Guo Yun knew of Su Yan's capabilities and that he would be more interested in the exotic bug. Now that his arm was injured, the only way he could repay Su Yan was to give him information about the bug.
"Brother Yan, that exotic bug is probably worth some silver, but you must be extremely careful," he warned seriously. "I only reached out to pick the Cinnabar Ganoderma, but it shot out from the rock face and immediately spat a massive ball of flame-like mist. The mist traveled a meter or two. If I hadn't run fast, I would have died there."
"Don't worry, Uncle Guo Yun. I understand."
Su Yan carefully examined Guo Yun's arm. Although the skin was severely burned, the muscle underneath was relatively intact, and the medicine applied was timely. If the fire poison was neutralized, he should recover enough to continue providing for his family. He realized that the exotic bug probably only intended to drive them away, not kill them, or else they would have perished.
When Zheng Xiu and Zheng Penggang returned with the Plague Clearing Powder, Su Yan helped them change Guo Yun's bandages, neutralizing the fire poison little by little. He then bid them farewell and returned home.
"Spitting fire like mist, a form like a scorpion... could it be the Velvet Fire Scorpion Bug ?"
The Hundred Herbs Illustrated Guide had an entry for the Velvet Fire Scorpion Bug, but it was associated with another Treasure Plant. The Fire Leaf Cornel, which could temper skin and muscle with intense heat, could be mixed with the Velvet Fire Scorpion Bug's powder and dozens of other herbs to create the Blazing Fire Tempering Pill—one of the precious medicines used for the Skin Refining and Tendon-Bone stages.
Although Su Yan knew a little, the Velvet Fire Scorpion Bug was only a supplementary medicine, and its habits and toxicity weren't detailed.
'An exotic bug is rare and cannot be missed. However, I can't easily estimate its strength. I need to prepare some things.' Su Yan decided to make a trip to the city first. The date for the academy to dispense the medicinal soup was tomorrow. Although he could track down an Inner Door senior brother later to collect it, Zhou Hui was on duty, and as a mountain-folk, Su Yan would likely not receive a good welcome from him. Besides, the silver he had should be spent and converted into capital for his cultivation.
His breathing was long, deep into his lungs, pushing the blood energy in his body to surge like a great tide.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, his mind clear, as if the Stance Skill had integrated into his bones. He took a step, leaving a small depression in the ground, and his body moved like an ape. He performed a full set of the Ape Fist, the eight forms fluid and varied, his blood energy surging, and his skin turning red. Yet, even while in motion, five or six tenths of his Stance Skill's power remained active, continuously refining his blood energy.
Su Yan practiced repeatedly. From late morning until noon, the scorching sun felt like a furnace. Sweat soaked his shirt, clinging to his body and revealing his defined muscles.
'Ordinary people have to wait for a spark of inspiration and cannot afford mistakes. But I am different.'
Su Yan threw punches relentlessly. In his consciousness, the eight forms of the Ape Fist cycled rapidly, continually merging with the Golden Ape Stance Skill.
'Right is right, wrong is wrong. Every move, every variation, I can see clearly—a comparison more meticulous than any famous master could provide. With this, the Stance Skill can achieve Great Accomplishment!'
He threw a final, heavy punch. His spine and arms hummed, and his strength was three parts greater than usual. The fusion of the Stance Skill and the Fist Art had, incredibly, enhanced the power of the technique.
[Golden Ape Stance Skill: 41/200 (Minor Accomplishment)][Ape Fist: 12/200 (Minor Accomplishment)]
Su Yan collected his breath and went inside to drink his brewed ginseng soup, supplying his body with more energy. Martial arts required proper rest and replenishment. He needed to supplement his body's energy with Bug Essence, precious medicines, and Desolate Beast meat to continue training and improve his strength.
After resting until the afternoon, he resumed his Stance Skill, but this time, he practiced walking—moving as normally as possible. This was a much more difficult practice. The stance broke several times, forcing him to constantly rediscover the feeling. After finishing his stance practice, he found an open space in the village, drew his bow, and practiced archery until the moon rose before finally resting. After carrying the tiger through the market, his reputation as a martial artist had spread, and he no longer needed to hide his archery practice.
The day the medicinal soup was distributed saw the highest number of students in the Golden Ape Martial Academy in days. The Registered Disciples packed the front courtyard, lining up to receive their soup. Though not everyone was present, there were three or four hundred people.
Su Yan did not linger but headed straight for the middle courtyard, where the number of people was much smaller, around a hundred. Interestingly, the division among these hundred-plus Outer Door Disciples was far clearer than among the Registered Disciples. The four cliques—mountain-folk, lake-dwellers, small city households, and wealthy youths—formed four distinct groups, lining up separately without interacting. No one wanted to cause trouble and incur the wrath of the Inner Door Disciples.
