At the end of the horizon, a crimson disc rises slowly and intersects with the bridge connecting the island, creating a spectacular view.
On the seawall, Wang Longhu runs wildly, his arms swinging with excitement. Despite his quick pace, he shows no sign of fatigue.
He didn't sleep last night; more precisely, he practiced the Three-Body Stance throughout the night.
Though he doesn't know Xingyi Boxing, the Three-Body Stance, as its foundation, has made Wang Longhu feel its incredible subtlety.
From last night to now, Wang Longhu managed to push his spinal joints five times, though each success came from a sudden flash of inspiration only then allowing his spine to exert strength.
Yet, so many successes have deepened Wang Longhu's understanding of the Three-Body Stance, and he believes that within a day he will fully master it.
[Name: Wang Longhu]
[Strength: 0.96]
[Physique: 0.95]
[Spirit: 0.88]
[Skills: Basic Fitness Lv2 (11/200), Three-Body Stance Lv1 (95/100)]
[Potential Points: 0]
After staying awake all night, Wang Longhu did not come out empty-handed, with five successful spinal pushes and a whole night's exertion bringing him a 0.11 point increase in strength and physique.
This morning's run feels noticeably easier for Wang Longhu, his breath steady and long-lasting, clearly indicating significant improvement in endurance.
"Only by controlling the spine can one freely enter that state of goosebumps and hair standing on end. How can I use my own strength to achieve control over the spine?" Wang Longhu pondered as he ran.
At that moment, his sight caught the group of elderly morning exercisers from yesterday, still practicing the familiar Infinite Posture, led by the white-haired elder.
"Practicing in isolation wastes time; I learned the Three-Body Stance from this elder. I'd better ask him for advice." Wang Longhu thought to himself.
He walked down the slope to the seawall, carefully approaching the white-haired elder.
"Hmm? It's you." Master Chen opened his closed eyes in surprise; young people willing to exercise in the morning are rare these days.
And those who persist every morning are even rarer, like a handful in a thousand.
Seeing Wang Longhu two days in a row, and earlier today than yesterday, Master Chen was very surprised.
Wondering, it's not the recruitment month for the national military.
"Elder, haha, I want to ask you something. The Three-Body Stance you taught me yesterday, the purpose of this Pile Skill is surely to cultivate internal heat, right?" Wang Longhu chuckled, recounting last night's experiences in detail.
The unexpected result was silence; Master Chen remained speechless, gazing at Wang Longhu with an expression that couldn't conceal his shock.
"You said you practice the Three-Body Stance and feel your body heats up?" Master Chen asked in disbelief.
Wang Longhu quickly nodded: "Yes, the body gets incredibly hot and sweats a lot, but when goosebumps appear, the heat and sweat are immediately restrained, causing my lower abdomen to swell up."
Master Chen stopped his Infinite Posture, starting to circle around Wang Longhu, occasionally pressing his joints as if inspecting something.
"Bones are the body's foundation, yet your bones seem ordinary, how could this be..." Master Chen murmured, frowning.
What he taught Wang Longhu was indeed authentic Three-Body Stance, effective for strengthening the body.
But for most ordinary people, practicing the Three-Body Stance throughout life would only be a basic Pile Skill, only those with exceptional bones can achieve its true effect.
Refining essence into qi!
The vigor of human vital essence flows endlessly throughout the body, akin to a tidal wave.
Ancient Daoists had profound insights, summarizing the 'Inner Elixir foundational Qi cultivation', refining vital essence and vital qi into a combination of lightweight, intangible essence-qi.
Refining essence into qi is the first step of the Inner Elixir foundational Qi cultivation.
It is also the foundation of Internal Boxing.
If the Pile Skill doesn't include refining essence into qi, learning the techniques doesn't equate to true martial arts.
In his earlier years working outside, Master Chen tried recruiting disciples to pass on Xingyi Boxing, teaching many, few grasped the essentials.
A few promising ones stood out, the fastest grasping the refining essence into qi took eighteen days.
And this young man in front of him?
It seems like barely a day since he taught him the Three-Body Stance, only briefly touching on posture, nothing else.
Can he already refine essence into qi? What an unprecedented martial arts genius.
"Elder, although I sincerely ask for your advice, if you continue, I'll report you for harassment." Wang Longhu pushed away the white-haired old man who was nudging his coccyx, said helplessly.
"Hahaha, it's been years since I met such an amusing young man, alright, today I'll teach you seriously." Master Chen laughed, walking to a stone bench, picking up a thermos cup to drink hot tea.
Wang Longhu quickly followed.
"Martial arts, martial arts, training martial skills takes precedence, a martial artist who doesn't train ends up with nothing. Young man, the skill I'm referring to is the internal heat you're cultivating." Master Chen tightened the thermos cup's lid, sitting on the stone bench.
"Blood is vital to the human body, and within it, according to the Daoist School, lies a material truly present, universally termed 'qi',"
"This qi is lightweight and intangible, unconsciously induced during intense bodily activity, thereby strengthening the physique. However, this qi also expels body moisture, escaping through pores. Once sweat runs dry, the temporarily enhanced physique quickly reverts."
Wang Longhu's eyes brightened; though hearing these ideas for the first time, he inexplicably felt they carried some truth.
Master Chen continued: "Under stimulus or tension, the body closes its pores tightly, neither sweat nor qi leaks in the slightest, causing the goosebumps you mentioned,"
"When pores are tightly shut, qi cannot escape, it wanders throughout the body until stabilizing, and then with slight control, it can be stored within. The physique enhanced by qi becomes permanent.
This process, termed 'refining essence into qi' by the Daoist School, constitutes the crucial step for entering Internal Boxing.
The Three-Body Stance stimulates spinal joints, triggering the body's self-defense, mastering it enables one to freely control pore closure, conserving qi to enhance the body, with endless applications."