With Countless Qualities Bestowed Upon Me, I Shall Ultimately Become Immortal-Chapter 122 - 111: Clever Battle at the Seven Passes, Penetration of Wood
"I can introduce you to my hard qigong teacher, [Iron Immortal ยท Li Weigang],
he is the first limit-breaking martial artist specializing in hard skills. No matter how many hard skills you practice, he can help you achieve Perfection effortlessly." ๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ฏโด๐ท๐ฆ๐.๐๐๐
Hearing Chen Tieโs recommendation, Meng Chuan was somewhat tempted.
Although the other partyโs martial artist title is a bit flamboyant, doesnโt this show his love and specialization in hard skills?
"Itโs just that the cost is relatively high. Even though your talent in hard skills will definitely impress him,
you already have a direct master; even if Brother Gang is muddle-headed, he wouldnโt dare compete with electricity..."
"Thank you, Iron Master. I definitely wonโt change my allegiance. Iโm just curious about how much the Iron Immortal charges for his sparring lessons."
Chen Tie was speechless, but still explained,
"A spar session of 30 minutes costs about 3000 bucks, but you need double sparring, which means six thousand,
but you might get a discount. If you show your talent, getting one or two thousand off shouldnโt be a problem,
after all, young people who love practicing hard skills are becoming rarer, and Brother Gang is someone who appreciates talent."
Meng Chuan nodded, he could accept the price, after all, being at the martial artist level serving him is hard work, not charging him tens of thousands is generous.
"Also, donโt call him Iron Immortal then; once familiar, call him Brother Gang like me."
Meng Chuan nodded to show understanding, then said,
"Iโll wait until my hard skills reach the right level before talking further. For now, Iโll rely on you, Iron Master."
After all, saving a bit is saving a bit, he only had about a million left.
"Youโre such a freeloader!"
...
Two weeks later, at the Infinite Martial Arts Dojo.
Meng Chuan was sparring with a new instructor on the platform. The opponent was an expert in the Five-Element Wood Attribute Fist Skill, his Beng Quan about to reach Perfection, perfect for him to learn from.
"Master Zhao, shall I start?"
"Go ahead, Xiaomeng."
Meng Chuanโs strength far surpassed the other six stages, although Master Zhao was a seventh-stage Transformed Strength martial artist, he was still highly cautious.
"The top-notch fist skill I train in originates from the ancient Taihang region[Taihang Green Wood Fist], and Iโve currently reached the proficient realm, be careful, Meng Direct Disciple."
Meng Chuan was akin to the Crown Prince of the dojo; the wood attribute fist skill emphasized penetrating strength while being forceful, he worried about accidentally hurting the opponent causing the dojo master to scold him.
"No worries, Master Zhao, fists and feet are without eyes, Iโll watch myself."
"Come on, please, you first."
Meng Chuan primarily wanted to learn the mysteries of the fist skill; it would help his own Beng Quan breakthrough, hence letting the opponent strike first for him to observe.
"Alright!"
As he spoke, with a ripping sound, Master Zhao twisted his body technique like old roots grasping, maneuvering towards him.
This body technique wasnโt known for speed bursts, but for its flexibility and unpredictability.
But given his seventh-stage Qi and Blood, it wasnโt slow either. The fist wind approached the back of his head with a faint sting sensation before it even arrived, this was the penetrating strength of the wood attribute fist skill!
Having sensed the approaching danger, Meng Chuan leaned forward slightly, avoiding with a slight head tilt, twisting the left wrist for a counter.
Master Zhao gathered Qi and Blood to strike with his right hand, intending to rely on Qi and Bloodโs advantage to endure. Upon contact, a twisting pain came from his left hand.
Meng Chuan slightly relaxed his power, allowing the opponent to twist and lean back, then withdraws his hand and countered with Transformed Strength.
If Meng Chuan wished, with his hand strength, he could have easily snapped Master Zhaoโs wrist.
