Nine Heavens Ape Demon Plucking Stars Chart

Han Zheng taking first place had been an outcome no one expected, yet it was also the outcome everyone most wanted to see.

Even for Li Jingzhong, it had been the best possible result.

Though he ran a Martial Arts Academy, once his disciples left, they no longer had much to do with him.

But Li Jingzhong still wanted to pass the White Ape Through-Arm Fist on to disciples he had truly taught with care.

For the past few years, the top disciple of every class at the Martial Arts Academy had come from wealthy and influential families.

When they left the academy, others would only think their family backgrounds were good, not that Li Jingzhong had taught them well.

Only when a martial artist like Han Zheng, with no background and born a commoner, took first place and made a name for himself outside could it prove that Li Jingzhong was a good teacher.

Moreover, Song Tianqing had used more than just the Vajra Fist; what he truly specialized in was Eight Snake Strikes.

Han Zheng had defeated Song Tianqing using the Iron Elephant Skill and Vajra Fist that Li Jingzhong had taught him.

Though Han Zheng had used the Blood Fiend Saber Art at the end as well, a single move did not matter.

In Li Jingzhong's eyes, Han Zheng was his prized disciple, more than enough to prove his own teaching ability.

After the match, the other disciples were dismissed early for the day. Han Zheng, meanwhile, was kept behind by Li Jingzhong, who prepared to teach him the White Ape Through-Arm Fist.

"What did you feel from that battle just now?"

Han Zheng thought for a moment. "It was dangerous. I knew Song Tianqing had learned other martial arts outside, but I never expected what he learned to be an Innate Martial Skill."

Though Song Tianqing was vicious and arrogant, his talent truly was extraordinary.

Han Zheng had only raised his martial skill proficiency so quickly because the Gluttonous Crucible had given him an unfair advantage.

Song Tianqing, on the other hand, had relied entirely on his own talent to cultivate both the Vajra Fist and Eight Snake Strikes at once, and neither had been weak.

Especially that final strike—if Han Zheng had not grasped the method of condensing Killing Intent yesterday, he would likely have exposed the Vajra Demon Subduing Seal.

Li Jingzhong said gravely, "Life-and-death battles between martial artists are like this. The more martial arts you conceal from your opponent, the more trump cards you possess.

"So when you travel the martial world in the future, hiding your abilities will be necessary. Never let anyone see through you at a glance.

"Next, I will teach you the White Ape Through-Arm Fist. Come with me."

Han Zheng followed Li Jingzhong into the academy's inner hall.

Past the inner hall was the academy's rear courtyard. To his surprise, there was a small training ground inside, with thick iron pillars standing one after another.

Looking at those iron pillars, Li Jingzhong said with a trace of wistfulness, "My Li Family ancestors were once a martial lineage renowned throughout the martial world, even stronger than the Song Family."

Li Jingzhong glanced at Han Zheng. "Not the Song Family of Black Stone County, but the 'Heavenly Saber' Song Family of Shannan Dao."

Han Zheng was greatly startled.

The 'Heavenly Saber' Song Family of Shannan Dao was already a martial lineage famous throughout an entire dao.

Li Jingzhong's ancestors had actually been stronger than the Heavenly Saber Song Family?

"But what did strength matter? In this world, there are no dynasties that never perish, nor clans that endure through all eternity.

"Whether you are a peerless genius of an era or one who dominates the present age, in the end, you still cannot withstand the ravages of time and become nothing more than a cup of yellow earth.

"My Li Family had already declined beyond recognition centuries ago. By my father's generation, we could only make a living escorting goods for others. All the glory of my Li Family ancestors had become legend as well."

Li Jingzhong gently shook his head and sighed. "The Iron Elephant Skill I practice was learned by my father from an escort agency, while the Vajra Fist came from Vajra Prajna Temple.

