[Twelve Forms Fist Experience Points +1]
After finishing a set of the Twelve Forms Fist, Chu Fan felt the exhaustion in his body was much less severe than the day before.
When he first practiced this Fist Technique yesterday, his vision would go dark after every set, and he could barely stand steady.
But now, though his heart was pounding like a drum and he was gasping for breath, he was no longer on the verge of collapsing as before.
He wasn't sure if it was the lingering effects of the Blood-Nourishing Medicine Soup and the Vermilion-Scaled Blood Python Flesh, or because of the 3% progress in Blood Nourishing...
Chu Fan found a flat, green stone and sat down. As he regulated his breathing, he mentally reviewed every single move of the Twelve Forms Fist.
He also carefully went over the Pile Method from his Pile Skills and the Breathing Technique.
Whether a move was simple or complex, it had to be tempered through a thousand repetitions before it could become a life-taking Killing Move in a battle to the death.
Although he could now complete a full set of the Twelve Forms Fist, he was still as slow as a snail, and the transitions between his punches were riddled with openings.
If he were in a real fight, he probably couldn't even beat a street thug's wild Turtle Fist.
Only when he had practiced all the moves to Perfection, able to switch between the Twelve Forms at will with seamless transitions, could this Fist Technique be considered genuinely proficient.
After resting for an hour, Zhao Tianxing and the six other boys also got up and made their way to the Martial Arts Arena one after another.
...
[Skill: Twelve Forms Fist (Uninitiated) (Trait: None)]
[Progress: (6/10)]
'Just four more Experience Points...'
Chu Fan glanced at the panel of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. A thrill shot through him; he felt the Entry-Level Realm was within his grasp.
After another hour of rest, he focused his mind and gathered his energy, once again practicing the Twelve Forms Fist from beginning to end...
"Step like a plow tilling the field, land like you're taking root!"
"The heart and intent unite, the intent and qi unite, the qi and Force unite! The shoulders and hips unite, the elbows and knees unite, the hands and feet unite!"
"Hands and feet arrive together, striking in a single instant, an inch of reach is paramount..."
The moves of this Twelve Forms Fist were mostly direct, a bend and an extension, with a clear rhythm—simple and unadorned.
But when the punches were combined with the Breathing Technique, circulating blood and qi, the seemingly slow movements actually created whistling gusts of wind!
Not only that, Chu Fan clearly felt his movements had become much smoother and faster, as if a blockage in his meridians had been cleared!
"HA!"
As he executed the final Tiger Form Fist, a liberating shout escaped Chu Fan's lips.
As the force of his fist swept past, there was a faint roar like that of a fierce tiger. The sheer ferocity of his presence was several times stronger than before!
[Twelve Forms Fist Experience Points +4]
[Skill: Twelve Forms Fist (Entry-Level) (Trait: None)]
[Progress: (0/100)]
'Four Experience Points? I... I've reached the Entry-Level Realm?'
Chu Fan stood there, stunned.
Within a breath's time, just like when his Firewood Splitting Saber Technique had broken through, images of every punch he had ever thrown flashed through his mind.
One punch after another, with absolute clarity.
It was as if all his past memories of training were being reorganized!
His punches had been stiff, as if bound by invisible restraints;
His movements clumsy, like walking with a heavy burden;
His forms rigid, lacking any spiritual grace;
His steps unsteady, his punches devoid of power;
His hands and eyes uncoordinated, his gaze unable to keep up with his moves...
Chu Fan felt like an outsider, silently observing his own previously clumsy fist patterns from a detached perspective.
However, under the pull of an indescribable, wondrous power, the stiffness between his moves and the deviations in his power generation melted away like ice in the sun. Each and every move gradually became smooth and fluid, without a trace of awkwardness!
Chu Fan closed his eyes, carefully sensing the changes within his body.
He felt as if his entire body was submerged in a divine ambrosia. It was an indescribably comfortable and exhilarating sensation, like drinking fine wine, intoxicating his mind and spirit.
Not long after...
Chu Fan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze as calm as still water as he stared into the empty space before him.
Then, he took half a step forward with his left leg, planted himself firmly, and assumed the opening stance of the Twelve Forms Fist.
His feet gripped the ground, his chest was held in while his back was straightened, his shoulders sank and elbows dropped. His hands opened outward and rose to eyebrow level, the space between his thumb and index finger facing down...
