One Sword To Pacify The World

Chapter Four: Breaking Through in Fist Technique

Upon arrival, they were immediately plunged into a life-or-death struggle, fighting to the death. Even Chen Ping, who had weathered many storms in his previous life and died once more, and had been given a second life, couldn't help but secretly find it too thrilling.

How could they escape this seemingly inescapable predicament?

No matter the era, murder is always wrong. In the current environment, although the lives of the lower classes are as worthless as weeds, they are not entirely uncared for.

If they were caught, they would be lucky to get a few meals in prison before they died.

Of course, given their current status, these beggars had virtually no chance of getting a government job.

They would most likely be captured by the Seven Colors Hall's men in some corner, crushed to death, powerless to resist.

…

The newly appeared orb of light, this very familiar silkworm, might just be their hope.

Chen Ping stared intently at the words displayed on the attribute panel. He was certain the worried-looking beggars beside him couldn't see this strange scene at all, so it wasn't surprising. Even soul transmigration had occurred; some other mysterious and strange things were to be expected.

Why did it look so familiar?

This led back to his previous life when he was six years old and had just started learning martial arts from his grandfather.

Martial arts, although by then it had become a laughable skill that could neither make a living nor defend oneself, was still cherished by his grandfather as his lifelong passion for Baguazhang, a family heirloom to be passed down through generations.

Therefore, from the age of six, Chen Ping began soaking in medicinal baths, practicing horse stance, stretching his muscles and bones, building his foundation.

His grandfather had also given him a piece of amber as a birthday gift.

It was very beautiful, perfect as a pendant to wear around his neck, and inside was a tiny insect—this white silkworm with faint traces of wings.

"My child, this is something your grandfather found in the old forest. I secretly had an expert examine it; they said it was naturally formed, tens of millions of years old..."

The old man carefully placed the white silkworm amber around Chen Ping's neck, as if it were truly an extraordinary treasure.

Chen Ping didn't think much of it at the time, but because it was a token of his grandfather's affection, he kept it around his neck for thirty years, never taking it off, until he was finally surrounded and attacked.

In his final moments, he seemed to see, amidst the blood and light, the amber hanging on his chest shattered by a bullet.

'Has it recognized its master, or is it a spirit beast companion, or has it absorbed some ability from the amber silkworm?'

'Tens of millions of years ago, who knows what abilities those insects possessed, or what their past was like?'

Chen Ping's consciousness was immersed in this white silkworm called the Spring and Autumn Silkworm, only lingering for a short while. Some memories of his past life flashed through his mind, and then he stopped thinking about it.

He simply focused his consciousness on the numbers on the screen.

As expected, this light screen likely indicates some hidden information about his body.

The "Mastery" level in the "Technique" section is easy to understand.

It doesn't mean this body is proficient in Baguazhang; rather, it's a skill ingrained in his soul from years of arduous training in his previous life.

It's not that the "Mastery" level is bad. From what Chen Ping has seen in his previous life, those who reached Mastery were all renowned "experts."

Those martial arts styles and combat masters who are often touted as rare and exceptional are merely "skilled."

A "Mastery" level skill is a professional skill within a professional profession; it's become an instinctive reaction, which is remarkable.

Unlike some people who practice with flashy moves but forget everything in actual combat, their minds going blank and their fists flying wildly.

Forget about precise force application; even his movements were distorted, far from being "skilled."

Chen Ping had never seen a martial arts master beyond the "proficient" level in his previous life; he had only heard of them in legends.

He'd heard that some people, after mastering their fist techniques, experienced a surge in strength, becoming incredibly powerful, running as fast as a galloping horse, and possessing the strength to kill an ox. A typical sign was that their entire body's fascia became connected, making them impervious to ordinary weapons and able to deflect and redirect force.

Chen Ping had naturally not reached that level. He sometimes longed for it, but unfortunately, his talent wasn't enough; his physical constitution and comprehension were limited. Even with a ruthless will and diligent practice, he simply couldn't achieve it.

The reason he had earned such a formidable reputation in those years was because he combined fist techniques with spear techniques, constantly learning and adapting to the times.

When faced with a powerful force truly serious, he could only meet his end… This was due to the times; there was nothing to regret.

...

His physical constitution and comprehension were 4 and 3 respectively—just average, passable.

If he truly possessed extraordinary talent, he wouldn't have ended up in such a miserable state in both his past and present lives.

'With my own abilities, I probably can't handle the dangers ahead.'

Chen Ping was actually quite confident, despite his composed and resourceful demeanor in front of the trusting beggars.

Deep down, he was unsure.

The key was his broken leg, and this body clearly showed no signs of rigorous training.

His previous success in outsmarting Yan Laoda was already a stroke of luck.

Such good fortune couldn't always be on his side, and he couldn't assume his enemies were fools.

'Then, hope lies in calamity and fortune.'

Focusing his attention on "calamity," Chen Ping felt a surge of joy.

He understood what that meant.

It was the white orb of light he had absorbed and manifested after killing Boss Yan.

Boss Yan, because his begging income wasn't enough, ruthlessly came to break their limbs—this was a calamity.

All calamities, big or small, must either be avoided or faced head-on to overcome them.

By confronting the calamity head-on and actively responding to it, one gains fortune and the right to continue living.

One calamity, one fortune—Spring and Autumn Silkworm, through some unknown means, transformed this ethereal thing into resources that could enhance one's strength.

So that's how it is.

Chen Ping suddenly understood.

This thing is good.

