Chapter 44: The Essence of the Six Harmonies, Master One and Master All
8:00 PM!
After finishing his dinner, Chen Jie began his rigorous training!
He had just stepped into the realm of 'fundamental muscle strengthening'. Only through intense, unremitting practice could he truly cross the threshold into the first stage of strength enhancement.
Bang, bang, bang—!
Amidst the night shadows, he repeatedly lashed out with his kicks, his gaze piercingly fixed straight ahead.
The core essence of Chuo Jiao kung fu lies in having a gaze as sharp as venom and movements of extreme swiftness.
Fierce and merciless!
The moment a kick is launched, one must observe the subtle shifts in the surroundings, reading all changes on the fly so that the techniques remain unpredictable and untraceable.
It is far from a mere leg technique; rather, it is a seamless integration of offense and defense, emphasizing the coordination and cooperation between hands and feet.
Its footwork must be agile: seven parts execution by the feet, three parts by the hands!
Hoo—!
Chen Jie continuously regulated his breath, condensing his internal force within his muscles.
At this very moment, he could feel a surge of energy permeating his entire body.
The Intent of the Six Harmonies!
Spirit aligns with the heart, heart aligns with intent, intent aligns with breath, breath aligns with force, force aligns with tendons, and tendons align with blood!
Consciousness arises in the mind, using intent to command the coordination of muscles, tendons, and bones, thereby generating a vital breath!
This breath allows internal force to flow smoothly throughout the entire body, rendering the muscles, tendons, and bones stronger, the strikes more explosive, and the speed even faster.
Though invisible and intangible, this breath can be distinctly perceived within one's consciousness.
To put it simply, this is not some mystical, literal airflow, but rather the materialization of pure intent.
The state of deep visualization, an amplification of spiritual power!
As this internal force brewed within his body, Chen Jie's mind sank into a state of absolute clarity and emptiness.
Traditional martial arts advocate following the natural course of nature, and the Intent of the Six Harmonies is no different, championing the unity of heaven and man.
During this session of training, Chen Jie sensed that something within him had fundamentally changed.
Perhaps it was the accumulation of the half-cycle of 'medicinal baths' and 'medicinal nourishment' from the other side, which, after thorough settlement, had finally brought Chen Jie a breakthrough.
He felt a lingering warmth radiating through his muscles after the training.
Moreover, this warmth began to penetrate deep into his marrow, allowing him to distinctly feel a rapid enhancement in his muscular strength.
It was as if every single cell in his body was rejoicing and cheering, leaving his entire being in a state of heightened exhilaration.
Chen Jie hurriedly held his breath. Guided by the power-generation heritage imparted to him by Aunt Thirteen, he knew that he had initiated the transformation of the first stage of strength enhancement!
In truth, Chen Jie had not spent all that much time from the moment he began practicing martial arts to stepping into the 'fundamental muscle strengthening' realm.
Ever since he started training his 'artistic intent', it had benefited him immensely.
Spiritual power not only allowed him to sense the relaxation and contraction of his muscles, but also enabled him to deeply comprehend the nuances of generating power.
One could say that Chen Jie's progression in martial arts power generation had been so rapid that it had practically transcended the boundaries of his age.
All of this was the combined result of medicinal baths, medicinal nourishment, and the Intent of the Six Harmonies!
After about ten minutes, Chen Jie felt the heat in his muscles reach a certain peak, after which his vital energy and blood showed signs of slightly subsiding.
It seemed that the first stage of strength enhancement was still missing that final shred of momentum, leaving his power just short of complete and unobstructed circulation.
Hiss—!
He couldn't help drawing a sharp breath, a flicker of anxiety rising in his heart.
If the force remained unobstructed, it meant that the first stage of transforming clumsy strength into refined power had not yet succeeded!
Strike while the iron is hot for one bold push of momentum; let it wane a second time, and it grows sluggish; by the third, it is completely exhausted!
If he failed to fully cross into the first strength-enhancement stage this time, there was no telling when the next opportunity would arrive.
He let out a long breath and gently closed his eyes.
Under the state of visualization, his mind could perceive the shifts in his muscle power generation, a realization that filled his heart with pleasant surprise.
It had to be said that the tempering of spiritual power far outperformed the state of purely grueling physical training, offering a clarity of perception that was vastly superior.
It felt as though his consciousness could enter his own physical vessel, commanding the body's structure and the changing currents of its power.
This sensation was wondrous beyond words—something to be experienced, never truly to be described.
