Returning to the Martial Arts Hall and finding his mentor still not back, Yan Chuan frowned.
It had been four days since he left White Rock Mountain.
No matter what, Cheng Fengxiao should have returned to White Rock Mountain, then he would have discovered that Yan Chuan was missing, and then—
"Could it be that he’s worried I’m still in the Mountain and Sea Realm and deliberately stayed there to continue searching for me?"
Yan Chuan suddenly realized—
If he were Cheng Fengxiao and discovered that his disciple was missing, he might not immediately return either.
"If he returns, it means there’s no issue, and he doesn’t need to rush back to confirm."
This return means that he couldn’t go back for another two months.
What if Yan Chuan was still inside, and what if there was danger waiting for him to rescue him?
Surely, he’d stay and search; that would be the safest choice.
"Master is cautious."
"There shouldn’t be a problem."
Yan Chuan wasn’t overly worried.
Yan Chuan went early to Guangling Academy.
This wasn’t Yan Chuan’s first time at Guangling Academy, but it was his first time there since September.
Compared to before September, Guangling Academy hadn’t changed much.
But when Yan Chuan entered, he clearly felt something different.
"Am I seeing right? ’Shadowless Kick’ Yan Chuan is at our academy?"
"He’s got guts! Not afraid of being ganged up?"
Some people watched from afar, recognizing Yan Chuan, shocked.
A while ago, Yan Chuan had defeated Guangling Academy in the Martial Arts Competition, even defeating the Ten Elders Wu Qi, leaving the entire Guangling Academy with no face. They couldn’t proudly claim to be from Guangling when meeting students from other academies.
It was truly disgraceful!
In such a situation, Yan Chuan still dared to come?
But there were also those who enthusiastically engaged with Yan Chuan—
"Good morning, Master Yan!"
"Master Yan, are you here to find someone at the academy? I’m familiar with the academy, need me to guide you?"
There were many enthusiastic people.
Ultimately, Yan Chuan’s strength naturally garnered him fans and diehard followers, even in Guangling Academy.
Admiration for strength!
There were many in Guangling Academy who despised Yan Chuan, but just as many admired and respected him.
"Master Yan! Master Yan!"
Two people approached Yan Chuan excitedly, pointing to themselves: "Master Yan, do you remember us? I’m Yu Renjie, and this is Dai Pu. We attended four of your classes at the Advanced Study Hall, do you remember?"
Yan Chuan did remember: "You two were practicing the ’Five Ancestors Crane Sun Fist’!"
The two had often sought Yan Chuan’s guidance at the Advanced Study Hall, spending quite a bit of silver, so Yan Chuan naturally remembered.
Once hearing Yan Chuan remembered them, Yu Renjie and Dai Pu got excited and said to Yan Chuan, "We were originally going to apply to become research students under Chen Jingming, the mentor for ’Golden Winged Dapeng,’ but after attending the advanced classes, both Dai Pu and I gained confidence. During the Martial Arts Competition, when you were fighting Senior Brother Xiang Yue, you elaborated on the ’Five Ancestors Crane Sun Fist,’ especially ’Shaking Body Shocking Blade,’ we had some insights and managed to master it after returning. Then we tried applying under Professor Cai Yuming, and surprisingly got accepted!"
Both were very excited.
One reason was meeting Yan Chuan.
The other was recently being accepted as research students under a professor.
Yan Chuan knew of these two; both were instructors of ’Five Ancestors Crane Sun Fist,’ but Chen Jingming was only a teacher, whereas Cai Yuming was one of the only three professors for ’Five Ancestors Crane Sun Fist.’
Just from their titles, the difference was obvious.
Becoming a research student under a professor was naturally stronger than under a teacher.
And Yu Renjie and Dai Pu had initially struggled to even qualify as research students under a teacher, but with Yan Chuan’s guidance, they progressed rapidly, and now had limitless potential. Even if they spent much silver, they were still very grateful to Yan Chuan.
"Congratulations, congratulations!"
