Chương 13: Two Major Problems

The next day, Cang Lian got up early and went to find Old Huang.

He did not tell Elder Huang that he had already achieved perfection in Hunyuan Zhuang and all other auxiliary cultivation practices.

After all, to go from beginner to master in just half a month is beyond genius; it's monstrous. Being too conspicuous will only attract endless trouble.

He merely asked, feigning curiosity, "Elder Huang, I've made some progress in my whole-body strength. I wonder how to cultivate 'manifest strength' next?"

Old Huang knew he was hardworking and not the kind of person who aimed too high, so he assumed he just wanted to learn about things in advance to prepare for the future, and smiled and said:

"Young Master, Ming Jin is the first realm after Zheng Jin (whole-body strength). To put it simply, it's about unleashing the 'Zheng Jin' you've cultivated within your body without reservation, with ferocity! Talk is cheap, I'll show you a demonstration!"

After saying that, Old Huang took off his outer robe, revealing his strong upper body. He took a step forward with his left foot, and his aura suddenly changed.

If he was a kind old man just now, now he is a tiger unleashed from its cage!

He didn't use any fancy starting stance; he went straight for a simple straight punch and shouted, "This is a cannon fist!"

As soon as the punch was thrown, the air seemed to be compressed instantly, producing a sharp explosion!

His muscles tensed instantly, forming a clearly visible chain of power from his feet to his waist and hips, then to his shoulders and fists.

That's not just a simple exertion of muscle, but a burst of power from the whole body, where tendons and bones resonate and all the strength of the body converges at one point!

This punch caused Cang Lian's pupils to shrink slightly.

"Young master, watch closely. Next up are the punch, the smash, the palm strike, the elbow strike..."

His every move was bold and unrestrained, without any fancy tricks; each strike carried an indomitable determination and fierce power.

The force of the punches howled, whipping up fallen leaves from the grass and creating tiny whirlpools.

Cang Lian could even feel that the ground beneath his feet seemed to tremble slightly with each punch Huang Lao threw.

This set of boxing techniques is incredibly powerful and fierce; every punch is devastating, as if it could blast everything in its path into dust.

And this was all done with just one hand!

Cang Lian swallowed hard, finding it hard to imagine the power and might that Elder Huang must have possessed when he had both hands intact!

After completing a set of punches, in less than thirty breaths, Old Huang was slightly out of breath, with fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. He wiped them away with the back of his hand, his eyes filled with a hint of reminiscence and melancholy.

"When I was young, one punch from me could kill a bull!"

He said slowly, "Now that I'm old, I have many hidden injuries, my bones and muscles are damaged, and my strength has been greatly reduced. But if I were to throw a punch without regard for anything else, I might not be able to kill a bull, but I could break its bones and make it fall to the ground and unable to get up. But in my current state, this is all the power I have left."

"Killing a bull with one punch, that's amazing?" Cang Lian was somewhat surprised.

"Yes!" Old Huang nodded, his eyes sharpening.

"Standing meditation is for training 'accumulating energy,' like a fully drawn bow. If the integrated energy is perfected, then the Ming Jin stage is about 'releasing the arrow'! It's about training fierceness and power, unleashing your full strength with every punch and kick, so that you can shatter rocks and create sharpness in your fist!"

He paused, his tone becoming extremely solemn: "Once you reach the Ming Jin stage, you must train hard, train arduously, train fiercely! You must find every possible way to unleash the full power of your body in an instant; that's what makes you powerful!"

"Put all your strength into it?" Cang Lian frowned involuntarily upon hearing this.

These days, nourished by the essence of the sun, his physical condition has far surpassed that of ordinary people.

If one were to unleash all their full power without reservation, such training would immediately be noticed by experts like Gu Guolong.

He has no secret medicine, yet his physical condition is comparable to that of someone who has taken it. This is bound to arouse suspicion and even investigation from others.

