"I've successfully refined my force... Now I can be considered a ninth-grade martial artist!"
After a long time, Su Mu slowly opened his eyes. Upon advancing to a ninth-grade refining force, his eyes shone brightly, and his whole aura seemed completely renewed, as if undergoing a rebirth.
Refining Power and Transforming Force is the first threshold for a Grade-Entering Martial Artist, a realm that requires years of tempering the body, gradually increasing one's strength to ultimately achieve power penetrating all acupoints.
For ordinary people, this process can take several years at the least or over ten years at most. In fact, over ninety percent of martial arts practitioners cannot cross this barrier in their lifetime.
Because impacting the refining force is not guaranteed to succeed, only when the qi blood inside is amassed to the limits of ordinary human flesh, and power is cultivated to a certain level, can one initiate the breakthrough. Once the attempt fails, both qi blood and power suffer damage to varying degrees, and some may even need to start nourishing force anew.
And with each failed attempt, further attempts only become more difficult.
At this moment, Su Mu was unaware that those who directly succeed in refining force on their first attempt, like him, are rare. These details were not mentioned in the Tiger Subduing Fist secret manual.
The success rate of refining force entirely depends on the martial artist's physical foundation, comprehension, and accumulated essence.
Being able to succeed in one go is not just due to achieving Great Success in the Five Animals Qigong but also due to the panel enhancement exceeding the comprehension of ordinary people. Furthermore, over a few months, the daily consumption of Three-in-One Body-Strengthening Soup has subtly improved his physique, ensuring his accumulated foundation is robust enough for success!
"Let's try the true refining force!"
After this breakthrough, Su Mu felt the previously thread-like strands of power inside transform into a stream, the power flowing like a gentle water current, continuously circulating through every vein.
Roar!
Su Mu assumed a stance and began practicing the Tiger Subduing Fist on the spot. As soon as he punched, his eyes brightened, as if opening the door to a new world, and he felt the world entirely different.
Tiger Subduing Form.
Fierce Tiger Pounce.
Vajra Subduing Tiger!
Accompanied by the sound of a fist breaking through the air, a dull tiger roar echoed, a trailing shadow emerged, and the fierce fist wind stirred the surrounding tree branches and leaves.
A precious sound indeed!
Su Mu looked incredulously at his own fist, astonished at how a casual punch after ascending to the ninth-grade refining force was several times more powerful than before.
Previously, his power was like scattered sand, hard to unite into a single force. Now Su Mu could easily do so, and when the power inside could be readily unified, the efficacy of his fists and kicks naturally transcended to a new level.
"Let's test the impact!"
Su Mu quickly walked toward a tree as thick as a person's embrace. Taking a deep breath, he channeled qi blood within and gathered power into his right arm.
In the next moment, Su Mu executed the Tiger Subduing Fist, punching forth.
Bang!
The flesh collided with the trunk, suddenly releasing an explosive sound, wood chips flying, and the tree, requiring a person's embrace to encircle, swayed as if amid a storm.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, chaotic fluttering branches and dropping leaves revealed a spider-web-like crack at the impact site, with the trunk dented inward three inches.
Seeing the fist imprint penetrating three inches deep, Su Mu couldn't help but suck in a cold breath, startled; unimaginable if this punch struck not a tree but a human body, how terrifying it would be.
"The book spoke truly, a refining force martial artist's punch can indeed shatter rocks without harming oneself... A chasm separates non-entry from entry-level martial artists!"
Su Mu looked again at his fist with amazement, finding it unharmed after delivering such a penetrating strike—even without a single scratch.
The world is vast, full of wonders, and Su Mu believes there exist people with innate divine power, capable of punching three inches deep without martial arts training. However, power is a double-edged sword; without the protection of force, innate divine power certainly harms the body, minorly tearing the flesh, severely breaking bones—the difference is apparent.
"Upon upgrading to ninth-grade refining force, aside from the enhancement in force, my strength and speed have also increased... approximately by thirty percent."
