Chapter 48: Distant Fist Force (Please bookmark and follow for updates)

“Besides that, the progress of the Tiger-Crane Double Form...”

Wei Tu’s gaze shifted, looking at another line of text inscribed upon his Golden-Purple Fate.

[Tiger-Crane Double Form (94/100): Seven practices a day, mastery achieved in three years.]

“Yesterday, the progress of the Tiger-Crane Double Form was only 72%. Today, after the Nourishing Life Art reached perfection and birthed internal qi, the progress jumped directly to 94%, an increase of 22%...”

“This means the time required to reach perfection in the Tiger-Crane Double Form will also be shortened to within three years... I could achieve Great Perfection in just two and a half years...”

Wei Tu thought to himself.

Compared to the cultivation of the Nourishing Life Art, the time he had shaved off the cultivation of the *Tiger-Crane Double Form* was very intuitive.

Three years had been reduced to two and a half, a direct reduction of one-sixth.

“Master said that the internal qi born from the outside-in by an external martial artist is far more fierce than the internal qi of internal true arts; a single wisp is worth ten wisps of the qi produced by internal true arts...”

Thinking of this, Wei Tu once again sensed the few wisps of internal qi within his meridians. He slowly circulated them, transferring them to the meridians in his hands.

Next.

He stared straight ahead, his eyes flashing with sharp light. His right hand suddenly clenched into a fist and swung forward with force.

With a loud *boom*.

Dust flew up in front of Wei Tu.

The earthen wall in the small courtyard was instantly dented by a fist print half an inch deep.

Yet, Wei Tu’s fist was still two inches away from the wall.

“Is this the 'Air-Splitting Palm Force' rumored among the people of the martial world?”

“I... can now perform it as well...”

Wei Tu watched the scene before him, panting heavily and gulping down large breaths of fresh air.

Throwing that single punch had nearly drained every ounce of strength from his body.

However, he was extremely joyful in his heart, because while this punch seemed simple, its significance to him was extraordinary.

First, it proved that Instructor Shan Wu was correct: the internal qi cultivated by an external martial artist was indeed far more fierce than that of an internal martial artist.

An external martial artist was not inferior to anyone!

As far as Wei Tu knew, an internal martial artist without decades of meditation would be unable to strike such an air-splitting punch force.

Second, this air-splitting force proved that he had truly stepped onto the path of the extraordinary.

Previously, his stance training and physical strength were things that could be touched, but the internal strength born within him now was different—it was something that existed only in the tales of ordinary people.

“The county magistrate's office hasn't received the military order to annihilate the Martial Luck Pavilion yet. There is still time. I should go to Sanyuan Township first to explain my current realm to Master...”

Wei Tu mused.

He guessed that Instructor Shan Wu likely possessed an "Internal True Art" specifically designed to cultivate the internal strength developed by external martial artists.

Years ago, his grandmaster, the Golden Blade Hero Shi Ming, had died suddenly due to a failed attempt to break through to the Xiantian Realm.

Without follow-up cultivation methods, even the Golden Blade Hero would have been unable to attempt the breakthrough to the Xiantian Realm.

...

The next day.

Early in the morning.

Wei Tu went to the County Military Office to ask for leave and then rode his horse toward Sanyuan Township.

He knocked on the gates of the Shan residence, stated his purpose, and was invited into the living room of the courtyard by a maidservant.

Before long, Wei Tu heard a bout of coughing coming from outside the door.

He hurriedly stood up, walked outside, and took Instructor Shan from Lady Shan's arms, supporting him as they walked to the main seat in the living room.

Wei Tu showed a look of surprise and glanced at Lady Shan, his eyes filled with inquiry.

When he had come to visit Instructor Shan with gifts over a month ago, although the Instructor's health had declined slightly compared to a few years ago, he was no different from any other healthy elderly man of his age.

He was nowhere near the point of needing assistance to walk.

“Five days ago, while the Master was out riding his horse, his old injuries flared up. He fell from the horse and was seriously injured...” Lady Shan pursed her lips and explained to Wei Tu.

“It is nothing, just a minor ailment.”

“I just need to rest for a few days and take some tonic soups to nourish my blood and qi,” Instructor Shan said, sitting with the aid of a cane and waving his hand to signal that Wei Tu should not worry.

At that moment, Lady Shan stepped forward to drape a robe over Instructor Shan.

“Young Wei, what brings you here this time?” Instructor Shan asked with a smile after taking a sip of hot tea to moisten his throat.

Normally, Wei Tu would not visit him this early; he usually arrived after noon, typically carrying two gifts in his hands.

Today, Wei Tu had rushed here on horseback early in the morning, interrupting his rest; he must have something important to discuss.

“This matter...” Wei Tu’s voice grew low. He glanced at Lady Shan and the several maids serving in the living room.

Seeing this, Instructor Shan immediately understood. He gave a light cough, signaling Lady Shan and the maids to withdraw.

A short while later.

Only Wei Tu and Instructor Shan, master and disciple, remained in the living room.

“The reason this disciple has come to find Master is because, while practicing yesterday, I finally entered that legendary... Realm of Qi Sensing...”

Wei Tu spoke.

“What? The Realm of Qi Sensing?” Instructor Shan, who was drinking tea, showed a look of astonishment. He stared fixedly at Wei Tu for a few moments. “Are you telling the truth? The Realm of Qi Sensing?”

He had practiced martial arts for decades, yet to this day, he had not birthed external internal qi from the outside in.

And now, Wei Tu, who had only practiced martial arts for five years, was telling him that he had entered the Realm of Qi Sensing...

How could Instructor Shan not be shocked?

“Master, please observe.” Wei Tu did not waste words. He looked at the teacup on the side table, and then, following the method he used last night, he threw a punch toward it.

*Boom!*

An explosive sound rang out.

The teacup standing on the table was instantly shattered into pieces by Wei Tu's air-splitting punch force.

“Air-splitting punch force...”

“This is air-splitting punch force...”

Seeing the punch Wei Tu had thrown, Instructor Shan muttered to himself, unable to recover his composure for a long time.

After a moment, Instructor Shan composed himself. He looked at Wei Tu, a hint of admiration appearing in his eyes, and remarked with emotion, “I only saw your grandmaster perform this air-splitting punch force back in the day. After thirty-nine years, I did not expect to see it again in you...”

“I have largely guessed your intention. You want to ask how you should cultivate your martial path next?”

Instructor Shan smiled, pointing out the reason for Wei Tu's urgent visit.

“Master has keen eyes.”

Hearing this, Wei Tu did not argue, instead offering a compliment to Instructor Shan.

Martial arts should be practiced early rather than late.

He guessed that Governor Wang's military campaign against the Martial Luck Pavilion would happen within the next month or two. If he did not hurry to increase his strength, would he have to wait until he went to the battlefield to die?

Currently, his use of the internal qi within his body was still rudimentary. If he could receive guidance from Instructor Shan... his strength would surely increase again within this short period.

These were all predictable matters.

“When your grandmaster departed all those years ago, he indeed left me a secret manual, specifically for cultivating the internal qi born by external martial artists like us...”

Instructor Shan stood up with his cane, gesturing for Wei Tu to follow him.

Shortly after.

Inside the living quarters.

Instructor Shan glanced at the ancestral tablet on the altar, lit an incense stick, and after bowing three times, he took the tablet down and snapped it forcefully.

From within the tablet, a thin piece of silver paper appeared. The silver paper was five inches long and two inches wide, inscribed with the human body's celestial acupoints and various meridians...

(End of Chapter)