Chapter 32

What to do when you hit a bottleneck?

Naturally, sleep it off!

By the time the golden nectar coated his whole body, Qin Shi was already grimacing in pain.

Confirming he had endured to his limit, he silently activated 【Deep Sleep】.

Under Lao Liang's dumbstruck, shocked expression, he fell asleep again!

Who knows how much time passed; the sky seemed to be turning dark, and the soundly sleeping youth quietly awoke.

A young body seemingly pasted with a layer of gold foil stirred lightly, emitting a "crack" sound.

"Good thing I'm his master; otherwise, high or low, I'd have to ask the Heavens, on what grounds!"

Lao Liang at the side wore a complex expression; this kid closes his eyes and opens them, and the 'Fire Burning Body' that made countless Old Martial Arts seedlings suffer bitterly and left deep psychological shadows just passed like that?

It just passed like that?

Too unfair!

Lao Liang thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled in relief.

He still remembered when he learned martial arts from his master back then; the retired Master Uncle had eyes higher than the top, never satisfied with his master's or his own performance.

Back then he wondered in his heart, what kind of genius could earn Master Uncle's recognition?

Couldn't be that you'd go find another Stone Buddha He Lanchan for the old man!

"Now I understand. What Master Uncle wants is a natural-born root seedling, one whose momentum can reach the sky and cover all directions."

Lao Liang shook his head, secretly thinking it a pity; if only he had been born twenty years earlier and placed in Master Uncle's hands, his achievements should have been higher.

Falling before this dead cripple of his, truly a waste.

His own learning was insufficient, ability meager, unable to provide much help.

Crack, crack.

The condensed lumps of gold-foil-like viscous paste fell off bit by bit, turning into fine powder.

Qin Shi, between waking and not waking, closed his eyes and entered Inner Vision State:

"Actually 'burned' out twelve major tendons, covering my whole body."

In his vision, blood-red major tendons like giant snakes or ferocious pythons originated at the ends of his four limbs, converged at the joints, and ran toward the trunk, head, and face.

They usually hide beneath the body surface, hard to perceive; now, continuously stimulated by the golden nectar, they slowly condensed and gradually surfaced.

"The red and white two colors are brighter; the infant-like pink and tender Qi Sense has also become thick and sturdy, about two fingers wide."

Qin Shi lightly inhaled, then exhaled long; large muscle groups contracted and swelled, like flowing water rippling.

Especially the serratus anterior muscles on both sides of the ribs opened and closed like fish gills, pulling the waist and abdomen, making the distinct lines even clearer, revealing a beauty combining softness and masculine vigor.

In this form, if he launched an offensive, the damage caused would not lose to a heavyweight boxing champion from his previous life.

You must know, the whole person seems twisted into a single rope; the force output is extremely terrifying — smashing through steel plate is no problem, let alone human flesh and blood.

"The 'tendons' burned out through the golden nectar secret medicine are both long and thick, tough and strong; they not only increase strength but also connect the four limbs more tightly, giving me the illusion that even if a knife came chopping, it might not be able to sever them."

Qin Shi maintained a cross-legged posture; warm Qi Sense circulated inside his body; his even breathing sounds became even fainter, nearly nonexistent.

This mortal body, hard to escape lifespan limits and aging diseases, is undergoing transformation right now!

Those thick, long, tough blood-red major tendons connect to each other; at a glance, they look like giant pythons and flood dragons coiled around the body, rooted in bone and blood, exuding a very strong fierce aura.

"This must be the 'Dragon Tendons' Lao Liang spoke of; indeed terrifying enough. If nurtured well, who knows if it could unlock transformation and enter the Second Stage!"

Qin Shi fantasized about the scene when his life force breaks through some limit, transforming into a Devil Muscle Man, condensing a Martial Soul True Body — so cool!

Not long after, the wind-dried, condensed golden nectar liquid completely peeled off, revealing a young body with slightly red skin.

"How does it feel?"

Lao Liang couldn't help but ask.

He himself had once undergone the golden nectar secret medicine tempering back then, experienced the torture of Fire Burning Body, and never dared try again after.

He bitterly ground for two full years before breaking through the Tendon Gate Great Limit, and never advanced his kung fu to the "Nurture Dragon Tendons" step.

"Hands are itchy."

Qin Shi opened his eyes and answered honestly.

Right now, he wanted to smash a fist into everything he saw, to vent the abundant, full, nearly overflowing surging strength inside his body.

"Aren't you working with A Yuan, A Cheng, and them on Beiguan Street? There are many underground boxing gambling dens there."

Lao Liang said with a smile.

Old Martial Arts factions are mostly battle maniacs; they love challenging dojos, fighting on platforms, and sparring.

Like the First Generation Ten Greats, the man called Qi Star King Qi Wuxiang — at twenty he overturned every dojo venue large and small in Haizhou; good thing he was the Qi Family's direct grandson with an extraordinary background, otherwise he'd have been ambushed and beaten with sticks long ago.

Later he ran to Jingzhou where the martial wind is very strong, stirred up chaos, and even fought a battle with the underage Flying Immortal Lian Yixing.

"Master Liang, have you been to Beiguan Street?"