Su Yan received his medicinal soup, drank it on the spot, and found a corner to practice his Stance Skill. Now that his Golden Ape Stance Skill had reached Minor Accomplishment and advanced somewhat, his training was much more subtle than that of the ordinary disciples. His skin warmed slightly, and his blood energy surged, but he didn't turn bright red or break out in a massive sweat. Under the circulation of his Minor Accomplishment Stance Skill, his body functioned like a high-speed machine, quickly digesting the medicinal power. The blood energy integrated into his skin, continuously refining it.
After about a quarter of an hour, Su Yan exhaled into a plume of mist, focused like an arrow, and finished his stance practice.
'Although Senior Brother Gao said the soup was comparable to the Hundred Herb Hall's Blood Energy Pills, that was probably an exaggeration. For an ordinary person, who can't fully digest the medicine, utilizing seventy to eighty percent of the potency with a compatible stance is considered good. But I am different.'
Su Yan's eyes narrowed. He recalled the effects of consuming the wild ginseng and Ground Blood Vine.
'My Minor Accomplishment Stance Skill and the continuous nourishment of the Bug Essence allow me to absorb the medicinal power much more effectively. Ten parts of effect means ten parts of effect; no amount of compatibility can exceed that limit. To progress faster, I need more body-tempering supplements.'
Thinking this, he walked toward the exit.
"Junior Brother Su, wait up."
Just as he stepped out of the Golden Ape Martial Academy's gate, he was hailed by someone. He quickly recognized the man as Dian Jing (Senior Brother Dian), the leader of the mountain-folk clique, and the other as Li Shun (Senior Brother Li), the leader of the lake-dwellers clique.
"Senior Brother Dian, Senior Brother Li." Su Yan stopped and greeted them. "What business do you two senior brothers have with me?" Seeing them together and stopping him like this, he figured they had something important to discuss.
Indeed, Dian Jing looked around, saw disciples coming and going, and said, "We'd like to invite you to chat at a tavern, Junior Brother."
Su Yan agreed: "Please lead the way, Senior Brothers."
Dian Jing and Li Shun led Su Yan down the long street, through winding alleys, to a small, sparsely populated tavern. The tavern was single-story, unlike the Pan Family Restaurant, with seven or eight square tables, four long chairs each, and a bucket of chopsticks.
Dian Jing ordered a lot of braised food and a few measures of spirits before they sat down.
"I apologize for taking up your time, Junior Brother. Let me first offer you a toast." The three sat down, and Dian Jing raised his cup. Su Yan accepted, smiling: "You're too kind, Senior Brother. I'll toast you as well." The three clinked cups and drank. Su Yan mentally absorbed the alcohol and food into his Bug Realm space.
After two rounds of drinks, Li Shun relaxed a bit: "A few days ago, I heard the incredible story of you killing a ferocious tiger with three punches. That kind of strength is rare even among the Outer Door Disciples."
Su Yan was confused: Three punches? "Why three punches? Senior Brother, don't listen to rumors. It was a lucky kill after a fierce fight; I nearly lost my life."
Li Shun looked awkward. That's how the news was spreading in White Reed Lake. It had completely overshadowed his own news of catching a two-jinHorned Pomfret. "Let's not talk about that. We came to ask for your help in the assessment in half a month."
Su Yan didn't ask their purpose, keeping control of the conversation. Dian Jing, impatient, spoke frankly: "The Masters assess martial skills. How can we help? The results are entirely up to the Masters. Besides, Master Bai gives guidance once a month. There are plenty of opportunities. Why is this assessment so crucial?"
As Gao Zheng mentioned, Master Bai Changlin (the Academy Master) gave guidance once a month, which meant four or five times a year, even with minor interruptions. Su Yan doubted they had to be this competitive every time.
Li Shun took over: "Junior Brother, you've just initiated, so you naturally don't know."
"Please elaborate, Senior Brother."
"First, about the assessment." Li Shun became serious: "Master Bai's assessment is typically done in two ways: one is to observe the progress of fist arts and stance skills, and the other is sparring."
"Normally, whether Master Bai accepts someone or not depends on his personal preference. Even sparring might not lead to acceptance. But it's different after the Summer and Winter Taxes. This assessment is almost certainly for recruiting Inner Door Disciples."
"But even if they're in a rush, they wouldn't do it twice a year." Su Yan hit the nail on the head. They could wait a year to become Inner Door Disciples. Why involve him, a newcomer? Even if he had reached Minor Accomplishment, there were still many others at that level among the Outer Door Disciples.
Dian Jing and Li Shun exchanged a glance. Dian Jing said: "Being an Inner Door Disciple six months earlier or later makes a huge difference in Master Bai's eyes. Also, right after the Summer Tax, it's time for the Triennial Hunt in several of the Great Desolate Mountain regions of the Cloud Ridge Mountain range. Inner Door Disciples get to participate."
Su Yan's eyes brightened: 'So that's the root of the benefits.'