Chapter 366 - 349: Cleaning House

Enlightenment surged into his mind. It seemed to happen slowly, but it was all over in an instant. A moment later, a sharp glint flashed in Su Yu’s eyes.

’So that’s how it is!’

’So that’s the real threshold for this Fist Technique!’

Just as Su Yu was having his private revelation, Qin Fangqiong, who had been sitting in the Grandmaster’s Chair, stood up. He pulled a yellowed silk manual from his sleeve.

"Yu’Er, the concept behind this Fist Technique is too profound. It’s not something you can grasp in a short time. Take this manual home for now and study it carefully. Remember, don’t rush for quick results and end up injuring your Great Tendons. Once you’ve grasped the ’tendon sense,’ come back to me, and I will personally coach you and correct your form."

Qin Fangqiong paused, then turned to the three Patriarchs beside him and smiled. "Let’s call it a day here. Later, we’ll head to the Drunken Immortal Tower. It will be my treat. First, to celebrate Yu’Er’s breakthrough to the Muscle Forging Realm, and second, so we can all discuss how to handle the aftermath of the Linyuan City trade route situation."

Qin Fangqiong’s words laid out a perfectly logical plan, and the three Patriarchs nodded slightly, preparing to rise.

As things stood, they all believed it would be some time before Su Yu showed any results; he hadn’t even grasped the so-called "tendon sense."

’We’ll just have to see how many days it takes him to grasp the tendon sense. If it takes too long, we might have to reduce our wagers on his future accordingly.’

However, before Qin Fangqiong could hand the Fist Technique manual to Su Yu, he froze, stopping dead in his tracks.

His somewhat cloudy old eyes suddenly bulged as he stared, utterly incredulous, at the center of the arena!

SWOOSH!

Su Yu had already assumed his stance once more and was beginning to move!

’Shadow Ape’s Branch Exploration, piercing the air!’

Su Yu threw a straight punch, then immediately retracted it. Without pausing, he threw a second punch from a different angle, then a third...

To an outsider, his movements seemed stiff and bizarre, completely lacking the fluid grace Master Qin had just demonstrated. He was simply repeating the monotonous motions of punching and retracting his fist.

"What’s Senior Brother Su doing?" a watching disciple couldn’t help but mutter. "He hasn’t even completed a single technique, and he’s just repeating that same clumsy motion? To learn a Martial Art, shouldn’t you at least memorize the entire set of movements before practicing?"

Su Yu ignored the outside chatter. His entire focus was immersed within his own body.

After throwing five straight punches, each from a different angle, a faint smile touched Su Yu’s lips.

’Found it!’

’This is the ’tendon sense’ Master was just talking about!’

This so-called "tendon sense" was the first and most difficult entry-level hurdle to cultivating the Greenwood Shadow Ape Fist!

"If the tendons are not connected, all strength is but dead force!"

More insights flooded Su Yu’s mind.

When the tens of thousands of Great Tendons in the body move at once, the interplay of their tension, elasticity, and rhythmic tightening and loosening produces a subtle, high-frequency internal vibration, as if countless zither strings were being plucked simultaneously within the body!

A cultivator must, in the instant they throw a punch, be able to precisely "hear" this internal vibration! They have to distinguish which Great Tendon has stored the most force, which is overloaded and needs to relax, and which still has capacity left to unleash!

Only by achieving this can one fully unleash the collective power of the Great Tendons with a punch!

’Now that I’ve reached the entry-level for this Fist Technique and awakened my ’tendon sense,’ I can actually feel them. The next stage of cultivation will be to continuously control how they exert force and find the rhythm of power generation that’s perfect for me!’

’And everyone’s Great Tendons are different, so there’s no standard answer. I have to comprehend it and figure it out on my own!’

BANG!

With this realization, Su Yu’s movements underwent their first qualitative transformation in the very next instant!

The Great Tendons in his arm tightened and stretched in an instant, accompanied by a crisp twang, like a powerful bowstring being snapped!

This punch actually captured the essence of an Ape Tendon stretched to its absolute limit!

CLATTER!

Nearby, Jiang Yanchu witnessed this. The folding fan in his hand fell to the ground, but he didn’t even notice.

He gasped sharply, his eyes glued to Su Yu’s movements, which were growing more profound by the second.

"Damn it! Old Lin, you rascal, I’m not seeing things, am I? Has Younger Brother Su already grasped the ’tendon sense’? He’s even starting to adjust the force of his Great Tendons!"

"It hasn’t even been fifteen minutes! Is he even human?"

Xu Luan’s gruff voice rang out, filled with utter shock.

Even the Lin Family Patriarch, Lin Yunshu, who was known for his calm and refined demeanor, was completely floored.

He stood slack-jawed, staring dazedly at the upright figure in the center of the Martial Arts Arena. His own earlier comment—"he’ll need to train hard for at least a month or so"—kept replaying in his mind, and he could feel his old face burning hot.

The humiliation came as fast as a tornado; he was caught in the storm with no time to escape...

Meanwhile, Lin Wanzhu, who was sitting to one side, saw her older brother’s stunned and flustered expression. An astonishing light of pride flashed in her captivating, almond-shaped eyes.

’That little devil, Ah Yu... he’s gone and casually shown off that monstrous, world-shattering comprehension of his again! Reaching the entry-level and grasping the ’tendon sense’ in less than fifteen minutes—look how it’s stunned my brother and those other old fogeys!’

Lin Wanzhu gloated inwardly, her pride practically bursting from her ample chest.

Having returned to his seat, Qin Fangqiong was every bit as shocked as the three Patriarchs.

CRACK—

In his agitation, he had subconsciously tightened his grip, and the sturdy armrest of the Grandmaster’s Chair was crushed—again!

