Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

Li Xiuyuan barely opened his eyes, looked at the withered old man beside him, opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

When the old man saw Li Xiuyuan wake up, tears streamed down his face. He repeatedly clasped his hands together and kowtowed to the heavens, saying, "If the masters and mistresses are watching over us from heaven, please bless the young master so that he has finally woken up!"

Li Xiuyuan was extremely weak and his stomach was completely empty. Fortunately, after the old man kowtowed, he immediately brought Li Xiuyuan some hot water that he had prepared in advance and fed it to him. While feeding Li Xiuyuan the water, he shed tears and said, "Our young master has never suffered such a great injustice. If the master and madam were still here and saw you suffering such a great injustice, they would be heartbroken. It is all because this old servant is incompetent. This old servant only left you a piece of steamed bun. Please make do with this to fill your stomach."

Li Xiuyuan watched as the old man crumbled the cold steamed bun into small pieces, soaked them in hot water, and fed them to him. He was filled with mixed emotions, never imagining that he would one day fall to such a state.

A single steamed bun was far from enough to satisfy Li Xiuyuan's hunger, but there was no more food available. Li Xiuyuan could only drink more water and gradually regained some energy. After persuading the elderly person who was taking care of him to rest, Li Xiuyuan leaned against the stone by the door and looked at the endless starry sky above, trying to sort out his thoughts.

The previous memories were like a dream. I was fighting with Yang Jian for the Lotus Lantern. I finally got the Heaven-Opening Axe and the Lotus Lantern. I was about to split Mount Hua and rescue the Third Holy Mother when I was absorbed by the Lotus Lantern and appeared in this extremely unfamiliar world. Moreover, even the system was out of contact. What kind of crazy operation is this?

In the normal storyline, every new world should be accompanied by a cheat system. Why is it that when I arrived in this strange world, I not only didn't have a cheat system, but my background was also so tragic?

The original owner's name was the same as his own, and he was originally a young master of a large family. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, was pampered, and had a bright future. However, on a dark and windy night, he was attacked by men in black.

In an instant, the entire family perished without a trace, blood was everywhere, and wails filled the air. They watched helplessly as their loved ones died one by one before their eyes. Only their loyal old servant, risking his life, secretly hid the young child in a dilapidated dog hole, thus saving his life.

The old servant, who had just fed Li Xiuyuan water, was planning to take Li Xiuyuan south to find her aunt who was married to the current Prince Qi, who was second only to the emperor. However, they were robbed by bandits and sold to the border region as laborers.

Every night, the original owner would dream of her entire family being murdered, with blood everywhere and the cries, pleas for mercy, and laughter of men in black all around her! How could the original owner not fall ill under such oppressive pain and endless labor?

Unexpectedly, he replaced the original owner by such a coincidence. Li Xiuyuan clutched his pounding heart and whispered, "Go in peace. I will live well in your place and fulfill your wishes. I will give your whole family a satisfactory answer. I will definitely find the mastermind behind this and bring them to justice!"

Whether it was Li Xiuyuan's imagination or not, after he finished speaking, a gentle breeze blew by, and the stars in the sky seemed to shine even brighter.

Li Xiuyuan has always believed in making the best of a situation. Now that he has a direction, he doesn't care how bumpy the road ahead may be. After all, he is Li Xiuyuan!

Unfortunately, I am still extremely weak, and the meridians in my body are blocked, as if they are being suppressed, making it impossible for me to circulate my energy smoothly.

It seems I'll have to keep my head down and play the victim for now, and figure out a way to break free of the restrictions that are pressing down on me later.

Chapter 1190 Understanding the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms

The system told me, "Master, as long as you improve your cultivation level and accumulate merit, you can learn the palm techniques that follow the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms."

I said to the system, "System, how can I improve my cultivation level and accumulate the merits you mentioned?"

The system told me, "Your cultivation level needs to be improved through your own efforts, while your merits come from saving people. The more people you save, the more merits you will gain."

Upon hearing the system's words, I subconsciously clenched my fist, vowing that I must strive to improve my cultivation level and accumulate merit so that I could return to my hometown as soon as possible.

