"Golden Ape Earth-Splitting Art"

By the time Su Xinghe arrived at the Martial Arts School, some early-rising disciples were already practicing fist techniques in the front courtyard's training ground. Most of them came from villages outside the city and ate and lived in the large warehouse in the school's side courtyard.

More than a dozen of them stood in crooked rows, chatting and laughing among themselves. Looking at those vigorous young men, he recalled his own school days.

Back then, he too had been full of hope for the future, convinced that limitless possibilities lay ahead.

Looking back now, he had merely been a little bird sheltered inside a cage.

Just like the apprentices before him—if they ever brushed aside the illusory blue sky and white clouds hanging over Lin County, all they would see was half the heavens shrouded in darkness.

After standing there blankly for a moment, he let out a long sigh.

"Ah, there's no going back..."

"What can't you go back to?"

A deep voice came from behind him.

Su Xinghe hurriedly turned around. Seeing that it was the Martial Arts School instructor, Wu Yingcai, he clasped his hands and bowed.

"Good morning, Instructor Wu."

Seeing that he did not answer, Wu Yingcai did not take it to heart.

He merely replied lightly, "You're up quite early too."

This Outer Disciple before him was about the same age as himself, yet he did not seem particularly outstanding.

The only thing Wu Yingcai remembered was that among the nine newly inducted disciples from that batch, Su Xinghe had been the sole lucky survivor.

He did not know why Elder Xie had taken a liking to him.

"Come with me. Elder Xie wants to see you."

With that, he turned and headed toward the rear courtyard.

The White Ape Martial Academy's decor carried a distinctly minimalist air.

Though the rear courtyard served as the place where the school's upper ranks handled affairs and trained, its layout was not much different from the front courtyard.

White walls, black tiles, and square brick flooring stretched as far as the eye could see. Only a few pots of chrysanthemums had been added by the walls, giving off a faint fragrance beneath the autumn morning light.

Before a row of training rooms converted from warehouses, Wu Yingcai knocked on a tightly shut door.

"Elder Xie, Su Xinghe is here."

"Come in."

Xie Guang's lazy voice echoed from within the training room.

The moment he entered, everything lay in plain view.

It looked like a warehouse from the outside, and still looked like a warehouse inside. The only difference was a layer of smooth, polished marble laid across the floor and a five-meter-high solid wood ceiling overhead.

In the large room, roughly ten meters long and wide, there was only an old set of table, chairs, and tea ware by the window.

The two entered, and the door shut again behind them.

Su Xinghe clasped his hands toward Xie Guang, who was brewing tea.

"Greetings, Steward Xie. You're already up and working so early—you truly are a model for disciples like us!"

The corner of Xie Guang's mouth twitched slightly.

"I got up this early because of you!"

At that, Su Xinghe did not know what to say.

He could only smile awkwardly and quietly watch the other man brew tea.

The teapot circled above the cups three times, and steaming vapor began to spread across the table.

Xie Guang picked up one of the cups and took a light sip.

Fragrant and pure, sweet on the tongue, with an endless lingering finish.

He nodded in satisfaction and slowly set down the teacup.

Only after the fragrance of tea had faded from his mouth did he look at the two of them with contentment.

"I watched you practice your fist technique yesterday. You should have learned Golden Ape Fist almost completely by now."

Su Xinghe's heart leapt with joy.

His talent had only shown the slightest edge, yet it had immediately drawn this man's attention. It seemed this plan still had to continue—while the Martial Arts School still had few disciples, he needed to secure as many martial resources as possible.

"Elder Xie, your discerning eye is like a ruler. This disciple's fist technique is still crude and needs much more polishing."

A trace of approval surfaced on Xie Guang's face.

There were many talented disciples, but one who could remain so humble was rare indeed.

Shaking his head, he sighed.

"The Martial Arts School has only just been established. A hundred things await renewal, and the disciples under me are caught between the old and the new."

"The master has too many matters on his hands, and many arrangements have yet to be put in place. Take Narcissus Street, for instance. It is the territory of a force called the Black Tiger Gang. And standing behind them is the Fierce Tiger Martial Hall, that group which came the day before yesterday."

