoshui County!"

"This kid's luck is simply too poor!!!"

The more he thought, the deeper the sense of regret Wang Jin felt.

Setting aside his future progress, at the very least, Jiang Ning was the fastest progressing individual he had ever seen among those just beginning their martial arts journey.

Only a few days after entry, having practiced all five animals, he had already reached the Proficient stage.

Yet, he was destined to have no connection with the Inspectorate.

As a newly established government department, the Inspectorate was personally overseen by that Martial Saint. Anyone who could join it would gain a monumental opportunity.

Especially for someone born from an ordinary family like Jiang Ning, it was an opportunity to defy heaven and change one's fate.

Wang Jin's thoughts slowly returned to reality, and he continued to watch Jiang Ning practice seriously.

"This kid is indeed very excellent, but by missing this opportunity, his future achievements will ultimately be limited!"

"But it's also fine. If he succeeds in his martial arts and can pass my test to become my closed-door disciple, that wouldn't be out of the question!"

"This kid looks like someone who values loyalty and righteousness, not the type to betray his master! Having missed the chance to join the Inspectorate, he is indeed more suited to look after me in my old age!"

"Otherwise, while joining the Inspectorate would be a great opportunity for him, with such authority, the Inspectorate surely won't be peaceful; it will inevitably involve slaughter! He might even meet an unexpected death halfway through!"

Having thought it through, Wang Jin no longer dwelled on it and quietly finished watching Jiang Ning's demonstration of the Five Animals Fist.

【Five Animals Fist Experience +1】

【Skill】: Five Animals Fist (Proficient 14/200)

As the set finished, two more strands of vital energy increased within Jiang Ning's body, and a faint heat rose from the top of his head.

"Not bad! Truly not bad!" Wang Jin nodded slightly, a look of approval in his eyes.

"It is because of Master's guidance!" Jiang Ning cupped his hands.

Wang Jin chuckled. "No need for such words! I haven't given you any extra instruction; I only passed on the Five Animals Fist and demonstrated it a few times before you. To reach this step, it is mainly due to your diligence and talent!"

As his voice fell, Wang Jin added, "Starting tomorrow, go to the kitchen morning, noon, and night to collect a bowl of medicinal soup! Go find Granny Sun in a moment and tell her about this!"

Hearing this, Jiang Ning felt a surge of joy in his heart.

Demonstrating his progress before Wang Jin was indeed the correct move.

If he didn't show his talent, how could he gain Wang Jin's attention?

How could he obtain such benefits?

During the day, when Xiao Peng became Wang Jin's true disciple, his greatest benefit was being able to collect a bowl of medicinal soup from the kitchen three times a day.

And now that he had obtained this benefit as well, it was clear that Wang Jin valued him even more.

At this moment, Jiang Ning did not hide the joy in his heart.

"Yes!" Jiang Ning cupped his hands in greeting. "Thank you, Master!!"

Wang Jin nodded with a smile, finding Jiang Ning increasingly easy on the eyes. "You were just looking to ask me about the essence of the Minor Accomplishment stage of the Five Animals Fist, weren't you?"

"Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded, then cupped his hands. "I beg Master to provide guidance!"

Wang Jin nodded, then took off his short tunic, leaving him in only a pair of grey shorts that reached below his knees, revealing his lean and strong muscles.

"The Tiger form has softness within its hardness; what is softness within hardness? The Bear form has lightness within its steadiness. The Ape form is agile and flexible, its movements unpredictable. The Deer form combines motion and stillness, with stillness within motion and motion within stillness. The Crane form soars through the clouds; the ability to move as the heart desires is related to your control over your body, as well as your control over your strength."

"To achieve these things is difficult to express in words! It is like how you continue to breathe even while you sleep!"

Hearing these words, Jiang Ning's expression became thoughtful.

Wang Jin continued, "I will perform the fist technique for you once to show you what the Minor Accomplishment level of the Five Animals Fist looks like. Pay close attention to the changes in my muscle textures."

"Thank you, Master!" Jiang Ning cupped his hands in thanks.

"Watch closely!" Wang Jin gave a light shout.

Without any visible movement in his feet, his entire body suddenly shot backward, reaching an open space three meters away from Jiang Ning in an instant.

In the next moment.

His arms moved, and he began to practice the Five Animals Fist.

Jiang Ning immediately focused all his attention on Wang Jin's movements, especially the shifting of his muscle textures.

Within the shifting of muscle textures lies the flow of strength.

As Wang Jin practiced the fist technique, Jiang Ning fell into deep thought.

The Tiger form in Wang Jin's hands was no longer the textbook-standard version he had practiced before.

At times, the movements were slow, like a tiger slowly approaching.

At other times, they exploded suddenly, like a tiger descending a mountain, unleashing a terrifying momentum.

"Softness within hardness, and hardness within softness? This concept is quite similar to the so-called Tai Chi from my previous life—combining motion and stillness, merging hardness and softness!"

It made him think of a punch: pulling the fist back is for the purpose of swinging it out with great force.

It also made him think of a spring: the harder it is compressed, the stronger the explosive power.

From this perspective, softness is the accumulation of power, and hardness is the explosion.

With this thought, Jiang Ning continued to firmly memorize the circulation of Wang Jin's muscle textures.

Time passed slowly.

In Wang Jin's current demonstration.

The Five Animals Fist was completely different from what he had seen before.

In his hands, every move and every technique of the fist technique seemed full of life.

The Tiger form's softness within hardness, and hardness within softness.

The Bear form's lightness within steadiness.

The Ape form's agility and unpredictable movements.

The Deer form's combination of motion and stillness.

The Crane form's soaring through the clouds, moving as the heart desires.

All sorts of fist postures were displayed in his hands.

Once the set of fist techniques was finished, Wang Jin slowly exhaled from his abdomen, then looked at Jiang Ning with a calm face and steady heart.

By this time, Jiang Ning had already closed his eyes.

In his mind, the images of Wang Jin practicing the Five Animals Fist were constantly replaying.

Every move, every action, and the minute changes in muscle texture all surfaced before his eyes.

After a full period of time.

Only then did Jiang Ning slowly open his eyes.

"How do you feel?" Wang Jin asked.

"Let me try!" Jiang Ning said.