"Master Zhao, even if itโs a spar, do take it seriously."
Feeling a twinge in the left hand still, Zhao Chuanyue couldnโt help but break out in a cold sweat internally.
"I underestimated you. Letโs go again!"
Zhao Chuanyue, a bit heated, turned into a streak of wood light, and went after Meng Chuan again.
Meng Chuan stood still, deciding to use stillness to counter movement.
His aim was to learn the essence of wood attributes; experiencing it closely was more effective than dodging.
Seeing Meng Chuan unmoving, Master Zhao wasnโt polite, his hands made constant feints to interfere with Meng Chuanโs perception.
Within three feet, his right hand fainted a punch, actually hiding his left hand for an elbow to the chest, the power erupting with a "snap" of penentrating brittle force.
This was, Taihang Sixth StyleโWooden Hammer Opening Mountain!
Master Zhaoโs feints, in truth, didnโt escape Meng Chuanโs sight.
When the right hand feinted a punch, left shoulderโs sharp tremble revealed his true intent.
Meng Chuan drew a semicircle at his feet, slightly dodging sideways, letting his power fall to the right upper arm.
A brittle sound echoed, Meng Chuanโs iron arm darkened with a glossy red.
"Hiss... it does hurt a bit, penetrated through to my inner membrane, even the membrane felt the penetrating strengthโs force; quite formidable."
Meng Chuan carefully felt it, realizing this wood attribute fist skill, seemingly not overwhelming, was indeed deadly!
Seeing Meng Chuanโs expressionless face, Master Zhao knew his elbow had no effect, feeling a bit disheartened.
With several students watching below, as an instructor, it was a loss of face indeed.
Thus he stepped forward again, his hands at one moment like ivy twisting towards Meng Chuan, dodged, then countered with antiquated long fist strikes like ancient cypress.
Meng Chuan widened his stance, dodging continuously with Cloud-Ascending Ladder, avoiding the impending attacks.
He seized the chance to ask,
"Master Zhao, how did you manifest such penetrating power from a dull body part?"
The opponentโs elbow earlier, like a needle prick, still made his arm ache; this technique he had to learn.
"Beat me, and Iโll teach you personally."
Zhao Chuanyue was throwing a bit of a tantrum, forgetting that Meng Chuan was the young master of the dojo.
"Alright, be careful, Master Zhao."
Meng Chuan didnโt mind, having already handled the Shadow Demon; could he not defeat Zhao Chuanyue?
He wanted to try winning against the seventh challenge not using killing intent, but only relying on his fist and body techniques complemented by hard skills.
"Go get him, Brother Chuan!"
Le Ping shouted loudly from below the ring.
The other students watched intently, excitement surging through them; twelve years of wind and snow to lay the foundation, sudden enlightenment to become a personal disciple.
Meng Chuanโs name was like a legend to them.
Actually, the gap in Qi Blood between the challenges gets larger as one progresses, yet Meng Chuan hadnโt fallen behind at all so far, proving to be quite formidable.
The other three instructors also put down their work to come and watch.
"I feel like the Crown Prince might win; mainly that his body is tough. Look, he took an elbow to his arm earlier, and now itโs like nothing happened, not affecting his punches at all."
"Old Zhao hasnโt fully displayed Transformed Strength yet. I think Xiaomeng is just a tank; when it really comes down to it, Old Zhao will toy with him."
"Your vision is lacking. Just watch, and youโll understand why someoneโs a disciple of a Martial Arts Master while youโre just employed labor."
"You donโt know squat!"
...
On the ring, the two figures intertwined, continuously probing each other.
Faced with Meng Chuanโs attack, Master Zhao utilized full Transformed Strength, his body technique like a nimble fish seeking treasure, continuously deflecting Meng Chuanโs attacks, then launching defensive counterattacks.
Meng Chuan kept using Cloud-Ascending Ladder to jump and dodge; when avoidance was impossible, he relied on the hard parts of his body to withstand the blows.
