Chapter 39: Force-Training Partners

After finishing his chores at home, Zhou You returned to the martial arts hall at noon.

Before leaving, he did not forget to tell his mother to have Song Fugui deliver oil regularly and show his face more often.

This act served as a warning to the Wild Fox Gang that he was looking after Song Fugui, the oil peddler, so they should not think about seeking revenge later.

After returning to the Outer Courtyard, Zhou You's status was no longer what it used to be; he was already a Zhengshi Xuitu.

On the way, he even encountered a few new faces—fresh students who had paid to enter the hall in recent days, just like he had been yesterday.

These new students were looking around with great curiosity, full of confidence in the future.

"So this is a Zhengshi Xuitu who has developed Force; he doesn't look particularly fierce either."

Zhou You heard the whispers of a few new students and shook his head with a smile.

A Zhengshi Xuitu has an independent personal room, spacious and tidy, with servants to clean and tidy up every day.

Inside the room are tables, chairs, and tea sets; when idle, one can push open the window to look out, and the environment is quite good, with trees and bamboo in the flower beds.

If one is thirsty in the middle of the night, there is a small stove under the windowsill to boil water and make tea.

Sponsored personally by Senior Brother Shen Sijing, the clothing, food, housing, and transportation for every Apprentice are all high-quality goods provided exclusively, making them comfortable to use.

Just for the clothing, shoes, and socks of a single season, there are five or six types of fabric materials, enough to fill an entire large clothing chest.

If one does not go out, one can also have the back kitchen deliver meals to the room, and there is someone to clear away the bowls and chopsticks after eating.

This is much more comfortable than the life of a new Apprentice.

What Zhou You cares more about is cultivation; can a Zhengshi Xuitu receive personal guidance from the Hall Master?

After becoming a full member, much of the martial arts hall's intelligence became accessible to him.

Lu Qiang, this Big Senior Brother, is truly the number one worker of the martial arts hall.

Originally, Zhou You thought that this Big Senior Brother only served as an introductory instructor for new Apprentices, but after becoming a full member, he learned that this was merely one of his part-time jobs.

Besides guiding new students in their initiation, he also has to provide guidance on the cultivation of Zhengshi Xuitu.

In addition to this, he also has to worry about and organize the Hall Master's industries both inside and outside the city.

It is no exaggeration to say that this Big Senior Brother manages most of the martial arts hall's affairs; he can be said to hold multiple positions.

According to the past stories circulating in the martial arts hall, when the Hall Master first arrived in Gongliang City, he was all alone, bringing only Lu Qiang with him, and their relationship far surpassed that of father and son.

"Working this hard, can he handle it?"

Zhou You thought to himself with doubt.

It is fortunate that Lu Qiang is a Blood-Qi martial artist; otherwise, at this intensity of work, he would have been exhausted long ago.

Several days later, Big Senior Brother Lu Qiang summoned him.

"Now that you have developed Force, you are qualified to be listed among the disciples of my Jian Xiong Martial Arts Hall, but remember well, this step is only the beginning."

Lu Qiang sized up Zhou You, surprised by the speed of his recovery.

Even with half a Mountain Monarch Life-Swapping Pill, it was still far beyond his expectations that Zhou You could dispel the evil Qi of the Void Specter and restore his bodily functions to normal in just a few short days.

"Big Senior Brother, please do not hesitate to instruct me on how to cultivate from here on."

Other Zhengshi Xuitu had been cultivating for a long time and already had considerable experience, and they were currently cultivating elsewhere.

As a newcomer, Zhou You still had to receive the first lesson from the Big Senior Brother.

"Upon first entering the realm of Force, you have opened the treasure vault of the physical body, allowing you to mobilize the body's potential and exert power far exceeding that of an ordinary person."

"However, the treasure is not for you to squander, but to be better utilized for yourself."

"Force comes from the potential of the flesh; only by combing through and refining every detail along the muscle fibers, blood vessel paths, and skeletal structure can one polish Force until it is perfect and fluid."

As Lu Qiang said this, he pulled an embroidery needle from his sleeve.

This needle was forged from refined steel, its eye as small as a sesame seed, and it was so detailed that it was almost invisible when pinched between his fingertips.

