Chapter 134: Regret of the Arrogant Dragon

An iron-gray Azure Dragon soared into the sky, flying straight beyond the highest firmament. All around was a vast and empty expanse, devoid of clouds, wind, or thunder, with only a blinding sun radiating a brilliant divine light.

The Azure Dragon danced around the sun, and the magnificent sun appeared like a precious orb played with beneath the dragon's claws, revealing the endless majesty of controlling the sun, moon, heaven, earth, and all things in existence.

Supreme and ultimate, paramount and invincible!

Gao Wu suddenly gained an epiphany in his heart. The Azure Dragon had now reached the peak of the nine heavens, strong to the extreme, with nowhere further to advance.

Yet the Azure Dragon, which controlled the blazing sun, was soon submerged by the sun's boundless and brilliant divine light, its vast and endless body seeming to be completely melted by the scorching sun.

The Azure Dragon seemed to sense something, let out a long whistle, abandoned the blazing sun, and fled downwards, returning amidst the clouds, wind, and thunder, leaving its head visible but its tail unseen.

From then on, the Azure Dragon no longer possessed the supreme and invincible majesty of controlling the nine heavens, but gained an unscrutable and ineffable profound subtlety amidst the shrouding clouds...

"Repenting Azure Dragon!" The scene Gao Wu saw through his inherited spiritual power and the profound artistic conception he comprehended—wherein the Azure Dragon was extremely strong yet took the initiative to retreat—gave him a profound understanding of the Repenting Azure Dragon technique.

The principle contained within the Repenting Azure Dragon is very simple, meaning nothing more than that things must decline when they reach their extreme, and rigidity will inevitably break.

Everything in the world is like this; once something reaches its extreme, it must inevitably decline because there is no further room for advancement.

At the level of martial arts, it is even simpler: one must maintain spare capacity in order to calmly deal with changes and preserve oneself.

The Repenting Azure Dragon was naturally a very profound principle in ancient times. Placed in the information age, however, it is something everyone understands.

Gao Wu specialized in the Nine Dragon Forms, and naturally pondered the Repenting Azure Dragon stance a thousand times over, having long understood the principle within it.

Martial arts cultivation is a rigorous system, composed of various aspects such as movements, breathing, visualization, and dharma images.

Even with the guidance of the old man, Gao Wu's progress in the Nine Dragon Forms was very slow. It was not until the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra upgraded that he made rapid progress with the help of elixirs.

It was only during his enlightenment by the White Dragon River that Gao Wu could be considered to have truly entered the threshold of the Nine Dragon Forms.

Later, he received the "Dormant Dragon Do Not Use" taught by An Ziru, which finally earned him the genuine transmission of one stance.

The deep rest provided by "Dormant Dragon Do Not Use" allowed Gao Wu to adjust his physical and mental state through the most natural method, laying a very solid foundation for his martial arts cultivation.

Today, having received the "Repenting Azure Dragon" taught by Lu Yuan, Gao Wu witnessed the changes of the technique through the imprint condensed by spiritual power, understanding its divine charm and artistic conception in the most intuitive way.

As a Grandmaster of martial arts, Lu Yuan's understanding of the Repenting Azure Dragon might not be entirely correct, but in terms of realm and hierarchy, he far, far surpassed Gao Wu.

After the Azure Dragon dissipated, it transformed into thousands of words and images, clearly and distinctly displaying the secret essentials for practicing the Repenting Azure Dragon stance.

Compared to the wondrous nature of the Azure Dragon dharma image, the information transmitted by the words and images was very concise, direct, and easy to understand.

Gao Wu's spiritual world currently held three external spiritual imprints. The first was Song Chunqiu's Combat Soldier Fist; although this was a complete set of fist techniques, it was relatively the lowest in hierarchy.

The second was An Ziru's "Dormant Dragon Do Not Use," and the third was Lu Yuan's "Repenting Azure Dragon."

Both spiritual imprints originated from the Nine Dragon Forms, yet there was a clear distinction in quality between them. Lu Yuan's spiritual imprint was complete and stable, whereas An Ziru's spiritual imprint was quite inferior in comparison.

External spiritual imprints would not cause any interference to Gao Wu. Much like files stored on a computer, they would only be triggered when Gao Wu actively accessed them.

Naturally, spiritual imprints also had their limits. Once the spiritual power within them dissipated, or when Gao Wu cracked the imprint with his own spiritual power, it would completely shatter.

Gao Wu opened his eyes and looked again at Lu Yuan sitting before him, feeling an entirely different sensation.

No matter how he looked before, the man seemed like an old-fashioned senior, no different from the old man at his home. Looking at him now, however, he felt as if looking up at a towering mountain, filled with respect and admiration.

Not to mention how formidable Lu Yuan's martial combat power was, merely his interpretation of the divine charm and artistic conception of the Repenting Azure Dragon was a thousand times superior to Gao Wu's.

It was a pity that the old man was unwilling to directly take him in as a disciple!