Qin Shi was slightly stunned.

"I already said, a brain that couldn't study since childhood. Like me, this kind of academic underachiever who can't study — after leaving school what else can I do but loiter on the streets, brawl and fight?"

Lao Liang didn't hide the fact he was once an academic underachiever hoodlum:

"Old Factory Street had gambling stalls like cow hair; before the layoff wave, cockfighting, dogfighting, pigeon fighting — everywhere.

Later the Martial Artist trend swept Dongxia; various boxing matches emerged endlessly; everyone liked buying tickets and betting to gamble for wealth and nobility.

When I was young roaming society, I knew a few big brothers who went on the platform; pity they're all gone now."

Qin Shi's heart jumped slightly; he seriously sized up the unimpressive-looking Lao Liang.

Couldn't tell; this master of his is actually an old hand?

Wouldn't be that if he just hollers on Beiguan Street, he could summon a whole crowd of brothers wielding steel pipes and cleavers?

"The underground scene's black boxing has few true masters; anyone with a proper inheritance wouldn't hole up there.

"They mainly fight dirty, using lots of underhanded moves; doping before a match is just routine."

Lao Liang recounted the past in a leisurely manner:

"I've hung around quite a few underground fight clubs, stayed a year or two and found it boring, bought a boat ticket and fled to Jingzhou, and that's how I ended up becoming a disciple by a stroke of luck."

Qin Shi shook his head:

"I'm a student, how could I go to that kind of place. If Big Sister found out, she'd definitely be furious."

Indeed, with the Great Limit of the Tendon Gate breakthrough, finding someone to spar with is quite difficult.

The Cultivation Halls in the Urban Circle have dedicated sparring partners, charging hundreds per hour; the price is steep, can't afford it!

As for this Old Factory Street area, only underground fight clubs can provide a legitimate opportunity to get into a brawl.

Otherwise, stirring up trouble for no reason might well earn you a pair of silver bracelets.

But Qin Shi didn't plan to do that; he can rely on Combat Retrospection to continuously refine his fighting style, no need to put himself in that kind of setting and become an object for a bunch of gamblers to bet on.

"Not bad, young people are full of vigor; once their kung fu kicks in, they can't control their hands. Being able to suppress that urge is rare."

Lao Liang nodded in praise:

"I've taught many students; some haven't even learned the fighting method for half a month before they can't hold back the fire in their hearts, resorting to fists and feet for everything, eventually kicking an iron plate and falling flat on their faces.

Good swimmers drown in water; the Old Martial Arts school doesn't just pick for talent, it also looks at temperament — the more frivolous and impatient, the harder to catch my eye."

Mention of Beiguan Street suddenly reminded Qin Shi of Brother Ze.

He seems to take special care of Zi Fu No. 9 Middle School students?

He even asked Lao Liang if he would accept him as a Disciple.

"Master Liang, have you heard of Cheng Ze from Beiguan Street?"

"Know him; he was the first batch of students I brought."

Lao Liang lifted his eyelids, tone flat:

"Before I met you, he counted as the most outstanding Seedling in talent I'd ever seen at Zi Fu No. 9 Middle School, but his temperament is like mine — he does things too hesitantly, easily gets his feet tangled, unsuited for the Old Martial Arts path.

These years, his reputation on Old Factory Street has grown; occasionally hear drinking buddies mention him a few times."

Turns out there really is a past connection, a bit of a relationship.

Qin Shi suddenly realized; no wonder Brother Ze was a bit closer to him — turns out he was treated as a "Little Junior Brother."

"From what I see of Brother Ze's situation, he's not doing that well either."

He spoke of his several experiences at the Midnight Palace.

"Out here mixing, only dogs get bones to gnaw; if you want to be human, you have to starve."

Lao Liang was indifferent, heart like still water:

"The scumbags on Old Factory Street number not one thousand but eight hundred at least; they're all like that.

He's not bad; at least he became an Elder Brother, wherever he goes Little Brothers swarm around him, very imposing."

Qin Shi tactfully fell silent; it was very obvious that Lao Liang and Brother Ze had a not-so-pleasant past.

"Master Liang, our Hong Sheng is at least a known name with a signboard; besides the Practice Methods and fighting methods, are there any terrifying hidden moves?"

He changed the topic, dissolving the heavy atmosphere.

"Of course. The fighting methods you're learning now are all basics; when you truly run into a master, ordinary common punches and kicks have too many flaws and won't work."

Lao Liang raised his head, smiled faintly:

"Our Hong Sheng school's fist art killing moves, placed among the thousands of Dao Guan and Wuxing with signboards standing in Jingzhou, are also top-tier."

Qin Shi rarely saw Lao Liang looking so spirited; his own master mostly exuded a "decadent" aura, like a middle-aged corporate drone laid off, wife demanding divorce, that kind of dejected feeling.

He hurriedly played along:

"Master Liang, do tell in detail."

Lao Liang ground his teeth; his ordinary rough face flashed a startling brilliance:

"Hong Sheng True Transmission, Hundred Aspects Refining Force — know it? He Lanchan, one of the Ten Outstanding, learned this very move!"

(Chapter End)