Ringing the Bell for a Hundred Years, I Became the Sect’s Ancestor – Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Internal Strength

Evening.

After ringing the bell, Li Qian and Old Song sat at the table and began to eat dinner.

“Old Song, I’ve already opened up eight of the Twelve Regular Meridians.”

Li Qian suddenly said halfway through the meal.

“Hmm, to open up eight meridians is indeed quite…”

Old Song said.

Suddenly, he froze, “What did you just say? You’ve opened up eight meridians?”

“Yes, Old Song.”

Li Qian nodded and said.

“How come it’s so fast?”

Old Song stared at Li Qian, very surprised.

According to his judgment, it would take Li Qian at least a year or more to open up eight meridians.

“I don’t know either, but for the past two months, the effect of my cultivation has improved a lot.”

Li Qian scratched his head and said.

“What level have you reached with your Sword-Piercing Fist?”

Old Song suddenly asked.

Li Qian quickly got up and performed a set of Sword-Piercing Fists in the room. The seemingly simple fist technique was like a sharp sword, containing an invisible edge, cutting through the air, and faintly producing a whistling sound.

“The fist is like a sword, its edge fully revealed. You have already mastered this Sword-Piercing Fist, no wonder you can open up eight meridians so quickly.”

Old Song exclaimed after watching.

The Sword-Piercing Fist could only be considered a basic fist technique, but to master it, it would take several years of hard work for ordinary Odd-Job Disciples with average aptitude.

Li Qian had mastered the Sword-Piercing Fist in just a few months, which showed his exceptional comprehension.

“Li Qian, in your case, you shouldn’t need to use the Strength Transformation Method. You can completely rely on the mastered Sword-Piercing Fist to open up all twelve meridians, allowing your Internal Breath to automatically transform into Internal Strength.”

Old Song thought for a moment and said.

“Ah? Old Song, isn’t it good to use the Strength Transformation Method?”

Li Qian asked curiously.

“Using the Strength Transformation Method is a last resort. Although it can promote the transformation of Internal Breath into Internal Strength, it will also damage the meridians. Many Odd-Job Disciples, even if they can become Ranked Martial Artists, have limited achievements in the end, precisely because of the drawbacks of the Strength Transformation Method.”

Old Song sighed and said, “Actually, the Internal Skill practiced by Formal Disciples follows the path of opening up the twelve meridians and automatically transforming into Internal Strength.”

Li Qian listened and understood. He nodded immediately.

He only had the last meridian, the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian, left to open.

“If you can open up all twelve meridians and cultivate Internal Strength, you will be no different from a Formal Disciple. Then, if you can open up the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and cultivate Internal Qi, passing the triennial Re-examination to become a Formal Disciple shouldn’t be difficult.”

Old Song said.

There were two ways for Odd-Job Disciples to become Formal Disciples. One was through the Combat Power Rankings, occupying the first place for three consecutive years. This was extremely difficult, mainly suitable for Odd-Job Disciples with strong combat awareness.

The second way was the Re-examination.

Each Odd-Job Disciple had only one chance to take the Re-examination.

The difficulty was even greater than the Combat Power Rankings.

Because the basic requirement for the Re-examination was to become a Ranked Martial Artist within three years.

Under normal circumstances, if an Odd-Job Disciple could become a Ranked Martial Artist within three years, it meant that their talent, aptitude, and comprehension were all very strong, and they wouldn’t have failed the Entrance Assessment in the first place.

There were also very rare cases where someone unexpectedly failed the assessment or later obtained a significant opportunity, allowing them to become a Ranked Martial Artist within three years.

Li Qian didn’t plan to participate in the Re-examination.

Because he didn’t want to leave the bell tower.

The only trouble was that without becoming a Formal Disciple, it would be very difficult to obtain the Divine Sword Sect’s cultivation methods and martial techniques.

Although Odd-Job Disciples could exchange for them using Contribution Points, there were still restrictions. Some high-level cultivation methods and martial techniques were definitely only accessible to Formal Disciples and above.

“It’s a pity that this bell can’t be shrunk and stored inside my body. Otherwise, I could replace this Time Bell.”

Li Qian sighed inwardly.

He believed that if the Time Bell was upgraded to a high enough level, it would definitely be possible.

Dong! Dong!

Chen Hour.

The bell rang.

Two rings in a row.

Li Qian stood on the bell platform, assuming a stance and practicing the Sword-Piercing Fist.

As his feet moved, his fists pierced like swords, their edges fully revealed. A faint whistling sound cut through the air. The Internal Breath within his body was like boiling water, flowing through the meridians one by one, until it finally slowly stopped at the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian.

