Choosing Martial Arts (Part 2)

Suddenly possessing such an extensive collection of martial arts manuals, Yun Che was overwhelmed with an unprecedented sense of excitement. Unable to contain himself, he tilted his head back and laughed heartily, only gradually calming down after quite some time.In the Kingdom of Xiangyun, a single intermediate martial arts manual could be worth several hundred taels of silver, while Yun Che's monthly allowance within the clan was only ten taels.Naturally, he could not sell or share the clan's martial arts manuals with outsiders, for according to the clan rules, such actions would lead to the forfeiture of his martial arts abilities and expulsion from the family.The more than a hundred martial arts manuals Yun Che had "borrowed" from the Xuanwu Pavilion were mostly high-tier treasures from the first floor, each one possessing remarkable qualities that stirred his heart.Selecting a few that were suited to his own strengths was no easy task.Fortunately, the contents of these manuals were fully etched in his mind. As his thoughts whirled, he began to compare and analyze them, quickly determining which martial arts would be the most suitable for him.A single martial art could bolster one's strength, but when multiple techniques were combined, their effects could be greatly amplified, facilitating even greater progress in cultivation.Within just half an hour, Yun Che had sifted through the hundreds of martial arts manuals and selected four that stood out: Floating and Gliding Crossing, Furious Dragon Fist, Breath Control Art, and Piercing Meteor Arrow.Floating and Gliding Crossing was without a doubt the highest-level technique among all the manuals. Moreover, Yun Che had the potential to unlock its later stages.Next were Furious Dragon Fist and Breath Control Art, which complemented each other perfectly.Furious Dragon Fist was one of the most powerful among intermediate martial arts, with enormous destructive power. It could concentrate and amplify the body's vital energy and blood, overwhelming opponents with force, and its explosive power was fearsome.It was a peak-level intermediate fist technique, nearly on par with some advanced martial arts in terms of power.What Yun Che valued most about Furious Dragon Fist was its ability to enhance the body's vitality and blood flow. This was the foundation and prerequisite for cultivating "Martial Inner Energy."Martial Inner Energy was the key to advancing to the Fourth Realm of Martial Arts, and it was the benchmark for measuring true martial artists.What was even more brilliant was that Breath Control Art was a technique close to the advanced level of breathing exercises. It could manipulate the vital energy and blood within a martial artist's body, strengthening their constitution, power, and vitality. Upon reaching its peak, it even held the potential for awakening "Martial Inner Energy."

"Furious Dragon Fist and Breath Control Art are a perfect match. Together, they complement each other, greatly enhancing their power. They are at least comparable to advanced martial arts and can also increase the chances of comprehending 'Martial Inner Energy.'" Yun Che felt immense joy in his heart.

