48: Chapter 48 Becoming a Second-Rank Martial Artist

Sifang Pavilion.

Lin Tian sat cross-legged with his eyes slightly closed. The sound of blood qi rushing through his body was clearly audible, like a surging underground river deep below.

Casting aside all distracting thoughts, his mind sank into the complex yet perfectly integrated Concept of the "Five Elements Stance."

After reaching Perfection in his stance work, every circulation of his blood qi seemed to follow a more fundamental rhythm of heaven and earth. There was no longer the slightest sluggishness or waste, and his efficiency was astonishingly high.

Within his body, his blood qi was like mercury. As the stance work circulated, it was refined and strengthened at a speed far exceeding the past, continuously transforming into a purer and more majestic power,

nourishing his limbs and bones, and washing through his Meridians and acupoints.

He could clearly feel that every inch of muscle and every bone grew tougher and stronger under this highly efficient tempering, brimming with explosive power.

"With the Five Elements Stance at Perfection, the speed of cultivating blood qi is at least... double what it was before!" Lin Tian was secretly delighted.

This boost in efficiency was of extraordinary significance in the Early Stages of martial arts, especially when breaking through major Realm Bottlenecks.

From First Grade to Second Grade, the core lies in the accumulation and qualitative change of blood qi.

An ordinary Second Grade Martial Artist possesses over two thousand catties of strength, and their blood qi is as vigorous as a furnace, far beyond what a First Grade could compare to.

This process was originally a matter of slow, painstaking work. The further one went, the slower the accumulation of blood qi and the growth of strength became, requiring a long time to build up.

Many people were stuck in this day-by-day slow growth, wasting their years away.

But Lin Tian was different. The Perfection-level Five Elements Stance was like opening a high-speed channel for him.

The "sea of blood qi" that might have taken years to fill was now rising at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"At this rate, two months at most... no, maybe even faster, and the Second Grade Realm will be within my grasp!" A strong wave of confidence filled him.

Focusing mainly on blood qi, supplemented by his means of survival.

He had also never slackened in his cultivation of the "Wind-Chasing Footwork."

The quiet room was small, so he dodged and shifted within this tiny space, breaking down the Concept of "Perfection" into countless extremely subtle controls:

the force of every light tap of his toes, the angle of every twist of his waist, and the perfect synchronization of his breathing and muscle activation...

The gap between Major Achievement and Perfection seemed like a thin line, but it was actually a deeper level of comprehension and application of the true meaning of "wind."

Footwork was not just about speed, but also about the perception of space, as well as the drawing and evading of qi.

Another month passed.

In the quiet room, Lin Tian's figure suddenly froze. As if instantly losing all inertia, he stood rooted to the spot in defiance of common sense, and even the fluttering of his sleeves instantly settled.

In the next instant, he seemed to merge into the air, appearing noiselessly in another corner of the quiet room. The entire process was so fast that there was not even an afterimage, only a natural feeling that he "should have been there."

Wind-Chasing Footwork, Perfection!

Almost at the same moment his footwork broke through, the majestic blood qi within his body, which had long been filled to the extreme, seemed to be triggered by this final Concept of "Perfection," violently bursting through some invisible barrier!

"Hum—!"

His bones and muscles chimed in unison, and his blood qi surged like a wide-open dam!

A sense of power several times stronger than when he was at First Grade emerged from his limbs and bones. Hot air seemed to blast from his pores, forming a small whirlwind in the quiet room.

He had broken through!

Lin Tian slowly opened his eyes, a restrained light shining in them, his spirit full and his energy abundant. He carefully savored this brand-new Realm, sinking his mind inward:

Name: Lin Tian

Cultivation: Second Grade Martial Artist (Early Stage)

Martial Arts:

Five Elements Stance (Perfection 1000/1000)

Metal Element Fist (Major Achievement 655/1000)

Wood Element Fist (Major Achievement 301/1000)

Wind-Chasing Footwork (Perfection 1000/1000)

Water Element Fist (Proficient 16/500)

Early Stage Second Grade!

