Heavenly Spiritual Root

"Senior Sister! How can you side with outsiders? Is this Su Yuan really so important? Even without him as an inside man, once the Great Jing army marches north, Ji City can be reclaimed all the same!" Ji Haoyang said, anxious and furious.

Zhou Xing was just as confused.

The situation at the front was excellent. How much difference could one spy make?

Yun Xu spoke gently. "You all heard what Wei Xian said just now. The Liang People are brutal and ruthless. I fear that when the day comes and their enemies are at the gates, they'll fight to the death. The cities already reclaimed at the front are scarred and devastated. We need someone who can gather intelligence from the upper ranks of Great Liang and stop them from committing atrocities before they happen."

At that, Zhou Xing and Ji Haoyang fell silent and looked toward Su Yuan.

Su Yuan only said coolly, "I can do my best to gather whatever news reaches my ears, but I won't risk getting involved. Still, for the sake of those five hundred taels, I might be able to help your father stabilize his injuries."

He was quite pleased with the money. After all, the Chai Family currently earned only a hundred taels a month.

"Really?" Yun Xu's eyes lit up.

"Absolutely."

"Then come quickly." Yun Xu reached for his wrist, but he dodged her.

"No rush. Let's grant Junior Ji's wish first." Su Yuan snorted.

He couldn't just let what had happened earlier slide.

"Come on, then. As if I'm afraid of you!" Ji Haoyang said, bristling.

Yun Xu sighed softly. "Then just one exchange. Don't make too much noise."

The two took their stances.

Ji Haoyang sank into a horse stance and raised his palms, one ahead of the other, in Cloud-Striding Palm's opening position. His force was held in reserve, ready to burst forth.

Su Yuan merely raised his right fist, Vajra Strength contained within him. He stood as still as a mountain.

In the next instant, Ji Haoyang surged forward. His palms flickered like drifting clouds as they enveloped Su Yuan's chest and abdomen. His force was soft and unbroken, meant to overcome hardness with softness.

Su Yuan neither dodged nor retreated. He drove a fist straight toward Ji Haoyang's chest, simple and direct.

Fist met palm with a dull, soundless thud.

Ji Haoyang felt an irresistible, domineering force punch through his palm. His soft palm strength crumbled at once, and he was sent flying backward, his arm searing with pain.

Yun Xu flashed forward and caught him.

"Little Ji, you've still got a lot of training to do." Su Yuan withdrew his fist and spoke calmly.

"I forgot to mention: I broke through to Savage Strength a few days ago."

His opponent should count himself lucky. Without those five hundred taels, Su Yuan would have beaten him to death.

Ji Haoyang's chest churned as if it were about to burst. Was he really not even a match for a single blow?

How was that possible?

Su Yuan had even used Great Liang martial arts!

Ji Haoyang had always believed Great Jing was stronger than Great Liang.

Yun Xu helped him to his feet and soothed him softly. "Junior Brother, it was just one exchange. Don't worry about it."

As Yun Xu supported him, he caught the faint fragrance of her clothes and heard her gentle words. The humiliation in his heart somehow faded, and he even found himself hoping Su Yuan would hit him a couple more times.

Zhou Xing spoke up, her gaze fixed on Su Yuan. "Are you really only of inferior bone constitution?"

"That's right. I took a few Blood Bone Pills, which improved my bone constitution, then used two Break Strength Pills in succession. I was lucky enough to break through," Su Yuan explained.

"I'd like to test myself against you, too." Fighting spirit flared in Zhou Xing's eyes.

"Zhou Xing, don't use your cultivation to bully people." Yun Xu frowned.

But Su Yuan said, "It's fine. Come."

Zhou Xing was at the mid-stage of External Force. This time she held nothing back. She moved like lightning and chopped one palm diagonally toward Su Yuan's shoulder and neck, her fierce palm wind cutting through the air.

Su Yuan secretly layered Vajra Strength with Flying Star Strength, while also activating the effects of his various Traits. He met her with a punch, its momentum heavy and domineering.

Bang!

Fist and palm collided. Zhou Xing's face paled, and she grunted as her right arm went limp. Once again, someone found herself in Yun Xu's arms.

"Ugh!" Zhou Xing clutched her right hand, her face contorted in pain.

Seeing this, Su Yuan realized he had used too much force. He hurried forward, gripped her arm, and pressed several acupoints before massaging it.

Only then did Zhou Xing's expression ease. She looked at Su Yuan as if he were a monster.

Yun Xu hadn't expected Su Yuan to be so powerful either. After soothing Zhou Xing with a few words, her voice suddenly turned stern. "You've all seen for yourselves, haven't you? Su Yuan's abilities far exceed what you imagined. He'll be a vital undercover agent we've planted among Great Liang's upper ranks. If a single word about what happened today gets out... don't expect me to spare you for the sake of our ties as fellow disciples."

Ji Haoyang and Zhou Xing both felt a chill in their hearts.

They had never seen their senior sister so severe. They hurriedly nodded.

Ji Haoyang turned to Su Yuan and sensibly handed him a pouch of money. It contained more than fifty taels.

He cupped his fists. "Brother Su, there were many misunderstandings before, and I offended you with my actions. I apologize. You and I can spar more often in the future, though it'd be best if Senior Sister were there to keep an eye on things."

He said the last part quietly.

Su Yuan and Yun Xu: ...

