Immortal Chongxu had assumed that after giving Ye Qiu the thousand-year-old He Shou Wu, Ye Qiu would, out of gratitude, share the cultivation method for the Cloud Ladder Technique and the manual for the Thirteen Forms of Taiji.
But who could have expected this outcome?
As Immortal Chongxu stood there dumbfounded, Ye Qiu, pulling Xiao Yiren, was already ten metres away.
“Master, what do we do?” Immortal Shang Ling asked urgently.
“We can’t let Sect Leader Ye leave like this!” Shang Zhen shouted, “Sect Leader Ye, please wait, Master has more to say to you.”
Ye Qiu turned back, smiling at Immortal Chongxu, “Senior, what else do you wish to instruct?”
Coming to his senses, Immortal Chongxu said, “Sect Leader Ye, I’ve given you the thousand-year-old He Shou Wu, shouldn’t you…”
Before he could finish, Ye Qiu interrupted.
“Senior, I know what you’re getting at.”
“Rest assured, I swear to the heavens I’ll never teach the Cloud Ladder Technique or the Thirteen Forms of Taiji to anyone else.”
“Yiren, let’s go.”
With that, Ye Qiu pulled Xiao Yiren and continued walking.
Immortal Chongxu flashed forward, quickly blocking Ye Qiu’s path, his face bitter, “Sect Leader Ye…”
“Senior, what’s this about? Are you trying to forcibly stop me?”
As Ye Qiu spoke, a powerful aura surged from him.
Immortal Chongxu waved his hands hastily, “Sect Leader Ye, don’t misunderstand, I’m not trying to stop you…”
“Then please step aside, Senior.” Ye Qiu said, pulling Xiao Yiren past him.
Immortal Chongxu watched Ye Qiu’s retreating figure, clenching his fists, then loosening them.
He did want to stop Ye Qiu, but he feared he wasn’t Ye Qiu’s match and might end up beaten instead.
So frustrating!
Immortal Chongxu’s face was full of gloom.
As Ye Qiu walked further away, Immortal Chongxu paced like an ant on a hot pan, growing increasingly anxious.
Suddenly, Ye Qiu’s voice came from ahead, “Senior, come here for a moment.”
“I was so focused on returning to Jiangzhou earlier that I forgot to tell you about the Cloud Ladder Technique’s cultivation method and the Thirteen Forms of Taiji manual.”
“Come quickly, I’ll tell you everything I know.”
Hearing this, Immortal Chongxu felt as if joy had fallen from the sky, rushing to Ye Qiu’s side.
“Senior, you mentioned before that mastering the Pure Yang Limitless Technique is a prerequisite for cultivating the Cloud Ladder Technique.”
Ye Qiu shook his head, “That’s actually incorrect.”
Immortal Chongxu asked eagerly, “How so?”
Ye Qiu explained, “Though I haven’t practised the Pure Yang Limitless Technique, I know it’s a formidable internal energy method.”
“The reason it’s said that mastering the Pure Yang Limitless Technique allows one to cultivate the Cloud Ladder Technique is because the Cloud Ladder Technique requires strong internal energy as a foundation.”
“I was able to learn the Cloud Ladder Technique because I possess a technique even more powerful than the Pure Yang Limitless Technique.”
“In other words, Senior, there are two ways for you to learn the Cloud Ladder Technique.”
“First, master the Pure Yang Limitless Technique.”
“Second, find a technique more powerful than the Pure Yang Limitless Technique.”
Immortal Chongxu smiled bitterly, “Sect Leader Ye, I’ve already thought of what you’re saying.”
“But finding a technique more powerful than the Pure Yang Limitless Technique is nearly impossible.”
“It seems I’ll have to keep cultivating the Pure Yang Limitless Technique.”
Ye Qiu asked, “Senior, have you practised the Pure Yang Limitless Technique?”
