Stepping into the tent, Zhao Sheng stomped his feet and roared with laughter, a hearty, unrestrained sound that made the other three laugh along, shaking their heads in shared exhilaration.

Li Muzhan smiled faintly. "Commander Zhao, it was just a spar, nothing to make such a fuss over, right?"

Zhao Sheng burst into another round of booming laughter. "Hahaha, Monk, you don't know that bastard Yue Feihu! He’s insufferable! Arrogant, looks down on everyone, yet he actually has some skill. It’s enough to make a man choke on his frustration!"

Li Muzhan chuckled. "My victory was somewhat lucky. Next time, beating him won't be so easy."

Zhao Sheng slapped his shoulder heartily, roaring, "Hahaha! Brute force conquers all! Monk, the sheer strength you possess is astonishing!"

Li Muzhan merely smiled. "I have no other talent, only strength."

Zhao Sheng gestured broadly. "Come, come, Da Kun, Xiao Cai, Li Zi! Let's test the Monk's power!"

He positioned Li Muzhan to stand firm, then placed both hands on his shoulders to push.

"Good!" The other three, equally keen for excitement, crowded forward, placing their hands on Li Muzhan's shoulders as well.

Zhao Sheng bellowed, "Push!"

The four of them exerted force together—some pushing backward, some sideways, each with varying degrees of strength. Li Muzhan stood utterly stable, unmoving, a faint smile playing on his lips.

At first, the four were just messing around, but as they persisted, disbelief turned to stubbornness. They were determined to make Li Muzhan budge, yet in the end, they were the ones left red-faced and breathless, their goal unmet.

"Ai... No good, no good! Forget it," Zhao Sheng finally released his grip, panting heavily. He grunted, "You little devil, you really have monstrous strength!"

The other three let go too, collapsing onto the cot, shaking their heads in amazement.

Li Muzhan laughed softly. "I was born with divine strength; I can't help it. It puzzles even me."

"Were your mother and father strong?" Zhao Sheng inquired.

Li Muzhan shook his head. "Not particularly. Just average."

Zhao Sheng declared, "Then you must have eaten some treasure!"

Li Muzhan merely chuckled, shaking his head, clearly unconvinced by the suggestion, secretly laughing. If it weren't for the Twelve Great Strengths, he'd never have achieved this level of physical power.

"Yue Feihu is also a strong one, but running into you was just his bad luck!" Zhao Sheng rolled around a few times on the cot, bursting into laughter again.

Feng Dakun lay back too and said in a grave tone, "Monk, you need to be careful from now on. That Yue Feihu character is dishonorable—he'll use underhanded tricks. You must guard against them!"

"Exactly!" Cai Yuzhang nodded, meticulously wiping his face with a towel before speaking slowly. "Knowing his temper, he won't let this rest."

Zhao Sheng’s smile faded. He sat up on the cot, rubbed his head in thought, then slapped his thigh forcefully. "Monk, we shouldn't let this go so easily this time. If he wants trouble, let's hit him hard enough to teach him a lasting lesson!"

Li Muzhan smiled. "Courtesy before force. No rush; we’ll take it slow."

Zhao Sheng burst out laughing. "Hahaha, the Monk isn't such an honest child after all!"

Li Muzhan let out a soft laugh and lay down on the cot, feeling wonderfully refreshed. He hadn't felt this tired in ages. "This is what it feels like to truly appreciate how comfortable lying down can be."

The next morning, Li Muzhan rose early and joined the others for the run on the training ground. He spotted Yue Feihu among the troops.

Li Muzhan wore the iron armor, finding it slightly awkward—not because of the weight, but because it felt suffocating, carrying a faint, metallic scent of rust.

Yue Feihu was fully encased in iron plate and helmet, his expression hidden, but his gaze was sharp, chillingly murderous, sweeping over every now and then.

No one mocked Yue Feihu. Victory and defeat were common occurrences in warfare, and a spar in the training ground naturally had winners and losers; it wasn't something to fuss over.

After running over a dozen laps, leaving everyone gasping for breath, the morning run concluded. Li Muzhan returned to the tent to shed his armor and went to the edge of the training ground, where the old man in the black robe was already waiting.