"Though our White Ape Martial Academy and theirs have kept to separate waters and minded our own business, this still makes us seem a head shorter than the Fierce Tiger Martial Hall."

Su Xinghe listened quietly.

These were matters the Martial Arts School's upper ranks should be considering. Perhaps the other man had been under too much pressure lately and was simply venting at the first opportunity.

But for the sake of resources, he still had to provide the emotional support expected of him.

"Elder Xie, thank you for your hard work. This disciple is ashamed."

Xie Guang did not react and continued muttering to himself.

"Ah... it seems I'm still not suited for this position."

"If this had been the old days, why would there have been so much trouble? If I didn't like someone, I'd just invite them outside the city and beat them up."

After saying that, he drained all several cups of brewed tea in one breath.

At last, he let out a long breath.

"Yingcai, demonstrate the complete Golden Ape Earth-Splitting Art for Little Su three times. Sing the chant out loud."

Wu Yingcai:!!!!!!!!!

As a dignified Ninth-Rank Martial Warrior, he actually had to give special instruction to an Outer Disciple who had not even reached Inner Tempering. Even those two Inner Disciples who had long since achieved Inner Tempering did not receive such treatment.

And he had to sing it out loud!

This...

But he could not disobey Elder Xie's words.

The instructor first stretched his limbs, then, face flushed red, began softly chanting as he demonstrated the technique.

Su Xinghe had originally thought the other man would give him Qi-Replenishing Pills, but the true art was even more precious.

He immediately cast aside all stray thoughts and began memorizing with full concentration.

This Golden Ape Earth-Splitting Art was an advanced version of Golden Ape Fist, and the movements of the two fist techniques were largely identical.

The difference lay in the chant and the Artistic Conception Realm, which included content about mobilizing the power of Qi-Blood within the body.

Therefore, aside from the chant.

Su Xinghe learned it after watching it just once. Starting from the second demonstration, he began simulating the technique in his mind.

Perhaps because his Listening to the Tides Art had become more proficient recently, the silver little figure within his Consciousness Space began to dance gracefully along with his subconscious thoughts.

Because he was too absorbed, the Qi-Blood within his body unknowingly began to surge as well. Yet without the specific mental method and combat formula, it looked no different from when he normally practiced Golden Ape Fist.

"Diligence Makes Up for Dullness, a hundred practices a day."

"*Golden Ape Fist*, experience +1"

"What!"

Su Xinghe had been immersed in watching and learning when the sudden prompt in his mind gave him a fright.

He hurriedly looked at the Fate Panel. The clear characters were still there.

I...

I could actually use the silver little figure in the Consciousness Space to practice fist techniques!!!

Could it be that the Listening to the Tides Art was my transmigration cheat?

"Su Xinghe, focus!"

An aged voice carrying a hint of anger rang out.

He quickly reined in his surging emotions and earnestly watched the instructor's demonstration of the fist technique.

A quarter of an hour later,

Su Xinghe saw that red scroll again.

It was spread open, laid out fully upon the table.

Golden Ape Fist, Golden Ape Earth-Splitting Art.

Training method, mental method, combat method—the combination of all three formed a complete Ninth-Rank true art.

The fist technique was still the same fist technique, but now it had a method for coordinating the mobilization of Qi-Blood within the body.

It also contained killing techniques for practical combat.

Previously, whenever he erupted with Qi-Blood in a desperate fight, he only knew how to unleash the warm current in his chest and abdomen all at once.

Only after seeing the mental method of the Golden Ape Earth-Splitting Art did he realize that was simply wasting Qi-Blood.

From simply stirring Qi-Blood to circulating the power of Qi-Blood.

It was like having the same liter of gasoline. He had directly lit it in a washbasin with a lighter. The flames looked fierce and the heat pressed against the face, but the actual efficiency was pitiful.

This Golden Ape Earth-Splitting Art, however, turned the body into an engine. It could make that liter of gasoline yield greater and more lasting efficiency.

Yet all of this would have to wait until he broke through to Martial Warrior and condensed the power of Qi-Blood within his body.

For now, it was temporarily useless to him.