Sky Roc Dragon-Seizing Physique Diagram

Su Family Estate.

Night had fallen, but the study was still brightly lit. Wang Ping sat inside, holding a sheet of rough paper to the flame and watching it turn to ash, bit by bit.

[Sky Roc Dragon-Seizing Physique Diagram].

This was Chen Haoyan's deepest secret, yet Wang Ping burned it without hesitation. Of course, he had already recorded every detail with his Spirit Sense.

"This is safest."

Once it was done, Wang Ping finally relaxed. He calmed his mind and began carefully studying the diagram that could allow someone to condense Inner Force.

A Cultivation-Body Diagram was, in essence, a painting. Its brushwork was free and expressive, depicting a vast roc that blotted out the sky as it hunted a dragon-serpent. The painting was detailed to an absurd degree; he could even see every feather on the roc's wings as it swooped down upon its prey.

Stranger still—the painting moved.

"They must have used some technique. The image changes depending on the angle you view it from. Layer all those views together, and you get a brief animation."

Wang Ping focused his Spirit Sense even more intently.

Gradually, he saw characters on the roc's body. Every feather became a brush, tracing patterns as the bird moved.

Then a passage of scripture sprang into his mind.

"Heaven Roc Seizes Dragon; its food lies in its thralls... What a wicked art!"

Before long, Wang Ping had grasped the principles and essentials of the entire [Sky Roc Dragon-Seizing Physique Diagram]. The confusion on his face gave way to a glimmer of understanding.

As its name suggested, the Inner Force condensed through this diagram was called [Heavenly Roc Force]. The name sounded grand and righteous, but its effects had two main uses. The first was called "Thrall": the roc master drove Inner Force into another person's body, then turned that person into his servant!

It was an insidious, vicious method.

Once [Heavenly Roc Force] entered someone else's body, it automatically transformed into a special kind of Inner Force called [Wraith Dragon Force], whose corrosive power was immense.

It was like a virulent poison.

Once [Wraith Dragon Force] had completely consumed its victim, their every word and deed—and even their life—would pass beyond their own control, wholly at the roc master's mercy.

Its second use was even more sinister.

It was called "Feast."

Put simply, the roc master could devour the Inner Force his thralls had labored to cultivate, nourishing himself and even breaking through crucial bottlenecks.

Wang Ping studied it for a long time before he finally found the core principle of this martial art hidden between the lines.

[Eat people]!

But then a peculiar thought struck him: could the thralls controlled by [Heavenly Roc Force] include corpses?

If not, that was that.

But if they could, could he kill himself and revive, turn his own corpse into a thrall, then eat it? Could he climb higher by planting his left foot on his right?

The thought sent a surge of excitement through Wang Ping. If it worked, the possibilities ahead would be endless.

A short while later, he left the room and headed for the stables.

When the Curly-Mane Horse saw him coming, it seemed to know what was expected. Without any prompting, it merely gave him a sidelong look and raised its rump.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft!"

It passed the pills on its own.

Wang Ping stared. Was his horse a little too clever? He was fairly sure it had not been like this at first.

But he soon put such trifles aside. He picked up the clump of dung, washed it clean, broke the seal, and took out the pill bottles inside. He had swallowed nearly all the pills Chen Haoyan had given him during his recent surge in strength.

They had brought his martial arts to External Arts Perfection.

Apart from the poison pill and the Heaven's Will Soul-Returning Pill, whose purpose he still did not know, only the two bottles in his hands held anything that could nourish him.

[Heaven-Reversing Rebirth Pill].

[Snow Ginseng Icefruit Nectar].

"From my earlier experiments, these two medicines nourish Inner Force rather than the body. They can help me master the Cultivation-Body Diagram as quickly as possible."

Wang Ping's eyes shone.

As he understood it, an Inner Force Martial Master's cultivation was essentially a process of perfecting his cultivation body. The more complete it became, the stronger the Martial Master.

And that process had only two steps.

First, the cultivation body incorporated the Twelve Principal Meridians to form the Lesser Celestial Circuit Body. Inner Force began to circulate within the martial artist, and its power underwent a transformation.

Second, the cultivation body incorporated the Eight Extraordinary Meridians to form the Greater Celestial Circuit Body. The output, total quantity, and special effects of Inner Force all increased dramatically.

"Most Cultivation-Body Diagrams can't even complete the first step. The Twelve Principal Meridians include the three yin and three yang meridians of both hands and feet, while most diagrams cover only one set. Covering them all is unrealistic... At least, ordinary high-grade martial arts can't do it. You'd have to cultivate other arts alongside them."

The thought left Wang Ping even more exhilarated.

He had discovered that the [Sky Roc Dragon-Seizing Physique Diagram] was astonishingly high-grade. It covered all Twelve Principal Meridians, lacking only the Eight Extraordinary Meridians!

"Incredible."

"Where did Chen Haoyan get this diagram? It's almost too powerful. Could it have been copied from some peerless martial art?"

After a moment of silence, Wang Ping took out the Black Chi Bow.

It was a restricted item from the county office's armory. Though still a Mortal Weapon, it stood only one step away from the higher rank of Fine Weapon.

