Talent

White Ape Martial Hall.

Outer Courtyard Practice Field.

"Look, it's Senior Brother Sun and Jiang Chen!"

When Jiang Chen and the others returned, the Outer Courtyard disciples looked over one after another.

"The Inner Courtyard Token..."

"I never expected it, Jiang Chen has truly become an Inner Courtyard disciple!"

"How on earth did he do it? After wasting more than half a year, he still managed to step into the Three Qi and Blood Gates. Could it be that, like Junior Brother Tang, he also possesses superior aptitude?"

"But I heard from a senior brother in the Inner Courtyard that Jiang Chen's aptitude seems quite ordinary?"

"That's impossible, right? Can someone with ordinary aptitude cultivate this quickly?"

"Perhaps he used some underhanded methods..."

The Outer Courtyard disciples whispered among themselves, their expressions a mix of shock, curiosity, envy, and jealousy.

No one could have imagined that after his sudden awakening, Jiang Chen would achieve such success.

This change was truly too drastic, so much so that it was hard for people to accept.

After all, the Jiang Chen of the past was a genuine bottom-feeder.

"Three Qi and Blood Gates..."

At the edge of the Practice Field, Luo Yang watched the high-spirited Jiang Chen with a complex expression.

Although he had sensed that Jiang Chen's talent was not simple back when Jiang Chen completed the First Qi and Blood Gate and stepped into the Second Qi and Blood Gate, he still hadn't expected Jiang Chen's talent to be this formidable.

He had not slacked off at all over the past half-year, yet he remained firmly stuck at the Second Qi and Blood Gate.

And Jiang Chen? He had spent half a year playing around, yet he had easily stepped into the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

Both possessed ordinary aptitude, so why was the gap between them so vast?

"Qingzhu, are you sure you don't want to go find Jiang Chen?"

On a nearby corridor, two figures were also watching Jiang Chen.

"He already spoke so decisively; why should I go and invite humiliation upon myself?"

Wang Qingzhu stood in silence.

The words Jiang Chen said to Zhao Xiaoyue at noon had completely shattered her confidence.

Once her greatest trump card—her appearance—lost its effect, she no longer had the courage to stand before Jiang Chen.

"Senior Brother Sun, I'll head back to cultivate now."

After parting ways with Sun Wu and the others, Jiang Chen arrived at the Inner Courtyard Martial Arts Arena.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After warming up his body, he began to practice the White Ape Combat Method, the low thrum of his punches echoing through the air.

[White Ape Combat Method, Experience +1]
[White Ape Combat Method, Experience +1]
[White Ape Combat Method, Experience +1]

Relying on the comprehension boost from the Myriad Dao Chart and the fusion of his ancient martial arts experience, lines of ethereal text drifted across the Myriad Dao Chart.

As his experience increased, Jiang Chen became increasingly proficient in the combat method.

Every move and every stance possessed a sense of natural beauty.

Boom!

Around the hour of the dog, a familiar, ethereal sound resonated within his Soul Sea.

[Martial Art: White Ape Combat Method · Minor Accomplishment 0%]

On the Myriad Dao Chart, the White Ape Combat Method had advanced from Entry level to Minor Accomplishment.

Jiang Chen's insight into the White Ape Combat Method had clearly ascended to a new level.

Now, he was no longer restricted by the set patterns of the moves and could act as he pleased.

He reckoned that once the White Ape Combat Method reached perfection, it would be able to fully merge with his experience from his past life.

Who exactly is watching from the shadows?

Soaked in sweat, Jiang Chen finished his training. As he splashed water on his face to wash up, his thoughts surged.

He never doubted his own intuition.

In his past life, he had relied on his intuition to evade several fatal dangers.

At that moment, someone must have been watching from the shadows.

"Either it is the Azure Dragon Gang, or... it is the Zheng Clan!"

Jiang Chen pondered over it repeatedly; these two forces were the most suspicious.

The Azure Dragon Gang might have targeted him because of his family's shops.

As for the Zheng Clan, that went without saying; the two sides shared a blood feud.

Ever since Zheng Hao and the others died, the Zheng Clan had been investigating in the shadows.

Perhaps they had truly found some clues and suspected him.

"Whether it is the Green Wolf Gang or the Zheng Clan, both of these hidden dangers must be resolved."

Jiang Chen reined in his thoughts, a cold glint flickering in his eyes.

