Chapter 67: Arrange

"Gu Haoran, Jiang Zhenhai, and Zhou Yuanfei lead the first tier. Following them were Liu Rufeng, Zhu He, Gao Liushui, Han Li, and Jiang Qushan in the second tier. The remaining Core Formation experts can be categorized into the third tier."

While inside Fang Lingjue's car, Li Pin constantly flipped through the intelligence Jiang Qingyue had gathered. He paid particular attention to the information regarding Gu Haoran and Jiang Zhenhai.

Li Pin was filled with excitement as he perused the documents. "An expert from the capital city! As the kingdom's capital, that city is bound to be filled with truly formidable martial artists! Not to mention Core Force, even if a Core Formation expert established a martial hall there, he will definitely still be squeezed out from there! The experts nurtured under those circumstances... how strong exactly will they be?"

"Are you heading home or to the martial hall?" Fang Lingjue asked.

"It's still early. I'll go to the martial hall," Li Pin replied. "I gained some insights from my match against Chang Yueming. I plan to practice."

"More practice?" Fang Lingjue took a glance at the car monitor. "It's already 9 PM. Make sure to rest well. You have matches tomorrow."

"I'll manage my time," Li Pin assured.

"Alright," replied Fang Lingjue, not pressing further.

Suddenly, Fang Lingjue seemed to have recalled something, and he said, "Oh, by the way, your Concentration Incense has arrived."

Li Pin nodded. "Oh, ok."

"Speaking of which, what did you buy the Concentration Incense for? Are you planning to meditate on the Astral God and see if you are an Astral Cultivator held up by martial arts?" Fang Lingjue asked jokingly.

"It's just for more efficient meditation, " Li Pin said.

Fang Lingjue had only asked casually. Concentration Incense had a wide range of applications. Everyone had a use for it, be it common folk or Astral Cultivators. They could all use the Concentration Incense to help them enter a meditative state.

Of course, Concentration Incense came with a hefty price tag, costing tens of thousands for a single stick. Its optimal effect lasted only for an hour. However, it could still be used for the next three or five hours after that. It just won't be as potent as it was when it was still burning.

The wealthy would use one per day. As for the Top-Tier Astral Cultivators... they would have one lit almost every second.

Very soon, the car arrived at the Jiang Province branch of the Changfeng Martial Hall.

Due to the materials used in its construction, the Jiang Province branch still retained some lingering scents from the renovations. However, this had no effect on the two Core Formation martial artists.

Li Pin didn't hesitate as he headed directly to the training room reserved for him, the master of the branch. There, in silence, he reflected on every detail of his encounter with Chang Yueming.

"Double-layered Force."

Li Pin focused, carefully recalling the shock and tearing sensations in his arm when Chang Yueming struck it with his Force, along with the low hum generated when Chang Yueming's force resonated with his muscles and bones.

After a few minutes, he abruptly made his move, thrusting his palm against the punching bag.

Boom-boom!

The punching bag wobbled slightly.

"No, it should be like this."

Li Pin continued to comprehend it, making adjustments.

After a few minutes of pondering, he thrust his palm once again.

This time, the punching bag wobbled less than before, but Li Pin was undeterred.

Observing his own changes and summing up his experience, he unleashed his force once again for the third, fourth, sixth, and tenth times.

Finally, after a little over an hour, the punching bag that was struck made a second wobble after wobbling for less than half a second, as if some unknown force had erupted from the inside, inflicting another bout of damage.

Li Pin smiled. "So that's how it is."

The secret behind the double-layered Force had unfolded before his eyes.

He quietly focused on his attributes. Due to not erupting his Blood Core, his qi and blood levels didn't increase significantly, but his Aura Force progressed to twenty points. In numeric terms, that would be [Aura Cultivation:+4].

This was partly due to him not activating the resonance of his organs to unleash the Five Elements Unity, a strike akin to that of an Aura Force.

It wasn't that he didn't want to unleash it. Despite being strong, Chang Yueming was at most only on par with Fang Lingjue. He was maybe slightly weaker than Demonic Sand, and that wasn't strong enough to force Li Pin to use it.

I need to be stronger. Fighting against these people can help me gain experience more effectively.

It would be ideal if he could spar with someone at Xiang Yi's level. If he did, it would probably take him three to five bouts to fully master the Aura Cultivation realm. After all, he previously didn't have the qualifications to meet Core Formation experts. Whether it was Transformative Force or Core Force, he had relied solely on himself to figure it out through trial and error.

It's as if someone who never attended school managed to graduate from high school through trial and error. However, now that he had come to this world and had acquired ancient scrolls from the market, as well as various techniques from the Five Elements Sect, it was as if he had finally obtained a textbook and a direction for studying.

Engaging repeatedly with Core Formation martial artists and experiencing the mystical sensations of forces colliding and creating tremors across his own body undoubtedly allowed him to put the theoretical knowledge he had studied into practical use.

Coupled with the enhancement in his innate "Clairvoyance" gift, his progress naturally surged by leaps and bounds.

At this moment, he recalled his practice of the double-layered Force from a moment ago.

"The double-layered Force excels in its unpredictability and its ability to catch opponents off guard. However, when used individually, its power not only fails to increase but actually diminishes," Li Pin pondered aloud.

It was essentially a technique that inflicted two instances of damage in one strike. The first strike would deliver seventy percent of its power, while the second delivered fifty percent.

While this might seem like a twenty percent overall increase in overall impact, when it was employed against grandmasters who were protected by Aura Force, even if the second wave managed to penetrate their defenses, it wouldn't inflict significant damage. From this perspective, this type of force only worked most effectively against opponents of equal or lesser level in Force.

Chang Yueming's defeat in my hand is the best example.

Li Pin contemplated, and very soon, he came up with a new idea.

The double-layered Force inherently belongs to the realm of finesse and subtlety. In combat, it's effective primarily against opponents of equal or lower skill level. Therefore, why not reframe it as a supportive technique?

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

By harnessing the layered effect of the double-layered Force, he could repeatedly drive the qi and blood within his body, accumulating it for a higher impact in its subsequent eruption, akin to waves stacking upon waves.

"That's a promising approach, using the stacking waves method to deliver a devastating blow on my next attack...." mused Li Pin.

As for figuring out the specifics of how to execute it while ensuring no self-harm, he would have to rely on his innate talent to experiment with it.

***

After training at the Changfeng Martial Hall until nearly eleven, Li Pin walked back home.

The vast mansion appeared eerily quiet.

He checked the time. "The day after tomorrow is the weekend. I can have the family come over to familiarize themselves with the place."

With this thought in mind, he took a shower, changed into fresh clothes, and then... he didn't rush to sleep.

He still had another idea that needed verification.

Without delay, he went to the training room and lit the Concentration Incense.

Soon, he felt his mind becoming exceptionally clear.

Everyone knows that human thought transmission is essentially the transmission of countless electronic signals between neurons. Concentration Incense enhances meditation effectiveness. If I can fundamentally analyze the principles behind the Concentration Incense's enhancement of meditation and further amplify this effect... I might uncover the essence of mental spirit.

Li Pin concentrated deeply. In an instant, his cognitive senses seemed immersed in a vast universe composed entirely of electronic signals.

This is where the core organ of human beings resides.

The brain!