My Martial Arts Can Train Themselves

Chapter 7: A Competitive Martial Art

A martial arts scroll was divided into three parts, the text which described the moves and key cultivation tips, a spiritual pattern visualization diagram, and the formulas for medicinal baths, spiritual food, and pills which could aid in cultivation.

The Mountain-hugging Fist scroll contained a text describing the moves, instructions on tempering tendons and bones, and medicinal bath formulas.

However, because it was a Body Tempering martial art, there was no spiritual pattern visualization diagram.

Even so, Yang Yi could still feel a certain sense of wonder about this martial art from the short text of the scroll.

Among the neat rows of texts, there were some words that were written horizontally and vertically, "heaven rewards diligence and perseverance!".

Yang Yi pondered on these words and instantly understood them.

Body Tempering martial artists could not use the force. Instead, they practiced physical moves. A powerful Body Tempering martial artist was one who perfected his moves through practice.

Naturally, it could not be ruled out that when one cultivated to the established or perfect stages, there would be new insights.

It was still early, so Yang Yi took the formula for the medicinal bath and went to the herbal field.

The herbs on the formula were common and did not cost much contribution points.

When he passed by the cliff, he saw a person cultivating there with his legs crossed.

Yang Yi did not recognize him, but from his purple uniform, he knew that this was an inner disciple.

He was meditating under the devil suppression tree beside the cliff. Half of a glowing green sword was buried in the ground. It exuding a cold chill.

It was rumored that there was a terrifying devil lord under the cliff. Soul-stirring howls could occasionally be heard at night.

Yang Yi had been in the sect for a year, but he had never heard anything of the like before.

However, this was a remote spot. It was usually deserted.

He pretended not to see the other disciple and walked past silently.

He went to the herbal field and traded his contribution points for the herbs needed for a month's worth of medicinal baths.

The sky was already dark when he returned to the wooden hut.

Yang Yi rested for a while, and then, as usual, he checked on the feedback of his Crimson Afterglow Technique.

"Give me 10 consecutive feedback reports!"

[Your Crimson Afterglow Technique continuously absorbed the scorching energy of the wind flame grass. Fire attribute +2.]

[Your Crimson Afterglow Technique continuously absorbed the scorching energy of the wind flame grass. Fire attribute +1.]

[Your Crimson Afterglow Technique taught a friend how to cultivate, but it backfired. Today was a day for apologies and making amends.]

There were 10 feedback reports, which gave him a total of seven experience points, and triggered three special events.

"I didn't expect it to be able to absorb the energy of the wind flame grass today!"

He did not know how many more days this energy would last.

Yang Yi entertained his anticipations for a while, and then focused his attention on the last feedback.

Apologies and making amends, that was too real.

It did not cultivate properly, but it went to teach another person instead?

An inexplicable image flashed in Yang Yi's mind. In the world of the Crimson Afterglow Technique, it drank wine and chatted with a few of its friends. When it talked about cultivation, the Crimson Afterglow Technique flushed red in the face, and some of its friends actually believed it.

Yang Yi was grateful that there was no backlash from this which would have cost him some experience points. Overall, he was quite satisfied with the feedback he received today.

Moreover, he managed to save another 100 spirit accumulation points.

Learning a Body Tempering martial art required 500 spirit accumulation points. All he needed was five days to do it.

Yang Yi was confident that he would definitely not be able to cultivate the Mountain-hugging Fist to the beginner stage in five days.

...

Time was like a stream of water. One would only realize that it was gone when it flowed away.

Yang Yi built a courtyard outside the wooden hut at the foot of the mountain.

He also placed wooden stakes, stone locks, and other materials he used for cultivation.

Thunk-thunk, thunk, thunk-thunk-thunk.

The wooden stakes struck each other rhythmically.

Yang Yi punched the wooden stakes with thunderous might.

These wooden stakes had just been installed half a month ago. Now, the spots where they were struck had dents the size of bowls.

Over the past two weeks, Yang Yi had spent his time outside of lessons diligently cultivating.

He had finally cultivated the Mountain-hugging Fist to the beginner stage!

"Ha!"

Yang Yi's fist moved like a shadow.

Following that, he changed his stance, and his arms curved as if he was embracing a mountain.

He clenched his fists and struck out at the same time. His arms resembled a pair of ox horns as he pressed them against the wooden stake.

