The room was deathly quiet. Chen Fu watched in astonishment as Zi Yu stared at Dao Ling with keen interest. For a whole hour, he had rarely seen Zi Yu so patient, her obsidian eyes gleaming with eagerness.
Ahead, Dao Ling's gaze fixed on the fist mark inscribed in the jade slip. In his eyes, two faint fist marks undulated, illusory yet emanating mysterious fluctuations.
In that instant, Dao Ling seemed to grasp something. His fist clenched, bones clattering.
With a hum, energy surged from within, pouring into his fist. The entire fist became fearsome, causing the air to explode around it, radiating an invincible might.
"What? How is this possible?!" Chen Fu gasped in horror, as if seeing a ghost. *He mastered it? In just a few hours? How can this be?*
Startled by the outburst, Dao Ling's eyes narrowed, the energy in his fist dissipating. He turned to see the two at the door, his young face flushing with embarrassment. "I was just... looking."
He regretted it instantly—this was their martial art, and he had studied it without permission.
"No problem at all," Zi Yu's large eyes curved, her gaze intoxicating. Slender and graceful, she beamed at Dao Ling like she had found a treasure. *A prodigy! Mastering it so quickly—his deductive ability is逆天 (heaven-defying)!*
"Prodigy!" Chen Fu exclaimed inwardly. No wonder he had Scarlet Blood Copper Crystal—his master must be extraordinary.
"Yes, it's just a martial art," Chen Fu chimed in, respect flickering in his eyes. Such talents were极其罕见 (extremely rare).
Dao Ling smiled awkwardly, unable to take his eyes off Zi Yu. She was exquisitely beautiful, her snow-white skin glowing with a faint luster.
Noticing his gaze, Zi Yu's lips curved. "Call me Zi Yu. And you are?"
Chen Fu's expression turned strange. This was the first time he had heard the young miss offer her name unprompted. *She must be smitten. She should seize this prodigy.*
"Dao Ling," he replied with a shrug. She was clearly of high status—Chen Fu's deference made her likely the pavilion's young miss.
"Dao Ling... the Dao family?" Zi Yu looked surprised, studying him intently. *Could he be from the Dao Clan? Unlikely—they're too far from Qingzhou, and his strength is unremarkable.*
*Probably just the same surname,* she thought, producing a jade vial. "Here's the true blood of an ancient ferocious beast. Are you satisfied?"
*Roar!*
A deafening growl erupted from the vial. A golden beast—part tiger, part leopard—with shimmering scales thrashed within, radiating滔天凶戾 (overwhelming ferocity).
Though tiny, it exuded a fearsome, domineering aura.
"Panther麟Beast!" Dao Ling's heart jolted. This ancient ferocious beast's blood had formed a miniature form—evidence of its supreme bloodline, for only the strongest bloodlines could manifest thus.
Ancient beasts had varying bloodline strengths; the stronger the bloodline, the vaster their potential—and the more terrifying their extracted true blood.
"Naughty thing," Zi Yu chuckled, tapping the vial. The beastly shadow dissolved into golden droplets, each radiating brilliant light and dense blood qi.
"Perfect. Thank you," Dao Ling said, pocketing the vial. Absorbing ancient beast blood would surely push his physique to a terrifying level.
"May I ask—how much strength do you have in the Body Forging Realm?" Zi Yu smiled, sensing he had not yet reached Rhyme Spirit.
"I'm not sure. I haven't tested it," Dao Ling shrugged, equally curious.
Zi Yu was taken aback. *He doesn't care about his own strength?* She probed, "Would you mind testing it here?"
"Sure." Dao Ling smiled, curious about her intent but trusting—anyone who could offer ancient beast blood meant no harm.
A huge stone appeared in the room. Dao Ling approached, clenched his fist, and struck.
The stone boomed, vibrating wildly. Three pairs of eyes fixed on the fist mark—ten inches deep!
"20,000 catties!" Dao Ling's face shifted. *20,000 catties in just five or six days? This cultivation speed is insane!*
He knew Wang Ling had spent a year or two to reach 20,000 catties. If word spread, it would cause a sensation.
*If I absorb the ancient beast blood, I could reach 50,000 catties—maybe more!* Qingzhou's top prodigy had only 50,000 catties; he had to reach that.