From Zhao Sheng and the others, Li Muzhan had learned that this black-robed elder was named Zhang Wen, the Chief Instructor of the Flying Cavalry Battalion—a figure of extremely high status, someone who could not afford to offend.

"Chief Instructor," Li Muzhan stepped forward and rendered a crisp military salute.

Zhang Wen scrutinized him from head to toe and said slowly, "Hmm. Today you learn the Flying Bear Palm Technique. I will demonstrate it twice, and you will follow along slowly."

"Yes," Li Muzhan nodded.

Zhang Wen gathered the edges of his robe and tucked them into his sash, then slowly unfolded a set of palm movements. His motions were sluggish, swaying slightly, resembling a black bear ambling through the mountains.

The black bear paused, stopped, occasionally rubbed against a tree, sometimes reached out to pluck fruit, and then would suddenly break into a run, chasing phantom prey, before finally collapsing lazily to rest.

Li Muzhan snapped his eyes open. The illusion vanished; it was only Zhang Wen standing there, not the bear.

Zhang Wen finished his form and turned to look at him, asking slowly, "Did you see it clearly?"

Li Muzhan looked embarrassed. "Chief Instructor, I didn't see it clearly. My eyes blurred for a moment, and I mistook you for a black bear."

Zhang Wen’s thick brows twitched, but his expression remained unchanged. He said flatly, "Watch again."

"Yes," Li Muzhan responded.

Zhang Wen executed the sequence once more. This time, Li Muzhan settled his spirit, fixing his gaze intently on Zhang Wen's movements, noting how the slow pace was infused with agility. He watched intently, though he soon lost focus, and the demonstration ended quickly, comprising only twelve forms. "Did you see it clearly?" Zhang Wen turned to ask.

Li Muzhan nodded, stood up, and began to practice slowly. At first, his movements were awkward, his forms misshapen, but Zhang Wen’s actions were already imprinted in his mind. He corrected himself gradually, improving with every repetition.

Zhang Wen's demands were exacting; not a single detail could be wrong, not a single misstep allowed. He insisted Li Muzhan master one stance completely before moving to the next.

That entire morning, Li Muzhan skipped his archery practice, dedicating all his time to the Flying Bear Palm Technique.

However, Red Shadow was restless in the stables. Li Muzhan let the horse out to join the other mounts on the training ground for a romp, while he remained on the sidelines, learning the Flying Bear Palm from Zhang Wen.

By midday, he had mastered four stances. The afternoon was reserved for practicing the saber techniques. As for the spear, it required mastering spear-post drills before formal spear techniques could be taught.

Among all the disciplines, the spear was the hardest but also the most potent. Everyone felt a simultaneous love and hatred for spear practice.

To begin spear practice, the first hurdle was the spear post: one had to hold the long spear out levelly in one hand and maintain the posture for an hour. Failure meant disqualification from learning spear forms.

The second step involved training latent strength, requiring the practitioner to be able to cause the shaft to vibrate—to make it bend or tremble fluidly, like a willow switch, rather than a stiff pole. Only then was one deemed competent; otherwise, wielding the spear was like wielding a club, straight but inflexible, signaling a dead end for spear mastery.

Once these two hurdles were cleared, actual spear practice could commence.

Saber techniques were less complicated and easier to pick up initially, though mastering them was equally difficult. Given Li Muzhan’s brute strength, a single strike of his saber carried the force of several men’s blows.

Throughout the afternoon, Instructor Zhang stood beside Li Muzhan, guiding his saber work, seemingly intent on nurturing this promising student.

Li Muzhan understood that Instructor Zhang harbored no selfish motives; like all good teachers, upon spotting exceptional talent, he naturally wished to instruct them well and see them succeed.

Yue Feihu was positioned to Li Muzhan's left and rear. Li Muzhan could feel the continuous, icy surge of murderous intent from his gaze, yet he merely offered a slight smile, pretending not to notice.

For three consecutive days, Li Muzhan mastered four stances daily, finally completing the Flying Bear Palm Technique. From then on, only consistent practice would be necessary; Zhang Wen’s direct instruction was no longer required.

Li Muzhan seized the opportunity to ask a few questions.

"Instructor Zhang," Li Muzhan inquired, "Does this Flying Bear Palm Technique rely only on the stances, with no other essential principles?"

