Chapter 76: The Supreme Yang Dragon-Tiger Technique

Hot!

In the courtyard.

Fang Xiao, who had just returned to the Daoist temple, could no longer afford to banter with Daoist Pang.

He felt as though his entire body were ablaze.

His vital energy surged furiously, streams of searing force emerging incessantly from his flesh, tendons, bones, and internal organs.

They quickly condensed into invisible clusters of flames, threatening to incinerate him to ashes.

Sweat beaded on his brow, his skin flushed scarlet. It seemed as if he could spit fire at any moment.

"Young man, you're burning hot!" Daoist Pang, seeing this, stopped discussing Widow Qin.

He grinned, releasing Fang Xiao’s arm. "That demon boar meat isn’t easy to digest. Though I dispelled the demon aura, most of its fierce and medicinal properties remain."

"You ate a lot tonight, and the effects are stacking up!"

"Quick, practice your martial forms—work off that internal heat and you'll feel much better."

Fang Xiao remembered the medicinal meals from the Six Rivers Academy and suddenly understood.

He hurriedly stepped back.

He began practicing the Demon-Subduing Fist.

In the temple, the sound of fists and arms slicing through the air filled the space.

He hadn’t even finished a single set.

Sweat poured from Fang Xiao, soaking his clothes.

Yet the scorching energy radiating from his body dried them almost instantly.

In mere moments, vapor rose and swirled around him, billowing with each movement!

The colored glass lanterns cast light upon the mist, revealing faint rainbow glimmers.

Daoist Pang, seated on a jade stool, watched as his smile faded.

He noticed that the white mist of sweat surrounding Fang Xiao gradually took on the shapes of leaping tigers and soaring dragons.

Fangs and claws bared, their fierce presence unmistakable!

Daoist Pang even seemed to hear the distant roars of dragons and tigers.

A chill gripped his heart.

In little more than a month, Fang Xiao had cultivated the Demon-Subduing Fist to such a degree!

Daoist Pang knew Fang Xiao had special advantages.

But this was too much!

After Fang Xiao had practiced the Demon-Subduing Fist five or six times, dispersing most of the fiery energy, Daoist Pang hurriedly called out, "Stop!"

Fang Xiao paused, puzzled. "What’s wrong?"

At first, the boar demon meat had made his vital energy so exuberant that he felt stuffed.

Fortunately, the Demon-Subduing Fist worked wonders.

Not only did it dissipate the internal heat, but it also gradually strengthened the Dry Yang Dragon-Tiger energy within him.

He had gained much from the experience.

Fang Xiao wanted to keep practicing!

Daoist Pang stroked his chin and asked, "Fang Xiao, how far have you cultivated the Dragon-Tiger Stance?"

"Perfected," Fang Xiao replied without hesitation.

"Perfected?" Daoist Pang exclaimed. "The ultimate level?"

"Just perfected," Fang Xiao said frankly. "It’s already at its peak—I can’t advance it any further."

Daoist Pang nearly spat blood in disbelief.

Who, in their right mind, would take a basic body-tempering technique to its highest level?

Not that there’s anything wrong with it—in fact, any technique mastered to its extreme is formidable, even terrifying.

But it’s not worth it! It’s not a main cultivation art.

To spend so much time and energy on a basic technique is wasting effort.

Besides, without exceptional talent and insight, even basic skills are difficult to perfect!

Thus, both martial arts and cultivation require careful choices.

After all, a human lifespan is limited.

But then, Daoist Pang remembered that Fang Xiao could gain experience by defeating monsters, and then use that experience to enhance his skills.

Daoist Pang was instantly frustrated.

These cheats are truly infuriating!

They made him feel like a useless old man.

Daoist Pang swallowed and asked, "And the Demon-Subduing Fist?"

Fang Xiao: "Divine Realm."

He kept nothing from Daoist Pang.

Divine Realm?

Daoist Pang took a deep breath. "How much experience until perfection?"

Fang Xiao replied honestly, "One hundred sixty—no, one hundred fifty-nine points."

He had just gained one point!

At this level, improving by even a single point through diligent practice was exceedingly difficult.

Daoist Pang couldn’t help but complain, "You’ve cultivated it so far—why haven’t you asked me for the next part of the technique?"

He had chosen for Fang Xiao the Dry Yang Dragon-Tiger Art as his main cultivation method.

This martial art was venerable and orthodox, one of the most authentic Dry Yang skills, leading directly to the Innate and Spirit Sea realms.

Many immortal sects and grand martial families considered it a true martial transmission!

The Dragon-Tiger Stance and Demon-Subduing Fist were foundational parts of the Dry Yang Dragon-Tiger Art.

Daoist Pang intended to give Fang Xiao the rest only after he had fully mastered these two, lest Fang Xiao become overambitious and stray from the right path.

Yet he never imagined—

Fang Xiao was about to ascend from the foundation itself!

"You said you’d tell me when you’d finished," Fang Xiao replied naturally. "I’ve perfected the Dragon-Tiger Stance, but not the Demon-Subduing Fist yet!"

How could you call it a good result without scoring a full hundred on the exam?

Help!

Daoist Pang clutched his chest, feeling his heart condition worsen.

"Fine, you’re right," he conceded, unable to argue with Fang Xiao’s special advantages.

He withdrew two thick volumes from his Sumeru Ring and handed them to Fang Xiao. "This is the first half of the Dry Yang Dragon-Tiger Art manual, including the general chapter, the Essence-Consolidation chapter, the Meridian-Opening chapter, and the Innate chapter."

This time, he handed it all over at once.

No more holding back.

Daoist Pang explained, "Six Rivers County is a small place. I can only gather this much now. For the second half, I’ll copy it for you when I next visit the sect."

Martial manuals and cultivation secrets differ vastly in value.

A refined orthodox skill like the Dry Yang Dragon-Tiger Art has widespread transmission among the common folk.

For someone of Daoist Pang’s standing, obtaining the first half was easy.

He didn’t owe anyone favors for it.

But the second half involves higher realms: Spirit Sea, Yin Spirit, even Yang Spirit.

Finding a flawless copy is difficult.

He’d have to search within the sect!

Yet, thinking further, of all the countless martial artists in the world, how many ever reach the Innate realm?

"Thank you, Master!" Fang Xiao hadn’t considered any of this.

He happily stowed the newly acquired Dry Yang Dragon-Tiger Art manual in his satchel.

He had no intention of studying it just yet.

He wanted to wait until the Demon-Subduing Fist was perfected before learning new material!

Daoist Pang saw through the youth’s thoughts at a glance.

He sighed deeply. "Very well. Tomorrow night I’ll take you to a new dungeon, so you can gain those one hundred fifty-nine experience points!"

Fang Xiao didn’t know what a dungeon was.

But he understood gaining experience.

"Thank you for your trouble," he said cheerily. "Oh, right, Master—when I escorted Lady Qin and Hua back just now, she said..."

Daoist Pang perked up. "What did she say?"

"She said you’re just like Zhen Xiaoliu from the village!"

Zhen Xiaoliu!

Daoist Pang’s face twisted instantly.

That was the infamous fool of Zhen Family Village!