Chapter 126: Chapter 125: Results
Qi! Intent! Form! Acupoints! Sound! Force!
This was the Six-layered Training Method of Inner Cultivation for the Hundred Beasts Fist, a fusion of Breathing, Meditation, Pile Skill, acupoint strikes, Sound Skill, and Force.
Black Tortoise Gangsha!
As a Secret Transmission of the Hundred Beasts Fist, the Black Tortoise Gangsha, much like the Hundred Beasts Mystic Gate, embodied the fundamental principle of the Hundred Beasts Fist: to thoroughly reconstruct the human body, transforming it into the ultimate form for combat.
For an ordinary Secret Transmission’s method of Inner Cultivation, possessing the three layers of Qi, Intent, and Form was already a rarity. Even among high-level Secret Transmissions, those with four layers were seldom seen. The vast majority of top-tier Secret Transmissions could only achieve the Five-layered Training Method.
The final layer—circulating Force to vibrate the internal organs—required reaching the state of an All-Body Extreme Breakthrough. Only then could one control the body’s muscles to achieve an almost unbelievable Force Release. The requirements were exceptionally stringent.
Even in the history of the Hundred Beasts Sect, those who could master the Six-layered Training Method were few and far between. Its potent effects were accompanied by immense risks. The internal organs are fragile, and tempering of this intensity could easily lead to severe problems if one was not careful.
Therefore, even Zhao Xuanqi only began attempting to cultivate the Black Tortoise Gangsha after his control over his body had reached a certain level.
As he performed the Six-layered Training Method, his internal organs vibrated violently, sustaining minor damage. However, a constant supply of rich nutrients from his Qi and Blood, combined with the specific stimulation of the Secret Medicine, rapidly repaired this minute damage amidst a sensation like his organs were being seared by flames.
Through this repeated process, his internal organs were constantly being fortified.
Cross-Training and Inner Cultivation were, in essence, the same. Both aimed to increase the body’s strength through rigorous tempering.
Cross-Training used striking methods to strengthen muscle, skin, and bone; it was simpler and more brutal. The internal organs, however, were fragile and required a gentler, more gradual approach.
In reality, however, compared to the cautious approach other Secret Transmission Schools took with their Inner Cultivation methods, what Zhao Xuanqi was doing could only be described as brutal.
Applying Cross-Training principles to Inner Cultivation was not something an ordinary person would dare attempt. If not for Zhao Xuanqi’s vast experience in the Martial Dao, even in his past life, he would not have dared to start directly with the Six-layered Training Method. He would have had to progress gradually.
This was the difference between "cultivating" and "re-cultivating."
As long as he had enough control over his body and a sufficient supply of Secret Medicine, combined with his formidable physical foundation and ever-improving digestive talent, the progress of his Training Method would surpass the imagination of any Martial Artist.
In a single day, he consumed a full seven doses of Secret Medicine—seven times the amount for an ordinary Martial Artist practicing Inner Cultivation—just to reach his body’s limit.
As a result, he spent nearly the entire day completely immersed in his training.
Ten days. For ten whole days, he remained cooped up inside, no longer participating in the ring matches, and devoted himself entirely to his training.
During this time, he only made a few exceptions. He felt he couldn’t refuse a visit from Gao Wujie, who had come bearing gifts. He also made an appearance when Heng, the old butler from the Yan Mansion, arrived with a delivery. He had instructed everyone else not to disturb him.
Training by day, brewing Secret Medicine by night—his life fell into a very regular rhythm.
However, his complete disappearance for ten days had started to stir up rumors in the outside world.
Many spectators who had taken an interest in Zhao Xuanqi after his fight with Gao Wujie were eagerly awaiting his return. But after ten full days, Zhao Xuanqi still hadn’t appeared in the ring for another match. Even Gao Wujie, the man he had defeated, was already competing again. In a single night, Gao Wujie had racked up a winning streak and advanced to the next-level ring. Yet, there was still no word from Zhao Xuanqi.
