Chapter 52: Going Out Of The City (I)

Lin Zheyu rested for a while and recovered some of his strength. Then, he took out two sets of herbs from the house, placed them into the medicine cauldron, and began decocting them. He stretched his muscles and bones during the intervals of decoction.

Two hours later, the courtyard was filled with the fragrance of herbs. After several rounds of decoction, all of the medicinal power within the herbs was extracted.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound of knocking came from outside just as Lin Zheyu was about to drink the medicinal decoction to begin improving his strength.

Something happened again?

Lin Zheyu was puzzled.

The Tortoise Breath Grand Method quietly circulated, concealing all fluctuations in blood qi caused by his recent training.

He opened the door, and saw a junior member of the Feihong Gang standing there.

"Brother Yu, this is your invitation."

"

Mm

, thank you." Lin Zheyu accepted the invitation with a smile and said, "Would you like to come in for some tea?"

"You are too kind. Being able to deliver the invitation to you is my honor. I am not thirsty," replied the man with a smile.

Lin Zheyu did not insist further and opened the invitation to read it.

"Funing[1] Garden? Leader Xu really does value me," muttered Lin Zheyu.

At the end of every year, the Feihong Gang would host a banquet for its members. People like Jia Yanyong and Xie Jiang usually went to the Fuhe Garden. As for the ordinary members, each Organ Forging Realm leader would arrange their own place to host a feast.

The Funing Garden, however, was where the Xu Family, Ren Family, Chen Family, and other esteemed families held their banquets, attended only by important figures.

The banquet would begin at noon three days later, so there was no rush. Lin Zheyu put away the invitation and drank the medicinal decoction he had prepared earlier.

His strength had reached the Blood Qi Realm. His five viscera had undergone two rounds of tempering through the Golden Goose Technique and the Tortoise Breath Grand Method, long since meeting the requirements for the Barbaric Ox Fist to strengthen.

Just tempering his pair of arms required the medicinal power of two sets of Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction to be sufficient.

After all, upon reaching the Blood Qi Realm, the muscles, tendons, skin, and bones would gradually strengthen each day under the tempering of blood qi. His arms were already close to reaching the iron-like toughness of the Bone Forging Realm.

A thought emerged,

Use three units of Origin Force to enhance the Barbaric Ox Fist.

Mysterious energy surged forth, and his mind entered a special state. The mysterious energy drew out the medicinal power from the decoction, channeling it into his arms to temper and strengthen the amuscles, tendons, skin, and bones.

Crackling sounds of tendon-bone resonance echoed from his arms, growing denser and denser. Meanwhile, his chest rose and fell as the breathing method of the Barbaric Ox Fist circulated, and with each inhale and exhale, the faint sound of an ox's bellow could be heard.

Lin Zheyu's spirit was immersed in endless practice. He felt as if he had become a barbaric ox, stomping his hooves and taking the initiative to attack powerful lions, tigers, and leopards. This time, he maintained clarity of mind, yet his bravery was unparalleled. Even if his opponents were stronger, even if they were more than one, he still brimmed a overwhelming confidence and will.

Through relentless combat and endless practice, an unstoppable domineering aura gradually rose from him, filled with the essence of wildness. Wildness was not recklessness, but an unyielding will and self-belief, fearless no matter how strong the enemy, and conviction to charge forward with essence, qi, and spirit. This fist momentum grew stronger and more terrifying, enveloping him and making others unable to look directly at him.

After a few seconds passed, he opened his eyes. The aura around him vanished completely, while a terrifying gleam shone in his gaze. Compared to just moments ago, an indescribable new temperament now surrounded him. He seemed to carry greater confidence, a stronger momentum to charge forward, and faint traces of invincible self-belief and domineering spirit.

"This fist technique is incredible! So this is fist momentum? Marvelous, truly marvelous! And within this fist momentum, the essence is... Wildness?" muttered Lin Zheyu softly, as a powerful aura suddenly burst forth from his body.

Within that aura surged unstoppable momentum, brimming with fearless confidence and the essence of wildness. If this aura continued to grow, it would transform completely into an extremely domineering intent! It would be the indomitable will of one who believed in his own invincibility!

Beneath my fist, I am the truth!

This Barbaric Ox Fist is anything but simple,

said Lin Zheyu inwardly.

