Chapter 112: Shadow Blade Resurfaces In The Martial World (2)
"Leave the mountain?" Huan Zidong pondered for a moment, "Hmm, you haven't left the mountain for a year, so you must miss your family. Your training has been strenuous as well."
"Alright, you have my permission. Just return to the mountain within a month," Huan Zidong agreed.
Typically, disciples of the Cloud Martial Hall's junior academy were granted a maximum of half a month's leave annually. However, this strict management did not apply to those who had entered the senior academy and embarked on field trials in the martial world.
But in Wu Yuan's case? While the specifics of Wu Yuan's cultivation method remained unclear, Huan Zidong was well aware of his unwavering dedication and the intensity of his training. This was evident from the rapid progress he had made. Naturally, Huan Zidong showed him more leniency.
"Sect Elder, I would like a two-month vacation," Wu Yuan requested with a smile.
"Two months?" Huan Zidong furrowed his brow slightly.
"Yes, I estimate that I will spend only ten days with my family," Wu Yuan explained. "For the remainder of the time, I wish to explore the Jiang Continent on my own." Venturing into the world, that was Wu Yuan's plan.
"No," Huan Zidong immediately rejected. "You're just a sixteen-year-old kid, there's no reason for you to delve into the martial world."
"Sect Elder, I yearn to broaden my horizons," Wu Yuan persisted.
"What do you know? What do you think the martial world is?" Huan Zidong frowned. "I am aware that you are fond of reading classics, but do you know who wrote those martial tales? A bunch of miserable scholars, that's who! What do they know about the martial world?"
"Galavanting across vast continents, horses thundering and leaving their mark on the world, the flash of blades and the dance of swords, merry feasts, and joyous melodies.” Huan Zidong shook his head, These are nothing more than the fanciful creations of scholars' minds. The reality of the martial world is far more treacherous. It is a world where one may be drugged, ambushed in their sleep, set upon by multiple assailants, and ambushed in disadvantageous terrain with arrows and crossbows!"
"This so-called martial world is nothing but a cesspool of lowly martial artists squabbling over insignificant gains."
"Your current task is to focus on training. Wait until you become a first-rate Adept, or even a Savant expert. It won't be too late to go on your adventures then." Huan Zidong was slightly peeved.
His temperament was generally amiable, and he had high hopes for Wu Yuan. But it was precisely because of this that he was upset with Wu Yuan’s naivety.
"Sect Elder, I've considered everything you said. I understand your worries." Wu Yuan laughed. "How about you and I have a friendly sparring session? Equal base strength, no weapons."
"If Sect Elder can capture me within 50 moves, I won't mention field trials until I'm twenty." Wu Yuan grinned mischievously.
Huan Zidong was stunned.
The middle-aged man in white robes who had escorted Wu Yuan into the hall stared at Wu Yuan in disbelief. Was he challenging the sect elder?
"Wu Yuan, are you serious?" Huan Zidong stared at him, searching for any sign that he was joking in his eyes.
"Mm." Wu Yuan’s expression held utmost sincerity, exuding the confidence befitting a sixteen-year-old martial prodigy.
"Little rascal, it seems your wings have finally hardened[1]," Huan Zidong laughed. "Very well, I accept your challenge. If I am unable to capture you within 50 moves, I shall grant you permission to leave the mountain and wander the martial world."
Huan Zidong then casually asked, "What's your current single-arm strength?"
"35,000 catties," replied Wu Yuan.
"Hmm, not bad, 35,000..." A wave of realization suddenly washed over Huan Zidong, and he stared incredulously at Wu Yuan. "What did you say, 35,000 catties?"
The minimum physical constitution requirement for a third-rate Adept, a fifth-grade martial artist, was 20,000 catties! And for a second-grade Adept, a fourth-grade martial artist, it was 30,000 catties.
In other words, the power Wu Yuan displayed had far exceeded the basic requirement for a second-rate Adept! Keep in mind, he was only sixteen.
