Chapter 531: Gazing at the Master, Becoming the Image

Hunting the Tiger to attain the Image requires three steps.

Open the Dark Light, smelt the hundred meridians, ingest the long qi of heaven and earth!

The Body Perception Method already has the effect of smelting the hundred meridians…

So if this is true, Yang Yang Dongxiong only needs to focus on completing the first step—opening the Dark Light—the next two steps are already laid out for him!?

The third Image attainment master of Pingyang Prefecture is within reach!

What glory would await then?

"Long Yao, Long Li, lay out paper, grind ink!"

Liang Qu bowed his thanks to the Master, passed through the hall, and shouted loudly, startling the entire back courtyard.

Only then did the Dragon Girl learn the Elder had returned from the boat; she pulled on a half-sleeve robe and stepped out of the eastern wing room.

While the Dragon Girl was busy, Liang Qu strolled along the corridor.

The changes in the back courtyard were equally immense.

The eastern wing room was built to the same standard as the second courtyard, now two stories high, greatly expanding the space for the three Dragon Girls.

The same applied to the main house: entering through the central gate, the ceiling was raised high, and on both sides were the study, meditation chamber, and bedroom—all with raised ceilings.

The western wing room remained unchanged, with no rooms or walls.

Previously, the western wing room had only a roof outline beneath which wooden planks were laid, forming a boardwalk leading to the pond; standing in the third courtyard, one could see the pond's full beauty at a glance. Old Turtle often set up a small round table here for late-night snacks.

Now, atop the roof stood a small two-story pavilion with a two-foot railing; sitting or lying within, gazing at the pond, it carried great charm.

Without doubt, the old toad had given fish—two precious ones.

But barely broke even.

Liang Qu received the bill in early July, never expecting the expenses to be so high.

House expansion, repairs, furniture purchases… altogether over five hundred taels, a minor sum.

The key was the ice platform.

Excessively expensive.

One cost over two hundred taels.

According to Su Guishan's setup, each wing room needed two…

"Master, the ink is ground."

Long Li stamped the incense seal, lit it with a fire starter, and placed it on the incense stand.

The desk was neatly arranged, the ink screen shielding the wind.

Plain white paper was laid flat at the bottom, secured by a gilded bronze recumbent lion, with two wolf-hair brushes resting on either side of the mountain-shaped brush rest.

"Thank you."

Liang Qu sat down directly, opened the manuscript, dipped his brush in ink, licked it, and began copying.

Seeing it was transcription, Long Yao stepped closer and said: "Master, you've been on a month-long voyage, weary from travel—let us handle it for you?"

"No, I will copy the first copy myself; afterward, you may take over."

This matter is too important; the first transcription must not be entrusted to others.

Liang Qu must personally confirm there are no omissions or errors, and simultaneously review the content of the Body Perception Method.

With the foundational Ear, Nose, and Eye Perception Methods, plus enhanced comprehension, the entire Body Perception Method is not hard to understand.

Its content largely matches what the old monk said.

Ultimate self-insight, comprehensive management of one's own information.

If "Eye Perception" and "Nose Perception" gather and integrate external information, and "Ear Perception" combines both external and internal information, then "Body Perception" is absolute mastery of one's own internal information!

"Incredibly powerful—if this method is born, won't it spare all those trapped in hunting the Tiger from having to pass one more gate?"

Liang Qu was secretly astonished.

"One day without practice, you know; two days without practice, your opponent knows; three days without practice, the audience knows."

This saying originally referred to stage skills, but the principle applies equally to martial arts.

A stallion indulging in leisure, a Wolf Smoke martial artist, may not lose his realm, but his martial skills, if neglected, will undoubtedly decline sharply.

Even if he regains proficiency far faster than others starting from scratch, the regression in between remains undeniable.

Smelting the hundred meridians reverses this entire decline, achieving the wondrous state of washing away all dross to reveal pure form, where cultivation never regresses.

Hence, Su Guishan spends his days eating, drinking, and basking in the sun; when the Ghost Mother Sect's master arrives, he still picks up his sword, mounts his horse, and grabs people to beat—without a single hesitation.

When the Body Perception Method is fully cultivated, its effect is nearly identical to smelting the hundred meridians; how difficult could it be to apply this understanding across domains?

