Yuan Dao Temple, Enlightenment in a Technique

Late at night, inside Father Su's room.

At this moment, he was constantly searching for something, leaving the room in a terrible mess.

"Master, what are you looking for?"

Mother Su, standing to one side, asked with a puzzled expression.

"Back then, Governor Wang and I were fortunate enough to meet a few times. We got along well and formed a bit of a friendship."

"He once bestowed a Glazed Jade pendant upon me. That thing is worth a great deal, and I'm looking for it now."

Father Su answered casually, though he looked somewhat anxious.

In previous years, the wealth accumulated by the Su Estate had amounted to quite a considerable sum.

But in recent years, the Su Estate's businesses, especially its escort agency, had suffered grievous losses and were bringing in less than they spent.

Much of their saved silver had been consumed.

Moreover, he was mild by nature and kind to others, often providing relief to commoners and beggar children.

The wages he offered his employees were also far higher than those of other families.

That consumed even more silver.

It truly answered that saying.

Those who were too kind could not do business.

If not for his small connection with Governor Wang, someone would likely have made a move against the Su Estate long ago!

Now that he knew Su Yun possessed such great talent,

as his father, he naturally could not hold him back!

He had to do everything in his power to help him.

"Master, Governor Wang personally handed you that Glazed Jade pendant in front of everyone at his promotion banquet."

"It carries immense significance!"

Upon hearing the words Glazed Jade pendant, Mother Su could not help speaking up, her brows tightly furrowed.

This Glazed Jade pendant had been crafted from premium Glazed Jade.

Governor Wang's name was even engraved upon it.

Not only was it immensely valuable in itself, it also represented the close relationship between its owner and Governor Wang.

At a critical moment, that Glazed Jade pendant could save a life!

How could they sell it just because they wanted to?

"What do you know?"

"Yun'er's talent is something seen once in a thousand years."

"If I, his father, do not support him with all my strength, am I even worthy of being called a father?"

Father Su continued searching as he explained irritably.

Seeing Father Su persist,

Mother Su pondered for a moment before gritting her teeth and walking over to the jade cabinet.

Click!

Immediately afterward, she pulled open the cabinet and took out a purple wooden box.

When the box was opened, it revealed several exquisite pieces of jewelry.

They were her dowry.

Among them was a jade hairpin that stood like a crane among chickens, incomparably gorgeous and exceptionally precious.

Looking at the jade hairpin, reluctance appeared on her face.

It was the token of love Father Su had given her all those years ago.

Coming back to herself, Mother Su took a deep breath.

"Master, pawn my jewelry."

She picked up the wooden box and walked over, her expression calm.

Trying to conceal the sorrow in her eyes.

"Wan'er, you..."

Father Su was stunned, scarcely able to believe it.

"What? Do you think I'm some sharp-tongued, heartless woman?"

Mother Su immediately became somewhat displeased.

"Although Yun'er wasn't born to me, he is still my son."

"As his mother, am I not allowed to help my own son?"

Father Su said nothing.

He merely rose and stepped forward, drawing Mother Su into his arms and holding her tightly with both hands.

Then, he whispered a few words into her ear.

They made Mother Su blush with embarrassment.

"You shameless old man!"

Early the next morning.

Su Yun took several banknotes to the major pharmacies in the city and purchased a great many medicinal ingredients.

In the end, he sorted the ingredients by type and managed to gather nine complete batches.

"With these nine batches of ingredients, I should be able to cultivate the Bone Forging Vajra Technique to the fifth or sixth level, right?"

Su Yun guessed inwardly.

"Let's begin cultivating."

Without giving it much further thought, he had the servants prepare hot water and began a medicinal bath.

During the medicinal bath.

At a certain moment.

The aura around his body suddenly began to surge.

"Your Breathing Technique cultivated for an entire night and, in one vigorous push, raised its progress to 100%. You have successfully broken through to the Body Refining Fifth Stage!"

Boom!

In almost an instant, surging blood and qi flooded Su Yun's body.

At this moment, he had successfully broken through to the Body Refining Fifth Stage!

"Not bad. I finally broke through."

Feeling his strength increase, Su Yun nodded to himself.

He was now even more confident about dealing with the Black Cloud Stronghold.

Time slowly passed.

Gradually, the sun rose high in the sky.

Scorching sunlight shone over heaven and earth.

It shrank the buildings of varying heights and the busy figures into tightly clustered patches of black light.

At this time, Su Yun slowly rose.

He checked the cultivation progress of the Bone Forging Vajra Technique.

Technique: Bone Forging Vajra Technique

Realm: Third Level (Progress 40%)

"Not bad. One medicinal bath increased the progress by forty percent."

