Kun Fist--Iron Mountain Lean!

Ma Hongjun stood up.

His legs bent slightly.

His center of gravity sank.

His arms hung naturally in front of him.

Big Black Ox had just woken up and raised its head to take a look.

"Moo?" (This posture... it looks like a chicken about to lay an egg?)

Xiao Wu rubbed her eyes and sat up, catching the scene exactly.

"What is he doing?"

Tang San raised his head and glanced over.

"...It looks like he's circulating his energy?"

The next second—

Ma Hongjun lunged forward with a fierce strike!

"BOOM!"

A giant boulder three meters away was covered in cracks before shattering instantly!

Dust billowed into the air.

Everyone was stunned.

Ma Hongjun looked down at his hands, his lips trembling.

"I... Iron Mountain Lean?"

Su Mo was stunned as well.

He had just written it down casually.

You actually mastered it?

Ma Hongjun turned around, tears streaming down his face, smearing it completely.

"Boss Su! I mastered it!"

He rushed over, threw his arms around Su Mo, and sobbed uncontrollably.

"I've become so strong! I'm no longer just a horny village chicken!"

Su Mo was squeezed so hard he couldn't breathe, and he said with difficulty:

"There... there's no need... to describe yourself like that..."

Ma Hongjun let go, wiped his face, and took a deep breath.

Then, he assumed his starting stance.

His legs bent slightly.

His center of gravity sank.

His arms extended forward.

His expression was solemn.

"Chicken You Are Too Beautiful—"

Su Mo's face darkened.

"Stop."

Ma Hongjun immediately retracted his stance and stood there grinning foolishly.

Xiao Wu widened her eyes, ran over, and circled Ma Hongjun twice.

"That move you just did was amazing! I want to learn it too! I want to learn Chicken You Are Too Beautiful!"

Ma Hongjun scratched his head: "This... this seems like only I can learn it..."

Xiao Wu pouted: "Stingy."

Tang San leaned in, squatted before the shattered boulder to study it for a long time, then looked up and asked Ma Hongjun:

"How do you exert force for this move?"

Ma Hongjun thought for a moment: "Just... lean with your shoulder..."

Tang San nodded, lost in thought.

Big Black Ox also walked over, looked at the shattered boulder, and then looked at its own hooves.

Its gaze was complex.

"Moo." (I could shatter it if I rammed it, but the posture wouldn't be as cool as his.)

Ma Hongjun suddenly burst into tears again.

Su Mo sighed and added an extra piece of meat to his bowl.

Finally, he stopped crying.

Ma Hongjun ran up to Xiao Wu.

He emptied his pockets—a few Silver Spirit Coins, an amulet, and a piece of candy that had been clutched until it was sticky.

He shoved them all into Xiao Wu's hands.

"I'm sorry about yesterday."

He kept his head low, not daring to look at her.

"I... I didn't mean it. I couldn't control myself back then..."

Xiao Wu looked at the half-melted candy in her hand and was silent for three seconds.

"Is this what Master calls deoxyribose?"

Pfft—!

Su Mo, standing nearby, nearly choked on his own saliva.

What deoxyribose?

When had he ever said that?

Xiao Wu tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then waved her hand.

"Forget it, I forgive you."

She tucked away the Silver Spirit Coins and the amulet, then pressed the candy back into Ma Hongjun's palm.

"The money is mine, but keep the candy. It's all sticky; you should keep it for yourself."

Ma Hongjun stared blankly at the candy in his hand.

Back in the village, when the other children took his things, they would say, "Get lost, monster," and throw his belongings on the ground.

Xiao Wu said, "I forgive you."

And she even gave the candy back.

Ma Hongjun suddenly smiled.

As he laughed, his eyes turned red again.

He shoved the candy into his mouth.

Sweet.

Truly sweet.

He took off running to catch up with the group ahead.

"Boss Su! Wait for me!"

The group continued forward.

Ma Hongjun followed behind, occasionally pulling out the Kun Fist manual to sneak a few glances.

Tang San, walking beside him, had finally finished absorbing his spirit ring and excitedly summoned his Blue Silver Grass.

A jade-green longsword condensed in his hand, its body slender and its edge sharp.