“At the current speed, it should take at most twenty days to open up the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian.”

Li Qian was inwardly delighted.

After finishing his practice, he returned to the room and found Old Song packing a bag.

“Old Song, are you going out?”

Li Qian was a little surprised.

“Hmm, I’m going out for a while. You can’t neglect ringing the bell during this time.”

Old Song nodded and said, “If I don’t make it back in time, you’ll have to go to the Odd-Job Hall yourself to collect your monthly stipend and supplies.”

He gave some other instructions.

Li Qian listened attentively.

After Old Song went down the mountain, Li Qian was the only one left in the bell tower.

◈◈◈

He was even more bored.

There was no one to talk to.

He could only wait for Chen Yong to carry the crossbeam for exercise to have a chance to talk.

“Strange, why didn’t Chen Yong come to exercise today?”

Li Qian stood on the bell tower, looking at the hillside where there was no one.

So boring.

So he could only continue practicing his fist techniques.

For several days in a row, Li Qian didn’t see Chen Yong.

“It seems that Chen Yong must have given up.”

Li Qian sighed.

More than ten days passed, and Old Song still hadn’t returned.

“Old Song won’t not come back, will he?”

A thought suddenly flashed through Li Qian’s mind.

But he felt it was impossible. Old Song had no family or children. If he didn’t return to the Divine Sword Sect, where else could he go?

A few more days passed, and Li Qian finally saw Chen Yong carrying the crossbeam.

“Brother Chen Yong, I haven’t seen you for a while.”

Li Qian squatted on the hillside, greeting him with a smile.

Chen Yong put down the crossbeam, scratched his head, and said embarrassedly, “I participated in the Combat Power Rankings a while ago and was injured.”

“You, a new Odd-Job Disciple, participated in the Combat Power Rankings?”

Li Qian asked in surprise.

“I just wanted to experience it. Oh, those Senior Brothers are really amazing. I couldn’t even withstand a single move. Fortunately, that Senior Brother Wei showed mercy, otherwise I would definitely have to stay in bed for a few more days.”

Chen Yong said.

“Who won first place in the Combat Power Rankings this time?”

Li Qian asked curiously.

“Brother Qian, didn’t you go to see the Combat Power Rankings?”

Chen Yong asked curiously.

“No.”

Li Qian shook his head.

He hadn’t even gone down the mountain.

“It’s Senior Brother Zhang Mingcan. He’s so powerful, he’s already become a Ranked Martial Artist. And Senior Brother Zhang was also the first place in the previous Combat Power Rankings. If he continues to maintain the first place next year, he’ll definitely become a Formal Disciple.”

A trace of envy appeared on Chen Yong’s face.

After chatting for a while, Chen Yong picked up the crossbeam and continued exercising.

Li Qian also returned to the bell tower and continued his practice.

Morning.

After ringing the Chen Hour bell, Li Qian began to practice his fist techniques.

This time, it was different.

As his Internal Breath surged into the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian, the momentum wasn’t blocked, but instead became more and more intense.

With a tremor throughout his body, the location of the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian felt like an electric shock. In an instant, the surging Internal Breath directly broke through it.

The Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian was opened.

In that instant, he felt as if the Internal Breath throughout his body had formed a complete and circulating whole.

The circulation of his Internal Breath was actually getting faster and faster.

It was running automatically without him even practicing the Sword-Piercing Fist.

It was as if an invisible force was controlling and propelling it.

It’s so swollen!

The high-speed circulation of Internal Breath in the meridians caused a strong sense of pressure on them.

Suddenly, as the Internal Breath circulated at high speed, it seemed to break through some kind of limit, and its nature began to undergo a strange transformation.

At the same time, he felt the swelling pain in his meridians reach its peak.

He couldn’t bear it any longer, and threw a punch, smashing it hard against a stone tablet.

Bang!

The entire stone tablet trembled slightly, stone dust scattered, and a fist print actually appeared.

His fist was completely unharmed.

However, after this punch, he felt the swelling pain in his body gradually disappear.

The Internal Breath, no, it should be called Internal Strength now, had also been consumed quite a bit in that punch.

“Is this Internal Strength? It’s truly powerful. Not only can I leave a fist print on the stone tablet with one punch, but it can also protect my fist from harm.”

Li Qian was inwardly shocked.

This was just Internal Strength.

He wasn’t even a Ranked Martial Artist, just a Martial Apprentice.

If he cultivated Internal Qi and became a Ranked Martial Artist, how strong would he be?