Chapter 14: Testing Strength

Chapter 14: Testing Strength

The moonlight was cold.

Jiang Ning stood in the courtyard.

[Skills]: Five Beasts Fist (Entry 0/100)



He looked at his skill panel, deep in thought.

"Just now during my afternoon practice, I gained four experience points again! This shows that it's not the case that practicing a fist technique only increases one experience point. Instead, as long as I practice diligently, the minimum increase is one experience point!"

After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Ning found this to be very reasonable.

Ordinary people who practice martial arts often talk about sudden enlightenment, and there are even sayings about building upon existing knowledge and making connections.

If the maximum experience gain per practice session is only one point, then when he achieves martial mastery in the future, wouldn't he have to practice a common, lower-ranked martial art ten times just to reach the entry level?

That would be too unreasonable!

"This is the way it should be!!!" He was even more excited in his heart.

With this skill panel, it represented that his hard work would be rewarded, and his efforts would bear fruit.

This was like a direct path to heaven.

How could he not be excited?

In an instant—

"Haa—"

He exhaled a breath, slowly calming his agitated heart.

Let's see, after reaching the entry level, what changes will there be to the Five Beasts Fist?

According to the records in the fist manual, practicing the fist technique and refining the first strand of vital energy represents the entry level of the Five Beasts Fist.

At the entry level, each practice of the Five Beasts Fist can temper the body, and there is a chance to refine the vital energy force.

Let's give it a try!

Jiang Ning clenched his fist, and the energy consumed during his afternoon practice had already been fully restored after the bowl of herbal soup and a hearty meal. His body was now filled with abundant energy, and there was a surge of power within him with nowhere to release it.

This was the perfect state for practicing the fist.

The next moment, Jiang Ning assumed a stance and began practicing the fist.

On the steps, Jiang Li also sat quietly in a chair, watching.

Watching Jiang Ning's every move, combined with his controlled breathing, he exuded a powerful aura.

"Good! Really good!!!" Jiang Li nodded in satisfaction.

[Five Beasts Fist Experience +1]



The moment this prompt appeared, Jiang Ning instantly felt a warm current flowing through his body.

Wherever the warm current passed, it was like bathing in a warm spring, an indescribable feeling.

He could sense his body growing stronger under the nourishment of the vital energy force.

[Skills]: Five Beasts Fist (Entry Level 1/100)



In an instant, as the Five Beasts Fist broke through, he reached the entry level.

"Now I have two strands of vital energy!"

Jiang Ning clenched his fist, and the two strands of vital energy coursed through his body like an extension of his arms.

When the vital energy force reached his right palm, with its empowerment, Jiang Ning felt his right palm becoming even more powerful.

This was the effect of reaching the entry level of the Five Beasts Fist, being able to harness the vital energy force in coordination with the fist technique.

In this state, when the vital energy force surged into his fist, practicing the Tiger Form would result in explosive power, practicing the Bear Form would greatly increase strength, and practicing the Deer Form would make him stand firm like a rooted tree.

When the vital energy force flowed into his legs, practicing the Ape Form would make his movements agile, allowing him to move with ease, and practicing the Crane Form would greatly increase his speed.

The next moment, as the vital energy merged, he channeled the Tiger Form and unleashed a punch towards the tree trunk in front of him.

Boom—

A muffled sound echoed, the small tree swayed, and its leaves rustled.

"This is!!!” Jiang Li, sitting in the chair, widened his eyes at this sight.

"Is this the power of the vital energy force?" He couldn't believe it.

At that moment, Jiang Ning retracted his fist, and on his originally fragile-looking fist compared to the tree trunk, there was only a slight redness of the skin, with no wounds.

"As they say, only by mastering the vital energy force can one barely be considered a martial artist!"

He muttered to himself and walked towards a corner of the courtyard.

In that corner stood two rows of stone locks, ranging from 50 to 1000 pounds.

"I wonder if my afternoon of fist practice has increased my strength!"

He approached the smallest stone lock.

This was a 50-pound stone lock.

He lifted it with one hand, effortlessly.

"It's indeed much easier. It seems that after an afternoon of practicing the fist, my strength has indeed increased!"

Jiang Ning placed the 50-pound stone lock back on the ground and then gripped the 100-pound stone lock next to it with his right hand.

"I wonder if I can lift this 100-pound stone lock." He muttered to himself.

He had tried to lift this 100-pound stone lock before, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't lift it completely.

This was also normal.

According to his knowledge, even in his past life, it was rare for an adult male to lift a 100-pound dumbbell with one hand.

Moreover, in this life, he was only eighteen years old, living in a feudal-like era with far less nutrition than the average male in his past life.

So, he also found it normal that he couldn't lift the 100-pound stone lock with one hand.

Suddenly, a mischievous thought flashed through his mind, and Jiang Ning's right hand exerted force.

The 100-pound stone lock instantly lifted off the ground, and he held it in the air with one hand.

"My strength has indeed increased!!!"

Jiang Ning tried to lift the stone lock with one hand a few more times, until he was exhausted, and then he put down the stone lock.