"Many thanks to Master Lu for passing down the secret technique. This disciple will engrave this kindness in his heart and never dare forget it." Gao Wu stood up and bowed respectfully.

Obtaining the genuine transmission of the other party's secret technique—even if it was just a single stance of the Repenting Azure Dragon—was enough to benefit him endlessly.

Even in universities, such a brilliant secret technique would not be easily imparted. Otherwise, there would be no distinction between students and disciples.

Last time, when An Ziru taught him "Dormant Dragon Do Not Use," it was a reward for his contribution in the Dragon Claw Peak secret realm.

That time, he thwarted the conspiracy of the Demon God's followers and saved many people. While he was grateful to An Ziru, he felt he well deserved that inheritance.

The situation right now was entirely different. Lu Yuan was meeting him for the first time, had no prior dealings with him, and owed him nothing, yet still imparted a secret technique to him. This favor was of an entirely different magnitude.

Regardless of Lu Yuan's reasons, Gao Wu was deeply grateful for it.

Lu Yuan gently waved his hand: "You are young, yet single-mindedly devoted to kindness, and able to uphold the righteous path while advancing courageously. Such a mind and bearing are truly admirable.

"In comparison, martial arts talent is just like birds flying or fish swimming; although rare, it is an innate trait and not really something worth praising."

"Master Lu flatters me; I am unworthy, truly unworthy." Gao Wu spoke modestly, yet deep down, he was very receptive to these words.

Just as Lu Yuan said, martial arts talent was an innate aptitude, a matter entirely of luck. One's character and actions, however, were cultivated later in life, which truly revealed a person's wisdom, capability, and breadth of mind.

One could only say that Lu Yuan was indeed worthy of being a Grandmaster; this breadth of mind and insight far surpassed ordinary mortals!

However, the old man showered him with praise, yet was unwilling to take him as a disciple... This was somewhat inconsistent with his words...

Lu Yuan continued: "Thirty years ago, a level-seven Golden-Armored Flying Tiger broke into Anjing, destroying a small half of the city and causing a million casualties.

"Lord Hai rushed over upon hearing the news, beheading the Golden-Armored Flying Tiger in Beizhou, and used the energy core left behind by the beast to open up a small secret realm, dividing the tiger's power into nine barriers named the Nine Limiting Passes.

"The original intention was to help Beizhou cultivate martial arts geniuses. For Martial Masters, the Nine Limiting Passes are exceptionally difficult.

"For Martial Warriors, they are like an insurmountable chasm, hence the name 'Nine Limits of the Heavenly Zenith'."

Lu Yuan said indifferently: "Mere nine barriers can hardly be called the Heavenly Zenith."

He looked into Gao Wu's eyes and said: "The Nine Limits are quite perilous for Martial Warriors. Do not push yourself too hard when clearing the barriers. With your abilities, patiently tempering yourself for two or three years will ensure you pass the Nine Limiting Passes."

"Thank you, Master Lu, for your guidance." Gao Wu bowed again in gratitude.

The old man's attitude of favoring him made him quite excited; a true Grandmaster possessed exceptional discernment. Not taking him in directly must mean there were some hidden difficulties.

A Grandmaster was also a person, with family, friends, and complex interest networks, and had his own difficult predicaments. Gao Wu understood this very well.

Lu Yuan nodded, then turned his gaze to Song Mingyuan and praised: "Your Cold Nether Heavenly Serpent technique has been practiced to a very pure level."

Song Mingyuan nodded, lowering her eyes: "Master Lu flatters me; I am unworthy."

Lu Yuan asked softly: "Would you be willing to take me as your master?"

Song Mingyuan did not speak immediately. She raised her head to look at Lu Yuan, her clear eyes filled with doubt, seeming quite unable to understand why Lu Yuan wanted to take her as a disciple.

Strangely enough, Lu Yuan seemed to understand Song Mingyuan's thought and explained: "You are a spiritual master, and the path of the Cold Nether Heavenly Serpent is quite special.

"Within the borders of Beizhou, only my path is suited for you. If you take me as your master, guiding you to level six will be completely without problem. As for higher levels, that cannot simply be taught..."

Song Mingyuan hesitated for a moment and looked at Gao Wu, unabashedly seeking his opinion.

She naturally knew there were numerous benefits to becoming Lu Yuan's disciple, but compared to this martial arts Grandmaster, Gao Wu's position in her heart was far more important—so important that no one could shake it.

She could certainly discuss this with Gao Wu through spiritual power, but doing such covert communication right in front of Lu Yuan would be too impolite.

Gao Wu had not expected Lu Yuan to want to take Song Mingyuan as a disciple, and even less expected that Song Mingyuan would hesitate and seek his opinion.

He frantically signaled to Song Mingyuan with his eyes. What was there to think about? This was Lu Yuan, a martial arts Grandmaster!

Vast as Beizhou was, only Martial King Song Xuetao could steadily suppress Lu Yuan.

Even though Song Mingyuan was Song Xuetao's great-granddaughter, two generations lay between them, making it a very distant connection.

