In a courtyard approximately three to four hundred square meters in size, over thirty people were ceaselessly practicing martial arts. Their movements involved fist strikes, grasping techniques, and lifting heavy stone disks. With Jiang Shu's current level of expertise, he could clearly see that among these thirty-odd people, only a few had not yet reached the Qi Blood Transport realm. At this realm, one no longer needed cotton clothing for warmth. Between each movement, their Qi and blood surged like waves, and their limbs and spine moved dynamically in all directions, like a fully drawn bow, exhibiting impressive momentum.
He watched for a while before taking off his jacket, carefully wrapping it around a small bag of lime powder and an electric baton, and placing them on the edge of the courtyard. Although these martial techniques were not exquisite, they clearly carried more lethal intent compared to the Martial Arts styles from his previous life and Xuanxing. Jiang Shu practiced as he learned, spinning towards an empty spot, closing the distance in an instant, and thrusting his palm out, which morphed into a claw in one fluid motion.
"Elder Qiu has risen. Silence," a voice called out.
Suddenly, from the room on the south side of the courtyard, a door creaked open a crack. A Maid with a pleasant face hurried out; her voice was somewhat soft. Upon hearing this, all the apprentices practicing in the courtyard stopped with extreme quickness, adjusted their breathing, and stood quietly in place.
Martial arts halls in Pingling County rarely accepted official Disciples. They mostly took in apprentices who wore regular practice uniforms and trained in the outer courtyard. These apprentices paid ten taels of silver monthly for training fees and could only receive instruction from their master every few days.
"My surname is Qiu. You can call me Teacher Qiu or Elder Qiu."
The voice arrived before the man. The aged voice seemed to echo right beside everyone's ears, vibrating their eardrums. Only then was the door to the room fully opened.
The old man stepped out slowly. His body was slightly stooped, and he was only about 1.6 meters tall. But each step he took shook Jiang Shu's spirit, as if a gaunt, hungry tiger were approaching a sheep.
"Martial Arts is like climbing a high mountain or wading through deep waters. Without great perseverance and a grand spirit, one cannot reach its heights or traverse its depths. Even for the first realm, the Skin Grinding Realm, one must engage in long-standing stake practice, extended breathing exercises, Qi Blood Transport, and train the skin using inner strength."
"Today, I felt an impulse to demonstrate. Someone, come forward."
The moment Elder Qiu finished speaking, an apprentice in a black training uniform quickly stepped forward, holding a stone disk before his chest. The stone disk weighed about two hundred and fifty kilograms. The apprentice activated his stance, rooting himself to the spot. With his waist and stance unified, he circulated his Qi and blood and, with a loud shout, lifted the stone disk to his chest.
Under the puzzled gazes of a few new apprentices, Elder Qiu extended a seemingly bony arm, his fingers forming a claw, and struck the stone disk.
A faint sound.
The stone disk showed no change.
Without any pause, he struck a second time.
The disk trembled. Where his fingers had landed on the edge, five distinct finger marks were now clearly visible.
A third strike.
Several cracks spread across the stone disk, and at its center, five finger holes, over half an inch deep, appeared—a shocking and fearsome sight.
"Those of you who have been here know that stake training is divided into three stages: Qi Blood Sensing, Qi Blood Transport, and the Great Circulation of Qi and Blood throughout the body. The corresponding strength levels are one hundred and fifty kilograms, three hundred kilograms, and four hundred and fifty kilograms!"
"After achieving the Great Circulation of Qi and Blood, a profound and mystical energy gradually emerges within the body. By circulating this energy, one trains the skin into a protective membrane, thus reaching the first realm of Martial Arts, the Skin Grinding Realm. This realm is also divided into three stages: Cowhide, Stone Skin, and Iron Skin. Newcomers, you can come up one by one to inspect it and ponder carefully."
Without needing further explanation of the differences between the minor stages, the stone disk had already provided the best answer. Elder Qiu stood to one side, his hands clasped behind his back.
Jiang Shu was the first to step forward. He touched the finger holes, his fingers instinctively probing inside. A trace of residual heat lingered within the holes. He felt their rough texture, fine stone dust clinging to his fingertips.
In "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," even Wang Chongyang, the world's top Martial Artist, couldn't inscribe words into a stone wall. Yet, in this world, piercing a stone disk was merely the first realm of Martial Arts! If I reached this realm, couldn't I kill Zhao Tai with a single punch? Even if the leader of the Green Snake Gang himself came, would he dare utter half a word? Skin Grinding... Cowhide, Stone Skin, Iron Skin... This is true Martial Arts! It's not just an increase in strength! Such power in the Skin Grinding Realm alone... What about the realms beyond it? In this world, the wonders of Martial Arts might approach Divine Skills!