"His physical talent is... ordinary?" Zi Yu frowned. With such逆天 (heaven-defying) deductive ability, he should have 40,000–50,000 catties in Body Forging.
"Dao Ling, the stronger your body in Body Forging, the higher your future achievements," Zi Yu said, her eyes earnest. "Your deductive talent is too rare to waste."
"I know, but it's hard to improve," Dao Ling smiled. *50,000 catties is within reach—no need to worry.*
"Wait, I can help you strengthen your body," Zi Yu decided, her hand curling into a fist, intrigued by his deductive skill.
"Help me? How?" Dao Ling was puzzled.
Zi Yu produced a jade vial. "This is 4th-grade Foundation Establishment Liquid. Have you heard of it?"
"Foundation Establishment Liquid—4th-grade?!" Dao Ling's heart raced, pupils constricting. 4th-grade Foundation Establishment Liquid was a priceless treasure!
At a recent Qingshi City auction, a 2nd-grade vial had sold for 500,000 gold coins. The gap between 2nd and 4th grade was enormous. *Why is she giving this to me?* It felt too good to be true.
Chen Fu's mouth twitched. A 4th-grade vial was invaluable—capable of nurturing a prodigy. Giving it to a stranger seemed reckless.
"This is too precious. I can't accept it. Thank you, though," Dao Ling refused.
"Don't mention it. Consider it a gift from a friend," Zi Yu pouted, her coquettish expression captivating. "It's not that rare for me."
Dao Ling frowned, eyeing the vial. "Zi Yu—do you need me to do something?"
"Yes, but it's a good thing." Zi Yu grinned, producing another jade slip. "Master the *Yin-Yang Palm* within three months!"
Chen Fu nearly collapsed. *Yin-Yang Palm* was one of the Ten Supreme Mystic Arts! Even the introductory chapter would ignite a bloodbath in Qingzhou if revealed. The young miss must be mad!
"That's all?" Dao Ling was stunned. *She's giving me Foundation Establishment Liquid and a martial art? What's her game?*
"Just that. If you fail, return the slip," Zi Yu said, eyes gleaming with期待 (expectation). Success would be life-changing.
"Alright, I'll try." Dao Ling accepted the slip. "Well, I should go."
Zi Yu nodded, watching him leave. Chen Fu whispered urgently, "Miss! *Yin-Yang Palm*—how could you give it away?"
"Relax—it's just the introduction. If he masters it, he can unlock the Yin-Yang Old Ancestor's tomb and maybe find the complete art! It's one of the Ten Supreme Mystic Arts!" Zi Yu rubbed her hands excitedly.
" Impossible," Chen Fu snapped, shaking his head. "Countless prodigies have tried and failed. How can some random boy succeed?"
"Besides, he only has 20,000 catties—mediocre talent at best."
"Not necessarily. The 4th-grade liquid might push him to 50,000 catties," Zi Yu mused, touching her chin.
"Miss, your expectations are too high. 50,000 catties is a huge threshold. Even Qingzhou's top prodigy hasn't crossed it."
In the wider world, 50,000 catties was remarkable, 80,000 rare, and 100,000 almost unheard of—those who reached it became legends.
Leaving Jubao Pavilion, Dao Ling felt elated. The haul exceeded his wildest dreams. He wondered just how potent the 4th-grade Foundation Establishment Liquid was.
He had barely walked down the street when the surroundings shifted, transforming into a forest. *A formation!* Dao Ling clenched his fist. *Who has such means?* Formations were极其罕见 (extremely rare).
His face fell as figures emerged from the woods.
Wang Qian, her face swollen, glared at him venomously. "Little bastard! I said you wouldn't live to see the night!"
Losing her job at Jubao Pavilion enraged her—she had to kill him.
"Haha! Who dares offend the Wang family? Let me see—" A youth's laugh cut off as he saw Dao Ling. "It's you! The Sleep God!"
Wang Li pointed and roared with laughter. "You废物（Waste）! You dare offend the Wangs? You have a death wish!"
This was too perfect—punishing a waste who had crossed the Wangs would earn him favor.
"Perfect," Dao Ling growled, fists tightening. Wang Li—Wang Ling's younger brother.