NOVEL WEB Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Perfect
Li Qian opened his eyes, sparking like electricity in the void. He stretched out his palm and a strange current emerged from the acupoints in his palm, swirling around endlessly, emitting a faint sizzling sound.
"Is this what Inner Qi is?"
Li Qian murmured to himself.
Suddenly, his palm transformed, his fingers shaping into a sword, and with a stroke, a shrieking Sword Qi shot out, flying three feet before dissipating.
But after this single sword strike, he immediately felt a large consumption of Inner Qi, as if there was an invisible deficit.
"At most three feet distant, the Inner Qi will dissipate... The distance capable of an attack... I estimate to be about one foot."
Li Qian murmured to himself.
Don't underestimate that additional foot; it's like wielding a sword one foot longer, significantly increasing its threat.
The saying goes, "an inch longer, an inch stronger."
Moreover... an attack employing Inner Qi is sudden and leaves no trace, posing a threat in battle far greater than that of weapons.
The downside is that Inner Qi is consumed, with no possibility of retrieval.
Once too much Inner Qi is used, it's no different from a Martial Apprentice with Inner Strength.
"Furthermore, the attack I just released, guided by Sword Stabbing Fist, had very limited power. If it were a true Martial Arts Technique... I imagine it would be much more powerful."
Li Qian sighed.
To acquire Martial Arts Techniques and better Martial Arts Cultivation Methods, the difficulty is not small at all.
With hardly any contribution points at hand, even though he knows there are many good things in the black market, he has no chance of obtaining them.
He could only place his hopes on the treasure map left by Elder Song.
But his current strength is too weak; he dares not take such a risk.
"Still, I'll take it slow; I'm now a novice Martial Artist, and I have some ability to protect myself."
Li Qian shook his head, discarding those unrealistic thoughts.
.....
Since becoming a novice Martial Artist, Li Qian's routine has not changed.
Ringing the bell, practicing martial arts.
However, the effect of Sword Stabbing Fist was getting weaker, and the increase of Inner Qi was very slow.
He urgently needed a genuine Internal Cultivation Method to practice, even with the aid of Chen Bell, his cultivation would stagnate in the Postnatal First Layer for a prolonged time.
Time passed day by day.
In the blink of an eye, half a year passed.
Unnoticeably, he had been a servant disciple at the Divine Sword Sect for two years.
Host: Li Qian.
Cultivation: Postnatal (First Layer 17/100).
Sacrificial Artifact: Chen Bell (Treasure 721/1000).
Martial Arts: Sword Stabbing Fist (Great Success 99/100).
.....
The information displayed on the system panel had changed significantly.
Cultivation reached the Postnatal First Layer.
And behind the First Layer, a progress bar had been added.
Even behind Sword Stabbing Fist, a progress bar appeared; this was after he became a novice Martial Artist.
After several months of cultivation, his Inner Qi Cultivation had only increased by seventeen points, roughly three points per month.
With the current pace of cultivation, to advance to the Postnatal Second Layer would probably take more than two years.
It was really too slow.
With nine layers in the Postnatal Realm, moving from the First to the Second Layer would take three years, so to cultivate to the Postnatal Ninth Layer, wouldn't it take decades or even a hundred years – no, he would never be able to cultivate to...
The higher the cultivation, the harder and slower the progress.
There's no way around it; the effect of cultivating Sword Stabbing Fist will continue to diminish until it has no effect at all.
"Should I take the Inner Sect Disciple exam?"
That thought flashed through his mind for a moment.
But he dismissed it immediately.
He definitely couldn't leave the Bell Platform.
For him, Martial Arts Cultivation is actually secondary; the most important thing is the Sacrificial Artifact Chen Bell.
"Another year or so, and the Chen Bell will be able to upgrade again, and there will surely be even greater changes."
Li Qian's eyes flickered with light.
He must have enough patience.
