Translator: AnubisTL
"My thanks!"
Li Qing clasped his hands in a respectful bow toward Headmaster Zeng, whose face was contorted in pain. He then re-tied his hair, which had been disheveled like a madman's.
Watching the crimson flush in Li Qing's eyes gradually fade, Zeng Jinbao exhaled in relief, fearing the young man might have become overly heated and refused to yield.
"Ah, the waves of the Yangtze River push forward, one after another. I truly am getting old. I'm no match for you," Zeng Jinbao said, his expression tinged with melancholy.
The Martial Hall Master, renowned throughout the Jianghu and Martial World, whose name had echoed across Shengtian, had just admitted defeat to Li Qing.
The disciples watching nearby gaped in astonishment.
It was clear that this would send ripples throughout the Jianghu, and Li Qing's name would spread far and wide.
From this day forward, the young Inner Strength expert would undoubtedly claim his place in the Martial World.
"Headmaster Zeng flatters me. It was merely a stroke of luck," Li Qing said with a smile, his demeanor humble and gracious.
His lack of arrogance after victory put Zeng Jinbao and his disciples at ease.
"You're being too modest. Since you've clearly set your sights on the Grandmaster Realm, you can't possibly remain low-profile."
"The Hundred Battles Realm doesn't necessarily require a hundred actual battles, but the number certainly won't be small."
"There are only so many Inner Strength experts in the Jianghu. If you go around challenging them one by one, there's no way to stay low-profile, hahaha!"
Zeng Jinbao laughed heartily, but a mischievous thought suddenly struck him.
The result of today's battle was bound to be revealed soon, but he refused to be the only stepping stone.
That's right, he should make those other two guys taste Li Qing's fierce and domineering fists too.
His eyes lit up as he spoke, "By the way, Little Brother Li, have you decided who you'll challenge next?"
Li Qing raised an eyebrow. "Not yet. Does Headmaster Zeng have any recommendations?"
Zeng Jinbao quickly replied, "During our sparring earlier, I noticed something intriguing about your footwork. That reminds me of Song Yunting from the Flying Cloud School. His Lightness Technique footwork is quite remarkable!"
"And then there's that Old Man from the Raging Wind School. His Martial Art also follows a domineering and fierce style. His Flood Fist once forced many Jianghu figures to bow their heads. He'd be an excellent choice for sparring and learning from!"
The Raging Wind School and the Flying Cloud School were, like the Golden Armor School, among the three most renowned martial arts schools in Shengtian City.
Headmaster Zeng's motive was clear: to drag the other two martial hall masters down with him. If they were going to lose face, they would all lose it together—he wouldn't be the only one to suffer.
Li Qing merely chuckled inwardly at this.
"Since Headmaster Zeng is so enthusiastic, I suppose I should pay them a visit in a few days to exchange pointers!"
"But let's call it a day for now. Farewell!"
With that, Li Qing turned and left, leaving the Golden Armor School disciples with only his carefree back view.
"Little Brother Li, take care! Feel free to visit me for tea anytime," Zeng Jinbao added mentally, omitting the part about sparring. That kind of punch force was something most people couldn't handle.
Thinking of this, Zeng Jinbao sucked in a cold breath and began to massage the spots where Li Qing's fist had landed. The pain had become much more pronounced now.
"A-Chen, hurry and prepare some medicinal liquor for me. This is killing me! Hiss..."
After leaving the Golden Armor School, Li Qing didn't linger. He immediately returned home.
"This harvest is quite substantial. I initially thought the Golden Body Technique was just a clumsy, tank-like skill for taking hits. But combined with other External Martial Arts, it's proven to be incredibly effective!"
This breakthrough was entirely thanks to my fight with Zeng Jinbao. His Golden Armor Art's scattered techniques gave me tremendous inspiration.
"It seems choosing the Golden Armor School as my first opponent was the right decision!"
In truth, Li Qing didn't realize that for ordinary practitioners, the Golden Body Technique would likely remain a mere skill for enduring punishment.
Not everyone was like him, cultivating multiple martial arts masterpieces and forcefully elevating his Martial Dao Realm to the Inner Strength level with the aid of Tiger Bone Medicinal Wine.
By using his Inner Strength realm to reverse-engineer his other martial arts, he had effortlessly pushed them to the Great Perfection Realm—a complete reversal of the usual process for other Martial Artists.
"I can now confirm that my Martial Path strength is quite formidable, even among Inner Strength experts."
He had chosen the Golden Armor School's Martial Hall Master as his first opponent precisely because the man specialized in defense. This allowed Li Qing to gauge his own strength accurately.
Breaking through Zeng Jinbao's defenses meant that few other Inner Strength experts could withstand his punches.
Moreover, Li Qing hadn't even used his full strength in their previous battle. He still had some trump cards up his sleeve.
For example, his Ancient Mystic Hammer Art, which had reached the Great Perfection Realm, combined with the Peerless Divine Weapon, the Peerless Hammer, would undoubtedly make him the undisputed champion among all Inner Strength Martial Artists.
Furthermore, Li Qing's Turtle Breathing Art had always been practiced in conjunction with his Golden Body Technique, creating a synergistic effect.
Now, after all this time, the Inner Strength he had accumulated within his body had reached a truly remarkable level.
If he were to unleash both his Internal Strength and Inner Strength simultaneously, the combined destructive power would far exceed a mere one-plus-one-equals-two!
Over the next few days, Li Qing remained in the blacksmith shop, diligently exploring ways to integrate his Golden Body Technique with his other External Martial Arts.
He wasn't in a rush to challenge the other two Martial Hall Masters. Instead, he patiently honed his skills, seeking out new possibilities.
A sharp blade makes for swift chopping!
After nearly four days, Li Qing emerged from seclusion once more!
"Not bad. Besides the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram, the Golden Body Technique actually synergizes quite well with the Light Silk Leg Technique. Perhaps I should rename it the Golden Silk Leg Technique?"
Li Qing stood in place, testing a few side kicks. They flowed smoothly, the wind from his swinging pant legs whistling sharply.
Of course, the most effective technique remained the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram at the Great Perfection Realm. If he were to combine it with the Golden Body Technique, the resulting power would even make Li Qing himself feel a thrill of fear!
Having finished his brief seclusion, Li Qing immediately set off for the Raging Wind School in the city.
Choosing the three major schools as opponents for honing his skills was a plan Li Qing had already made long ago, so Zeng Jinbao's advice was unnecessary.
To avoid challenges from the school's disciples during this challenge, Li Qing brought Fan Tong with him.
As the fierce tiger emerged onto the street, passersby scattered in terror, their faces pale with fear.
Meanwhile, inside the Raging Wind School, a disciple rushed in, his voice frantic as he shouted, "Disaster! Someone's coming this way with a tiger!"
(End of the Chapter)
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