"I never would have guessed—I'd completely misjudged you. In just a few short months, you've broken through to the Eighth-Rank Tendon Refining Realm, and your combat ability is this formidable..."
Yang Wenhuai looked at Liu Chu before him, his face full of emotion.
"This disciple was only lucky enough to break through to Tendon Refining."
Liu Chu answered modestly.
Yang Wenhuai shook his head. "Too much modesty will make people look down on you. If it happened once, it might be luck. But twice or thrice can't be explained away as luck."
He studied Liu Chu. "Have you cultivated your Combat Technique to Great Accomplishment?"
Only a Combat Technique at Great Accomplishment could explain defeating a Tendon Refining opponent in one move and standing firm against a Bone Refining expert.
Liu Chu didn't downplay it this time. "Actually, my Combat Technique reached Great Accomplishment some time ago. And now, my Duanmen Saber Technique has also reached Great Accomplishment!"
"Your Duanmen Saber Technique has reached Great Accomplishment too?!"
Yang Wenhuai's eyes widened, and a storm surged through his heart. Having a single Combat Technique at Great Accomplishment was already enough to leave him stunned.
Yet Liu Chu had even cultivated his saber technique to Great Accomplishment. He had two martial arts techniques at that level!
"The younger generation is truly awe-inspiring!"
Yang Wenhuai couldn't help exclaiming. At the same time, excitement stirred within him. "It seems I've struck gold this time. The hope of restoring our sect has grown tremendously!"
Suppressing his agitation, Yang Wenhuai cleared his throat, then said, "You've probably guessed a few things from my conversation with Gu Hualong."
"That's right. He and I once studied under the same master. We were both disciples of the Jinding Sect, which was wiped out eighteen years ago!"
A faraway look crossed Yang Wenhuai's face, and a glimmer of hatred flashed through his eyes. "Back then, when the Lingjian Sect destroyed the Jinding Sect, my master and the others shielded me, and I escaped with our sect's supreme art, the Jinding Technique."
"From then on, I hid my identity and settled in Zhaojiang City, opening a martial arts school. I hoped either to break through to Neizhuang or to nurture a disciple who could cultivate the Jinding Technique and reach the Middle Three Grades' Neizhuang Realm!"
Yang Wenhuai's voice was wistful and full of emotion. "In the blink of an eye, eighteen years have passed. Sadly, I still haven't managed to break through to the Middle Three Grades' Neizhuang Realm."
"But fortunately, Heaven hasn't treated me unfairly. It actually led me to you!"
Yang Wenhuai looked at Liu Chu, his eyes gleaming with expectation.
"The Jinding Technique? A Neizhuang cultivation art?!"
A look of surprise crossed Liu Chu's face.
He hadn't expected the master of the school to have such a past.
A Neizhuang cultivation art was certainly tempting!
The Lower Three Grades were also called the External Training Realm, while the Middle Three Grades were also called the Neizhuang Realm.
The Yanglian Technique Liu Chu currently practiced, along with his saber techniques and Combat Technique, were all External Training arts.
He still hadn't obtained a single Neizhuang cultivation art!
"That's right. The Jinding Technique is the Jinding Sect's treasured art. It stands out even among Neizhuang cultivation arts. The Jinding True Qi it produces has tremendous defensive power and the keen edge of a golden blade."
"Jinding True Qi can be used to cultivate a Golden Tripod Body, making the body like a golden tripod, impervious to blades and spears. It can also be channeled into sabers, swords, and other weapons, making their saber and sword energy even sharper!"
"Back then, the Jinding Sect was targeted by the Lingjian Sect because of this art, and that's why we were destroyed..."
Yang Wenhuai sighed. "The Jinding Sect was already in decline at the time, and this art could greatly benefit the sword techniques practiced by the Lingjian Sect. Naturally, they took advantage of our weakness."
"The Jinding Technique is actually that powerful? It can strengthen the might of saber and sword energy..."
Liu Chu's eyes glimmered. He had developed a strong interest in this art.
Now, he had mastered three saber techniques. If he cultivated one of them to Great Accomplishment, and eventually all three, his saber skills would probably have few rivals among the Lower Three Grades!
And when he eventually broke through to the Middle Three Grades' Neizhuang Realm, with three saber techniques as his foundation, he would naturally still choose the saber as his path.
The Jinding Technique could strengthen the power of saber techniques, so it would benefit him greatly!
What's more, this was a Neizhuang cultivation art.
