Xu Guang frowned slightly. Someone was asking about him? He had kept a very low profile lately. Ever since he began practicing martial arts, he had stuck to a highly predictable routine, rarely interacting with others. Offending someone was completely out of the question.
"Wang Ming, do you know who is asking about me?"
Wang Ming shook his head. "I had someone look into it, but there’s no news yet."
Seeing that Wang Ming was also unsure, Xu Guang did not ask further. Given his low profile over the past few years, anyone he might have offended would mostly be nobodies. With his current strength, he did not fear such people. However, Wang Ming’s words served as a reminder; he could not drop the habit of carrying a saber when going out.
"You don’t need to worry either. On my turf, do you really think I’d let you suffer a loss?" Wang Ming was in a good mood. His wife’s younger brother had become very promising ever since he started practicing martial arts. Not only was his Cultivation going smoothly, but he had also improved his family’s living conditions.
Although he had been willing to let Xu Chun secretly support the Xu Family over the years, he was still very happy that Xu Guang could now give back.
"Come on, stand up. Let me see how your training has been going lately."
Xu Guang waved his hands repeatedly. "Wang Ming, I’ve been polishing my foundation lately. I haven’t practiced Techniques, combat, or footwork much."
"Cut the crap. You’re a Martial Artist, stop whining like a little girl and stand up," Wang Ming’s voice was a bit gruff.
Helpless, Xu Guang assumed a stance and said with some concern, "Wang Ming, I’ve achieved Skin Grinding Mastery. Be careful."
Wang Ming didn’t really believe it. He fancied himself the number one genius of the Wang Family, and even then, he couldn’t remember how long it took him to finish Skin Polishing. How long had Xu Guang even been training? With this in mind, Wang Ming extended his left hand and beckoned slightly. "Come on, hit me."
Xu Guang no longer hesitated. He immediately clenched his fist and attacked Wang Ming’s face.
The Golden Willow Skill was not just a pure Cultivation Technique; it also included the complementary Golden Willow Step Method, Gale Fist Technique, and Torrential Rain Swordsmanship. After Xu Guang’s Bloodline Power awakened, his strength far exceeded that of ordinary people. He didn’t really like lightweight weapons like swords. His most frequently practiced skills were the Golden Willow Step Method and the Gale Fist Technique. Most importantly, he didn’t even own a sword.
This punch was precisely the Demon Wind Slams the Door from the Gale Fist Technique.
Wang Ming shifted his body, effortlessly dodging Xu Guang’s punch. He then struck out with both palms, alternating between feints and real strikes, constantly changing his trajectory in mid-air. This series of dazzling variations left Xu Guang a bit unsure of how to respond. Although he had killed before, his victims were all ordinary people—at best, guys like Ma San, who had practiced a bit of boxing but achieved nothing.
Wang Ming was different. He was from the Government Office. Although Feiyun City had been generally peaceful overall in recent years, dark undercurrents surged beneath the surface with constant gang violence. Wang Ming himself was long accustomed to slaughter and possessed extremely rich combat experience.
Xu Guang did not dare to underestimate Wang Ming. Clenching his fists, he swung wildly through the air like a raging storm. The Gale Fist Technique got its name from this very characteristic.
However, Wang Ming’s right palm suddenly shot out through the dense flurry of fists, striking Xu Guang squarely on the body. Xu Guang couldn’t help but stumble back a few steps. Yet he also fiercely grabbed Wang Ming’s palm and forcefully threw a punch.
Wang Ming neither dodged nor evaded, raising his left palm to meet the fist.
SMACK!
The two of them stumbled back a few steps at almost the exact same time.
"Your Gale Fist is barely passable, but who taught you to rigidly follow the Boxing Manual during a real fight?" Wang Ming rubbed his palm and couldn’t help but scold him, though his eyes were filled with amusement. "You little punk, you really did it! In just over three months, you actually achieved Skin Grinding Mastery? Your strength is no joke."
