Forging a Path Ahead

"You definitely haven't been practicing the Mysterious Yin Moon-Reflecting True Art to suppress the Thunder Seed lately, have you? Are you really going to throw your life away just to teach an apprentice?"

The Mysterious Yin Moon-Reflecting True Art is a Five Elements Water Attribute true art of the Xingyi Sect, capable of providing a certain degree of suppression against the conflicting attributes of the Yuanshen Thunder Seed Method that Luo Guanyun practices.

"I have been practicing, but there have been a lot of things going on lately, so I've had less time for it. Still, I can hold on for a while longer; I know my own body well enough."

Ever since he took Meng Chuan on as a personal disciple, the time Luo Guanyun spent every night practicing the Mysterious Yin Moon-Reflecting True Art to suppress the Thunder Seed had been occupied by teaching Meng Chuan.

Literature is for the poor, but martial arts are for the rich. Even though Luo Guanyun is a Martial Arts Master who has broken through the third great limit, the martial arts gym remains his economic foundation and cannot be abandoned, as it generates tens of millions in revenue every year.

Luo Guanyun could only try his best to compress his teaching time at the gym during the day, limiting himself to five hours of one-on-one instruction, and using the remaining time squeezed out during the day to practice the water-attribute true art to suppress the Thunder Seed.

Ren Ping stared straight at Luo Guanyun and said without reservation:

"If things go on like this, you won't last until Meng Chuan can save you in the future.

Whether he can reach the thirteenth level or higher to pave the way for you is still up in the air, and you won't live to see that day yourself."

Luo Guanyun replied calmly:

"I never counted on him to pave the way for me; as long as my Luo family's thunder method can be passed down, that's enough."

Ren Ping could hear the tone in her husband's voice; Luo Guanyun had long since cast aside all thoughts of life and death.

She wore a conflicted expression, pondered for a long while, and finally made up her mind:

"I'll go back this time and try to persuade Luo Meng; let her practice it instead."

Luo Guanyun looked at his wife in surprise, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Ren Ping had always been against their daughter Luo Meng practicing the thunder method, so why was her attitude changing so drastically today?

Ren Ping continued:

"We have been husband and wife for a long time, and during the time I was away, I did a lot of soul-searching."

"I've realized that you gave Luo Meng life, and now that her father is in trouble, it is only right and proper for her to repay that debt of gratitude."

"I never had any intention of holding my kindness over her head; from start to finish, I just wanted to pass down the thunder method."

"You are not allowed to tell Luo Meng; there is no need to force her. As long as the thunder method can be passed on, that is enough.

I don't care if it's someone from the Luo family, and I believe Meng Chuan will be even more outstanding than her in the future."

Tears welled up in Ren Ping's eyes; this man of immense strength was someone whose inner fragility only she could understand.

"Then you must take care of your health as well. Only by staying alive is there hope, you old man."

Seeing his wife's genuine display of emotion, Luo Guanyun remained silent for a moment before saying in a low voice:

"Let's go inside to talk. Don't worry about me; I'm planning to... sell the Golden Linglong to exchange for a life-extending medicine."

Back in the bedroom, Luo Guanyun continued:

"The Golden Linglong is a fifth-grade Zhenwu divine weapon. Even a Venerable who has broken the fifth great limit would be tempted by it. If I add the four or five hundred million I've saved, it should be more than enough to exchange for an Evergreen Longevity Pill to contain the Thunder Seed for ten years."

"Coupled with the suppression from the Mysterious Yin Moon-Reflecting True Art, I will have at least another 20 years. I choose to bet on Meng Chuan's future!"

The Golden Linglong is an ancestral fifth-grade spear Zhenwu of the Luo family, which has only attained its current power after being nurtured by the forces of nature for over two thousand years.

If the ancestors of the Luo family knew that Luo Guanyun dared to sell it, they would likely jump out of their ancestral hall to beat him to death.

Her husband's choice was beyond her expectations, but after careful thought, she felt it was within reason.

After all, every time Luo Guanyun faced a difficult choice, he would choose to fight with everything he had rather than wait for death.