I then asked the system, "Does cultivating the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms require any special conditions or treasures?"

The system told me, "Master, the first nine levels of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms do not require special conditions or treasures to cultivate, but the last nine levels require true dragon blood as a catalyst."

After listening to the system's words, I said to it, "Where can we find true dragon blood? Besides, there don't seem to be any dragons in this world."

The system smiled and said to me, "Master, what you should be thinking about now is not what you should be thinking about. What you should be thinking about now is how to cultivate the first nine levels to perfection. As for the True Dragon Blood, you don't need to worry about it. When you reach a certain level, you will get the True Dragon Blood you mentioned."

Hearing the system's words, I felt relieved.

Then I heard the system say to me again: "Master, you must immediately learn the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms to raise your level to Fighter."

The cultivation levels in this world are: Fighter, Fighting Master, Great Fighting Master, Fighting Spirit, Fighting King, Fighting Emperor, Fighting Sect Master, Fighting Venerable, Fighting Saint, and Fighting Emperor.

After hearing the system's words, I said, "I don't even have battle qi, how can I cultivate?" At this moment, the system said to me, "Master, don't worry, the system will change your physical constitution and allow you to possess battle qi."

I said to the system, "Is that really true? That's great! I'll start cultivating right away, but how do I cultivate?"

The system said, "Master, don't worry. Just relax your body and open your mind. You can leave this to me."

I looked completely bewildered and said to the system, "In that case, hurry up and get started."

As soon as I finished speaking, I saw a bunch of strange symbols around me, slowly rising into the air and merging with me. Watching all this, I couldn't help but ask the system, "What kind of being are you? Is it really as you say, that you're just a system and not a person?"

The system then said to me, "You could say I am both a system and a person. You will understand this once you reach a certain level of cultivation."

I said, "Okay, but the system is really mysterious."

At this moment, the system said to me, "Alright, it's ready. You can start practicing the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms now."

I said to the system, "System, could you explain the moves after the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms to me, so that I can feel more confident after learning them?"

The system said to me somewhat impatiently, "Alright, I'll just give you a general overview of all the moves in the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms."

The first move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – The Dragon Regrets:

The move involves slightly bending the left leg, bending the right arm inward, drawing a circle with the right palm, and then pushing it outward with a "whoosh".

The second move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Flying Dragon in the Sky:

This move requires the user to leap into the air and strike from above to unleash its immense power. It necessitates the use of light-footed jumping techniques to deliver a devastating blow from above, making it a highly skill-based martial art.

The third move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Dragon Fights in the Wild (Dragon Fighting in the Wild):

This is a very profound skill from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. Both the left arm and the right palm can be used in a combination of feints and real attacks, without being restricted to one method. By using techniques that combine feints and real attacks, and yin and yang, to confuse the opponent, one can take advantage of the opening and strike. It is a strategy of luring the enemy.

The fourth move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Hidden Dragon, Do Not Use:

The right hand bends its index and middle fingers, forming a half-fist, half-palm, and strikes at the enemy's chest, while the left hand simultaneously hooks inward, pushing with the right and hooking with the left, making it difficult for the enemy to dodge. This is a pincer attack, leaving the enemy nowhere to hide and completely under one's control.

The fifth and sixth forms of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – "Crossing Great Rivers, Gradually Landing on Land":

These two moves are technical techniques used to force the enemy back, with the aim of preventing the enemy from getting close in order to protect oneself.

The seventh and eighth moves of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – sudden and shocking for miles around:

These two techniques are desperate moves used in close-quarters combat, and their power is self-evident.

The Ninth Form of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Leaping from the Abyss:

Before executing this move, one must first gather one's breath, then transform that breath into a palm strike. The left palm extends forward, while the right palm swiftly thrusts out from under the left, striking directly at the opponent's lower abdomen. It is a powerful and direct offensive technique.

The tenth move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Dragon Tail Swing:

This is the ultimate life-saving move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. The reaction force generated by any living thing when its survival is threatened is extraordinary.

The eleventh move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Fish Leaping from the Abyss:

This move is a self-defense technique used in confined spaces; it may be used to buffer against a skilled opponent's relentless attacks.

