Chapter 238: Improving the Yuqing Heart Technique
Su Qing was truly angry this time.
It wasn't that Li Nuo had Martial Path talent.
But rather, it was the martial master who had taught him Martial Path back then; if he couldn't teach, then he shouldn't have taught at all. His irresponsibility delayed Li Nuo's progress on the Martial Path for over a decade.
In terms of family background, appearance, and learning… he was top-notch in everything.
His only flaw was the lack of Martial Path talent.
Now, even this sole flaw was no longer a flaw.
Had those past dozen years not been wasted, who knows what he could have achieved by now.
Thinking about this infuriated her so much that she itched to flay that incompetent master's skin.
With great difficulty, Li Nuo had finally obtained Martial Path talent, but even he didn't know the extent of his talent yet.
Only by observing the speed of his cultivation could the quality of his talent be assessed.
But he had no time for cultivation now; once all the portraits were gone, some of the fog that had always troubled him seemed to be blown away by a gust of wind, revealing its original face.
He came to the study at the first opportunity and quickly drew a new meridian map.
Outside in the courtyard, Su Qing was contemplating whether to teach him the Shangqing Heart Method or the Taiching Heart Method, as the flaws of the Yuqing Heart Technique were too obvious, and nearly all the core disciples of Sanqing Sect practiced these two mental methods.
Even if his talent wasn't high, a top-tier heart method could somewhat compensate for the lack of talent.
Phoenix and Song Yiren walked into the neighboring courtyard, and seeing that Yiren's mood was down, asked, "Yiren, what's wrong—why are you crying!"
Song Yiren felt very wronged, tears falling one by one.
Li Nuo had Martial Path talent, and she was happy for him.
But she felt sad for herself.
The better he became, the more she lost…
"Wuu wuu…"
With so much injustice that she couldn't express, she threw herself into Phoenix's arms, burying her head in her chest and sobbing loudly.
…
The next day.
In Martial Arts Village, today's competition had already started.
After yesterday's competition, eight spots for the preliminary selection of the Ten Great Grandmasters had been temporarily settled.
This morning, the eight who had failed yesterday would compete for the remaining two spots.
The Shu Mountain Sect Leader, who had been surprisingly defeated yesterday, effortlessly eliminated his opponent today and secured the first seat.
Elder Chen of Sanqing Sect also defeated two opponents in a row, smoothly securing the last spot.
Among the ten, Sanqing Sect occupied five places, Shu Mountain four, and the last spot was taken by someone many grandmasters didn't recognize.
Only a few boxing grandmasters had heard of his name.
Before becoming grandmasters, they learned various different boxing techniques.
Huang Yuanshan of the Blast Fist, was somewhat of a legend in the world of boxing.
Unlike other grandmasters who studied extensively from the Hundred Schools and then integrated them,
Huang Yuanshan relied on his self-created Blast Fist to challenge and defeat many well-known strong opponents from different countries' martial arts circles, successfully advancing to grandmaster.
However, several years ago, he suddenly disappeared without a trace.
When he reappeared, it was at this Martial Arts Tournament.
His ability to secure a spot among the Ten Great Grandmasters proved that with ultimate proficiency in boxing, one need not be inferior to weapons, providing some consolation to grandmasters who specialized in hand-to-hand combat.
The end of this round of competition didn't mean that the Ten Great Grandmasters were finally determined.
Starting from the afternoon, any grandmaster who felt that any of the ten didn't deserve their spot and had ascended by luck could challenge them.
If the challenge was successful, they could take over their spot.
If the challenge failed, they would completely miss out on being among the Ten Great Grandmasters.
Thus, one had to be extremely cautious in selecting whom to challenge.
The morning competition had already ended, and at a certain spot in the stands, Su Qing looked around and asked Song Yiren, "Where's Li Nuo?"
Song Yiren indifferently replied, "I don't know, he didn't come this morning."
Su Qing was surprised; when the grandmasters used to compete, he was the most enthusiastic. His absence today definitely meant that something had happened.
The mother and daughter returned to Li Mansion, where they saw Li Anning swinging somberly in the courtyard on a swing.
Su Qing asked, "Where's Li Nuo?"
Li Anning pointed towards the study.
It was his turn to sleep with her last night, but he had spent the entire night in the study.
That wouldn't do, tonight she would go to their room and sleep together to keep things fair.
Su Qing and Song Yiren walked into the study and saw Li Nuo standing in front of the desk, with Song Jiaren by his side.
The two advanced and discovered a meridian map lying on the table in front of Li Nuo.
Such a meridian map was too familiar to any Martial Artist.