Three steps condensed into two and a half—or even two.

The value is absurdly high!

The Master truly brings a surprise upon returning home.

He completed a full transcription of the manuscript, confirmed there were no issues.

Liang Qu put down the wolf-hair brush and called for the Dragon Girls.

"Copy nine more copies based on this one—do not change a single character, page spacing, line spacing, or arrangement."

Nine copies?

Long Yao and Long Li exchanged glances.

"Master, please wait a moment."

Shortly after.

The Dragon Girls sat side by side, bent over their desks, copying.

Half an hour passed in a flash.

Liang Qu checked it several times, returned the Master's manuscript, mounted Chishan, and galloped swiftly to the Yang residence.

Yang Yang Dongxiong scattered bait to feed the fish in his garden: "You've been on a month-long voyage, didn't come home to sleep or rest—what brings you here?"

"Master, great news—look at this."

Liang Qu presented the booklet.

"The Body Perception Method?"

Yang Yang Dongxiong took the booklet, glanced at the cover, and felt a slight shock.

The previous three methods—Ear, Nose, Eye—had boundless utility; now that a fourth method existed, he dared not delay, returning to the hall to study it word by word.

Pages turned.

Yang Yang Dongxiong's expression grew increasingly stunned.

Liang Qu grinned: "Master, what do you think?"

"Does this method enable one to reach the state of smelting the hundred meridians?"

Yang Yang Dongxiong flipped to the last page, closed the booklet, and traced his fingers over the three characters "Body Perception Method," his fingers trembling slightly.

"Correct—the Master himself confirmed it!" Liang Qu replied, his expression excited. "Master, you already have the Azure-Yellow Token, and now you have smelting the hundred meridians—tell me plainly: have you begun opening the Dark Light? How long until you succeed? Will the third Image attainment master of Pingyang Prefecture one day bear your surname? Once you become a master, I won't need to waste energy thinking up all those side strategies for the martial school—students won't even want to leave for other schools in the prefectural city!"

Yang Yang Dongxiong was about to answer when his memory suddenly returned: "Didn't you ask me this before?"

Liang Qu scratched his head: "Did I?"

"Around the end of last year?" Yang Yang Dongxiong's recollection sharpened. "You asked me how far I'd progressed, and told me to…"

"Ahem, this is irrelevant," Liang Qu quickly interrupted. "Master, please tell me plainly—give me your estimate."

"I'm polishing it," Yang Yang Dongxiong recalled fully and let it go. "Early this year, I had the thought—if I could borrow some heavenly treasures from the imperial court, I might succeed within the year…"

"Borrow heavenly treasures?" Liang Qu scratched his head. "Master, do you have special privileges as a veteran minister?"

"Yes. I've served in the military for decades; now that I have the confidence to attain the master realm, I may use this seniority to request a pre-advance of cultivation resources and manuals from the court to achieve mastery.

Just as farmers borrow grain from the court each summer and repay it after harvest, if I can return the borrowed resources within three years, there will be no extra interest.

Moreover… on the day I received the Azure-Yellow Token, I naturally considered writing to General Xu Xu Wenzhu of the Duke Prefecture for help.

But I lacked confidence, feared wasting the resources, and kept the letter buried in my chest, never sending it. Now, with your method, I'll write another letter immediately—a priority dispatch."

But I lacked confidence and feared wasting resources, so the letter was buried at the bottom of the chest and never sent; now that I have your method, I'll write another letter and send it as an urgent dispatch.

Liang Qu's eyes widened.

The Great Shun truly excels at winning hearts and maintaining upward mobility—no wonder it flourishes both north and south while remaining internally stable.

Add the Duke Prefecture to the mix.

Master is also a master at leveraging external forces!

With this dual approach, Liang Qu decided to give his master another boost.

"Master, I have a remark—though I'm not sure if I should say it."

Master, I have a remark, but I'm not sure whether I should speak it.

"Madam will return to Huangzhou for her birthday in the second half of the year. If you become an Image attainment master, all my achievements won't compare to even half your glory!"

Madam will return to Huangzhou for your birthday celebration this autumn; if Master can attain the Entering Zhen Xiang Master realm, no achievement of mine could match even half your glory!

"You brat!"