There was a muffled thud from the impact. Then, the wooden stake exploded violently, sending debris flying.

"The Mountain-hugging Fist move is valiant, but it doesn't have such explosive power and lethality at the beginner stage. This must be related to the change in the Crimson Afterglow Technique's fire attribute."

Cultivation methods were the foundation of martial artists. When his Crimson Afterglow Technique was enhanced, his other martial techniques were strengthened as well.

Yang Yi's heart was as clear as a mirror. He was very satisfied with the explosive power of the Mountain-hugging Fist.

This was completely beyond the standard of an ordinary Blood Refining stage martial artist.

Moreover, the Mountain-hugging Fist was only at the beginner stage. After learning it, he believed that it would not be long before he would reach the intermediate stage.

By then, it would become more powerful!

Yang Yi went to take a shower.

Then, feeling cool and refreshed, he sat cross-legged on the wooden corridor.

He opened the attribute panel.

Host: Yang Yi

Realm: Blood Refining (141/500)

Spirit accumulation points: 1,700

Learned martial art: Crimson Afterglow Technique

Pending martial art: Mountain-hugging Fist

Number of scans: 1

Yang Yi checked his accumulated spirit accumulation points and felt comfortable with the number.

Then, he spent 500 spirit accumulation points to learn the Mountain-hugging Fist.

There were no special effects, but the Mountain-hugging Fist was moved to the list of learned martial arts.

Martial arts: Mountain-hugging Fist (learned)

Realm: Beginner (1/200)

Characteristics: Competitive

Quality: Body Tempering martial art

Feedback: None (natural feedback requires 24 hours)

"What exactly is this martial arts characteristic?"

Yang Yi stared at it, but there was no reaction.

He realized that the Mountain-hugging Fist's characteristics were different from the Crimson Afterglow Technique. The Crimson Afterglow Technique's characteristic was "perceptive", while the Mountain-hugging Fist's was "competitive".

It was understandable if the martial arts were anthropomorphized, but he did not know if it would affect the contents of the daily feedback.

Yang Yi decided to give it a try. He requested 10 feedback reports from the Mountain-hugging Fist.

[Your Mountain-hugging Fist has improved after a day of painstaking cultivation. Experience +1.]

...

He did 10 feedback sessions, but merely gained one experience point.

Yang Yi did not give up. He made 10 more attempts.

[Your Mountain-hugging Fist finished soaking in the medicinal bath, and its internal injuries were healed. It is now in a good mood.]

[Your Mountain-hugging Fist sparred in the training field. It grew more familiar with its moves. Actual combat ability +3.]

This time, two special incidents were triggered.

Yang Yi was quite interested in the improvement of its actual combat ability.

He had always been worried that if he kept cultivating hard, he would suffer a great loss in actual combat in the future.

He was delighted that the Mountain-hugging Fist was sensible enough.

However, it was definitely not enough to just rely on his martial arts to work hard.

Yang Yi decided that he should occasionally mingle with others and go to the training field to have exchanges with everyone else.

On one hand, he could learn from the exchange of experiences. On the other hand, he could test the results of his own cultivation.

The sect was a small society in itself. It was important to show his face every once in a while. It was impossible for him to not blend in at all.

Yang Yi paused for a moment. When he saw the steady improvement of the Mountain-hugging Fist, he could not help but feel an itch in his hands. He did 10 more feedback attempts.

[Your Mountain-hugging Fist cultivated too fiercely and almost injured its foundation. Experience -3.]

[Your Mountain-hugging Fist is in a bad mood. One day passed without any improvements made. Experience + 0.]

[Your Mountain-hugging Fist is overworked. During the competition, it was struck by an opponent's sneak attack and lost miserably.]

[Your Mountain-hugging Fist launched a sneak attack halfway and successfully avenged itself. Combat Ability +5. Plundered silver +50 taels!]

After receiving 30 feedback in a day, the probability of negative effects appearing seemed to have increased.

However, Yang Yi did not focus on that.

Instead, the fact that Mountain-hugging Fist launched a sneak attack caught his attention.

This feedback could probably be read together with the previous one.

In that case, it was clear that the Mountain-hugging Fist was very competitive.

"I hope it that this won't come back to bite me in the back." Yang Yi smiled bitterly.

Looking at the content alone, this event increased its actual combat ability and earned him 50 taels. It was great!