Chapter 226: Revenge

Zhou Yuan's expression was still gloomy after leaving the back mountain. He hadn't expected such a coincidence – that the instructor he met would be Zhu Feng's elder brother.

It seemed Gu Hongyi had tried to warn him earlier, but she was too proud and didn't finish her sentence.

"I refuse to believe I can't master this technique without an instructor's guidance," Zhou Yuan muttered, clutching the jade slip, his eyes slightly cold. Practicing the Lesser Sky Origin Technique was indeed difficult, but he didn't believe he couldn't achieve it without someone to guide him. At worst, it would just take more time.

Still, being disgusted by Zhu Yue today had truly spoiled his mood.

Annoyed, Zhou Yuan left the back mountain and returned to the small building.

On the balcony of the small building, Yao Yao was leisurely basking in the warm sunlight, idly flipping through an ancient book. Her flawless profile was as smooth as jade, and her black hair cascaded down, creating a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

Seeing this, the lingering annoyance in Zhou Yuan's heart quietly dissipated.

"What's wrong?" Yao Yao, sensing his presence, turned her head and asked lazily.

Zhou Yuan sat down beside her, inhaling the girl's faint scent, and reluctantly recounted the day's events.

Yao Yao listened intently, her bright eyes slightly narrowed, making it impossible to discern her mood. After he finished speaking, she said in a clear, calm voice, "He's just an inner-mountain disciple. At best, he's only initially mastered the 'Ethereal Transformation Art.' He's not qualified to fully comprehend it. So, staying there would only be a waste of your Origin Jade."

"You'd be better off using that Origin Jade to improve Tun Tun's meals."

Hearing this, Tun Tun, who was nearby, immediately let out an excited growl, his eyes sparkling.

"You performed pretty well today. I'll take you to Hundred Fragrances Pavilion again later," Zhou Yuan said with a smile, stroking Tun Tun's head. If not for the little creature today, facing Zhu Yue with his current strength would have been quite a struggle. Although Zhu Yue wouldn't have dared to do anything to him, it would have been somewhat embarrassing.

Fortunately, Tun Tun protected him, instead making Zhu Yue, who had tried to intimidate him, utterly discomfited.

"Let me see that Ethereal Transformation Art," Yao Yao said, extending her small hand. Her jade-like fingers were slender, long, and translucent.

Zhou Yuan took the jade slip from his embrace and handed it to Yao Yao.

Yao Yao took it, her beautiful eyes closing slightly. After a moment, she slowly opened them and said, "This Origin Art is quite interesting. You have good taste..."

"Mastering this Origin Art isn't difficult. It simply involves opening 108 acupoints, then infusing and refining them with cloud-mist essence. Once perfected, your physical body can become illusory, like mist, allowing you to travel a thousand miles in an instant..."

"The slight complication is that the human body has countless acupoints, all different. Only by gradually sensing them can those 108 specific acupoints be opened. I imagine those so-called instructors merely offer suggestions when other disciples make errors in sensing, telling them to correct themselves and try again. It's not particularly helpful."

Yao Yao had only looked at it for a short while, yet she had already seen through the mysteries of the Ethereal Transformation Art. Such terrifying comprehension left Zhou Yuan somewhat dumbfounded.

Zhou Yuan stared at Yao Yao, his eyes shining with eagerness, and asked, "Then, Sister Yao Yao, do you know how to sense those 108 acupoints?"

Hearing him, Yao Yao shook her head and said, "I can't."

However, she extended a jade finger and pointed at Zhou Yuan, adding, "But you can."

Zhou Yuan was completely bewildered, clearly not understanding what she meant.

Seeing his bewildered expression, Yao Yao couldn't help but smile. She extended a cool, jade-like finger and gently tapped Zhou Yuan's glabella, where an ancient Sacred Mark was hidden.

"You are truly sitting on a treasure mountain without realizing it."

"The Sacred Mark on your glabella originates from the 'Azure Profound Saint Seal.' Senior Azure Profound also stated that it is the 'Obstacle-Breaking Sacred Mark.'"

"It can discern the flaws in any Origin Art."

"Not just against enemies, but within oneself as well."

Zhou Yuan's eyes grew brighter and brighter. He had understood Yao Yao's meaning, so he slowly said, "So, I can use the Obstacle-Breaking Sacred Mark to perceive the Ethereal Transformation Art I'm cultivating..."

Yao Yao nodded slightly and chuckled sweetly, "That way, you won't need to painstakingly sense the locations of the acupoints. You'll only need to use the Obstacle-Breaking Sacred Mark to find them."