He was quite used to the seventh challengeโs grip strength after taking hits from Chen Tie repeatedly; however, the opponentโs piercing force felt uncomfortable hitting his body.
But it was just a bit painful, nothing more.
As the opponentโs footwork became momentarily chaotic, Meng Chuan seized the opportunity, suddenly unleashing power.
The explosive force from stepping onto the ground left black marks on the ringโs rubber.
Next, Dark Strength and Ming Strength converged at the fistโs edge, the erupting power piercing through the opponentโs left chest.
The instant the force penetrated the body, a sharp pain spread, causing the opponentโs legs to give out, retreating and falling backward.
Not everyone has internal membranes, and even though the injury wasnโt apparent, Master Zhaoโs head spun from the pain.
"Wait... wait for me to recover a bit to teach you."
Meng Chuan smiled as he helped him up.
"No need, Master Zhao, Iโve already learned."
Zhao Chuanyue held his lower back and sighed helplessly:
"I concede, I admit defeat."
...
After lunch.
Meng Chuan stood in front of the wooden stake, working out the joints throughout his body, focusing especially on his wrists and ankles.
Because to deliver Penetrating Strength, it relies on the sudden burst of joints, cleanly delivering force!
"The trajectory must be straight, speed fast, power short and crisp."
Meng Chuan contemplated the key points of the Cannon Fist in his mind again, standing firm with a body posture as fierce as a tiger, gradually ramping up the momentum.
In an instant, his right foot quickly pressed the ground approaching the wooden stake, shifting his shoulderโs center of gravity slightly left.
"This point is different from the Cannon Fistโs starting move; pay attention."
If the shoulder doesnโt move, the punch isnโt straight.
Then, he swiftly launched his right fist forward from his waist, arm straight, the wrist giving off a sharp sound, penetrating the wooden stake by several inches.
While retracting his right fist, he pulled it back to his waist using the waist to lead his arm, then repeated the move hundreds of times until the wooden stake appeared like a honeycomb.
After about thirty minutes, Meng Chuan shook his slightly sore wrist, concluding the Cannon Fist practice.
He looked at the Limit Breaking panel.
[Cannon Fist: Perfection (3%) Pending Limit Breaking]
"Cannon Fist has reached perfection, next is to dig out its potential, striving to break the limit before the joint exams."
He pondered for a while, and new Qi Blood streamed slowly from his bodyโs hundred orifices, flowing around his body, slightly increasing Meng Chuanโs Qi and Blood Value.
"It can probably add two or three points, but better than nothing."
Meng Chuan focused his spirit and Qi, imbuing killing intent into Cannon Fist, charging directly forward, the two penetrating forces converging, penetrating the center of the wooden stake.
This is why Meng Chuan didnโt practice other Five Elements three-flow fists first; he wanted to perfect Cannon Fist to its peak.
The effect of focused killing intent was very similar to an enhanced version of Cannon Fistโs penetrating power.
Meng Chuan felt these two had something in common; if he broke the limit of Cannon Fist, it might help him grasp the essence of killing intent.
[Limit Breaking Trait: Bone Penetration (Basic)]
"Obviously, the panel wants me to keep exploring new aspects of penetrating power; coincidentally, I can use killing intent to comprehend Cannon Fist, achieving two goals in one!"
Meng Chuan thought with some self-satisfaction, who said he wasnโt sharp-headed, clearly itโs the Secret Technique, Dragon Meditation thatโs problematic...
Thinking about the Secret Technique gives Meng Chuan a headache.
Itโs almost half a month, and ever since mastering it and adding it to the panel, the proficiency hasnโt increased at all, still stuck at 1% without a hint of movement.
Master Luo has phantom images of a small golden dragon appearing in his mind, while Meng Chuan hasnโt seen even a shadow of a dragon.
"Forget it, Master Luo was right; my talent isnโt here, better to keep practicing the punches!"
...