As for potential risks... he is now a Martial Apprentice, as long as he doesn't leave the Bell Platform... The Bell Platform can provide him with a certain level of defensive power and sonic deterrence, thereby increasing his strength.
Although his cultivation is only at the First Layer of the Postnatal Realm, relying on the Chen Bell, he should be able to cope with martial artists whose cultivation is higher than his.
Of course, all of this is just his speculation.
After all, he has never used the defense and attack of the Chen Bell.
At the hour of Chen.
After striking the bell, Li Qian engaged in another session of practicing Sword Stabbing Fist, only stopping after completing a Grand Circulation.
With his current cultivation, to complete a Grand Circulation using Sword Stabbing Fist, he had to practice it several times.
After practicing, his Inner Qi Cultivation hardly made any progress, and it stood still.
However, his attention suddenly shifted to the progress of his Sword Stabbing Fist, which had already reached 99/100 two months ago.
The last bit of progress seemed to be stuck.
"I wonder what changes will occur when Sword Stabbing Fist breaks through to Great Success?"
A sense of anticipation grew in his heart.
At this moment, Chen Yong's voice unexpectedly came from below the mountain, "Brother Qian."
Li Qian jumped down from the Bell Platform, arrived at the hillside, and saw Chen Yong rushing over with two wooden buckets.
"Chen Yong, pour it in there."
Li Qian said.
"Alright."
Chen Yong promptly made his way energetically, carrying the buckets to a pit covered with a wooden lid.
Lifting the lid, Chen Yong poured two buckets of night-soil into the pit.
Li Qian had cleared some land on the mountain to plant vegetables, and fertilization was necessary. Without chemical fertilizers, night-soil was the best option.
"Brother Qian, the combat power ranking event is starting again this year, do you want to participate?"
After pouring, Chen Yong suddenly asked.
"The Bell Platform cannot be left unattended; I will not participate."
Li Qian shook his head, "Do you plan to participate?"
"Yes, I want to train a bit, broaden my horizons. I felt quite rewarded the last time I participated in the combat power ranking."
Chen Yong nodded his head.
After Chen Yong left the mountain, Li Qian weeded the vegetable plot in the soil. There was no immediate need for fertilization, and... the night-soil needed to be well fermented and matured before use, otherwise, it could burn the roots.
Busy with his tasks, he returned to the Bell Platform, cleaned the mud off his feet and hands, and then went up to the Bell Tower, ready to strike the bell at the hour of Si.
After such a long time striking the bell, his sense of timing had become very precise.
Now, unlike in the beginning, he did not have to wait half an hour in advance, lest he miss the bell striking time.
Dong dong dong...
Following the bell's three rings, Li Qian once again practiced Sword Stabbing Fist beside the Chen Bell. The lingering sound of the bell echoed in his mind, and his Inner Qi became more lively. Guided by the fist technique, it flowed even more smoothly.
Suddenly, Li Qian's consciousness entered a mystical state, as if a flash of Spirit Light had occurred. His Sword Stabbing Fist subtly adjusted and changed. Vaguely, an invisible momentum of his fist emanated from his body.
This caused the Inner Qi in his body to accelerate violently, and as the fist's momentum dispersed, he seemed to become a sharply exposed sword.
The invisible Sword Qi enveloped his body, slicing through the air.
Abruptly, with a light shout, he thrust forward with his fists like twin swords, with a piercing screech...
Bang bang.
With two soft sounds.
A hanging hourglass was shattered by the invisible Sword Qi, spilling a large amount of sand onto the ground.
Li Qian opened his eyes, displaying a look of astonishment.
Because the spot where he executed his punches was more than a meter away from the shattered hourglass.
Such a distance was simply impossible to shatter through the air with Inner Qi.
Because the attack range of his Sword Stabbing Fist was merely a foot's distance.
But now it has increased several-fold.
What's going on?
Suddenly, it seemed that something occurred to him, and he quickly checked the information on the system interface.
Martial Arts Technique: Sword Stabbing Fist (Perfect).
.....