"Starting now, you may observe and comprehend the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram. In one hour, your master will come retrieve it." Liang Jingtang handed the jade box to Xia Daoming, gave him this instruction, then turned and left, closing the secret chamber door behind him.
Xia Daoming sat cross-legged, drew a deep breath, and calmed his expectant yet nervous heart before opening the jade box.
Inside lay an ancient scroll made from the hide of some unknown beast.
When the scroll was unfurled, it exuded an indescribable aura of time's vicissitudes.
The image depicted a dark abyss, lakes, marshes, and rivers, the rivers flowing into a vast ocean.
Beneath the abyss, lakes, marshes, and rivers lurked enormous strange beasts.
They resembled pythons, yet had four legs beneath them, protruding fleshy knobs crossing between their eyes, and scales covering their bodies. They were the Flood Dragons of legend.
Flood Dragons were sometimes also called dragons, but they were not true dragons. They were an intermediate stage in a snake's evolution into a dragon.
The Flood Dragons hidden beneath the abyss, lakes, marshes, and rivers all assumed different postures, yet without exception, they faced the vast ocean.
A Flood Dragon lurked for a thousand years, then entered the sea and transformed into a dragon!
Yet no true dragons appeared within the vast ocean on this scroll.
If there were true dragons appearing, it should be a Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram of Dragon Transformation, shouldn't it? The thought flashed through Xia Daoming's mind, and he quickly focused his gaze on the secret diagram.
The moment he fixed his eyes upon it, Xia Daoming soon felt a boundless force surge straight into his brain.
Boom!
It was as though an enormous sound had erupted inside his head.
Then the abyss, lakes, rivers, and even the Flood Dragons lurking beneath them seemed to come alive.
An indescribably profound insight rose within Xia Daoming's heart. Gradually, he sank into it, utterly forgetting his own existence.
The abyss and lakes seemed to turn into acupoints, the rivers into meridians, and the Flood Dragons into qi, blood, and Hidden Strength silently circulating through them.
The transformations became increasingly numerous. Dense acupoints dotted the scene like stars, while the winding meridians linked and intertwined one after another.
Without realizing it, Xia Daoming felt waves of pain in his head, as though it were about to burst apart.
All those transformations gradually seemed to recede and blur away.
Xia Daoming suddenly jolted awake.
The scroll remained the same scroll, spread quietly before him. The abyss, lakes, rivers, Flood Dragons, and the vast ocean connected to the rivers were utterly still, without the slightest change.
"Strange. Master said that upon one's first viewing, at most one would feel a powerful impact on the brain and vaguely sense the scroll changing. Even a martial arts genius could at most see one meridian and the circulation of qi, blood, and strength within it on the first attempt.
Why had I seen four meridians and the circulation of qi and blood within them at once? Only the latter two were somewhat blurry. Fifth Rank through Eighth Rank corresponded exactly to four meridians.
Could it be that I had nearly glimpsed the cultivation secrets of the entire Great Martial Master realm in one go? Only the Seventh and Eighth Ranks were still unclear, and I merely needed to observe it once more?"
Staring at the motionless scroll, Xia Daoming was profoundly shocked and surprised.
Just then, the door was pushed open.
Liang Jingtang entered from outside.
When he saw Xia Daoming's pale face and cold sweat soaking through his clothes until the fabric clung to his body, he could not help frowning slightly. A trace of disappointment flashed through his eyes.
There were only two possibilities for such a condition.
The first was that one had truly glimpsed the profundities of the Hidden Dragon realm on the first observation, causing a tremendous impact upon the brain and an intense reaction.
Such people were rare geniuses with hopes of becoming Martial Dao Grandmasters.
Naturally, Liang Jingtang did not believe Xia Daoming was such a person.
The other possibility was that one's martial arts talent was ordinary. Having barely caught a trace of the Hidden Dragon's divine rhyme transformations, one would feel as though struck by an immense force, with one's mind trembling in terror and unable to restrain one's fear.
In Liang Jingtang's view, Xia Daoming was clearly the second kind.
However, the disappointment in Liang Jingtang's eyes soon vanished, replaced by relief. He even secretly shook his head and thought, I really am growing muddle-headed. Could I truly expect him to possess greater martial arts talent than Yuchi Xiao and the others?
"Greetings, Master!" Seeing Liang Jingtang, Xia Daoming hurriedly rose and saluted him.
"There is no need to rush. You will adapt considerably by your second observation and glimpse more of the mysteries behind those phenomena." As Liang Jingtang carefully rolled up the scroll, returned it to the jade box, and sealed it, he casually offered reassurance.
A subtle look of astonishment appeared on Xia Daoming's face. His lips parted, but in the end, he changed the words that had reached his mouth. "Yes, Master."
"All right. You must be tired as well. Go back now and return tomorrow." Liang Jingtang waved a hand, his expression calm.
No matter what, he still felt somewhat disappointed.
"Then this disciple shall take his leave!" Xia Daoming bowed slightly and departed.
After leaving the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School, Xia Daoming's mind replayed the Hidden Dragon phenomena he had glimpsed in the secret chamber all the way home.
"It seems I truly did glimpse all the cultivation and circulation secrets of Hidden Strength from the Fifth through Eighth Ranks. Only the Seventh through Eighth Ranks were not entirely clear, and I will have to wait half a year to observe them clearly again." As he neared his home, Xia Daoming suddenly clenched his fist, a flicker of excitement appearing in his eyes as he quickened his pace.
The new residence stood in Pear Blossom Alley of Taiwu District, two streets away from the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School.
