madnovel Chapter 12 Tathagata Boxing Sutra
Chapter 12 Tathagata Boxing Sutra
Lin Qing was startled. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed a boxing manual.
"The art of boxing is not about brute force, but about the movement of qi. Qi is not merely breath, but the manifestation of the mind. The Tathagata's Boxing Manual uses boxing to convey the Way and Buddhism to illuminate the mind..."
"This is not a weapon for attack, but a vessel for salvation. The fist rises like an autumn breeze rustling willows, the fist falls like the moon reflected in an autumn pool..."
Lin Qing quickly scanned the statue and was certain that it was the one Yin Muhua was looking for.
He moved the Buddha statue into the woodshed, then went out to buy paper and pen, and quickly copied the boxing manual onto the paper.
As the temperature dropped, the inscriptions on the Buddha statues became blurred, so Lin Qing burned them several times until the copying was completed.
A new martial art, Tathagata Fist Manual (incomplete), immediately appeared on the panel.
Lin Qing buried the Buddha statue back into the ground and then began to study it carefully.
It took him a full three hours to figure out what was going on.
"The Tathagata Boxing Manual is known as the number one boxing manual of the time. It is divided into training methods and fighting methods. This manual only contains the fighting methods, so it is incomplete."
"There are a total of 81 punches, and the first punch alone has 72 variations, which is extremely complicated."
"Its fist style is domineering and fierce, capable of breaking tendons and bones. If one masters the Tathagata's power, the punch will be like the rising sun, revealing all evil spirits, and melting away like ice and snow."
Lin Qing was overjoyed after reading it; judging from the description, this fist technique was truly powerful.
"It's a pity that there's only fighting technique, not training method. If there were a training method, one could develop the Tathagata's Power."
"However, it's good to have a contest of skills."
Lin Qing thought it over and decided to start practicing tonight.
Before leaving home, Lin Qing gave instructions to his parents.
"Father, Mother, close the general store first. There are some evil people causing trouble recently. Let's lay low for a while."
"I understand, Aqing, you don't need to worry about this," Han Ying said.
"Ah Qing, what's the background of that Buddha statue?" Lin Cheng asked, puzzled.
"Father, don't ask about this anymore. It will bring you death. Never touch a Buddha statue like this again," Lin Qing said solemnly.
"Don't worry, I definitely won't touch it!" Lin Cheng nodded, his expression serious, realizing the importance of the matter.
Lin Qing went out, pondering that this Buddha statue could never be exposed. Even if he handed it over now, it would cause a lot of trouble because it involved too many things.
...
into the night.
The small courtyard of the Craftsman's Office.
After everyone else had fallen asleep, Lin Qing went out and found a secluded corner to practice his first punch.
His posture was crooked and he adjusted it repeatedly, taking a full hour to finally figure out the first change.
"This is too difficult. Is this the pinnacle of boxing? The first form alone has so many variations. Mastering all 72 forms is no less than learning another martial art of the same quality as the Eight Strikes of the Serpent."
"And this is only the first move. To get started, you need to master all 81 moves, which is equivalent to mastering all 81 of the Eight Strikes of the Serpent."
"It would take an ordinary person at least 5 to 10 years to master an ordinary martial art. Even if you didn't eat or drink, you still couldn't master it."
"As expected of a top-tier boxing technique, even if an ordinary person obtains the secret manual, they still cannot master it."
Lin Qing sighed.
"Alright, let's practice for now. I have the Record of Rebirth, and I'll have the opportunity to improve my martial arts talent in the future. I'm not afraid of not being able to master it," Lin Qing thought to himself.
He decided to dedicate one hour each night to practicing this boxing style.
He has the Record of Rebirth, so he's almost certain to pass the assessment in May. It won't matter if he practices the Eight Strikes of the Serpent for an hour less.
...
The next morning.
Lin Qing got up, but for the first time in a long time, he felt somewhat tired.
He frowned: "Could it be because I practice the Tathagata Fist Sutra?"
"The intensity of the Tathagata Fist Manual is too great; my body can't handle it. It seems I need to reduce my practice time."
"If there were sufficient tonics to replenish qi and blood, it wouldn't be so difficult."
Ultimately, it all comes down to a lack of money.
...
