Chapter Eighteen: The Stratification of True Qi (Part One)

“Move slowly, don’t be so fast. Try your best to adapt to the feeling of circulating energy at this level!” The instructor’s tone remained as strict as ever, but everyone knew it was for their own good, so no one uttered a word.

However, unlike the basic physical training technique, the combat method inevitably brought varying degrees of pain during the process of adapting energy circulation while moving. Only when one grew accustomed to these pains and their meridians flowed freely, able to practice normally even during movement, would such discomfort finally disappear.

In Instructor Xiao Qiang’s eyes, Zhao Li was a genius; he had opened all twelve meridians in less than fifteen days, nearly two-thirds faster than average. It was undeniable that Zhao Li was exceptionally suited to the traits of combat methods. In fact, Zhao Li had already opened all his meridians the first time he practiced. To call him a genius was no exaggeration.

Although he had already touched upon the combat method, Zhao Li had no intention of suddenly standing out. There would be plenty of time in the future; there was no need to expose his secret in such circumstances.

The cultivation of the new method, like the basic physical training technique before it, required that one not exceed nine cycles in the initial practice. In fact, for the first half year, it was best to train one cycle at a time. This limitation indirectly resulted in soldiers needing at least a year in basic training camps, and to become a truly qualified soldier, another year or so of training in their respective departments was necessary.

Such lengthy training costs meant that the average soldier’s service lasted at least five to ten years. If Zhao Li wanted to enter Tsinghua University, he’d have to wait another six years. Fortunately, modern people generally enjoyed increased longevity, and their time in education had also lengthened, though the proportion of time spent on education was decreasing—a small but notable progress.

During daily cultivation, Zhao Li always followed the regulations, running one large cycle of the combat method each time. The remaining time was spent constantly practicing the basic physical training technique. The benefit of this method was clear: during forty-two cycles of consecutive cultivation, even the true energy produced by the combat method was compressed and refined at the first opportunity.

Instructor Xiao Qiang had no idea that his most valued student, Zhao Li, was secretly employing such a clever trick. Yet even so, he remained genuinely satisfied with Zhao Li’s progress.

Like his comrades, Zhao Li moved his body slowly. This level of movement was incomparable to ordinary running, but to maintain his cover, Zhao Li had to feign hardship.

Though his movements were slow, the combat method flowed smoothly within Zhao Li’s body. With the experience gained from basic physical training, handling this was much easier. Moreover, Zhao Li had already consulted Instructor Xiao Qiang about potential issues and had received praise for his initiative. Now, faced with these problems, they were no longer truly problematic.

Feigning pain was itself a painful endeavor, causing Zhao Li to break out in a sweat. Yet to others, he appeared to be enduring agony with steadfast perseverance, and this left an even better impression in the instructor’s mind.

“Very good, move slowly,” the instructor’s voice sounded right beside his ear. “Don’t forget to circulate your energy! You there, what’s the matter? Is it impossible to practice just because someone next to you is talking? Do you expect that, in future battles, everyone will keep their mouths shut like kindergarten children?”

His words sparked laughter, and suddenly no one could focus on their practice; all attention shifted to their hapless comrade. Even the instructor couldn’t help but smile, finally relaxing his strict demeanor and allowing everyone a brief rest. From then on, “Baby” became a nickname that accompanied this soldier throughout his military career.

“Zhao Li, come here!” It seemed that at every stage, the instructor called Zhao Li over to inspect his progress. Despite the secrets Zhao Li kept, he was still a rare talent in the instructor’s eyes.

“Yes, sir!” Zhao Li responded with the classic phrase, dutifully demonstrating standing, walking, sitting, and lying movements, and even remembered to channel energy into the test rod, leaving traces of his practice.

“Excellent!” Instructor Xiao Qiang grew increasingly fond of Zhao Li; from the start, this cadet had left a profound impression on him. No wonder, among so many, Zhao Li alone was groomed for an officer’s path—it was not without reason.

If everyone progressed like Zhao Li, wouldn’t they all break through the sixth level bottleneck by the end of training? Of course, that was just a beautiful wish. In the end, who would stand out as a master depended on each person’s fate.

Not far away, Li Xiuyuan watched Zhao Li’s performance with a hint of hostility in his gaze. Perhaps Zhao Li’s obvious achievements made him feel his own advantage was no longer so apparent.

Instructor Xiao Qiang had seen many cases where students progressed quickly but couldn’t break through the bottleneck of advanced techniques. Though Zhao Li’s pace was swift, until the final assessment, no one could say for certain what level he’d ultimately reach. For a “genius” like Zhao Li, especially one right before his eyes, it would certainly discomfort the instructor if he ended up at a lower level.

The period of adaptation soon passed amid everyone’s pain and lamentations. After more than ten days, all had grown accustomed to circulating energy while moving, and the agony was gone. Of the nineteen remaining after Qi Zhen’s departure, none were eliminated due to inability to adapt.

“Excellent. The next phase of training is to consolidate your achievements and turn the practice of combat methods into your battle instinct.” The previous stage had been the most troublesome; once it was passed, the rest was a smooth road with few obstacles—just a matter of time and cultivation level, with far fewer things to worry about.

This was a relaxed phase; the instructor imposed no requirements for posture, allowing everyone to use any movement they wished. Rarely freed from military discipline, the trainees were like wild horses unleashed, performing somersaults, leaps, and all sorts of actions.

One comrade even performed a series of difficult acrobatic tricks, earning himself the nickname “Clown” for the rest of his military career.

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