From afar, Xia Daoming saw two young maidens standing on either side of the gate with red lanterns in hand. Liu Qiaolian, dressed in yellow, stood at the street corner, craning her neck and looking about in both directions.
Soon, Liu Qiaolian's lovely eyes brightened slightly. Her lotus steps quickened as she came forward to meet Xia Daoming. Only when she reached him did she stop, gather her skirts, and salute him. "Welcome home, Master!"
"It's the middle of the night. Why are you waiting for me at the street corner? You can just stay inside the house." Xia Daoming smiled, warmth stirring in his heart. In this world where he had transmigrated and lived for more than a year, he felt a little more sense of belonging.
"This is what this servant should do," Liu Qiaolian said.
"Cancel this from now on. No matter when I return, wait inside the house. You are so lovely and radiant; standing outside at night will inevitably attract some lecherous wastrels." Xia Daoming said.
At first, Liu Qiaolian's vermilion lips parted as she was about to speak. But upon hearing Xia Daoming's latter words, her pretty face flushed faintly, revealing a shy and captivating expression. She dipped into a curtsy. "This servant will heed Master's wishes."
"That's more like it." Xia Daoming smiled.
When they returned home, two other young maidens had already served steaming hot food.
Over the past few days, Liu Qiaolian had not only helped Xia Daoming purchase a larger two-courtyard residence, but had also bought four bright and pleasing young maidens.
They were named Xia He, Yue Gui, Yu Lan, and Qiang Wei.
Xia Daoming liked peace and quiet, so he used the rear courtyard and its rooms as his living quarters and martial arts training ground.
The front courtyard and its rooms were used for receiving guests, dining, and the servants' living quarters.
Xia Daoming sat and ate while Liu Qiaolian stood by his side, ordering the four maidservants to attend to anything he needed.
Xia Daoming was not accustomed to having a beauty stand beside him like at some upscale club while he ate at home, but he did not tell Liu Qiaolian to sit down.
He had already said it several times. Saying it again would only waste his breath, so he could only slowly adapt to this decadent life as a master.
After eating, he reclined in a rattan chair in the rear courtyard, drank Snow Silk Grass tea brewed by Yue Gui, and enjoyed the gentle kneading of Liu Qiaolian's delicate jade hands. Breathing in the faint fragrance drifting from her body, Xia Daoming felt for a moment that spending his entire life in this world at such an unhurried pace would be quite nice.
After all, in that other world, he had been tormented by the year-round 996 work schedule until even with a beauty lying beside him, he could not rise to the occasion. Every night, all he wanted was to close his eyes and get a proper night's sleep. He had not even dared dream of such extravagant, decadent, utterly wicked masterly comforts.
And now, he was enjoying all of it. What more could he ask for in this life?
Yet that thought vanished from Xia Daoming's heart in the blink of an eye.
Because he knew this was a chaotic age, a world even more nakedly ruled by the strong devouring the weak than that other world.
Without powerful martial strength to protect it, all of this was merely a mirage, fleeting clouds passing before one's eyes—gone as soon as it was there.
Therefore, he had to grow stronger.
Only then could he leisurely enjoy all this beautiful and decadent life.
With that thought in mind, Xia Daoming drained the tea in his cup in one gulp, then gently patted Liu Qiaolian's jade hand. "Lian'er, I am going to cultivate."
"Yes, Master. Following Master's instructions, this servant went to Evergreen Hall today and bought two pills that can strengthen qi and blood, with gentle medicinal properties. They are called Silver Deer Pills. It is said they are refined from silver deer antlers along with many rare medicinal herbs. Please take them, Master." Liu Qiaolian turned to stand before Xia Daoming and presented a small brocade box with both hands.
"I bought those for you. Take them and use them. I have no need for them." Xia Daoming said with a smile.
"Ah!" Liu Qiaolian's delicate body trembled slightly. Her vermilion lips parted as she stared at Xia Daoming with a face full of astonishment and surprise. But she soon said, "Master, this must not be done. Master has only just managed to enter Hall Master Liang's tutelage. Master should devote all efforts to nourishing yourself and strengthening your qi, blood, and strength, so that you may become a Fifth-Rank Great Martial Master sooner. How could Master waste such a large sum of silver on this servant?
"Moreover, this servant is but a woman. I am already getting on in years, and my martial arts talent is merely ordinary. Even if I took more supplements, my progress would be limited. While this servant still possesses a little youth and beauty, being able to serve at Master's side and spare Master from worrying over trivial matters will leave me fully content. This servant no longer harbors any thoughts regarding martial arts."
"Nonsense! What is wrong with being a woman? Have you not heard that women can outshine men? Besides, how are you old? You are only twenty-three, one year younger than me.
"If you had not suffered misfortune, considered yourself a woman, placed your hopes on Liu Zhong, and spent all your money on him, you would never be only at the Third Rank now.
"Now that you are catching up head-on and nourishing yourself vigorously, it is not yet too late. Only if you continue entertaining such self-deprecating thoughts will it truly become too late.
"Besides, this money was accumulated through your own painstaking efforts. Why can't you buy some pills for yourself?" Xia Daoming said.
"Everything this servant possesses belongs to Master. In this life, this servant only wishes to repay a fraction of Master's kindness and hopes that Master will become a Great Martial Master soon." Upon hearing this, Liu Qiaolian suddenly dropped to her knees, lowered her head, and spoke.
As she spoke, two crystalline tears quietly slid down her cheeks and fell to the ground.
Feudal thinking really harms people!
Looking at Liu Qiaolian's plump, enticing body kneeling before him, radiating an indescribable stubbornness and resolve, Xia Daoming felt both pity and helplessness.
Yet his expression gradually turned stern.
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