It was two days later that my wounds fully healed. When I opened my eyes, the woman doctor from the Guan Zhong Lu Da Jia was by my side, and soon after, Doctor Jiang Sonwu came upon receiving the news. He took my pulse and said,
"Good. Youâre all better. Now, get out."
"Treatment fees..."
"Jin Soqing has already paid for everything. You should head to the Qinglong Martial Hall without delay."
"Thank you."
I bowed and left the Jiang family. As I turned to glance at the Jiang familyâs signboard, I thought,
' Li Guangâs influence in Guan Zhong is considerable. Normally, one would have to wait for days to see a doctor, yet I was treated immediately...'
Even in a clinic of the Jiang familyâs caliber, to be treated by the head of the family, who possesses the highest skills, would require significant connections and lineage. And Li Guang was a person of such standing.
I went straight to the Qinglong Martial Hall. This time, the Fang brothers were on guard, but they let me in without a word after confirming my identity. It must have been arranged beforehand. As I walked inside, I met Jin Soqing in front of the Walong Hall.
"Junior Brother Bai Xiong. Youâve come?"
"......"
"Haha. Youâre on guard. Thatâs understandable."
Jin Soqing gave a wry smile and said,
"From today, I will be your senior brother, Jin Soqing. I am in charge of the Qinglong Martial Hall and have already entered the Leishen School. I hope we can work well together."
Hearing Jin Soqingâs introduction felt awkward. Although I had heard it several times before, it was strange to see Jin Soqing, who used to tear down the Zhongnan Sectâs signboard with me, standing in front of me as a complete stranger. But I quickly regained my composure and bowed.
"I hope we can work well together, Senior Brother."
"Follow me then. Master is waiting."
"Master?"
Did he plan to teach me and then beat me again?
I followed Jin Soqing with worry. As he said, Li Guang was sitting in a chair, waiting for me. His demeanor was unusually solemn, making me tense up. Li Guang looked at me and said,
"I have confirmed your potential. I, Li Guang, swear to do my best to impart the essence of the Leishen School to you, Bai Xiong."
The atmosphere was different.
' Huh?'
In the past, there was no such solemn oath, and the mood was just, "Iâll teach you, so watch and learn." As I was puzzled, Li Guang asked me,
"Before we start training, I want to confirm what you already know. How much of the Leishen Schoolâs martial arts do you know? Tell me everything you know."
I thought for a moment and answered based on my memories.
His tone was filled with disbelief. But I was also flabbergasted and couldnât answer for a while.
' No, you were the one who taught me!!!'
But in any case, this was my first meeting with Li Guang in my current ninth life. I couldnât reveal the secrets of my past life, so I grumbled and then told Li Guang what I suspected.
"I decided to make the sword my specialty because it is the ultimate technique for self-defense. I assume thatâs why he taught me martial arts. Besides, it took me quite a long time to master the Thousand Thunder Kill."
"Hmm... Something seems off. The order of teaching... itâs as if you were being restrained..."
"......?"
The moment I heard Li Guangâs muttering, something clicked in my mind.
' Could it be?'
To Li Guang, I was a disciple of another Leishen School. He had to teach me, but I wasnât someone he would teach with all his might. Even though he had imparted a secret technique, he wasnât as enthusiastic. Even if he had taught me personally, it seemed he didnât have the mindset of training a disciple for a long time.
Restraint.
Perhaps Li Guang, in my previous lives, had seen my immense internal energy and adjusted the order of teaching secret techniques to control me within a certain limit. Of course, the Thousand Thunder Kill was an excellent secret technique, but from Li Guangâs words, it seemed the speed and process of imparting techniques were different from the typical successor.
As I was making various speculations, Li Guang said,
"Then letâs do this. From today, I will focus on teaching you the spear."
"Really? What about the next level of the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique?"
"Your sword already has the elements of illusion (ćč») and transformation (èź). Even if you donât immediately advance to the next level, the difference in combat power wonât be significant. The important thing is to properly learn the spear techniques youâve neglected so far, to quickly approach the essence of the Leishen School."
"Donât they say that a lifetime isnât enough to master just one type of weapon?"
Li Guang tilted his head. His tone suggested that he found it hard to understand why a successor of the Leishen School would ask such a question.
"That applies to other schools. In the Leishen School, the spear, sword, and fist techniques complement each other to create a synergistic effect. Didnât your master teach you that?"
"Iâve heard of it, but he said it was fine to master just one..."
I almost burst out laughing at Li Guangâs self-criticism.
' You taught me, you idiot!'
But the next moment, I felt a chill as my suspicions were confirmed.
' This is serious.'
According to Li Guang, in my previous lives, Li Guang had never taught me with all his might. Although he had given me personal guidance for a long time, he never intended to show me the essence of the Leishen School.
