The young man didnât have to imitate the two martial masters. A martial masterâs path was trod by oneâs own feet and everyoneâs aura was different. What he needed to do was to keep himself rooted in the ground and utilize the earth as his foundation.
He stomped downward again, thinking back to the scene of overwhelming destruction from the earthquake. When he stomped next, the boom that resulted was that of Four Forged! Not only that, but something different seemed to be visible to Pantherâs eye.
Li Hao seemed to have planted himself into the earth. While he swayed when he stomped, he remained standing erect. There looked to be a mountain towering behind him.
âArf arf!â called the perplexed black dog. What was that?
Li Hao smiled. He did not know the aura, but he seemed to have found his path. He knew how to accumulate aura and how to nurture it.
âThe ancient books record someone who kept a sword for many years and never used it. He stunned heaven and earth when he finally unsheathed it! A fearsome power was hidden within it, and the sword was hidden within the scabbard. Aura was brewed in the sword and I... meld and hide myself in the earth. I do not falter if the earth does not falter...â
Of course, that was just his wish. It was almost impossible to achieve, but Li Hao didnât mind!
Liu Long had come to comprehend the aura today. He was not successful, but the young man had grasped a few hints. What would Liu Long think if he found out?
This was why potential was sometimes not in the body, but in the mind. The heights that oneâs thoughts reached determined oneâs level. The physique only determined the present. Thoughts determined the future.
âPanth, you need to learn how to read and read some books!â Li Hao grinned. âIf you donât know what logic is, what earth, heaven, and nature are, you will never understand how vast the future is. You will only be able to see what is at hand, but I can look ahead!â
âArf arf arf!â answered the little black dog. It didnât fully understand, but it would remember these words.
Li Hao closed his eyes and spoke no further. He accumulated his energy for a while and stomped once more. Internal force brimmed from both feet, projecting outward into the earth. No holes were forthcoming this time. Instead, tremors shook the ground and spread outward for three meters. They shattered the flowerbed in the yard.
A blinding grin split Li Haoâs face!
âProjection through all four limbs!â He accomplished that feat in this moment! He could fully project internal force from his legs and even comprehended a hint of something else.
âLi Hao, Iâll smack you to death if you keep destroying things out there!â An angry bellow exploded from the house. What was the kid doing out there? Pops and cracks and crashes, was he tearing down the house?! Not even the dog tore down the house, so how dare you try that, Li Hao?! Youâre worse than the dog!
In celebratory spirits, Li Hao immediately drooped with resignation. I wasnât destroying anything... Okay, fine I was.
Heâd shattered the flowerbed and broken a few floor tiles. I hope teacher doesnât want me to fix them, I donât have any money. Have Liu Long do it. He doesnât have any money either, but heâs first in command and can use public funds for it.
......
Inside the house.
Liu Long was concentrating on his rapidly healing arms and almost broke out in laughter when he heard Yuan Shuo. The professor, however, raised an eyebrow.
âWhat you laughing at? I can sense that the kid will stun us all in the near future!â
âHe has good potential, but Elder Yuan exaggerates a little too much.â
âNot potential of the bodyâI never cared about that!â Yuan Shuo answered with aloof pride. âYou have exemplary potential for martial dao, the cream of the crop! Yet I do not care about that, I look for intelligence, reaction, and judgment! Such is the foundation of a martial master who will proceed far down the path of martial dao! A martial master without their own thoughts, one who only knows how to follow the tried and true, will have trouble becoming a Dominator. Even if they manage to succeed, they are only fit to be someoneâs minion!â
Liu Long was speechless. Are you... complimenting me or insulting me? I have exemplary potential, but you still didnât want me. Youâre saying my brains suck, arenât you?
Heâd never thought of himself as a fool, but he was an eternal idiot to Yuan Shuo.
âElder Yuan, I was incredibly young then!â he couldnât help himself. âEven if Iâm not that smart, how could you determine that from a single glance and conclude that I donât reach your standards?â
He really couldnât accept this.
âDid I need to take a second look?â Yuan Shuo snorted. âWhen your father brought me here, I asked you why you wanted to learn an outsiderâs craft since your fatherâs Nine Forged Force is so strong. Do you remember how you responded?â
It took Liu Long a few moments to remember. âI... I said that as strong as the Nine Forged Force was, it had the drawback of harming the body. Father recommends the Five Styles, so I wanted to learn from Elder Yuan!â
Was there anything wrong with that? He still didnât understand.
âThatâs why I say youâre dumb!â Yuan Shuo snorted. âI didnât need to observe anything to draw my conclusion. Remember you were here to ask me for help! Even your father was begging. You werenât young thenâyou were ten, right?â
âAround that.â
âYou were already ten, but didnât have any usable brains. Remember that Iâm stronger than your father! I was simply being polite when I said that your familyâs method is very strong, but you went along with it and made it seem like you wanted to learn my Five Styles only because you had no other choice! I am the grandmaster of a martial discipline, but I am your last choice??â Yuan Shuo sneered. âI gave your father face in saying that he was strong. If I didnât, I would point out that I can grind all three Silver Spears into the ground at the same time! If it was Li Hao, he wouldâve said that as strong as the Nine Forged Force is, it does not compare to the Five Styles. One should naturally practice the strongest method for training!â
Liu Longâs jaw dropped. Thatâs it? You thought I was dumb for that?! I was just a kid! And my familyâs Nine Forged Force is indeed strong, thatâs the truth. I was supposed to kiss your ass for you to accept me?!
