Chapter 339: Lu Chong's Deep Grudge (1)
Chapter 339: Lu Chong's Deep Grudge (1)
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric
Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. He immediately picked up a saber and attempted a light swing as well.
Just like with the sword, an imposing white emanation formed flew forth the saber, leaving behind a deep cut on the ground.
"As expected of a battle technique compiled from high-tier battle techniques! These two techniques are much stronger than the Heaven's Path Fist Art and Heaven's Path Spear Art!"
Zhang Xuan was satisfied with the force of the sword qi and saber qi.
After reinforcing his understanding of the techniques, Zhang Xuan finally heaved a sigh of relief and a slight smile crept onto his face. "After I simplify these techniques and impart them on to Zhao Ya and Mu Xueqing, they would surely be able to emerge victorious regardless of who their opponents are!"
He had no idea who Zhao Ya's opponent was, but he knew the primary reason behind Zhao Ya’s loss was due to her disadvantage in terms of battle techniques. Once she learns this sword art, no matter how powerful her opponent may be, it would be impossible for the other party to withstand her attacks.
Zhang Xuan was certain that there was no battle technique in Tianwu Kingdom that could surpass those created through the Library of Heaven's Path.
As for Mu Xueqing, even though she didn't say a thing, it couldn’t be any clearer to Zhang Xuan that her injury originated from a brawl. After imparting her this saber art, she should be able to protect herself from any opponent.
...
Mu Xueqing returned to her residence.
Recalling what that had happened today, she couldn't help but doubt that everything was just a dream.
Even though she had witnessed Liu laoshi's capability with her own eyes, she still found it way too unbelievable.
With just a few casual pointers from him, all of the students in the class achieved a breakthrough in their cultivation, and the problem of the pill poison that had accumulated in her body was resolved. On top of that, he even declared that he would grant Lu Chong the strength rivaling that of a Tongxuan realm cultivator within ten days... Even a master teacher wouldn't be able to rival those feats!
Walking into the living room, she stretched her back and prepared to return back to her room to rest. But just then, her father suddenly rushed into the living room with an agitated look on his face.
"Qing-er, you're back! I’ve good news for you!"
"What's wrong, father?"
Her father, Apothecary Mu, had always maintained his composure regardless of the situation. What in the world could have happened for him to get so agitated?
"There's a cure for you!" Apothecary Mu's eyes were gleaming with excitement.
"A cure?" Mu Xueqing was perplexed.
A cure? It wasn’t like she was terminally ill! What did ‘a cure for you’ mean?
"You have been consuming pills since young to augment the speed of your cultivation. Even though you managed to improve swiftly, due to your physical constitution and the nature of your cultivation technique, a significant amount of pill poison has accumulated in your body, thus making it extremely difficult for you to advance to higher realms! I only managed to notice this problem last year... and by then, it was already too late."
Apothecary Mu looked at her daughter apologetically. "In order to solve your trauma, I’ve visited the Physician Guild and consulted them on your problem. However... none of them had a feasible solution for your problem! Even Guild Leader Mu Hong is helpless before this matter, and he even inscribed the question on the Wall of Dilemma..."
"I thought that it would be nigh impossible to find a cure for your problem, but... today, an incredible physician appeared, and he solved all of the questions on the Wall of Dilemma with perfect treatment methods! In other words... there's a cure for your pill poison..."
Apothecary Mu's eyes were glowing.
He had always felt guilty to his daughter over the issue of the pill poison, and thus, he had gone to great extents to find a cure to his daughter’s affliction. Upon realizing that the new guild leader of the Physician Guild could solve the problem easily, he could no longer hold back his agitation.
"Pill poison?"
Mu Xueqing blinked. She was just about to say that she had been cured of her pill poison when her father continued speaking.
"You don't know how talented this new guild leader is. He solved nineteen questions on the Wall of Dilemma consecutively, achieving a Perfect grade for each of them. In the end, he even came up with an answer that even 4-star physicians were incapable of evaluating..."
Apothecary Mu praised in amazement.
Even though he had heard the news from a reliable source, he still found it hard to believe.
