Early the next morning.
At Tiger Garden, Lu Chenzhou came to see Black Tiger again.
With the morning light at his back, he began practicing the Black Tiger Fist.
"Awoo."
Though Black Tiger was an ordinary beast, it possessed a powerful instinctive sense for danger. It sensed that this monkey was no weaker than itself now. Of course, there were monkeys here far stronger than itself, but none of them were as interesting as this one.
Lu Chenzhou felt the momentum of some invisible barrier being broken through. Within his five opened apertures, threads of warmth flowed into his limbs and bones, transforming his body.
He looked at Black Tiger and smiled.
"See you, Tiger Bro!"
Naturally, Black Tiger could not understand monkey language.
"Awoo."
The tiger's roar echoed through the mountains and forests.
Atop the mountain, a figure practiced the Heaven Stance amid clouds, rosy mist, and fog.
The corners of Wang Jidao's lips lifted.
"Heh, this kid's gone mad from practicing martial arts. He's even chatting with beasts now... But I like it. It's been a long time since I've seen such a pure and flawless martial arts fanatic."
There had been quite a few martial arts fanatics in ancient times.
But modern society was a tangled riot of distractions, dazzling flowers enough to make the eyes stray. Humanity had too many things to pursue, and most people learned martial arts for fame and profit.
It was not that there was anything wrong with that. It just was not pure.
For martial arts, one needed that childlike love.
Take Azure Heaven Dragon King, for example. Though he was powerful, he would often spout a few cringe-worthy lines now and then, because in his world, there was only martial arts that were higher and stronger!
Blood and Qi