The tiny needle eye was only just large enough for a single strand of hair to pass through.

"Watch closely. Smashing a stone with Force is no great skill, but being able to condense Force to the thickness of a hair and pass it through the needle eye without damaging the fine needle—that is truly the kung fu of water dripping through stone."

Lu Qiang flicked his index finger, and his Force hissed as it broke through the air, actually transforming into a tiny, fine thread that passed exactly through the needle eye.

The steel needle fell into Zhou You's palm; he turned it over and over to examine it, and there was not a single scratch on the needle.

With Lu Qiang's strength, a surge of Force would have shattered the finely forged steel needle into dregs.

From this, it can be seen that his mastery of Force has already reached the level of pure perfection.

"Big Senior Brother, once Force reaches this stage, can one touch the threshold of Blood-Qi?"

Zhou You raised the question.

Lu Qiang tapped him on the forehead with a finger, "Aiming too high, you deserve a hit. Just cultivate with peace of mind."

The implication was that the stage of Force alone would be enough for him to cultivate for quite some time, and Blood-Qi was even further off in the distant future.

Yet Zhou You thought, is it really aiming too high?

He has the panel, and by taking it one step at a time, he does not believe he cannot reach the requirements for the Blood-Qi stage.

The cultivation of the Tiger-Subduing Fist from Level 10 to Level 20 still consisted of the original one hundred and eight moves, but it now included many orally transmitted secrets.

After cultivating Force, how does one apply it to the moves to multiply their power?

Where exactly are the tips for enhancing and polishing Force hidden in the details, and how should one cultivate to achieve twice the result with half the effort?

As the saying goes, a true transmission is but a single sentence, while a false transmission is ten thousand scrolls of books.

The instruction at the martial arts hall basically follows this pattern: progressing step by step and gradually opening up.

In fact, for new Apprentices who have not even developed Force, coming into contact with this is useless and would only add unnecessary trouble.

A case once circulated within the martial arts hall.

There was once a new Apprentice who could not break through to Force for a long time; seeing that the deadline was approaching, he inevitably had crooked thoughts and climbed over the wall to peek at the cultivation of the Zhengshi Xuitu, catching a glimpse of a tiny bit.

He thought he had dug up a treasure and practiced by following the pattern, but he ended up injuring his internal organs and vomiting blood incessantly, dying suddenly on the very night he was taken home.

Every new student must learn this case upon entry as a warning.

In the booklet on Zhou You, the content recorded by Lu Zhigang regarding his practice of Yanxing Quan described in detail the step-by-step process over these years.

"By the way, when honing your strength, the greatest taboo is to work behind closed doors."

"Sometimes if your practice is not up to standard and your movements become deformed, it is very easy to injure yourself."

"You and your sparring partner should practice together to learn from each other's strengths and make up for your own weaknesses; if you get injured, you can also help each other with massage and bone-setting."

Zhou You frowned; if it were like this, wouldn't there be no secrets at all?

He still needed to cultivate Yanxing Quan and could not let outsiders know; if he were with a sparring partner day and night, he would never be able to hide it.

However, he also knew that Lu Qiang was speaking with great reason.

"Since you have just become a regular member, I will assign you a sparring partner. Li Hao, come here."

Hearing Li Hao's name, Zhou You thought to himself that it was truly fate!

After Li Hao was called over and heard about the sparring partner arrangement, his expression was somewhat hesitant.

Lu Qiang said to the two of them, "You two became regular members the latest and your cultivation is still shallow, so it is just right to pair you up."

"Li Hao, you take care of Zhou You; from now on, he will spar with you at Diba Lianwuchang."

In the Outer Courtyard, the Big Senior Brother's orders could not be questioned!

Even though Li Hao was reluctant, he had no choice but to cup his hands and agree, "Zhou You, from now on you and I are sparring partners."

Each pair of sparring partners shared one training ground; before Zhou You arrived, Li Hao had Diba Lianwuchang all to himself.

However, Lu Qiang assigning him here had shattered his personal world.

After learning the inside story, Zhou You very much understood Li Hao's mood.

After all, if it were him, he would also prefer to occupy a spacious training ground alone rather than having a sparring partner by his side at all times.