Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 66 - The Pugilist

Chapter 66 - The Pugilist

Under the golden sunlight, a blood-soaked figure sat cross-legged on the ground. With how still he was, he looked like a statue. Or rather a dead man. His breath was so weak that he didn’t even seem like he was breathing. Gradually, the blood started to clot and formed scabs.

An hour passed, and nothing changed. Two hours passed, and still, there was no movement. After three hours...four hours...five hours...

Suddenly, a crisp cracking sound was heard. The scabs on Cassius's body began to crack.

A series of fine cracking sounds immediately followed. The scabs completely shattered and flaked off his body as the tall figure rose from the ground. His skin had a warm bronze luster when light reflected off it, resembling tough leather.

The boy who was originally over 1.8 meters tall had grown to 1.9 meters. And that wasn’t all! His bones and muscles had been enhanced, making them more optimal for movement. Though he was much stronger than before, his body was leaner and his muscles were more compact, which granted him greater agility. Every time he moved, his well-defined muscles would bulge and sway, evoking a sense of strength and power.

Cassius's eyes were bright and spirited. His senses had heightened to the extreme and he was in the best condition he had ever been in. He felt extremely satisfied and fulfilled.

"I think I made it... Wind Elephant Covert Martial Arts, Stage Two."

[Wind Elephant Covert Martial Arts: Stage Two (Total Three Stages)]

[Elephant Soul Incomplete: Bug Bite 5.8% (Total Three Stages)]

[Wind Elephant Fist Incomplete: Elephant Herd 5.1% (Total Three Stages)]

When he clenched his fists tightly, he felt unprecedented power gathering in his palms. It felt completely different from before! Cassius had a vague sense that the breakthrough wasn’t the only change he had undergone.

As he tried to get a sense of his internal state, he could see his blood flowing within him. Starting from the upper chambers of his heart, the warm blood circulated through his entire body, before finally returning to its original place.

"Huh?!" Cassius's eyes widened. When he focused just then, his blood seemed to flow faster in his veins. He tested it again.

He was right! It really accelerated!

Cassius felt like he knew what he had to do. Following his heart's faint guidance, Cassius instinctively sucked in a quick breath, his whole body bent like a bowstring. His chest puffed up, and the quick flow of air formed a vortex at his nose and mouth as he breathed in.

Huuu...

Thump, thump!!!

His heart started to pump violently, and his blood went on a rampage, traveling through his veins at twice the usual speed. As heat surged within, Cassius felt an immense power gushing out like a tide in his body. He had never experienced this before.

"Ahhh!" As if he was releasing all of the rage inside, he roared and swung out his fist! A huge black shadow swept through the air, and with a fierce whistling sound, his fist slammed into the wall with immense speed and power.

Thud!

The high wall trembled from the force of his fist crashing through the brick wall, leaving behind a large hole that looked like it was created by an iron rod. With a crash, rubble crumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust.

Cassius withdrew his arm and looked incredulously at his palm. Not only was his punching speed twice as fast as before, his strength had also doubled! He had punched right through the wall!

The walls in the Wind Elephant Sect's training rooms and private rooms were made of the best and hardest bricks in the market, joined together by extremely adhesive clay. Even if it wasn't as strong as modern concrete or steel walls, it was still undoubtedly hard. Yet, he managed to break it with a single punch.

Clap clap clap.

He heard clapping coming from the doorway.

"Congratulations, Li Wei. Today, you have finally stepped into the true beginnings of martial arts: a pugilist!" Instructor Lisa walked over slowly, smiling. "You have surpassed human limits. You should have felt it when you punched just now. That power you felt from the accelerated blood flow? That's proof that you’ve done it!"

Lisa strolled over to the wall and picked up a piece of rubble. She pressed firmly, turning the stone into powder which trickled through her fingers.

"Pugilist..." Cassius murmured.

"Yes, this is a whole new level. Only by reaching the realm of a pugilist can one be called an expert in martial arts It requires diligence, superior constitution, insight, and luck," Lisa said slowly. "Not everyone can reach this level.

"Although ordinary humans can still achieve the amateur and professional levels, they operate within human limits. All they can do is hone their boxing skills to perfection or their bodies to its peak condition. However, no matter how refined their techniques or how strong their bodies are, they still won't be able to reach the supernatural."

She looked at Cassius, a satisfied expression on her face. "A pugilist completely surpasses their level. Their physical fitness, recovery ability, and strength control are far beyond human limits and they can perform all kinds of actions that were previously impossible for the human body. I'm talking about powerful moves that were once thought to be impractical being able to control the flow of blood in their bodies.

"Did you know there are only about fifteen pugilists under the age of thirty in the entire Beiliu County, Li Wei? And within that, there are only three under the age of twenty!" Lisa's tone was somewhat agitated. "The earlier you become a pugilist, the greater your advantage because you'll have enough time to break through the remaining two nodes in your body! At this rate, you have a good chance of reaching the sect master stage before forty which is when your vitality starts to decline... Cough, cough... cough, cough..."

Lisa began coughing violently from being overexcitement. It took some time for her to regain her composure. "If you can reach the stage of a sect master, then it will be easy to perfect the Azure Wind Flow. You can incorporate it into your practice to create your own Covert Martial Arts." She clutched Cassius's hand in a vice-like grip. "If that day ever comes, I can die without regrets."

Cassius immediately promised that he would do his utmost to perfect Lisa's Azure Wind Flow. If possible, he wanted to integrate and elevate this incomplete technique to the level of Covert Martial Arts. Might it then be called Azure Wind Covert Martial Arts?

Lisa was clearly deeply moved when she heard the term "Azure Wind Covert Martial Arts." She was increasingly pleased with Cassius.

"Since you have broken through to the pugilist level, you can start officially practicing the Azure Wind Flow. Also, given your current physique, you can now start learning the two killing moves of the Gale stage of the Wind Elephant Fist." Lisa paused. "If you can master the Azure Wind Flow and the killing moves, the combination of these two will definitely exceed your expectations."

Cassius felt a bit excited hearing this. When it came to the Dao of the Covert Martial Arts, he possessed a seeker's curiosity and hunger.

Instructor Lisa didn't touch on everything. There's also the accelerated blood flow. That power boost from accelerated blood flow was absolutely terrifying! If I can use these three simultaneously... Cassius was busy daydreaming when Lisa, who was about to leave, spoke.

"Open the windows and sweep the floor. Also, remember to find some bricks to fix the wall tomorrow."

Cassius was stunned for a moment. "Huh? Doesn't the sect have someone responsible for that?"

Lisa paused at the doorway. "The sect's maintenance does not cover intentional damage."

"But I didn't do it on purpose!" Cassius said indignantly.

"You punched a hole in the stone wall. Who's going to believe it was an accident? Just pay for it and fix it yourself." Lisa's voice faded away in the distance.