Master Will Take You to Challenge Dojos!

"Refreshing!"

Ye Li shouted inwardly!

Having backing is truly refreshing!

If he had followed the standard path of progression, he would have had to endure the whims of this Elder for a year, and his breakthrough speed would have been dragged down who knows how much.

On the scene, the mess across the courtyard was being cleaned up by ordinary disciples of the Azure Dragon Gang.

The blood-stained sections and shattered bricks in the courtyard were being replaced one by one.

As for those core disciples?

Zheng Tong had issued the order himself; no one dared to defy him.

They had already been dragged into the gang's prison for internal execution!

On the scene, Yang Shichang looked at Ye Li in shock:

"Brother Ye, you hid this from me so well. Why didn't you say you had become the Gang Leader's disciple that day?"

Back then, when Ye Li came to ask him for an audience with the Gang Leader, he had assumed it was just a young man in the gang being ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth, and that hitting a wall would do him some good.

He never expected this kid to be so quiet about it, actually becoming the Gang Leader's personal disciple.

The Gang Leader had no blood descendants, and his own apprentice had died prematurely years ago. This meant this kid was the future Young Gang Leader???

Ye Li waved his hands with a humble smile: "Elder Yang, nothing was set in stone that day. Master required me to break through to the middle stage of Body Tempering within four months before officially taking me in. Today was just borrowing the Gang Leader's prestige; nothing is fully settled yet."

"The Gang Leader's word is worth its weight in gold. Since he didn't directly deny it, he has already tacitly approved."

Yang Shichang patted Ye Li's right shoulder earnestly:

"The Gang Leader taking an apprentice represents the face of our Azure Dragon Gang. I will arrange it immediately, announce it to all the powers in the city, and hold a grand apprenticeship banquet for you soon!"

As he spoke, Yang Shichang took a deep look at Ye Li, cursing himself inwardly for misjudging the man.

He had thought that even if Ye Li had extraordinary comprehension and aptitude, he was only on the same level as the blue-trait holder Lu Xiuyuan. Looking back now, he realized he had been blind.

He was now regretting it so much his guts were turning green.

Had he known this kid had such great aptitude, he would have secretly taken him as an apprentice when no one was paying attention. To let such an excellent seedling slip through his fingers!

Unfortunately, Ye Li had already become the Gang Leader's disciple; the wood was already carved into a boat.

Thinking of the talent he had missed, Yang Shichang sighed repeatedly, and under Ye Li's twitching gaze, he turned and left.

Watching Yang Shichang depart, Ye Li immediately ran toward his cheap master, Zheng Tong, with a grin, thanking him sincerely:

"Many thanks for the instruction, Master! You let me use force to strike force! Suppressing those petty scoundrels!"

"Use force to strike force?"

A look of confusion appeared on Zheng Tong's face: "When did I lend you force?"

Ye Li smiled and clenched his fist: "Power!!!"

Zheng Tong: ...

As he spoke, he shook his head and sighed repeatedly: "The status of being the Gang Leader's disciple is truly a damn good thing. Even a Post-Heaven Realm Elder doesn't dare to show me disrespect."

"It's a pity this power only lasts tonight. Once they know I haven't officially apprenticed yet, the power Master lent me will immediately dissipate."

"Alas, I'm afraid I'll be on the receiving end of cold shoulders again by then~~~"

Looking at the sighing Ye Li, how could Zheng Tong not understand his meaning?

"Since I didn't deny it, then we shall make this title official. However, the apprenticeship banquet must wait until you have made your breakthrough!"

Hearing that the power had turned from temporary to permanent, a smile immediately spread across Ye Li's face as he bowed and cupped his hands: "Many thanks, Master!"

"Mm." Zheng Tong nodded faintly, his mind recalling the scene in the courtyard just moments ago.

What left the deepest impression on him was not the few that Ye Li had carved up with his blade, but those who had been smashed to pieces by Ye Li's bare fists.

To be able to shatter an opponent's arm with a punch while both were in the same realm—especially when a Body Tempering martial artist possesses a network of qi and blood—was something even a middle-stage Body Tempering expert would struggle to achieve.

This was either a force-amplification trait, or...

