Chương 105: Dragon Intent Leads the Way, All Forms Become Dragons

After Su Zhe became a True Inheritor, the Master of Jade Body Peak never summoned him. Seven days passed in the blink of an eye. According to Yuan Lang, this was intentional—it was meant to give Su Zhe time to adapt to life at the Sword Casting Manor. During those few days, Su Zhe had become quite familiar with the place.

"Good! Then I'll follow you, shixiong, and pay my respects to Master." Su Zhe cupped his fists politely. The Sword Casting Mountain Range was filled with countless peaks. The five tallest peaks were each governed by one of the Five Peak Masters. Su Zhe's Hongyi Courtyard was located near Jade Body Peak, only a few miles away. With the speed of Su Zhe and Yuan Lang, even without the ability to fly through the air, they reached it in no time.

Along the way, Su Zhe saw many outer servant disciples hard at work beneath Jade Body Peak. Chopping firewood. Hauling water. Transporting supplies. Tending spirit herbs... Every one of them was busy.

"They're basically just like the blacksmith apprentices back in Lu County." Su Zhe couldn't help but sigh. Of course, he also understood that the two were worlds apart. The power backing these servant disciples was something the apprentices of the Blacksmith Guild could never compare to. Most of these servant disciples were people who had failed the disciple recruitment ceremony. Yet they still refused to give up on the martial path after a single defeat.

Since they couldn't become ordinary inner disciples, they willingly sold their labor and accepted the status of servant disciples, hoping one day to seize another chance to rise. The Sword Casting Manor actively encouraged competition among its disciples. The simplest way to improve one's status was to challenge someone of higher rank. Victory could earn the recognition of the manor's elders. A servant disciple could be promoted to an ordinary disciple. An ordinary disciple could rise to become a Core Disciple.

Thinking about it this way, Su Zhe had only recently joined the manor and had little foundation. His upcoming True Inheritor Seal Ceremony would undoubtedly be viewed as an opportunity by many Core Disciples. Jade Body Peak. Passing through rows of grand halls, many disciples immediately bowed when they saw Yuan Lang. These were all ordinary and Core Disciples under Jade Body Peak. However, none of them were true personal disciples of the Peak Master. Like Yuan Lang, they were merely registered disciples.

Even so, Yuan Lang stood at the very top among all registered disciples. The Master of Jade Body Peak had... certain flaws in her personality. When it came to killing, she was undoubtedly an unrivaled expert. But when it came to managing people... She was utterly hopeless. Over the years, it had been Yuan Lang who handled nearly every affair of Jade Body Peak, allowing this enormous organization to function smoothly.

"So this is our new True Inheritor junior brother? Quite a handsome young man." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"He's far too young... In less than three months he'll face the Seal Ceremony. I'm afraid he'll be humiliated."

"The tallest tree catches the strongest wind. Junior Brother is simply too dazzling. Plenty of people will have their eyes on him because of it." The disciples whispered among themselves. Every word reached the ears of Yuan Lang and Su Zhe.

"Junior Brother Su Zhe greets all my shixiong." Su Zhe simply smiled and bowed. The scene reminded him of the day he first entered the Artisan Hall. At heart, these senior brothers were merely worried about what awaited him during the Seal Ceremony. Their words might have been blunt, but there was no real malice.

"What are you all standing around for? Go train!" Yuan Lang barked. His authority among the registered disciples was unquestionable. At his shout, no one dared linger around Su Zhe any longer.

"Junior Brother, come find me when you're free. We'll drink until we're satisfied!"

"If you ever have questions about martial arts, don't hesitate to ask. I've got a few more years of experience than you."... The registered disciples all expressed goodwill before dispersing. Passing through the main hall of Jade Body Peak, they continued into the mountain behind it. The back mountain was a place of tranquil isolation. Peaceful. Quiet. A clear stream murmured through the woods, with fields stretching nearby. Yuan Lang led Su Zhe into a grove of blooming peach trees.

"Master, Junior Brother has arrived." Yuan Lang bowed respectfully. At that moment, the Master of Jade Body Peak was practicing martial arts. Her jade-like figure stood proudly as her hammer technique erupted with overwhelming might. With every swing of the hammer, boundless strength shook the wind and clouds, terrifying heaven and earth alike. Yet every movement she performed was incredibly slow. Like a wise elder who had comprehended the ultimate truths of martial arts, leisurely practicing Taiji. And yet...

