landbeastnovel Chapter 6 Minor Success in Hunyuan Stance
Chapter 6 Minor Success in Hunyuan Stance
Liang Cheng was somewhat confused. Xi Xia had no martial arts skills whatsoever, so where did he get the martial arts manual? But now that he was dead, this secret would probably never be solved.
He carefully opened it; the handwriting inside was messy, accompanied by clumsy human figures, depicting striking postures and methods of medicinal baths. Liang Cheng read it slowly, his brows slightly furrowed.
This was not the internal energy cultivation method he had imagined, but a rough and somewhat self-destructive external training technique. It was still incomplete, and its core was to use external force to strike and stimulate with drugs to make the skin, muscles, and bones as hard as stone armor.
His gaze lingered on the "stone skin style" and the incomplete "medicinal bath recipe." The oyster powder, coarse salt, and strong liquor required by the recipe were all cheap and easy to find.
The pebbles and wooden sticks used for striking are readily available everywhere. More importantly, this exercise does not seem to have high requirements for "root bones" and "qi and blood," but rather relies on the cumulative external force training and drug stimulation.
It's perfect for someone like him who has no resources but is patient and persevering. No wonder he didn't train; how could he endure such hardship?
"The Wild Bull Strength is for offense, while the Stone Armor Skill is for defense. One is for offense and the other for defense, which is very suitable for me now."
He noted down the "stone skin" posture and breathing rhythm, and memorized the materials needed for the incomplete prescription. Then, he rewrapped the booklet and hid it away.
He didn't start practicing immediately. He needed to figure out how to coordinate his posture and breathing, and he also needed to gather the ingredients for the first medicinal bath.
The next afternoon, at the dock.
Liang Cheng avoided acquaintances and bought all the materials in batches from several scattered vendors: a bag of the cheapest oyster powder, half a pound of coarse salt, and a small jar of cheap wine.
Instead of returning to the martial arts school, he went around to the deserted beach outside the town, found a secluded cave, and mixed oyster powder with coarse salt according to the incomplete "Stone Armor Kung Fu" manual, then poured in strong liquor to make a paste.
The ointment was grayish and emitted a salty, fishy, and pungent smell. Liang Cheng took off his shirt, revealing a lean but already well-defined body.
He took a deep breath and applied the ointment evenly to his arms, chest, and back—the areas where the "Stone Skin" initial training began.
At first it was just a slight coolness, but in less than ten breaths, the burning sensation seeped in layer by layer, like countless fine needles piercing inside.
Liang Cheng gritted his teeth and assumed the "Stone Skin" stance. Unlike the rounded and stable Hunyuan Zhuang, Shijia Gong requires the muscles to be slightly tense, the breathing to be short and deep, and the mind to be focused on the penetration of the medicine.
The burning sensation intensified, and his skin visibly reddened. He remained motionless, sweat rolling down his forehead.
Half an hour later, as the effects of the medicine began to dissipate, Liang Cheng took out a prepared wooden stick and tapped it directly on the area where the ointment had been applied until the medicine was fully absorbed.
[Introduction to Stone Armor Technique (Fragment) (1/200)]
Liang Cheng was somewhat pleased. The entry-level stats were the same as the Wild Bull Strength. If it were the complete Stone Armor Skill, how strong would it be?
If I have the chance in the future, I must get my hands on the complete manual of the cultivation technique.
After calming down, Liang Cheng washed off the remaining ointment with seawater. His skin was red and hot, but it did feel firmer to the touch.
He dressed and looked out of the cave. The tide was rising, and the waves were crashing against the rocks. He had no shortcuts and could only endure the days.
On the way back to the martial arts school, they passed the town's notice board, where a large crowd had gathered and were discussing the matter. Liang Cheng stopped to look and saw that it was a newly posted wanted poster, featuring a burly man with a fierce face and a reward of thirty taels of silver.
"I heard it's a notorious bandit who fled to our area..."
"Thirty taels! That's enough to feed a family for ten years."
Liang Cheng glanced at it, noted the features, and then turned to leave. Besides learning to read and practice martial arts, he now had another hard skill to learn, so he had no time to meddle in other people's business.
Three more days passed.
Liang Cheng's daily routine included an extra activity: after his daily sparring session, he would make an excuse to go out for extra practice, but in reality, he would sneak off to a deserted beach or reef cave to apply ointment and practice the "Stone Skin Stance".
The burning pain persists, but my body is gradually adapting.
He could feel his skin gradually thickening under the combined effects of the medicine and the standing pounding. Although it was far from being "as hard as stone armor," he could hardly feel any ordinary bumps or knocks.
At the same time, the Hunyuan stance and the Mangniu Jin (a martial arts technique) are also being steadily promoted.
