Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies
Chapter 52 - 51: Junior Brother, have you practiced the Wind Defying Finger before?

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Linfeng Hall, inner courtyard.

Accompanied by the dull echoes of the wooden stakes, more than ten disciples practiced the Linfeng Hall's movement technique in front of the Wooden Dummy.

Shen Qing was also among them.

After killing Wang Qiyao's entire family, he did not carry any psychological burden, behaving as if nothing had happened.

At this moment, he was fully engrossed in martial arts training.

In the depths of winter, Shen Qing's whole body radiated heat.

To cool off, he removed his jacket, wearing only a newly bought cloth garment as he maneuvered in front of the Wooden Dummy.

Originally, his bruised shoulder had fully healed due to the Shiquan Dabu Decoction's medicinal effects, leaving no trace, but it slowly reddened under a new round of strikes.

Pa, pa, pa...

The entire process of practicing the Lingfeng Body Technique was very monotonous, simply a constant repetition of dodging stakes and being struck, yet Shen Qing did not find it tiresome or boring.

[Skill: Wind Defying Finger (Entry Level)]

[Progress: 31/100 points]

[Status: Cannot be improved]

Watching the skill proficiency continuously increase, Shen Qing felt himself growing stronger, becoming more energetic the more he trained, even immersing completely into a state of oblivion.

He didn't know exactly how long he had been practicing when Shen Qing suddenly sensed that this Wooden Dummy was about to be unable to stop him.

"Junior Brother Shen, how's the training going?"

At this moment, Senior Brother Ouyang Tiezhu returned after completing some tasks, and seeing Shen Qing training in the inner courtyard, walked over with interest.

Shen Qing was a relative of Seventh Master, her very own nephew.

The master also said he had some martial arts talent, and one day might become the master's direct disciple, joining their ranks.

He knew his own background was quite ordinary, gaining some status entirely through his two fists and good relationships.

Upon knowing such a person, Ouyang Tiezhu almost immediately decided to proactively take on the task of instructing Shen Qing.

For one, he could improve his presence in front of the master, and on the other hand, make a new friend, expanding his future ways.

To him, it was a good thing.

After their first contact yesterday, he discovered that Shen Qing indeed had certain talent for martial arts.

What took others three to five days to enter the state, Shen Qing grasped some nuances in just a short time.

This further solidified his intention to befriend him, so the moment he entered the inner courtyard today, he focused on him.

At this moment, Shen Qing was fully engrossed in practicing the movement technique, completely oblivious to Ouyang Tiezhu greeting him.

He was so focused that everything around him seemed to fall silent, hearing only the beating of his own heart.

Suddenly, Shen Qing's movements accelerated, his figure almost becoming a mere afterimage.

Finally, at the last moment.

In an instant, he broke through a barrier.

Bang!

Shen Qing instinctively thrust his hands forward, causing the rapidly spinning Wooden Dummy to abruptly halt, emitting a dull crash sound.

He successfully mimicked the movement technique taught by Ouyang Tiezhu from start to finish, with his speed nearly the same.

"It's done."

Continuous practice caused sweat beads as large as soybeans to emerge on his forehead, sliding down his sharply defined face and dripping onto the dusty ground.

A feeling of joy burned brightly in his heart, prompting his lips to curve upward on both sides.

This scene happened to fall into the eyes of Ouyang Tiezhu, not far away.

His expression instantly froze, his fists clenched tightly, and the foot he had just lifted stopped mid-air.

A moment later, he seemed to snap back to reality, continuing to walk forward woodenly.

If he remembered correctly, when he started from scratch, learning this set of movement techniques took him about seven to eight days to perform fluently.

To reach the current level, he invested a month of hard day-and-night training.

Shen Qing noticed Ouyang Tiezhu, somewhat surprised. He quickly wiped the sweat from his face and walked over, greeting, "Senior Brother!"

Ouyang Tiezhu, upon Shen Qing's call, snapped out of his shock.

He stammered for a moment, feeling a bit uneasy, and asked, "Junior Brother, did you train the Wind Defying Finger before?"

He wondered if, given Shen Qing was Seventh Master's nephew, he might have been taught some basics in advance.

Under Ouyang Tiezhu's complex gaze, Shen Qing shook his head, denying, "I was just a small hunter in a mountain village, where would I get the chance to learn such martial arts?"

"Your aunt didn't tell you some Linfeng Hall's training methods when she returned home?"

"Aunt married into the city and hasn't returned home for many years." Shen Qing glanced at Ouyang Tiezhu, curiously asking, "Senior Brother, why are you asking these things?"

Ouyang Tiezhu swallowed a bitter gulp of saliva, forcibly smiling, "You're learning this movement technique very quickly, just asking casually."

Shen Qing glanced at the Water Ink Panel in his sight, flattering, "It's all thanks to Senior Brother's good teaching, actually, I'm rather slow at learning other things."

Ouyang Tiezhu's heart seemed eased a bit, and his expression softened significantly.

"Senior Brother, I have a question, regarding how long it will take for me to master this movement technique I'm currently practicing?" Shen Qing asked earnestly.

Ouyang Tiezhu subdued his mixed emotions and explained, "What you're practicing now is the most basic Two Stick Wooden Man Stakes, afterwards, there's the three sticks, and five sticks."

"When you reach the level where even five sticks can't get near you, your whole Qi-Blood achieves Great Perfection and condenses thickly, being controlled at will, then you can start Strengthening Tendons and Bones."

Shen Qing pursued further, "So, does it mean that once I reach five sticks, it counts as mastery? Is there no other martial arts realm?"

"There naturally are martial arts realms, but right now you haven't reached that level." Ouyang Tiezhu didn't hold back information due to Shen Qing's remarkable performance.

Life was long, who knew what might happen in the future.

But commit good deeds, regardless of the ensuing outcomes.

Since deciding to build a relationship with him, one should follow through, not letting a bit of jealousy spoil it.

Ouyang Tiezhu paused, saying, "In our view, generally for martial masters, realms aren't divided so minutely. The initial stage mainly involves nourishing and training Qi-Blood, achieving great perfection is one realm; after that, training some basics to stimulate blood energy, Strengthening Tendons and Bones is the Second Realm; further up, once muscle and bone are fully trained, merging Qi-Blood within and developing strength, Skin Tempering and Qi Cultivation is the third Great Realm."

"Every great realm has two stages, divided into precedence, for instance, the First Realm is first nourishing Qi-Blood, then achieving great perfection; the Second Realm is Strengthening Tendons before Bone Refining, and so on."

"Every sect's martial arts within the three great realms focus on different aspects, leading to varied outcomes. For example, we at Linfeng Hall emphasize Strengthening Tendons in the Second Realm, winning by speed. Whereas the Chen Martial Arts Hall emphasizes the first stage's Qi-Blood, using strength to counter skill."

"Beyond that, there are other realms, but the master advises us not to focus too much on them. Step by step, consolidate the front fundamentals, and the latter will naturally become clear."

Ouyang Tiezhu laid out the broad martial arts realms, granting Shen Qing a clear cognition instantly.

If calculated this way, he was on the second stage of the First Realm—Great Perfection of Qi and Blood.

With curiosity stirring in his heart, Shen Qing asked, "Senior Brother, what realm is our master at now?"

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