The twelfth move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – The Dragon Appears in the Field:

This move is a strategy for turning defense into offense. When the wrist is grabbed, this move allows you to flip the wrist and strike the enemy's shoulder with a heavy and fast palm strike. It is a method for turning defense into offense.

The thirteenth move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Two Dragons Taking Water:

This technique, which attacks the enemy from below, is the opposite of the "Flying Dragon in the Sky" strategy, and is a way to win from defeat.

The fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth forms of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms—Riding the Six Dragons, Dense Clouds Without Rain, Loss Leads to Trust:

These three moves are the most "spectacular" of the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" techniques. Not only are they reliable in actual combat, but their postures are also undoubtedly excellent.

The Seventeenth Form of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Treading on Frost Leads to Ice:

This move requires "taking a breath, slightly raising both elbows, and striking with the right fist and left palm, one fast and one slow." The palm technique combines hardness and softness, positive and negative, making it incredibly versatile. It is one of the more subtle techniques in the "Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms."

The Eighteenth Form of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Pushing the Sheep Against the Fence:

This move is a technique derived from the Body Technique. It aims to combine the internal energy of the palm with the weight of the entire body, using rapid footwork to leave the enemy with no way to dodge or shoot. Its posture is like a sheep that has been provoked, desperately trying to break out of the fence. Its power is quite astonishing.

Chapter 1191 Cultivating the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms

After listening to the system's introduction to the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, I became even more eager to learn all of them. However, I could only learn the first two moves. It seems I can only learn them step by step.

After thinking it over, I began my cultivation, practicing the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. Suddenly, the little man appeared in my mind again, saying, "Sink your Qi to the Dantian, unify your primordial spirit, and guide the dragon into your body."

I did as the little man instructed, and suddenly two golden dragons flew out of the sky and flew towards me. I was terrified and quickly backed away.

After seeing this, the system said to me, "Don't back down, bravely face him. If you retreat now, you will never learn the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms."

I listened to the system's words, gritted my teeth, took a step forward, and thought to myself, "At worst, I'll be a hero again in 18 years."

At that moment, I saw two golden dragons quickly enter my body, and the pain from my body instantly made me collapse.

The system said, "Hold on, don't faint, or all your efforts will be in vain."

I listened to the system's words: "Try to stay awake. When I was about to give up, I suddenly remembered my mother and father on Earth. They were still waiting for me over there."

Just then, a mysterious power erupted from within me, instantly waking me up.

But the pain didn't stop, and I endured it for a whole month.

A month later, a roar came from the cave. That was mine. After a month of endurance, I finally succeeded. But before I could experience the joy of success, I fainted. The reason was that I had not eaten for a month, which caused my body to become weak and dehydrated.

When I woke up again, it was the next day, and I was still standing at the bottom of the cliff.

I said, "I had a really strange dream. At noon, I met a system that gave me fighting spirit. Then it took me to the first two levels of the legendary Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. Is that real?"

Then a voice in my head said to me, "Yes, you succeeded."

I was startled by the voice and said, "Are you the system? Am I dreaming? Is this real?" The system's voice rang out again, saying, "Yes, it is real. It's not a dream."

I shouted excitedly, and the shout almost made me faint again. I said, "No, I have to go find something to eat right now, or I'm really going to die."

But after picking some wild fruits on the nearby mountain to fill my stomach, I casually chopped a few bundles of firewood and returned to my lodging.

When I returned to the door, I ran into Li Wei.

Li Wei said to me, "Oh, okay, Li Xiuchen, where have you been all day? Grandpa thought you were missing and made me look for you. So, I'm going to go up the mountain to look for you."

I quickly said to Li Wei, "Weiwei, I'm so sorry to have startled you. It's nothing, I just got tired from chopping wood and took a nap, and accidentally slept until now."

After hearing this, Li Wei said, "Oh, you took a nap? You're really something. Since you like sleeping outside so much, then don't drive back in the future."

I said, "No, Weiwei, I was wrong, okay?"

Li Wei said to me, "I'll forgive you this time. By the way, Grandpa told you to go see him after you get back. I have a feeling you're going to get scolded by him again."