Martial Sage from the Vajra Skill

Chapter 276: Chapter 159: Deduction (Part 2)

The reason was that he and Zhang Hong had once distanced themselves from Xu Yang to cozy up to Jiang Ping and Zhao Zhifei.

Even though he had been trying his best to repair their relationship, Xu Yang’s attitude hadn’t changed.

They could chat and interact without any issues, but becoming true friends seemed impossible.

Xu Yang shook his head but didn’t say anything.

’Junior Brother Xu doesn’t need to take any risks at all,’ Sun Tao thought.

After learning of Xu Yang’s true strength, he had given up on the idea of persuading him to take risks. For someone with Xu Yang’s talent, the correct path was to hide away in the Purple Sun Sect and cultivate slowly.

At least for now. Cultivation in the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm was inherently a process that had to be ground out over a long time.

While elixirs existed, trying to trade treasures for elixirs suitable for the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm was just a waste of time.

The four of them walked into the dining hall, got their food, and quickly found an empty table to sit at.

After they had been eating for a while, a person ran in frantically and announced excitedly, "Breaking news! Li Chuyang just publicly announced that he has broken through to the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm!"

The moment he spoke, the dining hall, which had been as noisy as a marketplace, fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Many people stared wide-eyed in shock.

Marrow Cleansing... In just a little over two years, someone from this batch of Dragon Ascension Disciples had already achieved it.

This was the talent of the number one of the Ten Heroes—Marrow Cleansing in two years!

In the divisions of the Martial Dao, Gang Qi and Marrow Cleansing were considered the same realm, but the two were fundamentally different. Only upon achieving Marrow Cleansing could one be considered to have truly entered the Martial Arts Hall.

"Hard work is truly worthless in the face of talent," Zhang Yong said, feeling disheartened.

He never slacked off, using almost all his time to cultivate.

For the sake of resources, he had risked his life deep in the Yunling Mountain Range several times. Yet, they had all entered the Purple Sun Sect together, and while he hadn’t even reached Great Success in his Gang Qi, someone else had already achieved Marrow Cleansing.

The gap between them was like a chasm.

He wasn’t the only one feeling despondent. In the entire bustling dining hall, very few people were still chatting. Most finished their meals and left in a hurry.

Someone had already achieved Marrow Cleansing, securing a spot as an Inner Sect Disciple. Meanwhile, many of them were still struggling in the Qi Cultivation Gang realm.

Zhang Yong was actually doing quite well. Although his talent wasn’t at the Ten Heroes Level, it was just a tier below.

’Junior Brother Xu achieved Marrow Cleansing long ago. If that news got out, it would probably stun everyone.’

Sun Tao secretly glanced at Xu Yang and saw that he looked indifferent, his expression calm.

To anyone who didn’t know the truth, it would seem like Xu Yang was putting on an act. But he knew Xu Yang wasn’t pretending; he genuinely didn’t care.

After all, how could someone inferior to him possibly warrant his attention?

Two days later, Sun Tao and the other two left the Purple Sun Sect and entered the Yunling Mountain Range.

Xu Yang took all his contribution points and went to the Hidden Skills Hall once again.

"Greetings, Steward Liu!" Xu Yang said with a cupped-fist salute.

Liu Jinghe smiled. "Why aren’t you bringing me any silver this time?"

Xu Yang chuckled. "This disciple has no questions for Steward Liu this time, so naturally, I have nothing to offer."

"It seems you’ve already decided which Martial Arts you want to exchange for," Liu Jinghe said.

Xu Yang nodded and took out three hundred contribution points. "This disciple wishes to exchange for the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm."

The contribution points he earned from the trip to Qingyuan County had finally allowed him to save up enough for the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm.

The Fuyue Bear King’s Palm was on the second floor of the Hidden Skills Hall. It might not be the strongest Martial Technique, but it was a companion technique to the Fuyue Bear Scripture. When combined, there was a certain chance of comprehending a Martial Dao Imagery.

Liu Jinghe frowned slightly. "Kid, Martial Techniques are important, but cultivation is fundamental. With so many contribution points, you should be exchanging them for resources, not Martial Techniques.

You can learn this Fuyue Bear King’s Palm for free once you reach the Inner Sect. Or, you could wait until your Gang Qi Great Success reaches its peak and you have more contribution points to spare.

You’ve only just achieved Gang Qi Great Success. Your resources should be used to raise your cultivation and achieve Marrow Cleansing as soon as possible, not to be exchanged for a Martial Technique."

He hadn’t expected that after his casual mention, Xu Yang would actually save up so many contribution points to exchange for the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm.

In his opinion, this was a very unwise move.

If Xu Yang had a powerful background and no lack of cultivation resources, it would be one thing. But his cultivation progress was clearly lagging far behind the other Ten Heroes Geniuses. His contribution points should have been used to exchange for elixirs.

’He must have fallen so far behind in his cultivation because he was saving up contribution points for the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm.’

Xu Yang cupped his fist. "Thank you for the reminder, Steward, but this disciple has already made up his mind."

’If I hadn’t learned how to refine the Gathering Essence Pill, I naturally would have used my contribution points for elixirs.’

’But now that I can refine them myself, I can use my contribution points for a Martial Technique instead.’

