Chapter 224: Henglian Hall

As the morning light first broke, sunlight filtered through the sparse clouds, dappling the Hong Sect Martial Arts Training Ground.

Cheng Feng stood on the high platform, his entire being wreathed in an indescribable sense of composure and determination; it was a new blade he had honed deep within his heart since returning from the land of gentle comforts.

A certainty about himself flickered in his eyes; the various encounters over the past two years had only allowed Cheng Feng, as of last night, to completely replace his inner self with the Cheng Feng of the Great Zhou.

Standing below the platform were thirty robust and spirited Hong Sect disciples, the thirty disciples Cheng Feng had asked Wang Hu to select for their unwavering loyalty to the Hong Sect.

After two days of study, Cheng Feng had researched the Bronze Statue Technique well enough.

The Bronze Statue Technique can train the body to be as hard as a bronze figure, especially the head and limbs, which possess extreme hardness and powerful defensive capabilities.

Moves like the bronze fist, bronze foot, and bronze head have astonishing power; for instance, the bronze fist once had a record of killing a ferocious giant bear with a single strike, and the bronze foot could leave deep imprints on hard steel plates.

The Bronze Statue Technique does not merely temper the surface skin and flesh; it focuses more on exercising internal organs like the heart, liver, spleen, stomach, and kidneys, tempering the tendons and bones from the outside in, purging impurities, and nourishing pure Blood Qi.

It has a unique circulation pathway, combined with medicinal bath formulas, to help practitioners better master and improve their martial arts.

It allows the practitioner to possess powerful defensive and offensive capabilities, and to unleash astonishing power in actual combat.

This Bronze Statue Technique that Cheng Feng has is a martial art that can be trained to the Organ Refining Consummation Stage, and even has a certain chance of breaking directly into the True Qi Realm.

This is the top-tier Secret Manual Cheng Feng has ever seen since stepping onto the path of Martial Dao, but relatively speaking, the cost of training it is also immense.

The cost of the decoctions is enormous, consisting of nothing but precious medicinal herbs, and the auxiliary items used are the Pure Copper Tripod and the Pure Copper Staff; the expense of these two items alone is something an ordinary Martial Artist simply cannot afford.

Cheng Feng had not seen any traces of Pure Copper Staffs or copper tripods at the Black Wind Stronghold; he figured Wu Jiang must have achieved success in his martial arts elsewhere before ending up at the Black Wind Stronghold.

The Hong Sect spent one thousand two hundred taels directly to forge four sets of Pure Copper Tripod and Staff, with each set costing three hundred taels.

Cheng Feng had already tested the effects of Wu Jiang's hard-body training; his frontal resistance to strikes was extremely strong, comparable to an evil weapon. When Cheng Feng faced Wu Jiang back then, he did not dare to face the bronze fist directly and could only look for opportunities to dodge. It was only after Wu Jiang was angered into jumping with rage that he found an opportunity to sever Wu Jiang's arm.

The potential of the Bronze Statue Technique is extraordinary; keeping it hidden in his own hands is not as good as putting it to use on the people of the Hong Sect.

However, this cultivation method consumes too much for an individual; it is simply not something a person can bear. To cultivate combat power, Cheng Feng had no choice but to have the Hong Sect pay for the training and established a separate hall called Henglian Hall.

Everyone who can join Henglian Hall must be outstanding in their contribution to the Hong Sect, their loyalty, and their own natural talent and perseverance; all three are indispensable.

Big brother Cheng Shu, third brother Cheng Lei, and brother-in-law Xu Le were also among them; Cheng Feng had decided this only after repeated consideration.

Hard-body training is different from ordinary cultivation methods; endurance and hard work are essential, and one cannot succeed if they cannot bear the pain.

But as his own kin, having this cultivation method means they need not fear ordinary blades or guns even if they encounter trouble; this is already the best protection he can offer them.

"Do you know why you have been summoned here?" Cheng Feng said indifferently.

The crowd below the platform shouted in unison: "We do not know."

Cheng Feng smiled: "Perhaps some of you have already heard; those who can come here were selected by the Hong Sect as elite disciples. Now, the sect intends to cultivate its disciples and has brought out a high-level cultivation method for them to practice.

But this is a hard-body cultivation method; it is extremely difficult, the training is incredibly bitter, and the resources required are vast. If left to the disciples to bear individually, I fear they could not even afford the cost of the decoctions.

Therefore, the sect is prepared to establish a separate Henglian Hall, using this Secret Manual that can be cultivated to the True Qi Realm as a foundation to build the Hong Sect's special forces. You do not need to spend a single copper coin; you only need to train hard and resolve difficulties for the sect. Are you willing?"

Everyone said in unison: "We are willing."

"Good, you are all fine specimens. Next, Instructor Babai will supervise your training. You know how strict he is; I hope you achieve success as soon as possible.

Starting today, the monthly stipend for everyone in Henglian Hall will be double that of other disciples, meat will be supplied without limit for each person, and decoctions will be provided three times a day. I have already ordered the Earth Gate tokens to be forged; it depends on who among you can get your hands on one," Cheng Feng slowly released one bait after another.

As Cheng Feng's words fell, the entire Martial Arts Arena seemed to be swept by an invisible heatwave, and a light never seen before flickered in the disciples' eyes.

The crowd below the platform was boiling; with such good conditions, who wouldn't love it? Instructor Babai, that iron-blooded mentor known for his strictness, stood on the high platform at this moment, his eyes severe.

"Since everyone is willing, then, the training of Henglian Hall begins immediately!" Instructor Babai's voice resounded through the entire arena like thunder, his words filled with unquestionable power.

Immediately, he turned and gave a few instructions to his attendants. Several disciples moved quickly; some carried heavy stone locks, some laid out obstacle-filled tracks, and others were busy preparing various specially made training apparatuses.

"Remember, the path of hard-body training is not a one-day achievement. It requires you to hone your physical bodies in the harshest environments until your mortal flesh can compare to metal and stone. But please remember, a true powerhouse lies not only in the strength of power, but also in the resilience and unyielding nature of the spirit." Babai's words were like the morning bell and evening drum, striking the alarm in everyone's heart.

Cheng Feng had also discussed with Babai for a long time before settling on this strict atmosphere and phrasing.

The main point was still to establish the importance of Henglian Hall, with Cheng Feng planning and Babai executing; otherwise, if he really had to have a robot do something, it might have been truly difficult for it.

The days of training began, each one filled with challenges and sweat. Under Cheng Feng's strict planning, the disciples underwent various unimaginable physical training, from weighted long-distance running and cliff climbing to strike-resistance training; each item tested their limits.

At the same time, large quantities of supplements and decoctions were sent to the Martial Arts Arena in the Hong Sect's Rear Courtyard, which caused other Hong Sect disciples to gossip. Cheng Feng knew of this but did not intend to pay any mind.

Time will carve them into the shape they ought to be.

Time passed like a white horse galloping past a crevice; in the blink of an eye, two months had passed. The disciples of Henglian Hall had undergone earth-shaking changes through countless hammerings.

Their muscles were more solid, their skin seemed to contain the strength of steel, and more importantly, there was an added sense of determination in their eyes.

The Hong Sect's investment in them was visible to the naked eye; the weighted stone locks and such were one thing, but when three human-sized Nine-Colored Fire Tripods appeared, it terrified everyone.

This was money; using large tripods made of copper as training apparatuses made everyone realize how much the Hong Sect valued the hard-body cultivation method they were currently practicing.

If they couldn't train themselves into something decent, they feared they wouldn't even be able to pass their own internal hurdles.