Every skill has its specialty. Sure, the Titan Spirit Method is top-tier for beefing up your body, but don’t sleep on the rest of the martial arts world. There’s always some other technique out there that can patch up your weak spots and level you up.
Ironhide Technique, Iron Arm Technique, Iron Leg Technique—these are the go-to body-hardening moves you’ll see in the martial world. Ironhead Technique? That one just sounds kinda lame, like, who’d seriously train that? It’s got a rep for being low-tier because it’s totally different from the usual martial arts path. Most folks can’t even get these moves past the beginner stage, let alone make them powerful.
Nobody really knows how you’re supposed to train those ‘Gold’ techniques, or if you need internal power to back them up. What’s clear is that the ‘Iron’ ones don’t need much. Training them is straightforward but brutal—you gotta put in some serious sweat and pain to get anywhere.
After digging through the manuals, Jill Young figured out that stuff like Ironhead Technique only needs a little internal energy once you’re way deep in, kinda like a censored version of the Titan Spirit Method. It’s only because your body runs out of juice, so you have to patch it with internal power. But if you’re naturally strong enough, you can skip the internal energy entirely.
“If you get the hang of this, your physical defense gets a solid boost,” Jill Young said, stretching out her hands. Left hand: Ironhand Technique blade style. Right hand: Iron Arm Technique. She checked both sides and nodded at her right hand, “Yup, Righty’s the winner—my Kirin Arm’s on point. Iron Arm Technique alone just makes you a tank, but if you’re a punching bag, you can still have a blast. Yeah, next time I’m bored, I’ll go mess with Old Vajra for fun…”
Honestly, if Old Vajra knew the person he fought for so many rounds was just using him as a punching bag, he’d probably lose it. If you’re just playing around, you can go at it forever. But if you’re out for the kill, you could end it in a flash. There are way too many weirdos in this world—Old Vajra’s got a long way to go before he’s the top dog.
“Ironhide Technique is useless against internal energy attacks, so martial artists always knock it as low-tier. But if you spread it in the army, it’s actually a lifesaver in battle. If you get past level six of the Iron Script Manual, regular weapons won’t bother you,” Wu Zhengfeng said, giving Ironhide Technique some props. “By the way, how far did you get?”
“I didn’t train it.”
“Wait, seriously? I figured with your style, you’d have all eight levels of Ironhide Technique down by now.”
“Doesn’t matter if I train it or not—the eighth level doesn’t do much for me. That old brute went past eight, invented a ninth, and it’s still whatever. Ironhide Technique’s just too basic for me, not enough punch. Plus, it barely boosts defense, and it can make your skin stiff and hard. You know those street performers who break iron rods and smash rocks with their heads? If you touch them, they’re all knotted up and tough as stone. I say you skip it for now—if you copy it straight, you’ll just end up like them…”
"So what if it just makes you tougher? What's the big deal?" Wu Zhengfeng shrugged, totally unconcerned—typical martial artist, never sweating the small stuff.
"You might end up with two rocks on your chest."
"Rocks?!" She glanced down at herself and suddenly realized, okay, maybe this is worth worrying about.
"If it gets worse, you'll be sporting a washboard..."
"Wash... washboard—?!" She clutched her chest and took a step back, face flushing bright red. Whatever she pictured, it clearly freaked her out.
"Anyway, the whole Iron Body thing still needs work. Needs more research, more upgrades. But!" Jill Young whipped out her trusty little notebook and started scribbling like mad. "The concept's solid, though. Super inspiring! Alright, decision made!" With a dramatic snap, she closed the notebook. "I'm going to collect every defense technique out there and invent the ultimate bodyguard skill! Tough, healthy, strong, max defense—acid-proof, fire-proof, poison-proof, virus-proof, detoxifying, anti-aging, and totally immune to radiation!"
Still worried about ozone holes and cosmic rays? Freaked out by Sudanese melamine scandals? Panicking over melanoma or swollen lymph nodes? Join the Ultimate Bodyguard Skill revolution! It's the modern remix of classic martial arts, tailored for today's society, packed with innovation and real results—wait, how did this turn into a wild infomercial?
Okay, maybe I've been brainwashed by Li [bleep]xin's best-selling self-help book. Buddha forgive me, I'm innocent!
Alright, let's get back to the story.
No One Under Heaven has been back at Misty Peak for three days now. Three days ago, Spirit Eagle Palace was packed—like a traffic jam at rush hour. All sorts of oddballs from every corner of the country, dressed in the weirdest outfits. As a free-range organization, this motley crew definitely had its share of troublemakers. The worst ones? Already taken care of. The second-string rebels are still doing hard labor, and the rest? Well, they're finally behaving.