Under One Person, your rebellious life has reached the heavens?

"Boom!!!"

Under the invisible control of 'thought', a dull tremor came from behind. One stone figure after another took steps and followed, their movements clumsy yet powerful, stomping the earth and making it shake.

......

morning.

In the central courtyard of the Dao Palace, Zhuge Yu stood under an ancient tree, diligently cultivating his Qi, his body radiating a pale white glow.

Having entered the first stage of rebirth, he focused intently on practicing his fist techniques, throwing punches at the air in front of him time and time again, creating bursts of sound as the air was being torn apart.

"drink!"

"drink!"

"drink!"

The other fellow disciples either went to gather herbs, chop wood, carry water, or meditate in the Qingxin Hall. Only he practiced his boxing here, creating one afterimage after another.

"Boom!!!"

A deafening roar came from behind, and before Zhuge Yu could turn around, a familiar voice rang out:

"Good morning, Little Zhuge, you're so diligent."

"Master...Master Uncle?!"

Zhuge Yu turned around as if struck by lightning, his heart filled with joy, and he was about to greet them with a smile, but when he saw those enormous figures, his face froze.

"You, you've emerged from seclusion?! What...what is this?!"

Staring at the 'strange human' that was ten feet tall with huge muscles and yellowish-brown skin, Zhuge Yu was stunned. Even his voice trembled as he spoke. He had never seen such a species before. It was like a human, yet also like a rock. An extremely strong sense of oppression came over him.

"The puppets I created."

Jiang Mo smiled calmly and explained the origins and uses of the five stone figures.

"What?! I'll fight them?"

Upon hearing his uncle's intention in arranging these stone figures, Zhuge Yu was dumbfounded.

One stone statue was taller than two of him, and its palms, as big as palm fans and as large as millstones, were terrifying to look at. How could he withstand a slap from one of them?

"Yes, you need to spend some time sparring with them and hone your martial arts skills."

Jiang Mo scrutinized Zhuge Yu, observing his physique and aura, and pondered:

"Your rebirth has passed the first stage, and after a long period of accumulation, you possess the power of a dragon and a tiger, with Qi covering your muscles and bones. As long as it is a superficial injury, it is nothing to worry about."

"We're not far from the second level, little guy."

Zhuge Yu nervously swallowed, his eyes fixed on the five stone figures, and suddenly felt sweat pouring down his back.

"Uncle-Master, do you think I'm really that good?"

"Alright, little Zhuge Liang."

Seeing his simple and dazed expression, Jiang Mo couldn't help but burst into laughter:

"Would your uncle harm you? The puppet will know its limits and won't take your life."

"After you endure a few more beatings and your skin, muscles, and bones become stronger, you can follow the Qi circulation route I previously taught you, allowing Qi to flow through the eight extraordinary meridians, pass through the three Dantian, protect the five internal organs, and advance to the second level. It will be a natural progression."

Even though Zhuge Yu had sparred with his other senior brothers, none of them had experienced this absurd sense of powerlessness. The stone figure in front of him looked down at him like a mountain, its calm and composed aura leaving no room for doubt.

Just then, the other disciples in the sect also heard the commotion and rushed over. Five tall stone figures appeared before them, which struck them like a thunderbolt.

"what is that?!"

"New door god statues?"

"My martial uncle has emerged from seclusion!!"

Si Chong, who came out of the hall, looked at the group of stone figures with great surprise: "Junior brother, what have you been up to this time?"

"The puppets, made from the rocks and soil of the back mountain, are specifically designed to assist disciples in cultivating martial arts. They are similar to wooden stakes for practicing boxing, except that they can retaliate. They are only effective against first-level disciples and some second-level disciples."

Jiang Mo shared the purpose of the stone figures with everyone. Currently, only Lu Jin, Cheng Zhen, and Si Chong are excluded. Rather than honing their martial arts skills, they are more suited to cultivate in the Five Prefectures Treasure Land.

Shuiyun, Changqing, and the others repeatedly marveled at the power of these five creations; their thick, heavy arms were as if cast in steel, incredibly hard.

"Senior brother, set aside another plot of land on the back mountain to store these stone figures. In the future, if any disciple wants to cultivate, they can go there on their own."

As for Jiang Mo's suggestion, Si Chong stroked his beard with his left hand, weighing the options briefly:

"It's alright, marking out territory is a small matter, but are you sure, junior brother, that they won't get out of control?"

"No, you can trust me."

Jiang Mo's 'mind' is the core of controlling the stone man. During the fight, it is inevitable that he will injure his disciples, but their lives will not be in danger.

Seeing his unwavering resolve, Si Chong felt reassured and agreed:

"Alright, junior brother, I'll arrange their placement later."

"Little Zhuge, would you like to practice? I think your punches are pretty good; perhaps you could have a go at them."

Jiang Mo consulted his disciple's opinion. He had noticed that the disciple was still practicing shooting diligently at the shooting range late at night, which undoubtedly showed that he had a strong desire to improve.

This stone figure is perfect for sharpening his shortcomings.

Zhuge Yu was quite interested and had already made preparations: "Since you and everyone else are here, then I'll give it a try?"

Afterwards, Si Chong and the other disciples cleared a space for him.

Four stone figures stand silently before an ancient tree, one of which confronts Zhuge Yu in a wide open space.

"Ready? Then let's get started, no need to hold back." Jiang Mo noticed that Zhuge Yu had activated the first level of Reverse Life and encouraged him to take the lead.

"Alright, Uncle-Master."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Zhuge Yu assumed a fighting stance, adjusted his breathing, overcame the faint apprehension in his heart, and rushed forward to launch an attack on the stone man.

"call out--!"