As for how to resolve them?

Naturally, by cutting the weeds and digging up the roots.

Once the enemies were all dead, the hidden dangers would naturally cease to exist.

Therefore, overthinking was useless; striving to improve his cultivation was the only correct path.

Thinking this way, he returned to his residence and began to polish his second aperture.

Over the next few days, Jiang Chen entered a mode of bitter cultivation once again.

The vast majority of his time was spent polishing the second aperture.

His spare time was used to practice the White Ape Combat Method.

Both the second aperture and the White Ape Combat Method were progressing steadily.

Time slipped away.

Four days passed.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

On the martial arts field, two figures were locked in a fierce struggle.

One was as swift as a monkey, his strikes sharp and lethal.

The other had steady footwork, parrying every move he encountered.

Those two were none other than Jiang Chen and Sun Wu.

"Has Junior Brother Jiang's White Ape Combat Method reached perfection?!"

While the two were sparring, Zhou Yuqing arrived at some point, and upon seeing Jiang Chen's combat technique, her bright eyes narrowed.

Jiang Chen had only joined the Inner Courtyard a few days ago; how could he have completely mastered the White Ape Combat Method already?

This level of comprehension was truly terrifying!

"Eh? Why does it feel like Senior Brother Sun is struggling a bit to handle him?"

After watching for a while, Zhou Yuqing made another discovery, shock surging in her eyes.

Sun Wu, who appeared to be easily neutralizing the attacks, actually wore a serious expression, looking as if he were fighting someone of the same rank.

But the problem was, Jiang Chen had only just entered the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

And Sun Wu, even if injured, was a genuine True Martial Realm practitioner.

Given the vast gap between the two, even if Sun Wu suppressed his cultivation, he shouldn't be feeling strained.

"Senior Brother Sun, let's take a break."

After fighting for a long time, Jiang Chen, his Blood Qi exhausted, withdrew his hands and stopped the fight.

"Hoo!"

Hearing this, Sun Wu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

If the fight had continued, he feared he would have had to use his full strength to cope.

With just the White Ape Combat Method, I still cannot rival the True Martial First Layer, but if I coordinate it with the Soul Seal's perception, I can fight across ranks.

Jiang Chen stood in a horse stance to recover his Blood Qi, his mind reviewing the sparring session just now.

Over these past few days, Sun Wu would come to spar with him from time to time.

The purpose, naturally, was to let him familiarize himself with the True Martial level in advance, so that he would have a better chance of winning during the Martial Exam at the end of the year.

Through these days of sparring, he had gained a clear understanding of the True Martial Realm.

He couldn't say for sure about the True Martial Second Layer, but he was already confident he could take down a True Martial First Layer.

The sensory ability of the Soul Seal was his trump card for deciding the outcome.

"Senior Brother Sun, has your old injury flared up?"

At this moment, Zhou Yuqing walked over and asked Sun Wu.

Clearly, she believed the reason Sun Wu was struggling was due to his old injury acting up.

Otherwise, with a True Martial Realm practitioner against a Blood Qi Realm practitioner, even with suppressed cultivation, he should have been able to easily crush his opponent.

"It's not an old injury; it's just that Junior Brother Jiang's combat talent is too ferocious."

Sun Wu could naturally hear the implication in Zhou Yuqing's words.

A martial artist's talent is divided into many types.

For instance, the most important is bone structure, which determines the speed of cultivation.

Then there is comprehension, which influences the mastery of techniques and martial arts.

Furthermore, there is combat talent.

As the name suggests, this type of talent is born for battle.

Among the Inner Courtyard disciples, there are not a few who have cultivated the White Ape Combat Method to perfection.

However, he had never seen anyone who could wield the White Ape Combat Method with such supernatural skill as Jiang Chen.

Normal disciples, when executing the White Ape Combat Method, follow the steps methodically, showing obvious patterns.

Only through constant tempering in actual combat can one erase the traces of those routines.

But Jiang Chen? He only came into contact with the White Ape Fist a few days ago, yet now, when he executes the fist techniques, he is no longer influenced by the framework of the martial art.

He uses whatever move is effective.

Even though they are combo moves, he can decisively break them apart and effortlessly integrate other techniques.

It is precisely because of this that he feels so strained.

Because he is completely unable to predict Jiang Chen's moves, the pressure only mounts the longer they fight.