Outer Disciple Residence.
Chen Yu returned to his room and took out the Iron Plow Fist and Copper Statue Technique, unable to hide the excitement on his face.
In the past,
he found it quite difficult to obtain even a mid-level martial art.
Yet this time, he managed to exchange for two high-level martial arts at once, and they weren't just any ordinary high-level martial arts.
Among them, the Iron Plow Fist was a branch of the sect's core technique, Yuan Sha Divine Skill; and as for the Copper Statue Technique, according to the red-faced elder's description, its origin wasn't simple either.
He first opened the Copper Statue Technique and began to browse through it. He chose this martial art mainly because he found it hard to refuse the red-faced elder.
After a quick glance, Chen Yu's expression became somewhat awkward.
"Copper Statue Technique," it read, "the first volume of the Copper Statue Technique, an ancient body refining technique focused on tempering the spirit and strengthening the body. When this first volume is cultivated to great success, the body becomes like copper skin and iron bones, invulnerable to swords and spears except at critical points, capable of immense strength, resembling a bronze statue, and can dominate below the Qi Transformation Realm without needing inner breath."
Chen Yu quickly skimmed through it.
This cultivation technique seemed like an external defense skill, never mentioning the "Meridian Passage," nor was there a corresponding mental method for breaking through the Meridian Passage Stage.
Moreover, frustratingly, this Copper Statue Technique was only the first volume.
Chen Yu's initial intention for choosing his primary cultivation technique was to break through the Meridian Passage and to have stronger foundational strength afterward so that he wouldn't lose to those inner sect disciples.
Slap!
A bit frustrated, Chen Yu threw the Copper Statue Technique aside.
He quickly took out the Cloud Evil Fist and began to study it carefully, soon revealing a smile.
As a branch of the sect's core technique, the Cloud Evil Fist didn't disappoint Chen Yu, as this cultivation technique included both the Cloud Evil Heart Method and the Cloud Evil Fist Technique.
Among them, the Cloud Evil Heart Method contained an inner breath cultivation method and even a way to break through the Meridian Passage Stage.
"Not bad."
Chen Yu smiled and immediately began to practice the Cloud Evil Heart Method.
By rights,
his foundation during the Body Refining Stage was extremely solid, and the conditions for advancing to the Meridian Passage Stage were mature.
In such a situation, he only needed the cooperation of the mental method to break through to the Meridian Passage Stage.
However,
when Chen Yu attempted to operate the Cloud Evil Heart Method, trying to condense his vitality and generate "inner breath" within, he found it very difficult.
There was hardly any sensation within his meridians.
According to some senior disciples, this was a lack of "Qi sensation."
On the first day,
Chen Yu's Cloud Evil Heart Method made hardly any progress; the vitality within him was strong enough, but he couldn't produce inner breath or so-called "Qi sensation."
The second day was still the same.
On the third day, there was only a slight progress but still no inner breath generated.
At this point, Chen Yu finally felt a bit panicked and even began to doubt his own aptitude.
If other's foundational physique was inadequate and couldn't condense inner breath, that would be understandable.
But Chen Yu's foundation was astonishing, even making the red-faced elder marvel at it.
Involuntarily, Chen Yu suddenly recalled the red-faced elder's regretful evaluation of his aptitude.
Could it be, just as he said, that his martial arts aptitude was indeed average?
"That's right, if it were average aptitude, the Meridian Passage Stage is indeed a bottleneck, and taking a few months to break through is quite normal."
Chen Yu finally reached a conclusion.
The conclusion was: he wasn't a genius.
In recent days, thanks to the mysterious heart's transformation, his practice of the Iron Plow Fist felt divinely aided, leading him to believe his aptitude was comparable to some of the geniuses within the sect.
If not a genius, then this pace was perfectly normal.
According to some senior outer sect disciples, breaking through the Meridian Passage, gaining Qi sensation, and condensing inner breath generally required about two months.
However,
Chen Yu didn't have two months left.
With only a month and a half remaining, if he couldn't break through to the Meridian Passage Stage, he would be expelled from the sect.
"Calm down."
Chen Yu took a deep breath and began to ponder.
If his aptitude was indeed average, why did it feel divinely inspired when practicing the Iron Plow Fist?
With this in mind,
he set aside the Cloud Evil Heart Method and began to study the Cloud Evil Fist Technique from the Cloud Evil Fist.
As a high-level martial art, the profoundness of this Cloud Evil Fist Technique naturally surpassed the Iron Plow Fist and demanded even more of the physique.
Hah! Hah! Hah!
Chen Yu swung his fists and started to practice the Cloud Evil Fist Technique. Each punch was filled with impressive force, learning surprisingly easily.
Although he hadn't comprehended the true meaning of "Evil," he easily learned the form of the fist technique, gradually grasping the evil power contained in it.
After half a day,
Chen Yu was astonished by his rapid progress in cultivating the Cloud Evil Fist Technique.
The smoothness was reminiscent of the days when he practiced the Iron Plow Fist not long ago.
Three days later,
"Cloud Evil Fist!"
