Isn't It Just a Secret Diagram?

While the situation in Li City grew ever more tense and chaotic, Xia Daoming's days remained tranquil.

Aside from dropping by the martial arts school every few days, occasionally going to Jade Flower Pavilion to listen to music, having tea with the young lady of the Ji Family, and teasing her a little along the way, Xia Daoming basically stayed cooped up in the rear courtyard, chewing medicinal herbs and cultivating.

Of course, young men were naturally full of fire, and with him taking medicine every day, he could not avoid playing cards with Lian'er now and then to put out the flames.

Liu Qiaolian also took medicine every day. With Xia Daoming's nourishing guidance, she became increasingly lovely and alluring, while her cultivation steadily deepened.

By the rules of Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School, the secret diagram could only be studied once every six months.

Yet after only two months, Xia Daoming privately asked Liang Jingtang whether his Lian'er, whose cultivation had recently deepened, could study it early, so that she could comprehend Hidden Strength sooner and become a Great Martial Master as quickly as possible.

Who was Xia Daoming now?

The moment he said that, Liang Jingtang could not be bothered lecturing him about grand principles and simply tossed him the secret diagram.

Wasn't it just a secret diagram?

In any case, whether it was the secret diagram or Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School, Liang Jingtang had already decided to pass them all on to Xia Daoming.

Passing them on early would save him worry early.

As for Yuchi Xiao, who had followed him diligently and conscientiously for many years, Liang Jingtang did not consider him.

With Yuchi Xiao's temperament and strength, even if he handed the secret diagram and martial arts school over to him, he would not be able to hold onto them.

How could that compare to directly finding Yuchi Xiao an impressive junior brother to watch over him, so that he could enjoy the shade beneath a great tree in the future?

Xia Daoming did not stand on ceremony with Liang Jingtang either.

Wasn't it just a secret diagram?

Once my strength grows a little greater, I'll go to the Vast Mountain Range, pick a Dragon Transformation Fruit, eat it, become a Grandmaster, and draw a brand-new one to have mounted, so Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School can pass it down through the generations.

Xia Daoming casually and effortlessly brought the secret diagram home.

Liu Qiaolian did not see it that way!

This was the secret diagram of the Hidden Dragon Art!

Every viewing of its divine rhyme meant one fewer viewing.

How could one simply study it whenever one wished?

Even direct disciples had to pay silver and wait six months between each viewing.

She was merely her master's maidservant. Being given the chance to study it last time had already been an enormous honor and kindness.

Yet now, only two months after the previous viewing, her master had directly brought the secret diagram back for her to study. Looking at the jade box being handed over, Liu Qiaolian nearly burst into tears.

"Master, Lian'er is not worthy of you doing this for me!" Liu Qiaolian said, her eyes reddening.

"Don't think so much. You are your master's Lian'er. As long as you can endure it, you can look whenever you want. Strive to become a Fifth-Rank Great Martial Master soon, and then your master can take you to Liu Family Village to avenge your grievances and wipe out your hatred," Xia Daoming said.

"Th-this diagram... d-did Master steal it specially for this servant?" Liu Qiaolian was dumbfounded. After a long while, she swallowed hard and stammered.

It was no wonder Liu Qiaolian thought so.

What Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram could be viewed whenever one wanted, unless it belonged to someone personally?

But this Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram clearly belonged to Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School.

"I say, Lian'er, do I look like the kind of person who would steal his own things?" Xia Daoming looked at Liu Qiaolian, speechless.

"N-no, of course not." Liu Qiaolian hurriedly shook her head.

"Rest assured. Your master is extraordinarily gifted, an unprecedented genius disciple of Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School. Master has no children and does not intend to take any more disciples. This Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram was meant to be passed on to me anyway; it has merely happened a little earlier," Xia Daoming explained helplessly when he saw that although Liu Qiaolian kept shaking her head, doubt still lingered in her eyes.

Once Xia Daoming said that, Liu Qiaolian was relieved.

As for extraordinary talent, Liu Qiaolian had never in her life seen anyone as extraordinarily gifted as her master.

When he was a Fourth-Rank martial master, killing martial masters of the same rank had been like chopping vegetables.

When he reached the Fifth Rank, not only did he kill Great Martial Masters of the same rank like chopping vegetables, he had even secretly assassinated the fortress lord of Wu Family Fortress, a Sixth-Rank Great Martial Master, and made the Xu Family take the blame.

And that was not even the most remarkable part.

Most terrifying of all, in less than a year, her master had soared all the way from a Subordinate Fourth-Rank martial master to a Sixth-Rank Great Martial Master. He usually ate Ice-Cold Purple Ganoderma as though they were radishes.

In Liu Qiaolian's heart, even though that Xu Family genius, Xu Shixiong, might now be at a very high realm, he still could not compare to her master in talent.

Unfortunately, Liu Qiaolian did not yet know that her master was actually already a Seventh-Rank Great Martial Master, and had even achieved the glorious feat of assassinating an Eighth-Rank Great Martial Master.

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

"Since Master Liang regards you as his heir to the mantle and has passed this Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram on to you in advance, Master should all the more not break the martial arts school's rules because of Lian'er!" Once relieved, Liu Qiaolian said with a face full of unease.

