Chapter 8 Great Achievement

Words : 2508 Updated : Oct 8th, 2023

The entire place fell into a dead silence once again. No one had expected the outcome to turn out like this. Stanley glanced around at everyone present, then let out a cold snort and walked away. The crowd instinctively parted to make way for him, and no one dared to stand in his path at this moment. "This Stanley from the junior class is a total freak!" "I've heard that some people develop their martial arts talent a bit later, but once it's triggered, they improve rapidly!" "Did you see the way he looked at us just now? It was clearly a warning. We'd better be careful not to cross him in the future." "Grover is finished. He practically delivered himself to Stanley to be used as a stepping stone to establish his reputation." Many people were whispering amongst themselves, but no one could deny the strength Stanley had displayed. In the martial hall, only strong power could earn respect and fear, providing a solid foundation for one's standing. After leaving the black stone area, Stanley didn't return to his residence but instead entered a bamboo forest. Within the bamboo forest were several open spaces, each filled with wooden stakes of varying heights and lengths, placed at different distances, forming a complex pattern. Many martial hall students who practiced their movement techniques often came here. Stanley leaped into the air and landed lightly on one of the stakes. He noticed that each stake bore marks of age. Every year, the martial hall accepted new students—young boys aspiring to the martial path, undeterred by difficulties, training tirelessly here. Stanley recalled his father's words from when he was young: "Only those who endure the hardest hardships can stand above others." On his first day at the martial hall, the instructor had taught all the students the same lesson. As the meridian routes for the second-grade movement technique, One-inch Kick, emerged in Stanley's mind, he simultaneously began to refine and improve the technique using the life meridian diagram. His body moved swiftly across the stakes. Tap! With a light touch of his toe, his figure soared higher, moving from shorter to taller stakes. Initially, his movements were slow as he familiarized himself with the rhythm of the technique, but he quickly picked up speed. Thud! Suddenly, he misstepped. The uneven distances between the stakes made it easier to control his movements at slower speeds, but once he accelerated, it was easy to slip up. After falling, Stanley promptly jumped back up and resumed practicing the technique. Time slipped by unnoticed as he immersed himself in refining his movement technique, his focus bordering on obsession. In martial arts, both movement techniques and combat skills had four stages: entry-level, minor achievement, great achievement, and perfection. Even a second-grade martial art could rival a third-grade technique in power if practiced to the minor achievement level. When cultivated to the great achievement level, it could match the minor achievement stage of a third-grade technique. And at the perfection level, a second-grade technique could even rival the great achievement stage of a third-grade technique. This is why, unless the techniques are on the same mastery level, higher-grade techniques aren't necessarily stronger. If lower-grade techniques are cultivated to high mastery levels, they can still overcome stronger opponents. Stanley's Dragon and Tiger Boxing had been elevated to great achievement through the Life and Death Bead's insights. In contrast, Grover had only superficially learned his two third-grade techniques, so it was natural that he couldn't match Stanley. Over the next half month, Stanley devoted himself to intense training. During the day, he practiced martial techniques and movement skills, while at night, he meditated and cultivated his internal energy. During this period, every student preparing for the annual assessment was pushing themselves to the limit, fighting for their future. "I've heard Hugh hasn't made any moves lately. Rumor has it that he recently spent a fortune to buy a Nourishing Pill, hoping to break through to the Eighth-level Lian Ti Realm." One morning, Stanley awoke from his training, murmuring to himself as he reflected. His cultivation was progressing steadily, but he knew his opponents were also improving, especially Hugh, who had far better resources than him. Martial training became more challenging the further one advanced. This is why external aids like pills were crucial for accelerating progress and breaking through limits within a limited lifespan. It was said that those who reached the Xian Tian Realm would transcend mortal limits, gaining a lifespan of three hundred years. Before reaching the Xian Tian Realm, even a Qi Hai Realm warrior remained a powerful mortal. "I need to speed up my progress!" Stanley's inner resolve only deepened as the annual assessment approached. Instead of feeling pressure, his fighting spirit intensified. His practice of Dragon and Tiger Boxing had been progressing steadily. While it remained at the great achievement stage, he wasn't far from reaching perfection. However, the progress of his movement technique, One-inch Kick, was slower. To push himself harder, Stanley scattered thorny brambles around the stakes, so any misstep would result in him falling into the sharp thorns and getting scratched. Not only that, he also shaved the stakes thinner, forcing himself to surpass his limits. His intense training soon caught the attention of many students at the martial hall. Initially, word spread from those practicing movement techniques in the same area. A group gathered nearby, watching Stanley balance on the slim stakes. His clothing was tattered, and his body was covered in scars. Bloodstains dotted the thorns below, glistening darkly on the sharp points. "This guy is out of his mind!" "No wonder he's improving so fast. If you train like that, how could you not improve quickly?" Anyone who saw Stanley's training was left in awe. Some students from poor backgrounds were particularly inspired and began to push themselves harder in their own training. On the stakes, Stanley had already