In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

The jade flute rested against Zhang Xiaoshan's leg, and Huang Yaoshi felt that it was not flesh at all, but clearly made of metal and stone.

This is the pinnacle of external martial arts training. Not only is his external skill impervious to blades and spears, but even his internal energy cannot harm his opponent in the slightest.

Huang Yaoshi could hardly believe that someone of such skill was an eighteen-year-old boy.

With just one strike, the difference in skill was immediately apparent.

If Zhang Xiaoshan were to strike while the opportunity presented itself, Huang Yaoshi would inevitably be at a disadvantage.

But Zhang Xiaoshan turned around and swept his leg whip horizontally, with a whistling sound that cut through the air. At this moment, Huang Yaoshi was no longer careless. Instead, he circulated his true qi throughout his body and raised his hand to meet the attack.

Having cultivated his external martial arts to the extreme, his arms possessed the strength of a thousand pounds, and even Huang Yaoshi dared not be careless at this point.

He wanted to see just how far Zhang Xiaoshan had come.

Bang!

The force of a kick is definitely over a thousand pounds, let alone such a swift and fierce strike.

Even Huang Yaoshi had to take a step back to regain his balance.

"What a domineering power!"

Zhang Xiaoshan had already used the power of six cauldrons and saw that Huang Yaoshi's limit was here, so he stopped testing him.

A fierce wind is blowing!

Suddenly, Huang Yao's pupils contracted as he saw Zhang Xiaoshan suddenly brace himself with one arm and launch a rapid, powerful attack with his long legs.

This was Zhang Xiaoshan's version of street dance moves from later generations, combined with the foundation of the Heavenly Crippled Kick. His leg techniques were extremely fierce and swift, like a torrential rain, with layers of leg shadows giving the enemy no chance to breathe.

Of course, the weakness of this move is also obvious, which is Zhang Xiaoshan's one hand supporting him on the ground.

Moreover, if the opponent's skill level is too high, a single move like "Monkey Steals the Peach" striking the wide-open Huiyin acupoint would be worse than death.

Falling Petal Divine Sword Palm!

Compared to Huang Rong's palm technique, Huang Yaoshi's Falling Flower Sword Palm is undoubtedly more exquisite.

A flurry of palm shadows filled the air, palm energy densely covering the body, the speed of switching between illusion and reality was in no way inferior to Zhang Xiaoshan's speed, and the constant collision of palms, swords, legs and knives was even more dazzling.

At the same time, Huang Yaoshi's heart was in turmoil.

Not to mention how many young masters could withstand even a few of his moves, the unique skill Zhang Xiaoshan used was definitely not from any martial arts school he knew.

However, in terms of exquisite skill, it is already comparable to his signature move, the Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Hidden Strength That Defeated the Eastern Heretic

Bang!

With a hard collision, one leg and one palm separated. Zhang Xiaoshan was not in any disheveled state. On the contrary, Huang Laoxie's hands twitched slightly.

In order not to lose face, that was a real head-on confrontation.

In terms of internal strength, Huang Yaoshi is naturally not afraid.

But in terms of sheer power and skill, how could he possibly be a match for Zhang Xiaoshan? Every clash required a powerful innate internal force to block.

The exertion from this whole ordeal was far greater than what was expended fighting the other five masters for a whole day.

Zhang Xiaoshan's legs, in particular, were like a ruthless blade, sharp and swift, and his strength, exceeding a thousand pounds, was unparalleled.

"Uncle, please forgive me!"

Zhang Xiaoshan also realized what level he was at.

His true strength is probably enough to rival Huang Yaoshi at his full power with just the power of the Seven Cauldrons.

Moreover, Zhang Xiaoshan also possesses two hidden martial arts techniques. If he were to unleash his full power, he could easily defeat Huang Yaoshi and crush him completely.

The same level of mastery can lead to vastly different levels of strength; this is the importance of unique skills.

It should be noted that Huang Yaoshi's ultimate skill can rival the extremely powerful and fierce Dragon Subduing Palm.

"What leg technique did you use just now, my dear nephew?"

"I learned the kicking technique from a Hu person's dance. I hope you won't laugh at me, Uncle."

