Chapter 7: Power Amplification
(Double-length chapter — Please bookmark and recommend!)
Compared to his punch strength, Jiang Zhe's speed was... rather underwhelming.
After all, he had very little foundation as a martial artist. His power-exertion techniques were something he'd scrambled to figure out on his own, without any systematic training.
But he could still proudly call himself a "warrior of the future"—there was plenty of room for growth.
Next up was the neural response test.
Relying on clumsy footwork, paired with the powerful neural reflexes and computational abilities of a spiritual psychic, his rating came in at:
—"Excellent for Intermediate Warrior!"
—"Qualified for Advanced Warrior!"
The series of shocking results had already left Jiang Wu and Jiang Sisi numb. At this point, they'd come to accept one thing: Jiang Zhe being exceptional was just the norm.
When Jiang Zhe walked over, they both gave him a thumbs-up.
Jiang Sisi whispered in awe, "If Grandpa and the others don't return soon, Little Zhe's going to be promoted to War General. Then he'll go straight to the Elite Training Camp. With dragon blood and jade marrow at his disposal, even our family's bloodwine won't be much use to him anymore."
Jiang Wu laughed. "Haha! Grandpa never imagined Little Zhe's talent would be this terrifying!"
"No one could've guessed... I've trained hard for four years, and he's caught up overnight. Makes me wonder if I'm even suited to be a martial artist anymore."
Jiang Wu didn't respond to that. Instead, he said seriously, "Be glad! He's our cousin. We share the same blood. We should be proud of him!"
Realizing her mindset had slipped, Jiang Sisi pursed her lips and stayed quiet.
Jiang Wu continued, "But Little Zhe didn't get here overnight. He's still got a long way to go. Until Grandpa returns, we'll help him. Turning him into a competent martial artist in five days—shouldn't be too hard, right?"
"Right. I'll teach him footwork," Jiang Sisi volunteered.
"Then I'll handle weapon combat and power techniques. The only question is—Little Zhe, are you ready?"
By now, Jiang Zhe had walked up to them.
He smiled. "Second Brother, is my combat assessment all arranged?"
Jiang Wu flashed an "OK" gesture.
"Piece of cake. Just one phone call."
"On August 1st, you and over a thousand others will head to the Southern Military Zone. The assessment will take place in a small town by the South Four Lakes."
"Little Zhe, did you watch the footage on the USB drive? Have you picked a weapon?"
Jiang Zhe was prepared. "I haven't settled on a primary weapon yet, so for now I'll go with a shield and iron whip."
Thinking deeper—
Spiritual Psychic or Martial Artist?
Jiang Zhe wasn't ready to make that decision. He didn't have the experience to choose.
Take Luo Feng, for example.
Before entering the Cosmic Sea, he too wavered between the two paths. He made his decision based on opportunity and eventually created a technique that fit him best.
It wasn't until he received the Blade Inheritance at Broken East River that he truly committed to the Way of the Blade—and became renowned across the Origin Worlds.
"Good thinking," Jiang Wu praised. "A beginner with a blade might not even cut anyone. But with a whip or flail? As long as you land a hit—it's a critical!"
As for the saying—"Only the strong can wield iron whips and bronze flails"—that was nonsense when it came to Jiang Zhe.
Jiang Wu hooked an arm around Jiang Zhe's shoulder. "Come on, let's go pick your weapons."
On the fifth floor of the Traditional Martial Hall was a dedicated equipment room, stocked with all kinds of weapons. All materials started at grade-5—comparable to intermediate War General gear.
Jiang Zhe first picked a four-foot segmented bamboo whip, weighing about 200 kilograms. A bit on the light side.
Then came the shield.
Among the many styles, he initially leaned toward a fan-shaped shield—the kind you often see in car logos.
But on his second brother's advice, he chose a beast-faced round shield instead.
It had a diameter of 80 centimeters and could cover nearly half his body.
As a spiritual psychic, if Jiang Zhe found himself in a crisis, he could even use the shield to lift off the ground. Compared to fan-shaped shields, round ones had less air resistance.
Back in the training hall, Jiang Wu began explaining the use of the weapons.
"We'll set the iron whip aside for now. First, focus on how to use the shield. If you want to stay alive, you learn to defend before thinking about counterattacks."
Suddenly, Jiang Wu asked, "Ever heard of the 'Eagle-Bear Combo Training'?"
Jiang Zhe nodded. "Bear and Eagle styles in Xingyi Fist. The old bear charges from its cave, the eagle strikes from the sky. Motion and stillness combined. Yin and yang in harmony. Bear to rise, eagle to fall. You attack on the rise and the fall!"
He'd practically worn out the family's treasured fist manuals by now—this kind of question was child's play.
"Haha! Little Zhe, your ten years of reading those texts weren't in vain. Makes teaching you a lot easier."
"Our family has two 'almost-core' techniques: Bear King Shield and Eagle Claw Technique. They're kind of niche, mostly about understanding force mechanics, not meant to be fully mastered. That's why I didn't count them in the five core manuals yesterday."