Both his Five Elements Stance and Wind-Chasing Footwork had reached Perfection!

His Metal and Wood Fists were progressing steadily, and his Water Element Fist had also entered the Proficient stage.

At this moment, whether in terms of his robust blood qi, physical strength, footwork speed, or adaptability, he was far beyond what he had been at First Grade.

"Finally... it's done!" Even with Lin Tian's resilient mind, he could not help but feel a surge of excitement at this moment.

Second Grade was the sign of truly stepping onto the path of martial arts, and also the ticket to compete for a spot in the Imperial Guard!

With his strength greatly increased, he urgently needed to test it. Furthermore, there was a long-repressed frustration in his heart that needed to be released.

That night, the moon was hidden and stars were sparse.

Lin Tian changed into dark-colored tight-fitting clothes and quietly left Sifang Pavilion.

The streets were silent, with only the distant sound of the night watchman's clapper echoing.

His steps seemed slow, but in reality, every step he took was in perfect harmony with the rhythm of his footwork. He glided through the streets and alleys like a ghost, heading straight for the city gate.

Not long after leaving Sifang Pavilion, that familiar, spine-chilling feeling of being watched appeared once again.

A cold arc curled up at the corner of Lin Tian's mouth.

"Half a year... they really are like a lingering ghost," he sneered in his heart. "Since you refuse to let it go, let's settle this tonight."

No longer hiding his movements, once he left the city, he fully unleashed his Perfection-level Wind-Chasing Footwork. He transformed into a faint gray shadow that merged into the night, rushing at an astonishing speed toward the uninhabited Rocky Forest to the northeast of the city.

He specifically chose secluded paths with complex terrain, which was perfect for... settling old scores.

Behind him, a dark red figure followed closely like a shadow, moving just as fast. It was none other than Elder Yan Lie of the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall. A cruel, excited light flickered in his eyes.

"Kid, there was a road to heaven, yet you chose to walk into hell! After waiting for half a year, I've finally caught you alone! Last time, that old ghost Huang Yuanshan protected you, but this time, let's see who can save you!"

Elder Yan Lie's killing intent boiled. He exerted force through his feet, and the distance between them gradually closed.

In the Rocky Forest, grotesque rocks stood in jagged arrays, and the night wind wailed as it blew through the gaps.

Lin Tian stopped on a slightly open rocky beach, turned around, and waited quietly.

A few breaths later, Elder Yan Lie flew over and landed thirty feet away from Lin Tian, his red robe rustling loudly in the night wind.

His breath was heavy and scorching, and his gaze locked onto Lin Tian like a venomous snake. He sneered, "Run! Why aren't you running anymore? This desolate wilderness is the perfect burial ground I've chosen for an ignorant little beast like you!"

Lin Tian's expression was calm, even carrying a hint of faint ridicule. "This time, I don't need anyone's help. I can deal with you myself."

"Hahaha!" Elder Yan Lie burst into wild laughter as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, his voice echoing through the Rocky Forest. "You arrogant brat, boasting so shamelessly!

Do you think that just because you've practiced martial arts for a few days and killed two useless trash, you dare to act presumptuously before this old man?

I have been in the Early Stage of the Second Grade for over ten years! Killing you is as easy as crushing an ant!"

Before his voice had even faded, his figure surged forward, and without any fancy Moves, he struck out directly with a palm!

His palm was as red as fire, and the scorching wind from his palm arrived first, blowing Lin Tian's hair backward as the surrounding air temperature suddenly spiked!

This palm condensed his robust Early Stage Second Grade blood qi and pure fire energy, carrying over two thousand catties of force. Splitting stone tablets was trivial for such power; he clearly intended to kill Lin Tian with a single blow!

