CHAPTER 188: CHAPTER 177: JIAO DEMON GAUNTLETS, THUNDER BURST HAND (3K)

Huayun Prefecture complex.

After returning home from Preparatory High School, Meng Chuan hurried to Master Luo’s house to practice his fist skills after dinner.

With Master Luo’s guidance, his fist skill training progressed faster.

Most importantly, he prepared to ask Master Luo for a new fist skill tonight.

The mistress opened the door, saw it was Meng Chuan, and said with a smile:

"Your master is still busy with matters at the dojo, he just called saying he’ll be back soon.

Have some pastries first, I made them myself."

Since Luo Guanyun advanced to Grandmaster, the Infinite Martial Arts Dojo underwent a complete transformation.

Meng Chuan, seeing that his master had no interest in teaching, disregarded a certain leader’s words from United University Preparatory High School that day.

Ren Ping brought over a plate of small cakes and placed it on the table.

"Try how they taste?"

As she spent more time with Meng Chuan, she became increasingly satisfied with the disciple her husband had taken.

Talented as he was, the most important qualities were his manners and excellent character.

Meng Chuan thanked her and picked one up to taste.

"It’s very delicious."

Ren Ping smiled and said:

"This afternoon, when I returned from shopping, I collected a parcel from the administration department for you. It seems to be from the research institute.

You eat first, I’ll get it for you."

"Thank you, mistress."

Meng Chuan knew that his steel bones had been upgraded.

Just as Master Luo entered, the master and disciple went into the Martial Arts Chamber to study together.

After removing the plastic-sealed package, inside was the same as before, a canned black flowing liquid.

Unlike before, mixed within the black liquid were intricate light gray patterns, resembling the spiral horn of a Jiao Demon.

It looked somewhat eerie, and the new version instructions mentioned that these patterns were irremovable impurities, which referred to the spiritual radiation power from its horn.

But the amount was small, just a single horn, and generally, senior martial artists could manage it.

Meng Chuan twisted open the can, and the new version of the steel bones flowed to cover his hands.

At the same time, a fleeting cool sensation swept through his mind.

"This should be the so-called radiation, and it truly has no impact."

A moment later, he examined the dramatically transformed new fist set.

The original steel bones were like a thin film over his hands.

Now, Meng Chuan gripped his hands tightly, turned them to inspect, and found the backs noticeably thicker.

He extended his arms, crossed his fists before his chest, and gently clashed the backs, producing a heavy "clang" sound.

"Sturdy..."

The most significant change was the spiral bulges on the distal phalanges of the four fingers, like the Jiao Demon’s horn.

Luo Guanyun clicked his tongue in wonder, pointing to the iron-core stake by the wall, and said:

"Go ahead and try it."

Meng Chuan casually swung a punch at the stake without exerting force.

The iron-core stake uprooted instantly, slamming heavily against the wall.

Upon hitting the ground, he found that a punch had turned the stake into a U-shaped pipe.

Meng Chuan went up to inspect and found four deeply embedded spiral dents at the point of impact.

"Hiss... The destructiveness has greatly increased..."

As for defense, Meng Chuan opened the new version instructions to check.

It stated that the back of the hand and wrist bones were reinforced with the horn material, with hardness comparable to meteoric alloy.

Aside from True Martial, no weapon could break it.

Luo Guanyun controlled the strength and flicked his finger, causing a "ding" sound, and Meng Chuan felt a sharp pain on the back of his hand.

"Not bad, it’s true, below Martial Arts Family level, no one can break your fist set.

Don’t take it off yet, save the energy, and keep throwing punches to see if it fits your hand."

Meng Chuan hesitated slightly, feeling that one punch would suffice.

Although the steel bones were upgraded, they still required charging with the YM energy alloy blocks that cost fifty thousand each.

"Just try it, even though I’m not a grandmaster, I can afford it."

Meng Chuan joked:

"Master Luo is so generous, if I knew Master was this wealthy, I wouldn’t have participated in the Supernova competition."

"Participate, isn’t two million money?

And you must go all out because if you can enter the top three, the rewards will make my eyes green with envy."

This was the latest news he had heard from the Yong’an City grandmaster meeting that morning.

This piqued Meng Chuan’s interest, and he curiously asked:

"What treasure could make Master envious?"

"You’ve seen the honor armory of the Yong’an police station, that’s nothing compared to the national armory.

If you can make it to the second phase of the competition, you can take things from the national armory."

Meng Chuan’s body instantly stiffened, a greedy look appeared on his face.

"Master Luo, are there True Martial level fist sets?"

"There are, but it depends on whether you can get them."

Meng Chuan’s expression turned serious, just as he was about to speak, Luo Guanyun interrupted.

"Hurry up and try the fist set, finish and practice your punches.

There are quite a few students participating in this competition, just Yong’an has more than a dozen.

To win, the first step is to narrow the Qi Blood gap."

Meng Chuan nodded in agreement, and then began practicing the Limit-Breaking level Luo’s Baji in place.

The feel was nearly identical to before, not affecting his change in fist paths at all.

Perhaps due to refining the Jiao Demon horn, when Meng Chuan practiced punches again, the ferocious aura became more pronounced.

"Let’s change the name; from now on, it’s called... Dragon Bone."

It also fulfilled the Jiao Demon’s last wish.

Luo Guanyun’s focus wasn’t on this; he gazed at Meng Chuan dumbfoundedly.

Hesitated:

"Did you... optimize my Baji?"

Meng Chuan nodded.

In fact, last night, he wanted to showcase it on the spot, but Master Luo told him to rest first.

Luo Guanyun looked dazed with emotions, though he had some suspicions last night, he found it hard to believe.

Just as he mentioned when he first met Meng Chuan.

