Chapter 147: Seeking Guidance

Prefecture City, Bright Moon Pavilion, second-floor private room.

Yu Baoquan held his wine glass tightly and whispered in a low voice, "I am unreconciled... Given my seniority and strength, this chief disciple position should rightfully be mine. Why on earth did it fall to Yang Xing?"

Seated nearby, a middle-aged man in a long robe took a sip of fine wine and asked, "What is this Yang Xing's background?"

This man was named Zhuo Ding, hailing from the Zhuo family, a clan that had risen to prominence over the past decade.

"No background to speak of," Yu Baoquan said, taking a deep breath. "He is merely a martial arts fanatic who buries his head in cultivation without any worldly ambitions."

"In that case..." Zhuo Ding narrowed his eyes and made a throat-slitting gesture.

"What are you planning to do?" Yu Baoquan frowned heavily upon seeing Zhuo Ding's gesture.

Zhuo Ding said carelessly, "Huang Zhen that old codger only knows how to refine pills day in and day out anyway. He didn't care when Lu Shaoyou died, so he surely won't care if this Yang Xing dies either."

"By then, won't the position of chief disciple of the Black Tortoise lineage be yours for the taking?"

Yu Baoquan sprang to his feet, his expression instantly turning extremely ugly. "Lu Shaoyou just died. If Yang Xing meets with a mishap as well, and two successive chief disciples of the Black Tortoise lineage die back-to-back, it would undoubtedly be a slap in Huang Zhen's face. He will definitely not let the matter rest."

"Never speak of this again."

Although he deeply coveted the position of chief disciple of the Black Tortoise lineage, he had not lost his mind.

Lu Shaoyou's death could be called an accident, but what if Yang Xing died too?

That would be a man-made disaster!

Even if Huang Zhen looked the other way, the higher-ups of the Four Absolute Sect would not let it slide.

Things would spiral out of control by then. Once any clue surfaced, both he and the Yu family behind him would plunge into a state of irreversible doom.

Zhuo Ding chuckled dryly. "I was merely speaking in jest. Why must Brother Yu be so agitated?"

"Hah!"

Yu Baoquan exhaled and sat back down. By this time, the alcohol had completely worn off.

"Brother Zhuo, please pay no mind to what I said just now in my drunken state."

The two men remained silent for a moment before Yu Baoquan stood up, bid his farewells, and walked down to the first floor.

The carriage driver asked in a low voice, "Young Master, where are we heading now?"

"Home," Yu Baoquan replied, waving his hand.

He swore inwardly to himself that he must steer clear of Zhuo Ding, this brainless reckless brute, from now on.

In this pugilistic world, killing was merely a last resort.

The position of chief disciple of the Black Tortoise lineage was not yet enough to drive him to that 'last resort' step.

When enjoying prosperity, one must be cautious and meticulous. Although his Yu family could not be considered a major clan in Prefecture City, relying on decades of accumulation and his own strength, they had achieved modest success.

In times of success, one ought to tread as if walking on thin ice and speak and act with extreme caution, rather than becoming arrogant, domineering, and reckless.

This was the principle of heaven, the Dao of maintaining equilibrium. Yet the mediocre souls of this world often acted in complete opposition to it, ultimately drawing endless troubles upon themselves.

.........

The days that followed gradually grew tranquil.

Aside from Jia Kui, no one else came to visit with gifts.

Previously, when Lu Shaoyou served as the chief disciple of the Black Tortoise Hall, the Black Tortoise lineage had also been mediocre and lukewarm. Not to mention comparing with the thriving Vermilion Bird Hall and Azure Dragon Hall, it even fell short of the White Tiger Hall in many respects.

The disparity in strength among the four halls was visible to the naked eye, which also led to vastly different statuses within the sect.

This minor detail of gift-giving offered a glimpse into that reality.

Though Lu Shaoyou served as the chief disciple of the Black Tortoise Hall and enjoyed a certain reputation outside, looking quite imposing, a distinct gap remained between him and figures like Gu Xuan and Ding Jianyong. Naturally, discontent and a sense of grievance lingered in his heart.

