When the voice in his mind faded away.
Lin Bei felt a vast tide of knowledge pour into his memory.
The Breath-Absorbing Art he had originally made up had been terribly abstract and mystical.
But now, everything he had said seemed to have been proven true.
To draw a comparison, the Breath-Absorbing Art Lin Bei had invented was a castle in the air, leaning every which way and ready to collapse at any moment.
But things were different now.
Not only had Zhang Teng built a stairway to heaven beneath that castle in the air, he had also restored the crumbling structure into a jeweled palace above the clouds.
That comprehension of his is absolutely heaven-defying!
Lin Bei was shaken to his core!
Amid his shock, he began to realize that his Golden Finger seemed to possess a heaven-defying power of deduction.
It had been the same with Tai Chi before, and now it was happening again with the Breath-Absorbing Art.
As long as Zhang Teng reached the beginner stage in anything Lin Bei taught him, Lin Bei could immediately achieve perfection.
He tried circulating the Breath-Absorbing Art.
Lin Bei felt the spiritual energy filling the sky surge into his body like a tide.
Under its tempering, his originally frail body began to transform continuously.
The Breath-Absorbing Art.
The Immortal Cultivation Method...
It had actually... worked!
Tieniu looked at Lin Bei, who stood frozen in place.
"Master, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Lin Bei understood that this was no time to cultivate.
Their voices were not loud, but Zhang Teng's secluded cultivation room was small, and only a door separated them.
His hearing was keen, and he realized almost immediately that Lin Bei and Tieniu had arrived.
Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Teng stopped cultivating and opened the door.
"Your disciple pays his respects, Master! Your powers truly know no bounds. Knowing that your disciple had doubts, you came personally to clear them up. I cannot thank you enough."
???
Lin Bei's head was full of question marks.
Since when did my powers know no bounds? Since when did I come here specifically to answer Zhang Teng's questions?
Tieniu came tattling to me, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I came here to take it out on Zhang Teng!
Zhang Teng had just broken through, and Lin Bei happened to appear at that moment. It was pure coincidence.
But with the mood already set, Lin Bei certainly could not expose himself.
So he immediately put on an air of breezy composure.
"I sensed that your understanding of the Breath-Absorbing Art had become thorough. Knowing you would have questions, I came specifically to answer them."
These words moved Zhang Teng deeply.
He recalled something Lin Bei had once told him: what was a master? One who imparted the Dao, taught skills, and resolved doubts!
"Honored Master! Your disciple will remember this kindness in the depths of his heart!"
Lin Bei waved a hand, walked into the Quiet Chamber, and sat down on a meditation cushion he picked at random.
"Go on. You have reached the beginner stage of the Breath-Absorbing Art. What questions do you have? Ask freely."
Lin Bei brimmed with confidence. His Breath-Absorbing Art had already reached perfection, and his understanding of it was definitely several levels ahead of Lin Bei's.
Zhang Teng immediately approached Lin Bei and respectfully voiced his doubts.
"Master, I know the Breath-Absorbing Art is profound, but I already have a preliminary understanding of it, and some idea of how to cultivate from here... It's just..."
The more Lin Bei listened, the more something felt off. From the sound of it, Zhang Teng was not about to ask about the Breath-Absorbing Art.
Zhang Teng's hesitation only made Lin Bei more certain of his earlier suspicion.
No way. Is he really going to ask about something other than the Breath-Absorbing Art?
Lin Bei began to panic.
If he asks about something else, will I be able to answer?
As a competent con artist, Lin Bei was already thinking up lines he could use to bluff his way through if he could not answer the question.
"Speak." Lin Bei betrayed nothing, his tone calm.
When it came to putting on an act, Lin Bei left not a single seam showing.
"Your disciple wishes to ask about martial cultivation."
Zhang Teng lowered his head, looking somewhat uneasy.
He was afraid of being scolded!
