The Guandi Legend: Temple of Triumph

Chapter 2: Cultivating the 'Body Tempering Technique Kungfu’

After returning home, Zhang Xun briefly skimmed through the "Body Tempering Technique" and came to understand the hierarchy of martial arts and techniques.

The martial path is categorized into levels: Martial Apprentice, Quasi-Martial Artist, Martial Artist, Martial Master, and Martial Vein.

As for the levels beyond these, Zhang Xun was unaware.

Each stage of the martial route is further divided into nine levels, with the first being the lowest and the ninth the highest.

Martial Apprentice: Upon breaking through to this initial level, one can absorb a small amount of the world's true qi, using it to continually strengthen one’s qi and blood, or refine the body with medicinal herbs full of medicinal power. Only after accumulating enough qi and blood can one break through to the next level.

To advance from the first level of Martial Apprentice, one needs one hundred strands of qi and blood. For the second level, two hundred are required, and reaching the ninth level requires nine hundred strands.

Quasi-Martial Artist: A Quasi-Martial Artist can skillfully control the power of qi and blood, unleashing their strength several times with their fists and feet. A single Quasi-Martial Artist can easily battle against dozens of Martial Apprentices on the verge of a breakthrough.

Martial Artist: Capable of projecting qi and blood outward to form a defensive layer around the body, a Quasi-Martial Artist can barely break through this defense with a full-force strike. However, the qi and blood defense can instantly recover. A Martial Artist can also use qi and blood to nourish and refine their flesh and bones.

Regarding the subsequent levels of Martial Master and Martial Vein, there was no description, suggesting Uncle Chen likely did not know of them.

The power of a Martial Artist is indeed extraordinary, able to extend qi and blood outside the body to form a defense, which was beyond Zhang Xun's expectations.

The grades of techniques range from low to high: Celestial, Terrestrial, Mystical, Imperial, Mortal, and Common.

Each grade of technique is further divided into Lower, Middle, High, Superior, and Perfect.

The higher the grade of the technique, the more true qi is refined each day, and the faster the absorption of medicinal power.

Once a technique reaches the Earth grade, it will carry unique and mysterious properties.

The description of the techniques only went this far, probably encompassing all that Uncle Chen knew.

Currently, the "Body Tempering Technique" in Zhang Xun's possession was considered a middle-ranked ordinary technique, which was quite decent in Yunlu Village.

After studying it, as long as he could perfect the "Body Tempering Technique," it would help him smoothly break through to the Quasi-Martial Artist level.

However, the amount of ointment consumed in the process seemed excessive, and he was uncertain how long it would take him to break through to the Martial Apprentice level.

According to Uncle Chen's annotated training experience, it took him a full three months just to barely get started.

Once started, one could form qi and blood as thin as cow's hair in the body, and then continue to refine the body.

During this period, a substantial amount of food and medicinal supplements would be needed; otherwise, it would be extremely difficult to advance further in the practice.

Zhang Xun was unsure of his own aptitude, but he supposed it should be fairly average.

Regardless of the circumstances, Zhang Xun knew he had to grasp the fundamentals in a short time or Lin Hu would certainly send people to trouble him again.

To get started with the Body Tempering Technique, the first step was to continuously sense the true qi that exists between heaven and earth and then merge it into the body to transform it into qi and blood.

Inside Lin Hu's residence, a burly man with a broad face sat firmly in his chair, his gaze set on the place where Zhang Xun had been during the day.

With a hint of wariness in his eyes, Lin Hu muttered, "I thought Chen Lian had given up on Zhang Xun long ago, but unexpectedly, he started taking care of him once he came of age."

"Now, we can't just blatantly target Zhang Xun; we have to remember that Chen Lian's strength is probably at the eighth level of a Quasi-Martial Artist."

"A full-force strike from an eighth-level Quasi-Martial Artist could nearly reach a thousand jin in force, and my own strength is just slightly lacking."

"One hundred tels of silver could buy us ten Blood Qi Pills, enough for me to break through to the ninth level of a Quasi-Martial Artist. By then, even Chen Lian will be at my mercy."

