Casting the Body?
That is one of the three major thresholds after a martial artist enters the realm. Ordinary people require about three years to slowly hammer and temper themselves before they might break through. After overcoming this barrier, one can unleash their full strength in punches, kicks, blades, and swords without worrying about excessive force injuring oneself.
It is the foundation upon which a martial artist can truly bear the immense vitality for combat.
Xue Daoyong's feigned anger vanished in an instant as he appeared beside Li Guanyi, reaching out to tap the young man's arm. Li Guanyi's qi surged, and he broke free in an instant. The old man's strength was precisely at the level that could be escaped from after entering the realm of Casting the Body.
Everything can be faked.
Only the contest between martial artists is real.
The old man was stunned, murmuring, "Half a month, half a month, has the Casting of the Body been completed?"
Li Guanyi shook his head and said, "Not just that."
Xue Daoyong looked at him as the young man clenched his fists and executed a set of punches and kicks. Finally, he suddenly spun around, his qi surging fiercely. Although Li Guanyi's bone structure had been diminished due to severe poisoning, his comprehension of martial arts techniques was excellent. This set of basic punches was executed with a rhythm that was both tight and loose.
Gathering his qi, when he threw a punch, a layer of jade-colored qi light shimmered at the edge of his fist, stirring the air around him with a sound of wind. He halted his punches and said, "The Jade Arm Divine Bow Technique, I have also achieved minor success."
In half a month, the Casting of the Body was completed, and the Jade Arm Divine Bow Technique had reached the minor success stage.
The old man opened his mouth.
He looked at Li Guanyi.
Then he burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha, good, good!"
"Truly worthy of being my Xue family's qilin child!"
"Good, very good!"
Li Guanyi cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "I broke through today, so I feel elated. Seeing Miss Xue in a bad mood, knowing she has to deal with those noble families, I took the liberty to take her out for a stroll. It was just that on a rainy day, the road was slippery, and she accidentally twisted her ankle."
Xue Daoyong waved his hand and said, "What is this? Why call her Miss?"
"You are of similar age, childhood sweethearts, innocent and carefree."
"Growing up together, the bond is very deep."
"Just call her Shuangtao."
Li Guanyi was taken aback.
He prided himself on lying as naturally as breathing.
Until he met this old man who had built such a large enterprise in a chaotic world.
The young man realized he was still too inexperienced.
Xue Daoyong smiled and said, "Come, come, come, since you have completed the Casting of the Body, I will now impart the [Consolidating Qi Chapter] to you." The old man had Li Guanyi sit down and demonstrated the changes in qi during the Consolidating Qi stage, which was essentially about refining internal qi, transforming it from a loose state into a more condensed one.
"This stage has similar methods across various sects, all leading to the same goal. In essence, it is merely compressing internal qi, but there are two key points."
The old man opened his hand, and internal qi surged, condensing into a tail of qi light that spiraled in his palm, the sound of breaking air sharp. He said, "Condensation, control. After this stage, your internal qi will become more agile. The internal qi that originally sensed and accumulated in the meridians will feel less."
"In truth, it is like clouds and rain falling, already undergoing a qualitative change."
"The more condensed the qi, the farther it can extend. Martial artists at this stage will practice armor-breaking martial arts. The true lineage techniques of my Xue family can only be mastered at the third level, where qi becomes a weapon. The martial art at this stage is called Shattered Jade Fist."
The old man demonstrated, using the internal qi from the Jade Arm Divine Bow Technique to continuously accumulate strength during attacks, ultimately exploding the condensed qi into the opponent's body, then causing it to explode within their muscles and bones.
"My Xue family excels in archery, but this Shattered Jade Fist is also considered a superior fist technique in the martial world. At the entry stage, it can be compared to the core martial arts of major sects in the martial world."
Li Guanyi was curious.
The old man merely smiled and said, "Everyone in this world has their desires."
"The Xue family has nothing else, just a bit of idle wealth. The world is vast, and everyone has their sufferings. Wealth can solve many problems. It is not difficult to use money to recruit a few martial artists who are greedy for wealth, allowing them to create a superior fist technique based on the characteristics of the Jade Arm Divine Bow Technique."
Li Guanyi asked, "Won't they spread this fist technique?"
The old man replied, "I heard that after they completed this fist technique, they destroyed their own arm meridians."
"To ensure that the flow of internal qi would not be exposed."
Li Guanyi exclaimed, "So ruthless?"
The old man said flatly, "The Xue family provided them with wealth that even death warriors could not obtain, enough for three generations to prosper."
Li Guanyi grinned, feeling that he did not yet have an accurate understanding of the Xue family's wealth. This secret transmission of fist techniques was imparted to Li Guanyi, and then he was instructed to sit and attempt to consolidate qi. Li Guanyi began to breathe and refine his internal qi according to the Xue family's Consolidating Qi Technique.
Li Guanyi sensed his internal qi gradually compressing, like forging iron ore.
Impurities were expelled, and the internal qi became increasingly pure.
Soon, the first strand of internal qi was successfully condensed.