"Being able to lift a 100-pound stone lock with one hand and still having strength left, it seems my strength has increased by one or two levels in just one afternoon. The effect is indeed very noticeable!!!"

"This is just a physical change. If combined with the vital energy force, the increase in strength is even more apparent!"

At this moment, Jiang Ning gained a preliminary understanding of the martial path in this world. The effects of martial techniques were far more miraculous than any training methods he had encountered in his past life.

On the other side, Jiang Li stared at Jiang Ning's actions with widened eyes.

"Is my younger brother a martial arts prodigy? He's only practiced for an afternoon, and he's already achieved such results?"

After the experiment...

Jiang Ning seized the opportunity and continued practicing his punches.

This time, it only took him a little over a quarter of an hour to complete a round of Five Beasts Fist.

[Five Beasts Fist Experience +1]



He sensed his body and felt delighted.

"According to the records in the Fist Script, only after reaching the entry-level of Five Beasts Fist can one have a chance to refine Vital Energy, but even then, it's just a possibility!"

"Ordinary people usually have to practice three or four rounds of Fist Techniques to barely refine a strand of Vital Energy. Only those with exceptional Talent and Insight can ensure that they refine a strand of Vital Energy with almost every round of Fist Techniques."

"I've practiced two rounds of Fist Techniques, and I've refined Vital Energy each time. Does this mean I can achieve a 100% success rate in refining Vital Energy?"

Jiang Ning sensed his state, and with the herbal soup and the hearty dinner from the Martial Academy, he estimated he could practice two more rounds of Fist Techniques.

"Let's give it a try!" he muttered to himself.

At this moment, Jiang Li's voice sounded in his ear.

"Younger Brother, have you refined Vital Energy?"

Jiang Ning looked up and saw Jiang Li standing, staring at him with an astonished expression.

"Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded.

"It's really true!" Jiang Li exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked at Jiang Ning as if she were seeing him for the first time.

Seeing Jiang Li's reaction, Jiang Ning smiled. "Five Beasts Fist is a lower-rank martial art. As long as one masters the Fist Techniques, refining Vital Energy is a natural outcome. I have a strong memory; I can memorize the Fist Script after reading it once. I also have a senior brother who is generous and kind-hearted, and he gave me a Ginseng worth over ten silver ingots when I entered the academy."

"It seems that sending my younger brother to learn martial arts at Waveflow Martial Academy was the right decision! Just by entering, I've essentially recouped ten silver ingots. Good, very good!" Jiang Li laughed heartily.

Jiang Ning smiled faintly, and the Ginseng worth over ten silver ingots was indeed an unexpected surprise.

Without the powerful effects of the Ginseng, he wouldn't have been able to master the Fist Techniques in just one day.

That night...

Jiang Ning practiced again, and although there were no unexpected surprises, he gained two experience points in Five Beasts Fist and refined two strands of Vital Energy.

With these additions, his total Vital Energy strands increased to four.

The four strands of Vital Energy merged, making the stream of Vital Energy within him even more robust.

It circulated through his body, continuously nourishing his physique.

After practicing these two rounds of Fist Techniques, Jiang Ning could feel that his body couldn't handle any more training.

Sensing this state, he didn't force himself further.

Forcing the practice would be counterproductive and could lead to injury.

He then asked Jiang Li the question that had been on his mind: What level of strength did Xu Yunfeng possess?

After hearing Jiang Li's description, Jiang Ning gained a rough understanding of his older brother's previous strength and Xu Yunfeng's capabilities.

Before Jiang Li's injury, at his peak, his Vital Energy had already coursed through his limbs, and the cultivation technique he practiced was an extremely ordinary and common lower-rank Blade Technique, primarily for killing enemies and secondarily for refining Vital Energy.

Xu Yunfeng was different; he had likely reached the limit just below the Ninth Rank Warrior, with Vital Energy coursing through his entire body.

In comparison, Xu Yunfeng was clearly a step above Jiang Li.

After understanding this, Jiang Ning realized that there was a significant gap between his strength and Xu Yunfeng's.

Their levels of strength were not on the same plane.

However, Jiang Ning didn't feel discouraged or intimidated.

With his rate of progress, given some time, he would eventually surpass Xu Yunfeng.

Now that he had joined Waveflow Martial Academy, at least for the next few months, a smart person like Xu Yunfeng wouldn't and couldn't make a move on him.

But Jiang Ning knew that he might get caught in the crossfire of a brawl between the two factions at any time.

Xu Yunfeng worked for Cao Bin, and to force Jiang Li into submission, his previous threats might become reality.

Before that happened, Jiang Ning had to quickly improve his Fist Techniques.

Once he mastered the Fist Techniques, he could pass Wang Jin's test and become a direct disciple of the Martial Academy.

As the saying goes, it's good to have a powerful backer. Becoming a direct disciple of Wang Jin would give him a status and position comparable to that of an official or a wealthy merchant.

Xu Yunfeng wouldn't dare to act against him, let alone those factions he could influence.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end