CHAPTER 18: CHAPTER 0018: TERRIFYING SPEED, 16 METERS PER SECOND_1

Zhang Bin had been cultivating in a bewildered state for some time. He knew he had become much stronger, but he still had no idea exactly how strong. Moreover, he wanted to know just how powerful the experts in a martial arts hall could be. He was even more eager to learn about the methods and realms of internal cultivation. Therefore, aside from coming to sell ginseng and Bright Eye Liquid, his main purpose was to get some answers.

"You also practice Inner Family Kung Fu?" A look of curiosity and surprise appeared on Liu Ruolan’s face.

"I only started practicing recently, since I just met my master not long ago," Zhang Bin said.

"I’ll take you to a very famous martial arts hall—Longyin Martial Arts Hall. The owner’s name is Tian Guangjin, and he excels in Xingyi, Taiji, and Bagua. He is very strong, a true master." Liu Ruolan said with a charming smile, then steered the car down another road.

The real reason she was driving Zhang Bin today wasn’t that she had taken a liking to him. Rather, she wanted to find out more about his background—at the very least, where he lived and what his family situation was. After all, from this day forward, Zhang Bin was her business partner. Bright Eye Liquid was a miraculous medicine. If lab analysis showed no issues, it would undoubtedly cause a worldwide sensation. Naturally, she placed great importance on Zhang Bin.

Seeing that Zhang Bin also practiced martial arts, she was pleased. She had learned another piece of information about him.

Soon, they arrived at Longyin Martial Arts Hall, just a little after ten in the morning.

On the training ground, hundreds of students practiced martial arts, their movements perfectly synchronized. Explosive shouts periodically rang out, shaking the heavens, their killing intent surging like a tide.

In a corner of the training ground, numerous sandbags were hung up. A twenty-something girl in white practice garb, with stunning beauty and wheat-colored skin, was training while drenched in sweat.

She furiously struck the sandbags with her fists, elbows, legs, knees, back, and arms. A rapid series of SMACKS echoed, as dense as rain lashing against banana leaves. She moved like a civet cat weaving through a forest of sandbags. Her speed increased until she became a blurred white shadow that was difficult to track with the naked eye. All the sandbags swung back and forth violently, and the momentum was astonishing.

Many of the young men practicing stole glances at her, their faces filled with eagerness, awe, admiration, and adoration.

"Her name is Tian Bingbing, the owner’s daughter. She’s a great beauty, 22 years old, and just graduated from university. Xiao Bin, what do you think of her kung fu?" Liu Ruolan said as she walked in with Zhang Bin, pointing to the girl hitting the sandbags.

"She’s very strong," Zhang Bin said admiringly, watching Tian Bingbing with an astonished expression.

He had never dreamed he would see such an athletic and powerful young woman who had already cultivated True Qi.

Soon, Tian Bingbing stopped her training. She walked over briskly, carrying a faint, elegant fragrance, and said with surprise, "Sister Lan, what brings you here?"

Obviously, they knew each other and had a good relationship.

Liu Ruolan explained their reason for coming and introduced Zhang Bin.

Tian Bingbing was very direct. "In that case, let’s start by testing your speed," she said immediately. "A thousand-meter run, how does that sound?"

"Alright." Zhang Bin nodded excitedly, then asked a little awkwardly, "If you don’t mind me asking, Miss Tian, what’s your top speed per second?"

He was unsure and worried about making a fool of himself.

"My speed is pretty average, about 11 meters per second," Tian Bingbing said, though a hint of pride showed on her face.

11 meters per second... That means a hundred meters in about nine seconds. That’s as fast as the world’s top sprinters. Zhang Bin thought. Still, he was a little disappointed, as that wasn’t exceptionally fast. He probed further, "Miss Tian, how many realms are there in the cultivation of Inner Family Kung Fu?"

"Realms? Of course, that would be Body Refinement, Qi Cultivation, Rushing Pulse, Qi Sea, Liquefaction, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Union Realm, and Ascension," Tian Bingbing said with a smile.

"Heavens, you can actually ascend?" Zhang Bin’s eyes widened in amazement.

A peal of silvery laughter erupted. Almost simultaneously, Liu Ruolan and Tian Bingbing burst out laughing, their graceful figures trembling.

"What’s so funny?" Zhang Bin asked, his gaze fixed on the two laughing beauties. Their trembling figures were captivatingly beautiful.

Liu Ruolan possessed a flawless sort of beauty, while Tian Bingbing’s athletic physique was stunning in its own right. They were both exceptional beauties, and seeing them up close was a feast for the eyes.

"We’re laughing at you, of course," Tian Bingbing giggled. "Those are the cultivation realms from ancient times. As for Ascension, even back then, only two people ever reached it: Laozi and Buddha Sakyamuni. In the modern era, you can forget about Ascension. Just reaching the Rushing Pulse Realm is considered quite impressive."

"Why did things change?" Zhang Bin asked, puzzled.

"Cultivation requires Spiritual Energy, but without Spirit Stones and Spiritual Medicine, there’s no way to break through realms quickly. We can only painstakingly circulate our True Qi, letting it slowly increase. The pace is infuriatingly slow," Tian Bingbing explained. "In ancient times, cultivation resources were much more abundant; Spirit Stones and Spiritual Medicine could be found."

"Why does circulating True Qi slowly increase it?" Zhang Bin muttered to himself.

"Because we’re actually refining the Spiritual Energy contained within our food. That’s why our True Qi increases," Tian Bingbing explained.

"I see." Understanding dawned on Zhang Bin, and he sighed inwardly. Earth’s cultivation methods are so primitive. With no way of gathering Qi from the environment, trying to become powerful through cultivation is harder than ascending to the heavens. The extraterrestrial method I learned, the Qingmu Longevity Technique, is so much more miraculous and superior... but it’s a shame it requires a Wisdom Pill to even start.

Soon after, the test began.

Zhang Bin readied himself to start. Tian Bingbing raised the starting pistol, while Liu Ruolan stood a kilometer away, ready to press the stopwatch.

BANG!

Tian Bingbing fired the gun.

WHOOSH!

Zhang Bin burst into motion. His first stride covered several meters, as if he could fly. A continuous thunder of footsteps echoed as he shot forward like an arrow, kicking up a roaring wind.

So fast... He’s stronger than me. A look of intense surprise and curiosity appeared on Tian Bingbing’s face.

The many students at the martial arts hall were also shocked, as they had never seen anyone run so fast.

In no time, Zhang Bin zipped past Liu Ruolan, and the result was in.

Tian Bingbing rushed over, asking curiously, "How many seconds?"

"62.5 seconds." Liu Ruolan stared at the stopwatch, somewhat unable to believe her own eyes. She knew that the world record for the men’s one-kilometer run was about 2 minutes and 15 seconds. Zhang Bin’s time was nearly a minute faster.

"That’s roughly 16 meters per second... what a terrifying speed. Zhang Bin must have reached the Mid Phase of the Qi Cultivation Realm," Tian Bingbing said in shock. "Sister Lan, where on earth did you find an expert like him?"