She supported Luo Guanyun's decision to sell the spear to extend his life, but she did not know Meng Chuan well and worried that he might not be up to the task.

She secretly made up her mind to go back and persuade Luo Meng after all.

Only with people is there a future. Ren Ping said nothing, simply holding her husband tightly.

It was a rare day off, and he had free time to teach Meng Chuan.

Luo Guanyun adjusted his mindset and brought him into the martial arts room inside the villa to practice boxing.

Luo Guanyun instructed:

"If you don't practice for a day, your hands and feet will slow down; if you don't practice for two days, you'll lose half your skill; if you don't practice for three days, you'll be an outsider; if you don't practice for four days, you'll just be a spectator.

Even though today is New Year's Eve, you must still practice your boxing and cannot be lazy."

Meng Chuan nodded to show he understood, though with his One Proof Eternal Proof, it was impossible for him to forget what he had learned.

However, the growth of his martial arts proficiency still required him to throw every single punch himself.

They practiced until five in the afternoon, when the two of them walked out of the martial arts room together.

Luo Guanyun said as they walked:

"Apprentice, at your current pace, your Pao Fist will be perfected in a few more days.

When you practice later, pay attention to the core power coming from your waist. Only when your waist and stance are unified can the power be transmitted effectively."

"Understood, Master Luo. After the Pao Fist is perfected, what boxing style should I practice next?"

"You'll know when the time comes. The greatest taboo in practicing boxing is impatience; I won't tell you yet, lest you get distracted."

"Understood."

Luo Guanyun went out for drinks with his old classmates from Northern United University that evening, and Ren Ping prepared to head back to her daughter's home, offering to give Meng Chuan a ride along the way.

In the car, it was the first time Meng Chuan had been alone with his master's wife, so he inevitably felt a bit constrained.

Ren Ping was observant and could see what Meng Chuan was thinking, so she spoke up to lighten the mood:

"Little Meng, which Martial University are you planning to apply to in the future?"

"Northern United University, I suppose. The newly built Li Mountain campus is close to home and to Master as well."

"Then you'll have to work hard. My daughter, Luo Meng, is a graduate of Northern United University; she stayed on as a teacher after graduation. If you get in, she might even be the one teaching you."

Northern United University was one of the nine top-tier martial arts universities. Not only were the admission requirements for students high, but the hiring requirements for teachers were practically insane.

Meng Chuan had heard others talk about it during their leisure time.

Only a young martial arts master under the age of 35 who had broken through the second limit, combined with the school's internal connections, could barely qualify to stay on as a teacher, and even then, whether they could pass the probation period was another matter entirely.

It seemed that the master's daughter, Luo Meng, was truly exceptional.

Then why was the relationship between father and daughter so tense?

Meng Chuan didn't know, but since Master Luo hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't pry.

"I will work hard, Master's wife."

"Keep at it!"

After saying this, Ren Ping added a silent thought to herself.

"Work hard, and don't let your master down."

After eating dinner at home that evening, he spent some time watching the New Year's Gala with his uncle and aunt.

The gala programs were the same old routine every year, and Meng Chuan found them boring; they weren't nearly as exciting as a martial arts competition.

Remembering that he hadn't finished his Stake Technique practice for the day, he stood up to bid his uncle and aunt goodnight and returned to his room to practice.

Inside the bedroom.

Meng Chuan adjusted his breathing rhythm, then spread his feet to shoulder-width apart, micro-adjusting his toes to point forward and remain parallel, sinking his waist slightly to engage his core.

Once settled, his waist and legs exerted force together, providing stable support and subtly forming a perfect "human" shape.

[Taiyi Three Talents Stance: Human Stance (47%) Awaiting Limit Break]

[Limit Break Trait: Morning and Evening Hearing the Dao (Primary)]

He recalled a passage that Master Luo often recited.

"The cultivation of Stake Technique represents the degree to which your body accepts qi and blood. As the saying goes, if you practice boxing without practicing the stance, you'll end up with nothing in your old age."