In an instant, a wave of profound and mysterious insight flooded Su Yu’s mind.

A single moment in reality felt like several years passing in the depths of his consciousness.

In a daze, Su Yu felt as if he had become a Spiritual Ape, leaping between precipices and swinging his saber against the wind on a ten-thousand-foot cliff. Then, he was standing on a reef lashed by crashing waves, facing a hundred-foot-tall tidal wave, cleaving a path between life and death with each strike, suppressing the raging torrent.

From tedious repetition to a sudden flash of inspiration.

Finally, after countless strikes, the scattered fragments of his techniques suddenly coalesced, forming a single, focused will!

Su Yu’s eyes snapped open. He took a deep breath, his once-restless gaze now as deep as a tranquil pool. He raised the Mo Yuan Saber once more, but this time, he didn’t rush to strike. Instead, he stood quietly, letting the biting wind in the courtyard whip at the corners of his clothes.

He whispered a word, and with a seemingly casual flick of his wrist, the Mo Yuan Saber slashed out.

HMMMM—

This time, it wasn’t the sharp whistle of air being torn apart. Instead, it was a low, oppressive hum, like muffled thunder rolling through the clouds!

As the blade cut through the air, the surrounding Qi Flow didn’t scatter. It seemed to grow thick and heavy, drawn in by the edge of the saber to form an invisible field of pressure.

If someone had been standing opposite Su Yu at that moment, they would have been horrified to find that even though the saber was still several feet away, their chest felt crushed by a giant boulder. Breathing would become difficult, and they’d even have the illusion that escape was impossible—that all they could do was stretch out their neck for the slaughter.

"Spiritual Ape Demon-Suppressing Stance!"

A sharp light flashed in Su Yu’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but crack a smile.

The gap between the Skilled and Minor Achievement realms seemed like a single step, but in reality, it was a world of difference.

The Skilled Realm was about training the "Skill," about muscle memory, about perfecting the speed and precision of the moves.

But the Minor Success Realm was about training the "aura," about wielding the saber with one’s Qi and Blood, about using one’s very essence to crush the enemy’s spirit!

’No wonder Master always said that only by grasping the ’aura’ has one truly crossed the threshold of saber arts.’

Su Yu looked at the Mo Yuan Saber, which was still faintly trembling in his hand, and felt the barrier between man and blade completely disappear.

This Mo Yuan Long Saber, weighing a full one hundred and eight catties, now felt strangely different in his hands.

When he chopped, it was as heavy as Mount Tai, like a vajra subduing a demon—unstoppable.

When he changed his move, it was as light as a feather, as nimble as a Spiritual Ape, wreathed in mist—unpredictable and mysterious.

In one thought, the Spiritual Ape, wielding the heavy as if it were light. In another thought, the Demon-Subduer, wielding the light as if it were heavy.

This transition between heavy and light, hard and soft, was controlled entirely by a single thought from Su Yu!

’With this saber aura, I can forcibly tear through the Qi and Blood Defense of even a master at the Second Acupoint realm, one who has connected their Front and back mirror acupoints!’

Su Yu was in high spirits. This kind of breakthrough in comprehension was a hundred times more difficult than simply increasing one’s Qi and Blood.

How many Martial Artists were stuck at a bottleneck their entire lives simply because they couldn’t grasp that single concept: "aura"!

Sheathing the Mo Yuan, Su Yu willed his status panel to appear.

[Martial Arts]: White Ape Fist (First Layer) (Skilled 5500/7000)

[Martial Arts]: Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber (First Layer) (Minor Achievement 1/7000)

[Martial Arts]: Black Stone Body Forging Skill (First Layer) (entry-level 4500/5000)

[Martial Arts]: Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step (Skilled 1300/2000)

...

Looking at the rows of stats, the anticipation in Su Yu’s eyes grew even stronger.

’The Skill Level for White Ape Fist is increasing nicely. In less than twenty days, I’ll definitely break through to Minor Achievement. Then I’ll be a true Second Acupoint Martial Artist!’

’And this Black Stone Body Forging Skill...’ Su Yu clenched his fist, feeling the resilient power stirring restlessly beneath his skin. ’It’s also reaching its breaking point. Once I break through, the density of my Qi and Blood and my physical defenses will take a qualitative leap!’

...

「White Ape Martial Arts Hall, Inner Courtyard Tearoom.」

The fragrance of tea curled in the air, mingling with the warm steam.

Qin Fangqiong sat upright in a Grandmaster’s Chair, looking down at Chen Fan, whose injuries had healed and whose Qi and Blood had restabilized. A trace of satisfaction flashed in her eyes.

"Chen Fan, now that your injuries are healed, I have two tasks for you."

Qin Fangqiong set down her teacup, her tone gentle. "First, report to the Law Enforcement Team tomorrow. It’s a treasure trove for building connections and accumulating resources, so you need to establish yourself there quickly. As for the second matter..."

At this, a smile touched Qin Fangqiong’s lips. "On the seventh day after the new year, I will personally take you to visit the Huyan Family. If you can catch the eye of the Third Miss Huyan, this marriage alliance will be set in stone!"

