Free Web NovelChapter 6: Chapter 6: Mixed Element Posture Minor Success
Liang Cheng couldn’t quite figure it out. Small Shrimp knew no Martial Arts at all, so where on earth had he gotten a Cultivation Technique Secret Manual? But now that he was dead, this secret would likely never be unraveled.
He carefully opened the booklet. The handwriting inside was scrawled, accompanied by crude diagrams of the human form illustrating striking postures and the method for a Medicated Bath Formula. Liang Cheng read it slowly, his brow furrowed.
This wasn’t the Inner Breath Technique he had imagined. Instead, it was a coarse, somewhat masochistic External Hard Skill—and only a Fragment at that. Its core principle was using external strikes combined with medicinal stimulants to make one’s skin, fascia, and bones as hard as stone armor.
His gaze landed on the "Stone Skin Style" and the incomplete "Medicated Bath Formula." The ingredients it called for—Sea Clam Powder, coarse salt, and Strong Alcohol—were all cheap and easy to find.
The pebbles and wooden sticks needed for the strikes could be found anywhere. More importantly, this Cultivation Technique didn’t seem to have high requirements for one’s Root Bone or Qi Blood. It emphasized the day-by-day accumulation of external tempering and medicinal stimulation.
It was a perfect fit for someone like him, who lacked resources but possessed patience and perseverance. ’No wonder Small Shrimp never practiced it,’ he thought. ’How could he have possibly endured this kind of suffering?’
’Fierce Bull Force for offense, Stone Armor Skill for defense. One for attack, one for defense—it’s a perfect combination for me right now.’
He committed the stance and breathing rhythm of the "Stone Skin Style" to memory, along with the ingredients for the partial formula. Then, he re-wrapped the booklet and hid it away.
He didn’t start practicing right away. He needed to study the coordination between the posture and breathing more, and he also had to gather the ingredients for his first medicated bath.
The following afternoon, at the docks.
He avoided anyone he knew, buying the materials in batches from several scattered stalls: a bag of the cheapest Sea Clam Powder, half a pound of coarse salt, and a small jug of low-quality Strong Alcohol.
Instead of returning to the Martial Arts Hall, he made his way to a desolate beach outside of town. There, he found a hidden sea cave and, following the instructions in the Stone Armor Skill Fragment, mixed the Sea Clam Powder and coarse salt, then poured in the Strong Alcohol to create a paste.
The paste was a dull gray and gave off a pungent, salty, fishy odor. Liang Cheng removed his shirt, revealing a lean but already well-defined torso.
He took a deep breath and spread the paste evenly over his arms, chest, and back—the areas targeted in the initial training of the Stone Skin Style.
It was cool at first, but within ten breaths, a burning sensation began to seep into his skin, feeling like countless fine needles pricking him from the inside.
Liang Cheng gritted his teeth and assumed the Stone Skin Style posture. Unlike the rounded stability of the Mixed Element Stance, the Stone Armor Skill required the muscles to be slightly tensed, the breath short yet deep, and the mind focused on the areas where the Medicinal Power was penetrating.
The burning sensation intensified, and his skin became visibly red. He held the posture without moving as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
An hour later, as the Medicinal Power began to fade, Liang Cheng took out a wooden stick he had prepared and began striking the areas covered in the paste, continuing until the Medicinal Power was completely absorbed.
[Stone Armor Skill (Fragment) Beginner Level (1/200)]
Liang Cheng felt a surge of joy. The starting value was the same as for the Fierce Bull Force. ’If this was the complete Stone Armor Skill, how much stronger would it be?’
’If I get the chance in the future, I have to get my hands on the complete Cultivation Technique Secret Manual.’
Liang Cheng calmed himself and used seawater to wash the remaining paste from his body. His skin was red and hot to the touch, but it did feel slightly firmer.
He got dressed and looked out of the cave. The tide was rising, and waves crashed against the reefs. ’I have no shortcuts,’ he thought. ’All I can do is endure, day after day.’
On the way back to the Martial Arts Hall, he passed the notice board at the town entrance. A crowd had gathered, chattering amongst themselves. Liang Cheng stopped to look and saw a newly posted wanted poster. It featured a drawing of a brutish-looking man, with a bounty of thirty taels of silver.
"I hear he’s a notorious outlaw who’s fled in our direction..."
"Thirty taels! That’s enough to feed a family for ten years."
Liang Cheng glanced at the poster, memorized the man’s features, then turned and left. ’On top of learning to read and practicing my other Martial Arts, I now have another Hard Skill to train. I don’t have time to meddle in other people’s affairs.’
「Three days later.」
A new item was added to Liang Cheng’s daily routine. After his sparring sessions, he would make the excuse of going out for extra training, but in reality, he would sneak off to the sea cave on the desolate beach to apply the paste and practice the "Stone Skin Style."
The searing pain remained, but his body was gradually adapting.
He could feel his skin slowly thickening under the dual tempering of the Medicinal Power and the demanding posture. While it was still far from being "as hard as Stone Armor," he now barely felt ordinary bumps and scrapes.
Meanwhile, his Mixed Element Stance and Fierce Bull Force were also progressing steadily.