During the Longdong season, heavy snow fell from the sky, as if a spring breeze had blown overnight, and thousands of pear trees were in bloom.
The streets were deserted, with only a few vendors hurrying along, heads down.
The Yin Yuan Sect's evil deeds caused chaos, like a dark cloud hanging over the people, so much so that no household dared to go out during the day.
In a teahouse at the intersection of Changping Street, several elderly men were drinking tea and chatting.
"Have you heard? Many people died at the Siping pawnshop yesterday. I heard it was a fight between the constables and the Yin Yuan Sect sorcerers. It was a very fierce fight."
"When will these monsters finally die out completely?"
"Alas, Heaven has eyes, please take them away quickly."
...
outside the city.
In that abandoned ancient temple, Yin Muhua leaned against a mottled old wall, his eyes sinister and his face pale.
"My lord, breaking news! The Left Deputy Envoy has been captured. It was Cheng Yannian who personally carried out the operation." A man in black strode into the temple and said in a low voice.
"Cough cough, Cheng Yannian, one day I will grind you to dust!" Yin Muhua's voice was hoarse.
"Sir, what's wrong with your injury?" The man in black's gaze fell on Yin Muhua's left arm, where he saw that the arm was twisted and deformed, with white bone fragments piercing the flesh and blood dripping from it.
"This is all thanks to that old devil Cheng Yannian." Yin Muhua stood up. "We can't stay here any longer. This old woman is seriously injured and needs to rest for a while. You all continue searching for that wooden statue, but don't take action unless absolutely necessary."
"Yes."
...
Time flies, and March is here in the blink of an eye.
Under the moonlight.
Lin Qing is practicing the Eight Strikes of the Serpent again.
Whoohoo!
Lin Qing dodged and weaved, unleashing punches and kicks in rapid succession, creating a whistling wind. Each punch was powerful and fierce, accompanied by a buzzing sound.
From the first punch to the eighth punch, every move he made was extremely precise, and the transitions between them were smooth and fluid, like flowing water, without the slightest pause or awkwardness.
At one point, he threw a punch, and the skill proficiency of "Eight Strikes of the Serpent" on the panel increased to 40%, moving him from beginner to expert.
"I've mastered it!"
Lin Qing murmured, a hint of joy appearing in his eyes.
At this moment, his physique was undergoing a dramatic change. That wisp of blood and qi rapidly grew stronger, flowing throughout his body and causing his physique to transform.
He closed his eyes slightly and could feel his strength slowly increasing; his skin, muscles, and bones seemed to be getting stronger.
After about fifteen minutes, the transformation was complete. Lin Qing opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of fresh air.
"There's no need for the Record of Rebirth now; I'm already a mid-stage Ming Jin martial artist."
As Lin Qing spoke, he reached out and grabbed the stone millstone next to him, then exerted force and lifted it up easily.
"Not bad, now my single-arm strength is at least 1,500 jin," Lin Qing thought to himself.
This feeling made him feel very at ease. Although the Rebirth Record could grant him the power of a martial artist at the late stage of Ming Jin for an instant, once he replaced the martial art in his equipment slot, this power would disappear, and he would become an ordinary person again.
Now, this immense power is entirely his; it is the power that truly belongs to him.
"The next step, in terms of technique, is to be able to freely disassemble and combine each move, and still maintain a smooth and natural flow. This is what constitutes a minor level of mastery."
"With records of rebirth in the Pure Land, achieving a minor success in two months is not a difficult task."
Lin Qing was full of confidence. The reason he spent three months going from beginner to expert was because he devoted some time to practicing the Tathagata Fist Manual, and now he has mastered the 11th variation.
Although it's slow, once you learn it, the benefits are huge, so he certainly can't give up.
"Lin Qing, come here!"
Just as he was pondering this, Shen Lian's voice drifted from the north room.
Lin Qing hurried over, pushed open the door and entered. Shen Lian was sitting lazily in a chair, looking Lin Qing up and down.
"Tsk tsk, you've gotten even stronger. Looks like you've mastered it."
"I couldn't hide it from you, sir. I just reached the master level," Lin Qing said respectfully.
"Mastering it in three months, not bad! I've observed your diligent practice day and night; you deserve a reward!"
Shen Lian reached into the cabinet next to her and pulled out three bottles of Qi-boosting pills, then slammed them onto the table.