Qin Fangqiong’s face twitched. ’Dammit, now I have to get another goddamn chair...’

But that thought was fleeting; his heart was mostly filled with wild joy and utter disbelief!

’This damn kid, he’s already reached the entry-level? Back in my day, I was hailed as the most perceptive student the Martial Arts Hall had seen in a century. I practiced day and night, and it still took me a full fifteen days to grasp the ’tendon sense’ and reach the entry-level! And this kid? He just shattered my record on the spot!’

Seeing his three former disciples—men he had once tortured to hell and back in training—still reeling in shock, Qin Fangqiong quickly adopted a knowing expression, cleared his throat, and said:

"Ahem... Yu’Er, you truly have not disappointed my expectations. It seems you have already reached the entry-level. You have some of my... ahem, you are even a cut above what I was in my day. The student has surpassed the master. Excellent, excellent!"

"However, do not let this success make you arrogant. The true difficulty of this Martial Art is only just beginning!"

"I understand, Master!" Su Yu immediately stopped and cupped his fists respectfully. "I sensed it as I was practicing. The deeper profundity of this Fist Technique lies in the razor-thin line between hardness and softness. Although I’ve grasped the ’tendon sense,’ my control over my Great Tendons is still incredibly crude. To be as unyielding as a collapsing mountain one moment and as fluid as spring water the next... I still have a very long way to go!"

"Er..."

Qin Fangqiong was at a loss for words. ’This kid has already figured out the next step on his own. There’s no point in me explaining it now.’

"Ahem... Not just that. This Cultivation Technique has a third major hurdle: the unity of bone and tendon."

"Bone is the frame, and tendon is the string. If the string snaps, the frame collapses. If the string is too taut, the frame shatters. Only when bone and tendon are in harmony can they produce integrated strength. Once you have mastered the line between hard and soft, I will guide you on this."

Seeing the flicker of confusion on Su Yu’s face, Qin Fangqiong finally breathed a sigh of relief. ’Good, there’s still something my disciple hasn’t figured out on his own. I can still point him in the right direction. Otherwise, what use am I as a master?’

’No, this won’t do!’

’I have to go into seclusion immediately. I must return to the Profound Bone Realm, no matter the cost! With his demonic talent, he’s bound to cause some major trouble sooner or later. If I’m still just at the Muscle Forging Realm, I won’t be able to handle the fallout!’

Su Yu’s display of terrifying insight had indirectly spurred Master Qin, Lin Yunshu, and the other masters of the older generation who were at the Muscle Forging Realm.

The attitudes of Lin Yunshu and the other two Patriarchs toward Su Yu had changed completely.

Before, they had only heard rumors and still held a sliver of doubt in their hearts.

But now, after Su Yu had repeatedly demonstrated his astounding combat prowess, insight, and methods, they had adopted a submissive stance, ready to bet everything on him and willingly play a supporting role.

After all, as the patriarchs of their respective families, all three knew better than anyone what a monumental opportunity it was, in these chaotic times, to hitch their wagons to a True Dragon who was almost certain to soar into the heavens.

...

「Drunken Immortal Tower.」

The atmosphere at the White Ape Martial Arts Hall’s banquet was lively, with hosts and guests all in high spirits.

Lin Yunshu, Xu Luan, and Jiang Yanchu—three Patriarchs renowned in the region—completely set aside their lofty statuses. They took turns rising to toast Su Yu with utmost sincerity, giving him an immense amount of face.

As for Xu Feng, Jiang Liuchuan, Qin Yu, and the other core disciples of the Martial Arts Hall, their gazes toward Su Yu were filled with incomparable admiration, awe, and feverish anticipation.

After several rounds of wine and courses...

Master Qin raised a hand and proposed promoting Su Yu to the position of First Senior Brother, but Su Yu refused him on the spot.

"Master, it’s true that the Martial Arts Hall follows the principle that the skilled take precedence. But I, Su Yu, could not have reached this point without the care and protection my senior brothers and sisters gave me in the past. Our White Ape lineage values loyalty and camaraderie, not rankings. Let’s continue to determine seniority by the order in which we joined!"

"Good!"

"Since you value loyalty and don’t care for empty titles, we’ll do as you say! After all, the future of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall will rest on your shoulders! Matters like this will be your call to make eventually!"

Master Qin waved his hand magnanimously, settling the matter.

"From now on, Wanzhu is still number two, Xu Feng is number three, you, Jiang Liuchuan, are number four, and Qin Yu is number five. As for you, Yu’Er, since you don’t care, you can stay as the Youngest Junior Brother!"

Su Yu frowned and asked, "Master, what about Chen Fan?"

Qin Fangqiong’s expression changed instantly. He said in a cold voice, "I was just about to speak to you all about this. Chen Fan is no longer a member of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall! You all remember that!"

"Yes, Master Qin."

Everyone fell silent, not knowing what had happened to Chen Fan.

It wasn’t until the banquet had ended and everyone had returned to the White Ape Martial Arts Hall that Master Qin privately told his inner circle of disciples what had happened with Chen Fan.

"When Yu’Er went to the Ten Islands Region, it was Chen Fan who leaked his whereabouts. He conspired with the Huyan Family to have Yu’Er killed. I have investigated this thoroughly. The evidence is irrefutable!"

"By trying to harm a fellow disciple, he crossed a line. I have expelled him from the Martial Arts Hall!"

"Master, a man as vicious as Chen Fan must be dealt with permanently!" Lin Wanzhu’s voice was laced with killing intent. "We must purge the sect!"

’Chen Fan actually tried to harm Ah Yu. He can’t be allowed to get away with it, or he’ll cause endless trouble in the future!’