Although the Daoist temple where Li Yuanhao lived wasn't particularly large, it was still a registered member of the National Daoist Association. He began to actively build connections within the Daoist community, visiting different temples and frequently exchanging knowledge, thus gaining opportunities to borrow and study a wide variety of Daoist texts.
It had been many years since a grandmaster of the Hua Jin (Transforming Force) stage emerged in China. If Li Yuanhao wished to break through, he had no other option but to rely on these exchanges and the accumulation of ancient knowledge.
It was said that during the Song Dynasty, there was a frail scholar named Huang Shang, who knew nothing of martial arts but became a martial arts legend solely by reading every Daoist scripture under heaven.
His own temple, while home to many precious texts, was far from comprehensive. In ancient times, accessing other temples' collections would have been nearly impossible. But in this modern era, where mindsets were more open—so long as you drank well at the dinner table—nothing was truly out of reach. After all, all Daoists were one family.
Through reading countless Daoist classics, Li Yuanhao gradually began to grasp an intuitive understanding beyond words. At the age of 41, he naturally stepped into the Hua Jin stage.
Compared to Ming Jin (Manifest Force) and An Jin (Hidden Force), Hua Jin was far more profound—signifying the mastery of using internal force to nourish the body. Practitioners at this level rarely fell ill; barring death in combat or severe injury, they could easily live beyond a hundred years, even in times of scarcity.
But Li Yuanhao was not satisfied with simply reaching Hua Jin. He yearned for greater power. After his grandfather passed away at 94, his heart grew even more determined. Whether it was martial arts or Xiantian Gong (Innate Art), he never neglected his practice. He even delved into medical research and academic papers in search of a scientific path to breakthrough.
However, perhaps the ancient texts were right—this world was no longer suited for cultivation. After reaching the peak of Hua Jin, despite exhausting every method, he could not break through. His blood vitality slowly began to wane with age. The longer he waited, the slimmer his chances.
At 65, Li Yuanhao finally made a resolute decision: he would risk everything in one final attempt. If he didn't try now, there would be no chance later. And he refused to have regrets on his path to power—even if it meant death.
He entrusted all affairs of the temple to others. At dawn, he packed a simple bag and ventured alone into the depths of Mount Zhongnan.
Though the terrain was treacherous, overgrown with vegetation and cliffs aplenty, he moved as if walking on flat ground. By the end of the day, after crossing countless ridges, he finally found a suitable cave.
The cave was halfway up a sheer cliff—likely unreachable to anything but birds. But with his internal strength flowing freely, Li Yuanhao found it easy. Even with just two fingers gripping a shallow crevice, he could support his full weight and climb with the grace of a gecko.
He entered the cave in ten minutes. It wasn't spacious—barely five meters deep—but it kept out the wind and rain. Most importantly, it was quiet. After cleaning out bird droppings and eating a simple meal, he began meditation.
He would spend the next few days adjusting his body to peak condition before launching the final assault on his bottleneck.
The stage beyond Hua Jin was known as Dan Jin (Essence Force). Reaching Dan Jin meant truly transcending the limits of ordinary human beings. One's spirit would become sharp as polished jade, able to detect dangers ahead of time—"a leaf falls, and autumn is sensed."
The body would become sensitive to even the slightest injury, and could heal itself through conscious will. Cells would gradually evolve, becoming tougher and stronger—a long and subtle transformation.
After three days of preparation, Li Yuanhao was ready. Standing at the edge of the cliff, he adopted his stance.
First came Xingyi Quan, then Bajiquan, followed by Taijiquan. He continued with Hongquan, Taizu Long Fist, Wing Chun, and many others—each style flowed from him naturally.
Though the cave was small, it did not restrict him at all. In that tight space, the air cracked with explosive sounds as his punches generated shockwaves.
Through years of practice and analysis, he had discovered that breaking through to Dan Jin required the full alignment of Essence, Qi, and Spirit. These three forces had to resonate and transform the body.
As his punches moved, his blood and Qi surged throughout his body. His internal force began penetrating deeper into his meridians. His focused spirit guided this flow, opening even the most hidden energy pathways.
A shimmering glow began circulating within his flesh. His bones were refined by internal energy, becoming denser and more resilient.
It was a treacherous process. In a world filled with spiritual energy, the ambient Qi of Heaven and Earth would normally be drawn into this process, assisting and healing.
But this was an age without ambient Qi.
Fortunately, his 60 years of uninterrupted training in Xiantian Gong now bore fruit. It gave rise to a mysterious inner force, helping him push through and mend the injuries caused by insufficient control.
Much of his success so far was thanks to Xiantian Gong.
Though the path was arduous, no major setbacks had occurred. If this continued, he might truly become the first Dan Jin Grandmaster in a hundred years.
Li Yuanhao stopped his forms and sat cross-legged, five points of his body aligned to the sky. His body now expanded and contracted rhythmically, as if even his pores were breathing.
He had entered the most critical moment.
A surge of energy radiated from his heart, expanding outward. His soul seemed to undergo a kind of spiritual metamorphosis.
But then, the crisis struck.
After all, this was a modern age of technology, utterly devoid of spiritual energy.
Even though Xiantian Gong had given him great support, its power had limits. And the final step to Dan Jin demanded a tremendous amount of energy—to break past the human limit and step into the extraordinary.