Her entire being seemed perfectly fused with heaven and earth. Su Zhe stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded. As she demonstrated her hammer technique, endless violent winds seemed to pour from every strike. The gale was so terrifying that Su Zhe could barely remain standing. His footing became unstable. Even after using the Thousand-Pound Sink technique, he still couldn't resist. His body felt like a withered leaf drifting helplessly through the storm.

"So this is... several million jin of strength..." Even though he had already witnessed the terrifying power of the Master of Jade Body Peak during the battle at Yandang Mountain... Even now, seeing the force contained within her hammer technique firsthand... Su Zhe's heart still trembled. It felt as though... A mere mortal was standing before the might of heaven itself, suddenly realizing just how insignificant he truly was.

"ROAR!" An enormous phantom of the Savage Dragon Beast Strength suddenly appeared. Su Zhe's eyes lit up. The Master of Jade Body Peak herself seemed to transform into a savage dragon. Its scales were black as ink, gleaming brilliantly. Its blazing eyes burned like flames. An overwhelming aura of domination spread in every direction. Her killing intent soared into the heavens. Every movement carried immeasurable power, as though capable of suppressing every evil beneath the sky.

Its presence was as oppressive as a prison. None who beheld it dared meet its gaze. A spark of understanding flashed through Su Zhe's mind. Watching her martial arts demonstration, the hazy thoughts inside his head gradually became crystal clear. After a long while, the Master of Jade Body Peak slowly exhaled and withdrew her stance.

"All eleven forms have reached the External Three Harmonies."

"But you've become stuck at the Dragon Form, haven't you?" She smiled and turned toward Su Zhe.

"Master's insight truly sees everything. Nothing can be hidden from you." Su Zhe stepped forward and bowed. The Master of Jade Body Peak burst into laughter. Standing on tiptoe, she patted Su Zhe's shoulder. Despite her childlike appearance, her expression carried the warmth of a kind elder.

"You've got patience, kid."

"I deliberately ignored you for several days. At your age, I thought you'd get restless."

"But not once did you complain." Su Zhe nodded sincerely.

"Receiving Master's teachings is a blessing beyond measure. How could this disciple possibly harbor any resentment?"

"If not for Master, I would probably still be confined to that tiny corner of Lu County. How could I ever have entered the ranks of the True Inheritors?" She studied him thoughtfully.

"Watching me practice just now... what did you understand?" Su Zhe fell silent. The image of the Peak Master surfaced in his mind. At the same time, the Spirit Turtle Treasure Shell she had given him—the one containing a trace of her Savage Bull Yang Spirit Martial Intent—also replayed within his sea of consciousness. As he contemplated both, the parts that had once confused him suddenly became clear. Finally, he spoke.

"Dragon Intent Leads the Way. All Forms Become Dragons." Eight simple words. Yet they perfectly captured the key reason he had been unable to cultivate Dragon Form into the External Three Harmonies. It elevated his previous understanding—that Dragon Form was the fusion of all forms—to an entirely new level. The eleven forms each contributed a different aspect of the dragon. But they lacked a single dragon spine capable of binding them together. That dragon spine... Was Dragon Intent.

What Su Zhe had been missing all along... Was Dragon Intent. Hearing those words, the Master of Jade Body Peak's expression changed. Beside them, Yuan Lang stared in stunned disbelief. His heart was in turmoil.

"Back then... it took me three whole years to reach this level of understanding."

"If Junior Brother only had extraordinary talent, that would already be impressive enough."

"But his comprehension is this monstrous as well?" Yuan Lang drew in a sharp breath. He knew that the Master had already passed the Twelve Forms of Xingyi to Su Zhe back in Lu County. But that had happened before the New Year. Even counting every single day, it hadn't even been two months. Back then, Yuan Lang had watched the Peak Master practice more than ten times. It had taken him three full years before he finally grasped this truth.

Comparing himself to Su Zhe now, he couldn't help but feel the enormous gulf between them. A man who had broken history itself by becoming a True Inheritor directly... His reputation was no exaggeration. The so-called geniuses of the world... Were nothing more than frogs at the bottom of a well, catching only the smallest glimpse of the vast heaven that was Su Zhe.