"You figured it out yourself?"

Upon hearing Zhang Xiaoshan's words, even Huang Yaoshi was astonished.

Keep in mind that he was only just beginning to develop his skills at the age of eighteen, let alone having created his own martial arts.

"Uncle, be careful, what follows is my true self-created unique skill."

Besides the Golden Cauldron Iron Shirt technique, the nephew also comprehended another ultimate skill from the Taizu Long Fist—the Nine Cauldrons Mountain and River Fist. This fist, combined with the Golden Cauldron Iron Shirt technique, can unleash the true power of a martial arts manual, delivering immense force.

Nine Cauldrons Mountain and River Fist - Conquering the World!

His aura rose, and if Zhang Xiaoshan was like a tiger emerging from the mountain before, he was now like a dragon emerging from the sea, roaring to the heavens.

Even when Huang Yaoshi sensed the change in Zhang Xiaoshan's aura, his heart sank. He hadn't expected Zhang Xiaoshan to have a trump card, and he feared that he would need to go all out to defend against it.

Falling Petal Divine Sword Palm!

Whirlwind Leaf Sweep Kick!

Using both legs and feet simultaneously, with six legs and six palms, it was more than twice as powerful as the Falling Flower Divine Sword Palm from before.

As Huang Yaoshi unleashed his full power, Zhang Xiaoshan's figure also blurred into a blur, employing both fists and feet with lightning speed, but this was a completely different level of mastery compared to his previous "Wild Wind Dance."

His punches were like dragons, their power shaking mountains and rivers.

Its feet move with the wind and thunder, destroying heaven and earth.

If a punch and a kick are combined with the power of the Seven Cauldrons, they are in no way weaker than two Golden Wheel Monks at the tenth level of the Dragon Elephant Realm attacking at the same time.

But Zhang Xiaoshan wouldn't dare do that, since it was just a friendly sparring match.

However, even with the power of the Six Cauldrons, it is still comparable to Huang Yaoshi's Eastern Heretic martial arts.

Huang Yaoshi's ultimate skill is elegant and unrestrained, concealing endless killing intent amidst the illusions of numerous punches and kicks; Zhang Xiaoshan's Mountain and River Fist prioritizes momentum, overwhelming people with its power and shaking mountains and rivers.

No matter how many changes it makes, I will shatter it with a single punch!

boom!

The clash of their energies resulted in the domineering and powerful fist technique ultimately overpowering Huang Yaoshi's unique Eastern Heretic martial arts.

However, the two only touched on the point briefly, as it wasn't a matter of life and death.

"Hahaha···"

Huang Yaoshi looked at the calm and composed Zhang Xiaoshan, and instead of being angry, he smiled, his eyes filled with admiration.

The power and momentum of that punch were no less than the old beggar's Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, and he could tell that Zhang Xiaoshan had been holding back and hadn't gone all out.

"It is true that heroes emerge from youth!

"I've been out of the martial world for ten years; I'm getting old. My dear nephew, with just one punch, I was defeated."

"I was young and impetuous, eager to prove myself. Thank you for your mercy, Uncle!"

"I don't like formalities. If I lose, I lose. My nephew didn't even use his full strength just now, but I did."

"How much of your strength did you use just now, my dear nephew?"

Huang Yaoshi is not someone who can't accept defeat. Zhang Xiaoshan's fist technique was incredibly powerful, and combined with his invulnerability to swords and spears, he was bound to be defeated in the end.

But Huang Yaoshi was still curious about what level Zhang Xiaoshan had reached.

“I dare not deceive you, Uncle. The Golden Cauldron Iron Shirt is divided into nine levels. Each level increases the power of one cauldron. Just now, I used the power of six cauldrons.”

"The power of six cauldrons? Then my nephew's realm..."

"This young man recently broke through to the Seven Cauldrons level."

Upon hearing Zhang Xiaoshan's level of cultivation, even Huang Yaoshi couldn't help but sigh at his own age.

The power of six cauldrons is enough to defeat him, and the power of seven cauldrons would be overwhelming.

