Time flew by, quietly slipping away.
Ever since Miles Ning moved into the apartment across from Andrew Han’s, Andrew became like a massive machine running at full speed—dedicated, tireless, and unwilling to indulge in even a moment’s rest.
Even when exhausted and resting, he continued to study the Raging Downpour technique.
Round and round, Andrew Han felt as if he had returned to the days before the college entrance exam, his mind filled with nothing but martial arts practice.
Small gatherings with classmates—declined.
Going out with his parents for leisure—only two or three times, occasionally.
Even after returning home from martial arts training, he continued practicing the Solar Pillar Stance.
Once he became fully focused, once his resolve was set, once his heart was free of distractions and worldly troubles, Andrew’s martial arts progress soared at a terrifying pace.
......
First, the Raging Downpour technique.
Where once only one of every two punches carried intent, now nearly nine out of ten did. As long as Andrew threw a punch, it almost always carried intent.
Skilled use of the technique greatly boosted Andrew’s strength.
If he were to face a First Rank fighter like Lian Bu again, he could probably defeat him with a single punch.
......
Next, his progress toward Second Rank.
The strength and qi within his body gradually filled him, making Andrew feel solid and grounded—a sense that he was close to reaching the peak of Second Rank.
As for his internal strength, it was already beyond measure.
Andrew once visited the Honglu Martial Arts Hall, and with just a bit of his internal strength, he unleashed a terrifying force of nearly two thousand jin. If he went all out, the result would be unimaginable.
......
Finally, there was his mindset and perspective.
Andrew Han grew increasingly aware that his greatest asset at present was his martial prowess.
If not for his initial success in martial arts, and having Miles Ning as his master, he would never have qualified to add Liang Gao'an on WeChat, nor would Dong Quhan have gone out of his way to help his father, Han Wenzhi, with business matters.
As for social interactions, he need not worry or feel conflicted.
As long as he became strong enough, it wouldn't matter how many favors he owed, for eventually he would possess extraordinary martial might to match them. Besides, living in modern society, it's impossible to avoid communicating with others—he couldn't cut off all ties just for martial training and live in isolation.
——
Late July, the height of summer.
Chirp-chatter.
In the early morning, birds circled above the trees in the residential complex, occasionally letting out a couple of cries to announce the coming of dawn.
In the tidy, orderly neighborhood, residents occasionally rose for morning exercise or rushed off to work, while two or three cars started up and drove out of the complex one after another.
The Han family’s bedroom.
Huff.
Huff.
The slightly heavy breathing, thick and powerful, belonged to Andrew Han as he maintained the Complete Solar Pillar Manual stance.
His eyes, clear and bright, were even more transparent than before, like a piece of polished jade—filled with unwavering conviction. In contrast, his face was slick with sweat, clearly pushed to the limit.
Practicing the Solar Pillar stance for so long, Andrew could barely hold on.
Huff!
Andrew released the stance, slowly exhaling a breath like a powerful stream of air. Though his posture was weary, his eyes shone with a fierce light: "Nearly three hours of standing practice—good results. Soon, I'll spar with Master Ning, then head out with Vincent Wen to that private collection."
Recently, his life had become quite regular.
It was essentially made up of three indispensable parts: mastering familiar techniques, seeking out Graywhite Aura, and practicing the Complete Solar Pillar Manual—these filled every moment.
Click.