Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

The night was as dark as ink, enveloping the courtyard of Chongyang Palace, but Zhao Zhijing's room was in complete disarray. Tables and chairs were overturned, teaware shards were scattered everywhere, and fine celadon teacups were smashed to pieces, with tea mixed with tea leaves spilled all over the floor.

He was dressed in a blue Taoist robe, his chest heaving violently, veins bulging on his forehead, and his eyes so sinister they seemed to drip water. He sternly rebuked the disciples kneeling in front of him, his anger almost bursting forth.

"Useless! All of you are useless!"

Zhao Zhijing kicked the wooden stool next to him, and the stool crashed against the wall and shattered.

He had originally intended to teach Su Yan a lesson in the Grand Tournament, severely injuring and defeating him, but he never expected Su Yan to improve so quickly! He had practiced swordsmanship for over ten or twenty years, only to be defeated by this kid after practicing for just over twenty days. Jealousy made his face contort with rage.

He paced back and forth, the wooden floorboards creaking under his feet, filled with resentment and bitterness, his mind drifting back to the scene of today's competition.

"His Quanzhen swordsmanship is already comparable to mine. If it weren't for my Golden Goose Skill, I wouldn't have been able to suppress him at all! Trying to suppress him with internal energy? Sect Leader Ma Yu and my senior uncles have such sharp eyes; they would have noticed the slightest movement. Wouldn't that be courting death?"

The thought of Su Yan's composed counterattack and eventual surrender during the competition made Zhao Zhijing's teeth itch with anger. The kid was clearly trying to save face for him, but it felt more like a silent humiliation.

"I heard that old bastard Qiu Chuji will be back in eight or nine days!"

Zhao Zhijing suddenly stopped, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes.

"If he really takes Su Yan as his personal disciple, given that kid's growth rate, it won't be long before I'll no longer have a chance at the position of the third-generation chief disciple!"

He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his heart filled with resentment.

Having cultivated diligently for many years and possessing profound seniority among the third-generation disciples, he thought the position of chief disciple would be within his grasp. However, Su Yan unexpectedly emerged, rising from a nominal disciple to a formidable opponent in just over twenty days, defeating three generations of experts in succession, and even failing to gain an advantage himself.

Seeing his disciples cowering and not daring to utter a sound, Zhao Zhijing became even more enraged and kicked the disciple at the front.

The disciples were kicked so hard they kowtowed repeatedly, not daring to utter a single complaint. Only Zhao Zhijing's angry curses and the sounds of things breaking filled the room, and a heavy sense of resentment permeated the night.

A week passed in this way. In Su Yan's courtyard, an oil lamp flickered, illuminating two figures practicing swordsmanship.

Holding the lightweight wooden sword that Su Yan had crafted for her, Su Ye was practicing "White Clouds Emerging from the Mountain" over and over again. Although her figure was still slender, she was much more upright than before. Her sword moves were precise, and each strike was accompanied by a strong wind, showing signs of proficiency.

Over the past thirty-odd days, Su Ye seemed to have been inspired by Su Yan's relentless sword practice. Whenever she got a good rest, she would take the initiative to practice swordsmanship, no longer the timid and listless girl she once was.

Her skin had lost its former tan and become fairer, and her eyes were more determined, no longer filled with fear. She exuded a vibrant energy.

Su Yan stood to the side, offering a few words of advice every now and then.

"Sink your waist more steadily, and don't let your breath break when connecting sword moves."

He watched Su Ye's progress, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes, before he turned his attention back to his own cultivation.

Within his dantian, the Quanzhen Basic Breathing Technique circulated smoothly as Su Yan, longsword in hand, practiced the complete Quanzhen Swordplay. The incredible power of the interface was on full display at this moment.

Whether or not he fully understands the profound meaning of the sword moves, as long as he continues to practice, insights into sword practice will continuously flow into his mind, as if he has a dedicated one-on-one teacher who accurately points out the key points each time, guiding him to continuously improve his moves.