Li Guanyi looked at the internal qi slowly flowing in his palm. It was still not pure enough, not condensed enough, but it was different from the previous loose qi; it was now visible to the naked eye. Li Guanyi flicked his finger, and this strand of qi flew out, striking the chessboard and sending a piece flying.
The young man clenched his fist.
Consolidating qi.
Once he consolidated qi, he could transmit internal qi into another person's body, allowing him to understand his aunt's physical condition, preventing a repeat of the last time when the internal qi dissipated upon entering his wrist.
Li Guanyi was very concerned about his aunt's situation.
Moreover, the ultimate techniques of General Xue, [Rolling Waves], and the ultimate techniques of the Chen Kingdom, [Crushing Mountains], also required control of qi after consolidation to be completed.
Consolidating qi...
As Li Guanyi was operating, he also felt the interference of a cold, sinister aura at his heart.
After flowing through his heart meridian, the internal qi he had originally condensed dispersed by three parts.
This left Li Guanyi feeling somewhat displeased.
This poison, which had entangled him for ten years, had not dissipated. When Si Ming returned, he would have to use the [Tiger Roar Bone Forging Technique] to beat it out thoroughly. He wondered how much his bone structure could improve by then. How fast would his internal qi circulate?
However, even with the current stage of internal qi consolidation, Xue Daoyong was quite approving.
Today, he wanted him to stay for a meal but took out a letter. The old man casually handed it to Li Guanyi, asking him to read the secret letter from the Xue family. He then sighed, "The grand ceremony of the Chen Kingdom in a month will be even greater than we previously anticipated, Guanyi."
"The five kings of the Turks were defeated by Yu Wenlie, but the seventh king has sharp eyes and has taken over the pastures of the Western Regions, becoming a new ruler on the grasslands."
"And this seventh king is coming to the grand ceremony of the Chen Kingdom."
"The Ying Kingdom will likely send their second prince, Jiang Yuan, who is well-known for his talents. I wonder if the crown prince will come as well. If that crown prince also comes..."
Xue Daoyong's expression paused, "That famous general of the world, Yu Wenlie, will also be present."
Li Guanyi's movements paused.
The old man continued:
"In addition, there is the second son of the Duke's mansion from the Ying Kingdom."
"He is young and talented, excelling in both literature and martial arts."
"Originally, the eldest son was supposed to come; I don't know why they suddenly changed."
"It seems similar to the situation with the Turkic seventh king."
"Furthermore, there is the son of the newly established Party Xiang Kingdom's ruler. All these people are coming."
"I heard that the ruler of the Party Xiang Kingdom is secretly searching in the Western Regions for the royal seal of the Tuyuhun; Yu Wenlie of the Ying Kingdom and Dan Tai Xianming are also looking for this item. Perhaps the Tuyuhun king suddenly realized something before his death and jumped into the volcanic chasms of the Western Regions with this seal."
"Otherwise, how could such a precious item disappear?"
"The remaining Tuyuhun tribes, the newly established Party Xiang people, the covetous Tiele people, the Ying Kingdom wanting to establish a protectorate, and that old fox Dan Tai Xianming are all eyeing this seal."
"It is said that when this seal was cast, thirty-five tribal leaders were killed. Even after three hundred years, it can still stir such bloodshed. The Tuyuhun king of that time was truly the greatest hero and overlord of the Western Regions in this millennium."
Xue Daoyong sighed.
Li Guanyi remained unfazed, saying, "Yes, this is also the convergence of the world's winds and clouds."
"But I wonder where it will be obtained and by whom."
Xue Daoyong smiled and said, "No matter who it is, that is a matter far away in the Western Regions, unrelated to us. We should observe and wait for that person to emerge; there will surely be trouble."
Li Guanyi replied, "Indeed."
In his heart, he thought he needed to exhaust the fortune contained in that seal before the grand ceremony.
The old man chatted with him about the changes in the world, the whirlpool of the grand ceremony. Finally, the old man raised his teacup and softly said, "Tomorrow, Shuangtao will go to the capital. Guanyi, you should ride with her for a while, and then turn back after about a hundred miles."
"You need to resolve a problem on you before participating in the grand ceremony."
Li Guanyi pondered.
The old man waved his hand, and the curtains of the Listening Wind Pavilion fell, preventing anyone from hearing their conversation.
The old man and Li Guanyi talked for a stick of incense's worth of time.
...
It rained today, and the sky over Jiangnan was exceptionally blue the next day. The Xue family's carriage convoy was ready, exiting through the east city gate of Guan Yi City, heading toward Jiangzhou, the capital. Inside the carriage, Miss Xue chatted with Li Guanyi, lifting the curtain.
Li Guanyi rode his horse, looking heroic. Since the carriage was slow, the hundred-mile distance took an hour. Ahead, he could already see the team sent by the royal concubine, so Li Guanyi tightened the reins and said, "Well then, Miss, I cannot escort you any further."
"Be careful on the road."
Xue Shuangtao raised her eyes and suddenly said, "...You will come back in a month, right?"
