After leaving the Inner Courtyard’s tea room, Su Yu strolled to the Martial Arts Arena in the rear courtyard.

The battle at the Dinglong Association had cemented his status, and his reputation within the White Ape Martial Arts Hall was now at its peak. The moment he appeared, a crowd of his martial brothers from the Inner Courtyard swarmed him, their faces full of warmth and familiarity.

His master had previously instructed him to win people over, and Su Yu naturally understood that these men would one day become the backbone of the martial arts hall.

He mingled with the crowd, a gentle smile on his face. Ultimately, however, he politely refused every calling card and banquet invitation, explaining that he had reached a bottleneck in his martial path and needed to enter secluded cultivation. The crowd knew he was a martial arts fanatic, so their respect for him only grew, and they dared not bother him further.

After bidding farewell to the Inner Courtyard, Su Yu made his way to the front courtyard.

Under the brilliant spring sun, several hundred apprentices were holding a horse stance, sweat pouring down like rain.

Upon seeing Su Yu, hundreds of pairs of eyes instantly lit up with a fanatical glow. To these junior apprentices, Su Yu, who came from humble beginnings, was the very model of someone who had defied the heavens to change his fate.

Looking at all the sweat-drenched faces, Su Yu was momentarily reminded of his own past struggles. He put on no airs, personally stepping onto the training grounds to correct the stances of many apprentices and offer earnest guidance.

After a round of instruction, he actually discovered two diamonds in the rough.

One was named Li Minghu, the son of a wealthy Outer City merchant. He had already made three breakthrough attempts, possessed abundant Qi and Blood, and had the foundation to become a Martial Artist.

The other was a young man named Zhao Qingfeng, the son of a hunter from the mountains. Not only did he have a strong, sturdy frame, but he also possessed an even more tenacious spirit. The boy had just passed the third trial but was worried he couldn’t afford the tuition. He was planning to take a leave of absence to hunt beasts in the mountains and raise the funds.

Looking into the boy’s resolute eyes, Su Yu felt as if he were seeing his former self.

He invested fifty taels in the boy, then turned and left as the youth, his eyes red and brimming with tears, kowtowed in gratitude.

...

In the afternoon, Su Yu led a team to patrol Jin Yu Street within his jurisdiction.

After the Black Lotus Sect’s rainy night assault, the atmosphere on the street was tinged with a grim tension.

His five most capable lieutenants—Song Mirror, Zhao Tie, Yuan An, Yuan Shui, and Luo Longyu—were now all capable of operating independently. Each led a team of armored and well-armed Security Guards, patrolling the area.

"Sir, did this group of Black Lotus Sect fiends just evaporate into thin air?" Song Mirror wiped the sweat from his forehead and reported in a low voice. "My men and I have practically turned the entire district upside down these past two days, but we haven’t found even a shadow of a single cultist."

Su Yu’s expression remained unchanged. "If the Black Lotus Sect were that easy to deal with, Liangzhou wouldn’t have fallen. They definitely have their own special methods. You must not get complacent. Just continue investigating methodically."

With that, Su Yu blew a short whistle. A streak of cyan light flashed down from the sky like lightning, landing steadily on his shoulder. It was the Cyan-Scaled Sea-Exploring Swallow.

Su Yu fed the little fellow half a piece of dried fish and then handed it to Song Mirror. He had it circle high above to help search for enemies, taking the opportunity to increase the Skill Level of his Lingxi Beast Taming Technique at the same time.

...

「The next day.」

Su Yu continued his daily martial arts training without fail.

[Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist Skill Level +20]

...

[Martial Arts]: Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist (Minor Achievement 400/7000)

[Martial Arts]: Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber (First Layer) (Major Achievement 3000/10000)

[Martial Arts]: Black Stone Body Forging Skill (First Layer) (Major Achievement 1250/12000)

[Martial Arts]: Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step (Major Achievement 2756/4000)

[Martial Arts]: Bibo Fish Dragon Skill (First Layer) (Major Achievement 1/3000)

[Martial Arts]: Lingxi Beast Taming Technique (Major Achievement 502/1000)

[Breakthrough Point]: 1 point (Progress 64%)

’At this rate, it will take over a month for the Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist to break through. That speed is already astonishing. But these are turbulent times, and time waits for no one. I have to increase my realm as quickly as possible.’

’My other Martial Arts have all reached Major Achievement. Only by grinding them to Perfection and Breaking their Limits will my combat prowess undergo another fundamental transformation!’

Su Yu let out a low shout. His Qi and Blood poured like a raging river into the Yongquan Acupoints of his feet, and his body instantly vanished from the spot.

[Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step Skill Level +50]

His figure blurred across the spacious Martial Arts Arena like a fierce wind. Each step he took sent a muffled boom of Qi and Blood echoing off the bluestone slabs. As his understanding of the Body Technique’s mysteries deepened, his Skill Level increased with ever-greater ease.

’At this rate, this Body Technique will reach complete Perfection in ten days at most!’

However, the Su Mansion was destined for anything but peace these past few days.

Powers from all sides were beating a path to the Su Mansion’s door.

Based on his performance at the Dinglong Association, numerous factions were convinced he would one day break through to the Muscle Forging Realm, so they came early to curry favor.