If not for his friend in the Physician Guild swearing on the matter, he would have surely thought the other party was just pulling his leg.
"Ah, right! I heard that... the new guild leader is a teacher in your academy. Help me look into it tomorrow so that I can make some preparations. I’ll pay him a visit and beseech him for the treatment method to cure you of your affliction..."
Apothecary Mu turned to his daughter and said.
"There's such a formidable teacher in our academy? What's his name?" Mu Xueqing asked doubtfully.
She had heard of the Physician Guild's Wall of Dilemma as well. To be able to solve nineteen questions with a Perfect grade, that person was indeed an incredible genius!
His feat was in no way inferior to that of Master Teacher Zhang Xuan.
But Mu Xueqing knew all of the teachers in the academy, and she was certain that none of them were capable of such a feat.
After all, how could a person possessing such formidable capability possibly remain unknown!
"If I recall correctly..." Apothecary Mu pondered for a moment. "His surname seems to be Liu..."
"Liu?" Gedeng, Mu Xueqing's heart skipped a beat. A figure suddenly appeared in her mind, and her face flushed in agitation. Staring intently at her father, she asked, "It can't be that his name is... Liu Cheng?"
This was the name Liu laoshi introduced himself with when he entered the classroom.
"That's right, his name is Liu Cheng. He seems to be a new teacher in Tianwu Academy..." Recalling the contents of his conversation with his friend, Apothecary Mu nodded.
"Liu Cheng..."
Mu Xueqing's widened into large circles, and at that moment, she looked as though she had seen a ghost.
Was her teacher a physician too? Not to mention, he actually solved nineteen questions on the Wall of Dilemma and became the new guild leader of the Physician Guild?
Even though she had already guessed the answer before her father said anything, she was still astonished when she heard the confirmation.
"You know this teacher? Great! I’ll pay him a visit tomorrow and beseech him to solve your pill poison..." Oblivious to his daughter's shock, Apothecary Mu continued speaking excitedly.
"There's no need to pay him a visit... He has already cured my pill poison affliction..."
It took awhile before Mu Xueqing managed to digest this news. Smiling bitterly, she said.
"He has already cured you?" Surprised, Apothecary Mu swiftly turned to look at his daughter.
"Yes..." Mu Xueqing nodded.
"Why... would he help you?" The situation was much too sudden for Apothecary Mu to accept.
Given Liu laoshi’s standing, there shouldn’t be any reason for him to solve his daughter's affliction for free.
"That's because..."
Hearing her father's doubt, Mu Xueqing tilted her face upward and a proud expression appeared on her face.
"He... is my teacher!"
"Your teacher?" Apothecary Mu was stunned.
The same situation was also occurring with Meng Tao and the other students of Liu laoshi. That very night left innumerable people astonished.
...
Waking up from his sleep, Zhang Xuan felt revitalized.
He had spent the entire night modifying the Heaven's Path Sword Art and Heaven's Path Saber Art for Zhao Ya and Mu Xueqing's usage.
The battle techniques created through the Library of Heaven's Path were formidable, but without Heaven's Path zhenqi to sustain one, not only would one be unable to bring out the full might of the technique, one might even sustain severe injuries from it.
Just like a baby swinging a hammer—Without sufficient strength to wield it, a formidable tool would just hurt oneself.
The two ladies would be able to better bring out the might of the battle techniques after Zhang Xuan made some modifications to the respective techniques according to their needs.
After walking out from the small room, Zhang Xuan saw Lu Chong panting heavily on the bench. The latter had managed to survive the first round of torture in cultivating the Poison Body.
"Teacher!"
Upon seeing Liu laoshi, Lu Chong hurriedly clasped his fist.
"Un!"
From the very start, Zhang Xuan had expected that Lu Chong would be able to tide through the pain. Thus, he wasn't too surprised by the matter. Nodding his head, he smiled, "How do you feel?"
"I..."
Lu Chong hesitated for a moment before replying, "I don’t feel anything different from before. I am still at Pixue realm primary stage. Why didn't my cultivation rise..."