“Yes,” Immortal Chongxu nodded, “I’ve trained for many years, but sadly, I’ve made little progress.”
Ye Qiu’s expression turned peculiar.
“Sect Leader Ye, why are you looking at me like that?” Immortal Chongxu asked.
Ye Qiu smiled, “I never imagined, Senior, at your age, you’d still maintain your chastity. Impressive.”
At this, Immortal Chongxu’s face flushed red.
He quickly changed the subject.
“Sect Leader Ye, I’ll have Shang Zhen fetch paper and pen. Please write down the manual for the Thirteen Forms of Taiji.”
Ye Qiu shook his head, “No need for paper or pen.”
“Sect Leader Ye, are you planning to demonstrate it for me?” Immortal Chongxu smiled wryly, “Better to write it down. If you demonstrate again, who knows how many more pits will appear here.”
Ye Qiu laughed, “Senior, you’ve misunderstood. The manual for the Thirteen Forms of Taiji is already at Wudang.”
What?
Immortal Chongxu was stunned, then shook his head vigorously, “That’s impossible.”
“If the manual was at Wudang, how could I, as Wudang’s sect leader, not know about it?”
“Sect Leader Ye, for the sake of the thousand-year-old spiritual herb I gave you, please, do me a favour and write down the manual!”
Seeing Immortal Chongxu’s disbelief, Ye Qiu smiled wryly, “Senior, you don’t really think I could deduce the complete Thirteen Forms of Taiji in such a short time, do you?”
“You told me before that Immortal Zhang, to create the Thirteen Forms of Taiji, visited dozens of sects, studied tens of thousands of martial arts manuals, and ultimately synthesised the strengths of countless martial arts to create this fist technique.”
“To put it plainly, this technique is the culmination of Immortal Zhang’s life’s work.”
“Think about it, no matter how great my martial arts talent, could I comprehend Immortal Zhang’s life’s work in such a short time?”
“I was able to comprehend the Thirteen Forms of Taiji because I saw the complete manual.”
Ye Qiu pointed to the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion, “Besides the first form, the other twelve forms are also carved on the bluestone floor at the entrance.”
Immortal Chongxu couldn’t believe it, “Sect Leader Ye, you’re not deceiving me, are you?”
Ye Qiu smiled, “Senior, if you don’t believe me, just dig up the bluestone floor later, and you’ll see.”
“Oh, and one more thing I forgot to mention.”
“Even if you hadn’t given me the thousand-year-old He Shou Wu, I would’ve told you about the Cloud Ladder Technique’s cultivation method and the Thirteen Forms of Taiji manual.”
“After all, both techniques belong to Wudang.”
“Well, I’ve told you everything you wanted to know. Let’s part ways here.”
“Until we meet again!”
Ye Qiu clasped his fists, saluted Immortal Chongxu, then pulled Xiao Yiren and left.
Immortal Chongxu stood rooted to the spot.
His expression gradually darkened.
Indeed, the Cloud Ladder Technique and the Thirteen Forms of Taiji belong to Wudang. Since Ye Qiu learned them, with his character, how could he not tell me?
And yet, I, listening to Shang Zhen’s foolish idea, used a thousand-year-old spiritual herb to curry favour with Ye Qiu.
Immortal Chongxu suddenly felt like a complete fool.
At that moment, Shang Zhen approached, grinning, “Master, wasn’t my idea great?”
“I said that as long as we gave the thousand-year-old spiritual herb to Sect Leader Ye, he’d definitely share the Cloud Ladder Technique’s cultivation method and the Thirteen Forms of Taiji with you.”
“Master, I’ve made such a great contribution this time. Don’t you think I deserve a reward?”
Reward?
Immortal Chongxu, already frustrated, exploded with rage at Shang Zhen’s words.
Slap!
He sent Shang Zhen flying with a single strike.
Immortal Chongxu roared, “Shang Ling, tie up this wretched disciple. Today, I’m going to flay him alive!”
