Chapter Seventy-Three: Madness

Song Residence.

Upon hearing Qi Xiu's question, Song Tingye let out a soft laugh:

"Mr. Ye, you worry too much. For ordinary people, entering the Forging Strength realm within seven days is extremely difficult.

But these men are seeds I’ve chosen for the City Guard.

They are not like common soldiers, slowly grinding away their years."

"So all the startling changes in these men are actually the means of the Magistrate?" Song Tingye’s calm demeanor made Qi Xiu’s heart sink.

Able to produce martial artists of the Forging Strength realm in such quantities.

What exactly is this fellow’s origin?

Even the authorities don’t possess such methods.

Yuan Baiyi’s Western Wind Army is comprised entirely of Forging Strength warriors.

Yet they are the elite under the command of the Yunnan-Sichuan Inspector, forged through years of tempering.

Song Tingye had merely assembled a team.

And within just seven days, he created nearly a hundred Forging Strength warriors.

Such a method is astonishing.

"Why, Mr. Ye, do you not believe me?" Song Tingye poured a cup of clear, elegant tea for Qi Xiu, his gaze sharp.

"I believe you. The Magistrate’s depth is profound; such skill is unsurprising." Qi Xiu paused and smiled.

Able to gather hundreds of rare herbs in days, and send out the True Skill Heart Sutra as casually as paper.

For someone like this, anything is possible.

"Try it, the finest Green Feather tea."

Song Tingye took a sip, then turned to Qi Xiu:

"These young men, entering my City Guard.

From ordinary, insignificant lives, they become martial artists who can tear apart tigers and leopards.

This rare opportunity has fallen into their hands.

And now,

I have another opportunity in my possession.

I wonder, Mr. Ye, are you interested?"

Qi Xiu, just about to raise his cup, paused, his eyes lifting to meet Song Tingye’s earnest expression.

"If you have something to say, Magistrate, please speak directly."

"Haha, Mr. Ye is forthright, so I shall not beat around the bush."

Song Tingye turned his palm over, and a bronze box appeared out of thin air.

The box was green throughout, ancient in appearance, its cold surface wrapped in an unbroken, ancient pattern resembling chains, sealing the entire box.

A spatial artifact?

Qi Xiu’s eyes flickered at the sight of the box appearing from nowhere.

"This is…"

"The secret essence of the Ancient Gathering Heaven Strength technique."

A gleam flashed deep within Qi Xiu’s pupils, his aura surging, and the chair beneath him split into several cracks, nearly collapsing.

Thankfully, his Purple Extreme Dao Seed was temporarily restrained.

Otherwise, it would not just be a chair splitting, but the entire room would be reduced to ruins, like a typhoon passing through.

Witnessing Qi Xiu’s turbulent aura, Song Tingye steadied his heart.

The second step was complete.

"The price."

Gradually suppressing his runaway aura, Qi Xiu spoke slowly.

Song Tingye would not bring forth the ancient Gathering Heaven Strength secret, coveted and guarded by great sects and powerful families, without reason.

He knew Qi Xiu was a True Intent martial artist.

He needed this key to break through the Dao threshold.

"Marry into my family."

Crack—

The chair beneath him exploded, Qi Xiu stood up, staring in disbelief at Song Tingye.

"What did you say?"

Is it my ears that are broken?

Or is this fellow’s mind damaged?

Apparently expecting Qi Xiu’s reaction, Song Tingye smiled faintly:

"Mr. Ye, your talent is extraordinary, your ability unmatched.

My elder sister is still unmarried, just turned twenty-seven.

Her appearance and figure are impeccable.

If you agree to marry into my family,

not only will you have this secret essence of the Ancient Gathering Heaven Strength,

but everything you need for your Dao breakthrough and future cultivation, my family will provide it all."

Looking at Song Tingye’s sincere, resolute face, Qi Xiu’s mind was a whirlwind.

He had thought Song Tingye offered the secret essence to recruit him, to serve as a bodyguard for a few years.

Never expected this young man sought his entire life.

A marriage proposal.

It was nothing short of a lifelong contract.

Poison!

Truly poisonous!

Disoriented by the sudden marriage proposal, Qi Xiu was silent for a long time, unable to find words.

"Sir, there’s no need to answer now, you may take your time to consider.

The conditions I spoke of are all true; if there is any falsehood, may thunder strike me.

The Ancient Gathering Heaven Strength secret, apart from the great sects and noble families, will never be found elsewhere.

This opportunity, I hope you cherish it."

...

"Young master, will he agree?"

As servants cleaned up the shattered wood, Sun Yueting turned to look in the direction Qi Xiu had left.

"Perhaps not now."

Calmly playing with the bronze box in his hand, Song Tingye’s gaze was distant.

"But the seed has already been planted in his heart.

I’ve seen too many prodigies, achieving True Intent at forty, even thirty.

But so what?

The Dao threshold is higher and wider than anyone can imagine, only those standing before it understand.

As time passes, months and years go by without progress.

When he feels the torment of cold winter nights, desperately cultivating, begging for a path forward,

he will understand what it means to seize opportunities and how rare they truly are."

...

"The Ancient Gathering Heaven Strength secret, apart from the great sects and noble families, will never be found elsewhere!"

In the silent depths of night, Qi Xiu lay in bed with open eyes, his pupils trembling, thoughts in turmoil.

The words Song Tingye spoke during the day,

stabbed into his heart like a knife.

Song Tingye’s certainty and confidence, tinged with a hint of arrogance,

almost confirmed the absolute monopoly the great sects and noble families held over secret techniques.

Such monopoly was like a sharp axe, severing all paths for martial artists and practitioners.

Without secret techniques,

one could never step beyond the threshold of the Dao.

To enter the Dao,

one could only depend on the great sects and noble families.

"Is the only path really to marry in and live off another?"

Turning over, a blocked feeling in his chest, Qi Xiu sat up and summoned his proficiency panel.

[Calligraphy (Third Realm): 47.2%]
[Purple Extreme True Skill (Third Realm): Perfect]
[Alchemy (Second Realm): 79.2%]
[Painting (First Realm): 91.2%]
[Shadowless Illusion (Second Realm): 81.2%]
[Jade Pool Serpent Mindset (First Realm): 90.7%]

Focusing on these skill methods, memories of days and nights spent grinding, never daring to slack off, flooded his mind.

He had suffered so much.

Endured countless hardships.

Exhausted his mind, treading carefully.

And in the end, still had to bow beneath others?

Clenching his fists, knuckles white, Qi Xiu’s gaze grew stubborn.

A broken path?

Paths are made by people.

Wasn’t the Ancient Gathering Heaven Strength secret created by predecessors?

If others could create it,

so could I, Qi Xiu!

Isn’t it just a path?

I’ll carve out my own!

Will it work? Is it possible?

His eyes brightened, and a unique aura suddenly radiated from him, faintly shimmering with colors in the darkness.

...

Over the following month,

Qi Xiu’s eyes burned with fierce determination. After hastily replying to Song Tingye that he would be secluded for some time, he plunged himself wholly into endless cultivation.

As if possessed.

...