Jiang Shu's blood surged. He forcefully suppressed the deep longing for strength in his heart and stepped back several paces, giving other apprentices the chance to feel the stone disk.
"You all have much to learn. New apprentices, step forward. You will learn the breathing method and the Sitting Cave Stake with me for one hour. The rest of you, stand to the side and practice your stakes."
"Everyone, space yourselves five chi apart. Squat down."
After a quarter of an hour, seeing that the newcomers had already sensed the capabilities of a Martial Artist, Elder Qiu spoke again. "Each martial arts hall's stake training has its own Visualization object."
"Our Hungry Tiger Martial Hall's Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stake requires you to imagine yourself as a Supreme, ferocious tiger, starved for days, coiled in its den, patiently enduring, yet ready to burst forth with power."
"Follow my breathing!"
Elder Qiu, who had practiced the stake for who knows how many years, squatted like a fierce tiger. His breathing was long, deep, and heavy, exceptionally clear in the silent training ground.
EXHALE... INHALE... EXHALE... INHALE...
Jiang Shu, who had already achieved small success in the Horse Stance and could sense his own Qi and blood, watched Elder Qiu's form. He gradually found the rhythm of the Hungry Tiger Breathing Method, his waist and hips unifying like a crouching tiger in the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stake.
"You, stop. Go over there. Later, have your senior martial brother teach you the stake basics. Solidify your foundation first," Elder Qiu instructed one of the newcomers. Indeed, not all of them could find the rhythm as Jiang Shu did.
In less than a quarter of an hour of this focused practice, Elder Qiu stopped the exercise. He pointed at a chubby new apprentice, motioning for him to go to the edge of the courtyard. The little fatty's face turned beet red; he knew his breathing had become chaotic. At this moment, with everyone in the courtyard practicing the Hungry Tiger Breathing Method, anyone whose breathing was out of sync was glaringly obvious.
Before long, all the new apprentices who had arrived in the last five days had moved to the other side, their faces flushed, leaving only Jiang Shu struggling to persist.
In his mind, a panel slowly emerged:
Jiang Shu—
Hungry Tiger Breathing Method: Entry-level (6/1000)
Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stake: Entry-level (9/1000)
"Alright, everyone stop for a moment. Let's accommodate the newcomers," Elder Qiu's voice suddenly sounded.
Jiang Shu, who had been persisting with his eyes closed, unaware of how long he had stood, finally let out his breath upon hearing Elder Qiu's voice by his ear. He nearly collapsed to the ground. A strong sensation of hunger arose from his stomach, which rumbled softly.
"Every martial arts hall has its unique stake techniques and breathing methods. But just having these techniques isn't enough. After all, it's not impossible to buy stake techniques and breathing methods in the county town's black market. So why do so many people still flock to martial arts halls to train?"
"It's because of—secret medicine! Whether it's stake training or breathing methods, both involve Qi Blood Transport. Without sufficient meat to supplement the body, these practices will only cause harm and deplete one's Qi and blood."
"But meat is scarce. Almost all the meat in Pingling County is controlled by the county government and the large households. For commoners wanting to buy even a little meat, the price is exorbitant, no less than the martial arts training fees! However, by joining a martial arts hall, with our Hungry Tiger Martial Hall's secret medicine, not only can it alleviate the soreness and pain in your muscles, bones, and tendons after practicing stakes and breathing, but it can also strengthen your Qi and blood. One portion is equivalent to five kilograms of meat!"
"Of course, what you are drinking now is merely meat soup with diluted secret medicine. But even so, this soup is absolutely not sold anywhere outside!" Elder Qiu declared, his voice carrying due to his ample breath.
As his voice faded, two Maids carried wooden buckets out from the room. The unique aroma of the secret medicine meat soup wafted through the courtyard, stirring the hunger pangs in every apprentice's stomach. Under the Maids' watchful eyes, the apprentices lined up. Each one carefully ladled a bowl of meat soup, daring not to let even a drop spill over.
"Practicing the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stake within one hour of drinking the secret medicine meat soup will yield twice the results with half the effort!"
After circling the entire courtyard several times and seeing that none of the thirty-odd apprentices had made any errors, Elder Qiu slowly said, "In Martial Arts, there are methods for training, nurturing, and fighting."
"Stake practice is for training, breathing methods are for nurturing. Once you've completed this round of the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stake, this old man will introduce you to our martial hall's fighting techniques."
"A tiger has only three killing strikes:"
"Pounce."
"Overturn."
"Shear."