Starting as a dockworker

Chapter 40: Power Refinement Completed, Battle Against the Handsome!

For the rest of the time, Li Xiao lived a very simple life, going back and forth between two points.

Aside from going back to sleep, he spends his time at the martial arts school practicing martial arts.

The mastery of the Guiyuan stance training greatly accelerated Li Xiao's cultivation progress.

The strange posture during Zhan Zhuang (standing meditation) precisely directs Qi and blood to all the muscles in the body, transforming them into real power, and the body changes at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The arms that were originally too thick due to the heavy work at the dock have now become smooth and well-proportioned.

As if meticulously crafted, every muscle possesses both explosive power and resilience.

Unlike the strength developed from carrying bags at the dock, this strength is very evenly distributed.

Previously, Li Xiao only had strength in his arms, but now it has extended to his fingers.

Even more amazing is the feeling of power "extending".

If the previous force was like a torrent, mainly surging in the shoulders, back, and arms.

Now, this torrent has reached the very end.

His ten fingers became unusually flexible and strong. At first, he accidentally crushed a teacup, but after trying it, he found that he could easily support himself with his five fingers and complete a standard finger push-up.

If one could learn finger techniques, one might actually be able to poke holes in bricks.

Standing meditation, which involves intense practice all day long, is extremely taxing on one's energy and blood.

Fortunately, during this period, Lao Xiao instructed the kitchen to prepare special meals for him every day.

The food contained more medicinal herbs to help repair the body's depletion from training.

In this way, Li Xiao was able to focus wholeheartedly on his cultivation without any distractions.

However, to avoid being watched, Li Xiao always cultivated with the closed-door disciples.

It's incredibly quiet here, perfect for calming your mind.

The days of training passed quickly; ten days seemed to fly by.

"Turn off the heat with your eyes closed!"

Li Xiao closed his eyes and used spiritual techniques to observe his life fire.

Now, my life force is much stronger.

It went from being only the size of a fist to the size of two fists.

"This size... is about the same as that of an outer disciple who is currently cultivating strength."

With these thoughts in mind, Li Xiao walked to the corner of the training room where the stone lock was located.

He walked to the stone lock engraved with "thousand catties", grasped it with his right hand, and lifted it up.

He lifted the heavy stone lock above his head, paused for a moment, and then slowly lowered it back down.

"It's done... I've reached the Power Refinement Realm!"

Li Xiao felt a surge of joy.

My speed is really fast.

According to Huo Yingjun, it takes a normal disciple as little as six months and as long as a year to reach the Refining Strength Realm.

All in all, it only took me ten days...

"Fourth Senior Brother, you... have reached the Qi Refining Realm?"

At some point, Xiao Yingjun saw this scene from the doorway.

With his mouth agape, he momentarily forgot why he had come there in the first place.

Li Xiao lifted the heavy stone lock with one hand and then gently put it down, without even causing much of a tremor in the ground.

This shows that the force was controlled extremely well and was by no means forced.

Li Xiao turned around, his expression calm: "I should consider it... the Qi Refining Realm, right?"

"What do you mean by 'should be considered'?"

Xiao Yingjun rushed over, "Senior brother, you...you've only been here for ten days!"

Looking at Xiao Yingjun's horrified expression, Li Xiao felt somewhat helpless.

He knew he was fast, but he didn't expect it to have such a huge impact on others.

"Perhaps... your stance training is going smoothly?"

"Is this a matter of whether the stance training is going smoothly or not?!"

Xiao Yingjun almost jumped up. He grabbed Li Xiao's shoulder, his eyes gleaming. "Ten days of strength training! If this news gets out, not only our martial arts school, but the entire martial arts community in the county will be in an uproar!"

"Don't get agitated..."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Tell me, how should I cultivate after refining my strength?"

Huo Yingjun smacked his lips and explained, "Refining strength is just a boundary. After that, the strength can continue to increase. It's just that after reaching the strength of a thousand jin, the rate of strength growth slows down, so it's time to temper the skin."

Li Xiao: "Skin tempering?"

Huo Yingjun nodded: "Yes, skin tempering. Reaching the power refinement stage grants one superhuman strength."

But you should be able to sense that while our strength is increasing rapidly, our flesh and blood are still mortal.

In a fight, even a cut from a knife or a swing from a stick can leave one with torn flesh.

Skin tempering involves using special methods, combined with medicinal properties, to toughen the skin all over the body to an exceptionally resilient state. Once mastered, ordinary sword or knife strikes, if not delivered with sufficient force, will barely penetrate the skin, at most leaving a white mark.

Li Xiao nodded; this was equivalent to increasing physical defense.

