Heavenly Spirit Root

"Senior Sister! How can you turn your back on your own? Is this Su Yuan truly so vital? Even without him as an inside man, once the Great Jing royal army marches north, Ji City can be recovered all the same!" Ji Haoyang was both anxious and furious.

Zhou Xing was equally perplexed.

The situation on the front lines was excellent; how much difference could a single spy really make?

Yun Xu said slowly, "You all heard what Wei Xian said earlier. The Liang People are brutal and cruel. I worry that once the enemy is truly at our gates, they will choose mutual destruction. There are already signs of this in the cities already retaken on the front lines—they are left in ruins. We need someone within the upper echelons of Great Liang to obtain information and prevent them from carrying out such atrocities in advance."

Hearing this, Zhou Xing and the others fell silent, looking toward Su Yuan.

Su Yuan merely said indifferently, "Regarding intelligence, I can only do my best to gather what I hear; I will not risk getting involved. However, in consideration of the five hundred taels, I might be able to help your father stabilize his injuries."

He was quite satisfied with this sum of money; after all, the Chai Family currently only brought in one hundred taels a month.

"Truly?" Yun Xu's eyes brightened.

"Absolutely certain."

"Then come quickly." Yun Xu wanted to pull his wrist, but he dodged her.

"No rush. Let's fulfill little Ji's wish first," Su Yuan snorted coldly.

The earlier matter could not be let go so easily.

"Come then, as if I'm afraid of you!" Ji Haoyang looked completely unconvinced.

Yun Xu sighed softly, "Then only one exchange. Do not cause a big commotion."

The two took their stances.

Ji Haoyang sank his waist and sat in a horse stance, his palms raised one in front of the other, setting up the opening move of the Cloud-Striding Palm, his strength contained but not yet released.

Su Yuan merely raised his right fist, Vajra Strength coiled within, as immovable as a mountain.

The next moment, Ji Haoyang surged forward, his palm shadows flickering like drifting clouds covering Su Yuan's chest and abdomen. His strength was soft and long-lasting, intended to overcome hardness with softness.

Su Yuan did not dodge or evade, driving a single fist straight into the center of his chest—simple and direct.

Fist and palm met with a dull, silent thud.

Ji Haoyang felt an irresistible, tyrannical force penetrate his palm. His soft, internal palm strength shattered instantly, and his entire body was sent flying backward, his arm racked with intense pain.

Yun Xu flashed forward and caught him.

"Little Ji, you still need to practice," Su Yuan said, retracting his fist with indifference.

"I forgot to mention, I just entered the Savage Strength realm a few days ago."

The other party should be grateful; if not for those five hundred taels, he would have beaten him to death.

Ji Haoyang's chest felt like it was about to burst from frustration. Was he truly not even a match for a single blow?

How could this be?

And he was even using Great Liang martial arts!

He had always believed that Great Jing was superior to Great Liang.

Yun Xu helped him stand straight and comforted him softly, "Junior Brother, it is just one win or loss. It does not matter."

Supported by her, smelling the faint fragrance on her clothes and receiving her gentle words of comfort, the frustration in his heart strangely dissipated. Instead, he found himself wishing Su Yuan would hit him a few more times.

Zhou Xing spoke up then, her gaze locked on Su Yuan, "Are you truly only of low-grade aptitude?"

"Correct. I merely took some Blood Bone Pills, which improved my aptitude, and then used two Break Strength Pills in succession, which is how I luckily broke through," Su Yuan explained.

"I also wish to learn from you." A fighting spirit ignited in Zhou Xing's eyes.

"Zhou Xing, do not bully others by relying on your cultivation," Yun Xu frowned.

Su Yuan, however, said, "It is fine. Come."

Zhou Xing's cultivation was at the mid-stage of External Force. This time, she held nothing back, her figure moving like lightning as she slashed a palm diagonally at Su Yuan's shoulder and neck, the wind of her strike sharp and fierce.

This time, Su Yuan secretly layered his Vajra Strength with his Flying Star Strength and pushed the effects of his various traits to the limit, meeting her with a fist that was heavy, majestic, and tyrannical.

Bang!

As fist and palm collided, Zhou Xing's face turned pale. With a muffled groan, her right arm hung limply at her side, and once again, a figure appeared in Yun Xu's embrace.

"Ugh!" Zhou Xing clutched her right hand, her face full of pain.

Seeing this, Su Yuan realized he had used too much force. He quickly stepped forward to grasp her arm, pressing several major acupuncture points and massaging the area a few times.

Zhou Xing's expression finally eased, but the look she gave Su Yuan was now that of someone looking at a monster.

Yun Xu had also not expected Su Yuan to be so formidable. After comforting Zhou Xing, her voice suddenly turned cold and stern, "Have you all seen it now? Su Yuan's ability far exceeds what you imagined. He will be an important secret agent we plant within the high ranks of Great Liang. If a single word of today's events leaks out... do not blame me for disregarding our ties as fellow disciples."

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

They had never seen their Senior Sister look so cold and severe, and they nodded hurriedly.

Ji Haoyang turned to Su Yuan and tactfully handed over a pouch of money containing over fifty taels.

He cupped his fists and said, "Brother Su, there were many misunderstandings earlier, and my actions were offensive. Haoyang offers his apologies here. In the future, we might as well spar more often, though Senior Sister must be present to oversee things."