"With the hunting token, I, Lin Hu, will have the chance to be promoted to a Martial Artist. Once I become a Martial Artist, this little Yunlu Village will be too small for my ambition."

"By that time, even the village chief will have to curry favor with me. And with the hunting token, I could even enter the county office and take up a position as a government clerk."

As he reached this point, Xu Ming's eyes flickered with thought, "Why don't we go to the village chief now and make arrangements in advance?"

Lin Hu's face darkened in an instant, "For the time being, let's just observe. If Chen Lian really intends to take care of the boy, I'm willing to pay some price."

"Besides, I, Lin Hu, have handled many matters for the village chief in secret. He still needs me for certain things, and I am determined to get that hunting token."

"Once my strength has a breakthrough, I won't have to worry about finding better resources for cultivation."

A month passed.

Zhang Xun labored every day to activate the Body Tempering Technique in an attempt to sense the true qi from the outside world, but unfortunately, there was still no sign of progress.

With a deep sigh, Zhang Xun’s face lost its initial excitement; it seemed his talent for cultivation was far less than he had imagined.

During this month, he had depleted all the medicinal herbs provided by Uncle Chen, leaving only the last patch.

His practice of the Body Tempering Technique wasn’t completely in vain; at the very least, it had repaired most of the hidden injuries and deficiencies in his body.

Compared to a month ago, when his body was frail and weak, his physique now at least showed some muscle.

"No matter what, this is the last patch of ointment. I hope it can help me sense the true qi of the world, or else I'll have to find another way."

With a bitter smile, Zhang Xun poured the last patch of ointment into the pot and slowly simmered it into a juice over a high flame.

It was already very generous of Uncle Chen to allow him to cultivate martial arts upon reaching adulthood and to provide him with medicinal ointment.

After a month of training and realizing the remarkable potency of the medicinal ointment, which presumably required many aged herbs to concoct, Zhang Xun was hesitant to trouble Uncle Chen further. Successfully mastering the fundamentals within a month would also prove that he possessed considerable talent in martial arts.

Staring at the last bowl of medicinal juice, Zhang Xun took a deep breath and swallowed it. As the liquid traveled down his throat and into his stomach, he felt a warm current flowing towards his limbs.

He fully activated the Body Tempering Technique, pushing his meridians to their limit as the medicine powerfully dispersed.

Despite the pain in his meridians, Zhang Xun continued, letting his body sense the external environment. This last patch of medicine was his final chance, and he had to give it his all.

As the medicinal effect was about to wear off, Zhang Xun distinctly felt a different kind of energy from the outside world – it was true qi.

"Break through!" Zhang Xun roared lowly, as the last of the medicine's power was unleashed, and the technique was driven to its extreme. Finally, in the nick of time, he broke through the bottleneck.

A cool sensation flowed into his body from the heavens and earth, his pores opening wide as the true qi merged into his meridians.

Zhang Xun's eyebrows relaxed, as he finely sensed the true qi from the heavens and earth, continuously refining it into qi and blood using the technique.

With the fine qi and blood gathering together and flowing through his meridians, Zhang Xun felt changes throughout his entire body.

His physical strength had at least doubled, able to unleash a force close to a hundred jin at full strength.

As he had just broken through to the first level of Martial Apprentice, he could only manage a few punches at full strength; his body and bones couldn’t sustain more than that.

From now on, he could enhance his strength by methodically practicing the technique. The Martial Apprentice stage was all about continually increasing the qi and blood within the body.

Zhang Xun slowly opened his eyes, his aura entirely different from before – his gaze sharp, his features like finely carved jade. Now that he had broken through to the first level of Martial Apprentice, he had laid the foundation to stand in the empire.

Just as Zhang Xun was about to get up and share the good news of his breakthrough with Uncle Chen, a thunderous sound suddenly echoed in his mind, pulling his consciousness into an unfamiliar space.

Looking around, he found himself in a vast space, and in the center stood a building that was all too familiar to him.