Consequently, he had felt an urgent drive to prove himself.

Yang Xing was different from Lu Shaoyou. He kept all these matters buried in his heart, never displaying them outwardly, and simply devoted himself entirely to martial arts.

Upon assuming the role of chief disciple of the lineage, his post at Floating Cloud Mountain was naturally canceled.

Instead of decreasing, however, Yang Xing's regular stipend tripled.

This was one of the perks of being a lineage chief disciple.

Beyond that came numerous miscellaneous benefits, such as enjoying substantial discounts at the sect's weapon smithy and scripture pavilion.

It was practically a setup where the sect provided medicinal pills, martial arts manuals, and even silver coins to support cultivation within the sect.

The Four Absolute Sect buzzed with vitality and prosperity, and the sect's executive officers were busy preparing for the upcoming sect assembly. After all, this was a grand event for the Four Absolute Sect.

On this day, Yang Xing arrived at the Black Tortoise Hall.

Wang Dong scurried over eagerly. "Eldest Senior Brother, there are some aspects of the Startling Wind Legs that I don't quite understand."

He then proceeded to lay out the problems that had been perplexing him.

Yang Xing explained in detail, "The so-called leg techniques actually find their roots in the feet, generate power from the legs, and take command from the waist..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Dong's eyes lit up instantly.

Not only Wang Dong, but the other disciples practicing the Startling Wind Legs felt a stir in their hearts and gained sudden enlightenment upon hearing these words.

At that moment, a slightly rough voice rang out, "Eldest Senior Brother, I also have some points of confusion regarding the Black Tortoise Seal. I wonder if Eldest Senior Brother might elucidate them for me."

Following the direction of the voice, the speaker was none other than Second Senior Sister Shao Qiuju.

Yang Xing smiled. "What is it that you don't understand?"

"Many things."

Shao Qiuju cupped her fists and said in a deep voice, "I ask Eldest Senior Brother to grant me some pointers."

Instantly, many disciples in the courtyard turned their gazes over, their hearts shaking slightly.

Shao Qiuju's words were not a request for guidance, but a challenge for a spar.

Although Yang Xing had become the Eldest Senior Brother of the Black Tortoise Hall, the disciples present actually had no inkling of what their Eldest Senior Brother's true strength was.

At that moment, Yu Baoquan, who had been chatting with Guo Cuicui, also looked over.

Among everyone present, no one understood Shao Qiuju's strength better than he did.

Though a woman, the blood Qi and physical force within her were not the least bit inferior to a man's, and having unblocked three primary meridians, her internal Qi was by no means weak even among lower Dan-realm experts.

"Very well."

Yang Xing nodded with a smile and said, "Then I shall give you some pointers."

Hearing this, the surrounding disciples retreated several paces, clearing an open space for the two of them.

"Please enlighten me!"

Shao Qiuju let out a soft cry. The blood Qi within her surged, channeling her internal Qi into her arms. Then, transforming her hand gestures, she delivered a fierce palm seal.

Boom!

The internal Qi surged violently, carrying an indomitable momentum—this was none other than the 'Floating Water Seal,' one of the seven stances of the Black Tortoise Seal.

The 'Floating Water Seal' possessed majestic internal Qi; while its explosive power might not match that of the 'Heaven-Overturning Seal,' its strength lay in its endless continuity and unceasing flow.

"Such formidable gale force!"

Although the onlookers stood several zhang away, they could still feel the howling wind brushing against their faces.

Creak! Creak!

Yang Xing closed his five fingers into a tight fist, unleashing internal Qi from his Dantian as he formed a seal with his hand and struck forward.

Vigorous internal Qi burst forth from the seal like a torrential flood.

Shao Qiuju knitted her brows, inwardly shocked as she thought, *This is a variant of the 'Floating Water Seal'...*

The Black Tortoise Seal comprised seven forms and forty-nine variations. Although it seemingly consisted of only seven seals, it contained numerous transformations, profound and unfathomable.

Boom!

The moment the two seals collided, it was as if two small mountains had crashed into each other. Then, the internal Qi erupted completely, and the roaring impact made everyone's eardrums ache.