He obtained the God of All Laws from human skin.

Chapter 65 Internal and External Training

Upon hearing this,

Everyone in the hall focused their attention on the disheveled Taoist priest.

Seeing this, the disheveled Taoist priest didn't say anything, but simply waved his whisk and bowed to the crowd.

Mr. Qian glanced at it twice but didn't say anything.

Song Hai smiled and snorted.

After introducing the people, King Ma continued talking about the matter.

Qin Chuan, who was standing nearby, overheard the gist of the conversation; it was nothing more than a matter concerning the ownership of the dock.

Qinghe County is located at the confluence of rivers, connecting the provincial capital to the north and Hubei and Hunan provinces to the south. With its waterways in all directions and a constant stream of merchant ships, it is an important distribution center for goods within a radius of hundreds of miles.

Whoever controls the docks controls the waterway. It's not just about the commission from loading and unloading goods, but also the fees from shops along the street and the bribes from merchants. All in all, the total cash flow from these alone is estimated to be over four figures a year.

Originally, the Iron Hand Gang occupied the southern section of the dock, while the Black Tiger Gang occupied the northern section. Although the two gangs were at odds, they managed to maintain a peaceful coexistence for two years.

However, as time went by, both sides developed different intentions, leading to considerable friction.

Last time, a fierce fight broke out, and several skilled fighters from each side died. Such losses are not insignificant for any gang.

After all, a martial artist with internal strength is considered a master in Qinghe County, and it would take at least several years and a lot of money to train one.

Both sides are now perfectly aware of the situation.

This dock can only be occupied by one company.

......

After finishing the matter,

King Ma stood up and slightly tilted his head towards the Taoist priest.

The two then walked out of the council hall one after the other through the side door.

Song Hai didn't linger at all and led his men out of the council hall.

Master Qian wasn't in a hurry. He sat in his chair and waited until most of the people in the hall had left before standing up, straightening his clothes, and walking out.

Upon returning to the previous room, he took out a book from his bosom with the words "Iron Body" written on it, handed it to Qin Chuan, and said, "I promised you last time that I would teach you martial arts. This is the technique I found for you, called 'Iron Body'."

Qin Chuan took the book: "Thank you, Mr. Qian."

Master Qian waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for formalities, and then gestured with his chin toward Ah Niu beside him: "Ah Niu used to practice this technique. Although he changed his approach later, he still has the basics. If you don't understand anything, just ask him. Otherwise, you might end up practicing it incorrectly by yourself."

Upon hearing this, A Niu looked at Qin Chuan and nodded.

After saying this, Master Qian gestured for Qin Chuan to leave.

However, as soon as Qin Chuan turned around, he seemed to suddenly remember something and added casually, "By the way, when you have some free time, you can go to the school to learn something. After all, you can't manage a gambling den if you can't read a single word. If you can't understand the account books or the contracts, there will be trouble sooner or later."

Qin Chuan paused, his expression unchanged, and simply nodded in agreement before following A Niu out of the house.

In Mr. Qian's view, this suggestion was perfectly normal.

Qin Chuan was, after all, born a beggar, so it was only natural that he was illiterate.

However, he was unaware that Qin Chuan was already preparing to participate in the children's examination.

Mr. Qian said this in a calm and indifferent tone.

But these words struck Zhao Fuquan, who was standing nearby, like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

Zhao Fuquan stood behind Master Qian, and the fawning smile that had been plastered on his face instantly froze.

He'd followed Master Qian for so many years; he knew his temperament all too well.

Mr. Qian never does anything unnecessary, nor does he say anything unnecessary.

Giving someone a training manual is to cultivate their martial arts skills; sending them to a school is to learn new abilities; and having Ah Niu guide them is to arrange for a trusted confidant to lead the way.

All these things piled up together, along with the earlier mention of "managing the gambling den in the future," clearly paved the way for this kid.

No, it's not just paving the road, it's practically building steps brick by brick.

Zhao Fuquan worked tirelessly at the Heaven on Earth, from renovations to delivering invitations to opening the doors to welcome guests. He ran himself ragged and talked himself hoarse for every single thing.

He had originally thought that after this experience, Master Qian would think more highly of him, and once he gained a foothold in the Heaven and Earth nightclub, his position as manager, if not absolutely secure, would at least be moved up a notch.

But it seems that things are developing differently than he expected.

Zhao Fuquan lowered his eyelids, suppressing the soreness and unease surging in his eyes, and put on a smile again, but the smile looked somewhat fake.

......

The next day,

Qin Chuan handed the book "Iron Body" to Liu Ding, wanting to see what he thought of the technique.

After taking a quick look, Liu Ding also gave his own conclusion.

"This is an external training method."

"External training?" Qin Chuan asked, somewhat puzzled.

Seeing this, Liu Ding explained, "Martial arts techniques in this world can be broadly divided into two categories: internal training and external training. External training is easier to learn and focuses on training muscles, bones, and skin. It emphasizes 'external tempering and internal strengthening,' using techniques such as punching, grappling, and hard skills to toughen the skin and flesh and harden the bones. When you reach a high level, you become impervious to swords and spears and difficult to injure with fists and feet."

"However," Liu Ding changed the subject, "external training has a problem: it's easy to injure the body. If there's nothing good to replenish the body's losses, it's extremely easy to develop hidden injuries later on."

Qin Chuan nodded thoughtfully and asked, "What about internal training?"

"Internal cultivation is about cultivating one's vital energy." Liu Ding held up one finger. "It regulates the blood and qi, nourishes the internal organs, and emphasizes the word 'nourishment.' Once internal cultivation is successful, the blood and qi become abundant, and the older one gets, the purer one's skill becomes. However, internal cultivation requires comprehension, and it is difficult for ordinary people to even begin. Moreover, it takes at least three to five years of practice to see results."

Qin Chuan nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "So, which is more powerful, internal training or external training?"

Liu Ding chuckled, revealing a "I knew you'd ask that" expression: "Those who ask such questions are all laymen. The truly skilled ones cultivate both internal and external strengths. It's not a matter of one being better than the other; both are indispensable. If you only train the external without training the internal, you'll end up with a body full of injuries and die young; if you only train the internal without training the external, you may have enough internal energy, but your body won't be able to keep up, so it won't be of much use."

After Liu Ding finished speaking, Qin Chuan had a general understanding and asked another question: "Then, are the Returning Origin Stance and the Five Elements Twelve Forms considered external or internal cultivation?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Ding's lips curled upwards, he crossed his arms, and his tone carried an undisguised smugness.

"The method I'm teaching you is neither purely internal nor purely external; it's a proper method that combines internal and external cultivation."

"Tiger form trains bones, deer form trains tendons, bear form trains flesh, ape form trains agility, and bird form trains qi. It combines internal qi and blood circulation with external bone and muscle strengthening, training both inside and out. If you are smart enough, you can easily reach the Bone Forging Realm with just this set."

Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan looked down at the "Iron Body" manual in his hand and asked, "So I don't need to learn this?"

"This technique has its merits," Liu Ding waved his hand. "You can practice it first. After all, this external training method is easy to learn. If you can get started early, it will be of great use to you when you practice the Five Elements later."