Immediately afterward, under the strict control of his conscious will, his muscles contracted abruptly, snapping his limbs outward and instantly accelerating his kicking motion.
Bang!
A kick lashed out with the speed of a thunderclap leaving no time to cover one's ears!
Master one principle, and all principles are understood!
Boom!
Chen Jie suddenly experienced a feeling of sudden, profound enlightenment, as though an invisible membrane within his body had been completely shattered by this surge of internal force.
At the very same time, he felt his bodily strength circulate effortlessly; his muscles ceased to be tense, transforming into a state of relaxed elasticity.
Having truly crossed the threshold into the first stage of 'fundamental muscle strengthening', Chen Jie calmed his mind.
He could acutely perceive a subtle transformation in his muscle fibers, while his bones and tendons had likewise grown notably tougher and more resilient.
Though his muscles remained in a relaxed state, they now harbored an immense, terrifying explosive potential, as if they had undergone a qualitative metamorphosis—everything was different from before.
Glancing at the time, he realized that unconsciously, midnight had already passed.
At this hour, countless people had long since drifted off to dreamland, yet he was still in the back mountains of the countryside, painstakingly refining his martial arts.
Thus it is said: whatever one pursues, one must have a genuine passion for it.
Once true interest takes root, one enters a state of forgetting food and sleep, feeling not a shred of fatigue whatsoever.
As his strength entered an upward trajectory, his confidence swelled, leaving him itching to test his limits.
He desperately wanted to find a place to see just how formidable his power had truly become.
---
The next morning at nine o'clock.
With his backpack slung over his shoulder, Chen Jie embarked on his journey toward the Elite Martial Arts Academy.
As it happened, the address of the Hengyang branch of the Elite Martial Arts Academy was not far from Cailun Road.
Originally, he had planned to inspect a housing unit in the morning before visiting the academy.
To his surprise, the real estate agent had encountered a temporary issue and rescheduled the apartment viewing to the afternoon.
Therefore, Chen Jie simply decided to head directly to the Elite Martial Arts Academy.
Depending solely on grueling, solo training was simply too inefficient for accumulating [Martial Arts Merit Points].
One full hour of bitter training yielded a mere 1 point.
You cannot truly master fist techniques without combat!
Chen Jie wanted to enter the martial arts hall for actual combat training to see if the efficiency of earning [Martial Arts Merit Points] could be improved.
At this moment, he stood right at the entrance of the Elite Martial Arts Academy.
One had to admit, the scale of the Elite Martial Arts Academy was massive, with a training hall spanning over three thousand square meters.
Judging by the facility's equipment, the academy possessed deep financial backing and certainly didn't lack funds!
Just as Chen Jie reached out to push open the grand doors, he noticed a recruitment notice posted right beside the entrance.
"Details on Student Recruitment:
I. Elite Classes.
Disciplines: Sanda, Muay Thai, Boxing, Wrestling, Unlimited Combat.
Duration: Three years minimum.
II. Tuition and Miscellaneous Fees.
Tuition: Sanda, Boxing, Muay Thai 8,000 RMB/year; Wrestling 7,000 RMB/year; Unlimited Mixed Martial Arts 10,000 RMB/year.
Miscellaneous Fees: Meals not included, accommodation completely free (six-person rooms, air conditioning and hot water utilities charged separately), uniforms and others 500 RMB/year.
[Note: Applicants to this academy must be between sixteen and thirty years of age, in good health, and possess a foundation in martial arts—!]"
Stepping into the lobby of the Elite Martial Arts Academy, Chen Jie couldn't help feeling a wave of astonishment.
How magnificent!
The front reception hall was styled with striking interior design.
Flanking both sides were rows of glass display cabinets showcasing various trophies and medals won by the academy, bearing witness to a glorious history of combat achievements.
Passing through the lobby led directly into the colossal training hall.
The training facilities inside were comprehensive—complete with speed bags, agility ladders, punching bags, boxing rings, and more—all radiating an air of professional expertise.
Adjacent to the main training hall was a dedicated fitness training area.
It seemed this place was not merely a combat academy, but also functioned as a full-scale fitness training center.
A crowd of muscular men inside the fitness center were venting their physical energy upon rows of heavy iron equipment.
After taking a full circle around the area, Chen Jie walked over to the front desk.
The receptionist on duty was a plump young man in his twenties, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with four prominent characters: 'Elite Martial Arts Academy'!
Clearly, the person manning the front desk was not a dedicated receptionist, but rather an academy student serving on a rotating shift.