Chapter 20: Dragon-Form Fist

The following day, Zhang Ji was brought to the main hall of the Five Forms Sect. In the presence of two elders, Li Long, and the Sect Leader, he offered incense to the sect's founder, marking his formal entry into the Five Forms Sect.

According to ancient traditions, this process would have been far more complex, but it had since been greatly simplified; once approved, one simply offered a stick of incense and had their name entered into the registry. Of course, the reason Zhang Ji could become a direct disciple of the Five Forms Sect so easily was primarily due to Li Long.

Li Long held a unique position. Within the entire Five Forms Sect, he possessed absolute authority—to such an extent that in certain matters, even the Sect Leader, Yan Ruifeng, could not compare. Consequently, any decision Li Long made was almost always met with unanimous support. Thus, Zhang Ji faced virtually no opposition in becoming a direct disciple. While Zhang Ji did not fully understand Li Long's background, he could see from these events just how elevated Li Long’s status was within the sect.

As a direct disciple, Zhang Ji enjoyed high status and significant power. He held the same privileges as other direct disciples of the sect; when out in the world, if he had any needs, he could directly mobilize a portion of the sect's forces to assist him. Even casually withdrawing a few million in pocket money each month was considered a trivial matter. The Five Forms Sect had numerous disciples and industries spanning every sector—including medicine, real estate, construction, finance, automotive, and emerging technology—with total assets amounting to at least several hundred billion. Within the entire Dongji Nation, it was considered a top-tier organization. It is the same in every world: once one possesses sufficiently powerful martial might, everything else becomes easily attainable.

Upon becoming a direct disciple, Zhang Ji was qualified to select one master-level martial art to practice. Usually, one would consult the Elder of Teachings, but Zhang Ji was being instructed personally by Li Long.

In a spacious room, Li Long said to Zhang Ji, "You already have a foundation, so there is no need to practice basic martial arts. You can move directly to master-level techniques. The Five Forms Sect has many basic arts, but there are only five master-level ones: Snake Form, Crane Form, Leopard Form, Tiger Form, and Dragon Form."

"Snake Form focuses on flexibility, emphasizing techniques for neutralizing force and grappling. Crane Form centers on footwork and leg techniques, though it also has a beak-strike palm technique that is no less lethal than the 'flickering tongue' of the Snake Form. Leopard Form prioritizes claw techniques supplemented by agility, focusing on explosive power; when practiced to a profound level, one’s palms can easily tear through metal and shatter jade. Tiger Form is the most ferocious, training palms, legs, and fists, but its weakness is a lack of agility."

"Finally, there is the Dragon Form. This martial art is highly dependent on innate talent; it is the only one that requires the refining of primordial energy (Qi) to practice. Many cannot even manage to master the basics. However, it combines the most advantages: flexibility, explosive power, endurance, and techniques for using primordial energy. Overall, the Dragon Form is the most powerful."

After Li Long finished speaking, he waited quietly for Zhang Ji to choose. Zhang Ji looked at Li Long; although Li Long did not explicitly state which one he hoped Zhang Ji would choose, it was clear from his description that he preferred Zhang Ji to select the most difficult one: the Dragon Form.

"I choose the Dragon Form," Zhang Ji said.

Li Long nodded, revealing a barely perceptible smile. "Although the Dragon Form is the most difficult to master, given your talent, it is not impossible for you to succeed. Furthermore, this is merely a matter of sequence. Once you reach the peak of the Dragon Form, you can choose to study the other four as well. The five master-level martial arts are complementary; the sect only encourages disciples to specialize in one first because most lack the energy to do otherwise."

"I understand," Zhang Ji replied.

"The Dragon Form is different from the others. Come here; I will personally guide you through your first practice."

As he spoke, Li Long took a jar of ointment from the refrigerator. It was vermilion in color, which piqued Zhang Ji’s curiosity. "How do I use it?" Zhang Ji asked.

"This is made from cinnabar mixed with other herbs; it is used to help you locate your sense of Qi. Simply apply it to the space between your eyebrows." Li Long explained, then used a small seal to dip into the red ointment and pressed it directly onto Zhang Ji’s forehead. "Focus carefully. It should take effect in about three breaths. When your 'Mud Pill Palace' feels cool, you will know it is working."

Zhang Ji calmed his mind. After about ten seconds, he indeed felt a sudden coolness near his forehead, and his mental perception seemed to sharpen significantly, allowing him to sense the subtle reactions throughout his body.

"Follow my breathing, then strike..."

Li Long began to breathe rhythmically and suddenly assumed a striking posture. Zhang Ji followed suit, throwing his first punch, then the second, then the third... During this process, his posture and breathing rhythm were constantly corrected by Li Long. At times he was fast, at others slow; sometimes he used claws, sometimes palms, and sometimes a "leaping dragon tail sweep." As he practiced, Zhang Ji truly felt as if he were transforming into the creature of a dragon.

Suddenly, as Zhang Ji swept his palm out, he felt as if his entire body had connected into a single line, rising from his feet, moving through his waist, and erupting with power.