All of his Martial Techniques had reached the Great Success Realm, and it had been a long time since he had a new one to practice.

"As long as you’ve thought it through," Liu Jinghe’s tone was no longer as amiable as before.

He had a good impression of Xu Yang, and since he was a Ten Heroes Genius, he had offered the well-intentioned reminder.

It would be for the best if Xu Yang listened. If he didn’t and chose to get his priorities mixed up, it was none of his business.

Having garrisoned the Hidden Skills Hall for many years, he had seen far too many disciples who couldn’t tell what was important, spending their contribution points on Martial Arts instead of elixirs to improve their cultivation.

With a cold expression, Liu Jinghe went to fetch the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm and took Xu Yang’s contribution points.

"This disciple will take his leave!" Xu Yang said with a cupped-fist salute.

He knew Liu Jinghe meant well, but he couldn’t possibly tell him, ’I can refine Gathering Essence Pills, so I don’t lack elixirs, and I already reached the Marrow Cleansing stage in my cultivation.’

If he really said that, Liu Jinghe would probably think he was a lunatic.

’He’s overreaching! How could Martial Dao Imagery be so easy to comprehend!’

Liu Jinghe watched Xu Yang’s departing figure with a wave of disappointment, slightly regretting that he had ever mentioned Martial Dao Imagery to him in the first place.

Combining the Fuyue Bear Scripture and the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm did indeed offer a chance to comprehend a Martial Dao Imagery.

But it was as difficult as ascending to the heavens. Over the years, quite a few disciples in the Purple Sun Sect had cultivated both the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm and the Fuyue Bear Scripture simultaneously, but the number who had comprehended a Martial Dao Imagery could be counted on one hand.

Many Inner Sect Disciples had cultivated these two techniques for over a decade without comprehending a Martial Dao Imagery.

If those three hundred contribution points had been used to exchange for a Profound Yuan Qi Transformation Pill, Xu Yang might have been able to fight his way into the top thirty of this year’s Outer Disciple grand competition.

In his view, even if one aspired to comprehend a Martial Dao Imagery, there was no need to be so hasty. It wouldn’t be too late to slowly study it after entering the Inner Sect and achieving Marrow Cleansing.

...

Xu Yang walked all the way to the Peach Grove where he usually practiced and took out the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm from his robes.

This secret manual was apparently recorded on a special Exotic Beast Hide. It felt very soft to the touch and gave off a strange odor.

Xu Yang opened it. The first page read: "This technique possesses extremely strong killing power, with the might of Mountain-Shattering and Mountain-Breaking. It places high demands on the physical body. Those whose bodies are insufficiently tempered should practice with caution."

His body was already Vajra Indestructible, so he didn’t pay much mind to the high physical requirement.

If a body like his wasn’t qualified to practice the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm, then it wouldn’t be a Martial Technique that could be exchanged for a mere three hundred contribution points.

Xu Yang turned to the next page and saw a Fuyue Bear as tall as a mountain, its eyes like rivers of blood.

He didn’t know who had drawn this picture, but he could actually feel a ferocious and violent aura emanating from the Fuyue Bear, one that captivated the soul. A faint roar seemed to echo in his ears.

After carefully observing the Fuyue Bear’s expression for a while, Xu Yang turned to the next page.

The next page contained the Heart Method Mantra for the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm, as well as its techniques and so on.

"The Fuyue Bear King’s Palm was created by a great sage of antiquity who observed a Fuyue Bear battling other Exotic Beasts. The core of the palm technique is ’Strength to Shake Mountains, Imagery to Suppress the Heavens.’ The technique is divided into four realms: Entry Level, Minor Achievement, Great Success, and Perfection. One must grasp the divine essence of the Fuyue Bear King and combine it with the Fuyue Bear Scripture to achieve Perfection..."

Xu Yang studied the manual, memorizing the key points of the Palm Technique as he went.

He discovered a difference between the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm and the Martial Techniques he had practiced before. For his previous techniques, the Great Success Realm was the highest level.

But the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm had an additional realm: the Perfection Realm.

’This Perfection Realm must be the key to the Martial Dao Imagery.’

His previous Martial Techniques hadn’t involved Martial Dao Phenomenon, and they were also completely unrelated to his Inner Power Heart Method.

But the Fuyue Bear Scripture and the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm were a complete set of Martial Arts that also involved Martial Dao Imagery. This had to be the reason for the difference.

He now had even higher expectations for the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm.

There might be stronger Martial Techniques in the Hidden Skills Hall than the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm, but it was definitely the most suitable one for him, since he cultivated the Fuyue Bear Scripture.

[Fuyue Bear King’s Palm · Uninitiated (0/200)]

The panel flickered, but he paid it no mind. Sitting on the large rock, he began to study it for a second time.

This time, he read in greater detail, no longer just skimming through it. Sometimes he would spend a quarter-hour or even half an hour on a single page, closing his eyes to ponder and deduce its principles.

When he finished the second pass, a general outline of the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm had already formed in his mind. If he had paid attention to his own state, he would have discovered that even his aura had changed, becoming more refined and powerful, as if a ferocious bear lay dormant in the Peach Grove.

After studying and deducing it one more time, Xu Yang understood that comprehension and deduction alone were no longer enough. It was time to truly begin practicing.

Putting the secret manual away, he flipped himself off the large rock.