Su Mu's eyes brightened. A thirty percent increase was significant; the nourishing force process gradually approaches the limit of ordinary flesh, and this thirty percent is surpassing the limit!
Testing the improvements after advancing, the youth revealed a satisfied expression, having spent nearly a year in this world, finally reaching the threshold of a martial artist.
From what Su Mu knew, the number of refining force martial artists in the whole Qingshui Town could be counted on one hand, now himself included, possessing some capacity for self-defense.
Taking a deep breath to calm his excitement, Su Mu projected his current attribute panel for review.
[Name: Su Mu (14 years old)]
[Lifespan: 52 years]
[Skills: Five Animals Qigong (Great Success 76%), Forging (Great Success 41%), Tiger Subduing Fist (Great Success 1%), Alchemy (Entry Level 51%)]
[Comprehension: 9 (Potential)]
"Lifespan increased by a full five years this time."
"Upon attaining Great Success in the Tiger Subduing Fist, the comprehension aspect also ascended by two points... 10 points in comprehension should be the next breakthrough limit."
During the advancement, Su Mu had a premonition; once his comprehension reached 10 points, he would shatter the current shackles and reach a higher level.
Su Mu carefully analyzed his attribute panel, finding the advancement rate in Five Animals Qigong and Forging slowed after breaking through Great Success.
This is easily understood; entry-level is easy to achieve, but mastery is hard. The closer one approaches the limit, each breakthrough consumes more time and effort than before.
Su Mu's eyes slightly squinted, calculating the time as half a year passed, awaiting his responsible person to return. Currently, he'd still need some time to reach perfection in Five Animals Qigong.
"I'm now a ninth-grade martial artist; I might as well visit the black market, given tomorrow is the twenty-sixth."
Upon the responsible person's return, Su Mu would be under surveillance again. He didn't wish to miss this opportunity, planning to purchase a Ninth-Grade Martial Art at the black market for cultivation.
It seems achieving Small Success in a Ninth-Grade Martial Arts would be undoubtedly less challenging than perfecting Five Animals Qigong, consuming less time.
Zzzzz!
In the forging room, Su Mu used tongs to retrieve a sword from a water barrel, the blade emitting a cold light, its surface smooth as a mirror. Su Mu lightly flicked the golden body.
Clang!
First came a crisp metallic sound, followed by a delicate humming. After carefully inspecting, Su Mu revealed a satisfied demeanor.
"This is already the third Ten-Refined Weapon forged by Blacksmith Su this month; truly, the new waves of the Yangtze River push the old forward, the young are to be reckoned with."
Witnessing this scene, a blacksmith master couldn't help but exclaim, while his second Ten-Refined Weapon was still in the forging stage, Su Mu had completed the third with high-quality results.
"Sigh, looks like I'm getting old and useless... Comparing oneself truly incites frustration!"
Many blacksmith masters lamented their inadequacy compared to Su Mu, feeling ashamed.
After finishing a day of forging, Su Mu approached the shop owner Li Tie, requesting a day off, which Li Tie gladly granted. Su Mu had already forged three Ten-Refined Weapons this month, with their quality also excellent, and many customers specifically requested Su Mu's forging.
Even if Su Mu didn't work for the rest of the month, it wouldn't be an issue.
"Is one day enough?"
Li Tie laughed, growing ever optimistic about Su Mu, considering his son Li Xiaohu would likely struggle to take over the business, and the shop might need Su Mu for succession.
"Shop owner, one day is enough."
"Alright, the leave is granted."
The following evening, as the sun set, a guest came from the east wearing a conical hat and raincoat, their face obscured by a white fox mask. The man arrived at the forest in Heishi Village's rear mountain.
As night fell, a waning moon hung high, casting dim light over the desolate mountains amidst a mountain breeze, tree shadows swayed like ghostly figures.
Having waited for some time, the man resting with closed eyes stepped into the desolate mountains.