The Skin Grinding Realm gave off a distinct sensation upon physical contact during a fight. From the palm strike that had landed on Xu Guang’s chest earlier, Wang Ming could clearly feel a noticeable sluggishness in his Palm Force. He was genuinely happy for Xu Guang. He could tell that if Xu Guang’s combat awareness were honed a bit, he wouldn’t easily lose out even against a Martial Artist who had just begun Bone Forging.
Although he was a member of the Wang Family, he had received very few resources growing up. After marrying Xu Chun, there was a period when he spent a lot of time with Xu Guang. Even his decision to join the Government Office was based on Xu Guang’s suggestion. Xu Guang had claimed that a government post was the ultimate goal in life.
Joining the Government Office became the first thing he had ever asked the Wang Family for in his entire life, and it was only from then on that he truly had the opportunity to come into contact with the Martial Dao. He was truly glad that Xu Guang was improving and achieving success.
Xu Guang hadn’t thought that far ahead. He just inwardly sighed, realizing that armchair strategies and training in a vacuum were indeed unsuited for Martial Dao Cultivation.
"Wang Ming, you’re really amazing. Even Abnormal People at the same Realm as you probably aren’t your match, right?"
Hearing this, the smile on Wang Ming’s face grew even wider. He never denied being a shallow man; he loved hearing flattery and showing off his prowess.
"You can’t exactly say that. Erlang, you haven’t been practicing Cultivation for long, so you don’t know the ins and outs of how a Martial Artist fights. Since you’ve achieved Skin Grinding Mastery, let me explain it to you.
"Do you know what the most crucial element is in a clash between Martial Artists?" Wang Ming had no habit of keeping people in suspense, answering before Xu Guang could even ask.
"The Government Office has summarized that the most important factors are foundation, external power, Will, and Eye Power. Among them, foundation is the most critical, accounting for over fifty percent. This includes personal physical fitness, the richness of vitality and blood, as well as the power of Abnormal People. All of these are highly important. Physical fitness varies from person to person. For example, even within Skin Polishing, some have greater strength, while others have greater speed; every individual is different. Next is vitality and blood, which is the most crucial element above Bone Forging. It dictates Realm progression, and you can think of it as... stamina.
"Finally, there’s Bloodline Power. This thing can be ridiculously strong. Some can finish off an opponent in the same Realm with a single punch—like General Giant Spirit. Rumor has it that during his Bone Forging Realm, he once fought a hundred men alone, proving himself a true hundred-man slayer. On the other hand, some powers are just awkward. For instance, a few years ago in Feiyun City, someone awakened a bloodline that made him break wind like releasing toxic gas, causing severe discomfort to anyone nearby.
"Bloodlines are simply too mysterious, and the gap in power is massive. But even a Bloodline Power as formidable as General Giant Spirit’s has weaknesses. He isn’t fast. If he were to face several experts specializing in speed, they might be able to cause him trouble. Moreover, Bloodline Power has another characteristic: the stronger the power, the more abnormal the person’s physical appearance becomes. In the future, you can use their appearance to gauge them.
"As for external power, that’s easier to understand. Armor and Divine Soldiers are considered external power. It also includes underhanded tactics like poisoning and Hidden Weapons."
Xu Guang frowned. He noticed that Wang Ming specifically used the phrase "cause him trouble."
However, it made sense. General Giant Spirit had a massive physique, which meant his vitality and blood were bound to be incredibly robust, along with immense strength. His immense strength also allowed him to wear much thicker Armor with stronger defenses. Just causing trouble for him while in the same Realm was already an impressive feat.
Wang Ming continued, "But whether it’s foundation or external power, bringing out their maximum potential relies entirely on the self. The Court calls this ’Will.’ Someone with an unwavering Will will always emerge as the stronger party, whether in Cultivation or a life-and-death struggle."
"Then... what is Eye Power?" Xu Guang was a bit curious; he found this concept rather confusing.
Wang Ming laughed heartily. "You can understand Eye Power as experience, anticipation, or a sixth sense. For example, during our sparring session, I could tell at a glance that you were using the Gale Fist Technique. My body instinctively adjusted its Techniques and simultaneously predicted your next move.