"The Huyan Family?!"

Chen Fan snapped his head up, his breathing instantly growing heavy as irrepressible ecstasy erupted in his eyes.

In the Outer City of Black Stone City, the Huyan Family was a colossal power, on par with the Liu Family!

They had several high-ranking officers in the Black Stone Army and wielded immense power!

The most famous among them was Huyan Ba. As a Centurion of the Black Stone Army’s elite cavalry, he once charged into enemy lines alone and trampled a rebel commander from the Black Lotus Sect into a bloody pulp. His reputation was formidable!

If he could latch onto such a powerful connection and marry the Third Miss Huyan, his future would surely be brilliant!

It wouldn’t even be a fantasy to establish his own clan in Black Stone City, just as his master had said!

"Thank you, Master, for your guidance! I... I will give my all and never forget your kindness!" Chen Fan’s voice trembled with excitement as he kowtowed heavily.

"Get up. I have paved the road for you, but whether you can walk it well is up to you."

Qin Fangqiong waved her hand dismissively, then changed the subject, speaking in a seemingly casual tone. "Oh, right, one more thing. While you were recovering, that boy Su Yu has been progressing at a divine speed. He’s already opened his Front Mirror Danzhong Acupoint. At this rate, he’ll probably be attempting to open his Second Acupoint shortly after the new year."

"Wha... what!"

Those words were like a bucket of ice water dumped over his head. The ecstasy on Chen Fan’s face instantly froze, and he stood rigid on the spot.

"The Front Mirror? He... he broke through?"

Chen Fan’s pupils contracted violently. The tower of pride he had just built in his heart collapsed with a deafening CRASH.

’How is that possible?!’

’I was only recovering for a little over a month, and that trash with the Lower-Grade Root Bone has already come this far?’

’It wasn’t long ago during the Martial Examination that he broke through. How is he already about to touch the threshold of the Second Acupoint?’

’I have a Top-Grade Root Bone! How could I have been surpassed by him?’

Seeing Chen Fan’s shocked expression, a shrewd glint flashed in the depths of Qin Fangqiong’s eyes.

"Chen Fan, on the path of Martial Arts, you either advance or fall behind. If, after the new year, your progress is still being suppressed by Su Yu..."

Qin Fangqiong took a sip of tea, her tone flat yet cruel. "From now on, within the hall, you will address him as Senior Brother. Here at the White Ape Martial Arts Hall, we have always prioritized the accomplished."

"Furthermore, the hall’s resources are limited. Starting next month, your allotment of Black Scale Blood Orifice Pills will be halved. You’ll receive a provisional five pills per month."

BOOM!

If her previous words were cold water, this was a knife to the heart!

’Halved! That’s a full one hundred and fifty taels of silver worth of resources! Just snatched away by Su Yu like that?’

’Damn it, I’m supposed to be the number one genius of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall!’

Chen Fan’s hands, hidden in his sleeves, clenched into tight fists, his nails digging deep into his flesh. Intense jealousy gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake. Yet, he had to force a smile that was uglier than a grimace onto his face as he bowed his head and replied:

"Yes... I will obey Master’s command. I will redouble my efforts and break through to the Second Acupoint faster than Junior Su. I will not disappoint you, Master."

"You may go."

The moment he left the tearoom, the respectful expression on Chen Fan’s face vanished, replaced by a mask of extreme distortion, twisted by jealousy.

"SU YU!!!"

He let out a silent roar in his heart, his eyes bloodshot.

’Damn it! Damn it all! You piece of trash with a Lower-Grade Root Bone, what right do you have to hound me like a mad dog!’

’You stole my reputation, you stole my status, and now you’re even stealing my pills!’

A grim, cold light glinted in Chen Fan’s eyes.

’You want me to call you Senior Brother? In your dreams! I will break through to the Second Acupoint before you do! As long as I break through first, Master’s favor, the resources I lost... everything will come back to me!’

...

「Golden Scale Law Enforcement Team, Council Hall.」

Li Jingxuan stood before a massive city defense map, his expression solemn.

Below the platform, Su Yu, Lin Wanzhu, and the other three captains were all present, awaiting their orders.

"Everyone is here."

Li Jingxuan’s gaze was sharp as he said in a low voice, "The pre-new-year ghoul-hunting operation is nearing its end. The ghouls deep in the villages and towns have mostly been purged, but there are still many around the Black Water River."

THWACK! 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Li Jingxuan’s finger tapped heavily on a river bend on the map.

"Black Water Beach! This is the nest with the densest concentration of ghoul presence. Commander Lin cleared it out once before, but many ghouls remain. The final mission before the new year is to purge this location!"

Li Jingxuan looked at Lin Wanzhu and said gravely, "In three days, Commander Lin, you will personally lead the operation. All five teams will join forces to set an ambush here! We will wipe out all the ghouls in this area in one fell swoop!"

After laying out the mission, a smile finally broke through Li Jingxuan’s tense expression, and his tone lightened somewhat:

"Everyone, if this last battle before the new year is fought well, Commander Pang Da has promised a hefty reward at the year’s end."