Upon hearing this, Yan Chuan quickly offered his congratulations.
It was indeed a delightful matter.
The two beamed with happiness.
Yu Renjie asked Yan Chuan, "Are you here to find someone at the academy? The academy is big and people hard to find. I can guide you!"
"Then thank you very much!"
Yan Chuan smiled: "I’m looking for Elder Wang."
"Master Yan, you’re finally here!"
Wang Kuan, upon seeing Yan Chuan, was all smiles. He warmly welcomed Yan Chuan, jokingly saying, "Why leave so suddenly that day? Afraid my Guangling Academy people would gang up on you? Hahaha!"
Wang Kuan laughed heartily.
Not mocking, his words carried a sense of closeness.
"Elder Wang jests." Yan Chuan also laughed. His sneaky exit that day was indeed awkward, but Wang Kuan’s joke made everything trivial.
After joking, Wang Kuan invited Yan Chuan to take a seat, then without chattering, he directly returned a precious iron bow that Yan Chuan had lent him that day: "This is Tu Lie’s Sky Shattering Bow, Master Yan, please check, it’s unchanged, returning to its rightful owner!"
Returning it for real?
Yan Chuan took the iron bow, and to mask his inner astonishment, he laughed: "So it’s called the ’Sky Shattering Bow.’
"There are two of these bows, identical, owned by the White Rock Shuang Tu, a rare surprise weapon, its value even surpasses your Red Tassel Spear."
Wang Kuan said, looking at the Red Tassel Spear Yan Chuan brought today, immediately recognizing it wasn’t the surprise weapon, and teased, "Why not bring out your surprise weapon?"
The surprise weapon was already shattered!
Of course, Yan Chuan wouldn’t say this; he bitterly smiled: "With a jade in hand, be wary of its crime; I’d rather keep a low profile."
Upon hearing this, Wang Kuan laughed again, pointed at the Sky Shattering Bow in Yan Chuan’s hand, and teased, "Weren’t you thinking this treasure bow would have no return, never expecting it back?"
"Elder Wang knows me."
"It’s me who didn’t understand the academy’s structure."
Yan Chuan sheepishly admitted.
With a laugh, Wang Kuan’s joy was evident.
Seeing this, Yan Chuan curiously asked, "Did you manage to subdue Tu Meng and that ferocious beast the academy was hunting that day?"
Made Wang Kuan smile even more broadly, nodding to Yan Chuan: "Thanks to you! And your Sky Shattering Bow!"
After Yan Chuan left, Guangling Academy fiercely battled Tu Meng and the Golden Rock Earth Dragon.
Gu Shengyan led an assault on Tu Meng, who was strong, but after chasing Yan Chuan for a day and night, had a blind eye—
Gu Shengyan and others attacked closely!
Wang Kuan assisted from outside with the Sky Shattering Bow!
Sky darkened and ground shook!
The sun and moon lost their light!
That battle was bloody!
Tu Meng was extremely strong—
During an outbreak, Fist of Coiling Silk’s Feng Ji from the Ten Elders was severely injured, Fu Fist’s Jian Rong lightly injured, and unfortunately, one professor was killed.
But Tu Meng suffered more!
Gu Shengyan’s Azure Dragon Crescent Blade severed one of his left arms, and Wang Kuan’s three arrows crippled his right leg—
Three parts crippled, Tu Meng was rendered powerless, captured alive by Gu Shengyan, now detained in the core dungeon of the Wushan Ten Divisions controlled by Guangling Academy, facing endless interrogation!
Tu Lie had been slain by Yan Chuan.
Tu Meng captured alive.
The ’White Rock Shuang Tu’ became history, Guangling Academy not only eliminated a major enemy but also acquired Tu Meng’s Sky Shattering Bow.
"With two Sky Shattering Bows in hand, the difficulty of hunting the ’Golden Rock Earth Dragon’ drastically reduced."
"Yan Yidu and I shot from both sides."
"The ’Golden Rock Earth Dragon’ quickly lost its fighting ability, captured alive a day and night later."
