Chapter 35: Roasting Chicken by Hand, What a Sin

Xu Yan stood on the hillside, practicing according to the insights he had gained. The ground was pockmarked with craters, one after another, until deep into the night when his energy and blood were significantly depleted, and he felt exhausted. Only then did he return to the village, still feeling unsatisfied.

The next morning, Xu Yan was full of energy and came back to the hillside to continue his training.

Boom!

A palm strike sent soil flying three meters away, creating a crater.

"The power has increased. My insights are correct, but I'm still at the surface level. I can still enhance my palm strength further."

Xu Yan looked at the crater on the ground, feeling extremely excited.

This palm strike was already twice as powerful as before he started practicing the Dragon Subduing Palm.

Finally, he had moved beyond relying solely on brute strength for combat.

...

"Let's see how my foolish disciple is doing with his training."

Li Xuan walked over with a leisurely pace.

"Master!"

Xu Yan hurriedly bowed respectfully.

"Hmm."

Li Xuan glanced at the various craters on the ground, all created by Xu Yan during his training.

He was instantly pleased: "He must have gained some insights. Judging by the power of these craters, they are no longer the result of brute strength. Although he hasn't yet mastered the Dragon Subduing Palm, with time, he will surely succeed."

"Master, I have gained some insights."

Xu Yan said, raising his hand and striking the ground with a loud boom, creating a hole.

Li Xuan's face remained calm, but he was inwardly amazed: "This disciple's comprehension is truly remarkable. He has understood how to channel his energy and blood in a certain way to greatly increase his power."

"Is he comprehending the first line of the incantation?"

He then said, "Your ability to gain insights shows that you have a talent for practicing the Dragon Subduing Palm. However, you must always remember that your enemy won't give you time to gather your strength. You need to be able to strike at will."

"You will only be considered to have entered the initial stage of the Dragon Subduing Palm when you can form a dragon-shaped palm force."

"Stay calm and focused, and practice more, and gain more insights."

Xu Yan was taken aback: "Yes, every time I strike, there is a brief moment of gathering strength, even though it is very short. In a battle between strong opponents, the difference between life and death can be a matter of an instant."

"My direction of comprehension is correct, but it is not deep enough. I need to continue to work hard."

He bowed respectfully and said, "Disciple, thank you for your guidance, Master!"

"Hmm."

Li Xuan nodded and turned to leave with a leisurely pace.

He couldn't stay too long or give random advice, or he might be stumped by his disciple's questions, which would be embarrassing!

So, after checking on Xu Yan's progress, Li Xuan turned and left.

...

In the following days, Xu Yan practiced the Dragon Subduing Palm in the morning, and in the afternoon, he practiced movement techniques in the Bagua diagram.

In the evening, he cultivated his energy and blood to enhance his strength.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

On the hillside, the ground was dotted with numerous craters, and Xu Yan's practice of the Dragon Subduing Palm had made significant progress.

He could now strike with his mind, and the palm force would come out swiftly and at will.

Now, when he struck, the palm force, formed by his energy and blood, was like a stream as thick as a calf's leg, hitting the ground with great speed and power.

Moreover, the palm force was extremely yang and powerful.

The power had increased more than three times compared to before he started practicing.

However, he still hadn't formed a dragon-shaped palm force. What he produced was just a stream of energy and blood, even though its power had increased more than three times.

He still hadn't mastered the Dragon Subduing Palm.

At this moment, Xu Yan was contemplating the incantation of the Dragon Subduing Palm and summarizing his insights from the past half month.

"How do I form a dragon-shaped palm force? Why must it be in the shape of a dragon?"

"How can I enter the initial stage of the Dragon Subduing Palm?"

Xu Yan fell into deep thought.

In his mind, an image of a true dragon appeared.

His energy and blood circulated, and a stream of energy and blood surged from his palm. Under his control, the energy and blood gradually took on a dragon-like shape.

However, it ultimately formed a snake-like stream of energy and blood, far from the shape of a dragon.

"I understand. Forming a dragon shape is about controlling one's energy and blood. Only by improving the control of energy and blood can I form a dragon shape."

"If I can form a dragon-shaped palm force that is indistinguishable from a true dragon, perhaps that is the mastery of the Dragon Subduing Palm."

"At this stage, what I need to do is form a dragon shape, with horns, whiskers, and claws..."

With a clear direction, Xu Yan began to focus on forming a dragon shape with his energy and blood.

However, each time he formed a horn, he couldn't form the claws, and his energy and blood would collapse uncontrollably.

Xu Yan realized that to form a dragon-shaped palm force, he first needed to enhance his control over his energy and blood, which was also a requirement for entering the initial stage of the Dragon Subduing Palm.

"Entering the initial stage of the Dragon Subduing Palm will make my palm force even more powerful, and I will be able to control its strength at will, rather than being unable to control it as I am now."

After understanding the key to practicing the Dragon Subduing Palm, Xu Yan began to try to improve his control over his energy and blood.

Three days later, although he had made some progress in controlling his energy and blood, he was still far from forming a dragon-shaped palm force.

"Master, how can I improve my control over my energy and blood?"

Xu Yan couldn't help but ask during a meal break.

Li Xuan's hand paused for a moment. How to improve control over energy and blood?

How would I know?

Of course, as a master, he couldn't answer like that.

He glanced at the chicken leg in his bowl and had an idea. He said, "Disciple, your understanding of the importance of controlling energy and blood shows that you have reached a bottleneck."

"How to improve control? Use every bit of energy and blood to its fullest, and control it at will."

"You can try roasting meat with your energy and blood."

Li Xuan tore a piece of meat from his leg and said while eating, "Roasting meat by hand is a great skill. Using your energy and blood to cook the meat requires a high level of control over your energy and blood."

"Roasting it to be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside is not easy."

"See this chicken leg?"

Li Xuan tore the remaining chicken leg and put it in his bowl, continuing, "When you can roast a chicken leg with your hand, and the meat outside the chicken leg remains raw, your control over your energy and blood will be considered adequate."

Xu Yan listened thoughtfully, inwardly marveling: "So, cultivation is actually in the details of life. I still have a long way to go. Master's realm is too high."

"Why didn't I think of this?"

He stopped eating and said, "Master, I understand!"

"Good to hear!"

Li Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

Xu Yan excitedly ran to the chicken coop, caught a chicken, and skillfully plucked and slaughtered it, then placed it on his palm.

His energy and blood surged, instantly enveloping the chicken.

Sizzling sounds filled the air, and just as the meat started to smell good, when he retracted his energy and blood, the chicken on his hand was charred black.

It was inedible.

Xu Yan scratched his head, summarizing his experience, and caught another chicken, plucked and slaughtered it, and placed it on his palm to roast with his energy and blood.

He charred another chicken.

After finishing his meal, Li Xuan took a leisurely walk around the village and saw several charred chickens scattered on the ground where Xu Yan was standing, and he was roasting another freshly slaughtered chicken.

"What a sin!"

Li Xuan's lips twitched. In such a short time, he had already ruined over a dozen chickens. If he didn't stop him, all the chickens would be gone by tomorrow!