Zhang Wen shook his head. "Accurate execution of the stances is sufficient."

Li Muzhan pressed further. "No cultivation method?"

Zhang Wen furrowed his thick brows and said slowly, "Have you encountered the cultivation methods of the common martial arts world?"

Li Muzhan replied, "I have seen them. It seems that superior martial arts are always paired with internal energy cultivation methods."

Zhang Wen nodded faintly. "Military martial arts differ from civilian martial arts. Cultivation methods are unnecessary; the techniques alone suffice."

Li Muzhan frowned in deep thought, shaking his head slightly.

Zhang Wen continued, "Military martial arts and civilian martial arts are fundamentally different. This has been the case throughout history, and there is a reason for its longevity."

"Chief Instructor, if both deal with internal energy, why are they so utterly distinct?"

Zhang Wen looked at him and slowly remarked, "This is a question I have pondered for many years."

Li Muzhan stared at him, urging him to elaborate. Zhang Wen paused, then spoke deliberately, "In my view, the reason the two types of internal Qi do not merge lies in the source."

"The source?" Li Muzhan mused, looking thoughtful. After a moment, he asked, "Refining Essence into Qi—is the Qi not derived from the Essence?"

Zhang Wen showed a rare, slight smile. "It is rare for you to know this."

Li Muzhan offered an embarrassed smile. For the people of this world, knowing this was indeed difficult, but in the modern era, it was not an obscure fact. This was the profound secret of Inner Elixir alchemy, and while martial arts flourished in this world, their transmission was highly secretive; such mysteries were hidden from common knowledge.

Zhang Wen rested his hands behind his back, gazing toward the sky, and spoke slowly. "In my estimation, there are two sources for Qi: one is Essence (Jing), and the other is Spirit (Shen). This distinction creates the difference in the Qi."

"The internal methods of the common arts require seated meditation and breath regulation; this transforms Shen into Qi," Zhang Wen explained.

Li Muzhan nodded thoughtfully.

Zhang Wen continued, "Military martial arts, however, transform Jing into Qi... There is no need for focused thought or spirit; one merely masters the techniques, and the internal energy forms naturally."

Li Muzhan nodded again.

Zhang Wen suddenly looked startled, as if realizing he had spoken too much. He waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it. Talking about this is useless. You should focus on your practice."

With that, he turned and left. He could not know that these few sentences had given Li Muzhan an immense revelation, as if a fog had suddenly lifted, causing various profound concepts to snap into place.

His understanding of the mysteries of Essence, Qi, and Spirit far surpassed that of ordinary people.

The human body holds the Three Treasures: Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Life forms from a single point of primordial spirit (Yuanshen), which transforms into Qi, which then transforms into Essence, and Essence finally solidifies into the physical body.

His mind raced like lightning, a sudden flash of brilliance seizing him—it was about the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture; he saw the dawning light of the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture!

"Did you see it clearly?" Zhang Wen turned to ask.

Li Muzhan nodded, stood up, and began to practice slowly. At first, his movements were awkward, his forms misshapen, but Zhang Wen’s actions were already imprinted in his mind. He corrected himself gradually, improving with every repetition.

Zhang Wen's demands were exacting; not a single detail could be wrong, not a single misstep allowed. He insisted Li Muzhan master one stance completely before moving to the next.

That entire morning, Li Muzhan skipped his archery practice, dedicating all his time to the Flying Bear Palm Technique.

However, Red Shadow was restless in the stables. Li Muzhan let the horse out to join the other mounts on the training ground for a romp, while he remained on the sidelines, learning the Flying Bear Palm from Zhang Wen.

By midday, he had mastered four stances. The afternoon was reserved for practicing the saber techniques. As for the spear, it required mastering spear-post drills before formal spear techniques could be taught.

Among all the disciplines, the spear was the hardest but also the most potent. Everyone felt a simultaneous love and hatred for spear practice.

To begin spear practice, the first hurdle was the spear post: one had to hold the long spear out levelly in one hand and maintain the posture for an hour. Failure meant disqualification from learning spear forms.

