Chapter 10: Practicing Martial Arts

"The road ahead is long and arduous," he sighed. With each ascension of his spiritual root, the amount of primal energy required increased tenfold at the very least—a staggering consumption by any measure.

Qingxi felt the weight on his shoulders grow heavier. He quickly put away the fleeting joy of his spiritual root’s advancement and turned his gaze to the remains of the patterned giant python scattered across the ground.

According to the assistant’s analysis, there was still residual life force within the serpent’s body that could be refined.

"After conversion, the beast's vital energy can enhance the host’s physical strength, bolster his own life force, and solidify his cultivation. Such an opportunity should never be missed," the assistant advised.

"Then I’ll take it all," Qingxi replied.

He wasted nothing. Only after the last drop of vital energy had been absorbed did he head to the lakeshore to bathe, then slipped away under cover of night.

As for the reason behind the giant python’s appearance by the lake, Qingxi had his own suspicions. Qingling Mountain was rich with spiritual energy. Though most areas had been scoured clean and no profound-grade monsters rivaling the Innate Realm appeared, lesser beasts comparable to the Qi Refining stage still occasionally emerged.

Moreover, the quarters for outer sect and registered disciples bordered the wilderness at the fringes of the Lingyuan Sect, abutting deep forests and mountains. Encounters with such beasts were not at all unusual.

Back in his room, Qingxi glanced at the westward-slanting moon through the window before collapsing into sleep. Tonight, he was truly exhausted.

He did not wake until the sun was high the next morning. Arriving at the Hall of Registered Disciples, he suddenly recalled Tu Yongsheng’s words: he would return in seven days.

By now, all the other registered disciples had gathered, some practicing the Gale Palm that Tu Yongsheng had taught, while others sought out quiet, shaded corners to cultivate.

Qingxi’s arrival drew curious glances from the crowd. Tu Yongsheng had publicly declared that, from now on, Qingxi was under his protection. Naturally, this made the others envious; some even considered acknowledging him as their leader.

"Good morning, Senior Brother Qingxi!" everyone greeted him.

"Good morning," Qingxi replied, his nature kind and courteous—he would never pretend not to hear.

He walked to the array of wooden stakes and began practicing the Gale Palm, the technique Tu Yongsheng had taught him in private.

Last night’s battle had sounded a serious warning. If not for his lack of combat experience, even if he could not defeat the patterned giant python, his cultivation should have allowed him to escape unscathed. Had it not been for his inferior Coldlight Sword, he might have lost his life.

Thus, he vowed to hone his martial skills relentlessly and strengthen himself.

"Gale Palm!"

Qingxi struck out, channeling only a trickle of spiritual energy; yet even so, a breeze swept forth, making the grass ahead shiver.

After each strike, he gathered his spiritual energy and continued to practice. Tu Yongsheng had said that with enough repetition, any basic martial art could reach mastery. Achieving perfection, however, demanded insight.

For now, Qingxi did not hope for perfection in the Gale Palm, but he was determined to attain mastery.

Once, twice... Half the day passed, and he had practiced the Gale Palm over a thousand times! Even with his cultivation at the peak of Qi Refining Eightfold, his arms and body were sore, and his dantian was drained of energy.

But the effort was worthwhile. After thousands of repetitions, his familiarity with the Gale Palm had reached the stage of mastery. Now, he could instantly convert and condense his spiritual energy to unleash a gust with a single strike.

"Senior Brother Qingxi is truly diligent. No wonder Elder Tu favors him!"

"Indeed. Today he’s practiced the Gale Palm more than five hundred times by my count! And that’s not even including my breaks—I’d wager he’s done at least eight hundred!"

"I actually counted—exactly a thousand."

"No, it was a thousand and one!"

The registered disciples chattered among themselves, casting admiring glances at Qingxi.

"Senior Brother Qingxi is incredible."

"That’s what a true role model looks like!"

A disciple who had just reached the first level of Qi Refining gazed at Qingxi with shining eyes, clenching his fists. He too had practiced the Gale Palm that day, but with his limited cultivation and aptitude, after only a few dozen repetitions his strength was spent and he could go no further.

Night fell.

Qingxi left his room and came to the lakeshore once more, this time exceedingly cautious, wary of encountering another beast.

"Rest assured, host. There is no danger within five hundred meters," the assistant’s voice sounded in his mind. "Now, you may convert the surrounding life energy."

"Alright," Qingxi replied.

He stretched out his hand, walking along the lake’s edge. Wherever he passed, strands of life force drifted from the plants and trees, which the system refined and condensed into cool, pure vital energy, healing the internal injuries left by his excessive practice of the Gale Palm.

"The conversion feature is truly remarkable. Not only can it refine elemental spiritual energy into primal sources to upgrade my spiritual roots, but it can also absorb beast blood to replenish and strengthen me."

"And now, it can even extract a trace of life essence from all things, transforming it into vital energy. As long as I am not mortally wounded, I can recover."

In no time, Qingxi’s injuries were healed. He returned to his room and rested.

At dawn, he rose full of vigor, the first to arrive at the Hall of Registered Disciples, ready to practice a second martial art.

Two days before, recognizing Qingxi’s aptitude, Tu Yongsheng had taught him four more techniques in addition to the Gale Palm: the Fiery Palm, the Giant Rock Palm, the Vajra Fist, and the Azure Dragon Claw.

Today, Qingxi focused on the Vajra Fist. Unlike the Gale Palm, it did not unleash a terrifying gust, but when used, his fist was enveloped in metallic energy, becoming as hard as diamond. Each punch left a shallow imprint on the iron-hard stakes.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Blow after blow, each one struck precisely the same spot, making the ground tremble slightly. The imprints grew deeper with each strike.

Suddenly, he paused.

"The Vajra Fist seems to consume far less spiritual energy than the Gale Palm, which projects energy outward," Qingxi mused.

"Naturally," the assistant replied, becoming a veritable encyclopedia of cultivation. "The Gale Palm is an external technique—its range and area of effect are broad, but it burns through energy rapidly. With your current cultivation, a few full-powered strikes and you’d be spent."

"But the Vajra Fist merely coats your fist in energy, so it cannot strike from afar, but uses little power and can be sustained much longer."

Qingxi agreed, thinking, "Indeed, with my current reserves, I could unleash the Vajra Fist over a hundred times at full strength."

With that, he let out a loud shout, revealing the full extent of his cultivation at the peak of Qi Refining Eightfold. Spiritual energy surged into his right fist, wrapping it in golden light until even his skin gleamed as though cast from molten gold.

Boom!

His fist struck, driving a deep dent into the stake; the other side bulged outward, fine cracks spreading from the impact.

"Impressive power," Qingxi murmured, withdrawing his energy.

At this hour, the hall was still empty—only then did he dare go all out. Should others arrive, he would restrain himself, hiding his true strength. This, too, was a way to protect himself.