This was understandable. Everyone had personal motives. No one wanted to offer their hard-earned cultivation techniques for free. It was only natural.

"If you were in that position, would you willingly share the secrets of your cultivation with the entire nation?" Shao Qi asked casually, not expecting Zhou You to contemplate it seriously. "Sharing is possible, but can't we charge a fee for it? After all, it's a matter of intellectual property, isn't it?" Although it wasn't his intellectual property, the items were now in his possession. He had the final say and earning some points from it wasn't excessive.

Shao Qi gazed at him in a daze and murmured to himself, "Why didn't I think of this approach?" Those who held the secrets of the techniques simply wanted fame and fortune. After all, this era wasn't like the ancient times with limited information. Progress could only occur through shared resources and shared knowledge.

Within just half an hour, over half of the martial practitioners on the square had fallen, leaving only a handful standing. The three instructors were so exasperated that they had no energy left to scold.

"Get up! No slacking off. If you can't handle this level of difficulty, how can you become warriors? You're dreaming!"

Miai, brimming with courage, raised her hand to ask, "Teacher, we're all ordinary people without any foundation. You've imposed such intensive training from the start. We won't be able to endure it!"

"Silence! Only by surpassing your limits can you tap into your potential. If you seek shortcuts, you must continually challenge your boundaries. If you're afraid of hardship and death, then don't bother learning!"

Shao Qi opened the car door for Zhou You and chuckled, "It's our turn to take the stage. It's time to offer them some moral support."

Only now did Zhou You understand Shao Qi's reason for targeting followers of the Heavenly Deity Sect. People with faith were the easiest to control. Shao Qi had conveniently taken advantage of this.

Shao Qi and Zhou You entered the square one after the other. Upon seeing them, everyone's eyes lit up. Even those still on the ground struggled to rise. Even if they had just a breath left, they intended to stand and listen to the sacred teachings.

Shao Qi exchanged a glance with the three instructors. In their subordinates' eyes, they could perceive their helplessness and lack of understanding. Smiling, Shao Qi addressed everyone, "You've all worked hard. The radiant sun shines upon the earth, and the Heavenly Deity watches over you all. Aware of your martial training hardships, he has prepared some body-strengthening elixirs to help you quickly recover your strength. Whoever perseveres till the end can receive one of these elixirs."

Why did people have faith in the Heavenly Deity? It boiled down to having desires they couldn't fulfill on their own, leading them to place their hopes in divine beings.

Some individuals still needed to work during the day and were worried about their physical condition affecting their job performance. However, the Heavenly Deity had taken note of their concerns, offering a solution.

Stepping forward, Zhou You said, "I'll teach you a breathing technique that enhances physical well-being. It will also accelerate your training progress."

"Your Excellency, are you really providing us with this crucial technique for free?" someone voiced skepticism.

"It's not some profound martial art. Within my Heavenly Sect, these martial art manuals are merely the most basic. Anyone can learn them, but whether one can truly comprehend them depends on their own aptitude," Zhou You explained. He not only taught them the breathing technique but also demonstrated the content the three instructors had just taught.

"Carefully observe the rules in each move and form. Coordinate with your breath. Let the spiritual energy flow from the outside to the inside, gradually altering the body. This is likely why martial training is suited for this era. So, don't solely focus on enhancing your physical muscles. Utilize the spiritual energy to refine the internal tendons and channels. This way, you can achieve twice the results with half the effort."

Everyone attentively surveyed their surroundings, including Shao Qi and his three instructors. This notion was novel to them, yet it felt both reasonable and fitting.

Presently, the martial arts association was divided into two factions. One advocated physical training, enhancing one's physical attributes, strength, speed, and techniques. The other emphasized cultivating inner power, as it formed the foundation of martial arts. Such principles were upheld by ancient practitioners.

These two factions were fiercely at odds, neither conceding to the other. Now, Zhou You's perspective seemed to harmonize both approaches, perhaps gaining recognition from the martial arts association.

"Chapter 050: Gathering and Disturbance?"

Zhou You casually executed a series of punches. Everyone could sense the force generated with each strike, accompanied by an indescribable sensation that swept through their bodies. Suddenly, they felt invigorated, their fatigue dissipating.

"Is this the spiritual energy?" Li Yanqing extended his hand to grasp, though there was nothing to hold. Nonetheless, he could sense it. Did this mean that the essence of inner techniques involved absorbing spiritual energy into the body?

The three instructors exchanged puzzled glances. This youth by the Marshal's side was truly exceptional. At the very least, they couldn't manipulate the air's spiritual energy while practicing their punches.

The nation's foremost expert teams meticulously analyzed the newly discovered elements in the air, studying them repeatedly. Eventually, they categorized it as spiritual energy—a substance capable of promoting life and evolution toward higher levels.

Some experts even attempted to extract this substance from the air to create air with a higher concentration of spiritual energy. However, more of this substance wasn't necessarily better; if the body couldn't withstand it, it would lead to explosive demise. Up to now, their Marshal was the sole human capable of adapting to third-level spiritual source.

Zhou You ended his punch sequence, took a deep breath, and felt a sudden warmth in his chest. The surrounding spiritual energy rushed toward him at an astonishing speed. In this moment, his entire being exuded vitality, surpassing even the satisfaction of two hours of meditation.

"Memorize the incantations and experience them on your own. This initial step, no one can assist you with. Only what you personally grasp belongs to you. When you start sensing the soreness and expansion of your tendons, it signifies that the spiritual energy is expanding your channels. Although this process may be somewhat painful, it's a positive development. Remember not to give up halfway."

Everyone responded loudly, "Understood!" Then they resumed their previous training.

Miao Miao touched the whip at her waist, her hand tingling. She wanted to spar with this young man, but she was on a mission; she needed to thoroughly train this group of newcomers before considering a break.

As the sun rose in the east, the entire base stirred awake. Pedestrians and vehicles increased on the roads. Some pedestrians noticed the gathering of people practicing on the square, attracting more onlookers.