Martial Arts Master

Next, Lou Cheng went to the Dinghai Sect and then to the Hanchi Sect. Unexpectedly, he did not see the “clown” Gu Jianxi. But the younger generation was slightly weaker than the Haixi Sect and, therefore, no one impulsively came out to challenge them.

Upon returning to the Smokey Iceberg, he reported the whole story to Uncle Master He Yi.

“The young people in their sects are very calm.” He Yi shook his head and said with a smile, “That is also a good thing. Your sudden catfish effect has muddled our Wuyue Club and encouraged everyone to put out greater effort.”

His meaning was that Zheng Yu, Lei Fang, Qian Qiyue, and the others had originally joined the Sect when they were about 10 years old. Their contemporaries witnessed their growth and had long been accustomed to backwardness. They were gradually becoming prouder, until Lou Cheng appeared unexpectedly and smashed into the scene. Their inherent perception was suddenly broken, which aroused all sorts of emotions in the disciples.

“Uh, Master Uncle actually knows about the catfish effect…” Lou Cheng was silently judging, but said nothing about it and instead bade farewell, followed the Master downhill, and returned to the villa of Shi Yuejian.

After arriving there, Geezer Shi dug up a visualized diagram, on which was a red, abnormal, heavy sun. After just catching a glimpse of it, Lou Cheng felt the hot current of his body, which represented the Power of Blaze running, being adsorbed, and being compressed!

“Internal Explosion is more difficult to practice than Severe Warning. First, visualize this Red Sun Diagram, then control it with the Zhu Rong Diagram. When shooting, there is a combination of the power skills… You must be very careful when you practice. An explosion in your body is no laughing matter…” the old man rarely explained in much detail. “When you fully grasp it, I will teach you the 10th and 11th parts of the Ice Sect, two simplified physical invulnerability methods. Of course, I guess that will be in the second half of the year.”

“Good!” Lou Cheng gladly took the Red Sun Diagram.

When he saw that, Geezer Shi laughed loudly. “Don’t be so cautious. Whether it’s lost or ruined, it will all be on them this time!”

“I’m not such a stingy person…” Lou Cheng said, with his mouth twitching a bit.

Venting anger on things is so boring!

Because they had to go home to celebrate New Year’s Eve, Mo Jingting, Zhu Tai, and Lei Fang did not try to see him again. On January third of the lunar calendar, Lou Cheng bade farewell to Master’s family and embarked on the journey back to Xiushan.

The next day after he arrived home, Yan Zheke and her parents flew to Jiangnan Province and went to the Ji family for a reunion.

…

The family was gathering together for a reunion banquet in the ancestral home of the Ji family in the Jiangnan Province.

Deeply loved by her elders, who constantly inquired about her well-being, Yan Zheke looked at her grandfather, Ji Jianzhang, and grandmother, Dou Ning, and ventured to make a brave gesture.

“Grandpa, someone from our Martial Arts Club has learned to use the tactics of Swordsman, Army, and Forwarding of the Nine Words Formula.”

She wanted to start the topic this way and gradually lead up to the relevant contents of the Nine Words Formula of Shushan Study. The reason she said it in full view of the public was so she could appear calm, acting like she had just said it by chance, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the elders.

After she spoke, she felt her grandmother’s chopsticks stop moving. Her grandmother looked up at her with a faint smile.

It makes me a little anxious!

Ji Jianzhang had thick and dark hair. Except for some white spots on his temples, he looked thin and unconventional. Upon hearing her words, he smiled and said, “I know. Lou Cheng.”

“Pff!” Yan Zheke almost choked on her saliva.

Grandpa knows about Cheng!

Am I making it awkward?

When she saw that she had lost her composure, she acted surprised. “Grandpa, have you been following our matches?”

As she spoke, she found that the smile of Empress Dowager appeared grander and full of gloating. And her cousin next to her, Lin Que, slightly tilted the corners of his mouth.

Well, Brother, didn’t you agree to remain indifferent and silent?

How dare you laugh at me!

Seeing the blank and confused looks of Yan Kai, Ji Lingxi, and others, Ji Jianzhang shook his head with a smile. “That young fellow has recently become very famous. When I returned to the sect, there was always someone nagging in my ear, saying that he was a genius who could compete with Peng Leyun. And since you and your brother are both in the matches, I take a look at them from time to time.”

Shushan Study headquarters was in Jiazhou. As a native of the Jiangnan Province, Ji Jianzhang had been sent there decades ago to guard the East Foundation.

