Advancing to Seventh Rank

"What's not to like about it! I'm still young and don't need this Longevity Jade Liquid, but you're older. Can't I offer it to you as a filial disciple?" Xia Daoming said with a smile.

"But this is all stuff you seized. As your master..." Liang Jingtang's hand trembled as he held the jade bottle.

He was already over sixty. In recent years, he had spent a large amount of money on tonics, barely managing to slow the decline of his vital energy and strength.

However, as age increased, the rate of decline in vital energy and strength would only accelerate.

But with a potent medicine like the Longevity Jade Liquid, at his age, he could probably maintain his condition until his seventies before his vital energy and strength began to decline again.

Not only that, but the Longevity Jade Liquid also had the effect of prolonging life.

Who among martial artists didn't want to remain powerful? Who didn't want to live a long life?

Liang Jingtang felt he didn't deserve it, yet his heart truly couldn't bear to refuse such a great opportunity.

"Heh heh, if you put it that way, Master, you also put in a lot of effort on this trip. You take the Longevity Jade Liquid, and I'll take these Ice Rabbits and Ice-Cold Purple Ganoderma. It's a fair deal," Xia Daoming chuckled.

"Forget it, I won't argue with you. Having such an outstanding disciple like you, I don't want to lose face, and I also want to live a few more years to watch you bring glory to our Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School!" Liang Jingtang finally let out a hearty laugh and then carefully put away the bottle.

"That's more like it!" Xia Daoming smiled, then bent down, picked up the corpses of Xu Zhiji and Xu Shisen, and threw them directly down the cliff.

Liang Jingtang watched this scene silently, inexplicably feeling a chill creep up from the soles of his feet.

Those were elders of the Xu family and the cream of their younger generation, and Xia Daoming just tossed them off the cliff like trash!

However, Liang Jingtang knew that this was the cleanest and most efficient way to dispose of the evidence.

Moreover, the grandfather and grandson duo, Xu Zhiji and Xu Shisen, were arrogant and brutal. Countless lives were stained on their hands, so this was their just deserts, and there was nothing to pity.

"Master, let's go!" Xia Daoming said, picking up his bag and bundle.

"Alright!" Liang Jingtang nodded.

The two quickly left the mountaintop, disappearing into the dense mountain forest.

Not long after they left, people began to emerge from the mist in different parts of the cliff.

These people all had pale faces and were covered in bloodstains.

Six days later.

Night fell.

In the Vast Mountain Range, in the courtyard of a dilapidated house in an uninhabited mountain village at the foot of the mountain, a bonfire was lit.

A large pot was placed over the bonfire.

Inside, three Ice Rabbit hearts and a stalk of Golden Crow Grass bobbed and churned in the boiling water.

Xia Daoming and Liang Jingtang sat by the bonfire, continuously adding firewood.

After about an hour.

The three Ice Rabbit hearts and the Golden Crow Grass had brewed into a thick soup.

Xia Daoming scooped a small spoonful, tilted his head back, and swallowed.

As soon as the thick soup hit his throat, Xia Daoming felt a surge of energy spread through his internal organs and every limb.

"How is it?" Liang Jingtang asked nervously.

"Very good!" Xia Daoming replied happily, then scooped a small bowl, drank it down in one gulp, and then sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and circulated the Dragon Serpent Art.

Seeing this, Liang Jingtang leaped up, landed lightly on the roof, and then sat cross-legged. He didn't close his eyes to cultivate, but his eyes flashed with sharp light as he vigilantly scanned the surroundings from his elevated position.

For Liang Jingtang, the Golden Crow Returning Origin Soup was an extremely potent medicine. A moment's distraction could lead to uncontrolled medicinal effects and potential meridian damage, so he couldn't allow any accidents to disturb Xia Daoming.

The medicinal power of the Golden Crow Returning Origin Soup was indeed extremely fierce.

But Xia Daoming was different from others. As long as he could withstand the first stage, his meridians would rapidly strengthen and advance, allowing him to withstand more medicinal power.

Therefore, on the first day, he only drank a small bowl.

On the second day, he drank two small bowls in succession, making Liang Jingtang's heart clench with anxiety.

On the third day, he drank three small bowls in succession.

On the fourth day, he drank the remaining half of the medicinal soup all at once.

By then, Liang Jingtang was numb from watching!

That night, Xia Daoming not only used the medicinal power to complete the ninth level of meridian strengthening for the Sixth-Rank Realm, breaking through to become a Seventh-Rank Great Martial Master, but he also used the medicinal power to achieve more than one level of meridian strengthening.

On the fifth day, when the master and disciple left the uninhabited mountain village, the interface in Xia Daoming's mind had changed to:

Xia Daoming—

Cultivation: Seventh-Rank Realm.