"You received the travel documents; you won't suddenly disappear, will you?"
Li Guanyi replied, "Mhm."
"Even the emperor has issued a decree; I can't run away."
Xue Shuangtao felt reassured, slowly nodding, "Then I will wait for you here."
She smiled, "There are many beautiful places, delicious food, and fun things in the capital. I will explore them all, and when you come, I will take you around."
Li Guanyi handed a small pouch to the girl.
Xue Shuangtao opened it to find smooth, round stones for children to play with, along with a top. Li Guanyi halted his horse, watching as Miss Xue waved goodbye, being helped into the royal carriage, gradually moving away.
As the young man turned his horse back toward Guan Yi City, he suddenly heard a whistle.
From the grass, several tripwires sprang up.
Then the sound of hooves echoed as five tall horses, not found in Jiangnan, burst forth. On the horses sat well-dressed young men, each with a mask on their face, their brows raised in arrogance. The five horses quickly surrounded Li Guanyi, and one of them laughed, "Is this the Li Guanyi?!"
"Haha, we finally caught him!"
"Today, we will cripple his martial arts and break a leg. Let's see if he can still attend the grand ceremony!"
"Hahaha, which leg are you talking about?"
The group of young men laughed heartily, their arrogance evident. It was clear they were used to riding horses. As the five horses circled Li Guanyi, one of the young men whistled, raised his hand, and threw a hook lock with an iron hook directly at Li Guanyi.
If it hit, it would at least leave several bloody holes. Li Guanyi raised his hand and caught the iron chain.
The young man was stunned and then cursed, "What mud-legged peasant dares to retaliate!" He instinctively pulled the lock, and Li Guanyi looked at the surrounding well-dressed young men, recalling the conversation he had with the old man earlier.
'Since that imperial decree and the emperor's praise, Guanyi, you have been placed on the hot seat. Hearing that you will attend the grand ceremony of the Chen Kingdom, those noble offspring of the court will surely be unable to contain themselves. They have always been arrogant, galloping in the capital...'
'They band together to exclude outsiders.'
'If they are dissatisfied with you, they will attack you while wearing masks, and because of their noble status, they can escape punishment.'
Li Guanyi had asked Xue Daoyong: 'Does the old man hope I hold back a bit?'
At that time, the old man had laughed heartily and then cursed:
'Hold back?'
'Hold back my ass!'
Li Guanyi had the same thought in his heart, only worried about causing trouble for the Xue family.
Unexpectedly, the old man thought the same.
Xue Daoyong said:
'Those noble offspring have none of the boldness of their ancestors. If you hold back a little, they will think you are weak and easy to bully, and then they will push further, continuing to humiliate you, testing you, and even advancing further, dragging the noble families and the external relatives into conflict.'
'What I want to tell you is this.'
'The ones who appear first are merely the weakest of the martial merit nobility; the old man can handle them. Those with martial merit oppress others, but they are not fools. They will decide their choices based on your reactions. So, the old man's meaning is...'
The old man extended his finger, the smile of a fierce tiger in a chaotic world beneath the luminous pearl:
'Hit them hard!'
'If you do not establish your authority this time, all sorts of cats and dogs will dare to provoke you.'
'If the emperor intends to use you to temper the sharpness of the martial merit offspring, then you must tell him that using you as a whetstone will only lead to one outcome.'
The fire in the old man's eyes burned beneath the luminous pearl, ultimately transforming into the warm sunlight that fell at this moment. The well-dressed young man attempted to pull back his weapon but found it impossible. The surrounding companions initially watched the joke but soon realized something was wrong.
One of them rode forward, cursing, "You! What are you doing!"
Li Guanyi opened his eyes, his gaze like a calm tiger.
He suddenly raised his hand, and the Jade Arm Divine Bow Technique erupted.
The warhorse neighed, turning sharply.
The young man, holding onto his weapon tightly, was unexpectedly pulled off his horse by Li Guanyi, flying toward him. Li Guanyi's left hand gripped the black blade still in its sheath, sweeping it fiercely, smashing it directly into the face of this martial merit offspring with a loud bang, blood splattering everywhere. The martial merit offspring fell to the ground, bloodied and howling.
His teeth fell to the ground as he cried out in agony.
The surrounding four martial merit offspring froze.
Li Guanyi sat quietly on his warhorse, his back straight, pressing down on the heavy blade, saying:
"What do you have to say?"
A dead silence ensued.
The martial merit offspring, who had been bullying others in the capital, sensed that the rules seemed to have changed.
Some martial merit offspring instinctively forgot they were wearing masks to conceal their identities and shouted in anger:
"Do you know who he is?! How dare you do this!"
"Is this how you face an enemy? Your first reaction is not to draw your sword?"
"Is this what martial merit looks like?"
Li Guanyi sighed.
He thought for a moment and pulled the reins.
The warhorse let out a long neigh, rearing up, and even so, the young man on the horse sat straight.
The hooves swung down.
With a heavy strike aimed at the legs of the martial merit offspring who had attacked him first, he said lightly:
"Understood."
"And then?"
(End of this chapter)