reached the peak of minor achievement with the One-inch Kick movement technique, but he felt he was just a step away from great achievement. With his eyes closed, he moved swiftly across the stakes—sometimes advancing, sometimes sidestepping, and sometimes retreating rapidly. His movements were unpredictable and no longer followed a fixed pattern. Martial techniques practiced as set routines might become second nature, but they would only reach the entry-level stage. To reach minor achievement, one had to grasp the essence of the technique's movements and truly understand its principles. Reaching great achievement or even perfection required more than hard work and comprehension—it also demanded a stroke of luck. Sometimes, a fleeting moment of inspiration could provide the opportunity to break through and elevate one's technique to a higher level. There were no shortcuts in martial arts. Talent and aptitude were important, but so were the warrior's heart and moments of opportunity. Stanley had been aimless in his pursuit of martial arts before, never understanding the true essence of the path. But ever since merging with the Life and Death Bead, he had truly entered the door to martial arts. Though his current cultivation level was still low, he had already formed a warrior's heart. "Great achievement!" On the stakes, Stanley's body suddenly became still, as if everything around him was in motion while he remained unmoved. He opened his eyes and smiled. With a leap, he soared gracefully away, disappearing from the crowd's view. "He's so fast! Could it be that his movement technique has reached the minor achievement stage?" "I heard Stanley selected three second-grade martial techniques from the library: Invert Bone Material, Dragon and Tiger Boxing, and One-inch Kick." "The Invert Bone Material is fairly standard, but Dragon and Tiger Boxing and One-inch Kick are notoriously difficult to master, even at the second grade. Many people have attempted them, but even getting to the entry level is a challenge, let alone reaching minor achievement." "I heard Stanley's Dragon and Tiger Boxing during his fight with Grover was on par with a third-grade technique at the minor achievement stage. That means his Dragon and Tiger Boxing must be at great achievement!" People were deep in discussion, speculating about Stanley's current strength. His mastery of the Dragon and Tiger Boxing at the great achievement stage was undeniable, but most believed that his movement technique, being harder to train, was likely only at the minor achievement stage at best. Even so, everyone was astonished. With Dragon and Tiger Boxing at great achievement and One-inch Kick at minor achievement, Stanley's overall strength, despite only being at the fifth-level Lian Ti Realm, could rival that of a Seventh-level Lian Ti Realm practitioner. "A Seventh-level Lian Ti Realm expert is already comparable to the top elites of the intermediate class. This kid is truly impressive." "But no matter how hard he tries, he has no chance of defeating Hugh. Hugh is about to finish his closed-door training, and his cultivation will surely reach the Eighth-level Lian Ti Realm. He'll definitely qualify for the advanced class during this year's assessment!" "Anyone who enters the advanced class is an elite of the martial hall. Grover and Hugh aren't even on the same level." "The Zhang family is a force to be reckoned with in Qing Yun City. What was Stanley thinking when he went up against someone from the Zhang family?" Despite Stanley's recent surprising displays of strength, no one believed he could stand a chance against Hugh, who was about to break through to the Eighth-level Lian Ti Realm. Having achieved great progress in both martial techniques and movement skills, Stanley returned to his residence. "Compared to my skills, my cultivation is progressing much more slowly." Stanley furrowed his brow in his room. His cultivation had reached the peak of the fifth-level Lian Ti Realm, but he was unable to break through to the sixth-level. The path of martial cultivation was filled with obstacles. Each realm had nine stages, akin to climbing nine heavens—each step more difficult than the last. Stanley had firsthand experience of the hardships and challenges of martial training, especially over the past few months, where he had been pushing himself to his limits. "At my current level, I need external aids to accelerate my progress. Otherwise, though I could still advance, it would take far too long." Despite his relentless efforts, relying solely on internal cultivation to absorb the energy of heaven and earth meant his progress in accumulating inner energy was slow. The most common methods to aid martial cultivation were medicinal pills and formations. For Lian Ti Realm warriors, first-grade pills were the most commonly used option, while formations were even more expensive. Stanley knew his circumstances well. His family's monthly income, earned by his father, barely amounted to twenty or thirty silver taels. In comparison, a single first-grade Nourishing Pill cost several hundred to a thousand taels. Take Hugh, for example—his breakthrough to the Eighth-level Lian Ti Realm was supported by consuming Nourishing Pills. The expense for such a closed-door training session was something an ordinary family couldn't accumulate in a lifetime. Stanley understood clearly that if he didn't find a way to accelerate his progress, he had no idea how long it would take for him to break through to the Qi Hai Realm and become a true warrior. He wasn't particularly concerned about the upcoming annual assessment, nor did he care much about the fight with Hugh. His goals extended far beyond that. Many warriors spent their entire lives pursuing a breakthrough to the Qi Hai Realm, and those with grander ambitions aimed to become Xian Tian Realm masters. But Stanley wasn't satisfied with such limits. Having fused with the Life and Death Bead, with all its unique advantages, he knew he was destined for greater achievements in the martial path. "It's time to take action," Stanley murmured, narrowing his eyes as a plan began to form in his mind.

Chapter 8 Great Achievement

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