As soon as the poison started to fade, he immediately took an internal look at his condition. Just like how he was yesterday night, he was still at Pixue realm primary stage. There wasn't any advancement in his cultivation at all. If not out of trust for Liu laoshi, he would have thought that the pain he suffered yesterday night was for naught.
Upon recalling the pain he felt then, he couldn't help but shudder.
It was as if he was plunged into the deepest abyss of hell, subjected to the worst tortures that could exist in this world. Many a time he felt that it would be better for him to just let go of everything and give up. If not for the grudge in his heart fueling his determination, he would have surely caved in.
"There's a Strength Measuring Rock Pillar there. You should give try hitting it!"
Zhang Xuan smiled lightly.
"Yes!"
Even though Lu Chong was perplexed by the instructions, he still nodded his head and walked over to the rock pillar. Clenching his fist, he struck it with all of his might.
Weng!
The rock pillar trembled, and a line of digits slowly floated into appearance.
"44 ding? Pixue realm pinnacle... H-how is this possible?"
Upon seeing the numbers on the pillar, Lu Chong's body trembled and his eyes widened in shock.
He could clearly sense that his cultivation didn't rise at all. How did he manage to achieve a might of 44 ding?
This was too scary!
A normal Pixue realm cultivator’s strength would only increase by one ding for every acupoint opened. Going by that calculation, 44 ding was equivalent to having 40 acupoints opened. However... Lu Chong had only cleared one acupoint to date. So, how in the world could he possibly possess such tremendous strength?
"The strength originates from your physical body!"
Zhang Xuan nodded his head as he explained. He was rather satisfied with the outcome.
What the Poison Body augmented was the might of one's physical body, not one's zhenqi cultivation.
Upon reaching a certain level of strength for one’s physical body, one could gain the strength to rival zhenqi cultivators. In fact, some of the formidable poison masters were even able to tear Zongshi realm cultivators apart without using their zhenqi at all.
By tempering his physical body through lethal poison, in the course of a single night, Lu Chong's strength rose from 5 ding to 44 ding!
"I..."
Seeing the number on the stone pillar, Lu Chong's eyes reddened.
Back then, when Liu laoshi said that he would grant him the strength to exact vengeance within ten days, he still bore some doubts to the other party’s words. But now, not even the slightest trace of doubt lingered in his mind!
In just a single day, his fighting prowess rose from the level of a Dingli realm primary stage cultivator to a Pixue realm pinnacle cultivator. This rate of growth was completely unheard of! Even though Lu Chong was experiencing it firsthand, he couldn't help but doubt if it was all just a dream.
"Thank you, teacher!"
All that was left in his mind at this moment was awe and gratitude for the young Liu laoshi.
"So, can you tell me about your matter now?"
Zhang Xuan asked.
"I..."
Lu Chong clenched his fists tightly.
"Remember, you are Liu Cheng's student, my student. Even if your enemy is the emperor of Tianwu Kingdom, as long as he is at fault..."
Placing his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan exuded an aura of indubitable confidence. "I’ll blast a hole through him for you!"
"Teacher..."
Having lost his family, Lu Chong had to learn to be independent swiftly. In the past two years, he trusted no one and relied on no one. He chose to shoulder all of his burden alone. But despite his incredible mental fortitude, in the end, he was just a young child.
In an instant, all of Lu Chong’s pent-up emotions suddenly came bursting forth, and tears started streaming down his face.
If it was anyone else who said such words to him, he would have surely laughed it off, thinking that the other party was just bragging.
But for some reason, he couldn't help but feel inclined to trust the words of this Liu laoshi.
He had lost all of his pillars of support with his death of his parents. He didn't expect to find the feeling of wanting to rely on someone on Liu laoshi.
Even though the teacher before him was young, he felt like an indomitable mountain that pulled his floating heart back to the ground, allowing to him to find calmness. For once in a very long time, he felt that he wasn't alone.
"Go on, speak!"
Zhang Xuan looked at Lu Chong.
"Yes..."
Thus, Lu Chong began talking about his history.