“Phew…!” As she slowly started to feel relieved, Yan Zheke heard grandmother Dou Ning ask with a smile, “I hear Lou Cheng’s name from time to time. You three are all from the Songcheng University Martial Arts Club. How do you feel about him?”

Dou Ning looked only 40 years old. She had her hair tied in a bun, looked graceful, and her facial features were somewhat similar to Ji Mingyu’s and Yan Zheke’s. But when she looked around, her stature was really electric, exhibiting the posture of a Mighty One.

“Grandma, why do you ask that?” Yan Zheke tried to be cute, blinking her eyes.

How am I supposed to answer that? It will be very embarrassing if I praise him too much!

Since Yan Zheke was a child, she had moved back and forth between Jiangnan and Xiushan, and there were several northerners in the family. Thus, she got confused about addressing her elders, which was no longer the combination of maternal grandfather/maternal grandmother and paternal grandmother/paternal grandfather, but maternal grandfather/paternal grandmother. By the time she was old enough to go to school, she had gotten used to it and was now too lazy to change it.

“I’m just asking. Is it not easy to answer? Tell it like it is.” Dou Ning was in high spirits and said with great interest, “You two, Lin Que and Keke, tell me.”

She looked at Lin Que and Yan Zheke and did not include Ji Lingxi and Ji Deyan.

Once again she felt the gloating gaze of her mother and the interested look from her father, Yan Kai. Yan Zheke looked up and tried to make her eyes less tender and sweet. She said with a chuckle, “He is a very talented and hard-working man. Um, a very nice guy.”

Extremely nice…

At that moment, Lin Que spoke and attracted everyone’s curious gazes to himself.

“Very skilled, very powerful.”

He said it succinctly, which only made the people at the family banquet more curious about Lou Cheng.

Since when does our Ice Prince praise other fighters at his level?

Yan Zheke listened with gratitude and pride—proud that her cousin had such a high opinion of Cheng and grateful for his help in distracting their relatives’ attention.

“Yes, having such a teammate around is a good thing—like Dragon King and Warrior Sage—encouraging each other and chasing each other and, hence, making their current achievements.” Ji Jianzhang nodded with satisfaction. “Que, over the past year, you have benefitted from this and made faster progress than I expected, and now you nearly have the power of Seventh Pin. The genetic mutation of the root pulp has also shown signs. Train carefully, but do not be agitated. Going slowly does not mean that you can’t go far.”

When he saw Liu Que’s slight nod, he turned to look at his most beloved granddaughter.

“Keke, why are you talking about Lou Cheng?”

“Pff…!” Yan Zheke almost choked again. She hurriedly replied in a tender voice, “Grandfather, I did not mention Lou Cheng! My focal point is on the Nine Words Formula, the Nine Words Formula! Hasn’t the Shushan Study collected lots of things related to the Nine Words Formula? How come nobody has ever succeeded?”

Ji Jianzhang rubbed the wine glass in his hand and said with a sigh, “From the flourishing era of the Nine Words Formula until now, there have been too many wars. Many books and other things were seriously damaged, and those Nine Words Formula diagrams inside the Faction have lost their soul and charm. Only the ancient sound and seal are more complete.”

“What a pity.” Yan Zheke sighed from the bottom of her heart.

“Yes. But, well, we will not feel inferior to the ancients. The predecessors were able to create the Nine Words Formula, so why can’t we restore them? Our faction has been groping for generations, trying to infer the meaning of the words according to the secret—the secret and the content of the ancient books.” Ji Jianzhang’s tone was flat, but it contained some lofty ambition.

With everyone’s curious eyes on her, Yan Zheke asked solicitously, “Then… have they gotten any results?”

“I’m not quite sure about that, because I’m not in charge.” Ji Jianzhang said with a laugh, “It seems that we lack the crucial thing.”

“Grandpa, can I take a look at the notes?” Yan Zheke asked tentatively.

Ji Jianzhang thought for a moment, then said, “If there hasn’t been much progress, there is no harm in showing you. But if it were close to success, you could only look at the notes of the predecessors. Oh, maybe a good idea will strike you. You might score a lucky hit and then come up with something, right?”

“Right!” Yan Zheke replied happily.

If you were able to see it for yourself, then it was not classified. It was fine as long as you did not show it to others.

If I showed it to Cheng, would that be called exposing secrets?

Maybe Cheng really could realize something, so I can also make a contribution to the Faction!

Soaked in emotional excitement, she glanced at her mother, Ji Mingyu, who showed a “dislike” for her “daughter’s favor of her boyfriend”.