Meridian Strengthening Progress (Level 2): 30%.

Walking on the mountain path, feeling the surge of vital energy and strength within him, Xia Daoming was very satisfied with the harvest from this trip.

Not only had his cultivation successfully broken through to the Seventh-Rank, but he also had sixteen stalks of Ice-Cold Purple Ganoderma left, which could be used for subsequent meridian strengthening in the Seventh-Rank Realm. Most importantly, he now knew the location of the Dragon Transformation Fruit.

This meant his Transforming Strength realm had a clear path forward.

On the return journey, the master and disciple deliberately walked at a leisurely pace, delaying their time.

Of their group on this trip, besides the master and disciple, it would be fortunate if a mere ten people managed to escape with their lives.

With such heavy losses and no gains, the Xu Family would surely be furious and would interrogate any survivors.

Although Liang Jingtang and his disciple had already prepared their story, they both had guilty consciences, making it hard to guarantee they wouldn't inadvertently reveal any clues.

However, if other survivors returned to Li City first, especially those from the Xu Family, and reported the events to the Xu Family, causing them to understand the "truth" and form a preconceived judgment, Liang Jingtang estimated he'd only need to report to the Xu Family and be done with it, without needing to say much.

Ten days later, the master and disciple arrived at the east gate of Li City, looking "dusty and travel-worn."

"Liang Jingtang and his disciple are back!"

"Master and junior brother are back!"

"Master! Master!"

As soon as Xia Daoming reached the city gate, he spotted Liu Qiaolian in the crowd, tears of joy streaming down her face, along with Yuchi Xiao and other fellow disciples from the martial arts school.

However, they were blocked by several Xu Family Martial Masters, unable to get closer.

A Xu Family steward stepped forward and led Liang Jingtang and his disciple up to the city tower.

An elder from the Xu Family stood on the city tower.

"You're back. Do you have any news about Elder Zhi Ji and young master Xu Shisen?" the Xu Family elder asked, turning slowly with a heavy expression.

"The Rabbit King appeared, and everyone scattered to flee. We haven't seen Elder Zhi Ji or young master Xu Shisen since," Liang Jingtang replied with a slight bow.

Upon hearing this, the Xu Family elder said nothing. He slowly turned around and waved his hand behind him without looking back.

Clearly, this was the outcome he had already anticipated.

"Junior is taking his leave!" Liang Jingtang bowed slightly again with Xia Daoming and turned to descend the city tower.

"Master! Junior brother!"

"Master!"

As soon as they stepped off the city tower, Yuchi Xiao and the others excitedly surrounded them.

Liu Qiaolian looked at Xia Daoming with tears in her eyes, longing to throw herself into his arms but restraining herself with great effort.

"We'll talk about it when we get back!" Liang Jingtang said with a wave of his hand.

"It feels so good to be home!"

In the backyard of the Xia residence, after a hearty spar of cards with Liu Qiaolian, Xia Daoming held her fair body, looking completely satisfied.

"Master has gotten even better!" Liu Qiaolian complimented him with a satisfied expression.

"That's right!" Xia Daoming's spirits soared upon hearing this. He flipped over, ready to spar with Liu Qiaolian again, startling her into begging for mercy.

"Heh heh, maybe next time then!" Xia Daoming knew Liu Qiaolian's physical condition couldn't compare to his, so he relented.

"Should I call Xia He and Yue Gui in?" Liu Qiaolian whispered into Xia Daoming's ear, her breath warm.

"Do I look like the kind of person who's easily swayed by such things?" Xia Daoming asked with a stern face, putting on an act of a chaste and upright man who wouldn't indulge in lust.

"Master!" Liu Qiaolian said emotionally, hugging Xia Daoming tightly.

"Don't do that! When I'm not holding back, I'm not human!" Xia Daoming felt the heat of her body in his arms, enduring it with great difficulty, tears welling up in his eyes.

The Ji Family.

In the quiet courtyard in the western district of the Ji Mansion.

"Thank goodness, I knew big brother would be alright!" Ji Wenyue breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the report from her subordinates, though tears involuntarily streamed down her face.

News about the accident involving Xu Zhiji's group in the Vast Mountain Range had been spreading like wildfire throughout the city these past few days.

It was only then that Ji Wenyue learned Xia Daoming had gone with Liang Jingtang, which had caused her so much worry that she couldn't eat or sleep, and she had become quite thin.

Now that she had finally heard the news of Liang Jingtang and his disciple's safe return, the heavy stone in her heart had finally been lifted.

PS: The new book is in a PK competition, so please continue to collect and read.

Thanks to Zi Zhu Xiang Lin, Qiu Zhi Shen Guang, Li Gong Zi 2019, and other book friends for their rewards.