Chapter 123

123. Chapter 123: Rebuilding the Martial Way

After spending a night in a dilapidated, leaking ruin.

When dawn began to break, Zhao Ge rose early and woke everyone: “Get up, all of you—look at the hour, still sleeping? Meng De kept watch all night, not so you could sleep like pigs. We’re fleeing for our lives—hurry, pack up and move out.”

“Once daylight comes, the Han and Jin families won’t receive word and will suspect something went wrong with the pursuit—then they’ll send Qi-Channeling warriors after us. We can’t stay here. We must change our route.”

Zhao Ge was stern, having found a branch somewhere, which he swung at his sleeping disciples.

He struck his own daughter, Zhao Qian, even harder.

Yet none of the disciples thought his harshness unreasonable—this whipping with a branch was already mild; most martial academies’ masters would strike a lazy disciple with a club to wake him, and if even the club failed, they’d drag him out and bury him.

Shouhou, Rongniang, and Zhao Qian, stung by the blows, woke instantly and, as usual, rose to pack and set off without delay.

Li Yi had stayed awake all night, guarding against any unexpected danger.

Once all gear was prepared,

the group mounted their horses and galloped swiftly back the way they’d come.

“Master, this isn’t the escape route—it’s the road back to San Yang City. Aren’t we going the wrong way?”

Shouhou rode atop a horse, behind which were tied over ten fine steeds, each laden with cargo—loot taken earlier, now ready to be sold at market.

Zhao Ge, guiding his mount, replied: “Running forward into unfamiliar territory makes us easier to track. Turning back catches them off guard—let them overlook us right under their noses. We don’t need to hold them long—just survive these days until Meng De rebuilds his martial path. Then we won’t fear their pursuit. Even if a Qi-Channeling master comes, Meng De still has a firearm—enough to keep us safe.”

With strength and confidence, he grew bolder.

“Meng De, how’s your horseback riding coming?” Zhao Ge then rode closer to ask.

Li Yi now rode a black stallion. His master said it was Jin Bufeng’s mount—Jin Bufeng, a blade-wielder, favored swift horses, making this black steed a rare treasure. Normally, such a noble horse would only obey its true master, and this one had been wild and unruly—but when Li Yi approached, the horse smelled the Qiu Long hide and instantly submitted, now obediently following Li Yi’s commands.

“I’ve learned it well. Controlling the horse is simple—no trouble at all.”

Li Yi had never ridden before, yet under his master’s guidance, he mastered the skill in mere minutes.

Evolvers have strong adaptability—that’s their advantage, their gift.

Zhao Ge stroked his beard and smiled: “Good. I knew your talent was extraordinary—you learn everything fast. Since you’ve mastered horseback riding, I’ll begin teaching you martial arts. The first step is training the skin, then the tendons, then the bones—that’s the lower three realms. Most ordinary people reach bone training and are already formidable. Beyond that comes marrow training, blood training, then Qi-Channeling—that’s the middle three ranks.”

“A martial artist who reaches Qi-Channeling is a regional master—capable of opening a school, establishing a gate. Beyond that are the upper three ranks, but I won’t elaborate now. Let’s start with skin training.”

“Skin training requires storing one breath within, while externally training skin, tendons, and bones. How to store and cultivate that breath follows specific methods. I practice the Wild Ox Breathing Method—a mid-grade skin-training technique. Meng De, pay close attention to my breathing.”

Zhao Ge immediately demonstrated.

He drew a deep breath, holding it without releasing, his abdomen swelling. Then the breath moved, causing his skin and flesh to ripple like oxhide. As he guided the breath, every area of his skin and flesh activated—sometimes relaxed, sometimes taut, fully controllable.

After completing the movement, Zhao Ge exhaled sharply—a single blast, like a wild ox bellowing.

“Meng De, skin training is just the beginning, but it’s crucial. Human strength is limited. To achieve powerful, full-bodied force, a martial artist must activate every inch of the body. Skin and flesh hold immense potential—ordinary people can pierce a hole through their skin and hang their entire body from it.”

“If you can fully mobilize skin and flesh, that power is formidable. Though you’ve learned the fist form and generated fist force, the form alone doesn’t fully unlock the potential of skin, tendons, and bones. Now that you’re rebuilding your martial path, your fist force will reach a new level.”

“I see, Master. I understand.” Li Yi’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

As his master said, his body still held vast untapped potential. Skin training, tendon training, bone training—if he could successfully complete these three realms, his strength would surge dramatically.

“Good. Now I’ll teach you the Wild Ox Breathing Method.” Zhao Ge immediately began instructing Li Yi—how to store breath, how to guide it, how to vibrate the skin membrane.