He said the last sentence in a low voice.

Since it was settled, Su Yuan entered to check on Yun Yan's injuries.

Yun Yan lay on a couch, appearing to be around forty years of age. His face was as pale as gold paper, and the short beard beneath his chin was gray and white, yet his eyes remained bright and piercing as he watched them quietly.

His frame should have been quite robust, but due to his severe injuries, he now appeared somewhat hunched and frail.

"Father, Su Yuan says he can help treat your wounds." Yun Xu led Su Yuan forward.

Yun Yan had already heard their exchange from outside. His gaze swept over Su Yuan with complex emotions before shifting to his daughter. He finally sighed, "The younger generation is truly formidable. At such a young age, your martial arts and temperament are both extraordinary. To be able to endure humiliation, remain in hibernation, and keep the nation in your heart—to see such talent in my lifetime makes me feel that the restoration of the country is possible. As for my injuries, I fear that..."

"Master Yun, save your strength. Let me treat you first." Su Yuan interrupted him directly and stepped forward to examine him.

He did not want to waste time.

Yun Yan was choked by the bluntness and stroked his beard: This young man truly does not know how to respect his elders.

He knew his own condition; having burned his essence blood while escaping, he was beyond saving.

Su Yuan carefully inspected his tendons and meridians, then channeled his energy to push through the blockages and circulate his blood.

[Origin-Returning Finger Condensation] could restore vitality and mend the source. No matter how severe the injury, as long as the person was not dead, one could always save them by slowly restoring their source.

An hour later, a hint of color actually appeared on Yun Yan's face.

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

Yun Yan's face showed surprise: "There is indeed improvement. Kid, I didn't expect your medical skills to be so remarkable."

Su Yuan merely said, "A small effort, but your injuries are too severe. You need to recuperate for several months and must not practice martial arts during this time. Let me be clear: this method is something only I can perform. I hope you all keep your promise."

Yun Xu nodded repeatedly, her eyes reddening as she hugged her father: "That's wonderful, Father... you really are saved."

She turned to Su Yuan and smoothed her hair: "Su Yuan, thank you. I do not know how to repay such a kindness."

"If you want to repay me, teach me your martial arts now. Pass on the rest of the Cloud-Striding Palm to me. That isn't too much to ask, is it?" Su Yuan did not want to delay.

Yun Xu was stunned. The healing had just finished, and he wanted to train immediately?

She finally understood why Su Yuan could improve so rapidly.

She nodded and said to Ji and Zhou, "Fine, I will teach him. You two take good care of Master."

The two arrived in the courtyard.

Yun Xu set her stance, demonstrating and explaining as she moved.

After a few forms, she suddenly stopped, her eyes filled with astonishment: "Your Cloud-Striding Palm is already approaching the Blood Refining stage?"

She recalled their clash earlier: "You have already mastered two Horse Division techniques to the point of entering the Force, and you practice others besides. Are you truly only of low-grade aptitude?"

She couldn't help but say, "Let me check your bone structure."

Su Yuan sidestepped to avoid her: "There is nothing to check. It is merely through the help of medicinal pills and luck."

Yun Xu looked at him with a resentful gaze, clearly not believing him.

Su Yuan coughed lightly and spouted nonsense: "To tell you the truth, I possess a Heavenly Spirit Root and have the potential to become an immortal."

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

But she knew Su Yuan's comprehension was top-tier, which could compensate for some of the deficiencies in his bone structure.

She carefully imparted the subsequent mental cultivation techniques: "Since you have already entered the Savage Strength, why do you still want to practice the Cloud-Striding Palm? It is difficult for two types of Force to be compatible."

"Learning one more skill provides one more safeguard. A master of many trades is never burdened," Su Yuan replied.

After responding, the two continued to practice by matching palms, while Ji Haoyang could only lie at the doorway and watch from afar.

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

In the days that followed, Yun Xu went to great lengths to repair the trust between herself and Su Yuan.

She provided him with a great deal of intelligence, such as the hiding places of the remaining disciples of the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall.

The relationship between the two sides seemed to return to the state of mutual dependence and checks and balances they had at the very beginning.

At the same time, Ji Haoyang, whom Su Yuan was most wary of, was also placated by her with a few brief words.

To bring everyone closer, Yun Xu simply had Su Yuan join the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall, making them fellow disciples.

Since they were fellow disciples, it would be difficult to continue plotting against one another.

The disciples in the hall were ranked by strength, and by his own ability, he leaped to become the Second Senior Brother, second only to the Senior Sister, Yun Xu.

Furthermore, Su Yuan's future entry into the Jiguang Society could also serve as a cover for his Green Ghost identity, claiming he was merely a disciple of the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall who had been wandering outside for years.

Yet, the current Su Yuan already possessed enough strength to escape Ji City on his own.

But he had reasons he must stay; there were still too many things that needed to be settled.

If his previous struggle to rise was to enter the Inner City, then what he had to do now was to overturn the Inner City and annihilate the Shan Family.

Naturally, he would not be foolish enough to act alone or act recklessly.

If there were those who could walk the same path as him and share the risks, he would naturally be happy to see it happen.

After all, the enemy of an enemy is a friend.