Facing this incredibly fierce palm strike, Lin Tian neither dodged nor avoided it. He sank his waist into a horse stance, clenched his right fist, and with his bones letting out a slight crackling sound, he punched straight toward the crimson palm!

Atop his fist, a faint golden luster flowed, carrying a subtle hint of sharpness.

Metal Element Fist!

"Boom—!!!"

The fist and palm collided solidly!

A dull explosion, like rolling thunder, actually erupted!

A wave of air exploded outward with the two of them at the center, causing the surrounding gravel to roll and dust to fly!

The scene of his opponent's bones snapping, tendons rupturing, and him spitting blood as he flew backward—which Elder Yan Lie had imagined—did not happen.

Lin Tian's body merely swayed slightly before he stood firmly.

Instead, Elder Yan Lie actually felt a condensed, sharp, and majestic force—not in the least inferior to his own—rebound from the point of impact, leaving his palm faintly numb and his blood qi slightly churning!

"What?!" The cruel grin on Elder Yan Lie's face instantly froze, and his pupils suddenly shrank to the size of pinpricks as he stared intently at Lin Tian's perfectly normal fist,

and his face, which was as calm as water. A wave of chill, mixed with unbelievable shock, rushed straight to his crown!

"You... you actually managed to block it?!"

"Your strength... no! Your blood qi! You... you are also a Second Grade Martial Artist?!"

Elder Yan Lie's voice became sharp and hoarse due to extreme shock, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

As if he had seen a ghost, he looked Lin Tian up and down again.

He had been cultivating... for just over a year at most, right? A Second Grade Martial Artist after just over a year?!

What kind of monster-like cultivation speed was this?!

He, Elder Yan Lie, had bitterly cultivated for decades, gone through countless dangers, and consumed massive amounts of resources, only barely stepping into the Second Grade in his middle age!

This kid... this simply defied the common sense of martial arts!

In his half-lifetime, he had never even heard of such a thing!

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"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible! He must have used some secret technique to forcefully boost his strength! It's all a façade!" After a brief moment of shock, Elder Yan Lie was overcome by a deeper fear and the madness that followed.

Such a Prodigy—if he is not strangled here today, the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall will surely face a catastrophe in the future!

"Die!" Elder Yan Lie had gone completely mad. No longer holding back, he thrust both palms out. A brilliant crimson glow erupted, and the palm shadows instantly transformed into a scorching wave of fire, engulfing Lin Tian like a deluge!

This time, he pushed his Fire Killing Palm, which he had cultivated for many years, to its limit. Wherever the palm wind passed, the air distorted, and the withered grass on the ground even emitted a faint scent of scorching, its power far exceeding what it had been before!

Lin Tian's eyes narrowed. He took a deep breath, utilizing his Perfection Five Elements Stance to circulate his Qi and blood. He unleashed his Metal Element Fist with full force. His punch shot out like a dragon, carrying an unmatched sharpness as it violently collided with the sea of crimson palm shadows.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang!" The sounds of fists and palms colliding were as dense as rain, echoing through the silent stone forest. The force of the impact scattered everywhere, shattering the surrounding rocks into dust.

Lin Tian's fist technique was fierce and concentrated, bringing out the "sharpness" and "penetration" of the Metal Element Fist to their absolute limit. Combined with the extraordinary speed and agility brought by his Perfection movement technique, he was often able to find openings to counterattack in the blink of an eye.

Elder Yan Lie's palm technique was seasoned, his fire-based Qi scorching and invasive, and he was highly experienced, yet he could not do anything to Lin Tian for the moment! The two were evenly matched!

The more they fought, the more alarmed Elder Yan Lie became. The solidity of his opponent's fist force and the ghostly nature of his movement were nothing like someone who had just entered the Second Grade Martial Artist Realm! What shocked him even more was that the opponent's fist technique occasionally erupted with a strange conversion of force—fierce strength suddenly turning into tenacious entanglement, or tenacious force suddenly bursting with even more intense sharpness—making it quite awkward for him to handle, and he had nearly suffered a loss several times.

