When his proficiency suddenly jumped from 500 down to 1.

On the panel, the Wild Bull Qi Strength Pile went from (entry-level) to (Minor Achievement).

As Qin Fang was fully focused on his Standing Pile, he was struck by a sudden epiphany. An indescribable insight welled up from deep within him.

’Exerting Strength... so this is how it’s done...’

A peculiar sensation washed over Qin Fang.

He had already reached the Early Mingjin Stage, and his ability to exert Strength was quite impressive. But upon reaching Minor Achievement, he suddenly realized... it still wasn’t enough.

Previously, the Strength he exerted came only from his skin, membranes, and muscles.

His tendons and bones had only been passive participants.

But with this Pile session, he seemed to have made a completely new discovery... ’My bones should also be part of how I exert Strength!’

Following this new insight, the bones throughout his body began to subconsciously shift and realign. With this movement, a series of faint, crackling pops echoed from within his skeleton.

An unprecedented sense of clarity and connection permeated his entire body.

It was as if all the Strength in his body had come alive at this moment.

Spiritual and fluid.

A realization dawned on him... ’Is this the ’Whole Force’ that Master mentioned?’

The sensation was marvelous. It was the same Pile Skill, yet in this moment, it yielded a magical feeling and a new understanding...

Just as he was savoring this new insight...

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

A sudden knock on the door rang out.

Qin Fang froze, his eyes instinctively snapping open toward the main gate.

He frowned. ’Who would be here at this hour?’

He had only just begun his Standing Pile. Even though he had broken through, the medicinal power of the Qi Blood Pill hadn’t been fully expended.

But when he thought about the recent incidents at the market, he took a deep breath, relaxed his stance, and went to the gate.

Peeking through the crack in the gate, Qin Fang’s expression froze in surprise.

He quickly opened the gate.

"Senior Brother?"

Outside the gate stood Zhou Xing and Xu Meng.

Zhou Xing was staring at him, his gaze filled with shock. Hearing Qin Fang’s voice, Zhou Xing took a deep breath and suddenly turned to Xu Meng. "Go keep an eye on the food for now. I need to speak with my junior brother alone."

Xu Meng paused for a second, then smiled. "Alright. You two talk."

He gave Qin Fang a smiling nod and then turned and left decisively.

After watching Xu Meng walk away, Zhou Xing turned back to Qin Fang. The shock in his eyes was hard to conceal, but he still took a deep breath. "Let’s go inside and talk."

"Oh."

Qin Fang quickly stepped aside. Zhou Xing entered the courtyard, and Qin Fang closed the gate behind them.

"Senior Brother, what brings you here?"

Qin Fang asked curiously.

"It’s about the demon problem, of course..."

Zhou Xing answered simply before he couldn’t stop himself from asking, "Junior Brother, you... you’ve reached Mingjin?"

His voice was tinged with clear disbelief.

Qin Fang froze for a second, then it dawned on him...

’When I broke through just now, the Skin Membrane Drum Sound must have been a little loud.’

’Looks like Senior Brother heard it.’

It wasn’t something worth hiding, so he just nodded. "I think I broke through..."

"You succeeded in Breaking Through on your first try?"

Zhou Xing asked in disbelief.

’Breaking Through?’

’...I don’t think I felt any barrier, though?’

"I suppose so..." was all he could say.

In response, Zhou Xing audibly sucked in a sharp breath.

He stared at Qin Fang in shock, muttering, "One month... it’s only been a little over a month..."

He stared blankly at Qin Fang. After a moment, his gaze hardened. "The Ox Demon Mountain-Opening Fist I taught you... have you been practicing it?"

After a moment of surprise, Qin Fang’s eyes brightened. "Senior Brother, you want to test my fist?"

A small smile touched Zhou Xing’s lips. "Do you dare?"

"Be careful, Senior Brother!"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Qin Fang was in front of Zhou Xing as soon as the words left his mouth.

No flashy moves. He opened with the first Technique of the Ox Demon Mountain-Opening Fist—the Wild Bull’s Horn Attack!

It was a simple straight punch, but the air exploded with a BANG—the sound of skin and membranes drumming as the air was compressed to its breaking point.

Zhou Xing’s eyes lit up. ’This punch... its Strength is pure and unimpeded, the form is masterful. He’s clearly reached a certain level of skill!’

’...What kind of monster is he?’

’Breaking through to Mingjin after only a month of training is one thing... but he’s also become this proficient with the Ox Demon Mountain-Opening Fist?’