Some began to speculate. Perhaps Zhao Xuanqi’s victory over Gao Wujie hadn’t been as effortless as it appeared. It was possible he had secretly sustained a serious injury that was slow to heal, which would explain his prolonged absence.
As a result, interest in Zhao Xuanqi continued to wane. The rumors even reached Yan Shuntao, who specially sent his old butler to check in and ask if Zhao Xuanqi needed any Wound Medicine.
「Ten days later.」
Zhao Xuanqi’s room.
A mosquito, flapping its wings, seemed to catch the scent of powerful flesh and blood emanating from within. It squeezed through a crack in the window and entered the room.
HUMMM!!
Suddenly, a deep hum filled the room, making the air vibrate intensely. The mosquito, having just flown inside, instantly felt the force of the vibration travel through the air and permeate its tiny body.
Its flapping wings went rigid. The mosquito froze in mid-air, and a moment later, dropped stiffly to the floor.
Within a ten-meter radius, no mosquito could intrude, no bird could cross.
HUMMM!! HUMMM!!
The rhythmic humming continued, and everything in the room—the floor, the air, the furniture, the curtains, even the glass in the windows—trembled faintly.
After a long while, the humming gradually ceased.
Zhao Xuanqi emerged from his meditative state. He slowly stretched his body and rose from the floor.
His physique hadn’t changed, but as his gaze swept the room, the oppressive aura he exuded felt even more intense.
This was the inevitable result of his enhanced Physical Ability.
SHUUUUK!!
All at once, Zhao Xuanqi took a ferocious breath.
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!!
The air throughout the entire room was thrown into turmoil.
The curtains billowed inward. Ornaments hanging in the room swayed and fell. Two streams of air, like long serpents or Divine Dragons, were drawn into Zhao Xuanqi’s body, and his lungs swelled visibly.
An inhale like a dragon!
BAM BAM BAM BAM!!
Then, his body instantly began its Force Release. He blasted out with fists and palms, once again throwing the air in the room into chaos.
He threw dozens of punches using his Fist Technique, yet throughout the entire process, he didn’t take a single breath.
To achieve this during such an intense release of Physical Ability was nothing short of incredible.
His body’s ability to sustain high-intensity movement had been drastically enhanced. If it were just a matter of holding his breath, Zhao Xuanqi could last for over twenty minutes.
Even while unleashing his maximum Physical Ability, he could maintain it for three to five minutes.
After a long series of punches, Zhao Xuanqi suddenly compressed his lungs, his chest contracting visibly.
HUFF!!
Compressed by his lungs, a stream of air shot from his mouth, aimed at a tassel on an ornament several meters away.
SWISH!!
The stream of air sliced the tassel clean off. Its dangling threads fluttered down and scattered.
An ordinary Martial Artist, once their Inner Cultivation reached a certain level, could inhale like a dragon and exhale like a pillar.
But what Zhao Xuanqi could do now was even more outrageous.
Inhale like a dragon, hold breath like a tortoise, exhale like a sword.
This was the signature sign of mastering the rudiments of Black Tortoise Gangsha: the Xuanwu Breath!
Back when he was weak, a Secret Medicine Fighter had used a so-called Qi Swordsmanship against him. But how could that opponent’s technique possibly compare to his "exhale like a sword" now?
Of course, to a true master, the "exhale like a sword" had limited killing power. The lung-compressing motion was far too obvious to pose a real threat.
Still, being able to accomplish this demonstrated that the function of Zhao Xuanqi’s internal organs had already reached a certain level of strength.
’I’m still a ways off from achieving Internal Organs Resonating. Given my current level of bodily control, this is probably the limit for now. But now that I’ve reached the Inner Cultivation realm and mastered the Xuanwu Breath, I can start to use some of the Inner Cultivation Secret Techniques from the Transforming Form...’
Zhao Xuanqi slowly let out a breath.
’It’s time to get back in the ring.’
’Hopefully, I’ll run into some more interesting opponents.’
