White-Robed Chief

“… I’ll try to persuade the head of the palace.” Xiong Feng smiled. He seemed to be free and at ease. “Alright then, I’ve finally experienced the martial art of Crouching Bull Mountain. Sure enough, it was an eye-opener, I’ll be back.”

Chu Li nodded. “We’ll be waiting for you anytime! You’re Elder Jin’s disciple, am I right?”

“Yes.” Xiong Feng took a look at Jin Ye, he shook his head and laughed as he said. “I’ve been raised by Master since young and began worshipping Skyward Palace when I was ten, hoping that I would one day be able to obtain the second half of Crouching Bull Insight. I’ve been working hard ever since.”

“No wonder.” Chu Li nodded.

Jin Ye stared at Xiong Feng.

Xiong Feng said, “Master, I’ve embarrassed you!”

Jin Ye scoffed. “You’re disappointing, boy. Why did you confess so quickly?”

“I couldn’t let the others misunderstand and think that you’re selfish.” Xiong Feng continued, “I only had to succeed in this challenge, and I would be able to see the Crouching Bull Insight when I return. After this, I would’ve sent it back so that Crouching Bull Mountain would be able to get the full set of the Crouching Bull Insight. If I failed the challenge, Crouching Bull Mountain would earn the Crouching Bull Insight from us anyhow. Whichever way it went, it was a winning move. Master, this is such a wonderful trick, I have to let everyone know.”

Chu Li laughed. “Elder Jin might not necessarily be unselfish after all. If you were successful and obtained the Crouching Bull Insight, he can practice it as well. However, he’s not planning to hand it over to the sect.”

Jin Ye scoffed and said, “Stop with the nonsense! Your punishment still stands, you’re not a disciple of Crouching Bull Mountain!”

Chu Li could not help but laugh as he said, “I have done the mountain such a meritorious deed, yet I am still not considered a disciple of Crouching Bull Mountain?”

“Merits can’t offset faults.” Jin Ye said.

Chu Li said, “Elder Jin, now you should think more about how you’re going to explain your selfishness to everyone. There’s no need for you to worry about me!”

Jin Ye sneered.

Chu Li looked at Xiong Feng. “Young Master Xiong, will Skyward Palace be able to send the Crouching Bull Insight over within seven days?”

“That’s possible.” Xiong Feng nodded. “If it’s not sent over in seven days, it’ll mean that my persuasion has failed.”

“Then I’ll personally pay a visit to Skyward Palace!” Chu Li said.

Xiong Feng nodded. “Alright then, I’ll make a move, take care, Master!”

Jin Ye waved his hand. “Look after yourself!”

Xiong Feng gave a fist salute to everyone. “Elders, sorry for the offense, I bid you farewell!”

After saying this, he vanished.

As everyone watched his back disappear, they shook their heads and lamented.

Even though they were defeated by him, they still admired him. They did not feel much hatred toward Xiong Feng, a heroic figure with an elegant demeanor like him was a rarity these days.

—

During noon, three days later, a young man withstood the scorching sun and arrived at Crouching Bull Mountain. He personally paid a visit to the hill master, Zhuge Feng, presented him a wooden box, then left.

Zhuge Feng sat in his armchair. Beside him were Murong Chun and Xia Liyan.

“Hill Master, quickly take a look.” Murong Chun said, “Is it really the Crouching Bull Insight.”

Even if they saw it, they would not know if it was real, since only the hill master could cultivate the Crouching Bull Insight. He was the only one who had seen the Crouching Bull Insight before.

Zhuge Feng looked much better now as his injuries were almost fully recovered.

He stared at the purple wooden box anxiously. Then, he took a deep break and opened it slowly. Inside the box laid a thin book, it was yellowish with glimpses of black color speckled across its surface. It looked quite unremarkable, such that nobody would pick it up if it was casually dumped on the floor.

Zhuge Feng held it up slowly, then he opened it and flipped through carefully.

After a brief moment, he looked up and smiled at the two of them. “Indeed, it’s the second half of the Crouching Bull Insight!”

“Haha, Crouching Bull Mountain can revitalize now!” Murong Chun laughed out loud.

Xia Liyan laughed joyously as well.

Zhuge Feng held the book in his arms and laughed alongside them as he said, “With the Crouching Bull Insight, what do we have to fear? We finally fulfilled the wish of all the hill masters before us!”