’At this rate, it won’t be long before he reaches Minor Achievement, will it?’

Though astounded, Zhou Xing just smiled and said, "A fine strike."

Instead of retreating, he advanced, meeting the attack with a Wild Bull’s Horn Attack of his own.

He wanted to test the power of the other’s punch.

"BAM!"

The two fists met mid-air with an explosive crack.

It wasn’t just the dull thud of flesh on flesh, but a sound like a strike against a taut ox-hide drum.

After the exchange, Qin Fang’s expression changed. A massive force surged through his right arm like a tidal wave, forcing him to take three steps back!

Zhou Xing, however, hadn’t moved an inch, as if his feet were rooted to the ground!

But his eyes were bright. "Good! Your Strength is indeed pure... Again!"

Qin Fang took a deep breath and charged forward again.

This time, he used the second Technique of the Ox Demon Mountain-Opening Fist: Mountain-Splitting Stone!

Qin Fang’s body tensed like a fully drawn bow. A series of CRACKLING sounds ran up his spine as he unleashed his right fist like a cannonball.

It was incredibly fast, carrying an unstoppable momentum!

But Zhou Xing didn’t dodge or evade the punch. He simply took a deep breath, his chest visibly swelling. The next moment, the fist slammed directly into his chest.

"THUD!"

It was another muffled thud of drumming skin and membranes.

Zhou Xing’s body only swayed slightly.

Qin Fang, however, felt a sharp pain in his fist, as if he’d just punched a solid iron pillar!

Qin Fang sucked in a sharp breath and instantly retreated.

His face was a mask of astonishment...

’I put my full power into that punch, yet Senior Brother took it head-on with his chest?’

’And he withstood it?’

’This...’

As he reeled in shock, Zhou Xing’s voice, tinged with admiration, broke the silence. "You’re truly at the level of the Early Mingjin Stage."

Zhou Xing nodded in assessment. "But it’s not enough. Your Strength is still too rigid. Whole Force is supposed to be alive."

With those words, he suddenly lunged. His body shot forward like a charging Wild Bull, his hand reaching out to grab Qin Fang.

As he moved, Qin Fang clearly heard a CRACKLING sound erupt from within Zhou Xing’s skeleton.

The sounds were so rapid they blurred into one.

’This is...’

’Muscle-Bone Thunder Sound!’

Zhou Xing’s speed was astounding. Qin Fang had no time to dodge and could only cross his arms in a desperate block.

"CRACK!"

This sound was much crisper.

The moment contact was made, Qin Fang tensed his entire body, but then he froze... The overwhelming force he expected never came.

But an instant after he subconsciously relaxed...

BOOM!

The hands on his arms unleashed a terrifying burst of Strength. Caught completely off guard, Qin Fang was sent flying, his feet leaving the ground.

Shocked, he managed to twist in mid-air and landed on his feet, but still stumbled back five steps before his back slammed hard against the courtyard wall, finally bringing him to a halt.

Once he was steady, his face was flushed red, and it took him a long moment to recover.

He could clearly feel the shock reverberating through his internal organs.

Qin Fang looked at Zhou Xing in disbelief.

’...He knew Zhou Xing had definitely held back. Otherwise, that single strike would have made him spit up blood!’

’Senior Brother... is he this strong?’

Fighting a Mingjin Martial Artist directly for the first time, Qin Fang was utterly shaken.

A smile played on Zhou Xing’s lips. "Strength must be ’alive.’ Release it when you want to, and hold it back when you don’t. That’s how you create more variations in your Techniques."

"Mingjin is indeed about cultivating a single, Whole Force, emphasizing an unstoppable advance. But ’unstoppable’ refers to the momentum when you unleash your power, not that you should become a literal bull, charging recklessly into any situation... You must make your Strength come alive. Release it when you wish, conceal it when you wish. Only then can you say you have truly mastered it."

Zhou Xing looked at Qin Fang, his eyes shining, and sighed. "But you’ve still far exceeded my expectations... A little over a month... Junior Brother, I think I’m starting to get jealous."

A look of sheer wonder appeared in his eyes.

After all, when he had reached Mingjin, he had not only failed to break through three consecutive times—wasting a huge amount of time—but had also sustained some hidden injuries...

In fact, his first attempt at Breaking Through had only come after two full years of training.

’...Reaching Mingjin in a month?’

’What were his own three years of struggle for, then?’

’...Is the gap between people really this vast?’

He sighed with emotion.