Isn't it just a secret map?

Compared to the increasingly tense and chaotic situation in Li City, Xia Daoming's life was peaceful and quiet.

Aside from checking in at the martial arts school every few days, occasionally listening to music at the Jade Flower Pavilion, and having tea with the young lady of the Ji Family, even playfully teasing her a bit, Xia Daoming mostly stayed in his backyard, cultivating with medicinal pills.

Of course, young men are naturally hot-blooded, and with daily pill consumption, he couldn't help but play cards with Lian'er to cool off.

Liu Qiaolian also consumed pills daily, and with Xia Daoming's nurturing guidance, she became even more radiant and alluring, her cultivation deepening.

Originally, according to the rules of the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School, the secret diagram could only be viewed once every six months.

However, after only two months, Xia Daoming privately asked Liang Jingtang if his Lian'er, whose cultivation had recently deepened, could view it ahead of schedule. This was so she could comprehend Hidden Strength as soon as possible and become a Great Martial Master.

What kind of person was Xia Daoming now?

When he said this, Liang Jingtang didn't bother with any lectures and directly tossed him the secret diagram.

It was just a secret diagram, wasn't it?

Whether it was the secret diagram or the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School, Liang Jingtang had already decided to pass everything on to Xia Daoming.

The sooner he passed it on, the less worry he'd have.

As for Yuchi Xiao, who had followed him diligently and loyally for many years, Liang Jingtang didn't consider him.

Given Yuchi Xiao's personality and strength, even if he passed on the secret diagram and the martial arts school to him, he wouldn't be able to hold onto them.

Wouldn't it be more satisfying to find a formidable junior brother for Yuchi Xiao to protect him, allowing him to enjoy the shade of a big tree in the future?

Xia Daoming didn't stand on ceremony with Liang Jingtang.

It was just a secret diagram, wasn't it?

Once my strength grows further, I'll go to the Vast Mountain Range, pick a Dragon Transformation Fruit, become a Grandmaster, draw a brand new one, and have the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School pass it down for generations.

Xia Daoming casually and easily brought the secret diagram home.

Liu Qiaolian didn't think so!

This was the secret diagram of the Hidden Dragon Art!

Each viewing of its divine rhyme meant one less viewing.

And where could one just view it whenever they pleased?

Even for direct disciples, after paying the silver, they still had to wait half a year to view it.

For a mere maidservant like herself, the last time she had the chance to view it was a tremendous honor and kindness.

Now, it had only been two months since the last viewing, and the master had actually brought the secret diagram home for her to view. Seeing the jade box handed to her, Liu Qiaolian almost burst into tears.

"Master, Lian'er doesn't deserve you doing this!" Liu Qiaolian said, her eyes red.

"Don't overthink it. You are Master's Lian'er. As long as you can bear it, you can look at it whenever you want. Strive to become a Fifth-Rank Great Martial Master as soon as possible, so Master can take you to Liu Family Village to avenge your grievances," Xia Daoming said.

"This... this diagram, isn't it, isn't it something Master stole specifically for this servant?" Liu Qiaolian stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief, after a long pause.

It was no wonder Liu Qiaolian thought this way.

Which divine rhyme secret diagram could be viewed whenever one pleased, unless it was their personal property!

But this divine rhyme secret diagram clearly belonged to the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School.

"Lian'er, do I look like someone who would steal his own things?" Xia Daoming looked at Liu Qiaolian speechlessly.

"No, no, of course not," Liu Qiaolian quickly shook her head.

"Don't worry. I have extraordinary talent and am an unparalleled genius disciple of the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School. My master has no children and doesn't plan to take in any more disciples. This divine rhyme secret diagram was already prepared to be passed on to me; it's just a matter of doing so in advance," Xia Daoming explained helplessly, seeing the lingering doubt in Liu Qiaolian's eyes despite her repeated headshakes.

Xia Daoming's explanation made Liu Qiaolian understand.

Speaking of extraordinary talent, she, Liu Qiaolian, had never seen anyone as exceptionally talented as her master in her life.

At the Fourth-Rank realm, killing martial masters of the same level was like chopping vegetables.

At the Fifth-Rank realm, not only did he kill Great Martial Masters of the same level like vegetables, but he also secretly assassinated the Fortress Lord of Wu Family Fortress, a Sixth-Rank Great Martial Master, making the Xu Family take the blame.

That wasn't all.

The most terrifying thing was that in less than a year, his master had rapidly advanced from a Fourth-Rank Martial Master to a Sixth-Rank Great Martial Master, and he consumed Ice-Cold Purple Ganoderma as if it were a radish.

In Liu Qiaolian's heart, even if the genius disciple of the Xu Family, Xu Shixiong, had a high cultivation now, he couldn't compare to her master in terms of talent.

Unfortunately, Liu Qiaolian didn't know yet that her master was actually already a Seventh-Rank Great Martial Master and had a glorious record of assassinating an Eighth-Rank Great Martial Master.

Otherwise, she would have thought that even Xu Shixiong was nothing compared to her master!

"Since Pavilion Master Liang regards Master as his successor and passed this divine rhyme secret diagram to you in advance, Master must not break the martial arts school's rules because of Lian'er!" Liu Qiaolian said, her heart filled with unease after understanding.

"What rules and regulations? Alright, just focus on observing the secret diagram. Otherwise, I'll resort to family discipline!" Seeing Liu Qiaolian lecturing him, Xia Daoming knew this woman only thought of him and not herself. He was too lazy to dally further and directly invoked family discipline.

