Bedrock Mountain-Forming Art

Zhang Yu killed a third-tier Earth Bear with two punches, smoothly becoming a disciple of the Bedrock Inner Court.

He did not take the matter to heart. After leaving the assessment grounds, he began looking for Xu Yang.

The Frostbound Myriad-Sword Physique—this was the most incredible physique he had seen so far. It ranked sixth among the Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper Physiques, and it was even a sword physique. Who did not want to practice the sword?

Besides, Zhang Yu still had one chance to copy a disciple's physique, and he had yet to use it.

The Bedrock Institute was named after the Profound-rank technique, the Bedrock Mountain-Forming Art. The person in the institute who had cultivated this technique most deeply was neither the head nor deputy head of the institute, but Elder Shi Cangyue.

Shi Cangyue was at the great completion of the Aura Force Realm. When his martial arts had reached fruition at the age of forty, he had traveled to Central Province. Five years later, he returned covered in wounds, then entered seclusion for ten years. A year ago, he emerged and announced that he would take on a disciple.

The great lineages had swarmed over like bees, but Shi Cangyue only recognized talent, not background. Even now, he had yet to find a disciple to his liking.

He had also watched the Dragon Gate Assessment from the stands just now, hoping to find a true genius to take as his disciple.

At first, he had been interested in Xu Yang, but Xu Yang's final performance had left him deeply dissatisfied. Then Zhang Yu appeared. When Shi Cangyue saw the black gleam on Zhang Yu's fist in that final punch, his eyes lit up.

Others could not see it, but he could recognize it. That was the Martial Dao True Intent of a body-tempering technique.

Shi Cangyue had not been mistaken. The black gleam on Zhang Yu's fist in that final punch was the Iron Shirt's Martial Dao True Intent—[Iron Soul].

"This young man is no simple matter!" Shi Cangyue thought to himself. He then rose and left, preparing to speak with Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu hurried out of the assessment grounds, intending to find Xu Yang, when a man in a white robe trimmed with gold suddenly called out to him.

"Are you Zhang Yu?" The man stared at Zhang Yu.

"Yes!" Zhang Yu looked over and saw the elder's badge of the Bedrock Institute on the man's chest. "Greetings, Elder."

Shi Cangyue gave a slight nod. "Not bad just now. You killed a third-tier Earth Bear with two punches. I guess you practice a body-tempering technique—most likely the third-rate Iron Shirt."

Zhang Yu looked puzzled. Why had Shi Cangyue stopped him? And why was he guessing what technique Zhang Yu practiced? Was this old man sick? I've got things to do.

Suppressing his impatience, he lightly flattered the other man. "Elder, you have sharp eyes. This disciple indeed practices the third-rate technique, Iron Shirt."

"Was the black gleam in your final punch the Iron Shirt's Martial Dao True Intent?" Shi Cangyue stared at Zhang Yu as he asked.

Zhang Yu was startled inwardly, not knowing what the man meant. Was he well-intentioned, or was he harboring evil designs?

As though he had seen Zhang Yu's concern, Shi Cangyue pondered for a moment. Then yellow light flashed across his body, and a Martial Dao True Intent carrying the aura of the earth spread throughout him.

"When I was young, I cultivated the Stone Armor Art. I only comprehended the Stone Armor Art's Martial Dao True Intent when I was twenty-three."

Zhang Yu blinked, completely bewildered. He understood even less what the man meant. Still, he could sense that the other man bore no ill intent, so he nodded. "It is the Iron Shirt's Martial Dao True Intent."

"How old are you this year?"

"Seventeen!"

"Good. Very good. Do you want to cultivate the Bedrock Institute's institute-defending technique, the Bedrock Mountain-Forming Art? This technique is also a body-tempering art, one of the most elite body-tempering techniques on the Western Desolate Continent," Shi Cangyue said.

"Yes!" Zhang Yu answered without hesitation.

He had come to Hidden Spirit Academy to learn techniques of the Middle Three Realms. Only a fool would refuse to learn.

Shi Cangyue flicked a finger, sending a thin booklet flying toward Zhang Yu. Zhang Yu caught it and looked up at him.