After entering the Inner Breath Realm, from externally training muscles and bones to internally cultivating True Qi, one needed to follow a fixed set of meridians.
During the early stages of cultivation, the most crucial thing was to memorize the meridian map, to avoid mistakes during practice.
If the acupoints and meridians were practiced incorrectly, this Cultivation Technique could never be cultivated again.
With good luck, one could switch to another Cultivation Technique, but with bad luck, the path of the Martial Path could be completely severed.
This meridian map was very familiar to Su Qing.
Because it was the pathway for the True Qi of the Yuqing Heart Technique.
But it had some differences from the real Yuqing Heart Technique meridian map.
There were several strange auxiliary meridians added to the main meridian.
Su Qing looked shocked. He really wanted to improve the Yuqing Heart Technique?
If such a high-level heart method were so easy to improve, the forebears of the sect would have improved it generations ago, why wait until today?
Li Nuo had not slept all night and combined Medical Skill with Martial Path, and finally, he had completed the improved version of the Yuqing Heart Technique.
Strictly speaking, this was no longer the Yuqing Heart Technique.
The new technique had four more auxiliary meridians than the original Yuqing Heart Technique. The function of these four auxiliary meridians was to neutralize the Yin Cold of the main meridian, and the True Qi cultivated along the new pathway would no longer carry the attribute of Extreme Yin Coldness but would be attributeless.
Seeing Su Qing, Li Nuo said, "Lady Mother-in-law, your arrival is timely. These days, I've been pondering over the ways to improve the Yuqing Heart Technique, and now I have finally succeeded. Please see if there are any issues..."
Su Qing held the meridian map and scrutinized it.
But she could not understand it.
She was only a Grandmaster, not a Martial Saint.
Improving a cultivation technique was beyond her capabilities.
Seeing her puzzled expression, Li Nuo took the initiative to explain, "The reason the Yuqing Heart Technique brings about Extreme Yin Coldness is because the entire main meridian passes through Yin Cold acupoints. By adding these auxiliary meridians, the Yin Cold attribute of the True Qi will be neutralized, the side effects of the Yuqing Heart Technique will disappear, and there's no need to switch techniques. One simply needs to spend some time to activate these auxiliary meridians..."
Su Qing did understand the principle; many forebears in the sect had attempted such modifications but none had succeeded.
How could he prove that adding these auxiliary meridians would achieve the effect he envisioned?
Holding the meridian map, she said, "I'll show it to my senior brothers and sisters."
Moments later.
In Martial Arts Village.
Over ten masters of the Sanqing Sect were gathered around a table.
"What, someone improved the Yuqing Heart Technique?"
"Hiss... How is that possible!"
"Let me see..."
Carefully scrutinizing the meridian map on the table, everyone fell into deep thought.
Though they had cultivated their entire lives and were not capable of improving a cultivation technique, they still had keen insight.
These newly added auxiliary meridians were not randomly drawn.
At least the direction of improvement was correct and could withstand rigorous deduction, but whether it would be effective, no one could be sure.
Seeing them silent for a long time, Su Qing anxiously asked, "Well, can it be done? Say something!"
An elder stroked his chin beard and asked, "Junior Sister, where did you get this meridian map from?"
Su Qing thought for a moment and replied, "It was given to me by a senior."
After saying that, she added, "The reason I could defeat Senior Qi from Shu Mountain Sect was also due to that senior's guidance."
The expressions of the masters of the Sanqing Sect immediately became more solemn.
Just a few pointers allowed the junior sister to defeat the Shu Mountain Sect Leader; that senior might have the cultivation of the Sixth Realm.
A cultivation technique improved by a Heavenly Heart Realm expert suddenly seemed much more credible.
The elder pondered for a moment and said, "With our eyesight, we are still unable to fathom the profundity of this technique. Let's wait until we return to the sect and let the Sect Leader decide."
Su Qing frowned and said, "When would that be then? Senior Brother Qin, since you have already been eliminated anyway, why not take this trip back to the sect now and present this map to my master..."
The Qin-surnamed elder touched his nose and said, "I still have one more challenge opportunity, I want to experience that person's boxing. If I lose, there's no harm in going back then..."
At Li Mansion.
Song Yiren watched Li Nuo personally teaching Song Jiaren to play the piano.
For him, Song Jiaren could give up the Martial Path that she had cultivated for over a decade.
For Song Jiaren, he himself had cracked a problem that had troubled the Martial Arts community for hundreds of years.
The deep affection of husband and wife, both fervently devoted, was indeed moving.
Only she was superfluous.
Moved, she felt like crying again.
Phoenix timely handed over a handkerchief, saying, "Cry if it makes you feel better..."