Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

’As long as I have the right connections, this money should be enough to buy some Treasure Medicines and Treasure Fish to help with my training...’

Just then.

Chen Cheng’s gaze shifted to the wooden box. The item inside was, without a doubt, the greatest reward of the evening.

"Chen Cheng, come out for a moment."

Ye Yang’s voice came from outside.

"Yes."

After his calm reply, Chen Cheng stood up, stuffed the wooden box under his pillow, and casually walked over to open the door.

"Master Ye, what can I do for you?"

"Are you training tonight? I want to see just how far you’ve progressed with your Hidden Dragon Fist."

Ye Yang said, standing before the door with a calm tone.

"I’m ashamed to say, you entered the Middle Courtyard and then the Inner Hall, yet I have never once personally instructed you... And during today’s combat assessment, I didn’t get to see the level of your Fist Technique."

"You’re being too serious, Master Ye. I’ll demonstrate the Hidden Dragon Fist for you now."

After speaking, Chen Cheng turned back into the room, took out a bright oil lamp, and placed it on the windowsill. He then strode to the empty space in front of the door, assumed a stance, and began his demonstration.

Ye Yang took a few steps back, standing with his hands clasped behind him, his gaze sharp and intense.

He had already made up his mind. Tonight, he would spend the time and energy to properly guide Chen Cheng, correcting every single flaw in his Fist Technique one by one. He would consider it compensation for his previous neglect.

However, after watching just the first run-through, Ye Yang’s expression was already starting to crack.

Absolutely perfect.

There wasn’t a single flaw for an outsider to point out or correct.

With this level of mastery in his Fist Technique, combined with his dual advantages in Power and endurance, Chen Cheng could have easily defeated Xiao Yi without resorting to any tricks.

’This...’

’It might have been a fluke. I’ll watch a few more times.’

Ye Yang composed himself and watched Chen Cheng with even greater intensity, not missing a single detail. His lips moved slowly as he prepared his words for when he found a mistake... He had to be precise, thorough, and make sure Chen Cheng would understand.

The second time, the third... the tenth...

Ye Yang’s expression kept changing.

It went from initial hesitation to amazement, and finally, to pure appreciation for a form of art. He was completely immersed, as if he had lost all track of time.

The night grew deeper, and it was approaching midnight.

Chen Cheng came to a final stop, finishing his demonstration.

Only then did Ye Yang seem to break free from his trance, taking a deep breath.

"Your Fist Technique is impeccable! In my master’s words, it’s as if you carved the manual into your very bones, then ripped it out alive for all to see!"

Ye Yang paused, then said with a serious expression.

"With such superior Comprehension... in the future... you might be able to go even further!"

Before Chen Cheng could respond, Ye Yang had already taken a piece of black beast hide from his robes.

It was three inches square, polished to a bright sheen. The back had a raised, dragon-scale pattern, while the front was as smooth as a mirror, etched with a Celestial God Hidden Dragon Painting in crimson-gold dye.

In the painting, a Celestial God rode the wind and stepped on thunder, subduing a dragon with both hands. Chen Cheng recognized the posture at once as the prototype for the Hidden Dragon Pile Skill.

However, the paths of the wind and thunder in the painting were clearly not random brushstrokes; they seemed to hide some sort of profound principle.

The True Dragon pinned beneath the Celestial God’s bent fingers was even more lifelike. Pushed down, it threw its head back and struggled for its life, scales bristling, eyes bulging as if it would leap out of the hide in the next instant and soar to the Thirty-Three Heavens.

"This is the True Strength Crossing Thought Map for the Hidden Dragon Fist. It is the only one in the Middle Courtyard..."

Ye Yang said in a low voice.

"According to the rules, this map can only be passed down to genius disciples whose Root Bone and Comprehension are both superior... You have a three-month period. If you make no progress, it must be returned."

Although Ye Yang didn’t say it outright, how could Chen Cheng fail to understand?

This True Strength Crossing Thought Map was originally intended for Xiao Yi.

Even though Chen Cheng had achieved the Inner Hall Top Three, Ye Yang had no intention of giving it to him. Only now, after personally confirming he still had potential, was Ye Yang willing to take it out.

This wasn’t surprising. The map was unique in the Middle Courtyard; even Ye Qiluo had not been allowed to bend the rules and use it freely.

Let alone an ordinary disciple like Chen Cheng, who had no family background and was held back by his Root Bone, his potential seemingly exhausted and his limits reached.

To put it bluntly, although Ye Yang’s admiration for Chen Cheng had grown, he wasn’t entirely optimistic. Taking out this map was more of a gamble.

