Beggar Cultivation System-Chapter 301 : Essence of Fighting

"So, I just have to punch this as hard as I can?" Don repeated as he stood before the scarecrow.

"Yes, as hard as you can. Don't hold back," the beggar reminded, his arms crossed.

"Alright then," Don said. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them, a glint of seriousness appeared. He pulled his arm back as far as he could and, with a shout, launched a punch at the scarecrow!

However, because of his small frame and the scarecrow's size, his fist only hit the lower abdomen of the training dummy, slipping awkwardly.

The mishap almost caused Don to lose his balance.

Seeing this, Apollo slapped his forehead. This kid… he doesn't even know how to punch. Don's failure wasn't due to his height but to his poor execution.

Don had tiptoed instead of taking a short leap, diminishing his strength and throwing him slightly off course.

"Hey, have you ever been in a fight?" Apollo asked as the boy steadied himself.

"Of course!" Don answered, puffing out his chest with pride. "When I tried to escape, I fought some of those bastard knights!"

"Did you manage to hurt them?" Apollo raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

"Well…" Don scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "They had armor on, and I was only using a wooden sword."

"Oh, I see. You didn't 'fight'; you just swung your wooden weapon around, hoping to swat them away. It probably worked, but only because people sacrificed themselves for you," Apollo said, his tone cold and cutting.

Hearing this, Don gritted his teeth. The memory of that time brought guilt crashing down on him. His master was right—it wasn't a fight. It was a cowardly escape that resulted in others losing their lives.

And even now, there were still people suffering because of those knights.

Don stared at Apollo with pleading eyes. "Please… teach me."

"That's the spirit," Apollo said, a smile breaking through. He knew his words had scratched an old wound in Don's heart, but it was necessary to forge determination and strength in the boy. "Hmm, let me think for a moment."

Apollo considered the situation. He needed to teach his disciple basic fighting skills—something practical that would enable Don to hold his own, even without cultivation.

Suddenly, inspiration struck. Why not just teach the kid every fighting technique I know?

Despite his time in this world, Apollo had never relied on its Fighting Techniques, even though he'd encountered several of them, particularly in the library of the Great Serpent Cultivation School.

Instead, Apollo preferred techniques that were flashy and had some sort of special effect. As for hand-to-hand combat? He had no need to learn the local techniques—he already possessed a wealth of knowledge from his previous life.

In his mind, these techniques were perfect, especially when mastered. Even without cultivation, Apollo could take on someone at the Half-Step Foundation Building stage—or even 1st-Step—using nothing but his normal, uncultivated body.

The Fighting Techniques from his past life were honed to perfection: kung fu, karate, taekwondo, and others typically seen in movies. Most of them were simple but highly effective—like boxing, a style Apollo particularly favored and often relied on.

With this in mind, Apollo smiled at his disciple. "I'm going to teach you a fighting technique. You must not only memorize it but also engrave it into your heart."

Don's eyes widened in shock before excitement took over. "Thank you, Master!"

Apollo nodded, then closed his eyes and stretched out his right hand. He didn't want to burden the boy by teaching him every Fighting Technique from his previous life—that would only confuse Don. Instead, Apollo decided to compile all of them into one comprehensive technique that encompassed their essence.

White light began to gather in front of Apollo's outstretched hand. The particles danced as if moving to a rhythm, calm at first, then suddenly aggressive. They alternated between different states, shifting like moods, until they coalesced into a scroll of glowing white light.

Apollo opened his eyes and saw the scroll hovering before him, shimmering under the sun.

"This Fighting Technique is called The Essence of Fighting. Don't underestimate it just because the name doesn't sound grand," Apollo explained.

"The Essence of Fighting…" Don repeated, his eyes glued to the glowing scroll. "I wouldn't underestimate anything you create, Master. I know it must be amazing."

"Don't be such a fanboy," Apollo said, frowning slightly before shaking his head. "Go on, learn it. I'll wait."

"Okay," Don said, stepping forward with excitement. He reached out and touched the radiant scroll.

As Don closed his eyes to absorb the knowledge, Apollo walked over to the stage and sat on its stairs, watching his disciple.

This new technique, born from merging the fighting arts of his previous life, was something unique—a culmination of all the essences and forms of Earth's Martial Arts. Apollo hadn't been sure it was possible, but somehow, he managed to do it. Though he wouldn't admit it aloud, he thought it hadn't been that hard.

Ten minutes passed, and Don finally opened his eyes.

Apollo stood and approached him. "How is it?" he asked, curiosity in his voice.

"It's… amazing!" Don exclaimed, his excitement ringing in his tone. "I feel like I can defeat anyone!"

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"That's just a feeling. Don't let it go to your head," Apollo warned, gesturing toward the scarecrow. "Now, punch it again."

"Alright!" Don hopped over to the training dummy. He took a few light breaths and assumed a proper fighting stance—this time, his form was flawless.

Apollo smiled. The boy's stance was perfect, like watching an experienced boxing athlete—an energy primed to strike like a loaded gun.

"Ha!" Don shouted, jumping slightly before delivering a punch. This time, his height allowed him to hit the scarecrow's abdomen squarely.

A resounding thud echoed as the boy's fist struck the training dummy.

The vertical stone beside the scarecrow emitted a weak glow, and water inside rose to a level matching that of the 2nd-Step Foundation Building Stage.

"Second-step and a half," Apollo muttered as he observed the water's final position. He glanced at Don, who was staring at his own fist in awe. "Not bad. If you hadn't learned The Essence of Fighting, your punch would have barely reached the 2nd-Step Foundation Building Stage."

"R-really?" Don looked at Apollo with amazement. "But I'm only at the 1st-Step! Master, you're incredible!"

"I know, that's a given," Apollo said with a chuckle before his expression grew serious. "Now, we fight."