Chapter 52: Bring Out the Money!

The two got into bed and sat cross-legged facing each other.

Xia Daoming began to explain in detail the cultivation method of the Dragon-Snake Scripture, the secrets of observing the mysterious diagram, and the distribution of meridians, the pathways and rhythms of qi and strength at the fifth-rank realm.

The more detailed the explanation, the easier it would be for the observer, once they glimpsed the essence and mystery, to combine prior knowledge with direct perception and attain deeper insight.

But the distribution of meridians and the pathways and rhythms of qi and strength were hard to convey clearly by words alone.

At this point, the brush came into play.

Xia Daoming picked up the brush and began tracing lines on Liu Xiaoqiang’s body.

“Ah! Ah! Ah!”

“Sister, can you hold it? You’re making it impossible for me to concentrate!”

“Sorry, sorry! I’m naturally ticklish—when the brush touches my skin, I just can’t help it. But I’ll try my best to hold back.”

“Try your best! Otherwise, I can’t teach you!”

“Mm! Mm! Mm!”

Liu Xiaoqiang bit her lip and forced herself to endure.

“Maybe we should just give up, sister!” But seeing her reaction, Xia Daoming could no longer bear it—he tossed the brush aside and sighed bitterly.

“How can we give up? Your explanation was so excellent—honestly, even clearer than Master’s. And the way you demonstrated just now? Far better than Master’s method—much more specific and detailed.”

“Strange—how do you know so much? When Master taught the senior brothers, he didn’t worry about propriety between men and women, yet he still couldn’t explain it as clearly and precisely as you.”

Obviously—I’m already a seventh-rank Grand Martial Artist who has comprehended the essence of the eighth-rank realm. How could I not surpass Master?

Xia Daoming muttered inwardly, but aloud he said: “But with you like this, I can’t possibly teach you the most crucial parts in detail.”

“No, no—please, sister begs you. I never dared hope to reach fifth-rank Grand Martial Artist. Even after you gave me the Longevity Nectar, I only thought of it as a last-ditch effort.”

“But now it’s different—I truly feel it. If you keep going, next time I observe the Divine Essence Diagram, I’ll definitely comprehend and cultivate dark strength.”

“How about this—you use your fingers to trace on me instead. That way, I won’t be ticklish, won’t make noise, and it’ll be even more precise.” Liu Xiaoqiang hurriedly said.

“But there’s propriety between men and women!” Xia Daoming was startled.

“Come on, you know what line I’m in—if I really let go, I wouldn’t care about such formalities. Besides, we’re martial cultivators—why so timid and prudish?” Liu Xiaoqiang said.

“Fine, I’ll make the sacrifice!” Xia Daoming put on an exaggerated look of heroic resolve.

“Brat, you take advantage and still act put-upon!” Liu Xiaoqiang gave him a sidelong glance with her peach-blossom eyes.

“Then shall we just call it off?”

“Alright, alright—I beg you, I’m the one taking advantage, is that enough?”

“That’s more like it.”

“Do I need to take off my clothes?”

“Sister, you really think I’m a saint?”

“Alright then! Start now—I promise I won’t make a sound this time.”

Next, Xia Daoming, face solemn, traced with his fingers over Liu Xiaoqiang’s clothes, even exerting himself to control his internal dark strength, releasing a thread of it through his fingertips to penetrate her body through the fabric.

Guiding by transmitting dark strength through the skin required extremely high skill—if the instructor’s control was even slightly lacking, it could backfire and injure the student.

Xia Daoming was not only a seventh-rank Grand Martial Artist who had comprehended the eighth-rank essence, but also, after daily consumption of the Cold Ice Purple Yam, his dark strength had grown so potent it rivaled that of a peak eighth-rank Grand Martial Artist, allowing him perfect control.

But it was still exhausting, and carried some risk.

Still, Liu Xiaoqiang was over thirty, with mediocre martial talent—since he’d already resorted to using his fingers, the risk was worth taking.

After a long while, Xia Daoming withdrew his fingers, his forehead drenched in fine sweat.

It was exhausting to precisely control the dark strength—and equally exhausting to hold back.

“You’ve worked hard, younger brother!” Liu Xiaoqiang pulled out a fragrant silk handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from Xia Daoming’s forehead, her touch grateful and tender.

“Sister, I’m getting off the bed now!”

