Starting from a peasant family, he mastered the profound art of martial arts.

Chapter 22 Impatience

After a good night's rest, my legs still felt a little sore and swollen when I got up again.

The yin-yang symbol was dim and lifeless, and the yang fish did not regain its brightness.

Meng Chen pondered for a long time but still couldn't figure it out, so he stopped paying attention to it.

After morning exercise, while having breakfast, someone asked Du Ren why Gao Yuan hadn't come. Du Ren didn't hide anything and said directly that Gao Yuan had found another job.

In no time, everyone came to look at Meng Chen, clearly feeling that it was related to what happened yesterday.

However, those who understand don't need to ask any more questions, while those who are confused remain confused.

After breakfast, Du Zhong summoned Meng Chen and, without mentioning yesterday's events, spoke only about the crucial aspects of the second challenge.

"Once you've unlocked the first barrier, the path of martial arts is open. However, the further you go, the more difficult it becomes."

"The martial arts realm has nine levels. The seventh to ninth level is beyond our reach. If we can even catch a glimpse of it from afar in our lifetime, we would consider ourselves fortunate."

"Most of us martial artists are actually stuck in the first realm. One or two out of ten can reach the second realm, and the third realm is the end for ordinary people. It's like the imperial examination for scholars. The first realm is entering the school, the second realm is becoming a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examination), and the third realm is becoming a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examination). The higher you go, the harder it is, and becoming a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest level of the imperial examination) is as difficult as climbing to heaven."

"I was just using an example. Actually, we martial artists also have martial arts disciplines. I'll have Du Ren explain it to you later."

"Don't underestimate the third realm. In some small places, it's the top spot! Look at me, a mere second-realm cultivator who has only passed the third level, yet I can still open a school and teach students. If you think of me as a failed scholar, you'll understand. I may not be the best, but I can teach the worst. In a small place like Qingshui County, I still have some standing."

"Look at Yan Long. He has been practicing martial arts for twenty years. In fact, he is only at the fourth level, but we regard him as the number one martial artist in Qingshui County."

"Firstly, Yan Long is indeed capable; secondly, although our Qingshui County has produced several martial artists of the third realm in recent years, he is the only one of the fourth realm."

Du Zhong's voice was gentle, no longer showing the indifferent and gloomy tone he had when facing Gao Yuan yesterday. It was unclear whether he was simply too calculating or acted this way with everyone.

Meng Chen felt that Master Du was indeed a good teacher, with excellent character and no prejudice against the poor or rich. Although he did show some favoritism towards some apprentices, it was only human nature and he did not show too much favoritism.

"This first stage is the Body Tempering Stage, which involves first tapping the Qi and Blood barrier, then tapping the Tendon and Bone barrier, and finally tapping the Skin and Flesh barrier. It works from the inside out, tempering both the body and the mind."

"Actually, it's the same from the first realm to the sixth realm; it's about progressing step by step."

After Du Zhong finished speaking, he immediately taught a set of palm techniques, which was derived from the Guiyuan Gong and was called Yi Jin Zhuang Gu Gong. It was prepared for the second stage of the martial arts test.

"Each martial arts school has its own method of unlocking skills, but they are actually quite similar. They are all things that our countless predecessors have explored over many years."

"As for the auxiliary methods of one medicine and one bath, each family has its own secret recipe."

"Of course, some people are highly gifted and have extraordinary opportunities. They don't need to practice these skills, take medicine, or take medicinal baths, yet they can still pass the test. This is something we can't compare to."

"We're just ordinary people, so let's do it the usual way."

Du Zhong talked at length, trying to get Meng Chen to settle down and focus on his studies.

After Meng Chen practiced the Yi Jin Zhuang Gu Gong twice, Du Zhong corrected him one by one and said, "Last night, Ren'er begged me repeatedly, saying that you had no money, but he still wanted to keep you here. He said that you would have enough medicine and a bath every three days. He also said that it was because of Xiang Sheng, and because he liked your diligence and hard work."

Du Zhong patted Meng Chen on the shoulder kindly and benevolently, "Your senior brother thinks you'll be successful in the future, so you need to train even harder and not let him down!"

Both father and son are shrewd people. No matter what they think, they always speak tactfully, act thoroughly, and their expressions are always flawless.