As expected, as soon as Xia Daoming mentioned family discipline, Liu Qiaolian immediately became obedient, bowed, and said, "Yes, this servant obeys."

"Go!" Xia Daoming waved his hand.

Liu Qiaolian bowed again, then turned and entered the house.

Inside, Liu Qiaolian sat cross-legged, carefully placed the box before her feet, and gazed at it with red eyes for a long time before taking a deep breath, calming her mind, and opening the box.

An hour later.

Xia Daoming pushed the door open and saw Liu Qiaolian's face was pale, her forehead covered in fine sweat, looking as if she had seen something terrifying and was still shaken.

"Master!"

Seeing Xia Daoming push the door open, Liu Qiaolian finally came back to her senses slightly and tried to get up to bow.

"To be able to sense the divine rhyme and imagery within the secret diagram on the second try, it seems my Lian'er is quite talented in the martial path," Xia Daoming said with a hearty laugh.

"This is all thanks to Master's cultivation that Lian'er has achieved this today," Liu Qiaolian said from the bottom of her heart.

"Don't underestimate yourself. If you didn't have martial talent yourself, no matter how much I tried to help you, it would have been in vain.

Alright, take this opportunity to calm your mind and comprehend further. I'll take this secret diagram back first and return it to my master for safekeeping. After some time has passed, I'll retrieve it again and let you observe it once more, and you should be able to thoroughly grasp the profound meaning of Hidden Strength," Xia Daoming said.

"Thank you, Master!" Liu Qiaolian said joyfully.

"Why did you bring the secret diagram back to me? Just leave it with you."

In the inner courtyard of the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School, Liang Jingtang, who was originally squinting his eyes and lying on a rattan chair enjoying the beautiful sunset, waved his hand indifferently when he saw Xia Daoming bring back the jade box containing the secret diagram.

Before this, the jade box had been as precious as his life to him.

"I often go out and about. If I keep it with me and a thief strikes, the loss would be immense. It's safer to keep it with you," Xia Daoming said.

"Then don't I also need to go out frequently?" Liang Jingtang finally opened his eyes and said grumpily.

"Heh heh, it seems the Longevity Jade Liquid was quite effective!" Xia Daoming's face showed a knowing smile at this.

Liang Jingtang was first slightly stunned, then he realized what Xia Daoming meant by his words. He patted his forehead and said with a wry smile, "When I took you as my disciple back then, how could I have thought you were such a loyal and honest person!"

"Uh, Master, what do you mean by that? Are you saying the Longevity Jade Liquid didn't work?" Xia Daoming said with a look of bewilderment.

Seeing Xia Daoming feigning ignorance, Liang Jingtang simply closed his eyes and waved his hand, "Go away!"

"Heh heh, Master, then I'll trouble you to keep it safe!" Xia Daoming placed the jade box in Liang Jingtang's arms and said with a smile.

Liang Jingtang waved his hand.

Xia Daoming smiled at this and turned to leave.

"This kid!" Liang Jingtang slowly opened his eyes after hearing Xia Daoming's retreating footsteps, a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"Daoming, let's go listen to music at the pleasure quarters tonight!" As soon as Xia Daoming finished returning the item and walked out of the backyard, Yuchi Xiao pulled him aside into a corner and said in a low voice.

"Senior Brother, didn't we just go last month? Isn't that too frequent? Don't forget I bear the heavy responsibility of the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School's rise. It's not good for you to constantly instigate me like this!" Xia Daoming said with a "solemn" expression.

"Don't give me that! We'll be watching at the pleasure quarters! You stay at home with all the charming women, who knows what you get up to all day?" Yuchi Xiao said with a look of disdain.

"Senior Brother truly has the best intentions, arranging for me to listen to music at the pleasure quarters for my martial arts advancement!" Xia Daoming said with emotion.

Yuchi Xiao looked at Xia Daoming's emotional expression and really wanted to punch him a few times, but remembering the outcome of their last spar, he could only suppress the impulse in his heart and said grumpily, "You brat, just say it, are you going or not? If not, I'll help Yongbao turn you down!"

"Uh, could it be that Senior Brother Jiao is treating today?" Xia Daoming said with surprise.

After a year of being fellow disciples.

Xia Daoming now understood everyone's personality very well.

Yuchi Xiao was loyal and honest, but inwardly quite restless.

Zhuo Xingji was the most generous and unrestrained, and spent money lavishly.

Liu Xiaoqiang was charming and elegant, and when she "drove," her speed was very fast, but in her actual conduct, she still paid attention to propriety. At least compared to the women in Xia Daoming's previous world, she was much more conservative and deeply cared for the girls under her, never forcing them into prostitution.

Jiao Yongbao was eloquent, always smiling, appearing to be a good person, easily making people feel familiar and close. However, when it came to money, he was very calculating.

As the owner of a restaurant, he never paid for rewards when they went to the pleasure quarters to listen to music; it was basically always Zhuo Xingji who footed the bill.

"Heh heh, quite surprised, aren't you!"

"If Senior Brother Jiao is treating, then I definitely have to go! But I need to go home and inform them. I'll head over there myself later."

Thanks to the readers Qiuzhishenguang, Shuxiangchuntian0501, RPGfangshou, ricky007, 20211216094838620, and others for their rewards.