Grinding to the Martial Sage from the White Ape Fist-Chapter 46: White Ape Fist

"The White Ape Fist is an Upper-tier Martial Art that combines a Pile Skill with fighting techniques. Today, I will teach you the first level."

"First, listen to the general principles and the mnemonic chant."

"Long bridge, wide stance, for Tongbei Force; a whipping hand cracks to startle ghosts and gods! Open with White Ape Asks the Way, profound and deep; Tongbei Mountain Splitting will make the spirits weep. A vicious thrust to the throat, a pluck of the peach; Backspin Whip Hand sweeps a thousand troops within its reach. Advance and retreat in a chain with Swaying Forest Step; with Ban Lan Chui, the world’s fate is kept!..."

"Now, watch my movements!"

Senior Brother Xu Feng’s aura changed in an instant. The once honest and simple-looking sturdy man now exuded the ferocity and agility of an old ape from the deep mountains. His spine, that great dragon, suddenly trembled. Beneath his loose-fitting training clothes, the twanging of his great tendons was clearly audible.

"Opening move, White Ape Asks the Way!"

Xu Feng feinted with his left hand as his right shot out from under his ribs like a viper striking from its den.

"CRACK!"

A sharp crack exploded in the air.

The punch didn’t connect with anything solid, yet it produced an explosive crack, like the tip of a whip lashing through the air! The biting wind from the fist scraped painfully against Su Yu’s face.

The sound struck before the fist arrived! This was the crisp crack of Tongbei!

Immediately after, Xu Feng’s body flowed into motion, his moves linking together in an unending stream.

"Tongbei Mountain Splitting!"

He swung his arms in a wide arc, the muscles on his back bulging high as if he were truly swinging a massive mountain-cleaving axe. The move was powerful and heavy, yet at the moment of impact, it generated an incredibly tricky Penetrating Force.

This move channeled power through the spine. It was forceful and heavy, designed specifically to break an opponent’s stance.

"Throat-Seeking, Peach-Stealing!"

"Backspin Whip Hand!"

"Swaying Forest Step!"

"Ban Lan Chui!"

"..."

After finishing the full set of the Fist Technique, Xu Feng wasn’t even red in the face or out of breath, but several of the green bricks beneath his feet had been shattered.

Su Yu’s heart surged with excitement as he watched.

’This is true Martial Arts!’

’These are true killing techniques!’

The White Ape Six Transformations Pile Skill he had learned before was like a form of physical conditioning. The White Ape Fist he was seeing now was for life-and-death combat!

Xu Feng settled his stance. Seeing Su Yu’s eager expression, he nodded. "Without reaching the Martial Artist realm and having insufficient Qi and Blood, learning this White Ape Fist is nothing but fancy, useless moves. You wouldn’t be able to generate any real power. But if your Qi and Blood is sufficient, every single move becomes a killing technique of immense power."

"Give it a try. Remember, you must imagine yourself as a sentient white ape. Whether advancing or retreating, let your every move flow from your will."

Su Yu took a deep breath, replaying Xu Feng’s movements in his mind as he assumed his stance.

"White Ape Asks the Way!"

He threw a punch. Although it was powerful and even stirred the air, he couldn’t produce that crisp crack. He felt as if the power was stuck in his shoulder, unable to be released completely.

After finishing one run-through, Su Yu frowned slightly.

’It has the form, but not the spirit.’

But in the next moment, familiar ink-wash characters materialized before his eyes.

[White Ape Fist First Level: Entry-level]

[Martial Arts]: White Ape Fist (First Level) (Entry-level 1/5000)

The next instant, a stream of profound understanding flooded Su Yu’s mind. He suddenly grasped many of the nuances of the White Ape Fist’s power generation techniques and muscle movements.

"Su Yu, do it again. Remember, to practice the fist, you must first practice the intent. The intent of the White Ape Fist lies in observing the bearing of a white ape and embodying it."

Su Yu nodded and began again. This time, his movements were different.

His shoulders relaxed and sank, his spine bent like a bow!

"White Ape Asks the Way!"

"CRACK!"

Although the sound wasn’t as loud as Xu Feng’s, a distinct, crisp crack echoed through the air!

As the saying goes, a single crack is harder to achieve than a thousand pieces of gold. And now, relying on his peerless talent, Su Yu had done it.

At the side, Xu Feng’s pupils constricted abruptly, and an expression of utter disbelief, as if he’d seen a ghost, appeared on his face.

’The second time... and he produced the crack? He’s already reached entry-level? That’s impossible, right? Did I mishear?’

Xu Feng’s eyes went wide as he stared intently at Su Yu’s practice.

Tongbei Mountain Splitting!

Su Yu controlled his Qi and Blood to generate power, once again producing a crisp crack.

...

"Hooo..."

After a long while, Su Yu finished his practice and relaxed his stance. He was drenched in sweat, and his face was slightly pale.

[White Ape Fist Skill Level +2]

’So exhausting.’

Su Yu gave a wry smile. The Qi and Blood consumption for this Fist Technique was terrifying. He had only practiced it twice, yet the abundant Qi and Blood he had just gained from his breakthrough to the Martial Artist realm was already more than half-depleted.

"Senior Brother, this Fist Technique is powerful, but it’s quite difficult to learn, and the stamina drain is staggering."

