Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

The twilight in Qingfeng Town was a mixture of the aroma of medicine and the smell of cooking. Under the makeshift medicine stall at the entrance of the town, Qiu Chuji put away his silver needles and watched the last patient leave, his body hunched over, thanking him. Only then did a look of exhaustion appear on his face.

Xia Zhicheng was deftly dispensing the medicine according to the prescription, the paper packets piled up like a small mountain, and the air was filled with the bitter aroma of bupleurum and licorice.

"Zhichang"

Qiu Chuji raised his hand and rubbed his temples, looking towards the direction of Zhongnan Mountain.

"How was Su Yan's character along the way?"

Li Zhichang put down the medicine scale in his hand and bowed in reply.

"Reporting to Master, Junior Brother Su is resolute and extremely diligent. During our journey together, he took every opportunity to practice the breathing techniques and Quanzhen swordplay that you taught him. Even though his injuries had not yet healed, he never slacked off."

He paused, his tone now tinged with approval.

"When he first arrived at Chongyang Palace, his Quanzhen swordsmanship had already reached the entry level. Now, more than twenty days later, he must have made considerable progress. His comprehension and perseverance are both top-notch."

Qiu Chuji stroked his long beard, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

"A temperament honed by the chaos of war is the most composed. He has solid external skills, but lacks systematic training. Keep a close eye on him and don't let him go astray."

"Disciple understands."

Li Zhichang agreed, and Xia Zhicheng packed up the last packet of medicine. After the three of them finished packing, they headed towards the courtyard where they would be staying temporarily in the town. As night fell, the lights of Qingfeng Town were scattered like stars.

Meanwhile, the martial arts hall of Chongyang Palace was no longer as noisy as before. Most of the fourth-generation disciples were holed up in their rooms, practicing diligently. Occasionally, someone would pass by the martial arts hall, but they would only glance at it from afar and then leave in a hurry. No one wanted to run into Su Yan again, who could beat people to a pulp with just one move of the Quanzhen Sword Technique.

Su Yanlai has been teaching for more than 20 days, and his days are simple yet fulfilling.

Every morning, he would chant scriptures and practice breathing exercises. In the morning, he would challenge his fellow disciples in the training ground to improve his proficiency. In the afternoon, he would instruct Xiao Nian'erba in sword practice. In the evening, he would review the day's sword moves. He was calm and composed. Even after defeating four generations of disciples, he never showed the slightest arrogance. He remained as pragmatic as ever, treating sparring as a shortcut to honing his martial arts skills.

The data on the panel is steadily increasing.

Host: Su Yan

Age: 16

Internal strength:

Grade C - Authentic Basic Breathing Technique (Proficient, 5/300).

Martial arts:

Rank E - Su Family Sword Technique (Perfect, 345/500) [Consumable -30%, Armor Penetration +30%, Pressure +40%]

Rank E - Leap Technique (Perfect, 500/500) [Consumer Cost -30%, Agility +40%, Evasion +40%]

Rank E - Monument Slayer (Perfect, 35/500) [Consumable -30%, Critical Hit +40%, Fist Power +40%]

Grade C (Incomplete) - Quanzhen Swordplay (Minor Success, 32/500).

Realm: Third-rate martial artist (68%).

To deal with the fourth-generation disciples, he only needed to use the seven variations of the first move of the Quanzhen Swordplay, "White Clouds Emerging from the Mountain," to precisely time each move and always find the opponent's weakness.

However, this move becomes somewhat difficult against third-generation disciples, as they have typically practiced swordsmanship for many years, resulting in more refined and polished techniques. But Su Yan has his own methods to counter it.

The Su family's swordsmanship combines the fierceness of the swordsmanship with the agility of the lifting and leaping techniques. The combination of strength and gentleness, speed and stability, often allows them to compensate for the shortcomings of their sword techniques with practical experience. Against third-generation disciples, they can only be said to be able to maintain a level playing field.

That afternoon, on the bluestone slabs of the martial arts arena, two figures once again intertwined, creating afterimages. Su Yan and Li Zhiming stood facing each other, their swords not moving, yet their auras were already subtly clashing.

This is the third consecutive day that the two have practiced here. In the previous two days, they exchanged more than a hundred moves, and it was difficult to determine a winner because they were evenly matched. Today, as soon as the match started, they showed an even fiercer edge than before.

Yin Zhiping stood under the corridor at the edge of the training ground, his hands behind his back, his gaze focused intently on the two men, his brows slightly furrowed with a hint of scrutiny and approval.

He knew that Li Zhiming was the most outstanding disciple under Wang Chuyi, and his understanding of Quanzhen swordplay far surpassed that of his peers. Although Su Yan had only learned one move and seven techniques, he was able to contend with him based on his practical experience and external skills. This talent and resilience were truly rare.

"Junior Brother Su, today witness a new variation of my 'Three Rings Encircling the Moon' technique!"

Li Zhiming shouted, his figure suddenly closing in, his blue Taoist robe fluttering in the wind. The moment his longsword was drawn, a clear hum pierced the air. The first move, "White Clouds Emerging from the Peak," was as light and agile as a breeze passing through the forest. The tip of the sword pointed at Su Yan's left shoulder, seemingly gentle, yet concealing three powerful strikes.