Meng Chen was an honest man, and he was easily fooled. He was determined to break through the second barrier as soon as possible and not let his senior brother down!

But after Meng Chen practiced the Yi Jin Zhuang Gu Gong several more times, he discovered that the technique was difficult.

Its movements are wide and sweeping, stretching the muscles and bones to the limit, and it is extremely physically demanding. After performing it six or seven times in a row, one will feel tired and even experience muscle and bone pain. One needs to perform a set of Guiyuan Gong to recover.

After a long day, Meng Chen felt exhausted and couldn't take it anymore, but he no longer felt the slight trembling of his flesh and bones that he had felt when he was practicing horse stance yesterday.

Moreover, the yang fish still did not light up.

"What if it only worked once and then never lights up again?" By dinner time in the evening, Meng Chen didn't have much of an appetite.

After dinner, I practiced until past midnight before finally taking a break.

Even though it was still hot in August, the apprentices were still sleeping on the ground in the courtyard, and then they would urge Du Ren to talk about women.

"Then let's talk about the brothels in Qingshui County tonight! The shady and half-open brothels in the south are all run by gangs. Going there too often might get you sick, so let's not talk about them. Tonight we'll only talk about legitimate brothels. I'm not teaching you how to patronize prostitutes, I'm just worried you'll get taken advantage of!" Du Ren chattered on and on, like a regular at a brothel.

Meng Chen was diligently studying when Qi Yun, who was lying next to him, suddenly sat up and said, "Listening to this makes me feel hot all over. I'll go get some water to wash up! Little Meng, come and scrub my back!"

The two went to a corner of the courtyard. Qi Yun drew water from the well and, while wiping himself, whispered, "Xiao Meng, you can't go out these next few days. Gao Yuan has sent people to keep an eye on things outside the martial arts school. If you go out, he'll definitely cause you trouble."

This was exactly what Meng Chen had anticipated.

"And another thing," Qi Yun said in a very low voice, "he had a few of us called out around noon and told us to sabotage you. He gave us a packet of medicine and told us to secretly drug you, but we didn't dare. He said the medicine wasn't poisonous, it was just to make people sleepy. He also gave us money, and we didn't dare refuse, so we just agreed without thinking."

Qi Yun's voice trailed off, "Anyway, be careful these next few days. Stay away from Wan Dabao, Yan Fei, and Qi Miao. They've all taken the money."

"Thank you for reminding me." Meng Chen was sincerely grateful.

"Why bring this up? We came in on the same day, and we're from the same hometown!" Qi Yun chuckled. "Give me a back rub!"

While rubbing Qi Yun's back, Meng Chen was thinking about distant matters.

As an honest man, Meng Chen grew increasingly impatient with Gao Yuan.

This person usually acts like a humble gentleman and even puts on airs like a senior disciple. But he's petty, has a bad temper, and relies on his father's minor power to try and suppress everyone.

However, it wasn't to the point of fighting to the death, and besides, today was different from the past, so Meng Chen wasn't qualified to fight to the death with others.

On the third day, Meng Chen took the pills during the day and took a medicinal bath at night. He was extremely grateful to the Du family father and son, but the Yin-Yang fish diagram still did not change.

However, after diligently practicing Yi Jin Zhuang Gu Gong every day and exhausting all his strength, he no longer felt the slight trembling of his muscles and bones that he had when he was standing in the stance the other day, when his strength was exhausted and then regenerated.

Even so, Meng Chen did not lose heart or get discouraged. In any case, whether or not he had the Yin-Yang symbol, he would still practice diligently.

On the ninth day, Meng Chen discovered that the yin-yang diagram had changed; the yang fish had regained its brightness, just as it had when the first barrier was opened.

However, the Yin Fish remained as dull as ever.

Meng Chen recalled the feeling he had when he was practicing standing meditation that day. At that time, the Yang fish gradually dimmed, not only giving back to himself, but also, after it dimmed and he was exhausted again, his flesh, bones and muscles trembled. It was clearly a sign that he was about to succeed in the second stage of the challenge.

"I have to try again, maybe it will work." Meng Chen knew that Gao Yuan was watching him closely, so he dared not relax at all.