"What rules? Enough. If I tell you to study the secret diagram, then study it properly, or the family discipline will deal with you!" Seeing Liu Qiaolian trying to reason with him, Xia Daoming knew that this woman thought only of his interests and never her own. He simply could not be bothered wasting words with her and directly invoked the family discipline.

Sure enough, the moment Xia Daoming invoked the family discipline, Liu Qiaolian immediately became obedient. She curtsied and said, "Yes, this servant obeys."

"Go on!" Xia Daoming waved a broad hand.

Liu Qiaolian curtsied again, then turned and entered the room.

Once inside, Liu Qiaolian sat cross-legged and carefully placed the box before her feet. Her eyes reddened as she gazed at it for a long time before finally taking a deep breath, calming herself, and opening the box.

An hour later.

Xia Daoming pushed open the door and entered. He saw Liu Qiaolian's face was pale, her forehead covered in fine sweat, as though she had witnessed some terrifying sight and was still shaken out of her wits.

"Master!"

Only when she saw Xia Daoming enter did Liu Qiaolian recover somewhat and try to rise to salute him.

"To sense the scene of divine rhyme within the secret diagram on your second viewing, it seems my Lian'er has quite the talent for the martial path," Xia Daoming said with a delighted laugh.

"This is all thanks to Master's cultivation, which gave Lian'er what she has today," Liu Qiaolian said sincerely.

"Don't belittle yourself either. If you lacked talent for the martial path yourself, then no matter how earnestly I helped you, it would all be in vain."

"Fine, take this chance to calm your mind and comprehend it further. I'll take the secret diagram away first and return it to Master for safekeeping. After some more time passes, I'll fetch it again and let you study it once more. You should then be able to thoroughly comprehend the profundities 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 Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School, Liang Jingtang had been squinting as he lay on a wicker chair, enjoying the boundless beauty of the setting sun. Seeing Xia Daoming bring back the jade box containing the secret diagram, he waved his hand indifferently.

Before this, though, this jade box had been as precious to him as his very lifeblood.

"I often go out and about. If a thief happens to come while it is at my place, the loss would be enormous. It is safer with you," Xia Daoming said.

"So your master does not need to go out and about often?" Liang Jingtang finally opened his eyes and said irritably.

"Hehe, it seems that Longevity Jade Liquid really is quite effective!" Xia Daoming said with a meaningful smile.

Liang Jingtang was slightly stunned at first, then understood what Xia Daoming meant. He slapped his forehead and said with a bitter smile, "When I took you in back then, how did I ever think you were an honest and loyal sort?"

"Uh, Master, what do you mean by that? Could it be that the Longevity Jade Liquid had no effect?" Xia Daoming asked with a look of astonishment.

Seeing Xia Daoming play dumb, Liang Jingtang simply closed his eyes and waved him away. "Go away!"

"Hehe, Master, then I'll trouble you to keep it safe!" Xia Daoming said, placing the jade box in Liang Jingtang's arms.

Liang Jingtang waved his hand.

Xia Daoming smiled at the sight and turned to leave.

"That brat!" Only after hearing Xia Daoming's departing footsteps did Liang Jingtang slowly open his eyes, a smile curling at his lips.

"Daoming, let's go listen to music at the pleasure house tonight!" Having returned the item, Xia Daoming had just stepped out of the rear courtyard when Yuchi Xiao pulled him into a corner and spoke in a low voice.

"Senior Brother, didn't we just go last month? Wouldn't this be too frequent? Don't forget that I bear the heavy responsibility of reviving Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School. Is it really appropriate for you to keep egging me on like this?" Xia Daoming said with a solemn expression.

"Cut it out! When we go to the pleasure house, we keep an eye on you! But when you stay at home amid all those warblers and swallows, who knows what you get up to all day?" Yuchi Xiao curled his lip in disdain.

"Senior Brother truly goes to great pains. For the sake of this junior brother's achievements on the martial path, you specially arrange trips to the pleasure house to listen to music!" Xia Daoming said with deep feeling.

Seeing Xia Daoming's emotional expression, Yuchi Xiao dearly wanted to punch him a few times. But recalling the result of their last spar, he ultimately suppressed the urge and said crossly, "You brat, just say it. Are you going or not? If not, I'll help you turn Yongbao down!"

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

After a year as fellow disciples.

Xia Daoming now understood everyone's personalities quite well.

Yuchi Xiao was honest and loyal, but restless in his heart.

Zhuo Xingji was the most forthright and carefree, and generous with his money.

Liu Xiaoqiang was charming and alluring. When she drove, she drove very fast, but in her actual conduct she still paid close attention to propriety. At the very least, she was far more conservative than the women from Xia Daoming's world. Moreover, she cared greatly for the girls under her and would never force them to sell themselves.

Jiao Yongbao was eloquent and always wore a genial smile, looking like a thoroughly good man and easily making people feel close to him. But when it came to resources, he took them very seriously.

As the owner of a restaurant, whenever they went to the pleasure house to listen to music, he never paid for tips. Zhuo Xingji was basically always the one picking up the bill.

"Hehe, surprised?"

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

Thanks to Qiuzhi Shenguang, Shuxiang Chuntian 0501, RPG Defense, ricky007, 20211216094838620, and the other readers for their donations.