As for the final choice, Piercing Meteor Arrow was a technique that bordered on advanced-level archery.Why choose an archery technique?This was connected to Yun Che's left-eye ability."If I don't practice archery, it would be a waste of my left-eye ability..." Yun Che's lips curled into a slight smile.With his left-eye ability, he could be considered a born "archer," capable of unleashing the full potential of the archery technique to its limits.After settling on the martial arts techniques, Yun Che began his cultivation.He first focused on the Breath Control Art, for the strength of vital energy and physical constitution formed the foundation of cultivation. The stronger the vitality, the greater the power of Furious Dragon Fist, which focused on close combat.Closing his eyes, Yun Che immersed himself in the method described within the Breath Control Art.Half a censer's time later, the vital energy within his body began to gradually circulate and move..."Is it really this easy?" Yun Che was slightly astonished.According to the description in the Breath Control Art, for most people, it would take at least four or five days, or even up to ten days or more, to successfully circulate their vital energy.Could it be that I am the legendary genius of cultivation?Yun Che thought for a moment but decisively dismissed the idea. If he were a genius, he wouldn't have struggled so much to break through the Second Realm of Martial Arts earlier.He realized that the mysterious fusion of his left eye had greatly enhanced his mental power... His reaction speed, analytical ability, and comprehension were now many times greater than that of ordinary people.While cultivating the Breath Control Art, a faint "thump-thump" sound emanated from his left eye.At the same time, within the pitch-black space, the two-foot-long pale blue spiral light rings were spinning faster.Half a day later, Yun Che successfully completed the first layer of Breath Control Art, expelling a faintly foul-smelling layer of sweat from his body.He felt his vital energy had been enhanced by more than a third.Had he really succeeded?Yun Che was somewhat incredulous.The Breath Control Art had three layers, and upon reaching the third layer's perfection, one could potentially comprehend "Martial Inner Energy."Another half day passed, and Yun Che brought the Breath Control Art to its peak first layer. The speed of his cultivation then slowed.With a shift in his thoughts, he began to cultivate the Furious Dragon Fist, which complemented the Breath Control Art.As expected, with the foundation laid by the Breath Control Art, cultivating Furious Dragon Fist was much more efficient.In just half a day, Yun Che had learned the basic movements and the eighty-one variations of the Furious Dragon Fist.The power of the Furious Dragon Fist was formidable, especially when combined with the Breath Control Art, which could focus the vitality and unleash an explosive force that was terrifying."With the combination of these two techniques, a full-force strike from me could probably contend with someone in the Third Realm of Martial Arts."Yun Che could not help but marvel inwardly.The pleasant surprise was that after mastering the Furious Dragon Fist, the Breath Control Art naturally advanced to the second layer, further enhancing his cultivation of the former... The two techniques complemented each other, yielding incredible results.Truly a perfect match!Yun Che felt immense satisfaction in his heart.In the following four or five days, Yun Che cultivated the Furious Dragon Fist and Breath Control Art in tandem, reaping great rewards.At this point, his martial arts realm was nearing the peak of the Second Realm."It won't be long before I reach the peak of the Second Realm, and I'm confident that the Third Realm isn't far off," Yun Che thought, full of anticipation.The next day, Yun Che left his home and headed straight for the training grounds, for the other two martial arts manuals, Floating and Gliding Crossing and Piercing Meteor Arrow, required a larger space to cultivate.Soon, Yun Che arrived at the archery range in the corner of the training grounds.This was a dedicated area for archery practice.Whoosh!An arrow blurred through the air, its shadow cutting across the void, striking the bullseye of a target several dozen meters away."Such exceptional archery skills! Brother Yun Yu is truly one of the top three archers in the clan.""That arrow could probably pierce through the defenses of a martial artist in the Third Realm and slay even the toughest of beasts."Cheers erupted from the surrounding onlookers."Impressive!"Yun Che, walking by, couldn't help but marvel at the sight.He recognized the young man named Yun Yu, a renowned archer within the clan.Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...Yun Yu rapidly drew and released several arrows, each shot faster than the last, until a ring of arrows encircled the target's red center."Well done! Truly magnificent!"The surrounding clan members showered him with praise.Yun Che paid no further attention. He was confident that, with just a little more effort, he could become an archer of similar caliber.He walked up to an empty target, casually taking a bow and arrow. Narrowing his eyes, he attempted to aim in a manner resembling the technique.Yun Che had come to the archery range for two reasons: to test his own aptitude for archery and to practice the advanced technique Piercing Meteor Arrow.As soon as he grasped the bow, he drew the attention of others."Look... who's that? They seem unfamiliar."A clan member's eyes brightened."Heh, this is Yun Che. He came from a branch family half a year ago. Not long after arriving, he offended Yun Yijian, the third-ranked disciple in the outer clan. I heard even his former girlfriend left him..."A few clan members recognized Yun Che."Branch family member? Let's place a bet on how many rings he'll hit."Some of the onlookers cast mocking glances at Yun Che.Even the extraordinary archer Yun Yu was momentarily distracted."Archery requires both talent and perseverance. It's not something anyone can master just by trying," he said haughtily, giving Yun Che a fleeting glance.Yun Che paid them no mind.He slightly activated his left eye, and the target, a dozen meters away, quickly grew larger within his field of vision...Whoosh—The bowstring quivered, and the arrow shot through the air, barely grazing the target and landing on the ground.It veered off course...Yun Che felt slightly embarrassed. After all, this was his first time handling a bow and arrow."Hahaha..."The surrounding clan members erupted in laughter."Let's try again."Yun Che remained composed. It was completely normal for a first-time archer to miss the target.This time, he deliberately focused his left eye, fully concentrating. The techniques from Piercing Meteor Arrow seamlessly merged with his mind.At this moment, no one noticed the faint azure shimmer that briefly flickered across the surface of his left eyeball.Whoosh—The second arrow flew and struck the target with pinpoint accuracy, just one ring away from the red center.Nine rings!The entire range fell silent.The laughing clan members froze, their smiles faltering.Even Yun Yu raised an eyebrow.Nine rings—this was already the closest to the bullseye one could achieve.At such a distance, even seasoned archers would consider this a remarkable feat."Luck! It must have been luck!""Exactly! A beginner couldn't possibly shoot with such precision. He clearly missed the first shot."The clan members smiled once more, returning their attention to Yun Che.However, before their words could finish, the third arrow sped away.Whoosh—The sharp, ear-piercing whistle of the arrow sliced through the air and struck the target with a tremendous force.Thud!It hit the bullseye dead center!The entire range fell into a profound silence.Even Yun Yu and the other clan members stood frozen, their faces full of disbelief."Good luck," Yun Che said with a slight smile.The corner of his mouth curled upward in satisfaction. It had been proven that he indeed possessed a rare, innate gift for archery."Luck? What kind of freak is this guy!"The other archers exchanged bewildered glances.Every archer starts as a beginner, but to have such an astounding stroke of luck, this was the first time they'd ever witnessed it."Kid! Let's see if you can hit another arrow!"Some clan members, their faces contorted with irritation, shouted at him."Yeah! Let's see another shot!"Many of them urged excitedly, shouting in unison.Yun Che had originally planned to leave, but these persistent voices kept him from departing.Among these clan members were several who had reached the Third Realm of Martial Arts, many of them older than him."Alright then."Yun Che shrugged helplessly and grabbed another bow and arrow.