“Hill Master, the Young Lord must be credited for this!” Murong Chun said, “Let us inform the Young Lord about this.”

“Yes, we’ll have to let him know.” Zhuge Feng nodded and said, “I’ve already let him see the first half of the Crouching Bull Insight, in case I become careless and somehow lose its legacy. Now, I’ll let him have a look at the second half as well.”

“That’s right.” Murong Chun and Xia Liyan nodded in agreement.

Chu Li was swiftly called over. He obediently did a fist salute and sat down near them.

“Take a look.” Zhuge Feng passed the book to him.

Chu Li received it and looked at it. He imprinted all of its contents in his mind by taking a glance at it, then he nodded. “Seems like it’s real.”

He had already seen both parts of the insight, so now the entirety of the Crouching Bull Insight was in his mind.

There were only a few thin silk pages in the second half, and its contents were far less than the first half, yet, it was the perfect finishing touch.

When he looked at the first half of Crouching Bull Insight, he felt that it was very basic. It was no wonder Zhuge Feng’s cultivation level was not top-notch since he had not achieved the essence of the Crouching Bull Insight.

The second half was a set of explanations for the step techniques and heart techniques, in which nine Cattle Drawings were shown.

Only with the nine Cattle Drawings can the true abilities of Crouching Bull Power be achieved. Without the nine Cattle Drawings, one would not be able to arrive at the essence of Crouching Bull Power. One could only obtain its form, but the difference in terms of ability would be miles apart.

Chu Li flipped through the Crouching Bull Insight in his mind and was perfectly satisfied.

After all, he had not wasted his effort and time. He had finally obtained a top-notch antique study of spirit beasts. This, in addition to his Art of White Tiger, would be two top-notch antique studies.

If he could cultivate the Spirit Crane Technique as well, he would be well on the path to heaven. As long as he continued to focus on his cultivation, he would probably become an Enlightened Master.

Chu Li said, “Hill Master, if I become the next hill master, I’ll make a change.”

“What change?” Zhuge Feng said.

Chu Li said, “All the disciples will be able to cultivate the Crouching Bull Insight! This way, it’ll strengthen the disciples’ cultivation levels, which will increase the strength of Crouching Bull Mountain. If we don’t do this, Crouching Bull Mountain will forever be unable to rise!”

The ancestor of Crouching Bull Mountain was an extremely powerful figure, but he was not broad-minded enough, such that he would rather keep the sect weak than risk the Crouching Bull Insight being leaked.

He wondered how many sects were exterminated because of how weak they were. Many of these sects did not have bad martial art studies, but their disciples could not access all the knowledge available to them, resulting in the sect just being weak overall.

Zhuge Feng’s face suddenly changed. “Don’t spout nonsense!”

Chu Li said, “They will be given access to each drawing based on merits. If they have enough merits, they’ll be taught the second drawing, then the third, up until the eighth. The Hill Master is the only one who will be able to cultivate the last drawing!”

“You’re whimsical!” Zhuge Feng scoffed and said, “This is a rule set by our ancestors. How can it be broken so easily?”

Chu Li shook his head. “The times have changed. The world is different now, if we don’t change, Crouching Bull Mountain will become weaker and weaker. Don’t even talk about rising, I’m afraid that we’re fast approaching the extermination of our sect!”

Murong Chun and Xia Liyan frowned. “But if we pass the insight on to the disciples, I’m afraid that it’ll be leaked.”

“So what if it’s leaked?” Chu Li shook his head and said, “At most, a handful of drawings will be leaked. Look at the martial arts of Tempest Temple, at least three levels of the Sentient Menace were leaked, but what damage did it do to them?”

The three of them including Zhuge Feng frowned and pondered.

Chu Li continued, “If our martial arts is leaked, it would actually be beneficial to us – as long as the essence isn’t leaked. We can expand our influence, not to mention, filter and select talents. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages!”

“We must think this matter through carefully!” Zhuge Feng shook his head.

Chu Li scoffed. “If we drag this on, we’ll get destroyed if someone picks a fight with us. Other than myself, everyone else is not good enough. Will our destruction be better than our martial arts being leaked?”

Zhuge Feng fell silent.

Chu Li continued, “Hill Master, even if you won’t do it, when I become the hill master, I’ll implement it for sure!”

“… I’ll have to discuss with the elders first.” Zhuge Feng said in a hoarse voice.

Chu Li nodded and returned the silk book to him, then he bowed with a fist salute and left.