At the same time, he was secretly shocked. If there was an ultimate limit to physical training, Zhang Xiaoshan would reach a bottleneck after reaching his limit and it would be difficult to go any further.

However, Zhang Xiaoshan's Golden Cauldron Iron Shirt technique is now divided into nine levels. The seventh level already possesses this level of strength; if he were to reach the eighth, ninth level...

The road ahead is wide and the light is boundless!

Having observed this, Huang Yaoshi was even more satisfied with Zhang Xiaoshan.

He has both strategic acumen and practical skills; he is an exceptional individual. Even his most worried daughter can receive the most stable protection.

"What a great opportunity, my dear nephew!"

Could such martial arts be created by oneself? Huang Yaoshi absolutely did not believe it.

He thought it was just that Zhang Xiaoshan had received the inheritance of a reclusive master, but it was inconvenient for him to reveal it.

This is understandable.

···

"Uncle, that is..."

"I underestimated that young master Zhang. His external martial arts have reached such a level that it would be difficult to find many opponents in Lin'an Prefecture."

Small boats drift on West Lake.

If it weren't for a stroke of luck, I, Zhuge Zhengwu, would never have imagined that I would witness such a high level of skill sparring.

Although he couldn't directly sense Zhang Xiaoshan's terrifying power, he recognized the unique skills of those who had fought Zhang Xiaoshan. Being able to hold his own against such opponents speaks volumes about their strength.

Moreover, Zhang Xiaoshan was a master of external martial arts, and at eighteen years old, he had not yet reached the peak of his qi, blood, and body.

Thirty is the age when a man's body is at its peak.

There is still a lot of room for improvement for them in the future.

"Uncle, is he really that amazing?"

"The Innate Realm is also known as the ultimate master, and there are very few of them in the entire Lin'an Prefecture."

"This young master Zhang's strength is at least comparable to a master of the Innate Realm, and a veteran one at that. To have such strength at such a young age, isn't that amazing?"

"That's truly terrifying!"

Zhang Xiaoshan was one of the few people they couldn't understand, but given the Zhang family's prestige, they couldn't just do anything to him.

I never expected to have such a rewarding night tour of West Lake.

However, the Zhang family is quite mysterious; they even have connections with members who are known for their solitary nature—this is information we didn't have before.

Zhuge Zheng knew Huang Yaoshi's identity, and Peach Blossom Island was just a few days' journey away in the nearby sea.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Poisoning Takes Effect? ​​A Desperate Girl

Another half month passed, and this period was still Huang Yaoshi's observation period.

As the Eastern Heretic, Huang Yaoshi is not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also proficient in divination, medicine, and astrology.

Therefore, when Huang Yaoshi lived in the Red Mansion, Zhang Xiaoshan told Huang Yaoshi about the layout of the second and third floors.

Zhang Xiaoshan even produced the complete version of Dream of the Red Chamber.

This was copied by Zhang Xiaoshan from his memory. Although it is not a one-to-one replica, there are still many problems with the details.

Even so, the reproduced version of "Dream of the Red Chamber" is still an absolute classic.

When Huang Yaoshi saw this, he couldn't help but admire Zhang Xiaoshan's intellect.

Once the layout of the Red Mansion is completed, coupled with the explosive popularity of "Dream of the Red Chamber," it will not only be more popular than it is now, but its status will also be even more transcendent, thanks to the promotion by literati.

This is not just a grand restaurant, but a cultural sanctuary.

At the same time, Huang Yaoshi also took action. Following the layout of Qimen Dunjia and Bagua, and with his extensive knowledge of classical culture, the construction of the second and third floors of the Red Mansion was not only more complete, but also much faster.

After all, Zhang Xiaoshan had been exploring on his own before, and his understanding of classical culture was at most a rudimentary one.

Huang Yaoshi, on the other hand, can not only design various private rooms that conform to the style of Dream of the Red Chamber, but also make them more classical and elegant, embodying the classic style of a master.

In particular, some unconventional designs, combined with Zhang Xiaoshan's thinking, are the finishing touch.

In addition to exchanges on martial arts, Huang Yaoshi and Zhang Xiaoshan also had discussions on science and the art of divination.