"Master! Look!"

Su Mo glanced back and nodded. "Not bad."

Tang San grew even more excited, brandishing the sword in the air and muttering to himself.

One could vaguely hear him reciting things like, "Sword energy spans thirty thousand miles."

Xiao Wu rolled her eyes from the side. "Here he goes again."

Big Black Ox lazily flicked its tail.

Ma Hongjun leaned in, looked at Tang San's sword, and asked enviously, "Can I touch it?"

Tang San guardedly pulled the sword back. "No, Master forged this for me."

Ma Hongjun curled his lip. "Stingy."

Tang San: "What did you say?"

Ma Hongjun: "Nothing, nothing at all."

The two bickered for a bit before quickly moving on to discuss their respective ultimate moves.

Ma Hongjun demonstrated the stance for the Iron Mountain Lean, while Tang San studied it intently, asking questions every now and then.

Tang San even showed a bit of mercy and let Ma Hongjun touch the Blue Silver Sword.

Xiao Wu skipped along in front, picking wild berries and chasing butterflies.

Big Black Ox walked in the middle, occasionally letting out a "moo" to signal its presence.

Su Mo walked at the very back, watching the scene unfold.

He suddenly felt that this group was actually quite interesting.

He opened the Book of Dao.

[Deep Resonance]

Reader: Ma Hongjun

Book Read: Nezha

Reward Obtained: Demon Child True Fire—Fire power increased by 100%

Feedback Reward: True Fire Body—80% fire immunity

[Deep Resonance]

Reader: Ma Hongjun

Book Read: Kun Fist

Skill Obtained: Kun Fist Novice (Iron Mountain Lean)

Feedback Skill: Kun Fist Mastery (Full)

Su Mo closed the book.

Not bad.

Under the same sky.

At the same time.

Yu Xiaogang huddled in a cave, clutching his knees and shivering violently.

Day had broken, but he was still cold.

He hadn't slept a wink all night.

It was too cold.

He shuffled outward, letting the sunlight fall upon him.

It was a little warmer.

Dead branches were stuck in his hair, his face was smeared with mud, and his clothes were as tattered as a beggar's.

His lips were purple from the cold, and he was still trembling.

Yet, his eyes remained resolute.

"Soon..."

He muttered to himself.

"Soon..."

"Tang San will definitely come..."

"In my past life, it was today... He will definitely come to hunt the Datura Snake..."

"I just need to wait..."

"When he encounters danger... I will rush out to save him..."

"He will be grateful to me... and take me as his master..."

"Then I will lead him... to the pinnacle..."

"Title Douluo... Godhood..."

"They will all be mine..."

"Su Mo... you just wait..."

A gust of cold wind blew by, and he sneezed.

Snot ran down his nose, which he wiped away with the back of his hand, smearing it onto his clothes.

He continued to wait.

He continued to mutter.

He did not know—

The person he was waiting for was currently by a campfire in the Star Dou Forest, teasing the Big Black Ox with a carrot Xiao Wu had left over.

The Big Black Ox looked on with disdain and turned its head away.

Tang San poked its nose with the carrot.

The Big Black Ox finally lost its patience and kicked him away with a hoof.

Tang San rolled twice, scrambled up, and laughed heartily.

Xiao Wu clapped from the side: "Do it again! Do it again!"

Su Mo watched them, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

The sunlight was just right.

The wind was gentle.

Some people had found their sense of belonging.

Others were still waiting for a tomorrow that would never come.

The night deepened.

The light of the campfire flickered across everyone's faces, casting shifting shadows.

Ma Hongjun clutched the Kun Fist manual, flipping through it repeatedly, occasionally gesturing with his hands while muttering under his breath.

Tang San sat nearby, gripping a longsword condensed from Blue Silver Grass, swinging it lightly through the air. The blade sliced through the night, creating a faint whistling sound.

Xiao Wu held a pile of wild fruit, her face smeared with juice as she nibbled on them.

The Big Black Ox lay by the fire, its tail flicking lazily.

Su Mo leaned against a tree trunk, eyes closed to rest.

The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful.

Suddenly, Xiao Wu looked up.

"Master, have you ever heard of the 'Benevolent Heart Sacred Tree'?"