Chapter 9 Pile Skill Breakthrough (Seeking Recommendations)

Bang!

Cole's body slammed heavily onto the ground, momentarily unable to utter a sound as if he had been knocked out.

"Cole... really?"

"He is a natural person and the top student in our class."

The classmates around fell silent for a while before someone murmured.

"Wait, didn't Fang Xing say that his skill with the Cannon Fist was just a fluke and couldn't be consistently executed?"

"You believe that? Isn't that just like a top student saying they didn't do well on a test?"

"That makes a lot of sense..."

...

"Ah Xing, you actually took down Cole?"

Liu Wei patted his best friend's shoulder. "How did you become so powerful?"

"This is because of my persistent hard training."

Fang Xing spoke the righteous nonsense and smiled at Bai Lianyi standing next to Liu Wei, subtly placing his right hand behind his back.

Actually, Cole had better physical fitness, but he lost on the technical level of moves.

This victory was only because he caught him off guard with a full-force strike, and now his fist still hurt a bit.

"Fang Xing, you're really awesome. I look forward to sparring with you next time."

Bai Lianyi said softly and weakly, "Just remember to go easy on me next time…"

"Yeah, let's improve together."

Fang Xing nodded.

...

After school.

On the riverbank embankment.

He held two soda bottles and tossed one to Liu Wei. "Actually... I think Ouyang Qianqian is better suited for you."

"Gulp glug... Refreshing!"

Liu Wei finished it in one gulp, then said, "I actually feel like I'm far too mismatched with Ouyang Qianqian... after all, she is a natural person, and I'm just a poor bio-human... but Bai Lianyi... well, I'm joking, I've been hanging out with her lately not because I'm pursuing her, although I do indeed like her a bit, she's a good person, and the part-time jobs she shared recently are quite profitable..."

"So it's for part-time jobs and making money? It seems like you haven't forgotten your dream."

Fang Xing nodded.

"Of course, I have also been quietly working hard, although not as much as you." Liu Wei said with a big smile.

"By the way, there's a gig recently, from the Glorious River Mansion, want to take it?"

Fang Xing suddenly spoke.

"Glorious River Mansion, could it be?" Liu Wei involuntarily shivered.

"That's right, the one from Gu Yun," Fang Xing nodded, having intentionally sought out this gig.

For Liu Wei, he had really put in a lot of effort.

After all, they were all classmates, and had the same break time.

If he bumped into Bai Lianyi at the Glorious River Mansion again... perhaps it would be a wake-up call?

'Ah… Brother, I can only help you this much.'

Fang Xing lamented in his heart.

"That Gu Yun, she plays rough..."

Liu Wei hesitated.

"But they pay well," Fang Xing replied logically.

"I suffered a lot last time..."

"But they pay well."

"I... I... fine, it's just for the money, right? Let's do it!" Liu Wei gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

"Decisive."

Fang Xing nodded.

...

Glorious River Mansion.

Villa, training ground.

"Let's get one thing straight, you turn off the gravity suit first, then we can start the sparring."

Upon seeing Gu Yun with her hair tied up in braids, Liu Wei quickly waved his hands.

"Don't worry, don't worry... this time I will definitely master the Demon Blade and fully control this demon nature!"

Gu Yun held the wooden sword, brimming with confidence.

"Let's go!"

This time Liu Wei learned his lesson, immediately positioning a wooden stick in front of himself.

"Good!"

Gu Yun shouted delicately as she slashed with her wooden sword.

Whoosh!

Her strokes were even faster than last time, and multiple sword shadows appeared in the air.

Three sword shadows seemed to strike all at once, chopping down on Liu Wei's stick.

— Triple Stacked Blade!

Whoosh!

A dark shadow flashed, and the wooden stick disappeared.

"Huh? Where's my stick?"

Liu Wei widened his eyes and then screamed in agony as he was sent flying.

"Kill!"

Gu Yun was obviously a bit too excited, she stepped with her small foot on the chest of Liu Wei, who was down on the ground, and brought the wooden sword down towards his throat.

Such a critical area could cause severe injury, even with a wooden sword!

Dang!

At the crucial moment, another wooden stick flew over and blocked the wooden sword.

Gu Yun's eyes seemed to carry a hint of dark red. The flash of the blade sent the wood stick flying and then, she faced Fang Xing who was rushing towards her!

"Ha!"

Fang Xing's steps arched like a bow, and his fist covered in a layer of silver-white nano protective shielding, resembled a fist wearing a glove.

Bow Step Cannon Fist!

"One brilliant move beats even the celestial skies!"

His most mastered move was, of course, this one.

Clang!

As Fang Xing's silver-white fist collided with the wooden sword, he felt a mighty force surge toward him, making him unconsciously retreat several steps.

"This Gu Yun, she seems like a little girl, yet her strength is even greater than Cole's!"

"Has she already broken through to the Second Realm of Martial Arts and begun refining her Sinews and Bones?"

"If I didn't have protective gear, I'd be foolish to use my fists against a blade, even if it's just wooden!"