Su Yun was fairly satisfied with the effect of the medicinal bath.

At most, after two more medicinal baths, he would be able to break through.

By then, his strength would rise again.

"Ding!"

"Your Bone Forging Vajra Technique was depressed because it had not heard Dao Sound. It automatically cultivated for an entire night, increasing its progress by 2%."

Su Yun froze.

Dao Sound?

What was that?

"Could it be something like Buddhist chanting?"

Su Yun pondered.

Immediately afterward, he thought over where there might be a Daoist temple nearby.

Very quickly, several ideas came to mind.

Su Yun immediately set out, bringing several banknotes with him as he intended to pay a visit.

The place he went to was Yuan Dao Temple outside the city!

Yuan Dao Temple was a place where the Great Yun Former Emperor had once lived.

It was deeply valued by the imperial family and renowned far and wide.

Although the Yuan Dao Temple outside the city was merely a branch temple, its status was lofty, and no one dared to run wild there.

After some time, Su Yun arrived.

A Daoist priest stopped him.

"Outside reception hours, Yuan Dao Temple is under lockdown."

"Idle outsiders are not permitted to enter."

Su Yun smiled without committing himself.

He silently took out a ten-thousand-tael banknote and dropped it into the merit box.

Then, with a solemn expression, he said,

"This humble one seeks the Dao with all his heart. I hope Daoist Priest will grant me this favor."

The Daoist priest glanced at the merit box.

Then his expression turned solemn, and he pressed his palms together.

"Very well!"

"Seeing how wholeheartedly you seek the Dao, I shall permit you to enter the temple this once."

"However, today only."

"Thank you, Daoist Priest!"

Su Yun cupped his hands in thanks.

The moment he entered the depths of the temple, a highly accomplished Daoist priest was already expounding the Dao.

A voice carrying Daoist resonance reached Su Yun's ears.

"The Dao has no name, nor form; no color, no appearance. A thousand people hold a thousand meanings..."

"Your Bone Forging Vajra Technique heard Dao Sound for the first time, leaving you dazzled and entranced. You have entered a state of Enlightenment!"

Su Yun stopped in his tracks, his expression shaking.

Enlightenment!

Even many genius martial artists could only encounter such a state by chance and never seek it!

Then, the blood and qi within his body began to churn without end, roaring like Flood Dragons and producing trembling sounds.

Crackling sounds also erupted from all over his body.

Even his skin began to faintly gleam gold.

In a short span of time, the power of blood and qi within him surged by a huge amount!

Moreover, this state did not end immediately.

About half an incense stick later.

Only then did the state of Enlightenment finally fade completely.

A voice also sounded in his mind.

"Bone Forging Vajra Technique Enlightenment complete. You have gained greatly; subsequent automatic cultivation efficiency has increased fivefold."

"Your Bone Forging Vajra Technique has successfully broken through to the sixth level!"

At this moment, even Su Yun was somewhat shocked.

One Enlightenment, and he had crossed three levels in a row?

Originally, if he wanted to raise the Bone Forging Vajra Technique to the sixth level, he would likely have needed many medicinal baths.

Yet one Enlightenment had saved him an enormous amount of time.

The efficiency was simply too high!

"This Enlightenment probably equals several years of ordinary people's bitter cultivation."

Su Yun could not help sighing.

If he could experience Enlightenment a few more times, would the Bone Forging Vajra Technique not reach completion?

Of course, Su Yun did not hold much hope for such things.

Still, he gave it a try.

Over the next while, he remained at Yuan Dao Temple for a long time, listening to several Daoist priests expound the Dao.

Yet it only raised the cultivation progress of the Bone Forging Vajra Technique by ten percent, with little effect.

Moreover, the effect of listening to the Dao grew weaker and weaker.

"As expected, an opportunity like Enlightenment can be encountered but not sought."

"Still, I can take some of these scriptures on Daoist teachings with me. They may prove useful."

Su Yun paid several banknotes and packed up more than a dozen scripture volumes.

Afterward, he returned to the Su Estate.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

That morning.

White clouds drifted leisurely beneath a clear sky stretching for miles.

In the courtyard of Su Estate, Su Yun sat with his eyes closed, regulating his breath.

At a certain moment, his expression shifted.

"After cultivating the Bone Forging Vajra Technique for one night, cultivation progress has reached one hundred percent. Successfully broken through to the seventh level!"

Almost in an instant,

the qi and blood within Su Yun's body surged without cease.

A tyrannical force filled his heart!

At that moment, he clenched his fist.

Specks of golden light shimmered faintly, quite miraculous.

Taking a deep breath, Su Yun smiled and murmured.

"More or less, it's time to settle Black Cloud Stronghold!"