Now that everything was settled, Su Yuan went inside to examine Yun Yan's injuries.

Yun Yan lay on the bed. He looked to be around forty, his face pale as gold paper and his short beard beneath his chin gray-white. Yet his eyes still gleamed with life as he quietly watched Su Yuan.

He must once have been a sturdy, imposing man, but his severe injuries left him looking hunched and frail.

"Father, Su Yuan said he can help treat your injuries." Yun Xu led Su Yuan closer.

Yun Yan had already heard their conversation outside. His gaze passed over Su Yuan with mixed feelings, then turned to his daughter. In the end, he sighed. "The younger generation is formidable. At such a young age, your martial skills and character are both extraordinary. You can even endure humiliation and lie low, all while keeping your country in your heart. In my lifetime, to see young talents like you makes me believe our country can be restored. As for these injuries of mine, I'm afraid..."

"Hall Master Yun, save your strength. I'll treat you first." Su Yuan cut him off and stepped forward to examine him.

He didn't want to waste time.

Yun Yan was left speechless. He puffed his beard. This young man really didn't know how to respect his elders.

He knew his own condition. He had burned his life force to escape, and there was no hope of recovery.

Su Yuan carefully examined his bones, muscles, and meridians, then channeled his strength through his fingers to circulate Yun Yan's blood and energy.

Origin-Returning Finger Condensation could restore vital energy and repair one's source. No matter how severe the injury, as long as the person wasn't dead, slowly restoring their source could bring them back.

An hour later, a hint of color had returned to Yun Yan's face.

"Father, how do you feel?" Yun Xu asked anxiously.

Yun Yan looked surprised. "I really do feel better. Young man, I never expected you to be so skilled in medicine as well."

Su Yuan only said, "It was no trouble. But your injuries are severe, and you'll need several months to recuperate. You mustn't use martial arts during that time. I'll be clear about this: I'm the only one who can do this, so I hope everyone will honor their promises."

Yun Xu nodded repeatedly, her eyes reddening as she hugged her father. "That's wonderful, Father... You really can be saved."

She turned to Su Yuan and smoothed her hair by her temples. "Su Yuan, thank you. I don't know how I could ever repay such a kindness."

"If you want to repay me, teach me martial arts now and pass on the rest of Cloud-Striding Palm. That's not asking too much, is it?" Su Yuan didn't want to waste any time.

Yun Xu froze. His treatment had just ended, and he wanted to start training right away?

She understood now why Su Yuan had improved so quickly.

She nodded, then said to Ji Haoyang and Zhou Xing, "All right, I'll teach him. You two look after Master."

The two of them went into the courtyard.

Yun Xu took up her stance, demonstrating the forms as she explained them.

After a few moves, she suddenly stopped, surprise in her eyes. "Your Cloud-Striding Palm is almost at the Blood Refining stage too?"

Remembering their earlier exchanges, she continued, "You've already cultivated two Horse Division techniques to the level of External Force, and you've practiced other techniques as well. Are you really only of inferior bone constitution?"

She couldn't help saying, "Let me feel your bone constitution."

Su Yuan sidestepped her. "There's nothing to feel. It was just the pills and a little luck."

Yun Xu looked at him reproachfully, clearly unconvinced.

Su Yuan gave a light cough and made up a story on the spot. "To tell the truth, I have a Heavenly Spiritual Root and the potential to become an immortal."

"Become an immortal? Where are there immortals in this world?" Yun Xu couldn't help laughing. Su Yuan was teasing her again.

But she knew his comprehension was top-tier and could make up for some of the shortcomings of his bone constitution.

She carefully taught him the remaining mental cultivation formulas. "Since you've already reached Savage Strength, why keep practicing Cloud-Striding Palm? The two kinds of strength are hard to combine."

"Learn one more skill, have one more way out. It never hurts to know too much," Su Yuan replied.

When they were done talking, the two continued practicing their palm techniques. Ji Haoyang could only lie by the door and watch from afar.

[Cloud-Striding Palm: 1/1000 (Second Layer)]

Over the next stretch of time, Yun Xu spared no effort to repair the trust between herself and Su Yuan.

She shared plenty of information with him, such as where the other disciples of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall were hiding.

The two sides seemed to have returned to their original state of mutual dependence and mutual restraint.

Meanwhile, even Ji Haoyang, whom Su Yuan had been most wary of, was soothed by just a few words from her.

To bring everyone closer, Yun Xu simply had Su Yuan join Cloud-Striding Martial Hall as well, making him one of their fellow disciples.

As fellow disciples, they could hardly keep plotting against one another.

The hall's disciples were ranked according to strength. Through his own ability, Su Yuan leaped straight to the position of second senior brother, just below senior sister Yun Xu.

What's more, Su Yuan could use this as a foundation when he joined the Jiguang Society in the future, explaining his Green Ghost identity by claiming he was a disciple of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall who had been separated from them long ago.

By now, Su Yuan was strong enough to flee Ji City on his own.

But he had reasons he had to stay, and too many matters remained unsettled.

If he had previously fought his way upward to enter the Inner City, then from now on, he meant to topple the Inner City and destroy the Shan Family.

Naturally, he wasn't foolish enough to charge ahead alone and act recklessly.

If someone was willing to walk the same path as him and share the risks, he would welcome it.

After all, the enemy of one's enemy was a friend.