My martial arts have no bottlenecks.

Chapter 5 Stone Armor Technique

Early the next morning.

Liang Cheng returned to the martial arts school, paid the second month's tuition, lay down on the dormitory bed, closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, and his blood and qi were calm. The killing last night had actually made him more composed.

Morning exercise continued as usual.

During the sparring session, Zhou Hu lingered a little longer beside him, seemingly sensing that his breathing had become more stable, but he didn't say anything more.

After lunch, Liang Cheng found Zhou Hu.

"Senior Brother Zhou, I want to learn to read."

Zhou Hu was taken aback: "You can read?"

"Yes," Liang Cheng replied frankly, "Being illiterate is a huge disadvantage. Could you please tell me where I can learn to read and write, and how much the tuition is?"

Zhou Hu sized him up as if he were a rare find. Most of the students at the martial arts school were from wealthy families, and there were very few who were illiterate.

"There's an old scholar in the east of the town, but you practice martial arts during the day, so how can you find the time to study? Besides, the tuition isn't cheap."

Zhou Hu remained silent for a moment, then remembered his master saying that this boy had good comprehension and temperament.

"Never mind." He waved his hand. "The old scholar's teaching is too rigid. Starting tomorrow, come to my room after your practice sessions. I'll teach you for half an hour. There are some old books in the library that you can use."

Liang Cheng was surprised that Zhou Hu would personally teach him, and quickly bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

"Just study hard, and don't go around telling everyone."

The sparring session ended on the second day.

Liang Cheng followed Zhou Hu into the backyard. Zhao Yuan, who was not far away, saw this and frowned.

Another instance of private guidance?

He had just pushed all the apprentices back and was feeling quite smug when he saw this scene, and the displeasure he felt because of Liang Cheng resurfaced.

What makes a poor boy with poor genes stand out?

The furnishings inside Zhou Hu's house were simple.

Zhou Hu took out several old books: "The Thousand Character Classic" and "The Basic Chapter of the Complete Martial Arts Manual".

"Let's start with the Thousand Character Classic." He pointed to the first line: "Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless."

Liang Cheng listened attentively; the mayfly imprint cleared his mind. He could repeat the gist of what Zhou Hu taught him after just one lesson.

Zhou Hu was somewhat surprised, but he didn't say anything and continued to teach him seriously. Half an hour passed quickly.

"That's all for today," Zhou Hu said, closing the book. "When you get back, you can practice writing on the sand with a twig. Do what you can, and don't try to do too much."

So in the days that followed, Liang Cheng lived a simple life: morning exercise, learning boxing, and learning to read.

During the day, he was still the same silent and diligent apprentice, making steady progress in Hunyuan stance and Mangniu strength. At night, he would either practice extra or write on the sand by moonlight.

Zhao Yuan saw Liang Cheng's "special treatment" and was burning with anger. He trained even harder, and relying on his good physique, his brute strength improved rapidly, and he soon became the most conspicuous among the apprentices.

Zhou Hu watched and did not stop Zhao Yuan from practicing. On the contrary, he felt gratified. How could anyone not practice martial arts diligently?

As usual, Liang Cheng received half an hour of literacy lessons every day. Sometimes, when he practiced boxing, his boxing stance was corrected, and he was given a few more words about the key points of power generation.

Ten days later, in the main hall.

Yang Wei sat down, Zhou Hu stood beside him, and Zhao Yuan stood proudly in the middle of the hall, his body steaming with heat, having just finished practicing his boxing.

"Your Wild Bull Strength is already seven-tenths complete, and your power has been initially integrated. The next step is to replenish your Qi and blood and break through to the Ming Jin level," Yang Wei said slowly. "Your physical constitution is good, and your progress is acceptable."

Zhao Yuan was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Thank you, Master!"

"However," Yang Wei changed the subject, "you are impatient and your strength is too rigid and lacks flexibility. Ming Jin (manifest strength) is not just about being strong and fierce; it needs to be flexible within its strength to be enduring and adaptable. Do you understand?"

Zhao Yuan's heart skipped a beat: "Disciple understands!"

Yang Wei said to Zhou Hu, "Starting tomorrow, have him move into the east wing of the backyard. He should take medicinal baths morning and evening, and you will personally supervise his breakthrough to the Ming Jin stage."

"Yes."

Zhao Yuan was overjoyed and moved into the backyard for a medicinal bath, a privilege reserved for disciples. He couldn't help but glance outside the hall. In the front yard, Liang Cheng was still steadily practicing his Wild Bull Fist stance, far less powerful than Zhao Yuan's.

A sense of superiority welled up within him; he had finally left everyone behind!