The distance of tens of meters was covered in the blink of an eye. Looking at the motionless stone figure, Zhuge Yu gathered his right hand into a fist and punched forward.

"boom!"

The stone figure raised its heavy right hand and casually parried, using its excellent defense and terrifying strength to push Zhuge Yu back several steps.

"It moved!! It moved!! That stone figure is truly amazing!!"

"Junior Brother Zhuge, you lost in the first round?"

The crowd gasped. Chengzhen seemed to have noticed something amiss, and leaned closer to Jiang Mo, whispering a question:

"Uncle-Master, the stone man's gestures look somewhat like yours."

"I made it myself, how could it not look like it?"

Jiang Mo gazed at the short figure being forced back step by step by the stone man, and couldn't help but smile:

"I just hope this little guy can hold on a little longer and learn some skills."

Chapter 120 Visitors from Southern Xinjiang

The difference between the stone man and Zhuge Yu was like that between an eagle and a chick. After only a dozen or so rounds, their afterimages were successively defeated, leaving white marks on the ground.

Zhuge Yu felt a tingling, numb, and throbbing pain in his arms, a chill ran down his spine, and fine beads of sweat covered his face. He was unable to calm down for a long time.

He had thought that the power of the first level of dragon and tiger would be able to shake the stone man to some extent, but he did not expect it to be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, and he could not gain any advantage.

"Boom!!!"

In the instant he was stunned, the stone man charged forward with great strides, his five fingers landing with incredible speed, his massive body surprisingly agile.

"Well!!"

Zhuge Yu hurriedly dodged, panting heavily. Before he could retaliate, another large hand seized his body and lifted him into the air.

This is the end.

The stone figure stopped moving; the battle was over.

Zhuge Yu's upper body and chest were completely trapped by those broad, thick fingers. He tried his best to break free, but failed.

"Master...Master Uncle...how do I get down?"

Zhuge Yu was out of breath, his face was pale, and he looked at Jiang Mo for help.

"You'd better train hard next time. If you get caught again, you'll be left hanging for several hours."

Jiang Mo smiled and waved his hand, a wisp of true qi swept over, and the stone man's large hand slowly loosened.

“Ah!”

The next instant, Zhuge Yu cried out in alarm as he felt his feet slip and fell from several meters in the air to the ground, barely managing to regain his footing.

The white aura surrounding him gradually faded, and his joints were red, swollen, and blackened in many places, which were external injuries left from the collision and had not yet been repaired.

"How are you, little one? Are you alright?"

Jiang Mo asked softly, "The stone man's movements were exactly the same as when I first controlled him."

If it were him, that chokehold move would be followed by smashing the enemy's head against the ground, leaving them either dead or crippled.

A second-level disciple might be able to withstand the blows, but for a first-level disciple, it would be absolutely impossible.

"No, Uncle-Master, it's just a minor scratch."

Zhuge Yu waved his hand to brush the dust off his white robe. His body was in good spirits, and he didn't take the minor injuries to heart. He scratched his head and laughed:

"I'll apply some liniment, and I'll be better tomorrow."

"Ah."

In the following time, Jiang Mo arranged for the first and second level disciples to spar with different stone figures, and each gained something from the experience.

......

Several days passed in a flash.

Si Chong led his disciples to cut bamboo, pull weeds, and level the ground, finally building a simple training ground in the forest on the west side of the back mountain, where they placed five stone figures.

That evening, Jiang Mo leaned against the south window on the fourth floor of the Sutra Repository, holding an ancient book in his hand. He found it obscure and tedious, and only slowly put it down after finishing the last page.

He turned his head to look out the window at the sunset view. The sky and earth were vast, and wild geese flew high, disappearing into the end of the evening glow.

On the same floor as Jiang Mo was Zhuge Yu, whose body was wrapped in bandages. He was patiently staring at the floating white Qi diagram in front of him, paying attention to the situation around the mountain gate.

Ever since the training ground was completed, this kid has been going to the back mountain to train every day.

Even though he suffered repeated defeats and was beaten black and blue by the stone men, he still enjoyed it, especially in terms of honing his martial arts skills, which resulted in significant progress.

Suddenly, two unfamiliar red Qi dots appeared at the edge of the Qi diagram, climbing the stone steps and approaching the entrance.

Zhuge Yu noticed the unusual situation and immediately reported, "Uncle-Master, two outsiders have arrived."

"Shall I go and take a look for you?"

"Then I'll trouble you to make the trip. Go ahead, I'll be watching you from here."

Jiang Mo picked up a cup of tea and sipped it gently, feeling a little curious about where the person visiting outside came from.

The south-facing windows of the Sutra Repository offer a wide view, providing a perfect view of the sect's entrance.

Having received the instructions, Zhuge Yu went downstairs without stopping and stood in front of the red gate before the visitors even reached the top, waiting for them.

In an instant, a man and a woman dressed in unusual clothes and adorned with silver ornaments arrived from afar, having traversed countless rivers and mountains.

"A place of great importance in the Xuanmen sect."

"He who comes is stopped."

The moment they met, Zhuge Yu recognized their attire as belonging to the ancient mountain people of the southern border, and became extremely wary.

He clearly remembered that some time ago, when the demons attacked the mountain, the leader of the bastards was trapped by him using Qimen Dunjia and burned with the Li Zi Flame, and a corner of a similar robe was revealed.

In addition, he also vaguely learned from the casual conversations between his two senior uncles, Si Chong and Jiang Mo, that the San Yi Sect and a certain Gu tribe in the Southern Frontier had a great hatred for each other.

Could these two people in front of me be here to cause trouble...?

Thinking of this, Zhuge Yu became especially cautious, almost ready to resort to his own methods, and coldly questioned:

"What do you intend to do?"