Li Guang didnât sincerely teach me, a disciple of another Leishen School, and considered me suspicious. Moreover, given my limited talent, he probably only intended to give me a taste of the sword and fist techniques, including the secret technique. Even so, the level of skill he imparted was more than enough to make a name in the martial world.
But his words implied that even if I had survived and diligently practiced martial arts for a lifetime in my previous life, it would have been impossible to achieve the essence of the Leishen School. Even if I had successfully mastered the next level of the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, the Ten Thousand Ascending Sword Technique, I would have likely been lost due to the sudden block in my martial arts progression.
As I stood there in a daze, Li Guang said,
"First, I need to see your understanding clearly. Go to the training ground and demonstrate all the Leishen School techniques you know in order."
"Yes."
I had done this many times before, so I did it without hesitation. As I demonstrated all the techniques I knew, I felt my movements become much more organic, probably due to mastering the Thousand Thunder Kill. When I finished the last form, Li Guang evaluated,
"Youâve mastered the Thousand Thunder Kill well. Did you develop the sword technique on your own?"
"I once had a strong inspiration."
"Hmm, good. With your current level, you can quickly improve your spear techniques, which have been neglected."
After saying this, Li Guang began to teach me spear techniques with a more intense and passionate attitude than ever before. I was so surprised that I almost doubted if this was the same Li Guang.
Clang!
Clang!
I swung the wooden spear continuously, demonstrating the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit. Following Li Guangâs instructions, I incorporated the changes from the Thousand Thunder Kill and practiced the eight forms in different directions. By the third hour, my whole body was drenched in sweat, but Li Guang kept shouting,
"Keep thinking and keep swinging! The spear is the strongest weapon! It will give you more power than you can imagine. Combine all the forms of the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit to create the optimal attack pattern!"
"Yes!"
Clang!
I swung the spear all day, stopping only after the seventh hour. While the fatigue wasnât as extreme as cutting ten thousand times, the continuous use of techniques was mentally exhausting. As I lay on the ground, gasping for breath, Li Guang said,
"Most people think that the spear, with its long and wide range, is powerless in close combat. This is a common misconception among swordsmen and saber users, as they rarely encounter a true spear master in the martial world."
Swish!
Li Guangâs spear shot forward. The spear form was filled with an extraordinary aura. Li Guang glared as if there was an enemy in front of him and said,
"Far from it. The spear is powerful even in close combat. The true form of spear techniques is the ultimate warrior, ignoring all elemental advantages! You only knew the forms of the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit, but now you will practice the delicate and powerful basics of spear techniques."
"Basics?"
"Yes. You will practice three basic techniques, and you can consider them secret techniques. This is the true wonder of spear techniques."
I felt a strange sensation.
' I never learned this from Li Guang?'
Until now, Li Guang had just accepted my decision to focus on the sword and taught me sword techniques. He had never emphasized the importance of spear techniques or tried to make me master the basics.
"Ran (æ), Na (æż), Cha (ćč)!"
"Really?! These are just basics, right?"
I was taken aback. The three basic techniques Li Guang mentioned were ones I had already learned. You couldnât even perform the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit without mastering them first.
Ran (æ) was an outward deflection, Na (æż) was an inward trapping defensive technique, and Cha (ćč) was a straightforward thrust. I had spent about three months learning Ran, Na, and Cha to form the foundation for the Eight Styles of Thunder Spirit. They were basic techniques that could be mastered with a bit of practice, regardless of talent.
But the moment I questioned, Li Guangâs eyes sparked with anger.
"Brat! What do you know?! Do you understand what Ran, Na, and Cha are?"
Bang!
In an instant, Li Guangâs wooden spear moved like lightning, shattering a wall two meters in diameter. As I stood frozen, Li Guang said,
"Just now, I used only the techniques of Ran, Na, and Cha. No secret techniques. Did you see what I did in one form?"
"No... I didnât."
"To master the basics takes a lifetime, and you dare to say such things!"
Li Guang shouted fiercely.
"Of course, this is a reason why itâs a decisive technique. While using the breath of Thunder Roar, your internal energy is consumed at an incredible rate, so I canât maintain it for more than 30 seconds. After the breath ends, you will be weakened for a few seconds, making you vulnerable to danger. Therefore, Thunder Roar is a decisive technique."
"A technique that must (ćż ) kill (æźș) the enemy (æ) when used?"
"Exactly. Remember this."
Li Guangâs eyes glowed faintly.
"You, me, and Jin Soqing. If you use Thunder Roar on anyone else, you must kill them! Otherwise, you will die."
I swallowed hard.
"Understood."
"Then I will begin imparting the decisive technique, Thunder Roar."
I realized this was the last blessing from the Tai Xu Heavenly Venerable.
"Yes."
The enlightenment of martial arts.
Moreover, the decisive technique, Thunder Roar, which I could never have learned even if I had spent years or decades at the Qinglong Martial Hall, was now within my reach thanks to the coincidences in Luoyang and Li Guangâs extremely high evaluation of me.