Zhou Hu coughed and glanced at the teacup on the table out of the corner of his eye. Zhao Yuan realized what was happening and, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, picked up the teacup with both hands.

"Master, have some tea."

Yang Wei hummed in agreement, took the teacup, and took a sip.

From this day forward, Zhao Yuan will be accepted as Yang Wei's disciple and will no longer need to pay tuition.

……

The east wing of the backyard smelled strongly of medicine.

Inside the large wooden tub, the brown medicinal soup was boiling. Zhao Yuan soaked in it and felt countless hot currents drilling into his pores, causing soreness, numbness, swelling, and pain, especially in his muscles and joints, as if being hit by a small hammer.

He gritted his teeth and endured it, circulating the Wild Bull Strength Technique to guide the medicinal power.

Outside the door, Zhou Hu's voice came: "When the medicine is fully absorbed, your blood and qi are at their peak. Carefully experience the 'muscles and bones resonating together,' and find that feeling of 'all the strength in your body being twisted into one.' Soak for two hours every day, don't be lazy."

In the front yard, everything is as usual.

Liang Cheng knew that Zhao Yuan had entered the backyard and become a disciple of the martial arts school, but he was not disturbed. He continued to practice writing the characters "劲" (jin), "透" (tou), and "震" (zhen) on the sand.

Zhao Yuan has good genes and comes from a wealthy family, so it's normal for him to be given special attention and training. I don't have those advantages, so I'm like a mayfly, just seizing every moment and crawling towards the light.

You have to take each step carefully.

He put away the branches and stood up to stand in the Hunyuan stance.

The breath sinks down, and the feet feel rooted to the ground.

The warmth from the old injuries to my waist and knees spread out, surging slightly with my breath. It was no longer sluggish, but instead became a subtle support when I exerted force during stance training.

Deep within my consciousness, information surfaced:

[Introduction to Hunyuan Zhuang (88/100)]

[Introduction to the Wild Bull Strength (32/200)]

Progress was slow, but every step was solid. He could clearly feel his strength increasing, his control over his body becoming more refined, and the hidden injuries he had sustained at the dock had almost healed.

With the help of the mayfly mark, he learned to read very quickly and has already recognized several hundred characters. He can even stumble over and read simple articles.

Zhou Hu went from being surprised to numb, only telling him to lay a solid foundation and not to be reckless.

……

Backyard, east wing.

After several days of medicinal baths, Zhao Yuan's blood and energy were abundant, and he finally attempted to break through the barrier, achieving the Ming Jin level and stepping into the threshold of a true martial artist.

"Ha!"

A low growl, accompanied by a clear "crackling" sound, came from inside the room. Zhou Hu, who was guarding outside, pushed open the door.

Zhao Yuan stood shirtless, his body radiating heat, his skin flushed, and his muscles twitching slightly; the explosion he had just heard had originated from within his body.

His eyes lit up, and he threw a punch into the air. The wind from the punch whistled, and it even produced a short, muffled sound, like the mooing of a cow.

"Not bad." Zhou Hu nodded. "You have successfully broken through the barrier, your muscles and bones are resonating, and your strength is initially integrated. You have already stepped into the threshold of Ming Jin, but this is only the beginning. You need to continue soaking in medicinal baths to consolidate your strength until your fists resonate at will and you can control your strength freely. Only then can you be considered to have a stable Ming Jin."

Zhao Yuan withdrew his fist, feeling the more concentrated power within him than ever before. His heart surged with emotion. Suppressing his excitement, he bowed to Zhou Hu, saying, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

He walked into the courtyard and looked towards the front yard. In the darkness, he could still hear the sound of something cutting through the air coming from the corner of the front yard; it was Liang Cheng practicing extra.

Zhao Yuan's lips curled up. The difference between Ming Jin and not yet Ming Jin is like heaven and earth. Even if Senior Brother Zhou teaches Liang Cheng privately, without medicinal baths and without his master's personal training, he will eventually be left further and further behind.

He turned and went back to his room; Liang Cheng was no longer a match for him.

……

A corner of the front yard.

After Liang Cheng finished his final round of the Wild Bull Force, he slowly came to a stop.

He heard the news that Zhao Yuan in the backyard had broken through to the Ming Jin realm, but he simply exhaled softly, and as usual, used a twig to write the last few words of the day on the sand, then wiped the marks away.

Back in the dormitory, after everyone had fallen asleep, he quietly got up, went to a secluded spot in the courtyard, and took out the small booklet carefully wrapped in oilcloth from his pocket.

Under the moonlight, he carefully recognized the few blurry words on the cover using the familiar characters: "Stone Armor Technique".