Xu Feng was still reeling in astonishment at how quickly Su Yu had reached the entry-level. ’It seems I still underestimated Su Yu’s comprehension ability,’ he thought. ’If he has enough resources in the future, he has a great chance of going far on the path of Martial Arts!’

"Senior Brother?"

"Hm? Oh! Very good. For you to comprehend the White Ape Fist to this degree shows your aptitude is quite high." Xu Feng immediately suppressed the surprise in his eyes, maintaining a calm and unruffled expression.

"You flatter me, Senior Brother. This White Ape Fist is truly difficult. After just one set, my Qi and Blood consumption is immense. At this rate, I’m afraid my body won’t be able to handle practicing for more than two to four hours a day," Su Yu said, shaking his head with a helpless look.

"At this rate, won’t it take me half a year to a year before I can even break through the first acupoint?"

Facing Su Yu’s question, Xu Feng smiled and said, "You’re right, Junior Brother. This is the difficulty of the path of a Martial Artist. If one’s foundation, comprehension, and talent are lacking, the only way to improve is to rely on resources."

"Generally, Martial Artists in the Skin Tempering Realm will consume better medicinal pills during their training. For example, this Red Ginseng Jade Skin Pill not only increases Qi and Blood but also helps the body recover."

Xu Feng took out an exquisite White Jade Porcelain Bottle and handed it over. "There are ten Jade Skin Pills in here. Take them."

Su Yu took the bottle and uncorked it, immediately smelling a peculiar medicinal fragrance.

He poured one out into his hand. The pill was crimson all over and crystal clear, emitting a rich medicinal aroma mixed with the faint scent of blood, like a solidified, blood-red gemstone.

Medicinal pills were a tier higher than Herbal Decoctions. This single pill was likely not cheap. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Senior Brother, how much does one Red Ginseng Jade Skin Pill cost? I’ll pay you."

"Ten taels each. Just consider it a gift from your Senior Brother to congratulate you on your breakthrough."

Su Yu was instantly stunned. ’Damn, that’s expensive.’

"Senior Brother, this is too expensive. Please, let’s just say I’m borrowing them from you."

Hearing this, Xu Feng grew even more pleased with Su Yu. He clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Just take them. If you talk about borrowing again, you’re looking down on me, your Senior Brother. I was the one who guided you into this path. Your breakthrough brings me honor as well. If you manage to go even further in the future, just don’t forget about me."

After hearing this, Su Yu said no more, simply offering a deep, formal bow.

"This is the Qi and Blood circulation route for the White Ape Fist. Memorize it carefully, take a Jade Skin Pill, and continue your training." Xu Feng handed Su Yu a small booklet printed with a Qi and Blood Circulation Map, gave one last instruction, and turned to leave.

After Xu Feng left, Su Yu studied the Secret Manual intently for a long time before immediately swallowing a Jade Skin Pill.

The moment the pill entered his stomach, its effects were immediate. A massive and pure torrent of heat erupted, more than ten times stronger than the previous Herbal Decoction! His depleted Qi and Blood began to recover rapidly, so much so that his meridians started to ache from the surge.

’Such potent medicinal power! I can’t waste it!’

Su Yu immediately resumed practicing the White Ape Fist, guiding the Qi and Blood to circulate along the pathways.

[White Ape Fist Skill Level +5]

[White Ape Fist Skill Level +4]

...

He trained until the sun set in the west before his body finally couldn’t take it anymore. He collapsed onto his bed, completely limp, not even wanting to move a finger.

’Even with the Red Ginseng Jade Skin Pills, I still can’t practice the White Ape Fist for more than several hours a day. The Qi and Blood consumption is just too high! Maybe my innate constitution is still a bit lacking. Someone with a stronger physical foundation could probably practice for longer.’

’And my diet needs to keep up, too. After breaking through to a Martial Artist, my body’s consumption is already high. If I’m practicing the fist every day on top of that, I can’t afford to eat poorly!’

’Let’s check my latest status panel!’

[Su Yu]

[Martial Arts]: White Ape Fist (First Level) (Entry-level 23/5000), White Ape Six Transformations (Perfection), Bibo Fishbone Skill (Entry-level 98/100), Coin Toss (Major Accomplishment 800/1000)

[Skills]: Casting Net (Limit Broken 3 times)

[Breakthrough Point]: 0 points (Progress 98%)

’My Skill Level increased by 23 points today. At this rate, even with the pills, it will still take more than half a year to break through!’

Su Yu sighed.

The path of Martial Arts only gets harder the further you go. It’s a bottomless pit that devours gold.

’And then there’s the Breakthrough Point...’

Su Yu looked at the progress bar stuck at 98%, lost in thought.

’The accumulation of Breakthrough Points is getting slower and slower. I used to be able to save up one point in just a month or two. Why has it slowed down now that I’m stronger and consuming more energy each day?’

’Maybe it’s because my body’s energy absorption has become more efficient? Most of the energy is being used to strengthen my body, so less is being supplied to the Breakthrough Point?’

’Or is it because I’m stronger now, so Breaking a Limit requires more energy?’

After pondering for a while with no answer, Su Yu could only resolve to continue exploring this in the future.

’In any case, I’ll have accumulated another full point in a few days. Then I can use it to Break the Limit of the White Ape Six Transformations!’

’Although the White Ape Six Transformations is just a Pile Skill, it’s still a form of Martial Arts. I wonder what kind of surprise Breaking its Limit will bring. Hopefully, it will be a Trait that’s useful for my Martial Arts path!’