Even when he had cultivated the Golden Goose Technique to the Blood Qi Realm, he had not produced any momentum. He even suspected that reaching the eighth stage would still not bring it forth. Meanwhile, the Barbaric Ox Fist was nothing more than a crude, unranked technique—one that could help its user reach the Organ Forging Realm at best. Yet from it, he had actually cultivated fist momentum. That was truly extraordinary.

[Heaven Rewards the Diligent]

[Name: Lin Zheyu]

[Origin Force: 0]

[Skills: Barbaric Ox Fist (Perfection), Golden Goose Technique (Fourth Stage: 67%), Tortoise Breath Grand Method (Third Stage: 1%), Sixfold Saber (Competence: 35%)]

Lin Zheyu looked at the data within his consciousness and saw that the Barbaric Ox Fist had reached Perfection. As he had expected, three units of Origin Force were perfectly enough. In truth, a little more than two units would have sufficed.

While in that special state, he had spent about three-quarters of the allotted time to train the Barbaric Ox Fist to Perfection. The remaining time he used to consolidate, continue comprehending the fist technique, and deepen his grasp of fist momentum.

This fist technique that has accompanied me the longest has finally reached Perfection.

Lin Zheyu gazed at the data in his consciousness, a trace of emotion surfacing on his face. The very first technique he had ever learned was the Barbaric Ox Fist, and even Liang Song himself had never cultivated it to Perfection.

Liang Song specialized in the Golden Goose Technique, with all his skill focused on his legs. The Barbaric Ox Fist was merely a fist technique he had come across by chance during his travels and only studied briefly.

In Liang Song's eyes, it was nothing more than a third-rate martial technique, so he never gave it much importance. Whenever someone he took a liking to came to seek instruction, he would teach them third-rate techniques like the Barbaric Ox Fist.

Lin Zheyu had also started this way, first learning the Barbaric Ox Fist. Later, seeing Lin Zheyu's astonishing natural talent, Liang Song decided to formally take him as a disciple and taught him his signature Golden Goose Technique. After learning the Golden Goose Technique, Lin Zheyu devoted all his focus into it, investing all his Origin Force into improving this set of leg techniques.

Fist momentum... fist momentum... If I continue to comprehend it, I might be able to grasp intent from it,

pondered Lin Zheyu.

He rose, went into the courtyard, and continued practicing the Barbaric Ox Fist. Even though it had reached Perfection, it could still be improved further. But without a path left behind by the technique's creator, Lin Zheyu would have to comprehend, evolve, and create his own way forward.

"Barbaric... Wildness... invincible self... domineering..." he murmured under his breath.

In the courtyard, he swung his fists, each one shrouded in powerful fist momentum. As his thoughts shifted, the momentum began to change as well.

Momentum was the embryonic form of intent, and intent was the essential comprehension required to advance from the Marrow Refining Realm to the Force Transformation Realm. Countless martial artists were stuck at the Marrow Refining Realm, unable to advance, precisely because they failed to comprehend an intent of their own.

Lin Zheyu wanted to see if he could fully comprehend this fist momentum and cultivate an intent that belonged solely to him.

Bang, bang, bang.

The courtyard resounded with heavy thuds. After the Barbaric Ox Fist had been elevated to Perfection, it could now withstand massive outbursts of blood qi. As blood qi poured into his arms, the muscles bulged, veins protruded, and terrifying explosive force brewed within them.

The fist momentum he had comprehended swirled around him, awe-inspiring and infused with boundless confidence and strength. Under the weight of this momentum, anyone with a weak will would be unable to bring out even half their strength.

Bang, bang, bang.

The sounds echoed through the small courtyard, lasting for an hour before finally subsiding.

No, turning fist momentum into fist intent is far too difficult. Besides, this momentum hasn't yet been pushed to its limit. To transform momentum into intent, I must first elevate it to the absolute extreme.

Lin Zheyu panted lightly as deep thought flickered in his eyes.

He rested for a while, changed into fresh clothes, and headed out. Obsessing over dead ends would never lead to fist intent; it would only cause him to fall to inner demons. It would be just like before, where he trained the barbaric ox into a mad ox that fell into a frenzy.

1. 福 (fú) means blessing, fortune, prosperity and 宁 (níng) means peace, tranquility, stability. Together, it conveys the meaning of 'blessed peace' or 'prosperous tranquility.' ☜