Liu Long had never fathomed that heâd been rejected because he hadnât fawned over Yuan Shuo. How was this right?? Based on his recollection, heâd thought that with Yuan Shuoâs status, the grandmaster would want to hear the truth more. But ten year old Liu Long had erred when... he didnât kiss up to the old man!
Fuck!
An apologetic Liu Long turned purple. He would never admit that he was dumb, only that Yuan Shuo was too shameless!
âAi!â Yuan Shuo sighed. You still donât understand. Youâre too straightforwardâperhaps you have a little bit of intelligence, but that tiny amount is nowhere enough to be useful. The heart was to be trained first before martial dao. One had to learn how to be a person before becoming a powerhouse.
It wouldâve been one thing if Liu Long had been the ten year old of a regular family, but he was the son of a dying father, the student of a martial master with abundant enemies. Who would want him as a disciple if he didnât bend his brains to the task? Whoever accepted him was accepting a basketful of trouble and built-in enemies! How did the kid not understand this?
But you still donât know a thing even today, so you absolutely deserve running yourself into the ground.
âIâm not your father and canât be bothered to teach you, so we stop here!â Yuan Shuo didnât feel like continuing the conversation. A last wave of sword energy surged forth, making Liu Longâs arms creak and pop. He swung his arms around like twin hammers, breaking through the air. His eyes widened at the effect and he stared at Yuan Shuo with shock.
âWhat kind of energy is this?â
It was so powerful! While his injuries werenât fully healed, they were essentially inconsequential. Many of his old wounds were gone. No wonder Yuan Shuoâs punctured heart had recovered.
What is this?
âWhat, Iâm not a criminal to have to explain myself to you,â Yuan Shuo responded indifferently. âYou often speak without thinking. Remember, whether itâs a martial master or supernatural, we all have our secrets. Do I have to tell you about everything you see?â
I didnât mean it that way... Liu Long felt wronged. He was Yuan Shuoâs junior, not to mention he wouldnât be able to take on the old guy in a fight. It was a very frustrating position to be in. If it wasnât for the hope of breaking through... Heâd want to leave right now. This was maddening!
âI didnât mean it that way...â
âRegardless of whether or not you did, you shouldnât have asked!â
Liu Longâs face darkened and he remained quiet. I really want to beat this old thing to death, heâs infuriating! Here I thought my temper is fine enough, but I want to start throwing punches after a few words from him.
âCan you layer your force nine times?â
âI think so.â Liu Long heaved a sigh of relief to see the professor change topic. Fine, fine, I wonât ask anymore.
âNot think so, but must be so!â Yuan Shuo nitpicked irritably. âI didnât expend all these resources for you to think that you can succeed with Nine Forged. Your life as a Sunderer wonât make up for all this energy if you canât do it!â
âIâm sure I can!â Liu Long raised his voice, annoyance poking through. âOne hundred percent, Iâm sure I can!â
âThatâs good!â Yuan Shuo smiled. Liu Long wanted to do nothing other than smash it in. The old man looked so ugly when he smiled!
âLi Hao, come in!â
The young man walked through the door after a moment. Yuan Shuo opened his mouth to start talking when he did a double take at his student. He scanned the perimeter of the boyâs body with some confusion. When he told Liu Long that Li Hao was sure to be a stunning personage and a grandmaster of the age, heâd meant in terms of the young manâs intelligence and mentality.
But right now, he sensed a wisp of something different.
Aura?
How was that possible?!
Li Hao layering internal force outside his body was shocking enough and induced immense satisfaction from Yuan Shuo. Yet as of this moment, he had certain suspicions.
âHave you grown stronger?â Yuan Shuo asked slowly after a moment.
âYes, I can project internal force from all four limbs now. Iâm peak initial Sunderer!â Li Hao laughed happily.
Liu Long was as surprised as Yuan Shuo was indifferent. An initial Sunderer didnât amount to anything, no matter how peak they were. He wasnât asking about this. However, he set this aside for now and looked at Liu Long.
âCome, let me sense your wave intent! Donât have any reservations and ignore Li Hao. Ignore that dog as well, unleash your strongest state!â
Liu Long was surprised, but just as champing at the bit since the professor put it this way.
Letâs give it a try!
He waved a punch forward, rippling internal force through his arms like the waves, layer upon layer. One could vaguely sense leaping and soaring waves!
There hadnât been much buildup when Yuan Shuo set foot into Dominator. Everything had been accomplished very naturally. Li Hao noticed something different with Liu Longâthe chief needed to accumulate his aura! He needed some preparation before he could sense the consciousness at the apex.