Chapter 603: Divine Power!

Done!

Really done!

The courtyard erupted in cheers, echoing through the night.

Residents in other courtyards all looked up, unaware of what had happened.

Yang Yang Dongxiong pressed his hands downward: "Keep it down—it's late, don't disturb others."

Xu Xu Zishuai and the others remained exhilarated, having witnessed their master achieve the Entering Zhen Xiang—happier than if they themselves had broken through.

A Master!

A Entering Zhen Xiang Master!

Outside a few provincial capitals and strategic strongholds, each prefecture or state has only a handful, and even the Prefect must greet them with respect.

Hah.

A truly formidable figure.

Our master!

The era of being a mere Grand Martial Artist's disciple is finally over.

A Master's direct disciple!

Liang Qu shares in the glory.

If I'd known this would happen, why bother with the hassle of merging the martial school and academy in the first place?

No other martial school could snatch it away, no matter how hard they tried!

Yang Yang Dongxiong complained just a little in the morning, and by afternoon, the heads of other martial schools came rushing over, carrying thorns on their backs to beg forgiveness.

Before becoming a disciple, Liang Qu always felt life was full of people targeting him.

Catching fish meant dealing with Laitou Zhang; returning home meant three brothers waiting to rob him; paying taxes meant corrupt officials; learning martial arts meant bullying from senior students; even passing a garbage barrel, stray dogs would bark at him.

After becoming a disciple, all of it vanished.

Nothing else.

The higher your talent, the fewer actual troubles you face.

This reveals another truth.

Talent will eventually become strength!

With talent and strength, troubles come one after another—was all that martial training for nothing? How can you ever achieve clarity?

"Good! Good! Good!"

With the testimony of the Great Ancestor and Second Ancestor, Xu Xu Rongguang put his worries aside, his face glowing with joy.

The Master's son-in-law!

Seeing the revelry had calmed enough, Old Lady Xu stepped outside and waved, then turned to explain.

"My son-in-law has been in seclusion for ten days, not eating a single grain of rice. When he arrived earlier, I already arranged a banquet."

As she spoke,

the steward led maids into the courtyard, laying out dishes on the table.

Aroma mingled with steam, greatly whetting the appetite.

Yang Yang Dongxiong's stomach was empty; he thanked his mother-in-law for her thoughtful planning and took his seat at the head of the table amid the guests' flattery.

"We're family—sit! Don't be formal."

The Great Ancestor and Second Ancestor showed no airs, gesturing warmly to the younger generation.

Liang Qu had already eaten dinner and wasn't hungry, but today's star was clearly not him—he simply sat quietly along.

"Braised mandarin fish, silver fish stir-fried with three threads, fish head stewed with bean greens… all specialties of Peng Ze!"

Old Lady Xu beamed, personally serving Yang Yang Dongxiong dishes.

The disciples watched their master rise with bowl in hand, stunned and honored, laughing heartily, all immersed in joy.

Yang Yang Dongxiong's attainment of the Master realm benefits everyone here—it's pure harmony, more joyful than any New Year's celebration.

After three rounds of wine, conversation flowed freely.

They chatted about everything under heaven and earth.

Liang Qu cracked open a crab shell, picked up the roe dipped in a touch of fragrant vinegar, and took his first bite—when Xu Xu Zishuai suddenly raised a ruckus.

"Master Xu, for tomorrow's birthday banquet, my junior brother has prepared a special gift!"

Old Lady Xu smiled and asked: "What kind of gift?"

Xu Xu Zishuai changed tone, shaking his head: "Madam, we can't say—it's a secret!"

Xu Shi rolled her eyes: "Three days without a beating, and you're tearing up the roof—deliberately teasing us?"

Xu Xu Rongguang wiped his hands: "Don't spend too much—you've come a long way to Huangzhou, just treat it as a sightseeing trip."

"No expense spared—it'll shock Master Xu!"

"Exactly!"

"Astonish everyone!"

Cao Rang and Xiang Xiang Zhangsong echoed in agreement.

Xu Xu Rongguang, nearly ninety, had endless patience.

"Then that's settled. Reciprocity is propriety. A few days ago, an old friend sent me several fine pieces of Shoushan stone—I've cut out many blocks. If you truly shock me, I'll carve each of you a personal seal."

A seal?

Yang Yang Dongxiong explained: "My father-in-law is a renowned seal-carving master of Huangzhou—his seals are nearly impossible to obtain."

Xu Xu Rongguang waved his hand dismissively.

Everyone's eyes lit up.

Whether they understood seal-carving or not, something valuable was valuable!

A free seal.

Liang Qu felt delighted.

Even without considering symbolic meaning, in pure value, it might well surpass a spirit creature's scale!