Furthermore, the Song family was a large clan, and Song Mingyuan had never even laid eyes on Song Xuetao, nor had Song Yunhe ever met this Martial King.

Being able to enter Lu Yuan's sect was already the absolute best choice for Song Mingyuan.

An Ziru was also somewhat surprised—surprised that Lu Yuan had taken a fancy to Song Mingyuan's aptitude and talent, and even more surprised that Song Mingyuan was actually hesitating and seeking Gao Wu's opinion! It was simply preposterous!

Fortunately, Lu Yuan possessed the demeanor of a Grandmaster. Though severe in nature, he was not petty, nor did he feel that Song Mingyuan's action was disrespectful.

Taking a master was a major event after all, and naturally required careful consideration.

Song Mingyuan suddenly asked: "Do I need to kowtow to become a disciple?"

Lu Yuan chuckled heartily: "Kowtowing is a traditional bad habit that reinforces the sanctity of the ruler-minister, father-son, and master-disciple relationships.

"We martial artists value advancing courageously, and taking a master places importance on sincerity in the heart. If the heart is not sincere, kowtowing a thousand or a hundred times is useless. Whatever others may do, at least my lineage does not require kowtowing. Offering a cup of tea is quite enough."

Fearing that Song Mingyuan might say something foolish again, An Ziru took the initiative to stand up and help arrange the tea set, calling the woman over to prepare hot water so Song Mingyuan could serve tea to Lu Yuan.

Song Mingyuan was accustomed to making tea and was quite proficient at it. She meticulously washed the tea utensils, brewed a cup of tea, and presented it to Lu Yuan with both hands: "Master, please have tea."

Lu Yuan took the cup, took a small sip, and said with some surprise: "The tea is brewed quite well."

Although he didn't care much for brewing tea, he certainly knew how to appreciate it.

He then said: "From now on, you are my personal disciple. My lineage has certain rules, which I will slowly explain to you in the future."

Having established the master-disciple relationship, Song Mingyuan bowed deeply, her attitude respectful and formal.

"Come over at nine o'clock every morning. I have time during this period and can give you lessons."

With that, Lu Yuan stood up: "It's getting late today, you two should go back and rest first."

"Goodbye, Master."

Not knowing what else to say, Song Mingyuan greeted him, bowed deeply, and left.

An Ziru smiled bitterly inwardly, staying behind to put in a few good words for Song Mingyuan so that Lu Yuan wouldn't take offense.

Lu Yuan dismissed it unconcernedly: "This child has a detached yet simple nature, is unsuited for socializing, but is extremely sharp when facing an enemy, possessing extremely high talent in martial arts. It's precisely because I appreciate this temperament of hers that I took her in."

He sighed with some emotion: "As for Gao Wu, his character and bearing are both exceptionally good, but his martial arts talent is lacking. Alas..."

An Ziru could only let out a helpless sigh.

The ancients said: To test jade, one must burn it for three full days; to judge timber, one must wait a seven-year period. This meant one should not simply make hasty judgments about others.

The problem was that Gao Wu had been practicing martial arts for at least ten years. While easily slaying two advanced martial warriors was certainly imposing, it also revealed the true level of his swordsmanship and martial arts.

Based on past experience, the limits of individual spiritual power talent ultimately had their ceiling. There were no shortcuts to advancing to a martial arts Grandmaster.

Lu Yuan said: "His spirit is full, his qi is vibrant, and his physical strength is formidable, far surpassing his peers, and even three points stronger than Song Mingyuan. The problem lies in his insufficient martial arts talent; he has no way to integrate form, spirit, and qi through martial arts.

"I passed the Repenting Azure Dragon to him precisely in hopes that he will not exhaust his physical strength, not max out his qi, and not fill his spirit to the brim, but rather restrain himself by three points so he can master form, qi, and spirit with ease.

"Do not tell him this reasoning; if he cannot realize it himself, telling him will only become an obstacle."

An Ziru bowed slightly: "I understand."

Returning to the bank, once An Ziru had departed, Gao Wu smiled and said to Song Mingyuan: "You truly are a super genius; even Master Lu wants to take you as his disciple on his own initiative. I am purely here as a companion reading to the crown prince."

Song Mingyuan said earnestly: "Your talent surpasses mine. It's just too special..."

What she actually meant was that although Lu Yuan was a martial arts Grandmaster, he couldn't see through Gao Wu's true talent. However, having entered Lu Yuan's sect, it wouldn't do to speak ill of her master behind his back.

Gao Wu was somewhat touched and said sincerely: "Having you understand me is enough!"

Before Song Mingyuan could reply, he chuckled and joked: "I was wondering why Master Lu unprovokedly passed down the Repenting Azure Dragon secret technique to me. Turns out it was for your sake—I got to borrow your light this time!"

Song Mingyuan shook her head: "Lu... Master passed down the secret technique because he values your talent, and it has nothing to do with me."

Gao Wu laughed amusedly: "You really take things so seriously. Never mind all that; you entering Master Lu's sect is a great joyous occasion, I'll treat you to a big dinner tonight to celebrate!"