Comprehending True Intent, Tiger Walk Like Sickness!

The night was black as ink; all was silent.

"Five Animal Fist proficiency +5..."

In the cramped open space of the gatehouse, Jiang Ye slowly assumed a fighting stance, his mind settled and focused.

Ever since breaking through into Bright Strength and first awakening his qi and blood, his understanding of the Five Animal Fist had grown ever deeper. As his thoughts turned, he could now touch the subtler "spirit" hidden behind the postures of those five creatures.

This time, he assumed the "Tiger Form" stance and sank into concentration.

As his mind immersed itself and his intent reached forth, he was no longer merely imitating the mighty outward bearing of a tiger hunting prey. He was probing toward the deeper, more essential way of survival of that king of beasts...

In a daze, he seemed to "see" a vast, desolate snowfield.

A huge tiger was pacing slowly across it.

Its steps were unexpectedly sluggish, even somewhat unsteady. Its shoulder blades hung loose, its back slightly sagged, and its eyelids drooped halfway shut. It looked listless and sickly, utterly unlike the majestic, domineering king of beasts he had imagined. Its entire body seemed so slack that it was full of openings.

Yet when an exceedingly faint scent of prey drifted past its nose on the wind—

The tiger's loose muscles instantly tightened like iron strings. Its half-lowered eyelids snapped open, and a life-snatching chill burst from its ice-blue pupils!

Every lazy, sluggish, sickly illusion was torn to shreds in an instant. A ferocious, baleful aura—condensed to the utmost, violent to the utmost—surged toward the heavens!

There was no transition between stillness and eruption, only the purest, deadliest transformation!

As the ancients said: an eagle stands as though asleep; a tiger walks as though sick!

An understanding that seemed to have come from ancient times itself split the chaos like a thunderbolt and exploded through his sea of consciousness:

[Weariness is not decline, but divine brilliance hidden within; the form is loose, the intent sinks deep!]

[Look upon its exterior: it seems slack, it seems idle, empty everywhere. Yet examine its interior: it is sealed, it is closed; essence lies hidden, the might of tiger and leopard crouches within the vital core, and the force of thunder is stored in the mud pellet!]

[When still, it is like rotten wood. When it moves, it is like spring thunder splitting the sky, earthfire surging forth; spirit, intent, qi, and strength burst out as one, vast and irresistible!]

[Your comprehension is extraordinary. You have seen through appearances and pointed straight to the source, comprehending the true intent of "Tiger Form"—Tiger Walk Like Sickness!]

Name: Jiang Ye

Lifespan: 80

Fate: Ascension Stairway [Effect 1: Extraordinary Comprehension]

Mastered Martial Art: Five Animal Fist [Minor Mastery, 101/500]

Mastered True Intent: Tiger Walk Like Sickness

The system's cold, clear notification seemed to carry scorching heat at this moment.

"Ugh..."

Jiang Ye let out a muffled groan, and the body he held in the Tiger Form stance suddenly shuddered.

At the instant that profound true intent fused with his mind, he clearly felt a strange and profound change taking place within his aged body.

The qi and blood that had previously roamed somewhat "ostentatiously" after his Bright Strength breakthrough seemed to be restrained and drawn by some invisible force, beginning to sink inward and gather!

No longer did it flaunt itself beneath his skin. Instead, it seeped deeper into the gaps between his sinews and bones, settled into the depths of his marrow, and concealed itself among his five viscera and six bowels.

An unprecedented feeling of "relaxation" seeped out from his very bones.

It was not weakness, but a kind of emptiness and stillness that perfectly wrapped up and hid all his strength, all his sharpness, all his presence.

He felt his heartbeat become slower and heavier, his breathing so long and fine it was almost imperceptible.

"Tiger Walk Like Sickness... drawing strength into the marrow... hiding the edge within clumsiness..."

Jiang Ye slowly withdrew his stance and opened his eyes.

There was no trace of cloudiness left in those seemingly aged eyes. Like the gaze of a fearsome tiger, they gleamed with brilliance.

He lowered his head and looked at his still wrinkled palm, slowly curling it into a fist.

There was no gathering of force, no roar, not even any obvious bulging of muscle.

His fist swung forward in what looked like a casual motion.

Bang!

A low but piercing explosion rang out, like muffled thunder detonating within the cramped gatehouse!

Crack!

The sharp sound was unmistakable.

Three meters away from Jiang Ye, a web of fine cracks suddenly burst across the hard wall of blue bricks and gray mortar!

Brick dust trickled down from the center of the cracks.

"So this is the power of a fist after comprehending the true intent of 'Tiger Walk Like Sickness'?!"

Jiang Ye's pupils contracted sharply. Though he had expected it, his heart still gave a heavy leap at the sight.

From three meters away, his fist force remained gathered without dispersing, strong enough to shatter walls and split stone!

If that had struck a body of flesh and blood... even an iron-forged body would likely suffer broken sinews and shattered bones, its organs pulped to mush!