"To be precise, our family has seven main internal techniques, including two guiding methods. These align with the six classic animal styles of Xingyi from the last era: Chicken Leg, Dragon Body, Tiger Embrace, Bear Arm, Eagle Catch, and Thunder Roar. Tiger is represented twice."
"How you walk the Xingyi path—how you choose and combine these 'Six Arts'—will be something you and Grandpa need to decide together."
"Now I'll teach you Bear and Eagle. Later, Sisi will teach you Chicken Footwork. These three you must understand, but they won't affect your final choices."
"Just learn the power mechanics. Don't imitate the form—learn the essence, not the appearance."
Jiang Zhe nodded. Left arm holding the shield, he focused on his second brother's demonstration of the two styles.
"Bears are clumsy, but have tremendous shoulder and arm strength. They can rise tall, swing heavy limbs, and charge with brute force. The Bear style imitates these traits."
"It pairs extremely well with the shield. Grandpa created Bear King Shield based on this style."
"There's a saying in the fist manual: 'Fail not the hand, fail not the elbow, fail not the shoulder.'"
"This technique emphasizes shoulder and arm strength, connecting waist and hips, flowing through the wrist—when fully mastered, it can double your force output."
At that, Jiang Zhe's expression shifted subtly.
Only twice the power? Less than the second stage of Ninefold Thunder Blade?
Bit underwhelming. He wasn't convinced—better keep watching.
After all, Bear Arm was just one of six. The true strength of Xingyi lay in integrating all six—Six Arts Combined, Power to the Body.
Surely there was a way to combine them to boost the multiplier. Otherwise, Grandpa would never have earned the title "Invincible War God."
Jiang Wu continued, now explaining the Eagle style.
This one was paired with the Eagle Claw Technique.
Before one could project gene energy externally, this technique wasn't practical for monster combat—it'd be suicide.
"Among birds of prey, the eagle is the most vicious and deadly. It excels at seizing and gripping."
"The Eagle style imitates its sharp dives and sudden strikes, demanding power from fingertips, a heavy body, and movements synchronized with breathing, to produce precise and complete force."
"Once you grasp the technique, it too can double your force output."
"Don't think that's low."
"Remember what I said about the Eagle-Bear Combo. Both styles integrate hand, arm, shoulder, and waist—upper body mechanics."
"Bear rises—'wishing the ground had no rings.'
Eagle dives—'wishing the sky had no handles.'"
"Master both, and combine their mechanics perfectly—your output can reach up to three times force amplification!"
Jiang Wu looked proud. "And that's just from two of our more obscure manuals. If you master their essence, then study the five core manuals—your physical power will be top-tier!"
Yes!
That's more like it!
Jiang Zhe's eyes lit up. He finally saw the true strength of his family's secret arts.
Completely different from the Ninefold Thunder Blade.
Rooted in ancient Xingyi theory, the Six Arts were designed to be integrated—divided, then recombined—for a breakthrough through accumulation.
Jiang Zhe was now genuinely excited.
If the remaining five styles matched these two in depth... if he could fuse six distinct power techniques—how high could his power multiplier go?
His grandfather, the founder of this new Xingyi lineage, once hailed as the "Invincible War God"—what kind of monster had he become?
Meanwhile, Jiang Wu picked up another shield and started demonstrating moves again. The shield flowed with surprising grace and strength.
"Let's go, follow me—this is the Old Bear Charges Out!"
Jiang Zhe blinked.
Huh? Didn't we say we'd start with blocking techniques? Why does your shield look like a freaking axe?
He shrugged. Well, probably fine.
He raised his shield and mimicked the movements, paying close attention to the hidden force mechanics.
"Lazy Bear Hits Tree!"
"Fierce Bear Swings Arm!"
"Black Bear Lifts Tower!"
...
Jiang Wu performed the Bear King Shield routine three times. Every move focused on arms and back strength.
Jiang Zhe realized something amazing.
His memory was incredible. His comprehension—freakishly sharp.
First round: memorized the routine.
Second round: identified the embedded force mechanics.
Third round: began to feel how to apply them to himself.
But Jiang Zhe stayed grounded.
"Third time means my mind gets it. But my body still needs time—gradual understanding, adjustment, and experimentation—before I can reproduce the effect, even partially."
"Little Zhe, want me to go on?"
Jiang Zhe shook his head. "Second Brother, how about I give it a shot instead?"
"Oho, confident now? Let's see it." Jiang Wu raised an eyebrow, clearly interested.
—Old Bear Charges Out!
—Lazy Bear Hits Tree!
—Fierce Bear Swings Arm!
...
Jiang Zhe didn't just repeat the moves—he added in his interpretation of force mechanics, hoping for Jiang Wu's corrections.
"Little Zhe, imagine a bear showing off—its shoulders swaying as it flexes."
"When exerting force, head lifts, shoulders drop, arms open."