The second step involved training latent strength, requiring the practitioner to be able to cause the shaft to vibrate—to make it bend or tremble fluidly, like a willow switch, rather than a stiff pole. Only then was one deemed competent; otherwise, wielding the spear was like wielding a club, straight but inflexible, signaling a dead end for spear mastery.

Once these two hurdles were cleared, actual spear practice could commence.

Saber techniques were less complicated and easier to pick up initially, though mastering them was equally difficult. Given Li Muzhan’s brute strength, a single strike of his saber carried the force of several men’s blows.

Throughout the afternoon, Instructor Zhang stood beside Li Muzhan, guiding his saber work, seemingly intent on nurturing this promising student.

Li Muzhan understood that Instructor Zhang harbored no selfish motives; like all good teachers, upon spotting exceptional talent, he naturally wished to instruct them well and see them succeed.

Yue Feihu was positioned to Li Muzhan's left and rear. Li Muzhan could feel the continuous, icy surge of murderous intent from his gaze, yet he merely offered a slight smile, pretending not to notice.

For three consecutive days, Li Muzhan mastered four stances daily, finally completing the Flying Bear Palm Technique. From then on, only consistent practice would be necessary; Zhang Wen’s direct instruction was no longer required.

Li Muzhan seized the opportunity to ask a few questions.

"Instructor Zhang," Li Muzhan inquired, "Does this Flying Bear Palm Technique rely only on the stances, with no other essential principles?"

Zhang Wen shook his head. "Accurate execution of the stances is sufficient."

Li Muzhan pressed further. "No cultivation method?"

Zhang Wen furrowed his thick brows and said slowly, "Have you encountered the cultivation methods of the common martial arts world?"

Li Muzhan replied, "I have seen them. It seems that superior martial arts are always paired with internal energy cultivation methods."

Zhang Wen nodded faintly. "Military martial arts differ from civilian martial arts. Cultivation methods are unnecessary; the techniques alone suffice."

Li Muzhan frowned in deep thought, shaking his head slightly.

Zhang Wen continued, "Military martial arts and civilian martial arts are fundamentally different. This has been the case throughout history, and there is a reason for its longevity."

"Chief Instructor, if both deal with internal energy, why are they so utterly distinct?"

Zhang Wen looked at him and slowly remarked, "This is a question I have pondered for many years."

Li Muzhan stared at him, urging him to elaborate. Zhang Wen paused, then spoke deliberately, "In my estimation, the reason the two types of internal Qi do not merge lies in the source."

"The source?" Li Muzhan mused, looking thoughtful. After a moment, he asked, "Refining Essence into Qi—is the Qi not derived from the Essence?"

Zhang Wen showed a rare, slight smile. "It is rare for you to know this."

Li Muzhan offered an embarrassed smile. For the people of this world, knowing this was indeed difficult, but in the modern era, it was not an obscure fact. This was the profound secret of Inner Elixir alchemy, and while martial arts flourished in this world, their transmission was highly secretive; such mysteries were hidden from common knowledge.

Zhang Wen rested his hands behind his back, gazing toward the sky, and spoke slowly. "In my estimation, there are two sources for Qi: one is Essence (Jing), and the other is Spirit (Shen). This distinction creates the difference in the Qi."

"The internal methods of the common arts require seated meditation and breath regulation; this transforms Shen into Qi," Zhang Wen explained.

Li Muzhan nodded thoughtfully.

Zhang Wen continued, "Military martial arts, however, transform Jing into Qi... There is no need for focused thought or spirit; one merely masters the techniques, and the internal energy forms naturally."

Li Muzhan nodded again.

Zhang Wen suddenly looked startled, as if realizing he had spoken too much. He waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it. Talking about this is useless. You should focus on your practice."

With that, he turned and left. He could not know that these few sentences had given Li Muzhan an immense revelation, as if a fog had suddenly lifted, causing various profound concepts to snap into place.

His understanding of the mysteries of Essence, Qi, and Spirit far surpassed that of ordinary people.

The human body holds the Three Treasures: Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Life forms from a single point of primordial spirit (Yuanshen), which transforms into Qi, which then transforms into Essence, and Essence finally solidifies into the physical body.

His mind raced like lightning, a sudden flash of brilliance seizing him—it was about the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture; he saw the dawning light of the Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Scripture!