[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-the-sky-fell":3,"chapter-after-the-sky-fell-after-the-sky-fell-chapter-31":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","After the Sky Fell",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2280887,4462,"Chapter 31: One Hour of Fist Practice","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-31",31,"\u003Cp>Zhao Ge was utterly stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because what he saw before him had surpassed his imagination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Li Yi possessed naturally robust foundations and a body of dragon sinews and tiger bones, he was fundamentally an outsider—never trained in martial arts, not even skilled in brawling, knowing no techniques whatsoever; even a peasant in a fight would know at least a few basic punches and kicks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a fake would have seen at least something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this very disciple had, in moments, assumed the correct fist stance—perfectly, as if he had trained for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether he truly learned it? One test will tell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge took a breath, strode forward, seized Li Yi’s shoulder, and hurled him away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi, caught off guard by the sudden throw, crashed to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His buttocks burned with pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could ask why, Zhao Ge spoke again: “Come, Meng De, resume your fist stance. Let your master see your progress.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This move had a purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sudden loss of balance, shock, pain—all learned movements vanish instantly; then, upon immediate retest, only what remains is truly yours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge now felt great anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could Li Yi still hold the stance after this sudden blow?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright,” Li Yi said, though confused, seeing Zhao Ge’s seriousness, he asked no further—perhaps this was part of the teaching method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He resumed the fist stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it was again flawless, identical to before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge fell into deep silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, he was certain: Li Yi had truly mastered it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such talent was simply inconceivable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhao Ge did not know that Li Yi was not naturally gifted—he had undergone bodily cultivation and evolution, granting him extraordinary adaptability, learning anything quickly; moreover, among Earth’s spiritual mediums, he was not alone, but one among many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No time for astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge glanced at the burning Soul-Drifting Incense, suppressed his shock, and continued: “Meng De, you’ve passed the stance. Next is fist training—I must see if your power generation is correct. Now, throw a punch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi assumed the stance and threw a punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked powerful, but to Zhao Ge, it was loose and useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge corrected: “No. Your posture is right, but your power generation is wrong. Your spine dragon isn’t engaged; the force isn’t twisted into a single cord—it’s all leaking out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand.” Li Yi punched again, adjusting his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge continued: “Pay attention to your waist—these tendons and bones must move too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it.” Li Yi engaged his waist, shifted his spine, and threw a punch that cracked the air with ferocity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Better, but still not enough—your power generation is too slow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge kept pointing out Li Yi’s errors, but with each correction, he soon realized Li Yi needed only one fix—he never repeated the same mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, his physical potential was immense; each punch showed improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teaching him was effortless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge stopped giving further instructions—he had imparted all the essentials, leaving Li Yi to practice repeatedly, to internalize the feeling, to integrate it fully, and finally to forge the fist power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Truly an unparalleled raw gem of martial talent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat on a nearby chair, watching Li Yi train, and sighed: “Pity he cannot return with me to the martial hall to inherit my legacy—if he did, the Eight Provinces would be turned upside down by him alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Yi’s martial prowess—unmatched in a thousand generations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge now drifted into fantasy—he imagined years ahead, countless martial masters bowing before Li Yi, humbly uttering those words, and as Li Yi’s master, he himself would be remembered for eternity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thinking of it was beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his fantasy ended quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crack!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden bang pulled Zhao Ge’s thoughts back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, his punch made a sound.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Qian had been watching Li Yi train; now, hearing the crack, she widened her eyes in shock and stared at Zhao Ge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard it,” Zhao Ge whispered, his hands trembling slightly: “A sound like that is priceless. His fist power has manifested.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From beginner to fist sound—how long had that taken?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than half an hour. My heavens, who would believe it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the storytellers couldn’t invent such an absurd tale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crack!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crack!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi trained earnestly. At first, his body felt a force he couldn’t release—but after repeated adjustments, once he found the right feeling, his body instantly remembered it. One punch followed another, the frequency of the cracks rising steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, every punch produced a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the sound grew louder, like thunder shaking the air, making one’s chest feel heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that he’s grasped the power, Meng De’s divine strength is pouring out—he can still improve, and his potential is vast,” Zhao Ge’s heart pounded; this raw gem was beginning to shine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his lightning-fast progress, Zhao Ge leapt from his chair and said: “Meng De, stop training.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong, Master? Did I do it wrong? I’m still adjusting—I think I can do better.” Li Yi frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, you’re doing excellently. I simply think you’re ready for the next step,” Zhao Ge said at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi immediately dropped his stance: “Master, what’s next?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was ravenous for knowledge, constantly growing, learning whatever his master taught—more skills meant more progress; he had little talent, so learning more could only bring him further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge had gradually accepted Li Yi’s terrifying learning ability. He said: “Fist training is just practice—that’s the method. But when facing an enemy, mere practice won’t save you—you’ll be beaten badly. So you must learn combat. I’ll now teach you striking. Besides striking, there’s also nourishment—cultivating blood and qi, moistening the five organs, strengthening tendons and bones—but nourishment is complex and cannot be taught in a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Method, combat, nourishment? I understand. I’ll learn combat now,” Li Yi nodded, grasping his master’s meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge was about to instruct when Zhao Qian approached, grabbing his arm: “Father, we’re out of time. The Soul-Drifting Incense has only half an hour left. If we don’t go to Ghost Street to buy medicine now, we’ll miss this chance—and no one knows when it’ll open again. Your wound can’t wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has it passed so quickly?” Zhao Ge glanced again at the incense before the spirit tablet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a small stub remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still time,” Zhao Ge gritted his teeth, shaking off his daughter: “Meng De learns fast. I’ll teach you combat now. After all this, not learning combat would be a waste of heaven’s gift.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father!” Zhao Qian panicked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew: her father had abandoned buying medicine—he planned to spend the remaining half-hour teaching Li Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough,” Zhao Ge snapped, silencing her before she could say something she shouldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Qian’s eyes turned red, tears welling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi understood everything now. He said at once: “Master, I won’t learn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No! Only combat remains!” Zhao Ge urgently replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, if we’re destined to meet again, we will. Let you teach me combat next time. I refuse to learn now,” Li Yi said firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t be stubborn. Our meeting on Ghost Street is already rare—reuniting in this lifetime is impossible. I’m old, my blood and qi are declining, my soul is damaged—I’m nearing the end. Let me teach you this final step, or I’ll die in regret.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Yi shook his head—he could not let his savior and master miss treatment to teach him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they might never meet again, he would carry guilt for life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, no more words. Your life matters most. Time is short—I’ll go find the medicine for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Li Yi donned the human-skin mask and dashed out of the courtyard without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait! Don’t go out! Daughter, help your father put on the paper robe—he doesn’t know the way. I’ll chase him back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge, overcome with emotion, failed to stop him in time, helplessly watching Li Yi burst through the courtyard gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, stay inside. I’ll find Brother Yi,” Zhao Qian dared not let her father follow. She unfastened her outer robe, revealing the paper robe beneath, then sprinted after him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Foolishness! I should be the one to go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ge shouted, rushing out—but at the courtyard gate, he stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dared not step outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he was alive, unclad in paper robe—his living aura would attract ghosts, yin soldiers; he’d bring no help, only danger to his outside disciple and daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he waited to don the robe, the two outside would already be gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, someone alive had to remain inside to open the gate for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, the gate guardians would block their return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh,” Zhao Ge let out a heavy breath and turned back, helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>",1441,"2026-06-20T01:26:56.586Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","183bafa2b9ab7b877e0bac278834b1a8ffd68e9d70d0a3937670943b248cd780","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-32","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-30",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-the-sky-fell-cover.jpg"]