He had already chosen to follow Lin Bei in immortal cultivation, yet he was still asking about martial cultivation?
Lin Bei inwardly flinched.
What the hell? He's asking me about martial cultivation? I don't know shit about it!
For a moment, Lin Bei fell silent.
As Lin Bei's silence continued.
Zhang Teng lowered his head even further. He had the impression that Lin Bei was deeply displeased with him.
But this was something Zhang Teng had to ask.
In the end, he braced himself and spoke.
"Master, in my martial Body Refining, I once cultivated to the level of bronze skin and iron bones."
"But after cultivating the Breath-Absorbing Art, I actually broke past the ultimate limit of a martial artist's Body Refining and reached the level of indestructible diamond!"
As he spoke, Zhang Teng flexed his muscles and, steeling himself, displayed the power of indestructible diamond.
The bronze hue of his skin vanished, replaced by a shimmering golden light.
Lin Bei... was dumbfounded.
He had been in this world for a year. He knew about martial Body Refining and had some vague knowledge of bronze skin and iron bones.
But he was an outsider whose knowledge came entirely from hearsay.
Moreover, he had heard that only genuine, peerless prodigies could develop bronze skin and iron bones.
Indestructible diamond?
What's that? I don't know anything about it!
What could I possibly say to guide him? I can't even bluff my way through this properly.
But when it came to cultivation, could he admit he did not know?
After a little thought, Lin Bei decided to probe first, then find a way to bluff.
"Tell me your thoughts."
Zhang Teng immediately said, "Among martial cultivators, indestructible diamond is the stuff of legend. Anyone who can cultivate it has the potential to become a Martial Emperor."
"But I broke through to indestructible diamond merely by gaining insight into the Breath-Absorbing Art."
"Your disciple believes that the martial path cannot compare with the immortal path and is truly a lesser path. I worry that advancing in martial cultivation will delay my pursuit of the Dao... That is why I wish to ask Master to resolve my doubts."
So that's it.
Lin Bei breathed a sigh of relief.
For something like this, Lin Bei could spin an explanation with his eyes closed, without even thinking.
As long as Zhang Teng was not asking him how to practice martial cultivation, it was no big deal.
A minor problem!
Lin Bei smiled and said, "It is no matter. The Dao is everywhere and embraces all things. There is no need to worry."
Zhang Teng looked nervously at Lin Bei.
"Master, will my martial Body Refining cultivation delay my cultivation of a Dao Body?"
Lin Bei said calmly, "It is no matter. The Dao is like the sea, accepting a hundred rivers. Even if you consider the martial path a lesser path, it remains a path of cultivation. In the end, different roads lead to the same destination."
Only then did Zhang Teng breathe a sigh of relief.
"Your disciple understands!"
Lin Bei nodded in satisfaction.
"If you have any questions about the Breath-Absorbing Art, feel free to come to me."
"Yes!"
Only then did Lin Bei leave, satisfied.
"Farewell, Master."
After Lin Bei left, Tieniu could not help asking.
"Senior Brother Zhang, what were you and Master talking about? Why couldn't I understand a single word?"
Zhang Teng smiled calmly. "You haven't reached the beginner stage yet. Naturally, you couldn't understand."
"Oh, right, Senior Brother Zhang... Hall Master Cheng of the Six Harmonies Martial Hall sent word that since you challenged his hall, he's coming to return the favor," Tieniu added.
At those words, Zhang Teng shot him a cold glance.
"Return the favor? He wants to challenge our Martial Arts Grounds? Does he have a death wish? No, I have to go to the Six Harmonies Martial Hall and settle this! Otherwise, if Master finds out, he'll surely think I can't handle things reliably!"
"Too late. Master already knows," Tieniu said.
Zhang Teng turned stiffly toward Tieniu and forced out a few words. "You told him?"
"Mm..."
Tieniu nodded timidly.
"Don't be angry, Senior Brother. I told Master first because this is something you can't settle!"
Before you continue