He had guarded the gates of Bluestone Martial Academy for twenty years and had seen many Bright Strength disciples exert their power. They emphasized overwhelming force, exploding the instant they touched an object. But when had he ever seen such terrifying force—so restrained yet so violent, capable of wounding an enemy through empty space?

He suddenly realized that this Five Animal Fist, which Liu Qingshi had judged to be "inclined toward health cultivation and lacking in killing power," had likely erupted with strength far beyond the Mountain Crushing Fist, famed for its fierce and tyrannical force, under the combination of his "extraordinary comprehension" and "Tiger Form True Intent"!

"I really want to..."

Jiang Ye licked his slightly dry lips, a gleam flashing in his eyes.

"Find a human post... and give it a real try."

When one carried a sharp weapon, the urge to kill arose on its own.

For no reason at all, Jiang Ye suddenly felt his hands itch.

"This world is growing more and more unsettled. An opportunity should come soon enough."

The next day.

Jiang Ye rose early as usual.

As was customary, he practiced the Five Animal Fist several times in the open space before the gate before opening the doors of the Martial Academy.

The morning breeze was faintly cold, and the long street was quiet.

He returned to the little stool by the gate, polished smooth from use, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and let his eyelids droop halfway. Once more, he became that old gatekeeper who looked as though he could fall asleep at any moment.

The first person to arrive with the morning dew beneath his feet was still not Shi Lei.

It was a young disciple with a somewhat round face and a solid build. Jiang Ye vaguely remembered that his surname was Feng. He was unremarkable in the Outer Courtyard and ordinarily had nothing particularly noteworthy about him.

Disciple Feng hurried along, his head lowered as he walked toward the main gate as usual.

Yet just as he neared the gatehouse and his gaze happened to sweep over Jiang Ye sitting there—

"Ah! A tiger?"

A brief cry of alarm suddenly rang out, especially piercing in the quiet morning.

As though he had seen a ghost in broad daylight, Disciple Feng abruptly stopped. His face turned deathly pale, his pupils shrank, and he involuntarily staggered half a step back, as if he had seen something utterly terrifying.

In his horrified gaze, the hunched old man seated at the gate had loose, sagging lines all over his body and not the slightest spark of vitality. He clearly looked like someone on the brink of death.

But for some reason, at the instant their eyes met, he seemed to see a white-browed tiger with hanging eyes curled up in the shadows!

But it lasted only an instant.

The illusion vanished like smoke.

Before him was clearly still Jiang Ye, the old gatekeeper—hair grizzled white, face full of wrinkles—raising his clouded old eyes at him in confusion, apparently baffled by his sudden shout.

"I... I was..."

Disciple Feng violently shook his head and blinked hard several times. When he looked again, where was any tiger?

There was only an utterly ordinary, decrepit old man.

A powerful wave of absurdity and embarrassment surged into his heart, heating his cheeks.

Had he muddled himself from training so early in the morning? Or had he not woken up fully and imagined things?

He had actually mistaken the old gatekeeper for a tiger... If word got out, wouldn't his fellow disciples laugh their teeth out?

Feeling guilty, he swiftly glanced around. Fortunately, it was still early, and no other disciples were present to witness that embarrassing scene.

He did not dare look at Jiang Ye again. Lowering his head in haste, he mumbled something indistinctly, then quickened his pace as though fleeing. He rushed through the gate and slipped into the Martial Academy.

"Did my Tiger Form True Intent frighten him?!"

Jiang Ye silently watched the disciple's panicked retreating back, a flash of understanding passing through his eyes.

But it was no great concern.

Ordinary people would only blame it on an illusion, blurred vision, or an unsettled mind.

So long as he did not use that concealed force, he would remain, in everyone else's eyes, the inconspicuous old gatekeeper Jiang Ye.

As the morning light brightened, the Martial Academy gradually regained its usual bustle and vitality, both inside and out.

Disciples arrived one after another, and shouts rose once more from the Martial Practice Field.

Just then, the sound of hoofbeats and laughter approached from afar, stopping before the gates of the Martial Academy.

"Senior Brother Zhang, from now on, you're my real big brother! Last night was truly... an eye-opener!"

Accompanied by a voice thick with obvious flattery and excitement, Hu Tian jumped down from a carriage that was not lavishly decorated but was spacious enough.

The excited flush left over from a night without sleep still lingered on his face, and his eyes shone brightly. He still wore coarse cloth clothes, but a leather pouch of seemingly fine quality now hung at his waist, clearly not something he should originally have possessed.

Zhang Xu descended from the carriage right after him. Today, he wore a dark red fitted outfit embroidered with gold trim, making him appear even more imposing and noble.

The same several Inner Courtyard attendants followed behind him, each wearing a knowing smile.

In the span of a single night, the relationship between Hu Tian and Zhang Xu seemed to have undergone a qualitative leap.

Hu Tian stayed tightly at Zhang Xu's side, half a step behind him. His posture was respectful yet intimate, and his eyes were filled with undisguised worship and gratitude whenever he looked at Zhang Xu. He was utterly unlike the tense, awkward country boy he had been yesterday.