Before he could think further, Old Huang chuckled self-deprecatingly:

"Young Master, my set of fist techniques is called 'Eight Formations of Military Formation.' It's just an ordinary fist technique, said to have been practiced by soldiers of the imperial court in ancient times for charging into battle. In modern terms, it's cannon fodder's skill, not worth mentioning. If I were to encounter a master who has cultivated profound martial arts, my mediocre skills would definitely be no match for them."

He walked to a stone bench and sat down, gazing into the distance, lost in deep memories.

"Back then, when I practiced this fist technique and reached the peak of Ming Jin, I was incredibly proud. As a poor person from humble beginnings, reaching this point filled me with pride, and I even developed the arrogant idea that 'I am invincible among those of the same level.' But during that mission, I encountered a master who was also at the peak of Ming Jin..."

Old Huang's voice suddenly became low and deep, as if carrying the sound of metal scraping:

"His martial arts were far more profound than mine. His punches were like a gazelle leaping through the air, leaving no trace; his movements were like a ghost, unpredictable and elusive. My 'Eight Formations of Military Formation' emphasizes relentless advance, yet I couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes. In that battle, he directly broke my arm and inflicted multiple internal injuries on my body. It was a crushing defeat for me.

If he hadn't considered me an ant, unworthy even to die at his hands, I would already be a skeleton."

As he finished speaking, a deep sense of helplessness flashed in Old Huang's eyes.

Cang Lian listened quietly, but a tidal wave of emotions surged within her.

So, even though they are both at the peak of Ming Jin, their strength is worlds apart due to the difference in their martial arts!

"The gap between martial arts is as vast as an insurmountable chasm?" Cang Lian's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked.

"Yes." Old Huang's voice was somewhat heavy.

"The difference between good martial arts and ordinary martial arts is like heaven and earth. Young master, my 'Eight Formations of Military Formations' is, to put it bluntly, just a technique for charging on the battlefield, aiming only to kill with one blow. It's too crude."

"To be frank, I've come to regard you as my own disciple these past few days. It's the greatest honor of my life to have the privilege of teaching such a genius as you. Every bit of progress you make fills me with joy, and I finally understand why the old masters in the martial arts school cherished their genius disciples so much. Teaching a genius is a joyful thing in itself! Seeing your own student improve by leaps and bounds, that pride from the bottom of your heart is something that nothing can buy."

At this moment, Huang Lao's eyes were full of sincerity and expectation. He looked at Cang Lian as if he were looking at a piece of uncut, peerless jade.

"A genius like you would be wasting his talent and a precious gem if he were to learn such crude and unsophisticated martial arts as mine!"

Old Huang paused, his tone becoming more serious. He leaned closer and lowered his voice:

"Young Master, you were born into the Cang family, so you should naturally learn better martial arts. The Cang family originated in the Hong Dynasty and has been passed down for over five hundred years. The family possesses many profound and secret martial arts techniques. The Ming Jin stage is the most important foundational stage in a martial artist's life. If the foundation is not solid, the earth will shake. Young Master, you are, after all, of the Cang family bloodline.

For your own future, even if you have to beg or make trouble, you must obtain the secret medicine and true martial arts from the family!"

He held up two fingers and said, slowly and deliberately:

"Martial arts training requires both of these; neither can be neglected!"

"Firstly, there's the secret medicine. This medicine can temper your muscles and bones, solidify your foundation, and allow your body to withstand the unparalleled power exerted at the Ming Jin stage. Otherwise, it's like building a house on sand; the more intense the training, the more severely your foundation is damaged, leaving incurable ailments that will make it impossible to reach higher levels!"

"Secondly, it's about profound martial arts. Good martial arts are not just about exquisite moves, but more importantly, they contain unique 'methods of internal energy' and 'methods of circulating qi.' It can truly make you invincible among your peers, so you won't end up like me, utterly defeated by experts of the same level, without even the power to fight back!"

Old Huang looked at Cang Lian's somewhat frail body one last time and sighed:

"Young Master's physique is still somewhat weaker compared to other young masters and ladies. Without the aid of secret medicine, forcibly practicing fierce fist techniques might... leave behind future troubles."