"The meandering momentum of 'a colorful boat on a light cloud' requires the inertia of qi and blood, rather than brute force."

The moment this realization flashed through his mind, Su Yan adjusted his swordplay accordingly, making his sword path more fluid and smooth, and the proficiency level on the panel quietly increased.

This panel is truly amazing, saving me the time of trial and error, and making my cultivation efficiency far exceed that of ordinary people. Now I have mastered the Quanzhen Sword Technique, and my internal energy is also steadily increasing. My realm is only one step away from the peak of the third-rate level. Once I become a disciple of Qiu Chuji and obtain a higher-level internal energy cultivation method, breaking through to the second-rate level will be just around the corner.

During a break from practicing swordsmanship, Su Yan gazed at the outline of Zhongnan Mountain in the night outside the courtyard, his thoughts drifting to the ancient tomb.

He remembered that in the original story, the ancient tomb contained Chongyang's inscriptions, including fragments of the Nine Yin Manual. The martial arts techniques in those works were probably no lower than B-level, making them extremely valuable.

However, to enter the ancient tomb, one must cross a long underground river. With his previous strength, he would probably suffocate in the river if he forced his way down. Only by reaching the second-rate level could he barely afford to try.

"The Zhongnan Mountains are a vast area, and the ancient tombs and forbidden areas cover a considerable area, so finding the entrance to the underground river is by no means easy."

Su Yan calmly analyzed the situation.

"Furthermore, after becoming an apprentice, one should first stabilize their cultivation level and improve their strength to the second rank before making any further plans. Acting rashly and encountering danger would be counterproductive."

He had already inquired with the disciples of the sect about the location of the forbidden area. Although the area in front of the ancient tomb was a forbidden area for the Quanzhen disciples, the area behind the ancient tomb was not considered a forbidden area.

Calculating the time, it's been about four or five years since Yang Guo went up the mountain, which is around Xiaolongnü's eighteenth birthday. Based on this, Xiaolongnü should be thirteen or fourteen years old now, and Yang Guo is just an eight or nine-year-old kid. Mu Nianci probably died in the last two years.

Although the original novel does not mention when Xiaolongnü's master died, it does mention that after Lin Chaoying's maid, who was also Xiaolongnü's master, died, she passed on the position of sect leader to the "young" Xiaolongnü. It is difficult to determine when she was "young".

However, considering that people in ancient times would be engaged in marriage at the age of thirteen or fourteen, it should be when Xiaolongnü was eight or nine years old. After all, if she were any younger, her master would not have been able to teach her martial arts. In other words, the ancient tomb now only has a thirteen or fourteen-year-old Xiaolongnü and a Sun Po Po who is at most second-rate.

Judging from this, once he breaks through to the second-rate realm, he can basically enter and leave the ancient tomb without worry.

He had long planned to assess the strength levels of the Quanzhen Sect.

Among the Six Masters of Quanzhen, Ma Yu, Qiu Chuji, and Wang Chuyi have reached the first-rate level, while Liu Chuxuan, Hao Datong, and Sun Bu'er are at the second-rate level.

Among the third-generation disciples, those ranked higher, such as Yin Zhiping and Zhao Zhijing, are already second-rate martial artists. I am currently only at the peak of the third-rate level. If I want to gain a foothold in the Quanzhen Sect, and even explore the ancient tomb in the future, breaking through to the second-rate level is an inevitable path.

After Su Ye finished practicing the sword technique, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, but she still looked at Su Yan with bright eyes.

"Yan-ge'er, am I more skilled at this 'White Clouds Emerging from the Mountain' move now?"

Su Yan nodded and reached out to pat her head.

"You've made rapid progress and have already reached a proficient level. With a few more days of practice, you'll be able to fully master it."

Just then, a steady footstep sounded outside the courtyard gate. Yin Zhiping, dressed in a moon-white Taoist robe, strode in, his face showing a hint of joy. He cupped his hands to Su Yan and said...

"Junior Brother Su, Master has returned and sent me to summon you to test your martial arts!"