Chapter 24: Mastery of Fist Techniques

[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Beginner 90/100)

Looking at his status panel.

"I am only ten experience points away from breaking through the Beginner stage and reaching the Proficient realm."

"As things stand, with the support of the wild ginseng, a single morning should be enough to grind out these ten points of experience!"

With this thought in mind.

Jiang Ning walked to a nearby clearing. After slightly adjusting his state, he began practicing his fist forms.

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]

As one cycle of the fist technique ended, he pulled a brocade box from his robe.

Upon opening the box, the once whole wild ginseng was now only about three-tenths remaining.

Jiang Ning pondered for a moment, then directly tore off half of the remaining ginseng from the box and tossed it into his mouth to chew slowly.

Then, his throat moved slightly.

The wild ginseng, thoroughly chewed into pulp, entered his stomach.

In just a moment, he felt his physical stamina rapidly recovering; his skin flushed red, his blood circulation accelerated, and his heartbeat became more powerful.

The medicinal effects of the wild ginseng had begun to take effect within his body. As his stamina recovered quickly, Jiang Ning no longer wasted the medicinal power.

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]

[Five Animals Fist Experience +2]

Supported by the medicinal power of the wild ginseng, Jiang Ning only needed a brief moment to recover his stamina after each cycle of the Five Animals Fist before he could continue practicing, without any need to worry about physical depletion.

His efficiency in practicing was much higher than before.

In the beginning, it took him half an hour to complete one full cycle of the Five Animals Fist. Now, within an hour—including the two or three minutes of recovery in between—he could basically complete three cycles.

In this way, as long as he had medicinal support, his efficiency in grinding Five Animals Fist experience was even higher.

By midday.

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]

Jiang Ning glanced at his panel.

[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Beginner 99/100)

On the panel, his accumulated experience had reached 99 points. With this latest addition.

It suddenly broke one hundred.

[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Proficient 0/200)

As his realm in the Five Animals Fist broke through, Jiang Ning closed his eyes.

Visions regarding the various aspects of the Five Animals Fist instantly flashed through his mind.

The memories of hundreds of repetitions flashed rapidly through his consciousness, like a revolving lantern before death.

After several breaths.

The countless images flashing through his mind merged, eventually becoming one.

At this moment, Jiang Ning felt a slight electric current passing through his muscles, leaving his whole body feeling numb and tingly.

When he opened his eyes, a sharp light flashed within them.

Immediately after.

He began practicing his fist forms once more on the spot.

Every move and posture had undergone subtle changes compared to before.

There were indescribable changes; between the strikes and the extension of his limbs, his movements became more natural and fluid, as did his breathing rhythm. Everything seemed to have become an instinctive function of his body.

As the cycle ended, Jiang Ning closed his eyes where he stood, his chest heaving slightly. With every breath, his respiration was long and steady.

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]

He ignored this notification as it appeared before his eyes.

Because his attention was entirely focused within his body.

He could clearly feel that as he finished the cycle, his blood and Qi had condensed two strands of blood-Qi essence during the single set of forms.

"At the Proficient level, one cycle of practice can condense two strands of blood-Qi essence, which is twice the efficiency from before. This way, the speed at which my physique and blood-Qi grow will be even faster!"

"I will reach the conditions required by Wang Jin and achieve the Martial Path Entry rank even sooner!"

Feeling the changes within him, Jiang Ning felt quite invigorated.

The faster his blood-Qi accumulated, the faster he could circulate it throughout his entire body and reach the Perfection realm.

Only then would he have more time to complete his Martial Path Entry.

The Inspectorate—I must get in!!!

Jiang Ning clenched his fists.

He knew this was the place that could change his destiny.

To him, as long as he was given enough time and resources, he had the confidence to fear nothing.

And the Inspectorate, looking across the entire Great Xia Kingdom, was one of the two greatest pillars.

The Human Emperor and the Martial Saint.

The prestige of the Martial Saint was not inferior to that of the Human Emperor.

As the saying goes, it is good to seek shade under a large tree.

By joining the Inspectorate, he could lean against one of the two greatest pillars, giving him the time to grow steadily.

Furthermore, the Inspectorate possessed sufficient resources to support his growth.

Then, Jiang Ning clenched his fist, feeling the abundant blood-Qi in his right arm.

*I wonder how much strength I have now?*

A doubt arose in Jiang Ning's mind, and his gaze fell upon the stone lock beside the wall on the right side of the front courtyard.

*I might as well test my current strength.*

According to Wang Jin, entering the Inspectorate would inevitably involve slaughter and fighting.

If his strength were a fraction stronger, his combat power would be a fraction stronger.

He immediately walked up to the stone lock.

"Junior Brother Jiang Ning, are you testing your strength again?" Cheng Ran saw Jiang Ning walking toward the stone lock and approached him.

Jiang Ning turned his head: "Senior Brother Cheng Ran, why aren't you practicing your fist forms? Why are you paying attention to me! Could it be that Senior Brother Cheng Ran has been discouraged by Xiao Peng?"

"Sigh!" Cheng Ran sighed softly. "That Xiao Peng hides himself too deeply! His Tiger Form Fist is at Great Completion, and his Ape Form Fist is at Minor Completion. He is far ahead of me!"

Jiang Ning comforted him: "What is the rush, Senior Brother Cheng Ran? There are still three months left! For the mastery of fist forms, what matters is comprehension and opportunity! Who knows, one day when the opportunity arises and a flash of inspiration hits you, both your Tiger and Crane styles might reach Great Completion!"

"Before the dust has settled, anything is possible!"

"Besides, Senior Brother Cheng Ran's blood-Qi is already at Perfection; in that regard, you are far ahead of Xiao Peng!"

As he spoke, Jiang Ning took off his shirt. His physique was noticeably stronger than before; muscles were now visible, unlike his previous weak state before learning martial arts.

Hearing Jiang Ning's words, Cheng Ran couldn't help but laugh heartily.

"Junior Brother Jiang certainly knows how to comfort people! I feel much better now!"

"That's right, the outcome is not yet decided; you and I could both be dark horses!!!"

Just then.

A smile suddenly appeared on Cheng Ran's face.

"Junior Brother Jiang's talent is indeed extraordinary; your strength is already slightly higher than an ordinary person's."

Under the force of Jiang Ning's right arm, the stone lock marked at one hundred jin instantly lifted off the ground.

He lifted the stone lock and weighed it in his hand, clearly feeling that his strength had increased significantly.

This hundred-jin stone lock exerted absolutely no pressure on him.

Seeing Jiang Ning's calm expression—unflushed and unhurried—Cheng Ran praised him again.

"Junior Brother Jiang's strength is extraordinary!"

Jiang Ning smiled: "After practicing for a few days, one must make some progress!"

He then set the stone lock down.

"Does Junior Brother Jiang wish to challenge the one hundred and fifty jin stone lock?" Cheng Ran spoke again.

Jiang Ning nodded: "Naturally, I must try!"

As he spoke, he moved his steps and arrived before the one hundred and fifty jin stone lock.

A one hundred and fifty jin stone lock was a massive challenge for an untrained ordinary person.

For his former self, it would have been an impossible feat.

After all, he had been quite thin before, practically lacking the strength to even lift a chicken; he wouldn't have been able to lift a hundred-jin lock, let alone one hundred and fifty jin.

(End of Chapter)