"Only the White Ape Through-Arm Fist is my Li Family's true inherited martial art. It is said that it was once a boxing art used by the Li Family to lay a foundation for disciples, and also the foundational martial skill for a powerful martial art.

"If an Innate Martial Skill could be used as a foundation-laying boxing art, one could imagine how powerful my Li Family had once been.

"When I first chose to pass on the White Ape Through-Arm Fist, one reason was that running a Martial Arts Academy meant I could not keep everything to myself. I had to bring out some real goods before disciples would pay a high price to join.

"The other reason was that I had no descendants. I did not want the White Ape Through-Arm Fist to be lost in my hands.

"Though the Li Family has long since vanished, as long as the White Ape Through-Arm Fist remains, the Li Family's inheritance remains.

"Enough nonsense. I will begin teaching you the White Ape Through-Arm Fist now."

As he spoke, Li Jingzhong walked before the iron pillars. His qi and blood surged and roiled throughout his body. With a movement of his form, he was like a gigantic white ape charging freely among the pillars.

Li Jingzhong's arms seemed to have lengthened greatly, with ape-like arms and a wasp waist, his body nimble and agile.

Yet when he smashed his arms against the iron pillars around him, setting off deafening booms, he appeared incomparably violent.

"The White Ape Through-Arm Fist places emphasis first on momentum. You must cultivate the form of a white ape and strike with the momentum of a white ape.

"Though the White Ape Through-Arm Fist is called a fist art, in truth, none of its strikes are thrown with the fist. They are flung out, smashed out.

"Watch my footwork carefully. Only by using the momentum brought by a plunging or charging body to smash out this fist can its power multiply!"

Li Jingzhong demonstrated all the crucial techniques and barriers of the White Ape Through-Arm Fist for Han Zheng. He was meticulous down to the smallest detail, even specifying which meridians should be mobilized in different situations.

The White Ape Through-Arm Fist was now the Li Family's sole remaining inheritance. Thus, every generation of Li Family disciples had practically immersed themselves in it for their entire lives, unquestionably reaching consummate mastery.

About half an hour later, Li Jingzhong had exhausted his strength. Sweat steamed from his forehead, rising into wisps of white mist.

"How was it? Did you understand? If there is anything you do not understand, you may ask me later."

"I understood most of it. Thank you for your guidance, Teacher."

Han Zheng sincerely bowed to Li Jingzhong.

Now that he had received Li Jingzhong's true teachings, he was qualified to call him Teacher.

Moreover, Han Zheng had a feeling that this White Ape Through-Arm Fist seemed even stronger than the Vajra Demon Subduing Seal.

Though cultivation arts had ranks, they could not be divided as precisely as martial artists' realms into early, middle, late, and consummate stages.

Still, martial arts of the same rank certainly differed in strength. Han Zheng simply felt that the White Ape Through-Arm Fist was stronger, as though it still had untapped potential.

After catching his breath, Li Jingzhong hesitated for a moment. "I will take you to see something else."

He brought Han Zheng into a room and pulled out an ancient locked chest.

When he opened it, there was only a yellowed leather scroll inside.

As the scroll slowly unfurled, it revealed a fierce Ape Demon covered in black-golden fur, roaring furiously at the heavens as it stretched out a hand to pluck the sun, moon, and stars from the Nine Heavens.

Every strand of fur on the Ape Demon was lifelike, while the stars of the Nine Heavens were equally brilliant, as if they were right before his eyes.

The artist's skill in creating this painting was simply astonishing. It was as if the artist had truly seen the Ape Demon of the primordial wilds plucking the sun, moon, and stars, then etched that sight onto the scroll.

Boom!

The Gluttonous Crucible suddenly appeared before Han Zheng's eyes. Its great mouth opened fiercely and swallowed toward the scroll.

The scroll did not change in the slightest, except that the gleam upon it seemed to have dimmed somewhat, and the Ape Demon's fur appeared to have lost some of its former spirit.

