Chapter 4

The Nine Cauldrons world revolves around the life of Teng Qingshan, with most of the story focused on him. Staying close to the protagonist is the best way to disrupt fate and cause-and-effect, and it's also the most likely way to trigger side quests.

If we categorize the various factions in this world, for reincarnators who only know the tasks but not the storyline, Teng Family Village, Guiyuan Sect, and Mount Heaven God are the paradise starts. These factions grow stronger over time, and careful management yields great rewards.

Winners, Yu Emperor's Gate, Barbarian God's Temple, and Mani Temple's Zen lineage are the standard starts. Though they become somewhat insignificant in the later stages, they still manage to protect their interests.

The remaining factions of the Eight Great Sects represent the true hard-mode starts. They appear powerful now, but without understanding the grand scheme, they might face sudden demise once the curtain rises.

Below hard-mode is extreme difficulty, like the Iron Armor Sect, a small faction wiped out easily in the original story. These factions can't control their fate and are often at the mercy of larger forces. Reincarnators in these factions can only rely on luck.

Then there's the hell-mode start, which includes places like the Teng Family Village. For those unaware of the situation, this seems like a hellish start. Caught in a chaotic era, the clan struggles to survive without even basic internal martial arts manuals, making the start extremely unfavorable. The surrounding Wang Family Village and Da Li Village are similar.

Of course, there's always a more difficult start. If a reincarnator is unlucky, they might start as a refugee or beggar, struggling to survive. For them, completing tasks is secondary to staying alive.

But Alex didn't have the luxury of worrying about others now. His mind was solely focused on the Tiger Form Fist that Teng Qingshan was teaching him.

As Teng Qingshan practiced, he pondered deeply.

"Xingyi Fist is vast and profound, requiring at least ten years to master. It's better to specialize than to diversify. Instead of teaching my cousin the Twelve Forms, I should just teach him the Tiger Form. It's easier for them to achieve success with the Tiger Form."

"Xingyi Fist emphasizes intent over form. The tiger is the king of beasts, fierce and powerful. The Tiger Form Fist, also known as 'Tiger Pounce,' is essentially about the 'pounce.'"

Alex watched Teng Qingshan's movements, mimicking his actions. At one point, a system notification flashed in his mind.

"All-Heavens Reincarnation System notification: Congratulations to the host for mastering the skill 'Tiger Form Fist - Beginner' (C-level skill, Three-star technique)."

"Ha!"

Alex exhaled a long breath, his face flushed. After practicing a set of punches, he felt invigorated.

"Qingshan, I'm leaving now!"

Teng Qingshan had just finished his practice and was watching Teng Qinghu. The door opened, and Teng Yongfan helped the drunken Teng Yonglei out of the house.

"Cousin, I'll see you tomorrow!"

Teng Qingshan nodded at Teng Qinghu, grabbed his spear, and ran towards Teng Yongfan and Teng Yonglei.

...

In his room, Alex sat on his bed, a small pink system fairy fluttering around him like a warm little light.

"Xiao Yu, burn fortune points and activate the skill deduction function."

Alex had thought long and hard before making this decision. As mentioned before, the All-Heavens Reincarnation System had only three functions besides enabling a good start: healing, celestial deduction, and skill comprehension. But these were all simplified versions.

For example, skill comprehension only helped you understand the technique, not master it. You had to practice diligently to truly make it your own.

The system couldn't directly implant skills like the Lord God. It only provided insights. To achieve body memory and corresponding levels, you had to train yourself.

"Ding!

System notification: All-Heavens Reincarnation System skill comprehension function activated..."

"Congratulations to the host for comprehending the skill 'Tiger Form Fist - Mastery'!"

"Congratulations to the host for comprehending the skill 'Tiger Form Fist - Proficiency'!"

...

"Congratulations to the host for comprehending the skill 'Tiger Form Fist - Perfection'!"

"Congratulations to the host for comprehending the skill 'Tiger Form Fist - Transcendence'!"

The seven stages of mastery applied to all skills in the myriad worlds, including martial arts, dou qi, magic, and more.

"Phew! Those 160 fortune points were worth it!"

Alex, drenched in sweat, sat up, clutching his head. The insights from his comprehension flooded his mind, elevating his understanding of the Tiger Form Fist to its theoretical peak.

In internal martial arts terms, he was now a master-level practitioner, just short of a grandmaster. However, he still needed to practice diligently to turn this comprehension into real strength.

Determined to act, Alex, a man of action in this world, quickly started practicing Tiger Form Fist again after a brief rest.

"In the original story, Teng Qinghu took three months and eight days to learn internal martial arts and develop internal energy. That's nearly a hundred days.

With the system's help, I've grasped the essentials. My goal is to find my internal energy within ten days and become a third-rate expert within twenty days, capable of exerting 500 pounds of force. Only then will I have the qualifications to navigate this chaotic world."

Alex set a small goal for himself, his punches swift and powerful. Tiger Mother, who had come to the door, quietly retreated, seeing her son's determination.

...

At dawn, before morning practice started, few people were at the Teng family training ground. However, the hunting team members had already gathered, most looking grim.

In the battle two days ago, the hunting team lost six members, with five dead and their leader, Teng Yonglei, losing an arm. Now, only twenty-six members remained.

Teng Qingshan, who had arrived early, asked, "Is everyone here?"

"Everyone's here, let's go!"

Alex (Teng Qinghu) nodded after checking, being one of the people Teng Qingshan trusted the most.

"Alright, let's move out!"

At Teng Qingshan's command, the twenty-six hunters of the Teng family, armed with spears and longbows, clad in animal skins, left the Teng family estate under the watchful eyes of the villagers.