A moment later, Force rapidly gathered in his right arm. He clenched his right hand into a fist like an iron pestle and threw a fierce Splitting Fist forward!
Before the fist arrived, the sound of tearing silk filled the air!
Before his right fist could be withdrawn, his left fist shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, as fast as lightning!
Immediately after, Chu Fan sank his hips and drove his knee up, his Step Technique shifting abruptly. With a slight bend in his right wrist, he unleashed an upward strike infused with a spiraling, diagonal Force!
These three punches were the Splitting Fist, Bursting Fist, and Drilling Fist from the Bear Form—
The Splitting Fist was like a bear's paw striking a Stone, heavy and powerful;
The Bursting Fist was like a bear's sudden charge, its rigid Force unparalleled;
The Drilling Fist was like a bear's arms hugging a tree, concealing a twisting Force.
The three punches seemed unremarkable, but they exuded a dauntless courage that pressed ever forward, like collapsing mountains—unstoppable!
Punching out was like a steel file scraping iron.
Retracting the fist was like a hook pulling a Stone.
This was the essence of the Bear Form: hard strikes, hard advances, completely unrestrained!
BOOM!
As he stomped his right foot heavily on the ground, a ring of force exploded outward from the sole of his foot, sending dust scattering in all directions like ripples on water.
Just then, the north wind swept up a few withered leaves, which shot toward him like hidden weapons.
Chu Fan's expression flickered. His form changed abruptly, and he leaped two meters to the side like a light Swallow Form skimming the water, dodging the first two leaves;
Then he spun, executing a Hawk's Somersault, and deftly evaded the other leaf.
His movements were as smooth as flowing water, completely without pause!
The previous three punches displayed the ferocity of the Bear Form.
Now, in dodging the leaves, he was using the agility of the Swallow Form and the swiftness of the Hawk Form!
The Bear Form had always been the core of the Twelve Forms Fist, hailed as the "Mother of the Twelve Forms."
Its techniques seemed simple, but in reality, the punches were swift and fierce, endlessly varied. Every move was powerful and heavy, containing the Fist Technique's most profound secrets of Force generation and combat wisdom.
Although the Swallow Form lacked the offensive power of the Bear Form, it possessed the skill of skimming water and the speed of darting through the air. It could glide low to the ground or soar straight up.
Its agility and speed were unique among the Twelve Forms!
As for the Hawk Form—the hawk is a bird of prey, fierce yet agile, possessing the Skill of Flipping Over, the ability to pierce the heavens, and the speed to bind its body and seize objects!
Each of the Twelve Forms of the Twelve Forms Fist has its own wondrous use.
Reaching the Entry-Level of the Fist Technique was only the beginning!
With a slight push from his left foot, Chu Fan's body floated lightly, leaping another three meters away.
Such nimbleness would have been unimaginable just yesterday.
The Twelve Forms Fist had reached Entry-Level, and Blood Nourishing was now at 4%...
To have made such progress in a single day, Chu Fan couldn't help but feel a surge of delight.
He caught his breath and took out the other piece of Vermilion-Scaled Blood Python Flesh that Zhao Tianxing had given him, eating it.
Once a warmth began to spread in his belly, he went to the dining hall for breakfast, then headed straight for the wood-chopping yard.
The wood-chopping yard wasn't far from the dining hall, just a few dozen steps to the north.
Before he even stepped through the gate, he could hear the THUMP-THUMP of chopping wood from within. The sound was dull and rhythmic, like someone beating on a worn-out war drum.
Chu Fan strode in and saw a mountain of logs piled in the yard. They were all hardwoods as thick as a bowl, gleaming with a dark luster in the morning light.
Beside the logs, three boys of about fifteen or sixteen were already swinging axes to chop wood, but their movements were somewhat sluggish.
When the three saw Chu Fan enter, they just glanced up at him, not even bothering to greet him, before lowering their heads to chop again, their faces showing a trace of early-morning fatigue.
Chu Fan withdrew his gaze and walked over to a spot near the wall.
This wood-chopping chore was shared among five people. Each person had their own clearly demarcated pile of logs.
Besides him and these three, there was also Zhao Tianxing, but he hadn't arrived yet.
Each person's task wasn't too heavy. As long as they got up early and worked quickly, they could finish before lunch.
If they dawdled, they'd just have to continue in the afternoon.
Chu Fan bent down and picked up a Firewood Splitter from the ground. The blade was heavy, but its edge was sharpened to a mirror finish.
