Infinite Fighting

The next day, Zhang Ji was brought to the main hall of the Five Elements Sect. In the presence of two elders, Li Long, and the Sect Leader, he offered incense to the sect’s founding ancestors, which served as his official induction.

According to ancient tradition, the process would have been much more complex. Nowadays, it had been greatly simplified: once approved, all one had to do was offer a stick of incense and have their name recorded in the registry.

Of course, the main reason Zhang Ji became a Direct Disciple of the Five Elements Sect with such ease was Li Long.

Li Long’s status was unique. Throughout the entire Five Elements Sect, his word was law. In some matters, his influence even surpassed that of the Sect Leader, Yan Ruifeng. As a result, his decisions were always met with unanimous support.

That was why Zhang Ji’s appointment as a Daoist Direct Disciple faced virtually no opposition.

Zhang Ji didn’t fully understand Li Long’s circumstances, but these events gave him a glimpse into just how high Li Long’s standing was within the Five Elements Sect.

The position of Daoist Direct Disciple was one of lofty status and considerable power.

Zhang Ji enjoyed the same authority as the other Direct Disciples of the Five Elements Sect. When he was out and about, he could even directly call upon some of the sect’s resources for assistance if needed. Withdrawing a few million a month for spending money was a triviality.

The Five Elements Sect had a vast number of disciples, and its business interests were wide-ranging, covering pharmaceuticals, real estate and construction, finance, automobiles, and emerging technologies. In total, its assets were worth at least several hundred billion.

In the Eastern Extreme Country, it was considered a major power.

It was the same in any world: when one wielded sufficient martial power, everything else came easily.

After becoming a Direct Disciple, Zhang Ji was qualified to choose one Grandmaster-level martial art to practice.

Normally, one would seek out the instruction elder for this, but Li Long made time to teach Zhang Ji personally.

In a spacious, empty room, Li Long said to Zhang Ji, "You already have a solid foundation, so you don’t need to practice basic martial arts. You can move directly to a Grandmaster-level art. The Five Elements Sect has many basic techniques, but only five Grandmaster-level ones: Snake Form Fist, Crane Form Fist, Leopard Form Fist, Tiger Form Fist, and Dragon Form Fist.

"Snake Fist emphasizes flexibility, focusing on techniques to neutralize force and to grapple.

"Crane Fist primarily utilizes Body Techniques and leg skills, but it also has a ’Beak Strike’ Palm Skill that is every bit as deadly as the ’Viper’s Tongue’ from Snake Fist.

"Leopard Fist focuses on claw techniques, supplemented by Body Technique, and emphasizes explosive power. Practiced to its peak, one’s palms could easily tear through gold and shatter jade.

"Tiger Fist is the most ferocious, training palms, legs, and fists. Its drawback, however, is a lack of flexibility.

"Finally, there’s Dragon Form Fist. This art is extremely demanding of one’s natural talent. It’s the only Fist Skill that requires you to refine Yuanqi before you can even begin to practice it. Many people can’t even master the basics. However, it also combines the most advantages: flexibility, explosive power, endurance, and techniques for using Yuanqi. All things considered, Dragon Fist is the most powerful."

When Li Long finished, he quietly waited for Zhang Ji to make his choice.

Zhang Ji looked at Li Long. ’Although he hasn’t explicitly stated which Fist Skill he wants me to choose, his descriptions make it obvious. He’s hoping I’ll pick the most difficult one, Dragon Form Fist.’

"I choose Dragon Form Fist," Zhang Ji said.

Li Long nodded, a barely perceptible smile touching his lips. "Although Dragon Fist is the most difficult to learn, with your talent, mastering it isn’t out of the question. Besides, this is only a matter of sequence. Once you’ve taken Dragon Fist to its peak, you can choose to learn the other four. The five Grandmaster arts are all complementary. The only reason the Sect has disciples specialize in one is due to their limited energy."

"Yes, I understand," Zhang Ji said.

"Dragon Form Fist is different from the others. Come here. I will personally guide you through your first training session."

As he spoke, Li Long retrieved a pre-made medicinal paste from a refrigerator. The paste’s vermilion color made Zhang Ji curious.

"How do I use it?" Zhang Ji asked.

"It’s a concoction of cinnabar and other herbs, designed to help you find your Qi Sensitivity. You just apply it between your eyebrows."

Li Long explained, then took out a small seal, dabbed it in the vermilion paste, and stamped it directly between Zhang Ji’s eyebrows.

"Concentrate. It should take effect in about three breaths. You’ll know it’s working when your Mud Ball Palace feels a distinct coolness," Li Long said.

Zhang Ji calmed his mind. After about ten seconds, he really did feel a sudden coolness spreading from the spot between his brows. It felt as though his perception had been greatly enhanced; he could sense every subtle reaction within his body.

"Breathe with me, then strike..."

Li Long began to breathe in a steady rhythm, then abruptly assumed a striking posture. Zhang Ji followed his breathing and threw a punch, then a second, and a third... Throughout the process, Li Long constantly corrected Zhang Ji’s posture and breathing.

Sometimes fast, sometimes slow; now a claw, now a palm; now a "Fierce Dragon’s Tail Sweep"...

As he continued to practice, Zhang Ji felt as if he were transforming into a dragon.

All at once, Zhang Ji swept his palm out. He felt his entire body link up, power surging from the soles of his feet, through his waist, and erupting from his hand.

CRACK!

