Chapter 169: Two-Body Tiger Form Fist: Tiger Roar Jade

Life suddenly became leisurely...

Zhou You using his illness as an excuse was just a pretext, but his parents took it seriously, insisting he lie in bed to recuperate day and night; they served three meals a day plus medicinal decoctions right to his bedside, stuffed a chamber pot into his bedding, and gave him no chance to get out of bed.

His father went to work at the firm during the day, and his mother sat at the doorway doing needlework, guarding against him getting out of bed and wandering around.

The scope of Zhou You's activities was limited to pacing around his bedroom of less than 10 square meters whenever his mother wasn't paying attention.

In this situation, let alone practicing martial arts, even moving his limbs was barely possible.

No wonder there is a saying that injury and illness are the great enemies of martial artists; those who have experienced it personally all suffer from diminished strength and rusty techniques.

If one were to live at this pace for half a year, one would gain at least 40 to 50 pounds, and one wouldn't even be able to swing a fist.

However...

"Heaven-Nurturing Vitality Art!"

Zhou You sat cross-legged on the bed in his undergarments, feeling the microscopic adjustments of the flesh and blood tissues within his body.

Recently, battles had been frequent and intense, and every opponent he encountered was a formidable enemy.

His body was covered in wounds of all sizes; even after the skin grew back and healed, the hidden dangers of old injuries remained deep beneath the surface of his body.

It didn't look like much for now, but if it accumulated over time, the quantitative change would eventually trigger a qualitative change, leading to an avalanche-like outcome.

At best, his cultivation realm would stagnate; at worst, his body would be ruined, and he would perish.

Many martial artists who fought recklessly in their youth spend their middle and old age desperately trying to nourish their health and supplement their bodies for this very reason.

Even steel machines suffer from wear and tear, let alone a living person of flesh and blood?

The concept of the Heaven-Nurturing Vitality Art is very high-minded: it starts regulating the body while one's strength is still meager, so one doesn't have to wait until the damage is irreparable to make amends.

It's just that, while the logic is sound, it isn't applicable to many people.

Take someone like Zhou You, who comes from an ordinary family and hopes to change his fate through martial arts; once he grabs an opportunity, he has to go all out. When push comes to shove, how could he worry about this or that? You have to seize the present to look toward the future! Zhou You has the panel, which makes him an outlier, and only then does he have the qualifications to cultivate the Heaven-Nurturing Vitality Art as well.

If it were someone else, even if they had the chance to obtain this technique, they would choose to give up because of the high investment, low return, and the distant, uncertain goal.

"Hmm, this technique is best suited for pampered aristocratic scions."

Take Qi Fengzhang, for example; his family provides countless experts to guard his safety, he rarely has opportunities to take action himself, he has no urgent need to protect his life, and he has plenty of time to cultivate.

Thinking again that this technique comes from an aristocratic family...

Zhou You guessed that the two great aristocratic families had obtained many benefits from the destruction of the Heaven-Nurturing Sect, and after all these years, they must have already digested and absorbed them.

It's just that he doesn't know if there are any experts at the Strong Martial Level within the aristocratic families? He cast aside all distracting thoughts and focused on his cultivation.

Day by day, Experience Points were steadily credited, like the water level slowly rising in the bottom of a dry well.

Besides this, Zhou You was surprised to find that his Tiger Jade Art had not only not been neglected, but its progress was no worse than usual.

He couldn't figure it out, until he inadvertently swept his gaze over the Hungry Tiger painting on the wall.

Every time he looked at that ferocious hungry tiger, he had new insights; if he stared for a long time, it was as if his whole body and mind entered the world of the painting, confronting the hungry tiger.

When dreaming at night, he could even dream of a hungry tiger poised to pounce amidst the wild hills and chaotic world.

Zhou You understood: the terrifying aspect of the hungry tiger is like a blade in its sheath; this state of being about to strike but not yet doing so is a 'momentum' that is a level higher than mere strength.

Using strength as a foundation and momentum to pressure others—this is a battle tactic, and also a principle of martial arts.

Being able to comprehend something at this level from a painting also provides a parallel improvement to his martial arts.

The lurking and forbearance of the hungry tiger is a process of storing momentum; the longer it endures, the more ferocious the lethality when it finally strikes.