A gamble that Chen Cheng would stumble upon another fortunate opportunity within three months and make further progress.

Otherwise, after three months, the map would be taken back, and Chen Cheng’s journey in Martial Arts would truly be at an end.

"Within the map’s layers, there are hidden patterns, magnetic powders, and other ingenious mechanisms. We disciples of Dragon Mountain, by following the principles of Power circulation in the Hidden Dragon Fist, can channel our own Bright Force into the map... The essence of this process is to improve your control over Power."

"The Thunder Patterns represent Bright Force. If you can channel it in precisely, you will be able to release and retract your Bright Force at will, with meticulous control..."

"If you can penetrate to the Thunder Tips, after repeated tempering, your Bright Force will become purer and more ferocious, far surpassing opponents of the same Realm... This is one of the main reasons our Dragon Mountain Hall can rank among the best in Zhao City."

"The next step is to channel Power into the wind patterns. Hidden within them is the Force Manipulation Technique to transition from Bright Force to Dark Force. When your Power penetrates the long wind and reveals the surging cloud patterns, it signifies the initial formation of Dark Force..."

As Ye Yang spoke, he channeled his Power into the map.

Chen Cheng could clearly see the Thunder Patterns surge and explode outward, covering the entire painting in the blink of an eye.

Immediately after, a long wind shuttled obscurely between the Thunder Patterns, and clusters of cloud patterns slowly emerged from within the hide, shifting from dark to bright.

Ye Yang withdrew his Power, and the patterns that had appeared quickly vanished.

"This is just a simple demonstration."

Ye Yang said in a low voice.

"Everyone’s constitution, Comprehension, and even their meridians, acupoints, and bones are different... The depth and solidity of one’s Blood Qi also varies... Most importantly, everyone has a different innate Root Bone... Therefore, the methods for channeling Power are not all the same."

"Some can force their way through with brute strength, breaking through layers of resistance to step directly over the threshold of Dark Force. Others need to slowly discern the techniques and principles, to sense and guide their Power, making it circulate almost according to law until Dark Force gradually develops."

"There is no right or wrong method, only what is suitable for you and whether it can produce Dark Force... This is something you can only figure out through your own contemplation; it is difficult for others to convey in words..."

"Of course, if you run into any difficulties, you can ask me. But my experience may not be suitable for you..."

Ye Yang held the True Strength Crossing Thought Map out to Chen Cheng and said seriously.

"Ultimately, you must overcome this barrier on your own! If you break through, a whole new world will await you!"

"Thank you for your guidance, Master Ye."

Chen Cheng accepted it with both hands and began to study it carefully.

"You don’t have to be in such a hurry. Even with your excellent Comprehension, progress won’t happen overnight..."

Ye Yang let out a soft sigh, a hint of regret mixed within it.

"Back then, Zhuang Zhen’s Root Bone and Comprehension were far superior to Xiao Yi’s. Yet, it took her a full seven days to grasp the principles of the Thunder Patterns, and over half a month to achieve Powerful Penetration."

"Where did Senior Sister Zhuang go?"

Chen Cheng asked, following the topic.

"She didn’t tell me."

Ye Yang shook his head.

"But based on her state when she left, she was likely moved by your performance and had some kind of epiphany... There’s nothing I can do to help, so it’s best to let her be..."

Chen Cheng nodded and continued to study the True Strength Crossing Thought Map in his hands.

The Vertical Eye Mark showed no reaction.

’Perhaps I need to take the map apart and see its internal structure to understand its true nature.’

The thought had barely flashed through his mind before Chen Cheng squashed it.

He had no doubt that if he dared to dismantle the map, Ye Yang would absolutely dismantle him, a living person.

’I’ll try it out first...’

Chen Cheng immediately focused his Heart Spirit. Mimicking Ye Yang’s earlier actions, he held the back of the map with both palms, then circulated his Blood Qi to slowly channel Bright Force from his palms into it.

In just a moment, the color of the Thunder Patterns on the map began to change, deepening from their roots and spreading, bit by bit, toward the tips.

"This..."

Ye Yang’s eyes widened, a strange light flashing in their depths.

"You were able to sense the entrance to the Thunder Patterns so quickly... And those extensions, as fine as hairs and full of twists and turns... Your Perception Power is far beyond that of an ordinary person!"

"Back then, it took even me a full five days to reach this stage, and I still missed a few of the finer details... You brat... you really are extraordinary!"

Before Ye Yang could finish speaking, his eyes widened even further, as if he had just witnessed an unbelievable phenomenon.

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