In the training room, as the boiling qi and blood subsided, Chen Chu slowly opened his eyes, and a faint twinkle of fierceness and determination flickered within them.
"Is this real martial arts? It's genuinely powerful."
While reflecting, Chen Chu flexed his right hand slightly, causing the muscles in his arm to swell slightly. A potent force seemed to coalesce between his palms.
He could sense that his overall physical attributes hadn't improved dramatically, but his skin and muscles had gained newfound resilience and toughness.
However, practicing the Dragon Elephant Kung Fu had altered the nature of the power within him. 'Strength' had transformed from being loose to more cohesive, domineering, and tangible, enabling him to unleash destructive force roughly twice as potent as before.
Don't underestimate this change. If Chen Chu's earlier punch strength test had yielded 210 kilograms, he could now muster the power to reach approximately 400 kilograms—a staggering increase.
And this was only the beginning, without even delving into the supplementary combat skills of the Dragon Elephant Kung Fu.
According to the martial arts manual, the Dragon Elephant Kung Fu offered two supplementary combat skills, each capable of enabling the practitioner to transcend their limits, akin to a giant elephant pounding the earth.
Sensing the subtle changes in his body, Chen Chu instinctively summoned the property page with a mere thought.
Level: First Heaven
Constitution: 23
Strength: 24
Dexterity: 19
Spirit: 24
Talent: Soul Split
Gong method: Lotus platform meditation [Consummation] Dragon Elephant Gong [Introduction, first floor]
Divided body:…
Introduction to martial arts, physical fitness increased by 2 points, strength attribute increased by 3 points, nothing else...
"Hey! There's no proficiency indicator for real martial arts."
Chen Chu was momentarily taken aback. He then checked the notes behind the Dragon Elephant Skill and confirmed that there was indeed no mention of proficiency progress. However, there was an added grade note.
After a moment of contemplation, Chen Chu shook his head, opened the training room's door, and headed to the changing room to wash off the dried blood on his body.
At this moment, it was past five o'clock in the afternoon. While the third floor was deserted, Pang Long still occupied his office.
Observing this, Chen Chu knocked on the slightly ajar door and greeted Pang Long inside.
"Teacher, I'm heading out now."
"Go ahead. Oh, Chen Chu, I recall that you also selected a weapon skill."
"Yes."
Pang Long offered a reminder, "Weapon skills can wait. For now, concentrate on your core skills. Even when you return to school, you must remain diligent."
"Remember that despite being in the First Heaven, you are still an ordinary person, albeit a stronger one than most. It's only after reaching the Second Heaven that you'll truly distance yourself from the ordinary."
"Of course, relentless practice alone is not the solution. Occasionally, you should allocate time for academic classes and relaxation."
"Thank you for your guidance, teacher." Chen Chu nodded, then bid his farewell once more before turning and departing.
Initially, Chen Chu had viewed his martial arts teacher as stern and aloof, but today he discovered that the instructor was, in fact, very responsible.
Exiting Building C, Chen Chu chose not to walk across the playground and through the main entrance as usual. Instead, he followed the signs leading to the southern exit.
This route was significantly closer to the practice area, which explained why martial arts and regular students rarely encountered each other.
Entering and leaving through this exit was practically ghostly.
By the time Chen Chu arrived home, it was already past six in the evening.
Luckily, he had sent a message to Chen Hu at noon, informing him that he would be returning late today. Upon entering the house, he found Chen Hu busy in the kitchen.
"You're back, Brother."
Turning his head, Chen Hu was taken aback and examined Chen Chu closely. "Brother, you were gone for just one day, but you've changed a lot. You seem much more powerful."
Chen Chu gave him a sidelong glance. "Are you exaggerating?"
"No, I'm not, Brother." Chen Hu shook his head, attempting to articulate his impressions but struggling to find the words.
Chen Chu seemed the same, yet distinctly different from the delicate boy he used to be. There was now a weightiness about him, as if he carried an aura of urgency.
Chen Chu chuckled. "Let's not dwell on it. It's probably due to me becoming a true martial artist."
"Zhenwu! Brother, did you successfully build your foundation?"
Chen Hu stared, his excitement evident. "Didn't you say it's challenging for first-year high school students, and many can't accomplish it within a month? Brother, you're amazing."
"Ah, hahaha... Well, let's see who dares to doubt my martial arts prowess now."
Chen Hu was even more jubilant and exuberant than Chen Chu about his brother's successful martial arts cultivation. He couldn't wait to share the news with Zhang Xiaolan upon her return.
However, as an adult, Zhang Xiaolan remained composed, albeit with a slight reddening of her eyes. She gazed at Chen Chu with pride and satisfaction because, by becoming a martial artist, he had acquired a skill, no matter how proficient he might be.
In this era of increasing personal power, strength equates to status. Many groups and publicly traded companies are willing to pay a premium to hire practitioners.
As for why these corporate groups are willing to pay such high prices, Zhang Xiaolan isn't entirely sure. However, she does know that being a cultivator comes with perks, including preferential treatment when joining the police force or the military, as well as lower requirements for civil servant assessments compared to regular individuals.
Initially, Zhang Xiaolan had never dared to dream of Chen Chu's cultivation. After all, she was all too aware of her eldest son's frail physique. He was prone to catching colds, and on more serious occasions, he would suffer from pneumonia or nephritis. There was even that time he had a high fever just the day before school started, which led to him falling into a coma.
Little did she know that such a tremendous surprise would be sprung upon her.
In this moment, she felt that all the hardships and exhaustion of raising two children by herself in the past were completely worthwhile.
After dinner, as Zhang Xiaolan began washing the dishes, Chen Hu excitedly urged Chen Chu to demonstrate the power of Zhenwu.
Chen Chu, not wanting to disappoint, agreed to this request. He followed his brother to the yard.
On the left side of his small courtyard stood a withered peach tree. Its trunk, over ten centimeters thick, bore cracks in various places, and its branches were sparse.
Chen Chu approached the tree, motioned for Chen Hu to stand back, took a deep breath, and slightly lowered his body. He then took a half-step forward with his left foot and rotated his upper body to the right.
The time was around seven o'clock, with the sun beginning to set. A few elderly neighbors who had just finished their dinners ventured outside for a stroll. They noticed Brother Chen Chu in the courtyard, seemingly engaged in some mysterious activity, and they watched with curiosity.
Then, Chen Chu let out a low shout, and in an instant, the muscles all over his body swelled slightly. The potent dragon-elephant power surged through him, using his waist as the axis, and his right leg acted like a battle axe.
Upon completing the foundation building, Chen Chu's kicking force had reached 290 kilograms. However, after his afternoon training in Dragon Elephant Kung Fu, his strength had transformed even further.
Boom!
A foot weighing nearly 600 kilograms sliced through the air and collided with the tree trunk, producing a resounding crash.
Boom!
The trunk and branches, several meters in height, tumbled to the ground, creating a heavy thud.
This commotion even drew the attention of Zhang Xiaolan, who was still washing dishes inside. She joined Chen Hu in astonishment as they gazed at the fallen peach tree.
Outside the yard, the elderly residents out for their evening walks were equally taken aback. Could it be that the frail child from the Chen family had just kicked down a tree?
While everyone was still processing this shocking scene, Chen Chu had already retracted his leg and stood there calmly, exuding the presence of a master. The only giveaway was his slightly trembling right leg.
Well, who could blame him? It hurt.
Although his skin had toughened somewhat since he began practicing Dragon Elephant Kung Fu, its current resilience was still limited, and he was far from being impervious to pain.
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