"With that kind of efficiency, which will surpass others by many times, why would you need guidance from a newly initiated inner-mountain disciple?"

Zhou Yuan clenched his fists tightly. Even with his temperament, he couldn't help but show excitement in his eyes and instinctively tried to hug Yao Yao, exclaiming, "Sister Yao Yao, you're amazing!"

However, before his hand could reach Yao Yao, her bright eyes narrowed slightly and swept over him, instantly making Zhou Yuan freeze.

Zhou Yuan awkwardly retracted his hand, gripped the jade slip, and said sheepishly, "Then I'll go try cultivating first and see if I can perceive my own acupoints."

With that, he slipped away to the small building's backyard to attempt cultivating the Ethereal Transformation Art.

Watching his retreating figure, a faint smile finally appeared on Yao Yao's slightly stern pretty face. Then, she looked outside the building, her small red lips pursed slightly, a hint of coldness in her expression.

"Tun Tun..."

She lightly patted Tun Tun, who was beside her.

Tun Tun looked up.

"Go teach that guy a lesson..." Yao Yao said expressionlessly.

While she could tease Zhou Yuan, an inner-mountain disciple had no right to act that way.

Hearing this, Tun Tun immediately let out a low growl, excitement clearly welling up in his beastly eyes. With a swift movement, he transformed into a black streak of light and shot out.

Yao Yao watched the spot where Tun Tun vanished, then lay back down, leisurely basking in the sun and reading the ancient book in her hands.

Night fell.

Zhu Yue walked out of the hall, watching the dispersing disciples. As they left, they all bowed respectfully to him, which made him feel even more self-satisfied.

"Haha, thanks to you, big brother, Zhou Yuan suffered a great loss today. It's truly satisfying," Zhu Feng said, laughing, from behind Zhu Yue.

Zhu Yue chuckled faintly, "He's just a bumpkin from a small place, lacking in knowledge. Does he really think the Lesser Sky Origin Art is that easy to cultivate? When he comes begging, I'll show him how I humiliate him."

"These past few days, I've also been talking to other inner-mountain fellow disciples. It's best if that kid can't find any instructor at all. Then I'll make sure he can't even master a single Origin Art!"

"Let's see what he'll use to compete in the Selection Ceremony then!"

Zhu Feng also nodded with a cold sneer.

"You should go back for now. Come more often these days and work hard to master this Ethereal Transformation Art. That way, you can show off a bit at the Selection Ceremony," Zhu Yue said.

Zhu Feng assented, then turned and left.

After seeing him off, Zhu Yue headed towards his residence. Naturally, the inner-mountain disciples enjoyed much better living conditions than outer-mountain disciples, each having a good place to cultivate.

Zhu Yue, stepping on Origin Qi, soared over a mountaintop. Suddenly, his expression drastically changed, as a black streak of light, swift as lightning, shot up from below, resembling a bolt of thunder.

"Who's there?!"

Zhu Yue roared. The Origin Qi within him immediately surged forth. He slammed out a backhand palm, and the Origin Qi transformed into a colossal hand, tens of feet long, fiercely swiping down at the black light.

*Rip!*

However, the black light didn't stop at all. A low growl seemed to echo as black light coiled around sharp claws, which suddenly ripped downwards.

In that instant, it felt as if space itself was tearing apart.

In mere seconds, the colossal Origin Qi hand shattered. The fierce claw wind tore downwards, and Zhu Yue immediately felt a pungent gust of wind rush towards his face. Then, intense pain erupted on his cheek.

He couldn't help but shriek. A bloody claw mark appeared on his face, extending all the way down to his waist, tearing his entire outfit to shreds. He was in an extremely sorry state.

Blood streamed down from his eyes. Zhu Yue exploded with rage, his Origin Qi surging wildly. But before he could retaliate, the black streak of light had already vanished into the vast darkness of the night.

Zhu Yue looked around blankly in mid-air, trembling with anger. He wasn't a fool; how could he not know that the black light must be related to Zhou Yuan, perhaps even that little beast from earlier today!

But even if he knew, what then? Could he really admit that an outer-mountain disciple had left him in such a state? If that news reached the Seven Peaks, what face would he have left?

Thus, Zhu Yue was practically seething with fury.

"Zhou Yuan!"

"I'll make sure you can't master a single Origin Art!"

In the night, Zhu Yue's enraged, venomous roar echoed like that of a wild beast.