After a few minutes of casual chat, Aunt Wu found an excuse to leave with Father Huo, leaving only Jiang Ting and Huo Yuanhong sitting opposite each other.
"Long time no see."
Huo Yuanhong picked up the teapot, and hot water streamed from the spout like a silver line, pouring into the cup.
"Indeed, we haven't seen each other since I went to The West to study seven years ago."
Jiang Ting, eighteen years old and in the prime of her youth, smiled faintly and said, "You joined the Martial Arts School to learn martial arts when you were only nine. Looking at your current demeanor, you seem quite like a martial artist. I suppose you've already reached Manifest Force?"
Manifest Force, Obscure Force, and Transformation Force are the four widely known Realms of martial arts!
In Tianjin, anyone who cultivates Manifest Force is already considered a master, one in a thousand.
Whether serving as a martial arts instructor for Powerful Families or as a chief of forces like the Cao Gang and Cart Driver Association, they can live a very comfortable life.
As for Obscure Force, that's a top-tier master, one in ten thousand, capable of scaling walls and killing invisibly. Even high-ranking officials would treat him as an honored guest.
"Manifest Force... I'm still a bit short, but I'm close," Huo Yuanhong said calmly.
Actually, although he outwardly entered the Martial Arts School at nine, from nine to nineteen, he never qualified to practice with an instructor. He could only force his exhausted body to practice a bit of boxing every night after returning home.
The total time he spent practicing martial arts over ten years might not even equal one or two months for those from Powerful Families!
Moreover, relying solely on self-practice, his efficiency was naturally far inferior to those from Powerful Families who had instructors' guidance.
To speak of serious martial arts practice, it only began last night! He had only practiced for less than a day!
Of course... with his rate of progress, he would certainly achieve Manifest Force today.
Even Obscure Force, and even Transformation Force, which most martial artists consider a lifelong pursuit!
For him, it would only take a little more time, perhaps two or three months would be enough.
If all goes well... before his twentieth birthday next year, he would at least achieve Transformation Force, becoming a Master-level Huajin Expert capable of opening a martial arts school in Tianjin!
He might even... most likely surpass Transformation Force and enter the Grandmaster Realm, sufficient to establish a sect!
Of course, currently, he hadn't yet reached Manifest Force; he was still less than a day away.
"Still not Manifest Force, huh..."
The light in Jiang Ting's eyes dimmed considerably, a little disappointed. "I heard that the four steps of practice before Manifest Force are 'strength originates from the root, Dominator by the waist, emitted from the spine, and manifested in the hands.' You should have already practiced to the fourth step—strength manifested in the hands, right?"
"No, I've completed the second step, though."
At his age, completing the second step was not uncommon, so Huo Yuanhong did not hide it.
"Oh."
Jiang Ting fell silent for a moment, unsure what to say.
Because of her childhood experiences, she admired martial arts masters and hoped that her future partner would be a martial artist who could provide a strong sense of security.
When she first saw Huo Yuanhong's steady and confident demeanor, she thought he was already a master.
She didn't expect that after practicing until he was nineteen, he had only completed the second step.
To complete all four steps and master Manifest Force, wouldn't he have to be in his thirties?
By the time he reached the peak of Manifest Force, he would probably be over fifty, with declining physical abilities and no hope of further Breakthrough. He would likely be stuck at Manifest Force for the rest of his life.
He might not even successfully enter Manifest Force, as the third step is notoriously difficult, and he could get stuck there.
Meanwhile, a senior student surnamed Yu, whom she admired in The West, began learning martial arts under a Master-level Huajin Expert a year ago. After only one year of training with his Master, he had already crossed the four steps of practice and completely mastered Manifest Force!
It was said that he had hopes of reaching Obscure Force within ten years, and even a chance to challenge Transformation Force within thirty years!
Compared to that, Jiang Ting felt greatly disappointed.
"I feel... you might have a talent for business. If you could focus on making a business big and strong, you could help your family more in the future."
"If you're interested in this, you could start by finding a job at my family's shop to get some practice..."
Although disappointed, out of their childhood friendship, Jiang Ting still offered a reminder.
She hoped the person in front of her would realize this sooner and try a different path.
As for Father Huo's desire to match them, in Jiang Ting's opinion, it was already impossible and not worth wasting any more time.
Not to mention her lack of interest, even if she were interested, her elders would never agree.
"Thank you, but no need. I still prefer practicing boxing," Huo Yuanhong said calmly.
After a few more forced conversations, the two fell silent again.
"I have an appointment with the school this morning to handle enrollment procedures. I'll head over now. Let's meet again sometime."
Jiang Ting stood up and said politely.
"Alright, take care."
After seeing off his first blind date, Huo Yuanhong returned to the small training room.
He ate a few spoonfuls of medicinal paste, applied new poultices.
He squatted slightly, his horse stance firm and steady, and continued practicing against the old sandbag.
"Strength originates from the root, Dominator by the waist, emitted from the spine, and manifested in the hands!"
What he was practicing now was the third step—strength emitted from the spine!
【Baji Quan (Practice Force 63/100)】
【Baji Quan (Practice Force 64/100)】
【Baji Quan (Practice Force 65/100)】
As the status displayed on the panel continuously updated, Huo Yuanhong's understanding of Baji Quan deepened.
