Chapter Four: The Holy Method of Combat!

Within a stone cave in the Beast Mountain Range, Su Yang sat cross-legged, using his divine sense to communicate with a stone.

"Senior Great Sage, are you saying that you want me to enter inside this stone?" Su Yang asked, staring at the black stone hanging from his neck with deep confusion.

"That is correct. Do not think of this as an ordinary rock. As long as you enter with your divine sense, I guarantee you will be astonished," the stone replied.

"Very well, I shall enter with my divine sense now."

Su Yang did not hesitate to initiate contact between his divine sense and the black stone. The moment they touched, a powerful suction force erupted. Before he could even react, his entire body vanished from the cave, leaving only the black stone lying silently on the ground.

As the sensation of dizziness faded, Su Yang slowly opened his eyes. Before him lay a vast expanse of starry sky, filled with countless stars and meteorites of varying sizes. Su Yang was stunned, his mouth agape and his eyes wide; he never imagined that the tiny stone contained such a vast universe within it.

"This... where is this?" Su Yang stammered.

"Quite a handsome young man, but look here—the Great Sage is right here." The familiar voice rang out again. Su Yang turned his head toward the source of the sound. Not far away, on a massive meteorite, a figure seemed to be standing.

Su Yang asked with wide eyes, "Senior Great Sage, is that you?"

"Hmph! Who else? In this godforsaken place, there is no one else besides me," the voice replied with a hint of irritation.

Su Yang hurried toward the giant meteorite. Upon reaching it, he stopped in his tracks, dumbfounded by the sight before him: a human-shaped stone statue stood at the center of the meteorite, pinned down by a massive stone palm pressing down from above. It was a bizarre scene, unlike anything Su Yang had ever witnessed.

"Stop staring. The statue before you is me, the Great Sage." The voice echoed again. Su Yang approached the statue, examining it closely. He realized it did not look entirely human; its features were sharp and simian—much like a monkey's face.

"Are you... Senior Great Sage?" Su Yang reached out to touch the statue, wanting to verify if it was real. Before his finger could make contact, a powerful force erupted from the statue, instantly throwing him several yards away and causing blood to trickle from the corner of his mouth.

"Boy, if you don't want to die, stop poking around. This is no ordinary place. Do you see the stone palm above you? The power contained within that thing could obliterate you in an instant."

Su Yang trembled, grateful he hadn't touched it.

"Kid, don't ask too many questions. What you need to know, I will tell you. For now, worry about your own affairs. You were born with the Supreme Bloodline and had limitless potential; three years ago, you were at the Three Profound Realm, yet now you are a cripple. There is not a shred of spiritual energy in your dantian. Seeking revenge is not a task for a single day."

"That little girl possesses the Fire Phoenix Bloodline. If she truly merges it with your stolen Supreme Bloodline, she will indeed become a terrifying existence. If you wish to take revenge, it will be harder than climbing to the heavens."

Hearing this, Su Yang realized how weak he was and that he shouldn't pry into matters beyond his reach. He bowed sincerely to the statue and said, "Since you brought me here, Senior, you must have a way for me to defy fate. I beg you to teach me. As long as there is a sliver of hope, I am willing to try."

"Hmm, your determination is commendable. It is virtually impossible to return to the Three Profound Realm in a short time, and as you can see, I am but a stone statue and cannot help you directly. However, I do have a method that allows you to increase your combat power without the need for spiritual energy. But, for a thousand years, no one has been able to complete it. Furthermore, once you start this path, you must see it to the end; to quit halfway is to remain a cripple forever. Do you dare to try?"

Su Yang listened intently. As the voice finished, he responded without a second thought: "I am willing to try."

"Hahaha! Think carefully, boy. Even a thousand years ago, my method was enough to strike fear into the hearts of many. Even with your Supreme Bloodline, you may not be able to endure it. I ask you one more time: do you dare?"

Su Yang stood tall, stepped toward the statue, and declared, "What is there to fear? I am already in this state, and even with the Supreme Bloodline, it is difficult to return to my peak. As you said, vengeance will not be easy. As long as I can grow stronger, no matter how bitter or difficult it is, even if it means taking a dangerous path, I am willing to try. I have no regrets!"

The statue fell silent. After a moment, a loud laugh erupted: "Hahaha, good! Excellent. You have the same spirit I had back in the day. Since that is the case, I will let you attempt this method. Come to my side."

Su Yang obeyed without hesitation.

"Kneel!"

Su Yang dropped to his knees at once.

"I will spare you the kowtowing. From this day forward, you are my disciple. Today, I impart to you my art of combat, the 'Great Sage's Combat Arts.' To cultivate this, you need no spiritual energy—only your flesh, your willpower, and your blood to battle constantly, thereby refining your own strength."

"Now, I will carve the cultivation method into your mind. From this day on, you will train here for ten hours every day. You are not to leave until those ten hours are up. Can you do it?"

Su Yang felt his head swell with pain as images poured into his mind like a spring. Cold sweat drenched his body, and his teeth ground together. Finally, supporting himself with his hands, he gasped, "Master, I will do it!"

"Good. Recover yourself, and we shall begin soon."

"The Great Sage's Combat Arts has no rank; it is a unique style of combat I created. Only by my personal instruction can you master the basics in the shortest time possible. As long as you can endure, within four months, I will grant you combat power equal to that of the Divine Martial Realm."

A glimmer of light flashed in Su Yang's eyes—a mix of joy and burning desire.

"Senior Great Sage, I am ready."

"Please, begin... scourge me now!"