Chapter 39: Vital Energy Refinement and an Unexpected Turn

Chapter 39: Vital Energy Refinement and an Unexpected Turn

“Which three conditions?” Su Chen asked, puzzled.

Hong Ming replied promptly, “Practice, Supplementation, and the Blood Circulation Technique!”

“To become a Vital Force Cultivator, the first priority is relentless practice. Those who train in fists must refine their fist techniques to perfection, those who train in palms must perfect their palm techniques, and those who train in legs must master their leg techniques. In short, you must keep practicing without pause.”

“While training, you must also replenish your losses. Some martial arts require secret medicinal formulas to restore vitality during cultivation—for instance, the Iron Thread Fist. Others cause physical damage during practice, which also demands medicinal supplementation to prevent premature depletion of Vital Energy.”

“Once you’ve perfected your martial arts and fully restored your Vital Energy through these formulas, you’ll have taken the first step toward becoming a Vital Force Cultivator.”

Su Chen fell silent.

“Scared?” Hong Ming asked, noticing Su Chen’s expression.

“A little,” Su Chen admitted. After listening intently, he’d assumed completing practice and supplementation would nearly guarantee Momentum Attunement. Learning it was merely the first step shocked him.

“Did you think Momentum Attunement was that simple?” Hong Ming chuckled bitterly. “I spent half my life cultivating, only to falter at this final threshold. I’ll never achieve Momentum Attunement.”

His voice grew wistful, memories stirring. Ah, those days… No, no use dwelling on the past.

“Master, what exactly is the Blood Circulation Technique?” Su Chen asked.

Hong Ming’s expression sharpened. “The Blood Circulation Technique is the method for achieving Momentum Attunement. By channeling Vital Energy through specific pathways, you stimulate your flesh and blood to generate Vital Force.”

Anticipating Su Chen’s next question, he continued, “Take our Iron Thread Fist. The ‘Iron Line’ within it is a prototype for the Blood Circulation Technique. Once you perfect the Iron Thread Fist and combine it with the method I’ll provide, you can attempt Momentum Attunement. This technique might increase your chances by roughly ten percent.”

“Only ten percent?” Su Chen blurted.

“Too low?” Hong Ming shot him a sidelong glance. “Do you think Momentum Attunement techniques grow on street corners? This is the Hong Martial Arts Hall’s foundation! Across White Stone City, fewer than ten sects even possess such methods.”

He paused. “It’s precisely because of the Iron Thread Fist’s Momentum Attunement technique that our hall has endured here.”

Glancing at Su Chen, he added, “You may be gifted, but don’t let ambition cloud your discipline. Steadfast progress is the true path.”

Su Chen understood the veiled reprimand—Hong Ming still resented his reckless consumption of five Vital Energy Powders in five days. He said nothing in reply.

“Moreover,” Hong Ming continued, “Momentum Attunement is far harder than you imagine. Even meeting these three conditions isn’t enough. You’ll need innate talent, insight, perseverance, opportunity, and years of relentless effort to stand a chance.”

Su Chen fell into thought. Thanks to his Progress Panel, he felt little of the hardship Hong Ming described. Yet he knew cultivators like Hong Ming and Li Mo represented the norm—strugglers without shortcuts.

According to Master Hong, the three conditions are mandatory. The first two aren’t issues for me, but will my Progress Panel require the Blood Circulation Technique?

He hesitated, then recalled that the Panel only demanded Gold-Fueled Enhancement and Kryptonite Elixir. Since it hasn’t mentioned the technique yet, maybe it’s irrelevant. Perhaps the Panel’s method supersedes it entirely.

“By the way, Master,” he asked suddenly, “I saw a bandit who abandoned his weapon to fight barehanded. Why?”

Hong Ming, sipping tea, replied, “Do you think him foolish?”

Su Chen shook his head.

“It’s simple,” Hong Ming said. “For Vital Force Cultivators, Vital Force can’t bind to weapons. They rely on raw Vital Force to injure or kill. Experienced Momentum Attunement cultivators fight best unarmed—their power shines without blades.”

“You know the biggest difference between Momentum Attunement and ordinary strength cultivators is Vital Force. But do you know how vast the gap is?”

“If struck by Vital Force, a strength cultivator faces critical injury at best, death at worst! Of course, exceptions exist—those born with monstrous strength or unyielding bodies might rival Vital Force Cultivators even without Momentum Attunement.”

Su Chen nodded thoughtfully, then asked more questions, which Hong Ming answered thoroughly.

For instance, Vital Force can be projected outward, but only at extreme cultivation levels neither had reached. As for types of Vital Force—some were fierce, others gentle, some icy, others blazing. Their nature generally aligned with the practitioner’s martial arts.

“Oh, and about that Vital Energy Powder you requested earlier—come collect it three days hence,” Hong Ming called as Su Chen departed.

Su Chen’s face lit with joy. He’d planned to buy Blood Qi Elixirs to accelerate his progress, but this unexpected gift saved him time, money, and effort.

Over the next three days, he scarcely left his home, focusing on poison formulas. By the third night, he’d perfected the Dreamweaver Powder—three grams, but a triumph nonetheless. Testing it on his neighbor’s cat, Shadowpaw, he watched it sleep soundly for a day and night. The next morning, Shadowpaw awoke refreshed, no side effects evident.

Delighted, Su Chen celebrated, only leaving for the Martial Arts Institute in the afternoon.

Hong Ming handed him the Vital Energy Powder with a warning: “Use it sparingly.”

“As you command, Master.”

As Su Chen left, Hong Ming suddenly slapped his forehead.

“Darn it! I forgot to check his cultivation progress!”

He sighed. “Ah, well. Next time.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end