He set a log upright, and without even looking, brought the Firewood Splitter down in a casual swing...
SWOOSH!
The blade cut through the air with a faint whistle, landing with perfect precision right in the center of the log.
With a crisp CRACK, the sturdy log split open, falling neatly into two halves with surfaces as smooth as a mirror.
"..."
The three boys, who had been chopping for a while, stared with wide eyes, their hands freezing on their own Firewood Splitters.
Right before their eyes, Chu Fan swung his blade like the wind. Amid flashes of cold light, he had already split four logs in the blink of an eye.
His efficiency was more than three times their own!
But how could they know that Chu Fan was exhausted both mentally and physically from practicing the Twelve Forms Fist twice? His current strength and speed while chopping wood were far less than when he was at home.
If he hadn't practiced those two sets of the fist technique, his power and speed would have been even greater!
Unfortunately, before coming to the Seven Stars Gang, his Firewood Splitting Saber Technique had already reached the limit of the Perfection Realm. Now, no matter how hard he chopped, he couldn't gain even half an Experience Point.
'Three meals a day will increase my Spiritual Essence by about 0.3.'
'A bowl of Blood-Nourishing Medicine Soup can increase it by 0.5.'
'To gather ten points of Spiritual Essence, I'll have to endure for another nine days.'
Before long, the medicinal effects of the Vermilion-Scaled Blood Python Flesh began to take hold.
Chu Fan felt the exhaustion recede from his body like a tide. A wave of heat flowed through his limbs, bringing an indescribable sense of relief. The Firewood Splitter in his hands even felt a little lighter.
He set up the logs one by one, and with each rise and fall of his blade, they were split into fine pieces.
In just an hour, the pile of logs before him had been completely chopped.
Meanwhile, the other three still had two-thirds of their piles left!
Chu Fan glanced toward the courtyard gate. He didn't know where Zhao Tianxing had gone, but he still hadn't arrived.
He stood up, moved two steps to his left, sat down in Zhao Tianxing's spot, and picked up the blade to start helping him chop wood.
'That brat dares to steal our chance to suck up?!'
Seeing this, the three boys became flustered and exasperated.
They had come early to chop wood specifically so they could finish their own work first and then go help Zhao Tianxing.
They had all seen Cao Feng praise Zhao Tianxing in the Martial Arts Arena yesterday and naturally didn't want to miss this chance to get on his good side.
But now, with more than half of their own work left, Chu Fan had beaten them to it!
The three of them shot Chu Fan a resentful glare and quickened the pace of their chopping, though their movements were now tinged with impatience.
...
With his Firewood Splitting Saber Technique at the limit of the Perfection Realm, chopping wood was truly as easy as slicing tofu.
With each rise and fall of the blade, the bowl-thick logs split on impact, sending wood chips flying like snowflakes.
After chopping wood for another hour, not only did Chu Fan not feel the slightest bit tired, but he actually felt that most of the soreness from practicing the Twelve Forms Fist had dissipated.
The Firewood Splitter in his hands felt as if it had become an extension of his arm. His movements grew swifter, the flashing blade like a gale sweeping through leaves.
By the time he had finished chopping Zhao Tianxing's entire pile of logs, the three boys on the other side still had a third of their piles untouched.
Only then did Zhao Tianxing finally arrive, fashionably late.
"You actually finished all my work?"
Zhao Tianxing walked over, beads of sweat as large as beans on his forehead. He looked at the two large, neatly stacked piles of firewood on the ground and broke into a grin.
Panting heavily, he plopped down on Chu Fan's small stool, tilted his head back slightly, and said, "Thanks!"
Chu Fan smiled and waved his hand. "After eating two pieces of your python meat, what's a little wood chopping in return?"
"Besides, I needed a rest after practicing my fist technique anyway. Chopping wood is just a way to loosen up my muscles."
'Treating wood chopping as a rest?'
Hearing this, the three boys nearby, still sweating buckets, all felt their lips twitch. They shot Chu Fan a speechless glance, and the axes in their hands couldn't help but slow down a fraction.
Chu Fan looked at Zhao Tianxing's sweat-drenched face and asked in surprise, "Don't tell me you spent the whole morning practicing the Twelve Forms Fist?"
"What else?" Zhao Tianxing rolled his eyes and wiped the sweat with his sleeve. "And whose fault do you think that is? You're the one who motivated me."
Chu Fan was even more surprised. "What does that have to do with me?"