Chen Yu threw a punch, and the vigorous aura seemed to bring forth a vicious evil Qi, reminiscent of the fierce beasts he encountered in the Yunyuan Mountain Range.
Within the fist technique, it was as if there was a gale howling and fierce beasts roaring, stirring one's vitality and blood.
Just that one punch nearly exceeded the power of the Great Success Iron Plow Fist.
The Cloud Evil Fist Technique had reached the initial achievement!
Standing in shock, Chen Yu exclaimed, "Am I a genius?"
Because according to the manual, achieving the initial success with the Cloud Evil Fist Technique typically required several months to half a year, except for a genius.
However,
thinking about his bottleneck in the mental method, Chen Yu felt a bit dispirited.
Even if he were a genius, he was still an incomplete genius.
After the initial success of the Cloud Evil Fist Technique, Chen Yu continued practicing for several days and still made considerable progress.
It felt as though his body, aided by some divine force, could perfect any move effortlessly. His body aligned perfectly first while the divinity appeared clearly over time.
Another ten days passed.
Chen Yu's Cloud Evil Fist Technique approached the Small Success Realm, but now it faced a bottleneck and progress slowed.
On one hand, this fist technique required the Cloud Evil Heart Method to reach its full power; on the other hand, this technique needed to be paired with certain battles and kill to gather evil Qi for easier progression.
"Let's try the Cloud Evil Heart Method again."
Chen Yu took a deep breath and returned to practice the mental method.
After the Cloud Evil Fist Technique neared the Small Success Realm, his body's foundation and strength reached a terrifying extreme, even surpassing many inner sect disciples.
Surprisingly,
this time, he felt something during his practice of the Cloud Evil Heart Method.
His vitality and spirit were not only unprecedentedly powerful but also subtly imbued with some essence of the Cloud Evil Fist Technique.
Within half a day,
Chen Yu vaguely sensed a "breath" within his vitality, carrying some Qi akin to that of the Cloud Evil Fist Technique.
That breath exuded a cold and bloody evil Qi, sending a chill through Chen Yu's soul.
Thump! Thump!
A heavy, mountain-like beat came from his heart, instantly dispersing the mind-influencing breath into nothingness.
As time passed,
the shapeless evil Qi within his vitality grew sharper, carrying an unrestrained and domineering aura.
"The Qi sensation is clear!"
Chen Yu felt ecstatic and continued to channel the Cloud Evil Heart Method.
Late at night,
Chen Yu spread his arms, his meridians and blood vessels bulged, faint menacing blue patterns emerged, and an icy, gloomy evil aura surged around him.
Whoosh!
The aura grew stronger and formed a circle of airflow around him.
"Ha!"
Chen Yu shouted, the menacing blue patterns on his body intensified as he swung his fist.
Whoomph!
A chilly, domineering "breath" resounded from his fist, and the nearby paper window abruptly shattered under the powerful force.
"It's done!"
Chen Yu felt exhilarated, sensing a chilly inner breath breaking through his meridians, surging from between his fists.
"Is this inner breath?"
He took a deep breath and continued to operate the Cloud Evil Heart Method, a piercing whistling sound emanating from his palm as the invisible "inner breath"— cold and domineering as if a ferocious beast—was ready to pounce.
In the Meridian Passage Stage, the inner breath condensed by a martial artist still couldn't launch attacks beyond the body unless ascending to the Organ Refining Stage.
Even so, attacks imbued with inner breath had qualitatively different power.
Furthermore, varying levels of martial arts yielded stronger or weaker inner breath.
Chen Yu felt that his Cloud Evil inner breath was significantly stronger than Ding Jiuhui's Willow Shadow Finger inner breath.
Thus
Chen Yu spent half a month to condense inner breath, breaking through the Meridian Passage Stage in one fell swoop!
"At last, I can establish myself in the sect."
Chen Yu let out a breath of relief. For nearly three years, this was his aim.
Establishing himself in the sect was the first step, granting him the preliminary qualification to become a martial arts powerhouse.
Only by becoming strong could his parents have better lives, his family remain stable, and even prosper.
"It's been a while since I returned home. Perhaps I can go back soon and tell my parents the news."
A smile spread across Chen Yu's face.
At that moment, he could almost envision his parents' surprise and contentment upon hearing the news.
Two days later,
Chen Yu stabilized his cultivation and even his inner breath.
Due to the incredibly solid foundation before his breakthrough, his post-breakthrough state was quite stable.
That morning,
Chen Yu got up and headed to the Central Hall of the Outer Sect. He went there for two things.
Firstly, to establish his official status as an Outer Disciple.
Secondly, he needed to apply for permission to return home.
Inside a side hall of the Central Hall,
"Show me your primary cultivation technique," a middle-aged steward said nonchalantly.
Chen Yu nodded and threw a punch.
Whoosh!
At the moment the Cloud Evil Fist was thrown, a faintly vicious wind accompanied the punch, leaving one's mind unsettled.
"What... Yuan Sha Divine Skill! No, this is the Cloud Evil Fist!"
The middle-aged steward jumped up.
Gone was his casual demeanor, replaced by a solemn intensity. His gaze was sharp as he seriously assessed Chen Yu.