"My spine is a bit stiff, and the power is stuck in the lumbar vertebrae, making it difficult to ascend. I can try Cat-Cow stretch to activate the spine!"
Huo Yuanhong got down on all fours, imitating a cat stretching.
This was a method of exercising the spine he had heard Disciples in the martial arts school mention, but when ordinary people practiced it, they had to be supervised by a master to avoid mishaps and severe sequelae.
Previously, he could only grope his way, so naturally, he couldn't practice such a relatively profound technique.
But now it was different!
His boxing skills would never regress; they would always advance in the most correct direction, meaning he didn't have to worry about making mistakes!
As long as he practiced, there would inevitably be positive gains!
"Inhale—! Exhale—! Inhale—! Exhale—!"
Huo Yuanhong recalled the key points of the movement: lowering his head and arching his back, tucking his tailbone inward on the inhale; raising his head and arching his lower back, flipping his tailbone outward on the exhale.
Through this method, he sequentially moved his cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral vertebrae, among other parts.
This method of activating the small joints of the spine, for an ordinary person, would take at least two or three months to see results!
But with his one part sweat, three hundred sixty-five parts reward, coupled with his never-regressing divine ability.
In just one or two hours, Huo Yuanhong's spine went from being stiff to extremely flexible!
"Let's see how effective it is."
This time, when Huo Yuanhong exerted force, not only did his waist and stance become one, but his spine also tensed and stretched like a Great Dragon, connecting joint by joint!
In the most efficient way, the explosive force from stomping his foot and the power generated by twisting his waist were transmitted to his upper body.
Bang!
The fist print on the sandbag had deepened from one inch to one point two inches!
【Baji Quan (Practice Force 85/100)】
"The power flows along the spine, connecting joint by joint like a Dragon or a snake. No wonder martial artists often consider the spine a Great Dragon!"
"Its core lies in transmitting the force from the lower limbs pushing off the ground to the upper limbs through the sequential linkage of the spine, achieving the effect of integrated power!"
Huo Yuanhong suddenly understood.
Now, he had mastered the Baji Quan's stomping, the unity of waist and stance, and the spinal transmission corresponding to the first three steps.
As long as he connected the final 'manifested in the hands,' he would be able to fully unleash Manifest Force!
By this time, it was already past noon.
Huo Yuanhong went to the kitchen, planning to casually heat up two steamed buns to fill his stomach.
Passing by the living room, he heard his father and Aunt Wu's voices from inside.
"Big Brother Huo, there's something I don't know if I should tell you?"
"What is it?"
"Just now, I asked someone to inquire at Wen Jian Martial Arts School. A Hong... he has been expelled from the Martial Arts School, and he never became a formal Disciple before; he's always been an apprentice, with no instructor willing to take him on..."
"..."
His father's voice was silent for a while before sounding again, "Actually, when A Hong told me he was doing well at the Martial Arts School and had become a formal Disciple, I knew he was lying... I also knew that he had been deceiving me all these years, that he was actually having a difficult time at the Martial Arts School... I know the Junzi Jian he followed before. Every year, I would send money, begging that Junzi Jian to look after A Hong... even if he didn't look after him, at least not bully him too much..."
"Big Brother Huo, I know you can't bear it, but... this isn't a long-term solution. In a month, poor families won't be able to practice martial arts anymore. A Hong is not young anymore; you can't keep pretending with him..."
Aunt Wu sighed.
"...Let A Hong come to terms with it... This child loves practicing boxing the most, he's loved it since he was little, but I'm just a laborer, I don't have the ability to find him a good Master..."
His father's voice was a bit hoarse, "All I can do is play along with him... These past few days, I found him an easy job at the cart company. When he comes to terms with it, he can go work there. Everyone at the cart company are old brothers, and the boss is a good person. At least he won't be bullied..."
Listening to his father's voice gradually fading, Huo Yuanhong felt conflicted and silently turned to leave.
He ate two steamed buns in the kitchen, then took a few spoonfuls of medicinal paste before returning to the small training room.
"Only one last step until Manifest Force!"
He seemed to enter a state of self-forgetfulness, his mind clear and empty, throwing out punch after punch, leaving fist prints on the sandbag!
Before the previous inch-deep fist print could recover, the next punch struck the same spot, deepening the print even further.
One point two inches! One point three inches! One point four inches! One point five inches!... The fist prints grew deeper and deeper, unable to return to their original state. Huo Yuanhong seemed to be in a frenzy, his boxing skills skyrocketing in his state of self-forgetfulness!
【Baji Quan (Practice Force 86/100)】
【Baji Quan (Practice Force 87/100)】
...【Baji Quan (Practice Force 98/100)】
【Baji Quan (Practice Force 99/100)】
"Hah!"
Until one moment, Huo Yuanhong suddenly had an epiphany, stomping his foot hard. The explosive force from his foot colliding with the ground, combined with the twisting of his waist, surged into his spine, transmitting upwards along his spine, which stretched like a Great Dragon.
At the same time, his fist, drawn back to his waist, driven by the power of his lower back, spine, and waist, shot out like a spear!
His leg, waist, spine, arm, and fist formed a straight line, and the dominant force unique to Baji Quan condensed into a single line, focused on one point, and poured out from his fist!
Bang!!!
The sandbag was directly punched into a crater, exploding, sending sand and pebbles flying, hitting the walls and floor, and filling the air with dust.
Manifest Force... achieved!