Neizhuang cultivation arts were exceptionally precious. Most were held by Middle Three Grades experts, and with Liu Chu's current strength, he had few ways to obtain one!
Seeing how eager Liu Chu looked, Yang Wenhuai smiled. "There's no need to rush. Once you break through to Bone Refining, I'll pass the art on to you."
Liu Chu nodded at his words.
His cultivation was only at the Tendon Refining level. Even if he had a Neizhuang cultivation art, he couldn't practice it yet.
Still, he had some concerns. After a moment's thought, he said, "Master, that Gu Hualong..."
"Hmph. Gu Hualong is nothing but a traitor to the Jinding Sect. We used to get along fairly well, but he defected from the sect before the battle. That let him escape disaster. I never expected him to seek us out here..."
Anger first crossed Yang Wenhuai's face, but a trace of worry soon crept into his voice.
"Why didn't you just kill him, Master?"
A glint of killing intent flashed through Liu Chu's eyes as he spoke.
A hint of surprise appeared in Yang Wenhuai's eyes. He gave Liu Chu a strange look, seemingly not expecting someone so young to be so ruthless.
But he didn't criticize him. After all, decisiveness in killing was a great advantage on the path of martial arts—a necessary trait for anyone trying to make a name for himself in the martial world.
"Easier said than done. He's a Bone Refining expert, and I'm not very confident I could kill him!"
Yang Wenhuai shook his head. A faraway look returned to his eyes, and he sighed. "Besides, he's still my junior brother, after all..."
Seeing this, Liu Chu said no more.
Remembering the reason for his visit, he asked Yang Wenhuai for advice. "My Yanglian Technique has reached Great Accomplishment. If I keep practicing other Yanglian techniques, can I increase my Blood Vitality?"
"Hmm? You've even cultivated the Yanglian Technique to Great Accomplishment?!"
Yang Wenhuai looked astonished once more. "Most people are considered exceptionally gifted if they cultivate a single art to Great Accomplishment. Yet you've reached Great Accomplishment in three arts. That kind of comprehension..."
Yang Wenhuai looked Liu Chu up and down, unable to stop marveling. "This is truly the greatest gift for comprehension I've ever seen. It seems you have a real chance of breaking through to the Middle Three Grades!"
He gave Liu Chu an extremely high appraisal by his own standards.
After all, he had once been among the top ten talents of the Jinding Sect. Yet after practicing for most of his life, he still hadn't entered the Middle Three Grades.
Liu Chu's constitution was poor, but his extraordinary comprehension might make up for it and allow him to enter the Middle Three Grades!
Just as cultivating three arts to Great Accomplishment had given him a deep foundation!
"As a foundational art, the Yanglian Technique is harder to cultivate than martial techniques. It's already an extreme rarity for someone to cultivate a single Yanglian Technique to Great Accomplishment."
Yang Wenhuai spoke with feeling. "You could certainly continue practicing new Yanglian techniques, but eight strands of Blood Vitality are already the human body's limit."
"To break through that limit, you'd need more than ten times the Blood Vitality. The cost of buying medicinal meals or Treasure Fish would be enormous!"
"And even if you spent a fortune, the results wouldn't be impressive. For instance, cultivating a second Yanglian Technique to Great Accomplishment would only give you one additional strand of Blood Vitality, and reaching Great Accomplishment would only grant you one more."
"In other words, you'd have to cultivate a second Yanglian Technique all the way to Great Accomplishment to gain two more strands of Blood Vitality. You can no longer increase your Blood Vitality as easily as you did by cultivating your first Yanglian Technique."
Yang Wenhuai paused, then advised him, "You'd be better off spending more time on martial techniques. With the Yanglian Technique at Great Accomplishment and eight strands of Blood Vitality, you've already made up for the slow cultivation speed caused by your poor constitution. Breaking through to Bone Refining should be just around the corner!"
"Master is right. I was only asking about it for now. I don't plan to practice another one yet."
Liu Chu had already made up his mind.
After asking about the Yanglian Technique, Liu Chu took his leave.
Yang Wenhuai wanted to talk with Liu Chu longer, but he still had to treat Lin Bei, so he didn't try to keep him. He only reminded him, "Be careful these next few days. It's best to stay at the martial arts school, in case Gu Hualong tries another underhanded scheme!"
Liu Chu naturally thanked him respectfully.
But he still turned and walked out of the martial arts school.
And as he stepped outside, a flash of killing intent crossed his eyes!
Before you continue