"Mm," Wu Yuan nodded. He had thought of this from the very beginning. If he didn't show enough strength, how would he convince the upper echelons of the Cloudstride Sect?
Was this number impressive? Absolutely. But considering that Wu Yuan had already completed the first level of the Skystride Pavilion at the age of fourteen and a half, his progress was not completely outlandish. It fell within a reasonable range.
Huan Zidong wasn't the only one taken aback. The middle-aged man in white robes felt his jaw drop to the floor. After all, he was already more than 40, yet still a second-rate Adept.
"Wu Yuan, I believe you wouldn't deceive an old man like me," Huan Zidong said with a solemn face, "But your physical constitution alone is not enough to convince me. Let me see how much you've learned from Sect Elder Mo in the past year and a half."
Wu Yuan bowed and made a gesture of invitation.
The hall they were in was spacious enough, covering an area of 200 square meters.
The middle-aged man in white robes, along with the maidservants, quickly retreated to the sidelines, creating space for Wu Yuan and Huan Zidong to spar.
They stood some distance apart, facing each other. One, the son of a Grandmaster, a sect elder! One, the most dazzling prodigy of the Cloudstride Sect, just sixteen years old.
"Boy, take this!" Huan Zidong stripped off his outer robes, leaving only his inner armor on. In a flash, he lunged at Wu Yuan.
Boom! Huan Zidong's kick landed with an explosive force, surpassing 100,000 catties of power.
Wu Yuan understood that Huan Zidong wasn't breaking the rules of the match, but simply activating Threefold Power Surge. Both sides were only restricting their raw physical strength.
Swoosh! Wu Yuan's figure moved, surprisingly attacking first. He dodged the kick and unleashed his own from an angle, equally swift.
With another activation of Threefold Power Surge, the ground fissured beneath their feet.
Hmm? Huan Zidong's expression shifted, and he promptly modified his movement mid-air, intercepting Wu Yuan's leg with his leg technique.
Bang~ With a muffled sound, both of them retreated.
"Good rascal." Huan Zidong wore a serious expression, no longer taking Wu Yuan lightly.
The power Wu Yuan exhibited truly shocked him.
Boom! Huan Zidong launched another attack, this time forgoing his leg technique to unleash a flurry of fist strikes as sharp and lethal as sabers. "Roving Dragon!"
Unfazed, Wu Yuan's gaze remained calm as he stepped back before launching himself forward.
A series of muffled explosions reverberated, akin to sonic booms. The force of the collision generated perilous gusts of wind, causing nearby maidservants to pale.
Meanwhile, the white-robed middle-aged man stood transfixed, his mouth agape at the blinding speed of the combatants, which left afterimages in their wake.
What 35,000 catties? This was a clash at the level of first-rate Adepts!
In the blink of an eye, they exchanged over a hundred moves, creating a storm of flying rubble in the middle of the grand hall.
Bang! Wu Yuan appeared to slip up, and was sent flying by a punch from Huan Zidong, landing ten meters away. The battle came to a halt.
"Sect Elder, I admit defeat," Wu Yuan chuckled as he picked himself up.
"No, it is I who lost," Huan Zidong shook his head. "Did you think I wouldn’t notice? After over a hundred moves, you purposely left an opening, giving this old man some face."
"It's all because Sect Elder possesses exceptional skills," Wu Yuan said earnestly.
Huan Zidong burst into a helpless laugh. "Alright, you little rascal, if you don't know how to flatter others, then don't."
He then sighed emotionally, "I didn't expect your martial skills to have reached this level. No wonder Sect Elder Mo left, he must have felt there was nothing more to teach you,"
"I still have much to learn from Instructor Mo," Wu Yuan responded.
"Mm." Huan Zidong nodded, "Sect Elder Mo’s skills are extraordinary. He had great potential to become a Grandmaster back in the day, but alas... Never mind, it's pointless for a junior like you to hear about these old stories."