"When it’s referred to as a sixth sense, it mostly applies to special groups of people—like the blind or the deaf. They fight purely on instinct or some profound, mysterious sense that even I can’t fully explain."
Hearing this, Xu Guang finally understood. He stood there pondering. Combat truly was a complicated matter. Now that he had achieved Skin Grinding Mastery, with the Blood Eye’s help, he would soon step into the Bone Forging Realm. It seemed he needed to make sparring and honing his combat experience a part of his daily routine.
Xu Guang was never careless when it came to taking responsibility for his own Life. He immediately looked up and said, "Wang Ming, what time do you usually get off work these days? I’ll come over to spar with you every day to hone my combat experience."
Wang Ming did not refuse, immediately agreeing. "Sure. When there’s a chance later on, I’ll introduce you to some of my friends at the Government Office. Constantly sparring with just one person loses its value after a while."
"Thank you, Wang Ming."
"We’re family, there’s no need to thank me," Wang Ming kept a straight face.
Hearing this, Xu Guang had nothing more to say. When he had acquired that unexpected windfall earlier, he had considered giving some to Wang Ming, since a Government Office salary wasn’t much. However, just thinking about Xu Chun’s temperament gave him a headache. He could only use Xu Sanduo’s family name as an excuse, claiming he could buy cheap meat so he could send more food over. It was his way of repaying Wang Ming’s family. But there was still plenty of time; he didn’t need to rush his repayment.
That night.
After returning home and helping his mother to bed, Xu Guang opened his panel. Over the past three months, he had used the Searcher twice. Aside from looking up ways to accelerate the awakening of his Stone Skin Bloodline Power, he planned to search for a Skin Grinding Technique once before and once after achieving Skin Grinding Mastery. This was solely to verify his suspicion that his own Realm was tied to the Searcher’s difficulty level.
He didn’t actually have a solid plan for using the Searcher. Naturally, he wanted to directly search for a way to become Invincible in the world, to avenge his father, and to fulfill his filial duties to his mother. However, given how things usually went, the progress bar would undoubtedly outlast his own lifespan. Therefore, he was now very cautious when using the Searcher, at least ensuring he wouldn’t trigger another agonizing eight-year progress bar like the first time.
Xu Guang was quite open-minded about it. The current priority for his searches was his own strength; digging up information on his past enemies was not urgent. Furthermore, if his tests proved that the length of the progress bar was indeed tied to his Realm, then there was even less reason to rush. Of course, his biggest worry was accidentally stumbling upon some massive secret and triggering a lifelong progress bar.
Judging from his current situation, the Blood Eye provided the greatest assistance. Thus, his first search had been for a way to accelerate his bloodline awakening. Finding a method to accelerate the awakening of his Bloodline Power had taken two and a half months, proving to be a somewhat complex issue.
[Search results are as follows:]
[1. Beneath the Wei River lies a cave leading to the nether depths, containing the Black Nether Flower. Plucking and consuming it can awaken the Stone Skin, with a chance to strengthen it, and a chance of being afflicted by the Black Nether Poison. The location of the underwater cave is as follows. Note: The cave itself is harmless, but the journey inside carries a high probability of attacks from underwater Exotic Beasts.]
[2. Two-Arm Mountain is littered with Exotic Stones. Some Exotic Stones have been tainted by the blood of an Exotic Beast, undergoing a transformation. Consuming more than half a catty in a single sitting will awaken the Stone Skin Bloodline Power within three days. The distribution of the Exotic Stones is as follows. Note: There are no Exotic Beasts where the Exotic Stones are located, but Exotic Beasts do exist within Two-Arm Mountain.]
[3. A Creation Pill is enshrined in the Lei Family Ancestral Mansion in Feiyun City. Consuming it will trigger an awakening. The specific location of the ancestral mansion is as follows. Note: The Lei Family Ancestral Mansion is abandoned, but it is still known to some. There is a chance of being discovered by the Lei Family during the search.]
These were the methods for accelerating the awakening of his Bloodline Power.