"What level has your martial art reached?" Zheng Tong asked suddenly.

"The disciple practices the Nine Chapters Fist Manual, which has already reached the perfection of Clear Force, with the force being rounded and unified," Ye Li answered honestly.

"As expected!"

Hearing Ye Li's response, Zheng Tong nodded secretly.

He truly possessed an heaven-defying comprehension to have patched up the Azure Dragon Force to that extent based on intuition alone; compared to that, this perfection of Clear Force technique seemed normal.

Techniques at the perfection of Clear Force were usually only achieved when a martial artist reached the peak of Body Tempering and, finding no further room for progress, sought help from martial arts to gain insights!

However, Zheng Tong still offered a word of advice:

"Although martial arts allow you to gain the upper hand in combat within the same realm, they are ultimately just clever tricks. The realm is the true path; do not put the cart before the horse."

"This disciple understands!" Ye Li nodded obediently.

He knew that in a situation where an elder was offering guidance, he shouldn't talk back even if he had an opinion, otherwise, he would be the one to suffer in the end.

However...

Ye Li thought of another matter and, after a moment of hesitation, said, "Master, I fear we cannot stay in this courtyard any longer. Now that all of Guangming City knows I am your disciple..."

"With a genius like me—gifted, insightful, brave, resourceful, and dashingly handsome—I fear those rivals from the Poison Wolf Gang will harbor resentment and come to ambush me."

Ye Li spoke tactfully, leaving Zheng Tong feeling helpless.

The disciple he had taken in possessed high talent, but his personality seemed a bit eccentric.

Still, he explained, "That is of no concern. I will dispatch a core disciple at the peak of the Body Tempering stage to protect you. As for those in the Post-Heaven Realm? They wouldn't dare make a move!"

As he spoke, a cold glint flashed in Zheng Tong's eyes.

"A female bodyguard?" Ye Li asked, though he immediately realized he was talking nonsense.

What woman with good talent would choose to join a gang instead of those martial arts halls or sects!

Sure enough, upon hearing Ye Li's question, Zheng Tong said helplessly:

"The medicinal properties of the Dragon-Tiger Pill are too fierce. If you truly cannot hold it back, there are plenty in Spring Return Alley; there is no need to suppress yourself too much."

Ye Li nodded like a pecking chicken, but he didn't take it to heart.

His Pure Yang Golden Body was incredibly precious; whoever he chose would be the heroine, so how could he squander it so easily?

Much like those single-heroine stock market novels, the protagonist's Pure Yang Golden Body directly determined the rise and fall of the heroine's stock, so it could not be sold cheaply.

Glancing at Ye Li silently, he said indifferently, "Since you have apprenticed, come find me after the apprenticeship banquet."

"Is there some secret technique to be passed down?" Ye Li asked with some anticipation.

Zheng Tong: "I am taking you to challenge a martial arts hall!"

"Challenge... a hall?" Ye Li's mouth twitched. "Why?"

Zheng Tong said, "My disciple shall not be inferior to others. At the very least, you must be invincible among your peers in Guangming City! Otherwise, how can you command respect?"

"As for the Guangming City youth competition in half a year, you will go to that as well!"

Back in the day, he had followed the old gang leader and fought his way up exactly like this.

It was this relentless ferocity, maintained year after year, that had brought him to where he was today!

"Master, I don't even have a blue-tier combat trait right now."

Ye Li said helplessly, "What if I lose? Wouldn't that be very embarrassing?"

Zheng Tong looked at Ye Li and suddenly said, "My traits are also green! There is no need to feel inferior."

Under Ye Li's surprised gaze, Zheng Tong said each word clearly:

"If you lose, you lose. As long as you are alive, that is enough. Once you go back and train well, I will take you to fight again next time!"

"As long as you can win in the end, that is all that matters!"

As he spoke, Zheng Tong clenched his right fist: "Once you kill the vice leader of the Poison Wolf Gang and avenge your senior brother, that will be the time for your formal graduation!"

Hearing the ferocity in his master's tone, Ye Li asked curiously:

"And what about the Poison Wolf Gang leader?"

"If you can lure the vice leader away, I will take action myself!"