"Come, come, raise your cups! To our master! To Master Xu! To all of you!"

The revelry lasted half an hour.

The courtyard grew quiet. Tree shadows swayed; wine jars stood empty.

Half a fish head, dripping sauce, hung over the edge of the dish; a few vegetable leaves clung to the porcelain rim.

Liang Qu tossed down the crab shell, let out a satisfied belch, and leaned back in his chair.

Old Lady Xu and Xu Xu Rongguang, along with the Great Ancestor and Second Ancestor, had left early, leaving only the senior disciples facing each other—still not moving.

Cao Shixiong Yang Xu knew what they were thinking and spoke up first with the most pressing question.

"Master has achieved the Master realm—what is his divine power?"

Divine Power.

The greatest difference between Hunting Tiger and Entering Zhen Xiang.

Turning earth to steel, slicing rivers with a blade, leaving traces in empty air—all effects resembling those of a god.

Just look at 【Water Traveling a Thousand Li】 to understand.

Even Peng Ze's monstrous leader, General Yuan, had no choice but to sit down and negotiate when faced with such a power.

Thus, not just Liang Qu, but all his senior brothers and sisters were intensely curious.

Yang Yang Dongxiong didn't tease: "Great Severance Subduing Demons."

Everyone's eyes gleamed.

"As expected!"

"What's the effect? What's the effect?"

"Not talking about power, it must be the ability to condense blade traces."

Yang Yang Dongxiong drew his index finger through the air—a brilliant silver blade of light materialized out of nowhere.

Liang Qu stared at it, and his eyes burned with pain, tears streaming down.

Xiang Xiang Zhangsong and the others fared worse—eyes red, they stumbled backward, eyes shut.

"Master, stop the power! We'll go blind!"

Yang Yang Dongxiong laughed heartily, flicked his finger lightly—the blade light dissolved.

"Condensed but not released, the traces hidden in empty space—lasts at most three to five days. When the enemy steps into it, it instantly triggers the Subduing Demon Blade Array."

"If embedded in physical objects, it lasts longer—over half a month. Once I've mastered it, I can extend it to over a month."

Xu Xu Zishuai thought quickly: "Earlier, the King of Xu Yue gave Liang Ashui a waist token—does that mean Master now has the same ability?"

Yang Yang Dongxiong stroked his beard: "Correct. After the birthday banquet, I'll make one for each of you."

Everyone's spirits soared.

Having a Master as a teacher is truly different!

"While Master was in seclusion, we guessed what power it would be—and it's definitely Great Severance Subduing Demons!"

Great Severance Subduing Demons—no surprise.

After all, Yang Yang Dongxiong's true qi and favored martial art are both Great Severance Subduing Demon Blade.

Siguan.

What comes after—Heavenly Dragon, Furnace, and Transformation of Rainbow—I don't yet know, but before Entering Zhen Xiang, the signs were always clear.

The Siguan lay the foundation for the physical body.

Galloping horses open the nine orifices.

Wolf smoke coagulates the meridians and builds bridges.

Hunting tigers constructs houses and raises towers.

Attaining the Form manifests divine art and transforms creation.

From constructing houses and raising towers to manifesting divine art and transforming creation—they sound unrelated, yet they are not.

The seed of divine art was planted long before hunting tigers.

Galloping horses charge through wolf smoke: the meridian has not yet solidified, the human bridge has not yet been formed, yet due to true Gang, combat power surges.

Wolf smoke entering hunting tigers is different.

It lacks the true Gang of galloping horses through wolf smoke, and it lacks the divine art of hunting tigers to attain the Form.

Combat power increases significantly, but the cultivation breakthrough curve remains relatively "smooth."

The first steep ascent occurs only when the first tower is half-built and the "seed of divine art" is planted within.

From wolf smoke to hunting tigers, the Three Bridges of Heaven, Earth, and Man extend into the Three Towers of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

Thereafter, "within the towers, the seed of divine art is planted, sprouts upward, and becomes beams and pillars."

The so-called Three Steps of the Master require nurturing the "seed of divine art" planted at this stage, fully manifesting it—one step, one divine art.

Thus, the gap between hunting tigers and the Master is immense, and so too is the gap between one Master and another.

Three divine arts versus one divine art—quantity alone overwhelms.

When divine arts complement each other, following synergy and functional lines, they produce an effect greater than the sum of their parts.

Yet some cultivate the same divine art through successive stages, advancing three steps in one divine art—relying on mastery, not variety.

The realm of hunting tigers.

It feels like filling out college applications after the gaokao.

Though attaining the Form still seems far off, one must now make a choice that will shape one's entire life.

Of course.

The seed of divine art can be altered, though the difficulty…

Better to spend time carefully considering which application to fill out.