"Perfect for a breakthrough."

Whoosh!

The wind howled, the candle went out, and darkness swallowed the room. Wang Ping sat cross-legged on the floor, already equipped with six Mortal Weapons.

Besides the Black Chi Bow and the Ox-Tail Saber, he wore Blacksteel Soft Armor, an Exquisite Armor Belt, and a Tiger-Head Heartguard, all taken from the Su Family Estate. Fully equipped, he resonated with the martial art, and faint glimmers appeared around him in the dark.

Then he gripped the two pill bottles.

Gulp.

The medicine entered his stomach like an exploding bomb. A fierce torrent of heat erupted from his lower abdomen, circled his meridians, and swept through every limb and bone.

"Condensing a cultivation body is actually very dangerous."

"Everything happens inside the body, where the naked eye can't see. One wrong step can damage the meridians or even leave injuries that can never be healed."

That was why most martial artists proceeded with extreme caution when condensing a cultivation body. They took ten or twenty years, measuring every step. Those who could no longer bear the slow grind often stopped after forming the Lesser Celestial Circuit Body, unwilling to keep walking the tightrope.

And whether one had the Lesser Celestial Circuit Body or the Greater Celestial Circuit Body,

either could, in theory, become a Titled Martial Master and earn a place on the Weapon Ranking. The real difference lay in the Grandmaster Realm: the Greater Celestial Circuit Body offered a better chance of reaching it.

But so what?

Even if the Greater Celestial Circuit Body helped one break into the Grandmaster Realm, it raised the odds by less than ten percent. Many saw no point in it at all.

Besides, ninety-nine percent of martial artists would never become Grandmasters. Even reaching the final threshold before that realm was a feat achieved by only one in hundreds of thousands.

So why make things harder for themselves?

"Just thinking about it is exhausting."

Wang Ping sighed. That was the Martial Dao: the higher one climbed, the harder the ascent became. Those who reached the end were, without exception, heroes of an age.

And what he was doing now—swallowing a great quantity of Inner Force-nourishing medicine while condensing his cultivation body—was too dangerous to call walking a tightrope.

He was dancing on it!

"The rampaging medicine won't give me time to react. Before I can work out the right path, it'll shatter my meridians."

Condensing a cultivation body was like feeling for stepping stones while crossing a river at night. Others took their time, wading through shallow, clear water. But his attempt to finish in a short time meant facing a monstrous flood head-on. Being swept away and ending up in a fish's belly was almost inevitable.

Any other martial artist in his position would likely have pronounced himself dead already.

"What? I'm an immortal cultivator? Well, that changes everything!"

Wang Ping activated his Spirit Sense and instantly located the Twelve Principal Meridians within his body. Then he guided the medicine into them. The process was not exactly fraught with difficulty.

In fact, it was effortless.

Rumble!

Gradually, Wang Ping's breathing grew thunderous, as though a storm were gathering in the dim study, or a mighty river were rushing through it.

Just then, the door opened.

Creak...

Madam Su had just returned after seeing to Chen Haoyan's burial. She stopped short, her gaze drawn helplessly to the man in the room.

He looked no different, yet somehow, even in the darkness, he seemed to glow. His presence filled the room.

The next instant, Wang Ping's eyes snapped open.

Flash!

It was as though lightning had streaked through the dim room, turning it white for an instant before the darkness returned. Madam Su stumbled in fright.

She nearly fell, but a large hand caught her first, steadying her willow-slender figure.

"Are you all right, Madam?" Wang Ping asked with a perfectly serious face.

"Mmm..."

Madam Su covered her face. Only days ago, she had treated Wang Ping coldly; now she lay in his arms. The shame was almost unbearable.

Yet she could not quite bring herself to pull away.

She consoled herself again with the excuse that she had been forced into this, then yielded and stayed in Wang Ping's arms.

Wang Ping, however, made no move to take things further.

Instead, he helped her stand and led her to the kitchen next door, where he showed her a table laden with dishes.

"Did... you make all this?" Madam Su asked in surprise.

"Ah, you give me too much credit."

Wang Ping looked a little embarrassed. "It's nourishing food from Joyous Arrival Tower. I had them deliver it. Since you've started practicing martial arts, you need to eat properly."

"Go on, eat."

Madam Su covered her lips, happiness welling up inside her.

She had seen clearly that Wang Ping had been deep in his training. Even so, he had remembered her and prepared this entire meal.

In all the years before, she had been the one arranging nourishing meals for Chen Haoyan, terrified that a delay would interrupt that bastard's training and earn her another beating.

A sudden impulse rose within her.

By the time Madam Su realized what she was doing, she had thrown her arms tightly around Wang Ping and risen onto her toes, as if she wanted to press her whole body into his.

"Madam, you—"

"Don't speak..."

Several hours later.

Most of the kitchen table had collapsed, and pots, bowls, and utensils lay scattered across the floor. The food, however, had all been eaten. Madam Su lay utterly limp in Wang Ping's arms.

"I'm full," Madam Su whispered.

Warmth spread through her stomach, and her happiness and contentment knew no bounds. She did not want to move so much as a finger.