In an instant, numerous thoughts went through Fang Xing's mind. He took a deep breath, ready to have the protective suit cover his entire body.

But Gu Yun slightly trembled, the crimson in her eyes faded significantly as she looked at Fang Xing with a hint of satisfaction on her face, "A junior nano protective suit? Very good… Now that's professional. I can strike with full force without worrying that I might accidentally kill you!"

"Wait, hold on!"

Fang Xing sensed trouble and was just about to speak when he saw Gu Yun turn off her gravity suit. Her delicate face revealed a hint of bloodthirst and excitement, "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

...

Half an hour later.

The middle-aged man who had appeared last time reappeared in the training room, pausing to look at Fang Xing and Liu Wei, then at Fang Xing's nano protective suit, "This protective suit is good, but next time don't wear it. The sense of impact is different, and so is the training effect… But let it be for this time, occasionally venting is also quite nice."

He smiled and said, "I see you've been practicing the Military Boxing Twelve Styles, right? Besides the first move, which is somewhat interesting, the rest are still a bit raw. I could give you some pointers, hmm, twenty minutes… But this time, we will have to charge the standard fee."

Fang Xing and Liu Wei looked at each other, "Please enlighten us!"

"I also started learning military martial arts with the Military Boxing Twelve Styles, but I preferred leg work. Let's start by showing you the 'Battle Axe Leg'…"

The middle-aged man kicked high into the air.

Snap!

It was as if the air was sliced open, an invisible wave swept across, and the wooden post meters away suddenly exploded, revealing a profound cut mark.

"Amazing… Uncle, you must be a real professional, right?"

Liu Wei was somewhat dumbstruck upon witnessing this.

Although he had seen Bai Lianyi's Battle Axe Leg before, he understood that compared to this Uncle Gu, it was like a novice encountering a great witch.

"Pretty average, I later gave up learning the Military Boxing Twelve Styles. Even though the moves are simple, they are easy to learn but hard to master… However, if trained deeply, its 'Military Dao Realm' is also incredibly powerful."

Middle-aged Gu smiled and began explaining, "The essence of this leg is in…"

Twenty minutes later.

Fang Xing and Liu Wei left with some lingering feelings.

"So this is guidance from a true professional?"

Liu Wei stroked his chin, "Feels a bit lacking compared to Teacher Xia's, yet we charged less. Did we lose out here?"

"Always better than practicing on our own… Xia Long isn't just a professional but also a specialized educator with rich teaching experience. How could it be the same?"

Fang Xing shook his head.

He could tell that Uncle Gu was somewhat thrifty, thus substituting additional remuneration for injury with guidance.

Even so, Liu Wei might not know it, but he definitely came out ahead.

The change in the attribute panel was clear evidence!

[Military Boxing Twelve Styles: 76/100 (Beginner)]

'Not bad at all, this is overall progress…'

'But still not a match for that lady's daughter, must keep pushing hard.'

Fang Xing made a silent resolution in his heart.

...

Time flew by.

In these days, Fang Xing had been incessantly drinking medicine for practice, occasionally going out with Liu Wei to do odd jobs, and spending his free time playing online games. His days were incredibly fulfilling.

One day.

Happy Home District.

Inside the Training Room.

[Name: Fang Xing]

[Age: 16]

[Profession: Martial Artist]

[First Realm: Skin and Flesh (Refining Skin: 43/100)]

[Military Boxing Twelve Styles: 86/100 (Beginner)]

[Great Dragon Stance: 99/100 (Beginner)]

[Gate of All Heavens: 59/100 (Locating)]

...

"The last bit of nutrient fluid…"

Fang Xing opened his mouth and swallowed the last 20 milliliters of 'D3 Grade Nutrient Fluid', and began cultivating the Great Dragon Stance.

He became oblivious to his surroundings, absorbed in the Pile Method, constantly circulating his Qi.

Three hours later.

Something profoundly mysterious occurred.

Roar!

His cycling Qi significantly quickened as though breaking through some kind of barrier.

Then, all around his body, bones trembled, countless notes overlapping and seemingly transforming into the sound of a dragon's chant!

[Great Dragon Stance: 1/100 (Proficient)]

"Leveled up?"

Fang Xing was overjoyed, sensing great advancements in his pile skill.

Even more astonishingly, every movement now carried a profoundly mystical essence.

"Previously, my Pile Method was crude, just too crude to even watch…"

After a brief comparison, Fang Xing felt his Pile Method had seen many improvements.

He even believed that with such enhancements, he would be able to significantly boost the progress of refining skin and flesh!

...

The next day.

[First Realm: Skin and Flesh (Refining Skin: 44/100)]

Fang Xing looked at the slight increase in his refining progress and couldn't help but show a satisfied expression.

"The proficient level of the Great Dragon Stance is indeed incomparable to the beginner level… With this rate, I could probably increase a point in proficiency about every day… The speed of cultivation has vastly improved."

"Just the proficient level alone is this effective, what more of higher levels? The future is promising, indeed promising!"

"Indeed, I'm just one 'Golden Finger' away from success."