A sharp crack echoed from his bones and tendons. His Qi and Blood churned, flowing in time with his breathing and Fist Skill. Faintly, Zhang Ji felt his essence and Spirit converge. A thread of qi rose from the region of his kidneys, shot up his spine, and slammed into his Mud Ball Palace. Upon impact, it scattered, suffusing his entire body.

After that one palm strike, his body felt sore and weak.

It was as exhausting as if he had just fought two or three gladiatorial matches in a row.

It wasn’t just a physical exhaustion; even his Spirit felt weary.

"Did you feel it?" Li Long asked, noticing Zhang Ji had stopped moving. "That is the feeling of refining Yuanqi. Normally, Yuanqi disperses naturally throughout your body, nourishing it. It is only mobilized when you consciously try to use it."

"Does Yuanqi get consumed automatically?" Zhang Ji asked.

"It does," Li Long confirmed with a nod. "Even if you don’t actively use it, the Yuanqi you refine will constantly nourish you and repair any hidden injuries. If you get hurt, the Yuanqi will automatically begin to heal you, a process that consumes it very quickly."

Zhang Ji nodded slightly.

’This is pretty much how the game described it,’ he thought.

In the game, recovering Yuanqi had also been a troublesome process.

You had to eat constantly and use specific skills to restore the Yuanqi energy bar.

In that respect, it was much more of a hassle than styles like the Profound Heart Stream, which borrowed energy from the world around them.

The upside, however, was that it was minimally affected by the environment. As long as you had enough nutrients, you could refine Yuanqi anywhere.

Styles that borrowed worldly energy, on the other hand, were highly dependent on their surroundings.

For instance, fighters from the Earthbound Sect had their combat effectiveness drastically reduced if they were too far from the ground or in water.

Many specialized fighters were practically useless without earth or stone beneath their feet.

Following this, under Li Long’s guidance, Zhang Ji fully grasped the training method for Dragon Form Fist.

Li Long said, "Refining Yuanqi is very draining on your essence and Spirit. It’s best to take an Essence Pill after you finish training."

"I’m out of pills," Zhang Ji said.

He all but held out his hand to ask Li Long for more.

Li Long paused, genuinely surprised that Zhang Ji had consumed the pills so quickly.

’Ten Essence Pills... even I might not use that many in a month.’

For a fleeting moment, he even wondered if Zhang Ji had given them away.

But on second thought, he realized Zhang Ji had no reason to lie about it.

"I have another bottle here," Li Long said, tossing a porcelain vial to Zhang Ji. "But from now on, apart from your monthly allotment, you’ll have to earn any extra Essence Pills yourself."

"How do I do that?" Zhang Ji asked, catching the vial.

’Essence Pills could drastically reduce his training time, making one day as effective as two or even three. With enough of them, he felt he could max out ten Iron Shirt combat skill crystals in just two or three months.’

"The Sect has a point system," Li Long explained. "Besides participating in sect affairs, the fastest way to earn points is through the monthly tournament. You can enter the Inner Sect Disciple tournament. Winning a single match earns you ten points. If you become the champion, you’ll get three thousand. Points can be exchanged for money or the pills you need for your training. And the sect offers more than just Essence Pills. You can see the specifics by logging into the Five Elements Sect app on your phone. That’s all for today. Go get some rest. Come find me later if you have any more questions."

Zhang Ji nodded to show he understood.

After Zhang Ji left, Li Long wore a thoughtful expression.

He had sensed another distinct improvement in Zhang Ji’s strength during their lesson.

The pace of his growth was faster than he’d anticipated.

Such talent was enough to surprise even Li Long, a man who had always been hailed as a peerless genius.

Essence Pills were trivial to Li Long; he could have easily given Zhang Ji a hundred of them. But he would rather see Zhang Ji earn those resources for himself.

One couldn’t go far by simply relying on the Sect.

Zhang Ji had the talent, and his disposition was solid. Li Long didn’t want his fighting spirit to be dulled by a comfortable environment.

So, he had to make Zhang Ji fight, struggle, and take the initiative!

...

In his room, Zhang Ji logged into the Five Elements Sect app with his credentials.

His user ID was simply his name, with a prominent "Direct Disciple" insignia next to it.

The app had a marketplace for online shopping, with drone delivery straight to his door. Various sect resources, including Essence Pills, could be conveniently acquired through it.

The catch, of course, was that you needed points.

And Zhang Ji’s account balance was a nice, round [0].

The app also listed ways to obtain points. The sect posted many tasks, including but not limited to things like substitute teaching and alchemy.

Some tasks even had prerequisites.

The whole app gave Zhang Ji the feeling of the ancient and modern worlds colliding.

An ancient system, now running more efficiently than ever through modern technology.

Zhang Ji did a quick search and found information about the sect’s monthly tournament.

Every month, the Five Elements Sect held a competition akin to a monthly exam, with separate divisions for the Inner Sect and Outer Sect.

The Outer Sect had over eight thousand members, all at the level of amateur-class fighters.

The Inner Sect was much smaller, with only five hundred members, but all were professional-grade fighters. Some were even professional Fifth Rank fighters.

He dismissed the Outer Sect competition; it wouldn’t be right for him to participate in what was essentially a children’s tournament.

The Inner Sect, however, was a different story.

The top experts in the Inner Sect were likely comparable to him in strength.

In the Inner Sect’s monthly tournament, winning a single match earned ten points, and taking first place granted an additional three thousand.

The purchasing power of those three thousand points was substantial. At one hundred points each, he could buy thirty Essence Pills.

And the next monthly tournament was fast approaching—it was in just six days.