Chapter 17: Innate and Acquired Martial Body_1
As time went by, Lu Yan gradually blended into the Red-clad Guard.
The biggest advantage of joining the Red-clad Guard was that people treated him with respect. Wang Cui, whenever she went out, held herself more upright and always had a smile on her face.
On the fifth day of joining the Red-clad Guard, Lu Yan partook in their Martial Food. The portion size was about the same as that of Wuke's House, approximately one kilogram.
The taste was on par with that of Wuke's House.
After all, the Martial Chefs of the Red-clad Guard and Wuke's House both belonged to the Liu Family. It's possible that they were trained by the same person.
After five days, Lu Yan had figured out that a First-breakthrough Martial Artist could have Martial Food once every five days. For those at the Second Breakthrough, it was once every four days. At the Third Breakthrough, once every three days. By the time they reached the Fifth Breakthrough, they were allowed to have Martial Food every day.
His cultivation of Liuhe Kick was also making rapid progress.
After all, he had brought his Iron Thread Fist technique to a transcendent level. Although there was a significant difference between boxing and kicking, his previous experience made the practice of third-rate martial arts much easier.
On the eighth day, he reached the entry-level competence of Liuhe Kick.
As expected, when he reached entry-level proficiency in Liuhe Kick, the Dao Book formed another Avatar called the Liuhe Kick Avatar, which also showed its progress.
That day, Lu Yan consumed about three kilograms of meat. Although Martial Food was scarce among the Red-clad Guard, there was plenty of ordinary food.
Without practicing any boxing, Lu Yan advanced his Liuhe Kick to 30% Initial Understanding.
On the second day, he made a breakthrough to Small Success.
On the third day, when Lu Yan ate Martial Food, he didn't provide the energy to the Liuhe Kick Avatar, but to the Iron Thread Fist Avatar instead.
After all, ordinary meat was useless for the transcendent Iron Thread Fist, while it still benefited the Liuhe Kick. It would be a waste to use Martial Food for Liuhe Kick.
As for going to Wuke's House, Lu Yan didn't go there every day, but once every three days.
After all, ten taels of silver for a meal, few people in the entire Changfeng City could afford it daily, except for the two great feudal lords.
Even once every three days was too flashy and would attract attention. Therefore, Lu Yan always disguised himself, altering his appearance and physique each time he went there.
Before he knew it, three months had passed since Lu Yan joined the Red-clad Guard.
A placid three months, with little happening. Lu Yan's routine involved patrolling and practicing martial arts every day.
Over these three months, Liuhe Kick progressed at an exponential rate. Even though his boxing practice took half the energy from the food, with over ten kilograms of meat consumed daily, Liuhe Kick reached the transcendent level, opening up 288 branches in both of his legs.
Combined with the 288 branches in both of his hands, Lu Yan had connected a total of 576 branches.
The speed at which he accumulated Qi-blood was twice as fast as before.
The more branches connected, the faster one can accumulate Qi-blood, and the quicker and deeper the body can undergo tempering.
Even though the amount of food consumed each day was limited, the more branches connected, the better the conversion rate of food energy.
No need to mention the great conversion rate of the energy absorbed by the Dao Book.
The half of the food energy absorbed by boxing practice had a limited conversion rate. A portion of it was needed for bodily nutrition, another portion converted into Qi-blood, and unfortunately, most of it was wasted.
The more branches connected, the better the conversion rate, and the faster the accumulation of Qi-blood.
Moreover, Lu Yan found that the improvement of martial arts realm and the strengthening of Qi-blood could also enhance the digestive capacity.
This wasn't hard to understand. Enhanced Qi-blood meant an increase in physical tempering. Although the influence on internal organs was limited, there was still improvement.
In the past, Lu Yan felt full when he ate twelve kilograms of meat in a day.
But now, his capacity had increased a bit. He could eat fifteen kilograms a day. If he ate more, he would feel uncomfortable.
Legend has it that powerful martial artists could eat an entire cow in a single day. It didn't sound too exaggerated.
Eating at Wuke's House once every three days, coupled with the Martial Food from the Red-clad Guard, the progress of Iron Thread Fist reached an 80% transcendent level.
Of course, his silver coin reserves decreased rapidly.
One day, after their patrol, they saw five quality horses standing outside the Red-clad Mansion. One horse, in particular, drew his attention. Its body was entirely blood-red, without any stray hairs and standing over two meters tall, it was indeed majestic and powerful.
Lu Yan recognized it, it was a Red Blood Horse. It could travel three thousand miles a day and was worth a lot of gold. In the entire Changfeng City, the number of people who owned a Red Blood Horse could be counted on one hand.
Next to it, there were two sturdy and tall horsekeepers, their eyes sparkling, they were for sure not your regular martial artists.
They were not merely at the first or second breakthrough level.
"That's Young Master Liu Xingchao's mount. Young Master Liu is back for a match. Let's hurry, Lu Yan. We are in for a good show today."
Wang Lin was immediately intrigued when he saw the Red Blood Horse.
"Liu Xingchao, the 'Little Overlord'?"
Lu Yan asked with a gleam in his eyes.
Having stayed in the Red-clad Mansion for three months, he had heard of some famous personalities in Changfeng City.
Liu Xingchao, the heir of the Liu Family, was a martial arts prodigy and was reportedly the most talented in the history of the Liu Family.
