Martial Sage from the Vajra Skill

Chapter 293: Chapter 167: Term’s End

’Even if he doesn’t know I’m the one who killed Xiao Chen, he’ll probably still come looking for trouble. After all, it’s because of me that Xiao Hua was punished and sent to garrison Cyan Mountain Town. And with how Su Zhe targeted me before, Su Man might know something.’

’So I can’t be careless. Xiao Hua is at Marrow Cleansing Minor Achievement. If we really fight, I’m afraid I won’t be his match. I need an ace up my sleeve.’

’In three months, even if my Comprehension reaches Perfection, I wonder if I can also bring the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm to Perfection and comprehend Martial Dao Imagery.’

Xu Yang’s gaze fell on the Comprehension column. He was still twenty points away from his Comprehension reaching Perfection.

In three months, he wasn’t confident he could match Xiao Hua, whose cultivation was at Marrow Cleansing Minor Achievement. However, if he added Martial Dao Imagery to his arsenal, he would have a high degree of confidence in being able to fight, and even kill, Xiao Hua when he returned.

’Comprehension, add!’

He had enough points anyway, so Xu Yang didn’t hesitate. He immediately spent two hundred points on Comprehension.

In an instant, he felt a cool sensation welling up from the depths of his mind. It was as if a layer of fog was gradually dissipating, and his perception became increasingly clear.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, everything subsided.

Xu Yang found that maxing out his Comprehension to Perfection didn’t bring about the same kind of transformative, bone-deep change as when his Root Bone reached Perfection. Instead, he just felt his mind become clear and his spirit invigorated.

He closed his eyes and began to comprehend the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm. The core principles of the technique thundered in his mind, as if a small figure was demonstrating the moves. Key points that he hadn’t quite understood before were now effortlessly grasped.

The aura around Xu Yang grew increasingly fierce, tinged with a wild and violent ambition. At a certain moment, he felt a roar in his mind. His Heart Spirit trembled, and a wave of fatigue washed over him.

He hurriedly opened his eyes, stopping his deduction and comprehension of the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm. He was surprised to find that two hours had already passed.

Previously, his Heart Spirit would be completely drained after comprehending the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm for just one hour at most. Now, that time had doubled.

[Fuyue Bear King’s Palm·Minor Achievement (4/4000)]

Looking at his panel again, in just two hours, he had managed to bring the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm to the Minor Achievement Realm solely through comprehension and deduction with his Heart Spirit.

This result was so effective it even startled Xu Yang.

’So this is Perfect Comprehension... It’s truly terrifying.’

’Perfecting the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm within three months shouldn’t be much of a problem.’

He was inwardly amazed at the power of Perfect Comprehension. As waves of drowsiness washed over him, he fell onto his bed and instantly fell asleep.

In the following days, Xu Yang trained even more diligently. His progress with the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm could be described as advancing a thousand miles a day; it was frighteningly fast.

Because of this, the Marrow Cleansing effect of his Fuyue Bear Scripture also improved significantly.

The two were intrinsically linked—one active, one passive—complementing each other perfectly. Many people, even when given the chance to switch to a more powerful Heart Method, would persist in practicing this combination. They coveted the fact that the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm and the Fuyue Bear Scripture, when combined, could lead to comprehending Martial Dao Imagery.

「Half a month later.」 Sun Tao and the others entered the Yunling Mountain Range to hunt for treasure once again. Xu Yang continued to lay low.

「Another half month passed.」 Xu Qing was the first to report good news: she had successfully comprehended Mixed Element Strength and achieved Qi Cultivation Gang.

However, she had learned to be low-key from Xu Yang. Apart from telling him, she didn’t tell anyone else about her Qi Cultivation Gang achievement.

Upon hearing the news, Xu Yang immediately passed on a whole slew of Gang Qi Martial Techniques and Secret Techniques to her, including the Fine Rain Shocking Wind Sword, Wind-Breaking Fist, Breath Concealment Skill, and Celestial Demon Dissolving Technique. This way, she wouldn’t have to waste contribution points exchanging for them.

He only held back the Six Harmonies Killing Saber, the Fiery Sun Gang Saber, and the Golden Gang Skill. After all, she was a girl; practicing Sword Techniques suited her better. Besides, the Purple Sun Sect was most famous for its Sword Techniques.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling to pass on the Golden Gang Skill. Rather, he still hadn’t figured out the origins of this Martial Arts. If there were some karmic consequences attached, it would be troublesome if Xu Qing got entangled in them.

Moreover, it was a Water Grinding Technique. With Xu Qing’s talent, she might not be able to cultivate Golden Gang Qi even after ten years of practice, and after ten years, it would be far too late.

Even he himself had spent three to four years cultivating the Golden Gang Qi.

