The next morning, Su He and Leo Young went to the dining hall together. The former spoke first, "You... you were cultivating a technique last night, weren't you? I was afraid of disturbing you, so I didn't go in... The nature of that Internal Breath, I have some impression of it. Was it the Scripture of the Heavenly Way?"
Leo Young had never thought of hiding such a thing, so he simply replied, "Yes."
Su He then asked:
"...This technique, have you learned it somewhere before?"
Theoretically, the original Scripture of the Heavenly Way only existed on Zhenwu Mountain, but could copies have circulated...? What if a Zhenwu Mountain disciple with a good memory had secretly written it down to be passed on as a family heirloom?
It was hard to say. Zhenwu Mountain often dispatched disciples to handle such matters.
Leo Young maintained his casual attitude. "No."
Su He pressed his lips together slightly. "Is that so... Your memory and comprehension are quite impressive."
"Heh, it's probably because I've read a lot of books."
Leo Young's original body hailed from the Qilin Cave Academy, a place likely modeled after the White Deer Grotto Academy, the number one scholarly institution in the world. Although the martial practitioners of Zhenwu Mountain were not uncultured, they were certainly a far cry from Leo Young—both of him.
"...If only it were that simple."
Su He muttered under his breath but said no more.
Su Tianqing was waiting at the summit. Not daring to waste time, Su He had Leo Young quickly finish his meal and then led him up the mountain.
Leo Young inquired, "Aren't we going to the Martial Arts Field?"
"No," Su He said. "Today, Master will teach you himself."
"Didn't you say Master was too busy, and you, Senior Brother, would be teaching in his stead?"
Su He spouted some nonsense, "Well, he's not so busy that he can't spare any time at all. He has his free moments. If I were to teach you everything, you might as well just take me as your master."
"Is that so?" Leo Young laughed. "I see. Haha, it seems my luck is quite good."
Not long after, the two arrived at the summit. Su Tianqing stood before the Zhenwu Stone Statue, his hands clasped behind his back, his expression as still as water, appearing solemn and steady.
Beside him stood a young woman in a purple robe. It was, of course, Fang Ying. Holding a folding fan, she had clearly forgotten the humiliation of being utterly crushed by Leo Young yesterday, and she watched the two with a beaming smile.
"What are you doing..." Su He started, but halfway through, he remembered he was in Su Tianqing's presence and immediately swallowed his words, turning to greet his master first.
Following that, he no longer felt like asking his original question. It wasn't strange for someone like Fang Ying to appear anywhere. She had probably heard about the newly admitted junior brother, Leo Young, and came to watch the excitement.
"Let's dispense with the pleasantries." Su Tianqing was certainly not at leisure; his duties were many, and he spun like a top from dawn till dusk. He stated flatly, "Leo Young, regarding your internal art, you have made your own decision?"
Leo Young replied with a smile, "Reporting to Master, yes. Yesterday, in the Scripture Pavilion, I felt an immediate and deep affinity for this technique the moment I saw it. Upon practicing it, it truly felt as if I had divine assistance. I don't plan on changing it for the foreseeable future."
["I'm pretty sure you only looked at that one book yesterday..."]
A strange, inexpressible feeling welled up in Su He's heart. If Leo Young had picked and chosen, deliberating over his selection, there would be no issue. After all, unless a disciple bore special responsibilities, like being a candidate for Sect Master, the choice of what technique to practice was a matter of personal freedom in a super-sect like Zhenwu Mountain. Otherwise, what was the point of having so many techniques in the Scripture Pavilion?
But Leo Young's casualness still made him feel that something was amiss.
However, Su Tianqing had no objection. His cultivation was profound and his eye was even sharper; he could even discern the growth in cultivation from Leo Young's single, brief practice session... Of course, this was also because Leo Young's previous cultivation level was so low that this recent increase was obvious.
["A single cycle of cultivation is likely equivalent to several days of hard work for others. This Scripture of the Heavenly Way is said to be more effective the higher one's Comprehension, but to be this fast is truly something I've never seen in my life... At this rate, even if he had learned it before, his speed makes it a non-issue."]
These thoughts flashed through Su Tianqing's mind, but what he said was, "Since you have made your decision, I will not stand in your way... Yesterday and today, when you ascended the mountain, your breath was unstable and your vital energy was in turmoil. Your physique is indeed rather poor. Today, I shall impart a fist technique to you, called the Verdant Pine Fist Technique. Practice a few sets every morning, and you will naturally strengthen your body."
There was one crucial detail Su Tianqing didn't mention, but Fang Ying, standing to the side, spoke up while fanning herself, smiling faintly. "Only, this fist technique is... a little difficult."
That was it, the core of the matter. And when Fang Ying said 'a little,' one could usually take it to mean 'extremely.'
This fist technique wasn't just 'a little difficult'—it was explosively difficult!
The Verdant Pine Fist Technique was created by the sixth-generation Sect Master of Zhenwu Mountain. Like the Flowing Water Swordplay, it belonged to the category of health-preserving martial arts—an area where Zhenwu Mountain undoubtedly had the most techniques.
However, unlike a basic martial art like Flowing Water Swordplay that anyone with hands could perform, this technique was profound and esoteric. It had no requirements for martial aptitude or Common Traits, demanding only that the practitioner possess astonishing Comprehension.
Su Tianqing did not deny it, only saying, "I will recite the incantations while performing a set for you to see. Watch closely!"
Leo Young smiled. "This disciple understands."
Su Tianqing immediately began to demonstrate the fist technique. His movements were slow, his words enunciated clearly, pointing out the mental incantation and the flow of Internal Breath corresponding to each movement. The actions were natural and fluid, perfectly executed, appearing to be known by heart. Yet, his words had the flavor of a rote recitation, containing almost no personal understanding...
This was because Su Tianqing himself had only managed to learn this fist technique with great difficulty. Due to its unique formula, he had not been able to practice it to a high level. Now, he was merely relying on his profound martial aptitude to demonstrate it proficiently.
Leo Young couldn't see the panels of many experts, as they didn't reveal their Internal Breath in front of him, and his own strength was too low to see through them. In contrast, for all manner of martial arts, no matter how profound, as long as a panel for it actually existed in the game, even a fool like Leo Young could see it with perfect clarity.
[Verdant Pine Fist Technique]
[From youth, a thorny crown unseen in deepest grass; Now, from common weeds, it rises up at last.]
[The world knows not the tree that seeks the sky; Only when it pierces clouds do they proclaim it high.]
[Requirements: Comprehension 80. When martial aptitude is below 20000, for every 1000 points lower, the Comprehension requirement is reduced by 1. For each Daoist-related unique trait held, the Comprehension requirement is reduced by 10, up to a maximum reduction of 30.]
[Cultivation Formula: 100y-5000]
[Current Realm: Utterly Clueless (0/600,000)]
[Technique Effects: Continuously practicing this technique will grant a fixed amount of base Physique strength. The attribute cap will be equivalent to lv1 Adamantine. After breaking through to the 2nd/3rd/4th/5th realms, the attribute cap will be raised to the corresponding Adamantine level.]
[If the unique trait 'Verdant Pine and Cypress' is held, this technique can be broken through to the realm of Unity of Heaven and Man, granting additional base Physique equivalent to lv7 Adamantine.]
[Practicing this technique will continuously extend one's lifespan, up to a maximum of 5 years.]
[Final Experience Multiplier: 17.29]
(Difficult! Difficult! Difficult!)
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