"Kid, your strength is impressive. Now, I fear you can even pass the second level of the Skystride Pavilion. But remember, strength is not the only aspect necessary for traveling around the Jiang Continent," Huan Zidong warned with a serious expression, "You also need experience."
He looked at Wu Yuan, "Furthermore, you should be aware that you are the number one prodigy in the Jiang Continent, with countless forces setting their sights on you. If you strut around like this, it's still fine if you don't leave Cloudhill City, but once you do, that's not adventuring, it's suicide!"
Huan Zidong’s intentions were clear as day: to dissuade Wu Yuan from leaving the mountain.
"Sect Elder. What if I can do this?" Wu Yuan grinned. A crackling sound echoed through the air as his bone structure contorted.
Under the stunned gazes of Huan Zidong, the white-robed man, and maidservants, Wu Yuan transformed from a strapping young man nearly 1.9 meters tall into a robust man shorter than 1.8 meters.
His bones and muscles expanded in size, and even his face shape underwent a slight change. His entire presence was utterly transformed.
"This? Transfiguration?" Huan Zidong struggled to believe his eyes. "Wu Yuan, how did you do it? You've only just begun to grasp Rigid Yet Supple."
"Sect Elder, I'm only sixteen." Wu Yuan chuckled.
Huan Zidong frowned for a moment, but soon understood. "That's right, as one grows older, their musculoskeletal system loses its pliancy. Transfiguration becomes increasingly difficult."
"But as a teenager, your musculoskeletal system is naturally more flexible, lowering the difficulty of Transfiguration. You're able to perform it as long as you have a basic grasp." Huan Zidong sighed.
"Sect Elder," Wu Yuan spoke with a smile. "I am fully aware of the risks associated with leaving the mountain. However, remaining in Cloudhill year-round can feel stifling at times. I long to explore the world, to take a breath of fresh air."
"Rest assured, Sect Elder. Firstly, I won't reveal my identity. Secondly, I won't leave the sect's territory. Thirdly, I'll return to Cloudhill in two months." Wu Yuan assured him solemnly.
Huan Zidong still seemed hesitant.
After a pause, Huan Zidong said, "Wu Yuan, you may head back first. I will have to consult with the hall master and others. But rest assured, even if your request is not approved in the end, you will be granted a month's vacation."
"Understood." Wu Yuan nodded slightly.
He empathized with Huan Zidong's concerns but couldn't divulge any further information. After all, time could explain his talents, but there was no way to explain his level of experience in the martial world.
Even if he were only given a month's holiday, Wu Yuan felt it was sufficient.
Huan Zidong sternly added, "One more thing. Although you now have the strength to complete level two of the Skystride Pavilion, you must not attempt it before the annual competition next year. Understand?"
"Disciple understands." Wu Yuan nodded.
Breaking records was merely a matter of reputation. He was already acknowledged as the number one prodigy in the Jiang Continent, attracting the attention of all major powers. There was no need to intentionally get on the nerves of opposing forces like Great Jin and the Wingborne Sect. If he was unlucky, a group of Grandmasters might even be promoted to jointly ascend Cloudhill to strangle him in advance.
With that, Wu Yuan left the grand hall.
"Custodian Qing." Huan Zidong's gaze was sharp as he glanced at the maidservants, "And all of you, listen carefully.”
"Don't breathe a word about what you witnessed today. If I hear a whisper about this from an outsider, not only will you die, but your entire family will be finished!" Huan Zidong said with unprecedented severity.
"Understood." Everyone in the hall responded in unison, their hearts thumping in fear.
They roughly understood the reason behind Huan Zidong's caution. The talent Wu Yuan had displayed was too terrifying! So terrifying that even Huan Zidong was startled and afraid, worried that it would be leaked.
1. Used as a metaphor for people. One has to rely on others at first, but as one gradually develops skills, one is able to stand on their own two feet. ?
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