Great Strength Dragon Elephant Skill

The Martial Immortal Empire was vast, with a full fifty-six prefectures. Luoyun Prefecture was a small, rather remote one. The strongest forces in the entire prefecture were four sects. They had once fought fiercely, but out of consideration for the powerful Four Spirits Sword Sect in the neighboring prefecture, they had managed to maintain peace in recent years.

Of course, that was only on the surface. In secret, they continued fighting by controlling the sects and lineages beneath them. And the Rookie Competition, held once every three years, was another form of that struggle!

Nangong Ru stated her demand. "It's May now, and the Rookie Competition is in October. Anyone under twenty-five can compete. I want you to enter and place in the top ten!"

"Top ten? Are you joking?"

Zhang Yunhao's eyes widened in disbelief. "The top ten every year are all Divine Sea Realm experts. You expect me to break through to the Divine Sea Realm in five months and place in the top ten? Can I really do that?"

Nangong Ru looked at Zhang Yunhao. "Aren't you a genius? A genius is someone who can do what ordinary people can't! Would a Great Grandmaster take an ordinary person as his disciple?"

"Oh, right, I'm a genius. Sorry, I was thinking from an ordinary person's perspective just now. For a genius like me, it shouldn't be too difficult."

Zhang Yunhao paused, then suddenly understood. He had completed the Lesser Celestial Circuit in just five days, so breaking through to the Divine Sea Realm in five months shouldn't be a problem!

This time, Nangong Ru was speechless. She had only been teasing him. Who knew the guy was so shameless that he could actually say something like that?

"Fine. Since you think you can do it, I'll teach you the Great Strength Dragon Elephant Skill now!"

Nangong Ru said no more and began teaching Zhang Yunhao the Great Strength Dragon Elephant Skill. She didn't know the technique herself, so she could only pass on its incantations and moves.

Dragons and elephants were the mightiest creatures in the sea and on land. The Great Strength Dragon Elephant Skill used qi to open the spirit apertures related to strength throughout the body, allowing one to obtain the greatest possible power.

Although the Great Strength Dragon Elephant Skill still relied on qi, its fighting style centered on the body, with qi serving only as support to amplify its power. This set it apart from other martial arts.

"The Great Strength Dragon Elephant Skill is an Earth-grade Martial Art. Legend says it was left behind by the Myriad Beasts Martial Immortal. It's divided into Nine Oxen Strength, Nine Elephant Strength, and Nine Dragon Strength. One ox's strength is at least five hundred catties. The first three levels are about cultivating Nine Oxen Strength."

Though Nangong Ru had never practiced the Great Strength Dragon Elephant Skill, she knew quite a lot about it. "The Dragon Elephant Skill also includes the Great Strength Dragon Elephant Fist, a set of fierce and domineering martial arts. I'll teach you that as well."

"An Earth-grade technique?"

Zhang Yunhao's eyes lit up. This was an Earth-grade technique, after all. Even a fairly large lineage like the Zhang Clan had only one Earth-grade technique to pass down, and only the clan head was allowed to practice it.

And now Zhang Yunhao had actually obtained an Earth-grade technique just like that!

"As expected of a Great Grandmaster. If I really manage to become her disciple, I'll have a powerful backer. Isn't the reason the Zhang Clan and the Heavenly Fist Sect have bullied me that I have no power, influence, or backer?"

Zhang Yunhao was quite excited. Besides, he had spent so many years in the Body Tempering Realm that he had indeed grown more interested in martial arts that trained the body.

Nangong Ru continued, "I won't assign you any tasks for now. Stay here and focus on healing and practicing your martial arts. I'll also train you to control and apply your qi. Your foundation in qi is extremely poor!"

Zhang Yunhao said gratefully, "Thank you, Captain Nangong!"

Nangong Ru replied, "My third uncle taught me my martial arts. You can call me senior sister."

"Yes, senior sister!"

Half a month later.

In the rear courtyard of the branch station, Zhang Yunhao stood in a horse stance, dressed in training clothes. More than ten meters away, Nangong Ru used the Finger Flicking Skill to rapidly shoot one small pebble after another at different parts of his body.

At the instant each pebble was about to hit Zhang Yunhao, his qi would flow to that spot in time to block it. Otherwise, the pain would have been like being pricked with a needle.

This was one of the methods Nangong Ru used to train Zhang Yunhao's control of qi. Where the mind went, the qi followed. It was a basic skill, but failing to master it would greatly reduce one's fighting ability. Why were Rogue Cultivators always so weak? Because no one guided them in these fundamentals.

When training first began, Zhang Yunhao grimaced in pain every day. Nangong Ru showed him no mercy, claiming that pressure bred motivation.

But Zhang Yunhao was a genius, after all, and he improved at lightning speed. By now, even though Nangong Ru's pebbles were flying fast and in rapid succession, he blocked every one. He had successfully reached the level where his qi followed his intent.

"Good. Looks like we can stop this training now. Attack me."

Nangong Ru flicked all the pebbles away and nodded with satisfaction. Then she picked up a branch lying nearby and beckoned Zhang Yunhao forward.

"Senior sister, then I won't hold back! Great Strength Dragon Elephant Fist!"

Zhang Yunhao's muscles tensed all over, like a tiger waking from its slumber. With a loud shout, he charged forward a few steps and punched as if a giant elephant were charging. Explosive cracks rang out around them, and even a gale swept up. If a stone slab had been in front of him, this punch would have smashed it to pieces.

Yet Nangong Ru swayed through the gale like a willow and casually dodged Zhang Yunhao's attack. It was her Returning Willow Movement Technique.

Zhang Yunhao wasn't discouraged. He hurled punch after punch at Nangong Ru, each more forceful than the last. Explosive cracks filled the area, and even the fallen leaves on the ground danced in the air. Nangong Ru had to stay on guard; taking even one punch would be no joke. Her body wasn't harder than stone.

Nangong Ru held the branch, intending to find flaws in his fist technique, but she found no chance to strike. The transitions between Zhang Yunhao's moves were smooth and uninterrupted. She couldn't help nodding to herself.

Before long, Zhang Yunhao finished the entire set of punches in one exhilarating flurry. He stopped and lowered his hands, drenched in sweat, then let out a long breath. "I still couldn't hit you, senior sister."

"You're an entire major realm below me. You only just completed the Lesser Celestial Circuit, while I'm at the peak of the Divine Sea Realm. If you could hit me, wouldn't that be humiliating for me?"

Now that she and Zhang Yunhao had grown familiar, Nangong Ru no longer wore a cold expression. She said, "You were able to kill the Poisonous Snake Young Master only because you caught him by surprise and seriously wounded him. Otherwise, you wouldn't have stood a chance against him. Don't underestimate the Divine Sea Realm."

Zhang Yunhao smiled. "I'm very afraid of dying, so of course I won't underestimate the Divine Sea Realm!"

"Good. I have to say, you really are a genius. In just half a month, you've already gotten a firm grip on controlling your qi. You've even broken through to the second level of the Great Strength Dragon Elephant Skill, opening three spirit apertures and gaining Three Oxen Strength."

Nangong Ru nodded, full of praise. "And you've mastered the Great Strength Dragon Elephant Fist, too. Your moves are practiced, and you even know to use only seven-tenths of your strength, leaving three-tenths in reserve for changes. You've reached the minor mastery stage. I don't need to teach you anymore."