Can the most powerful wuxia MA masters make their flesh harder than steel?

[Ken Cheng]

When it gets to Greats or higher level martial artists, can they make their flesh literally harder than steel? For example, if Dook Goo Kau Bai or Yeung Gor at the end of ROCH were to intercept an ordinary sword blade wielded by an ordinary martial artist with his hand, would the blade sever the hand (as would be normal), or would the hand be able to break the blade without sustaining any injury?

[Western Eccentric]

When it gets to Greats or higher level martial artists, can they make their flesh literally harder than steel? For example, if Dook Goo Kau Bai or Yeung Gor at the end of ROCH were to intercept an ordinary sword blade wielded by an ordinary martial artist with his hand, would the blade sever the hand (as would be normal), or would the hand be able to break the blade without sustaining any injury?

Even Xuzhu still have a little injury from Jiumozhi snab..
I think "steel body" only give limitation endurance for highly level martial artists from blunt (soft) weapon😳😳😳😳

[a_tumiwa]

i think ordinary martial artist can make a little injury, because if not, then only need 1 man showdown to conquer 1 country with thousands army because they cannot hurt him

[mideel]

Well, even in the wuxia novels, no one be able to do that, perhaps the only two that can come close are Xiao Feng from DGSD and Yin Nan Tian from Juedai Shuangjiao.

[Mido-Ban]

Yep, zzr and wuji is example she just pushed blade to his chest easily while he had 9 yang etc high internal.

It'll be cool tho if they keep emitting chi at all times creating barrier. I remember 08 lotch with huge during begger meet he stopped alot of sticks with his internal, ouyangke did same thing but with arrows.

Didnt aobai from deer cauldron had invincible skin?

[Snafu3721]

I think JY most likely intended for his even most powerful pugilists to still sustain damage from piercing/cutting weapons. Although I personally think the logic may be flawed a bit due to the feats demonstrated. However, this is one Author's intent I think is consistent in his novels. (which is why I have a love hate relationship with XAJH- love the story, hate the martial arts logic---stupid swords)

However, let's say we deconstruct the various abilities and levels in JY. I think there is still a happy medium. I propose that
1) There are specific external martial arts that CAN harden one's body, or portion of the body such as Iron Curtain or Iron Palms. Or there are internal skills that allow for projection of a chi shield
2) It requires concentration to use or maintain these abilities
3) It requires significant amounts of Internal energy and the consumption curve exponentially increases against stronger opponents. Ex: Someone with 100 internal can tank a sword stab from someone with 10 internal. But it would require someone with 300 internal to tank a sword stab from someone with 20 internal.

This means that there should be people strong enough to take a direct blow from a sword/arrow. Given that I think there have been times where it was demonstrated that internal chi barriers have deflected or stopped arrows. So logically, why couldn't someone hone a specific internal skill to project a chi shield (like SM) or even train an external skill that utilizes chi to harden ones body (like Iron Curtain or Golden Bell)

Going back to the whole "1 vs an army"
Even if someone was impervious to swords or arrows, it doesn't mean they can do this forever. If we assume such tanking abilities require significant internal consumption. Then it makes sense that no one can tank enough blows from 10,000's of soldiers. It is actually much more efficient for any Greats lvl or above character to dispatch soldiers rather than utilizing internal to tank.