"Hungry and waiting to swallow, its momentum is boundless!"

A flash of inspiration struck Zhou You's mind: he could also research this principle of charging up a big move! Looking at the situation, the White Tiger Seven Kills wasn't meant for him; if they won't teach it, they won't teach it—he'll just create his own!

"The hungry tiger lies dormant, brewing like a blade in its sheath; hidden for ten years, one strike breaks the firmament." "Ordinary ultimate moves are outward-releasing types; I will imitate the form and essence of the hungry tiger, and once the move is unleashed, it will be an endless swallowing and compression."

The more Zhou You thought about it, the more possible it seemed, and he named this ultimate move that hadn't yet taken shape 'Tiger Roar Jade'.

A single tiger roar, earth-shaking, inward-restrained swallowing, a ten-directional absolute kill.

This move imitates the roar of a dormant tiger exploding into a hunt; it looks like an ordinary Qi blast, but in reality, it is an inward-swallowing suction, which will definitely catch people off guard.

Upon reaching the mid-stage of Qi and blood, the body is further strengthened, Qi and blood are folded and compressed, and the speed of breathing and exhaling becomes as fast as a sharp arrow.

Zhou You noticed this change and decided to make use of it.

After he mastered the Outer Profound Heart, his two heartbeats overlapped, his pulse became more powerful, his breathing intensity doubled, and he possessed an advantage.

It is conceivable that if he suddenly let out a loud shout when facing an enemy, the Tiger Roar Jade would surely be the finishing blow.

One day at noon...

His mother was in the outer room cleaning the floor, and sunlight shone through the window from outside.

"Senior Brother Zhou, is it convenient to talk now?"

Zuo Shier's voice was projected from outside the wall.

"Yes."

Zhou You opened the window, and the two began to converse through it.

During this period, Zhou You was recuperating at home and it was inconvenient for him to go out to handle matters, so he entrusted everything to Zuo Shier.

He also kept a constant watch on the situation at the martial arts hall, as well as the situation in the outside world. "Senior Brother Zhou, at first outsiders thought you were feigning illness, but you haven't shown your face for these days, and many eyes have been watching for many days; seeing that you don't step out of your front door or cross your second gate, they all guess that you are truly seriously injured."

Skull-Splitting Tiger Zhong Shaoying was also a well-known Qi and blood martial artist in the city; his strength had been verified through combat, and he was a recognized Qi and blood expert.

It was impossible for Zhou You to have killed Zhong Shaoying without being unscathed; his performance during this period was clearly the result of both sides suffering.

Zhou You's heart stirred, and he countered by asking, "The word has already been spread; has there been any change in the city?"

His current state of 'recuperating from injuries' was truly a good time to strike.

If the Life-Transforming Charm wanted to get food, wouldn't he be the best target?

"There is indeed; a family of Qi and blood martial artists in the east of the city was wiped out, and it's more than fifty miles away from here."

"Hmm, this family belongs to the Panshi Martial Arts Hall."

Zuo Shier explained, "The City Gate Guard went to look, but so far there are no leads."

He also revealed a piece of news: Lu Jianqing heard that he was seriously injured and was becoming restless.

Zhou You perked up upon hearing this; why hadn't he come to seek revenge? It would be perfect to wait for the rabbit by the tree and eliminate future trouble.

That way, he would also have a legitimate reason, counting as self-defense!

"The Master watches him like a hawk, personally providing Instruction in fist techniques and internal energy day and night."

Zuo Shier looked at Zhou You, "Senior Brother Zhou, the Master treats him like a precious treasure and will absolutely not allow even the slightest mishap."

The answer was obvious: Wang Laohu knew Zhou You was not injured, and this move was to feign weakness, using himself as bait to plot something.

Therefore, he suppressed Lu Jianqing's petty thoughts and focused entirely on supporting him in his cultivation and growth, so he could inherit the family business.

Zhou You exhaled; it was such a pity that as long as he could not reach the Martial Master realm, he could not bypass the old man.

For the remaining time, the two exchanged insights on practicing fist techniques, further refining the concept of merging the two fists.

It was preliminarily decided that this brand-new fist technique would be named the Double Body Tiger Form Fist.

(End of chapter)