With that, the two of them hurried inside.
The sparring field of the Red-clad Mansion was already full of people.
Most of the Red-clad Guard, amounting to more than a hundred people, were gathered.
Boom!
In the middle of the sparring field, a young man, his upper body bare, his muscles were well-defined and looked like they were cast from iron. The Qi-blood filled the air around him. With a single punch, he threw a Third Breakthrough level Red-clad Guard flying, causing him to spit out blood.
"He's so strong! I heard that Young Master Liu is only thirteen years old and he's at the peak of the Second Limit-breaking. I didn't expect him to easily defeat a Third Limit-breaking expert."
Lu Yan couldn't help but praise.
"This is nothing, the real show is yet to come."
Said Wang Lin.
"Weak, too weak, send a few more, all of you, attack together."
Liu Xingchao pointed at three Red-clad Guards continuously.
Three Red-clad Guards stepped forward, Lu Yan recognized, all were third limit-breaking experts.
"You guys fight well, good performance will be rewarded." Liu Xingchao said, his eyes flashing with excitement, like a fierce beast.
"Young Master Liu, we will not hold back."
The three of them bowed and rushed out violently.
One of them had good leg skills, he attacked first with leg movements like a steel whip, aiming at Liu Xingchao's head.
Another was adept at punching, his punches slapping the wind, aiming at Liu Xingchao's chest.
The third one was skilled in knife techniques, his steel blade was like a roaring fire, cutting towards Liu Xingchao's throat.
There was no gap in the cooperation between the three, they were executing killing moves from the beginning, even a fourth limit-breaking expert would have to dodge.
But Liu Xingchao did not dodge, his eyes brimming with excitement, he roared, his Qi-blood boiling like a furnace, his palms and arms turned red, and red scales appeared all over his palms and arms.
"The Liu family's first-rate martial arts, Tian Gang Red Scale Palm."
Lu Yan watched with fiery eyes, staring without a blink.
There are only two top-level martial arts in the entire Changfeng City, those are the martial arts of the Liu and Wu Families, which Lu Yan had heard about, but today was the first time he saw them.
Liu Xingchao slashed with one palm, withstanding the steel blade with his flesh. With a clang, his palm and the steel blade collided, the sound of metal-to-metal collision echoed, the steel blade trembled and was forced back-- the Red-clad Guard holding the knife retreated quickly, and it took him eight steps backward to dissipate the force on the steel blade.
As he repelled the Red-clad Guard with a knife with one palm, another palm shot out and hit the approaching leg coming at him with a "pop". The unyielding leg was thrust out at an angle, it happened to collide with the fist of another Red-clad Guard.
He resolved the encirclement of three experts with two simple palms and then quickly launched a counterattack.
Shout!
Liu Xingchao light roared, his muscles bulging, smashing out palm after palm. Despite being only a second limit-breaking, he exhibited an unbeatable momentum.
The three third limit-breaking Red-clad Guards were hit consecutively, flying out, they were actually no match for him.
"Such strong power. Is this the power of the first-rate martial arts?"
Lu Yan was shocked and astonished in his heart.
The Qi-blood cultivated from the first-rate martial arts is more refined, of higher quality, and more powerful, but he did not expect such a huge gap.
You know, although the first-rate martial arts are powerful, their cultivation difficulty is also greater. Those three Red-clad Guards practiced third-rate martial arts, but after decades of hard practice, they should have a least reached the state of mastery and even reaching the peak of perfection.
Liu Xingchao is only thirteen years old. Even if he is a martial arts prodigy, to what level could he have cultivated?
Integration itself would be remarkable.
A not very highly cultivated first-rate martial arts may not be any better than the third-rate ones.
After all, they don't have the Dao Book.
"It's not only because of the first-rate martial arts, but also because, master Liu is an Innate Martial Body."
Wang Lin said softly.
"Innate Martial Body?"
"Yes, you should know that, generally, when people of the same limit-breaking stage reach the stage where their Qi-blood is overflowing, the total amount of Qi-blood is almost the same."
Said Wang Lin.
Lu Yan nodded.
The human body is like a water tank, not much difference in volume, the total amount of Qi-blood that the same realm can contain is almost the same.
Even if there is a difference, the gap will not be too big.
Only by breaking the limits and breaking open the sealed door, can the volume of the water tank be increased to contain more Qi-blood.
"But in this world, there are a very few people, who possess divine strength from birth, have strong bodies and thick Qi-blood. The total amount of Qi-blood they can hold within the same realm far exceeds that of ordinary people, these people are known as Innate Martial Body."
"Young Master Liu, is one such person, in the same stage, his total amount of Qi-blood is twice that of normal people."
Said Wang Lin, full of envy.
Lu Yan marveled secretly, saying that he was not envious would be a lie.
It's maddening to compare oneself with others.
Others not only have a good background, never lack martial food, and are cultivated in first-rate martial arts from an early age, they are also Innate Martial Body. How can I compare?
"But I heard that, in addition to Innate Martial Body, there is also Acquired Martial Body."
"It is said that as long as one cultivates a set of martial arts to the stage of 'Unity of Man and Martial Arts', and incorporates the martial arts into the body, one can receive the gifts of heaven and earth, undergo a transformation, and have a strong body and thick Qi-blood, which can be compared with the Innate Martial Body." Said Wang Lin.
"What?"
Lu Yan was stunned, then overjoyed.