Yuan Shan stood at the entrance, his gaze blazing as he stared intently at the smooth, deep fist-shaped hole in the mountain wall.
He stepped forward and gently ran his fingers along its edge, sensing the lingering aura of annihilation.
"Good! Excellent! Annihilation born of the heart."
"Li He, your Ape Arm Mountain Crushing Fist has reached great mastery!"
"In just one short month... Excellent, truly excellent. Your comprehension is something I've rarely seen in my life."
Yuan Shan paused, his expression complicated. "But remember this: if you want to cultivate it to perfection and advance further in the martial path, you'll need to put in steady, patient effort. It takes years of accumulation. You must never grow arrogant or complacent."
"You're already a Second-Rank Martial Artist, but your goal shouldn't be limited to that..."
"Foundation, foundation, foundation!"
"Always remember those two words!"
"Only a foundation as solid as a mountain can support a tower reaching ten thousand feet!"
"Otherwise..."
Yuan Shan fell silent, leaving his meaning unfinished.
Meeting Yuan Shan's gaze, full of both expectation and warning, Li He replied in a steady, firm voice, "This disciple understands. Thank you for your guidance, Hall Master!"
"Mm. As long as you understand. Now that your Ape Arm Mountain Crushing Fist has reached great mastery, you won't need me watching over your subsequent training all the time."
"As for the blood essence used for body tempering, your sinews and bones have already developed. The blood essence of ape-type mutated beasts will have little effect on you now, so there's no need to keep using it."
"However, you must keep drinking and collecting that Monkey Wine—one cup a day. It nourishes you gently, strengthens your constitution, and still helps stabilize your foundation and harmonize your qi and blood. Remember, your foundation comes