*Snap!*

A crackling sound of tendons and bones echoed. His internal blood and Qi surged in rhythm with his breathing and movements. Vaguely, Zhang Ji felt his essence, energy, and spirit intersect. A wisp of energy traveled from near his kidneys, up along his spine, and directly into his Mud Pill Palace, where the two collided and dispersed throughout his body.

Once the strike was finished, he felt his body go limp, as exhausted as if he had fought two or three consecutive bouts. Not only his body, but even his mind felt fatigued.

"Did you feel it?" Li Long noticed Zhang Ji’s pause. "That was the sensation of refining primordial energy. Normally, this energy disperses naturally around the body, providing a nourishing effect, but it is only mobilized when you actively use it."

"Does primordial energy deplete automatically?" Zhang Ji asked.

"It does," Li Long nodded. "Even if you don't use it, the energy you refine will constantly nourish your body and repair hidden injuries. If you are injured, it will automatically heal you, but the process consumes it very quickly."

Zhang Ji nodded slightly. This was similar to the descriptions in the game. In the game, recovering energy was a troublesome process that required constant eating and the use of specific skills to refill the energy bar. It was much more cumbersome than the fighting styles of the "Mystic Heart School," which borrowed energy from heaven and earth. However, the advantage was that it was minimally affected by the environment; as long as he had sufficient nutrition, he could refine energy anywhere. Those who borrowed from heaven and earth were heavily reliant on their surroundings—for example, fighters of the "Earth-Bound School" would see their combat effectiveness plummet if they were too far from solid ground or in water. Many specialized fighters were as useless as cripples without earth or stone beneath their feet.

Subsequently, under Li Long's guidance, Zhang Ji thoroughly mastered the practice of the Dragon Form.

"Refining primordial energy is taxing on your essence, energy, and spirit," Li Long said. "After training, it is best to take an Essence Pill."

"I've finished the pills," Zhang Ji said, almost reaching out to ask for more.

Li Long paused, genuinely surprised that Zhang Ji had consumed them so quickly. Even for him, ten Essence Pills might last a month. For a moment, he even suspected that Zhang Ji might have given them to someone else, but he quickly dismissed the thought; there was no reason for Zhang Ji to lie.

"I have one more bottle here, but after this, if you want more than your monthly allowance, you will have to find a way to earn them yourself," Li Long said, tossing a porcelain bottle to him.

"How do I earn them?" Zhang Ji asked after catching the bottle. Essence Pills could significantly reduce his training time; one day could be worth two or three. If he had enough, he felt he could complete ten "Iron Shirt" combat skill crystals in just two or three months.

"The sect has a point system. Aside from participating in sect affairs, the fastest way to earn points is through the monthly grand competition. You can enter the inner disciple tournament; winning one match earns you ten points, and becoming the champion earns you three thousand," Li Long explained. "Points can be exchanged for money or the pills you need. There is more than just Essence Pills in the sect. You can see the details by logging into the Five Forms Sect app on your phone. That is all for today; go back and rest well. If you have any further questions, come back to me."

Zhang Ji nodded to show he understood. After he left, Li Long’s expression became thoughtful. During their training, he had sensed that Zhang Ji’s strength had improved significantly again. This speed was faster than he had anticipated. Such talent even surprised Li Long, a man who had always been called an unparalleled genius.

To Li Long, Essence Pills were trivial; he could give Zhang Ji a hundred at once if asked, but he hoped Zhang Ji would strive for these resources himself. Relying solely on the sect would not lead to long-term success. Zhang Ji possessed sufficient talent and a strong character, and Li Long did not want him to lose his fighting spirit in a comfortable environment. He needed Zhang Ji to struggle, to fight, and to actively strive for what he wanted!

...

In his room, Zhang Ji logged into the Five Forms Sect app with his credentials. His ID was his own name, with a prominent "Direct Disciple" badge next to it. The app featured a store for online shopping, with drones providing direct delivery. It contained all the sect’s resources, including Essence Pills, which could be easily acquired here. Of course, the prerequisite was having points.

Zhang Ji’s account balance was [0]. The app also listed ways to earn points through various tasks posted by the sect, including, but not limited to, substitute teaching and medicine manufacturing. Some tasks even had entry requirements. The entire app gave Zhang Ji a sense of the intersection between the ancient and the modern—an old mechanism running in a better way through emerging technology.

Zhang Ji searched and found information regarding the monthly grand competition. The Five Forms Sect held these examinations every month, with inner and outer disciples separated. The outer sect had over eight thousand members, all at an amateur fighter level. The inner sect was much smaller, with five hundred members, all of whom were professional-level fighters, some even reaching the fifth professional rank.

He ignored the outer sect competition, as it wasn't appropriate for him to participate in a "beginner's cup." However, the inner sect was different. The top experts there were roughly on par with him. In the inner sect monthly competition, winning a match earned ten points, and taking first place granted an additional three thousand. The purchasing power of three thousand points was considerable; at one hundred points per Essence Pill, he could buy thirty.

The next competition was approaching, just six days away.