His eyes were fixed on the Swimming Body Eight Trigrams Palm technique, his breathing becoming slightly rapid.

A calamity point can break through realms.

Break through what realm? The realm of cultivation techniques.

“Let’s give it a try.”

Having figured out how to use the Calamity Points, he didn’t hesitate. He scanned the Eight Trigrams Fist (Mastery) with his mind, imagining how to improve.

The two Calamity Points immediately disappeared, transforming into a strange feeling that rippled through his mind and permeated his bones, muscles, and limbs.

Chen Ping’s expression changed drastically. His body involuntarily jumped up, standing on one leg, swaying like a bamboo shoot in the wind, yet as steady as Mount Tai…

“Seventh Brother!”

“Seventh Brother, what’s wrong?”

Hua Lian’er and Zuo Duan Shou and the others were all startled, jumping up as well. Some picked up bamboo sticks, others moved bricks, all looking wary.

“Nothing, it seems a rat crawled onto me just now.”

Chen Ping chuckled, speaking casually.

Hearing the rustling sounds coming from behind the incense table, the group breathed a long sigh of relief, calming down. They had all been on edge.

Chen Ping spoke calmly, but his heart was far from calm. He realized that a strange change had occurred within him just moments ago.

He refused Hua Lian'er's help and gently stretched his limbs… his injured leg seemed much more agile.

He felt as if an invisible net had appeared within his body, or as if countless eyes had appeared… the Eight Trigrams Palm technique he had practiced in his soul for thirty years in his previous life had inexplicably gained countless insights.

The key points of power generation that he hadn't understood before, as well as the distribution and control of his bones, muscles, and tendons, were all crystal clear.

Understanding one thing led to understanding everything…

It was as if he had practiced this martial art for decades.

The major tendons throughout his body were interconnected and fluid; with a thought, he could unleash a full-force attack from all directions.

He could also, in the blink of an eye, form fascia around every part of his body, connecting tendons, bones, and skin into a unified whole, generating power simultaneously to withstand any attack.

Concentrating his mind, he looked at the "Technique" section again.

[Technique: Swimming Body Eight Trigrams Palm (Mastery)]

'So this is what it feels like to have mastered a martial art. I practiced it my whole life in my previous life, and it all felt like a waste. After strengthening the body and bones comes the Tendon Transformation… the fascia forms, spreading throughout the body without any gaps—this is the realm of a martial arts master.'

Chen Ping sighed silently.

His grandfather, even on his deathbed, still deeply regretted that his descendants were unworthy and unable to inherit the sage's skills…

And he himself had mastered it in just a moment.

'Hearing the Dao in the morning, one can die content in the evening.'

He felt that if he were given the same body again, he could defeat ten of his past selves.

If he had possessed this level of martial arts skill in that final battle,

would he have been faster, more unpredictable, and able to withstand more bullets?

Perhaps he could have broken through the encirclement and escaped…

All that had happened in his past life seemed like fleeting smoke. A slight sense of loss flashed through Chen Ping's mind. He gripped the broken brick tightly in his hand, and with a soft "crack," the brick shattered into several pieces…

In an instant, he felt a power several times greater than before his advancement, pulling at the tendons and muscles of his fingers and arms, mobilizing his muscles, and taut his skin…

The power flowed like water, extending to his shoulders and back, sweeping through his waist and legs. Not a single ounce of power was wasted.

He truly achieved the ability to affect the whole body from a single movement.

Chen Ping felt both joy and worry.

He was joyful because his casual attack was much more powerful and much easier.

He was worried because, even with just mobilizing all his tendons and bones simultaneously, using only about 20-30% of his strength, a tearing pain shot through his muscles. At the same time, his finger and palm bones were feeling the strain. His body stiffened, his entire body trembled, and he almost suffered a cramp.

'It's a pity this body is far weaker than my previous one… My fist technique has reached a certain level, and I can unleash perfectly integrated and exquisitely refined techniques at any time. However, the inherent nature of my physical body dictates that even at the peak of the Yi Jin stage, I can only unleash a fraction of its power.'

'Speed? Too slow. Strength? Lacking. Forcibly controlling my body to borrow and dissipate force, attacking with full power, will damage my body; broken tendons and bones are the least of my worries…'

'Facing an opponent at the Bone Forging stage, I might be able to put up a fight thanks to my superior level. But against an opponent who has also achieved Yi Jin, I'm likely unable to break through their defense. A head-on collision would shatter my body.'

Thinking this way, Chen Ping was already quite satisfied.

With the level reached, physical strength would naturally follow. As long as he ate more meat, took tonics… and adapted to this level of fist technique… soon, he could forge his entire body's tendons, bones, and skin, reaching its peak state.

After the breakthrough, besides achieving mastery of his primary Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm), he also felt a significant increase in understanding of his secondary Thirty-Six Style Tan Tui (Thirty-Six Forms of Tan Leg). With just a little practice, he could reach proficiency, and mastering the leg techniques would be a natural progression, requiring minimal effort.

This is the true meaning of the "breakthrough" at the Tribulation Point.

It's a leap in understanding, a commanding height in one's realm.

Unlike before, no matter how much he strengthened his foundation and diligently practiced fist and leg techniques, he could only train his skin and bones; he couldn't develop the major tendons throughout his body, resulting in extremely low efficiency.

Now, as long as his nutrition is adequate, his overall strength and speed can improve within a few months.

Therefore, he needs silver, a lot of silver, to buy meat and medicinal herbs.

That is a problem.