According to Lao Xiao, martial arts is about honing the body into a divine weapon.

Li Xiao asked curiously, "Can it stop bullets?"

Huo Yingjun shook his head and said, "That's not possible... Unless you specifically practice those external martial arts techniques, you can't block bullets with your bare body. But you don't need to take the bullets head-on; you can dodge them."

Li Xiao asked, "Dodge it?"

"Yes, dodge it." Huo Yingjun took a deep breath and then explained, "Senior brother, once you reach the Refinement Realm, your body will have the strength of a thousand catties, and you can display many wonders."

At this point, in addition to focusing on cultivating your cultivation level, you should also practice some external martial arts techniques.

This external martial art includes fists, feet, weapons, and movement techniques... Practicing movement techniques can help you dodge bullets.

Senior brother, let me demonstrate for you, try hitting me and see what happens..."

Bang!

Li Xiao swiftly threw a punch, aiming directly at Huo Yingjun's face.

"Ouch! That hurts so much!"

Huo Yingjun was punched in the right eye, and he covered his eye, crying out in pain.

Li Xiao asked, puzzled, "Didn't you tell me to hit him?"

Huo Yingjun: "I was careless just now, I didn't dodge!"

Li Xiao: "..."

At this point, Li Xiao roughly understood.

Although Huo Yingjun was two realms higher than him, he was in the Bone Forging Realm.

But if I launch a sneak attack properly, I can defeat him.

That kind of situation where one's realm completely overwhelms another does not exist.

Once you reach the Refinement stage, most martial artists won't differ too much in strength; the difference lies in their defensive capabilities.

"Senior brother, try again!"

Huo Yingjun got into position and waved to Li Xiao.

"it is good."

Li Xiao threw another punch at Huo Yingjun.

With immense power, his fists whistled like the wind at incredible speed.

However, the punch missed its mark, and Huo Yingjun easily dodged it by sidestepping.

"Huh? I missed?"

Li Xiao's punch missed its mark, and he inevitably staggered due to the inertia.

He quickly regained his footing and continued to attack Huo Yingjun.

Li Xiao had never practiced any external martial arts techniques, but his wild punches were quite powerful. He unleashed a barrage of blows like raindrops, but he couldn't hit anything and only wasted his energy.

Huo Yingjun's movements were unpredictable, shifting left and right with effortless grace.

"That's really impressive!"

Li Xiao stopped after a while, somewhat impressed.

He couldn't even touch Huo Yingjun's clothes, let alone hit him.

"Senior brother, this is a movement technique... Flowing Cloud Step."

Huo Yingjun spun around, returning silently to Li Xiao's side like a cloud in the wind, a hint of smugness in his eyes.

"Senior brother, the foundation we have built with the Guiyuan Zhenwu Technique is exceptionally solid, so we can quickly learn any external martial arts method and perform it with great accuracy."

Internal strength is the foundation, while external skills are what allow one to fully utilize one's physical abilities.

External training is the "method" to bring out the strength of this foundation.

This "Flowing Cloud Step" is a superior movement technique that my master obtained in the martial arts world.

The key is to move like flowing clouds, leaving no trace. Combined with the stable lower body developed through stance training and the subtle control over the body, only then can one move with such agility!

Li Xiao nodded slightly, understanding the difference between internal and external martial arts.

Internal strength is about refining the body, making it surpass that of ordinary people.

External martial arts, on the other hand, involve making full use of one's physical strength.

Just like character attributes in a game, the superior martial arts technique Guiyuan Zhenwu Jue maxes out his 'attribute points' such as strength, agility, and stamina.

Next, we should learn some 'skills' to make full use of the advantages of these attribute points.

Internal and external skills are both very important and indispensable.

Li Xiao suddenly remembered his old friend Liu Kai from the docks.

He studied martial arts at the Zhongyi Martial Arts School, specifically the "Five Elements Bagua Palm".

That palm technique should be one of the "external martial arts methods".

But if you practice martial arts but don't practice internal skills, you'll end up with nothing in your old age.

No matter how skilled he is in external martial arts, without physical fitness to support it, it's just a showy display, all show and no substance.

Cultivating both inner and outer qualities is the right path!

Li Xiao asked curiously, "By the way, what did you want from me just now?"

"Something happened to the Demon Slaying Team. One of our martial arts school's outer disciples died. My master and I went to see him. The manner of his death was suspicious, and my master couldn't figure it out either. He said he wanted you to go and take a look."

As he spoke, Huo Yingjun muttered to himself, "That's a bit strange. Why is Master looking for you?"

"Lead the way."

Li Xiao didn't waste any more words.

Come and don't go indecent.

Having eaten so much free food from the martial arts school, it's time to give back.