"Move diagonally—extend your body first, lead with the body, then the shoulders, then the elbows and hands!"
...
Jiang Zhe was like a sponge dropped into water. Under Jiang Wu's guidance, he absorbed everything and made rapid progress.
From the corner, Jiang Sisi frowned.
"Didn't we agree time is short, so start with simple stuff—teach him to block with the shield?"
"How'd it turn into advanced mechanics training?"
"Though... gotta say, Little Zhe's comprehension is freakishly high."
Jiang Wu eventually realized this too—and his expression turned complicated.
"What the hell?"
"How many rounds is this? His moves seem fine. No force issues that I can correct..."
"He might already be at my level!"
Jiang Wu felt embarrassed.
Outwardly, though, his bearded bear-face showed nothing.
After all, he was an intermediate War General—equal in rank to Jiang Zhe's psychic strength.
His own power output reached 3x—achieved only by combining Bear, Eagle, and Tiger styles.
"Second Brother? Second Brother?"
Jiang Zhe's voice snapped him out of it.
"Huh? What?"
Jiang Zhe deadpanned, "Can you still spot any flaws in my technique?"
"Ahem... barely passable," Jiang Wu mumbled. "Go rewatch Grandpa's videos. We're short on time. Since you've mostly got Bear King Shield down, let's move on."
Jiang Zhe raised an eyebrow.
Second Brother… why do you sound like you're bluffing?
Can you not teach me anymore?
He smirked inside but didn't call him out.
"Second Brother, are we learning Eagle Claw next?"
Jiang Wu shook his head. "Nope. Still shield technique."
"I'll incorporate Eagle-style force into the moves. Watch closely for the new mechanics—and try to merge them."
Then he began his demonstration.
Many moves were altered beyond recognition. The mood shifted dramatically.
Gone was the heavy, impenetrable feel.
Now: ferocity. Precision. Ruthlessness.
The round shield became a cleaver, a guillotine—slamming down like a blade.
After three rounds, Jiang Zhe still felt something missing. He asked for two more.
With his comprehension, picking out new force mechanics wasn't hard.
The challenge lay in integration—blending Bear and Eagle, to enhance his power.
After nearly twenty minutes of analysis, Jiang Zhe picked up the shield again.
Jiang Wu, sensing he could still contribute, seized the chance to coach.
"Still missing something! More vicious! Add Eagle's sinking force!"
"Wish the sky had no handles! Got it?"
"Your body's ends must align—deliver unified power!"
"Can you stop with that damn Bear Arm? It's too dominant as the 'root segment.' Disrupts full-body flow."
"...Alright. Let me explain the 'Three Segments' theory."
"Three segments refer to tip, middle, and root. For the body:
Arms: hand (tip), elbow (mid), shoulder (root).
Torso: head (tip), shoulder-neck (mid), waist-hips (root).
Legs: foot (tip), knee (mid), hip (root)."
"Our family's secret lies in mastering these segments—Chicken Leg, Dragon Body, Tiger Head, Bear Arm, Eagle Catch… you see the connection?"
"When every tip segment connects, and the whole body flows as one—you generate and transmit force from any part."
"Only Grandpa achieved this. His output rivals that of Hong and Thunder God."
...
Noon came. The sun was blazing.
Jiang Zhe spent the entire morning mastering the Eagle-Bear Combo.
Thanks to his freakish comprehension, the results were impressive.
Poor Jiang Wu, though—he felt completely drained.
If not for escaping via "Meal-Time Ninjutsu," he had no idea how to end this.
He could no longer spot flaws in Jiang Zhe's technique.
"Little Zhe, let's call it here. I'm starving. We'll continue after lunch."
"What? It's noon already?"
Jiang Zhe was shocked, finally noticing his empty stomach.
Too focused.
And man—martial arts is way too fun!
"Wait—I wanna test my punch strength again."
Jiang Zhe walked over to the machine.
His cousins followed, curious about the results of his morning training.
Recalling the Three Segments Theory—
Jiang Zhe stomped the ground. Force shot up from his legs (root), surged through his waist (middle), rotated slightly to build pressure, and finally burst out through his arms (tip). The Bear's power plus the Eagle's dive combined—
Boom!
The machine flashed red. Numbers jumped.
10,404 kg!
10 tons?! Double the previous score!
Jiang Zhe clicked his tongue, pleased with the result.
Jiang Wu and Sisi, however, were far from calm.
"W-War General level?!!"
"Two times force output?! Already?!"
Inside, Jiang Zhe's mental avatar shrugged.
"Honestly, I could go higher.
This isn't my limit.
It's Second Brother's limit."
"Once I study Grandpa's recordings—
My power will rise again."
A hundredfold force amplification—
All riding on the Jiang family's theory!
Chicken Leg, Dragon Body, Tiger Head, Bear Arm, Eagle Catch, Thunder Roar—
Six Arts Combined. Power to the Body!
(End of the Chapter)
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