"This is the first layer of the Bedrock Mountain-Forming Art, corresponding to Bright Force. Cultivate it to great completion within three days, then come find me. If you cannot, forget all about it," Shi Cangyue said.

For a Dark Force martial artist cultivating the first layer of the Bedrock Mountain-Forming Art, three days was enough for an ordinary person to reach the entry stage. After all, it was merely recultivating Bright Force, so getting started was not difficult.

An ordinary genius could reach minor completion in three days.

Only a genius truly suited to this technique could cultivate it to great completion within three days.

Hearing Shi Cangyue's words, Zhang Yu was delighted. He had been saving up his master-disciple points. Let alone three days—he could meet the requirement in a single breath.

"Yes, Elder." Zhang Yu bowed.

After Shi Cangyue left, Zhang Yu hurried off once more to find Xu Yang.

Xu Yang limped back to his residence. After closing his room door and lying on the bed, the tears in his eyes finally flowed out despite himself.

"Why? Why? Who can help me?"

Zhang Yu was asking outer court disciples of the Cloud Return Institute about Xu Yang's residence when Su Wan's voice suddenly sounded from behind him. "Senior Brother Zhang!"

Her voice was gentle, carrying a trace of a young girl's sweetness, completely unlike before.

Zhang Yu turned around, gave a slight nod, then ignored Su Wan. They had only ever been acquaintances who nodded in passing.

"Senior Brother Zhang, congratulations on passing the Dragon Gate Assessment and becoming an inner court disciple." Rather than leaving as she usually did, Su Wan stepped closer. Her lovely hair lightly brushed across Zhang Yu's arm as she spoke gently.

Zhang Yu frowned slightly and took a step back, irritation rising in his heart. Was she sick today? We weren't even familiar. Why was she being so enthusiastic?

"Thanks." He turned to leave.

"Senior Brother Zhang!" Su Wan called out again, stopping Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu was speechless. What a lunatic. "What exactly is it?"

Su Wan could naturally see Zhang Yu's impatience, but she still smiled as she offered him a jade bottle. "Senior Brother Zhang, congratulations on passing the assessment. This is a gift for you."

"A gift? No need. We aren't familiar." Zhang Yu's tone was stiff as he turned and left again.

Su Wan watched Zhang Yu's departing back, her face flushing slightly. Yet she did not intend to give up.

"I've never offended Zhang Yu the way Li Feifei did. I should still have a chance to become friends with him," Su Wan secretly analyzed.

Her family was a merchant household. Their wealth was growing greater and greater, but that also made it increasingly likely that a martial lineage would devour them until not even bone dregs remained.

By a stroke of fortune, she had entered Hidden Spirit Academy this time. Her family had only one requirement for her: attach herself to an inner court disciple.

There was a great chance that an inner court disciple of Hidden Spirit Academy would become a True Qi Realm martial artist in the future. With a True Qi Realm martial artist as backing, ordinary martial lineages would not dare set their sights on the Su family's wealth.

If she could find a True Qi Realm martial artist as a son-in-law, the Su family's business could expand even further.

After thinking it over, Su Wan wrote a letter and had someone deliver it back home that very day.

Zhang Yu could not be bothered wasting energy guessing Su Wan's intentions. His mind was entirely focused on Xu Yang now.

Only after asking three outer court disciples from the Cloud Return Institute did he find Xu Yang's residence.

Xu Yang was lying on his bed crying when a knock suddenly sounded from outside.

Knock, knock...

"Who is it?" Xu Yang hurriedly wiped his eyes dry.

"Zhang Yu of the Bedrock Institute!"

"Zhang Yu?" Xu Yang looked utterly confused. He did not know anyone named Zhang Yu.

"If you do not want to be trapped in the Dark Force realm for the rest of your life, open the door," Zhang Yu said.

He could not be bothered with nonsense. The system had said that all he needed was to successfully take Xu Yang as a disciple. At worst, he would take him as a disciple, copy his Frostbound Myriad-Sword Physique, and whether Xu Yang acknowledged him as his master afterward would not matter.