Before Su Yan could dodge, the sword's momentum suddenly shifted, and the fierce "White Rainbow Piercing the Sun" followed in quick succession. The long sword slashed down, and the sword wind, carrying blood and qi, actually blew the broken stones on the ground into a flurry of flying debris.

Su Yan's eyes narrowed, and the Quanzhen Basic Breathing Technique rapidly circulated within his dantian, instantly channeling his qi and blood to his limbs. He neither dodged nor evaded, but instead unleashed his full power of the Leap Technique, his figure sliding half a foot to the side and back like a ghost, narrowly avoiding the incoming sword strike.

At the same time, he flipped his wrist, and the standard longsword was drawn from its sheath. He also used the "White Clouds Emerging from the Mountain" technique, but it was a variation that incorporated the essence of the Su family's sword fighting style. The tip of the sword pointed sharply at the spine of Li Zhiming's sword, intending to deflect the opponent's force.

"clang!"

The clang of metal clashing was deafening, sparks flew, and both men retreated three steps. Su Yan felt a numbness in his hand; Li Zhiming's sword strike was even more powerful than yesterday's, clearly demonstrating that he had mastered the balance of strength and flexibility in the Quanzhen swordplay. Li Zhiming was even more astonished; Su Yan's sword technique was clearly only one move, yet he could always find his weaknesses in the slightest detail. This reaction speed and combat intuition were far beyond what ordinary disciples could match.

Before he could catch his breath, Li Zhiming changed his sword stance again, unleashing the "Three Rings Encircling the Moon" technique in quick succession. His longsword spun out three rounded sword flowers, stabbing Su Yan's throat, heart, and lower abdomen respectively. The three swords appeared to be moving in parallel, but in reality, they were arranged in sequence, making it difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake. This was a new variation that he had been studying for many days, and it was even more oppressive than the ordinary "Three Rings Encircling the Moon".

Yin Zhiping nodded slightly, this move had already grasped the essence of the Quanzhen sword technique's "harmony".

Su Yan dared not slacken his pace in the slightest. He lowered his waist and dismounted like an ancient pine tree firmly rooted to the ground, his longsword held horizontally in front of his chest. At the same time, he used his leaping technique to dodge and weave between the three sword blossoms. He could clearly feel the chill of the sword blades brushing against his clothes, and each dodge was extremely dangerous.

Just as the third sword flower was about to reach his body, he suddenly spun around, and the fierce power of the Su family sword technique suddenly erupted. His long sword slashed vertically like an axe, forcefully breaking through the encirclement of sword flowers. At the same time, he made a fist with his left hand and, with the help of the shock of his blood and qi, punched Li Zhiming's wrist holding the sword.

This was a risky tactic he learned from life-or-death battles: to use offense as defense and to survive by putting himself in a desperate situation.

Li Zhiming hadn't expected Su Yan to be so fierce. He hurriedly sheathed his sword and went back to defend. With a flick of his wrist, he used "Colorful Boat and Light Clouds" to deflect the force of the punch while the tip of the sword was aimed directly at Su Yan's ribs.

Su Yan had anticipated this, and used the Leap Technique to fly backward, avoiding the sword's edge. In the instant, the longsword thrust diagonally, the tip grazing Li Zhiming's blade. Using the recoil, he spun around, changing his sword move again, this time a variation of "White Clouds Emerging from the Mountain," but even more fluid than before.

The two exchanged blows, their swordplay growing increasingly fierce and dangerous. Li Zhiming's Quanzhen swordsmanship flowed like clouds and water, employing techniques like "pushing the boat with the current" and "setting off the moon with clouds" in succession. Each move appeared balanced and peaceful, yet concealed deadly intent.

Su Yan used the Quanzhen Sword Technique as the foundation, the Su Family Sword Technique as the edge, and the Lifting and Leaping Technique as the wings. Sometimes he dodged lightly and sometimes he countered fiercely. His sword moves passed close to his body, creating dangerous situations.

After fifty moves, both men's clothes were torn in several places by the wind of the sword, and beads of sweat seeped from their foreheads, but their eyes still shone brightly, and their fighting spirit was even stronger.

Just then, a series of steady footsteps came from the entrance of the martial arts arena. The disciples watching from the surrounding area were the first to notice, and when they saw that it was the sect leader Ma Yu, they all fell silent and bowed in respect.

"Greetings, Master!"

Yin Zhiping, who was standing under the eaves, also turned around and bowed.

"Greetings, Master Master."

Su Yan and Li Zhiming were locked in a crucial battle. Su Yan's longsword was already touching Li Zhiming's left shoulder, while Li Zhiming's sword was just about to touch Su Yan's throat. The two were so engrossed in their battle that they didn't notice the commotion around them.

It wasn't until Yin Zhiping coughed lightly that the two of them suddenly woke up, simultaneously sheathing their swords and retreating, looking towards the entrance with heavy breathing.

Ma Yu was dressed in a moon-white Taoist robe, with a gentle face and a dignified demeanor. He was looking at the two of them with a smile in his eyes, and his whole body exuded the calm aura of Taoist cultivation.

Su Yan and Li Zhiming quickly sheathed their swords, bowed, and saluted in unison.

"This disciple greets the Sect Leader!"

Ma Yu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the two of them before finally settling on Su Yan with admiration. He then turned to look at Yin Zhiping beside him, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"Whose disciple is this?"