In just a few words, he revealed the true core.

These were the essence of the Zhao Family Martial Academy—only true disciples received them.

But Zhao Ge had no outsiders present now; Rongniang and Shouhou already knew this skin-training method, and Zhao Qian had learned it too.

“Master, isn’t it risky teaching Senior Brother Li Yi skin training on horseback? What if he misdirects his breath and injures himself? Isn’t it dangerous? Misguided breath can harm fertility—didn’t several junior brothers once train wrong and never find wives?” Shouhou, riding behind, offered this warning.

Zhao Ge snapped: “Do you think Meng De is as dull as you? His body awareness and control surpass even blood-training martial artists. Any technique, any strike—he learns it instantly. Now shut up, focus on holding your reins. If you lose a single horse, I’ll beat you.”

“Alright, I won’t say another word.”

Shouhou shrank his head, instantly obedient.

Li Yi drew a deep breath, imitating his master, storing breath within and guiding it to train his skin.

Zhao Ge watched, offering corrections.

Soon, Li Yi grasped the principle of skin training.

It involved activating parts of the body normally unused—some people can wiggle their ears, others can’t, because certain nerves are dull and need repeated stimulation to be mastered.

Likewise,

skin training uses unique breathing to vibrate the skin and flesh, reactivating the body’s control over these areas. Once you master skin and flesh control, you can harness their tension to pull tendons and bones, unleashing far greater force.

Of course, this was Li Yi’s personal understanding.

But with understanding came clarity—he now knew what to do.

Li Yi inhaled again. His empty chest filled instantly. He then attempted the Wild Ox Breathing Method, guiding the breath through his body to stimulate skin vibration.

Zhao Ge, surprised by the sheer volume of breath Li Yi controlled, said nothing outwardly, only advised: “Meng De, don’t hold your breath too long—it can injure you. Breathing must follow nature: inhale, exhale. If you feel you’re losing control, release immediately. Never force skin training.”

Li Yi kept his eyes closed, guiding the breath. He felt complete control—even as the horse bounced beneath him, the motion didn’t disrupt him.

In mere moments,

patches of Li Yi’s skin began to ripple, his clothes rippling like waves as if an invisible force flowed around his body.

“Master, has Senior Brother already entered the realm?” Rongniang pointed at Li Yi, eyes wide with astonishment.

“What else? He’s mastered the Wild Ox Breathing Method—and more skillfully than most. Others can only guide breath to one area, slowly training skin. But Meng De moves breath through his entire body, vibrating every inch of skin and flesh. Worse still, ordinary disciples need at least three months to gain even partial control.”

“Meng De won’t need that long. I’d guess one hour is enough.”

Zhao Ge stroked his beard, a hint of pride in his eyes.

This was what talent meant.

Half an hour to generate fist force, one hour to complete skin training—this man, seemingly a god descended, treated martial arts as effortless.

He’d once wanted to bring Li Yi to the Four Seas and Eight Provinces.

Now that wish was fulfilled—he must teach Li Yi with all his might, so all martial artists in the world would witness what “Yi’s Divine Valor” meant—peerless, unmatched.

“One hour to complete skin training? Is he even human?” Rongniang stared at Li Yi ahead, stunned.

“Sister Rongniang, when I first saw Brother Yi practice fists, I was just as shocked—but I got used to it. You can’t judge Brother Yi by ordinary standards. Besides, he already possesses strength—he’s rebuilding his martial path, so naturally it’s faster.”

Zhao Qian, riding beside them with her sniper rifle slung on her back, grinned.

“It’s not just faster—it’s turning the impossible into reality,” Rongniang murmured. “At this pace, Senior Brother might reach Qi-Channeling in just a few days.”

“Whether he reaches Qi-Channeling depends on Meng De’s latent potential. Though his constitution is extraordinary, he’s still growing—like a child not yet fully matured,” Zhao Ge smiled. “You all follow Meng De closely, listen to him. With his character, he’ll never let you lack rewards.”

“Master is right—we’ll follow Senior Brother’s lead,” Shouhou called from behind.

Zhao Ge barked: “If you can’t speak properly, don’t speak at all. Hold your reins. I’m not dead yet.”

Shouhou chuckled awkwardly and shrank back.

The group rode onward, waiting as Li Yi rebuilt his martial path.

As Zhao Ge predicted,

Li Yi’s progress in Wild Ox Breathing Method was astonishing. After just over half an hour, he exhaled his final breath, closed his practice, and opened his eyes.

The first step of the martial way—skin training—he had achieved.

Instantly, with a thought, as if instinct, the skin on his handback rippled—like a wild ox flexing its hide, shooing away flies.