Meanwhile, a scroll depicting an Ape Demon plucking stars appeared in the Gluttonous Crucible's inventory.

"Special item 'Nine Heavens Ape Demon Plucking Stars Chart' acquired. Can be used to break through the corresponding special martial art."

Han Zheng was slightly stunned.

Previously, the Gluttonous Crucible would only notify him of items that could be sacrificed for collection after he killed an opponent.

Yet this time, the Gluttonous Crucible had appeared on its own and 'swallowed' the Nine Heavens Ape Demon Plucking Stars Chart. This thing was definitely extraordinary.

Suppressing his curiosity, Han Zheng dismissed the Gluttonous Crucible.

Li Jingzhong did not notice anything unusual about Han Zheng. He thought Han Zheng had simply been shaken by the painting.

"Shocking, isn't it? This painting was also passed down by my Li Family ancestors. It is said that Li Family disciples could comprehend heaven-shaking martial arts from it.

"Unfortunately, the painting has been passed down through countless generations. Even in my generation, no one has comprehended anything from it.

"At our poorest and most desperate, I even considered pawning it as an antique for money."

Li Jingzhong gave a bitter laugh. "Perhaps it is only a legend, deliberately passed down by our ancestors so that disciples like us would not forget their glory.

"Or perhaps us descendants are simply too dull-witted to comprehend anything from it."

Putting away the scroll, Li Jingzhong patted Han Zheng on the shoulder. "Han Zheng, among all the disciples I have taught over the years, you have grown the fastest.

"Even counting those disciples born to great clans, it is still the same. And in actual combat and life-or-death fighting, you surpass them by a notch.

"The martial path is long, and the road through the martial world is far. Your road is longer than mine. I believe the White Ape Through-Arm Fist will shine brilliantly in your hands."

"Rest assured, Teacher. That day will come."

Even Li Jingzhong himself could not be certain whether the Li Family's past glory had truly existed or whether it had been exaggerated through generations of retelling.

But Han Zheng could be sure that it was probably true.

Otherwise, the Nine Heavens Ape Demon Plucking Stars Chart would not have stirred the Gluttonous Crucible into reacting.

After bidding Li Jingzhong farewell, Han Zheng returned home and immediately activated the Gluttonous Crucible to examine the detailed information on the Nine Heavens Ape Demon Plucking Stars Chart and the White Ape Through-Arm Fist.

"Nine Heavens Ape Demon Plucking Stars Chart": Special item. Contains the true spirit of the Ape Demon's divine soul. Can be fused for a breakthrough after the White Ape Through-Arm Fist reaches consummate mastery. Each fusion requires additional Satiety, determined by the current rank of the martial art.

Innate Realm "White Ape Through-Arm Fist," current proficiency 1%: Special martial art. It appears to be an ordinary Innate Martial Skill, but it contains a universe within, with limitless potential. During breakthroughs, a portion of the divine charm of the "Nine Heavens Ape Demon Plucking Stars Chart" may be fused into it. Only after nine breakthroughs and complete fusion with the "Nine Heavens Ape Demon Plucking Stars Chart" will it reach consummate mastery.

After reading the item information in the Gluttonous Crucible, Han Zheng clicked his tongue softly.

He had struck treasure.

The Houtian Realm Vajra Fist needed only one breakthrough to become the Innate Realm Vajra Demon Subduing Seal.

Yet the White Ape Through-Arm Fist needed nine breakthroughs to reach consummate mastery. What kind of might would it possess once it was complete?

Li Jingzhong had said his ancestors were even stronger than the Heavenly Saber Song Family, but now it seemed they had been stronger by far more than a single stretch.

Putting away the Gluttonous Crucible, Han Zheng immediately began practicing the White Ape Through-Arm Fist in the courtyard, intending to first raise this martial skill's proficiency to consummate mastery.

As long as he could make even one breakthrough, the White Ape Through-Arm Fist would surely bring Han Zheng an unexpected surprise.