"Metal and Wood combined attack?!" Elder Yan Lie was knowledgeable and immediately recognized this as a highly advanced coordination technique within the Five Elements Fist, and his heart was filled with even greater shock. Not only was this boy's cultivation improvement terrifying, but his understanding of Martial Skills had reached such a level?

Lin Tian, however, fought with increasing vigor, secretly delighted in his heart. This was the first time he had used the Metal and Wood combined attack in actual combat, and the results were quite good. Although Elder Yan Lie was a veteran Early Stage Second Grade Martial Artist, Lin Tian, relying on the solid Foundation brought by his Perfection stance, the speed advantage of his Perfection movement technique, and his exquisite fist technique, was actually able to contend with him, and even hold a slight advantage!

"It seems that an ordinary Early Stage Second Grade Martial Artist is no longer my match!" His confidence grew greatly.

"You little beast! Go to hell!" Unable to secure a victory after a long battle, Elder Yan Lie grew anxious. A ruthless look flashed in his eyes, and his palm technique changed again! Within the originally scorching crimson palm light, a hint of unsettling, dark color suddenly appeared, and the palm wind became fishy, sweet, and eerie.

He struck out with a palm. Within the fiery red palm shadows, several tiny, dark, serpentine flames seemed to flicker, silently devouring toward Lin Tian. Fire Poison Palm!

This was a killing Move he had developed by combining the Fire Killing Palm with a certain sinister Cultivation Technique. The Fire Poison within the palm force was incredibly insidious. Once it invaded the body, it would burn the Meridians and erode the Qi and blood like maggots on a bone, leaving the victim in agony and severely reducing their combat power!

Unaware of the details, Lin Tian still tried to meet it head-on with his Metal Element Fist. "Bang!" As their fists and palms collided again, Lin Tian felt an extremely tricky and sinister scorching aura within the opponent's palm force, which drilled rapidly into his fist and along his Meridians like a living thing. Wherever it passed, his Meridians felt a burning pain and numbness!

"It's poisonous?!" Lin Tian's expression changed slightly, and he gave a low shout. The Qi and blood circulated by his Perfection Five Elements Stance instantly transformed into a surging torrent, rushing toward the invading sinister Fire Poison! The Qi and blood collided violently with the Fire Poison, emitting faint hissing sounds, eventually suppressing the Fire Poison for the time being, but the faint burning pain in his Meridians remained.

That was close! A layer of cold sweat broke out on Lin Tian's back. If his Qi and blood were not far stronger than those of his peers, and if he didn't have such meticulous control over his Qi and blood after reaching Perfection in his Five Elements Stance, he would have suffered a great loss from that blow!

"Hehe, how does it feel?" Seeing the change in Lin Tian's expression, Elder Yan Lie let out an sinister laugh. Pressing his advantage, he did not let up. His palms flew, the dark, serpentine flames flickered, and his Moves targeted Lin Tian's vitals, forcing him to block head-on.

Having suffered once, how could Lin Tian be fooled again? He changed his footwork, and his Perfection-level Wind-Chasing Footwork was fully unleashed! In an instant, Lin Tian's figure became blurred.

He no longer engaged in a direct clash with Elder Yan Lie, but instead flashed and maneuvered at high speed within a small space, like a butterfly weaving through flowers, or a phantom drifting about. Although Elder Yan Lie's palm force was fierce and the Fire Poison was insidious, at the very moment it was about to touch Lin Tian's body, he would dodge by a hair's breadth. The palm wind could only sweep through the faint afterimages he left behind; he could not even touch the corner of his clothes.

"What?!" Elder Yan Lie was both shocked and furious. He considered his own movement technique not to be weak, but the speed of this brat before him was simply inconceivable! It was not just speed; it carried a mastery of space, Qi, and his own strength that was refined to the pinnacle, as if he could predict his palm movements and always dodge one step ahead.

