Chapter 137: Master Yang Xuan

While the True Qi Realm at the third level of martial arts was by no means the highest, it was also not low. The fact that he had attempted to break through for over a decade without success clearly demonstrated its difficulty.

He had thought it would take at least half a day, perhaps even a full day, to achieve a breakthrough. Yet, his master claimed it could be done in just three to five minutes?

Brother, are you treating this like a casual drink of tea or water?

Sun Qiang felt his worldview was on the verge of collapsing, driving him to the brink of madness.

Even if True Qi coursed through his entire body, that amount of time... surely wouldn't be enough!

“What? You don’t want to break through?” Zhang Xuan frowned, seeing him in a daze.

“No, no… Master, what should I do?”

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Sun Qiang quickly replied.

“Take the pill, then circulate your True Qi with all your might. Don’t worry about the rest,” Zhang Xuan instructed.

“Understood!”

Hearing such a simple instruction, Sun Qiang wasted no time. He promptly took out the pills, selected one, and swallowed it.

As expected of a fine product refined by a certified alchemist, the moment it entered his body, he felt a surge of heat and power coursing through him.

Zhang Xuan walked over, took out silver needles, and precisely inserted them into several of Sun Qiang's blocked meridians.

Having previously used silver needles to help Zhao Yanfeng improve and Wang Ying resolve her leg ailment, he knew their versatility and had specifically prepared a box in his storage ring.

While others needed to infuse True Qi or use soul power to detect blocked meridians, Zhang Xuan did not. As long as his subject performed a martial technique, the Heaven's Path Library would generate a book clearly outlining any weaknesses. All he had to do was take out a silver needle, pinpoint the exact location, insert it, and then use his own pure True Qi to cleanse the impurities.

He controlled the True Qi to flow along the needle, like a clear stream pouring into turbid river water. Instantly, the entire 'river' of meridians became transparent, and the True Qi that had previously stagnated was re-dissolved.

Sun Qiang's accumulation over ten years was astonishing. Under the nourishment of the pure True Qi, the stagnant True Qi in his body was revitalized, causing his internal power to surge explosively. In less than a minute, it had circulated through his entire body!

Boom!

His power instantly broke through the True Qi Realm's third level and continued to ascend without stopping, climbing steadily.

Whoosh!

After an indeterminate amount of time, it finally ceased.

“My cultivation…”

Standing up and assessing his strength, Sun Qiang’s face was filled with utter disbelief.

He had initially thought reaching the Skin-Bone Realm would be a good outcome, but he never expected to break through in one go, directly reaching the late stage of the Skin-Bone Realm!

“Only… less than five minutes have passed?”

What stunned him even more was that, just as his master had claimed, it was indeed a matter of three to five minutes…

Damn, when did breakthroughs become so easy?

If it truly was this simple, then what the hell had he been doing for the past decade, stuck in place without progress? Had he been cultivating, or just wasting his time?

Sun Qiang felt as though he was dreaming, on the verge of fainting.

“Good, now you just need to slowly consolidate your cultivation!”

Ignoring Sun Qiang’s dazed expression, Zhang Xuan withdrew the silver needles and returned to his seat.

In truth, Sun Qiang’s rapid breakthrough was entirely due to his incredibly deep prior accumulation, combined with Zhang Xuan’s pure True Qi. Any other person would certainly not have achieved it so quickly.

The pure True Qi dissolved the True Qi that Sun Qiang had accumulated and stagnant over time, much like clear water melting ice. As the 'water' naturally increased, breaking through the cultivation bottleneck became an effortless and natural progression.

Otherwise, he could have simply used acupuncture to help Zhao Ya and the others break through, and he wouldn't have to worry and painstakingly disguise himself just to earn money.

Of course, more importantly, Zhang Xuan did not want to give Zhao Ya and the others the impression of gaining something for nothing. The path of cultivation was long, and if they started with such a mindset, their future cultivation would inevitably be limited, making it impossible to overcome the heart tribulation.

“Thank you, Master!”

Recovering from his shock, Sun Qiang understood that such rapid progress was entirely due to his master. He immediately knelt, bowing in sincere reverence.

Had it not been for him, Sun Qiang wouldn't just be unable to receive respect like Ling Tianyu's or enjoy such elevated status; he would likely have been stuck at the peak of the True Qi Realm for the rest of his life, never breaking through.

The experience of this day was something he could never have achieved in a lifetime!

“From now on, I must serve diligently and never lose this opportunity…”

He secretly made up his mind.

“Ling Tianyu should be back shortly. Go out and greet him,” Zhang Xuan said.

Having resolved the matter of Sun Qiang’s breakthrough, Zhang Xuan stopped speaking and casually waved his hand.

“Understood!”

Sun Qiang then withdrew.

“Who exactly lives in this courtyard? How could it transform a minor figure like Sun Qiang, making even Ling Tianyu fearful? And to the point of calling him Brother Sun?”

Du Yuan, standing outside, grew increasingly perplexed. After a long while, he finally understood: it must be the powerful master of this residence who instilled such fear in Lord Ling, a man his own grandfather treated as an equal.

Yet, no matter how long he pondered, he couldn’t fathom which high-ranking official or noble in Tianxuan Royal City possessed such immense influence—enough to make a dignified billionaire willingly wait outside overnight and then appear overjoyed the moment the door opened.

As he pondered, the courtyard gate creaked open, and Ling Tianyu and Master Cheng Yuan strode out.

“They’re leaving already? And… no one’s seeing them off?”

Du Yuan blinked.

Just moments ago, a butler had come out to greet them. Now, as they left, even if the master was too high and mighty to see them off, surely the butler should reappear? Yet… the butler was nowhere to be seen!

Regardless, Ling Tianyu was a wealthy and influential figure. When he visited the Du family, Du Yuan’s grandfather would personally see him out of the living room, and then either his father or one of the managing elders would escort him to the gate, as a mark of respect.

He had to open the door himself, and not even a guard offered assistance…

Who the hell was this person?

Du Yuan's curiosity was unbearable.

He waited a little longer. Just as he was about to step forward and inquire, the courtyard gate creaked open once more, and Sun Qiang, the same man from before, emerged with his hands behind his back.

“This…”

Seeing a familiar face, Du Yuan was about to approach and ask, when he suddenly stumbled, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

Could anyone tell him what was going on?

Just moments ago, this man was at the peak of the True Qi Realm. How had he suddenly reached… the late stage of the Skin-Bone Realm?

In merely ten minutes, his cultivation had advanced by almost an entire major realm…

He wasn’t going blind, was he?

Du Yuan trembled all over.

“Oh? Isn’t this Young Master Du Yuan? What brings you here?”

As Du Yuan grappled with disbelief, on the verge of losing his mind, Sun Qiang’s voice rang out. Looking up, he found Sun Qiang standing before him, seemingly having appeared out of nowhere.

“Oh, I was just passing by…” Quickly suppressing his shock, Du Yuan cautiously asked with a hint of confusion, “Weren’t you at the market? How is it that…”

“I am now the butler of this residence, following my master!” Sun Qiang’s eyes gleamed with confidence.

Before, he had to be cautious when speaking to scions of prominent families, fearing unprovoked assault. Now, with even Ling Tianyu deferring to him, how could he possibly fear a mere junior?

“Your master is…” Du Yuan quickly pressed.

“You don’t even know our master?”

Sun Qiang clasped his hands behind his back, lifted his head, his eyes shining with reverence and excitement.

“Grandmaster Yang Xuan!”