Su Yu chose only to meet with a few of his martial brothers from the hall; the rest were all politely turned away by his steward.

...

「By evening.」

Li Da once again hurried over to report, "Sir, Cui Wanhe of the Hongshan Martial Arts Hall is outside seeking an audience."

A trace of surprise flashed in Su Yu’s eyes. "Show him in."

Before long, Cui Wanhe, dressed all in black, entered the front hall with the gait of a dragon and the stride of a tiger.

"Brother Cui, please have a seat. What brings you here today?" Su Yu cut straight to the chase.

Cui Wanhe wasted no time on pleasantries. He took a heavy, black-wood brocade box from his wide sleeve and pushed it firmly across the table.

"Brother Su, at the Dinglong Association, if you hadn’t acted so decisively, I would be a dead man now. A life-saving debt is greater than any other. I must insist that you accept this token of my gratitude."

His expression was solemn as he gave a formal bow. "If you have need of me in the future, Brother Su, I will certainly lend my full support!"

Su Yu immediately rose and returned the gesture. "Brother Cui, you’re being too formal. We were on the same stage. It was the least I could do."

But Cui Wanhe shook his head. "I’ve replayed the power of that strike in my mind countless times. It’s not a blow an ordinary person could deliver! Anyone else, even if they had wanted to save me, would have lacked such decisive, lightning-fast power."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Su Yu no longer stood on ceremony and reached out to lift the box’s lid.

Instantly, an aura of bone-chilling sharpness washed over him.

On the yellow silk lining of the box lay a piece of ore, roughly the size of an infant’s head.

The ore was black as ink, its surface covered in a network of fine, silver veins that resembled natural cracks. A closer look revealed a faint, profound glow shimmering within, like crushed starlight.

"Celestial Meteorite Iron?" Su Yu’s eyes widened in shock.

"The very same." Cui Wanhe nodded. "When I forged my Nine-Ring Saber, I used this meteorite iron. This is the only piece left. I heard you’re reforging your Treasure Saber, Brother Su. If you smelt this iron into the blade’s edge, it will be sharp enough to cut through iron like mud and slice a falling hair!"

Hearing this, Su Yu dropped all pretense of politeness. "Brother Cui, you are too generous. In that case, it would be rude of me to refuse!"

After Su Yu accepted the precious gift, Cui Wanhe still didn’t leave. A fiery battle lust began to burn in his usually placid eyes.

"Brother Su, I’ll be frank." Cui Wanhe stared into Su Yu’s eyes. "That move you used in the arena left a deep impression on me. I was wondering if you would indulge me in a match today?"

The sense of kinship between two peerless geniuses instantly ignited Su Yu’s own fighting spirit. Without hesitation, he turned and gestured toward the door. "Please!"

The sky had already started to darken.

The guards patrolling the gate were just changing shifts. When they saw Su Yu and Cui Wanhe about to spar in the Martial Arts Arena, their eyes immediately lit up.

"Isn’t that Cui Wanhe? He’s actually going to spar with Sir Su?"

"This is huge! Cui Wanhe is widely recognized as the number one genius right now. He’s even more famous than our Sir Su!"

"Well, Cui Wanhe is older, and a whole realm higher than Sir Su. If our Sir Su were his age, he’d definitely be stronger than Cui Wanhe!"

"That’s for sure, but if they spar now, I’m afraid Sir Su is going to lose."

Cui Wanhe did not carry his Nine-Ring Saber today. He spread his feet, extended his arms, and took the opening stance of the Hongshan Fist.

"Brother Su, don’t hold back. Use that technique from the rainy night with all your strength! I’ll use my Hongshan Collapse to personally test its power!"

"Alright!" Su Yu said as his Qi sank into his Dantian. "Then be careful, Brother Cui!"

With a low shout, the immense Qi and Blood from his mid-stage Flesh Refining Realm surged through his body like a bursting dam, instantly flooding into his arms and extremities.

BOOM!

At the same moment his Qi and Blood roared to life, a savage, demonic ape’s baleful aura erupted from his very pores.

After killing a Black Lotus Sect deacon at the peak of the Flesh Refining Realm, the baleful aura within him had grown significantly stronger. Now, that blood-red aura coiled around his fists.

Cui Wanhe’s breath caught in his throat. He felt as if a primeval demonic ape had fixed its deadly gaze upon him.

The Hongshan Fist was a ferocious and overbearing style of Martial Arts, one that relied on overwhelming momentum and a relentless, forward-driving spirit. To hesitate for even a fraction of a second under the pressure of this baleful aura would mean losing half the fist’s power before the fight even began.

"Break!"

With his eyes wide in fury, Cui Wanhe seized the initiative and attacked.

He unleashed the full, potent might of his Qi and Blood as a Late-stage of the Flesh Refining Realm master. His right fist, carrying enough power to shatter mountains and split the earth, hurtled toward Su Yu’s face like a clap of thunder.

Across from him, Su Yu moved as well!

With his fist speed doubled by the Ape Shadow Gale, he seemed to transform into a ten-armed, blood-colored Asura. A storm of savage punches tore through the air, crashing head-on against Cui Wanhe’s heavy fist.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!