Wang Ping let out a breath of relief.

If he had courted her before for Chen Haoyan's martial arts manual, now he was simply trying to make Madam Su happy. He had certainly put in the effort.

But what else could he do? Things had come this far. He could hardly pull up his trousers, disavow her, and cut ties with her. How would that make him any different from Chen Haoyan? Besides, she had suffered enough already. If he abandoned her too, she might truly take her own life.

By nightfall, Madam Su was exhausted and fast asleep.

After settling her in, Wang Ping left the room and went into the courtyard. He circulated his Spirit Sense, examining the state of his body.

Through his Spirit Sense, he saw all twelve meridians—the three yin and three yang of both hands and feet—filled with Inner Force. They formed a cycle and spread into a vast network covering his entire body. Though many gaps remained, its overall structure was complete, pulsing in rhythm with every breath he took.

The Twelve Principal Meridians were complete: the Lesser Celestial Circuit Body!

"That was far too fast..."

Wang Ping was astonished. He could not help glancing toward the Spirit Wandering Temple again. The methods of these Transcendents officially recognized by the imperial court were extraordinary.

A mere handful of pills had saved him at least ten years of bitter cultivation!

Did they have more?

Wang Ping's gaze wavered as he looked toward the Spirit Wandering Temple, and he licked his lips. But he quickly suppressed the greed rising within him.

"Don't get carried away."

"I may be an Inner Force Martial Master now, but I practice the same art as Chen Haoyan. It might be enough in a small county town, but out in the wider world, it won't be."

He still had to keep a low profile.

Just then, Wang Ping's heart gave a jolt. He looked up and saw a figure racing toward him beneath the night sky.

"Who's there?"

"It's me."

The voice belonged to Liu Ye. The old constable's face was alight with excitement, and when he saw Wang Ping, his expression turned teasing.

"Well, if it isn't young Wang."

"Not staying next door anymore? Moved into Madam Su's room?"

Wang Ping did not bat an eye. "Madam invited me so warmly that I could hardly refuse. Honestly, I'm not interested in that sort of thing."

Liu Ye: "..."

Shameless bastard!

It was late, and Liu Ye had no patience for banter. He rolled his eyes at Wang Ping, then got straight to the point, tossing him a manual.

"What's this...?" Wang Ping asked, taken aback.

"Time to broaden your horizons, kid." Liu Ye grinned proudly. "Truth is, the county magistrate has taken a liking to me."

"A few days ago, His Honor personally empowered me and taught me a true martial art. I'm a bona fide Inner Force Martial Master now. The chief constable's post is practically mine, too. The county office competition next month is just a formality... Well? Impressive, aren't I?"

Empowered him? A true martial art?

Wang Ping looked at the manual Liu Ye had thrown him. Liu Ye was still talking. "Don't say your old brother doesn't look after you. You were the first person I thought of."

"This is the true martial art His Honor taught me."

"I specially got His Honor's permission to pass it on to you. Study it properly when you get back. Once I'm chief constable, I'll make you my deputy..."

Liu Ye went on and on about his plans for the future.

But Wang Ping had stopped breathing. The moment he saw the manual, every thought in his mind froze. He could barely think at all.

Then Liu Ye's voice reached him again.

"Oh, right. This is the Inner Force I cultivated after His Honor empowered me. Take a look..."

Wang Ping's head snapped up. A faint light shone in Liu Ye's hand, and his surging force sounded like a dragon's cry beneath the night sky.

Wang Ping knew exactly what it was.

"[Wraith Dragon Force]!"

In an instant, it was as though a stone had been dropped into a still lake—or a butterfly had landed on a spiderweb, touching some crucial strand.

Inside Wang Ping, the Heavenly Roc Force he had just cultivated stirred.

It was completely beyond his control. The Heavenly Roc Force and the Wraith Dragon Force were two sides of the same coin; within a certain distance, they would sense each other.

Normally, that was no bad thing. The instant the Heavenly Roc Force fluctuated, Wang Ping clearly sensed the changes in Liu Ye's organs, blood and qi, muscles and bones, down to every process within his body. With a single thought, Wang Ping could make it all collapse.

That was only natural.

After all, he was the roc master, while Liu Ye had already become a wraith dragon without even knowing it. Liu Ye posed no threat to him; his life and death rested on a single thought.

The problem was—there was another roc master in this county town.

"Oh no!!!"

Wang Ping's expression changed drastically. He retreated without hesitation, trying to put distance between them, but in the end he stopped moving altogether.

It was too late.

"So it really was you."

A calm voice came from the darkness, thick with surprise. "In just a few days, you've not only cultivated the body art, but your Inner Force has grown remarkably deep."

"It seems you got hold of the Cultivation-Body Diagram I gave Chen Haoyan."

"And you've eaten nearly all those pills."

"You killed Chen Haoyan."

"Are you with the White Lotus Sect?"

Before the words had faded, a figure appeared out of thin air inside the Su Family Estate. Dressed in official robes, he carried an authority that needed no anger to command respect. He was Longxing County's magistrate.

Xu Bingzheng.