[Introduction to Hunyuan Zhuang (97/100)]
[Introduction to the Wild Bull Strength (40/200)]
[Introduction to Stone Armor Technique (Fragment) (8/200)]
The most obvious change is in the sparring. Since Zhao Yuan moved into the backyard, none of the apprentices in the front yard can directly withstand Liang Cheng's stance.
He still doesn't launch aggressive attacks, but his steady and powerful defense often leaves his opponents feeling powerless, while they themselves are shaken and staggered.
Not far away, Zhou Hu watched with his arms crossed, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes, but he didn't say anything and continued to teach Liang Cheng to read as usual.
……
Nighttime, on a desolate beach, in a reef cave.
Under the moonlight, two dark figures walked along the mudflats, talking in hushed tones:
Are you sure this is the place?
"There's no mistake, the old man's hiding place is in this rocky area. Look carefully, there will definitely be markings."
The two men searched among the nearby rocks for a while, and one of them muttered, "Damn it, nothing. Did the tide wash it away?"
"Keep looking. If we can't find it, we won't be able to explain it when we get back."
As dawn approached, the two men, having found nothing, left disappointed.
……
On this day, Liang Cheng did not go out to the wasteland, because at this moment, Hunyuan Zhuang was about to break through and enter the next realm.
After the sparring session, Liang Cheng stood alone in a corner, continuing his stance training. His breath sank, his feet felt rooted to the ground, his waist and spine moved like a dragon, relaxed yet taut.
In the past, when I practiced standing meditation, the warm sensation would flow around my waist and knees, nourishing old injuries. Today, the warmth is no longer limited to the old injuries, but slowly rises along the spine, passes through the Jiaji point, penetrates the Yuzhen point, and finally feels slightly swollen at the Baihui point on the top of my head.
Immediately afterwards, a warm sensation flowed down from the Baihui point (crown of the head), past the center of the eyebrows, into the throat, through the chest and abdomen, and back to the Dantian (lower abdomen).
A complete cycle, silently connected.
Liang Cheng felt a jolt throughout his body, a clear ringing in his ears, his pores opening up, his breathing becoming deep and long involuntarily, and his feet feeling even more connected to the earth, with his power flowing smoothly.
Deep within my consciousness, a few lines of small text surfaced:
[Minor Success in Hunyuan Zhuang (1/500)]
Liang Cheng recalled Zhou Hu's teachings. With the minor completion of the Hunyuan Stance, his foundation was solid, his Qi and blood were generated naturally, and his injury recovery accelerated slightly.
Liang Cheng slowly stopped his movements, opened his eyes, and his gaze was clear in the night.
The completion of the Hunyuan stance means that he has laid a solid foundation and is officially qualified to challenge the Ming Jin level. It's just that the mayfly is perfect and only then does it molt into an insect and fly among humans.
Therefore, Liang Cheng did not attempt to break through the barriers with his qi and blood, but instead prepared for things to fall into place naturally. This is the fate of a mayfly, destined for greatness.
At this moment, his body was full of qi and blood, and he was no less than Zhao Yuan. Liang Cheng couldn't help but practice the Wild Bull Strength until his qi and blood calmed down.
[Minor Success in Hunyuan Zhuang (1/500)]
[Introduction to the Wild Bull Strength (43/200)]
[Introduction to Stone Armor Technique (Fragment) (8/200)]
Unexpectedly, the breakthrough in Hunyuan Stance also triggered the Raging Bull Strength, which was a pleasant surprise. Now, he has the Raging Bull Strength for offense, the Stone Armor Skill for defense, and the Hunyuan Stance as his foundation.
Walking on three legs is slow, but stable.
The next day, at the martial arts school.
During the sparring session, Zhou Hu stopped next to Liang Cheng again.
He looked at Liang Cheng for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Your breathing has become much longer; has your stance training improved?"
Liang Cheng nodded: "I made some progress last night; I've taken another step forward in the Hunyuan Stance."
He didn't say "minor success," only that he had taken a step forward, but Zhou Hu, with his keen insight, naturally saw that it was more than that. He gave Liang Cheng a deep look, but didn't point it out, and said, "Not bad, how's your Wild Bull Strength training going?"
"We are still figuring out how to generate power from a whole body."
"Hmm." Zhou Hu paused for a moment, "In another half month, there will be a small test in the academy. All apprentices who have been in the academy for two months must participate. Those who perform well will have the opportunity to receive extra guidance from their master, or even be rewarded."
Liang Cheng's heart skipped a beat: "Thank you for informing me, Senior Brother."
Zhou Hu waved his hand and walked to the next apprentice. Liang Cheng continued sparring, but he had already begun to make plans in his mind.
The quiz is an opportunity, but we'll decide what to do next based on the specific rewards.