[Mixed Element Stance Beginner Level (97/100)]
[Fierce Bull Force Beginner Level (40/200)]
[Stone Armor Skill (Fragment) Beginner Level (8/200)]
The most noticeable change was in his sparring. Ever since Zhao Yuan had moved to the back courtyard, none of the apprentices in the front courtyard could withstand a direct hit from Liang Cheng’s Kaozhuang.
He still didn’t initiate aggressive attacks, but the steady, solid power of his defense often left opponents feeling like they had no purchase, sending them staggering back from the rebound force.
Not far away, Zhou Hu watched with his arms crossed. A thoughtful glint flashed in his eyes, but he gave no sign of it, continuing to teach Liang Cheng to read as usual.
...
That night, at the sea cave on the desolate beach.
Under the moonlight, two shadowy figures made their way along the tidal flats, their voices low as they spoke.
"Are you sure this is the place?"
"Can’t be wrong. The thing that old bastard hid is somewhere in this reef area. Look carefully, there’s bound to be a mark."
The two men searched among the nearby reefs for a while before one of them cursed under his breath, "Shit, it’s not here. You think the tide washed it away?"
"Keep looking. If we can’t find it, there’ll be hell to pay when we get back."
As dawn approached, the two, having found nothing, left in frustration.
...
On this particular day, Liang Cheng didn’t go out to the desolate beach. His Mixed Element Stance was on the verge of a breakthrough to the next Realm.
After sparring, Liang Cheng found a corner by himself and continued his Posture Stance. His breath sank, his feet felt rooted to the ground, his spine was like a dragon, and his body was relaxed yet taut.
Previously, when he held the Posture Stance, a warm sensation would circulate around his waist and knees, nourishing his old injuries. Today, however, that warmth was no longer confined to those spots. Instead, it slowly ascended his spine, passing the Jiaji, penetrating the Jade Pillow, and finally causing a slight swelling sensation at the crown of his head.
Immediately after, the warmth flowed back down like a reversed stream, descending from the crown of his head, passing between his eyebrows, entering his throat, moving through his chest and abdomen, and finally returning to his Dantian.
A complete, silent circuit was formed.
A tremor ran through Liang Cheng’s body. A clear ringing echoed in his ears as the pores all over his body seemed to open. His breathing involuntarily became deep, long, and distant. He felt as if his feet were connected even more tightly to the earth, and the transmission of power was incomparably smooth.
Deep in his consciousness, a few lines of small text appeared:
[Mixed Element Stance Minor Success (1/500)]
Liang Cheng recalled Zhou Hu’s teachings: with Minor Success in the Mixed Element Stance, one’s foundation becomes stable, Qi Blood is generated naturally, and the recovery rate from injuries is slightly accelerated.
Liang Cheng slowly relaxed his stance and opened his eyes. In the darkness of the night, his gaze was clear and bright.
Achieving Minor Success in the Mixed Element Stance meant he had laid a solid foundation and was now officially qualified to attempt a breakthrough to the Bright Force Realm. However, his Mayfly Life Chart dictated that a mayfly only molts into its final form when it is already perfect.
Therefore, Liang Cheng did not try to force a breakthrough with his Qi Blood. Instead, he planned to let it happen naturally when the time was right. This was the nature of his Mayfly Life Chart: success was inevitable.
His Qi Blood was now so abundant that it was on par with Zhao Yuan’s. Liang Cheng couldn’t resist practicing the Fierce Bull Force until the surging Qi Blood within him calmed down.
[Mixed Element Stance Minor Success (1/500)]
[Fierce Bull Force Beginner Level (43/200)]
[Stone Armor Skill (Fragment) Beginner Level (8/200)]
’I didn’t expect the breakthrough in the Mixed Element Stance to also advance my Fierce Bull Force. What a pleasant surprise.’ Now he had Fierce Bull Force for offense, Stone Armor Skill for defense, and the Mixed Element Stance as his foundation.
’Walking on three legs might be slow, but it’s steady.’
The next day, at the Martial Arts Hall.
During sparring practice, Zhou Hu once again stopped beside Liang Cheng.
He watched Liang Cheng for a moment before speaking up. "Your breathing is much more sustained. Did you have a breakthrough in your Pile Skill?"
Liang Cheng nodded. "I had a small insight last night. You could say my Mixed Element Stance has progressed a step."
He didn’t say "Minor Success," only that he had "progressed a step." But with Zhou Hu’s keen eye, he could naturally tell it was more than that. He gave Liang Cheng a deep look but didn’t press the matter, saying instead, "Not bad. And how is your Fierce Bull Force training coming along?"
"I’m still trying to get the hang of generating Whole Force."
"Mm." Zhou Hu paused. "In half a month, the hall will hold a small test. All apprentices who have been initiated for at least two months must participate. Those with outstanding performance will have the chance to receive extra pointers from the Master, and perhaps even a reward."
Liang Cheng’s interest was piqued. "Thank you for letting me know, Senior Brother."
Zhou Hu waved his hand dismissively and walked over to the next apprentice. Liang Cheng continued his sparring, but his mind had already started calculating.
’The small test is an opportunity,’ he thought. ’But I’ll wait and see what the rewards are before I make a decision.’