「On this day.」 Xu Yang came down from Li Fire Peak and arrived at the Peach Grove, where Xu Qing was already waiting.

This wasn’t their home, after all, and they lived in different courtyards. The only time the siblings could meet was during their evening practice session.

Basically, as long as nothing came up, Xu Qing would come here every day to wait for him. Firstly, she was clingy with him, and secondly, she wanted him to guide her in her Martial Techniques.

"Why are you here so early today?" Xu Yang said with a smile.

Xu Qing looked excited. "Brother, I’ve learned the Cyan Wood Technique! Do you want to learn it?"

The Cyan Wood Technique from Medicine King Peak was the key to cultivating Spirit Medicines and one of its important legacies.

Sun Ke hadn’t been lying back then. Medicine King Peak did indeed provide a certain level of training for disciples like Xu Qing who were specially groomed to cultivate Spirit Medicine, and the Cyan Wood Technique was one of the benefits.

Xu Yang was indeed very interested in the Cyan Wood Technique, but he knew that privately teaching cultivation techniques was a huge taboo. If discovered, one’s Martial Arts would be crippled.

After refusing Xu Qing, he guided her Fine Rain Shocking Wind Sword for a while before moving to the side to practice the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm.

After a while, he suddenly felt his qi and blood surge. His bones and tendons rumbled, and his Gang Qi churned like a raging sea.

BOOM! BOOM...

Amid the tremors, the great dragon of his spine seemed to come alive, writhing section by section. His gnarled muscles, like great pythons, swelled and strained against his clothes.

A shocking aura filled the grove, startling Xu Qing, who was practicing not far away.

She turned her head in astonishment, only to see Xu Yang’s hair and beard standing on end. His body had swelled by a full size, making him look like a bear king standing on its hind legs. His arms were thicker than an ordinary person’s thighs. It was as if he had transformed.

Xu Qing’s eyes widened into perfect circles. ’Is this monster before me my handsome, jade-like older brother? Why does he look like a peerless, ferocious beast from the great wilderness?’

’Brother’s realm has broken through again!’ A look of shock appeared in Xu Qing’s beautiful eyes, but she didn’t make a sound to disturb him.

At this moment, Xu Yang was in a peculiar state.

The Fuyue Bear Scripture began to operate on its own, as if resonating with the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm. Roars echoed in his ears, and in a daze, he seemed to see a Fuyue Bear as tall as a mountain, its ferocious might overwhelming, rampaging across an ancient land.

The essence of the Fuyue Bear Scripture resonated in his heart like the grand chime of a great bell. His bones and tendons writhed, and streams of new blood, thick as mercury, gushed forth.

[Fuyue Bear King’s Palm·Great Success (59/8000)]

When Xu Yang came back to his senses, he felt refreshed from head to toe. His strength had surged, and his Fuyue Bear King’s Palm had entered the Great Success Realm.

But the progress value of eight thousand made his scalp tingle.

No wonder so many Inner Sect Disciples could practice the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm for over a decade and still not comprehend Martial Dao Imagery. The difficulty was just too high.

He felt that his understanding of the Fuyue Bear King’s Palm was already very thorough. There was nothing he didn’t understand, yet he was still so far from comprehending Martial Dao Imagery.

Many people probably reached the Great Success Realm and felt they could advance no further, unable to find the direction for their cultivation.

[Fuyue Bear Scripture Marrow Cleansing Chapter - Introduction (803/3000)]

Looking at his Fuyue Bear Scripture, its progress had also increased significantly in that short time, equivalent to about half a month of bitter training.

After calming his turbulent qi and blood, Xu Yang sat down cross-legged to inspect the changes in his body.

The Fuyue Bear Scripture circulated more smoothly than before, and the new blood, thick as mercury, continuously nourished his flesh.

Of course, these changes were not major. The main improvement was in his Heart Spirit. The range of his five senses had expanded, spreading out like a great net in all directions. He could even capture the sound of an ant crawling fifty zhang away.

"Congratulations on the great advance in your cultivation, Brother!" Xu Qing walked over, her face beaming with joy.

Xu Yang smiled, stood up from the ground, and said, "Let’s go. It’s getting dark. Soon there won’t be any food left in the dining hall."

One after the other, the two siblings quickly left the Peach Grove.

Time flowed by slowly. As Xu Yang cultivated, he would also visit the black market on the first, tenth, and twentieth of each month to try his luck. He managed to collect the main ingredients for another furnace of Gathering Essence Pills.

「On this day.」 On the mountain path outside Purple Sun Sect, a figure, world-weary and exhausted, slowly approached.

"Chen’er, I’m back. No matter who killed you, I will avenge you."

Xiao Hua gazed at the mountain gate of the Purple Sun Sect ahead. The world-weary exhaustion on him gradually faded, replaced by a murderous intent that stirred the dust.