Wu Guang returned to the training area when the sun was on its zenith and after leaving the things he had bought on his way he decided to try something that crossed his mind during one of his Tai Chi routines. This was "If the circulation technique from the set can be used in combination or fused with any technique, can I actually infuse qi into Tai Chi or basic movements? On Earth, although there was no cultivation most of the martial arts indeed had the concept of qi, so I don't see why I could not be able to".
This thought of his was actually something that appeared while he was thinking about the possibility of entering the 7th level of the Body realm before reaching the sect. The 7th and 8th levels were similar to the previous two, one being the tempering of the muscles and the latter the tempering of the skin. Although it was the same concept, the manner to reach it was different. For the organs and bones, one only had to infuse them with qi to provoke the changes, but the following ones needed practice with martial techniques and application of medicine respectively.
Normally a cultivator to enter the 7th level would need to practice one or several techniques and infusing qi using his circulation one into each of the relevant muscles while at it. The techniques used for this were usable without cultivation and therefore compatible with any circulation technique and normally any sect or professional military would give them out to new disciples or soldiers.
Entering the level without being part of them was possible, but almost no common martial art used all of the muscles relevant to cultivation, so reaching the peak would be a matter of what art one practiced.
He could actually try to simplify techniques from his memories as Bai Qi, but even for him, it would take several days if not weeks to do it to a non-qi level, especially as he needed a full set of them.
This was actually one of the main problems he had thought about several times during the last days, he had no techniques usable under the Earth realm. And the worst was that the ones that he practiced during his immortal life to perfection were only intended for Sky or Divine realm cultivators. So right now he could only resort to simpler techniques or learn whatever he could.
After facing the problem from several angles, he decided that he would not spend the time to simplify them and will just reach the Earth realm by learning from the natives. A point that also surfaced in his mind and strengthened his decision of trying to learn whatever he could, even if it would be not usable later was the cryptic information accompanying the 'Master of Everything, Ruler of Nothing' that mentioned that anything learned would strengthen it.
After the time all this floated in his mind he wasn't standing still, he actually moved to the center of the sanded training area and after reaching one of the simple punches in his normal routine willed a small amount of qi to internally follow the movement. Although no results were achieved, he somehow felt that he was on the right track.
Completing his basic 24 forms, he changed his posture and started a different set. This set was far more martial-like, with several punches and kicks included in the 67 different forms.
This time he actually controlled the qi during every movement. Sensing that something was slightly changing, he repeated the set several times at the same slow speed and then started quickening it. When he reached a speed thrice as the one he had started with a clicking sound inside his mind was heard.
Completing the set to the end, he stopped and closed his eyes sensed inside his body.
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Almost half of the qi that circulated inside was expended, but some of the muscles in his body were glowing very slightly, confirming that they had integrated a small amount of qi.
"I have successfully made my first step into the 7th level" He quietly muttered. Then he continued inside his head "It seems that one can actually use any movement. Even if it's not a combat one while using the 'Everchanging Path, Everchanging Flow' to infuse qi. Although the results will be quicker with the relevant methods. Judging from this, I should be able to use my weapons to strengthen the muscles and slowly advance the 7th level, killing two birds with one stone".
With this discovery made, thought about trying fusing the body strengthening technique with his movements appeared. He tried it several times until the coordination between the movement, mantra, and qi was perfect and the slight glow became at least twice brighter and slightly expanded. "It seems that the mantra relevant to the muscles does not only improves the result but also uses some qi to strengthen the muscles around the ones I use" This last part actually surprised Wu Guang greatly, as this meant that he would have to use fewer techniques in total, quickening his pace considerably.
Stopping after discovering that he would be able to reach the peak of the 7th realm quicker and with less effort than he thought, he started recovering the expended qi while waiting for the weapons to arrive. During the breathing and circulation that followed to recover the qi, he briefly recalled the fact that the thought leading to this important discovery appeared in his mind without him thinking about it at all as if it was already there, but after scanning his mind he found out that it was now included as part of the cultivation set. Information appearing all of the sudden would probably scare most people. But not Wu Guang, as he had considered before that something as a unique set should be unique in everything. And if it wasn't there when the set appeared initially, it should appear later. So this actually was something expected.
Wu Guang recovered and assimilated the qi quickly, but did not stand up and in place started scanning his body, searching for the wood essence he has started to naturally feel lately, a sure sign of his resonance with it. Elemental essences did not disperse inside a person's body, but without a fully developed circulation system to move and a dantian to store them, they would actually move around wildly. In his case, the essence entered his body while he had zero cultivation, so after using its liquid form to cure him of the injuries the true essence started moving. Wu Guang had located it before thanks to his consciousness, but had no manner of using it and decided to use it when he entered the 8th level of the Body. His decision did not change, but now that he advanced enough he wanted to make the essence enter his circulation.
This would not only limit its movements but also should somewhat improve his pathways and meridians.
Completing his objective he opened his eyes. An unknown amount of time had passed, but the sun was still seen in the sky, so he calculated that there were at least a pair of hours before dinner. Looking towards the lake, he saw Li Xia accompanied by a pair of porters walking towards the training area led by a manor guard.
He stood up and after dusting himself started walking to meet them. The guard was the first to approach and after saluting reported that his weapons arrived.
Wu Guang indicated to the porters that they could leave the bundle that each carried near the north side of the training ground, where a small storage building was seen turned to Li Xia
"Miss Li, I suppose that everything went well?"