Speaking of capturing the ’Golden Rock Earth Dragon’ alive, Wang Kuan’s tone noticeably heightened, far more excited than about capturing Tu Meng alive: "Yan Chuan, you don’t know, the ’Golden Rock Earth Dragon’ is the first-level alien beast we’ve encountered; incredibly powerful. Originally, we never thought we’d capture it alive, just hoped to tire it to death for victory. Only with the extra two Sky Shattering Bows did we change the strategy from hunting to capturing, unexpectedly succeeding!"
A live ’Golden Rock Earth Dragon,’ captured alive, was much more valuable than a dead one!
Alive, dragon blood drained and regenerated continuously!
Dead, usable only once.
The difference is stark!
"Thanks to you this time."
"Returning the Sky Shattering Bow intact is only right."
"Additionally, here are ten catties of dragon blood as a token of thanks."
After returning the Sky Shattering Bow, Wang Kuan took out a leather pouch, opening the cork—
A strong bloody and fishy smell emanated.
Wang Kuan sniffed, not only unbothered but enjoying it.
He plugged the cork back in, handed the leather pouch to Yan Chuan, and said with a smile: "Dragon blood has many uses. Direct ingestion can enhance Qi-Blood, rivaling ’Dragon Tiger Great Pill.’ You can also bathe in it daily, needing only three to five drops mixed in water, greatly benefiting your skin training. Additionally, immersing a surprise weapon in two catties of dragon blood can significantly enhance its quality after several months. Besides that, dragon blood is also a material for concocting secret medicine—"
Dragon blood has numerous uses!
What Wang Kuan told Yan Chuan were just the simplest applications.
"’Dragon blood’ has two more purposes, one for tempering ’sinew and bone.’"
"Sinew and bone are tough to temper."
"Using dragon blood can reduce difficulty and accelerate the process, but it requires secret martial arts, secret techniques, needing ’communication’ level to proceed."
"Another purpose is to ’break the limit of Qi and Blood.’ Martial Arts practitioners, once reaching the limit, require ten catties of dragon blood, ingesting one cattie per day for ten consecutive days, which can potentially break through the Qi and Blood limit, refining sinew, bone, skin, and membrane, entering the ’communication’ level, reaching the ’transformation’ stage, on par with me, other Inner Court Elders, including Tu Meng and Tu Lie brothers, at the same level."
Wang Kuan pointed at the dragon blood in Yan Chuan’s possession, his smile fading, speaking seriously: "I suggest you don’t rush to use it, preserve it well, and when you reach the Qi and Blood limit, ten days with ten catties of dragon blood to break through at once. You’ll find that it opens a whole new realm, far better than temporary convenience, better than any improvement in weapon quality, far more wondrous, and substantial!"
Ten catties of dragon blood!
Breaking through Qi and Blood limit!
Yan Chuan’s eyes lit up.
This was the first time he truly heard about a way to ’break the limit of Qi and Blood,’ and it was a very specific method. Moreover, he now had the ’dragon blood,’ and the quantity was sufficient!
Guangling Academy had given Yan Chuan a grand gift!
This was related to Yan Chuan lending the Sky Shattering Bow, perhaps also to do with the favor from Elder Jiang Bianliu.
"The path to breaking through is right at my feet!"
"Sow good seeds, reap good fruits!"
"This is the fortune you deserve!"
Wang Kuan gazed at the dragon blood in Yan Chuan’s possession, with reminiscence, sentiment, envy, but no greed.
Though this dragon blood even benefitted him greatly, aiding his ’muscle training’ progression or facilitating opening the fields of ’muscle training,’ ’skin training,’ ’bone training.’
It would tremendously aid his strength elevation.
But ultimately, this dragon blood was more of a great opportunity for individuals like Yan Chuan at their level!
Just like how Wang Kuan once obtained a ’Purple Monkey Flower,’ aiding his Qi and Blood limit break, successfully refining major sinews, thus becoming one of the Ten Elders, experiencing a different world.
This chance fell upon Yan Chuan!