“If you really want it, sister…”

“Cough, cough—sister, this is fine. Now seize the moment to deeply reflect on what I just explained and guided. I’ll go to the Hidden Dragon Martial Hall right now to fetch the Divine Essence Diagram for you to observe.”

“You already have a foundation—if we strike while the iron’s hot, you might finally comprehend the secret of dark strength this time.”

“Then, with regular doses of Longevity Nectar and other tonic pills, you’ll soon accumulate enough dark strength to become a fifth-rank Grand Martial Artist.”

Xia Daoming quickly got off the bed.

Bent over.

“Brat, you deserve this!” Seeing Xia Daoming’s awkward posture, Liu Xiaoqiang wanted to laugh, yet felt unexpectedly moved and pained—yet she deliberately put on a cold, gleeful expression.

“Sister, I’m off now—I’ll come back later.” Xia Daoming didn’t dare respond to her suggestive words, said this, and turned to leave.

“Leave? What do you think the Divine Essence Diagram is? It’s Master’s lifeblood! Do you think he’ll just hand it over to you at this hour?”

“I’ll go to the Hidden Dragon Martial Hall myself tomorrow and beg Master to make an exception and let me observe it one or two more times,” Liu Xiaoqiang said.

“Hehe, sister, don’t worry about that. Just focus on recalling what I explained and guided—I’ll be back soon.” Xia Daoming smiled carefree, then pushed open the door and left.

As Xia Daoming stepped out of the boudoir and passed through the moon gate, he saw many girls peering out, secretly watching and studying him.

Worse, his sharp ears caught faint, muffled whispers.

“Heavens—it’s been an entire hour!”

“Not just an hour—he didn’t even lean on the wall!”

“Not only didn’t he lean—he’s walking like a tiger, full of vigor!”

“So strong!”

“Oh no—tomorrow, Qiang-jie won’t be able to get out of bed!”

“Obviously—an entire hour!”

“Enough of this—everyone, pay up!”

“What? Why pay? Xia-ye spent a full hour—he only said a half-incense stick!”

“But I was the one who guessed the longest time! Most of you bet he wouldn’t last fifteen minutes—the longest anyone else guessed was one incense stick! Mine’s the closest.”

“Fine, fine—here’s your money. Ugh, Gu-ye ruined this girl’s judgment!”

“Exactly! Same age, same fifth-rank Grand Martial Artist—who’d have thought Gu-ye couldn’t even last fifteen minutes with Xiao Li, yet Xia-ye held out an entire hour with Qiang-jie? So Biantai !”

As Xia Daoming listened, he felt ten thousand wild donkeys stampeding through his heart.

You’re the one who’s persistent! Your whole family is persistent!

I was giving proper instruction!

“Thump! Thump!”

Liang Jingtang had just fallen asleep, deep in a wonderful dream, when the knocking woke him.

“Who is it?” Liang Jingtang growled, furious.

“Master, it’s me—Daoming!”

“Oh, it’s Daoming!”

Hearing it was Xia Daoming, Liang Jingtang’s anger vanished instantly—he hurriedly opened the door.

“What urgent matter at this hour?” Liang Jingtang asked, face grave.

What could he do? His disciple was too powerful—he’d just killed an eighth-rank Grand Martial Artist.

For him to knock at this hour, it must be something monumental!

“It’s not urgent—I just want to borrow the Divine Essence Diagram again,” Xia Daoming said.

“For this?” Liang Jingtang raised an eyebrow.

“What else?” Xia Daoming countered.

“Didn’t you already take it today? Why come back at this hour?” Liang Jingtang took a deep breath to calm himself.

He refused to keep it himself, insisted on handing it over to him for safekeeping.

Now, at this hour, he comes to disturb his sleep over it—if this weren’t his most talented disciple, Liang Jingtang would’ve kicked him out long ago.

But what could he do? With Xia Daoming, he could only adjust his mindset.

After all, his own master couldn’t beat him!

“It’s because sister needs to observe it—I came to fetch it for her.”

“What sister?”

“What? Master, you’re really sexist! You gave Longevity Nectar to senior brothers but not to senior sisters—now you can’t even remember who my sister is?”

“You mean Liu Xiaoqiang!” Liang Jingtang’s voice rose involuntarily.

PS: On the first day of the Lunar New Year, I wish everyone a Happy New Year, a prosperous Year of the Dragon, good health, and boundless wealth!

By the way: One hour equals two hours; one incense stick equals half an hour; fifteen minutes equals one quarter-hour.