"Perfection-level movement technique?!" A thought that made his scalp tingle flashed through his mind. Impossible! It was absolutely impossible! A Prodigy in cultivation, a Prodigy in fist technique, and even his movement technique was... what kind of monster was this?!

Lin Tian, however, did not care about his shock. Relying on the absolute speed advantage of his Perfection movement technique, he began to circle him. Like the most patient hunter, he spun rapidly around Elder Yan Lie, launching surprise attacks from time to time with his Metal Element Fist or the Metal and Wood combined attack. He would retreat after a single strike, never giving Elder Yan Lie a chance to engage in a close-quarters struggle or use his Fire Poison Palm.

Elder Yan Lie had a body full of powerful palm strength and sinister Fire Poison, but it was like a bull swatting at a mosquito—he had power but nowhere to use it. He was exhausted from dealing with Lin Tian's strange and rapid movement technique. On the contrary, he was struck several times by Lin Tian's tricky fist force. Although he wasn't heavily injured, his Qi and blood were churning, and he felt incredibly stifled.

A long defense will eventually lead to a failure. Finally, Lin Tian seized a small opening where Elder Yan Lie failed to recover his Qi and had overextended his Move. Pushing his Perfection movement technique to the limit, his figure turned into an almost invisible gray line, and he instantly circled behind Elder Yan Lie from an incredible angle!

"Metal and Wood combined attack—Mountain-Crushing Strike!" Amidst a low roar, Lin Tian's right fist condensed his entire strength. The sharp, armor-piercing power of the Metal Element Fist was in the front, and the soft, penetrating force of the Wood Element Fist was behind. The two forces spiraled and entangled, merging into one, and slammed solidly into Elder Yan Lie's vital back heart!

"Pfft—!" Elder Yan Lie felt as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer. His protective Qi was instantly pierced through, his clothes on his back exploded, and his bones emitted a teeth-grinding cracking sound. He spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with visceral fragments, and his whole body flew forward like a torn sack, crashing heavily into the pile of rocks. His aura instantly withered away; he had suffered a fatal injury!

"Cough, cough... you..." Elder Yan Lie struggled to get up, his eyes filled with fear, resentment, and endless regret. He could never have imagined that after decades of hard cultivation, he would actually fall into the hands of a boy who had been cultivating for less than a year!

How could Lin Tian give him a chance to catch his breath? One must eliminate evil completely! His figure flashed, and he had already chased up to him. He did not give Elder Yan Lie any chance to beg for mercy or escape, his fists falling like rain!

"Bang, bang, bang!" Several consecutive heavy punches slammed into Elder Yan Lie's vital points, such as his head and heart, without any flair. Elder Yan Lie's protective Qi had long since dissipated; his skull collapsed, his sternum was shattered. With eyes wide open in unwillingness, he twitched a few times and then made no more sound. Elder of the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall, Second Grade Martial Artist Elder Yan Lie, was dead!

Lin Tian slowly withdrew his fists and let out a long breath of foul air tainted with the smell of blood. Killing a veteran Second Grade Martial Artist, even with the advantages of his movement technique and Martial Skill suppression, was by no means easy for him.

He quickly calmed his Qi and blood and vigilantly scanned his surroundings. After confirming that no one else was lurking, he bent down and began to search Elder Yan Lie's still-warm corpse. He found several dozen taels of loose silver and a few small-denomination silver notes, and from the lining of his inner clothing, he found two thin booklets. The cover of one was written with "Essentials of the Fire Killing Palm," and the other was "Introduction to Fire Poison Refining."

Lin Tian put away the money and the booklets, not glancing at the corpse on the ground again. With a movement, he unleashed his Perfection movement technique, and like a wisp of smoke merging into the night, he quickly left the rock forest filled with the smell of blood. The night wind blew, carrying away the faint scent of blood, leaving only the wailing of the strange rocks and a gradually cooling corpse.