For ordinary martial artists, it takes decades of immersion to dare attempt optimization.

No one knows better than him the difficulty of optimizing Luo’s Baji.

He had already made innovations in Baji Fist, yet Meng Chuan managed to optimize it again.

"Yes, Master Luo, I integrated the concept of Yin-Yang fusion, just a minor innovation, incomparable to yours."

Meng Chuan said humbly.

"Show me again, let me see."

Meng Chuan restored his steel-like bones to normal mode, resembling the watch of the past but with a few more gray patterns.

He steadied himself, raised his hand, and began to perform Luo’s Baji.

The fist techniques alternated and rotated, and the aura of Chaotic Heaven gradually emerged around him.

Luo Guanyun watched seriously, seeing Meng Chuan’s expression of unrestrained and lofty spirit while doing the fists.

He saw the momentum of his fists becoming increasingly substantial, and the aura of Chaotic Heaven gradually expanded.

"Solid and not bad!"

Luo Guanyun smiled brilliantly, the feeling of the student surpassing the master intoxicated him.

Meng Chuan stopped his martial display and asked with a smile:

"Master Luo, how is it?"

Luo Guanyun was full of emotion:

"Regarding this set of fist techniques, you have already walked your own path, in the future, it should be called Meng’s Baji."

Meng Chuan smiled slightly and asked:

"Master Luo, besides the Legacy Martial Arts of King Xiang, all the other fist techniques I’ve learned are already perfect.

Today, I wish to seek another fist technique from Master for regular practice."

Meng Chuan revealed his true intentions.

Luo Guanyun wasn’t foolish; naturally, he understood his disciple’s thoughts.

"I told you before, don’t practice Thunder Skills yet, wait until Master paves the way for you."

Meng Chuan had anticipated his master’s response and already had a plan in mind before coming.

"What Master said makes sense, but I just want to first learn some prerequisite fist techniques, and we’ll talk about Thunder Skills later."

Luo Guanyun did not speak, pondering silently for a moment.

"The relationship between Thunder Skills and that Lingtai Demon Skill hasn’t been clarified yet, Meng Chuan absolutely must not learn it.

Even if I just give him Benlei Scatter Hand, it’s powerful enough and suits his style..."

Regardless of the prerequisites for Thunder Skills, bringing out Benlei Scatter Hand is already formidable.

It’s just not as top-notch as the Five Elements Qiankun Fist, which is a first-rate superior fist technique for ordinary people.

"Fine, no need for this kid to keep thinking about it every day..."

After understanding, Luo Guanyun said in a deep voice:

"So be it, you don’t need to mention the Primordial Spirit Thunder Skill anymore, when the time comes, Master will find you another top-level True Skill."

Meng Chuan nodded.

"Understood, Master."

Luo Guanyun continued:

"Today, I teach you the first-rate Xiao-style fist technique from Xingyi Fire Attribute, the Benlei Scatter Hand.

This fist technique originated from the third-rate Da Chu Scatter Hand, commonly known as San Da.

Like Luo’s Baji, it was developed through iterations and optimizations by standing on the shoulders of predecessors.

You are proficient in short strikes and have a solid foundation, learning it should not be difficult."

"Understood."

Meng Chuan took a gamble, guessing that Master Luo still had something up his sleeve, if he could break the limit of this first-rate fist technique.

He believed that in this way, he could prove to Master Luo that he had the ability to attempt the optimization of Primordial Spirit Thunder Planting Skill.

He had previously pondered.

"If I don’t stubbornly insist on Thunder Skills and walk the path paved by predecessors, would I progress faster and go further?"

But even if by luck I reach the pinnacle one day, this matter would forever remain a scar in my heart.

Just like in cultural lessons.

The purpose of students learning is never to become the most studious or learn the most.

It’s about becoming the person they wish to be, pursuing the career they want, and living the life they aspire to through learning.

Practicing martial arts is similar, after understanding, he reached his own enlightenment.

"Even if Master doesn’t allow it, I must become the successor of Luo’s Thunder Skills..."

This is the realization of conviction.

...

"It’s too cramped here, follow me outside."

Meng Chuan followed Luo Guanyun to a large, secluded open space behind Huayun Prefecture.

Once the two of them stood firm, Luo Guanyun’s mind stirred, his true power surged from his palm to the sky, and in an instant, the night sky clanged with resonant sounds.

Accompanied by the crackle of thunder and lightning, the surroundings within a hundred-meter radius filled with a downpour of rain and thunder.

Luo Guanyun stood with his hands behind his back and said indifferently:

"Benlei Scatter Hand is best practiced in thunderstorm weather."

Meng Chuan nodded, understanding that this technique from Master was different from the previous thunderstorm intention, it should be a new technique of a grandmaster.

The realm of a grandmaster was too distant, so he didn’t inquire about the principles, sparing himself the irritation of coveting it day by day.

Luo Guanyun said:

"The way of nature, any attributes in this world are nurtured from the Five Elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, like water generates ice, earth generates rock, fire generates thunder.

If you say that Benlei Scatter Hand is of Thunder Attribute, that’s fine, but it still falls under Fire Attribute in classification.

Remember this point to avoid making a fool of yourself outside."

Meng Chuan nodded.

These martial principles were already understood when he studied Five Elements Fist before.

"Form simulates fire, intention leads thunder, transforming muscle tremors into explosive force, this is the foundational principle I optimized.

This is also the essence of Benlei Scatter Hand, resonating with both thunder and fire, though not as mysterious as Five Elements, but it actually surpasses it in explosive power!"

"Understood!"

Meng Chuan was an appreciative dialogue partner.

"The belief I’ve always held in, Master, is the ultimate power and explosion, crushing all monstrous beings with a heavy fist!"

"I think the same way, Master."