Wu Cong let out a sigh. “Exactly… At least you both have Visions—proof that you’ve been chosen by the gods. But for people like us, ordinary mortals, even catching a glimpse of an adeptus in our lifetime is nothing more than a fantasy.”
“So, when I heard that an adeptus was taking disciples here, I rushed over immediately. I wanted to fulfill the dream my ancestors never could…”
However, he wasn’t sure if he could actually master the adeptus’s techniques.
His talent was lacking. No matter how hard he trained, no matter how fast he punched, he could never achieve the adeptus’s formless strikes—blows so swift they could shatter objects from a distance.
His comprehension was also poor. Unlike his senior disciple, who had arrived before him, he couldn’t grasp the deeper mysteries of the art.
Ashamed of his shortcomings, he deliberately trained farther away to avoid hearing the adeptus sigh in disappointment.
“Speaking of which, what exactly are these ‘trials of ascension’?” Jiang Bai asked curiously.
“‘Ascending to the heavens’ means reaching the floating island above Qingyun Peak.”
“There’s a floating island above Qingyun Peak?” Hu Tao looked up toward the towering summits of Jueyun Karst, but thick clouds veiled the sky, obscuring any view of what lay beyond.
Even she had never heard of such a thing.
“Yes. It’s clearly described in the journals passed down by my ancestors.” Wu Cong nodded firmly.
“The island is hidden within the clouds. To reveal it, one must climb to the peaks of three towering mountains and activate the mechanisms atop them. Once done, they must return to Qingyun Peak’s summit and find the hidden path leading upward through the clouds…”
“That sounds incredibly difficult…” Hu Tao mused.
She knew how steep the mountains in that area were. Some of them were as sharp as blades, jutting straight into the sky at ninety-degree angles, offering no natural path to climb. The only way up was to grip the rocky surface and slowly make the ascent by hand.
“Indeed! My father’s generation took three whole years to complete this trial…” Wu Cong said with a sigh.
Back then, there were no Wing Gliders. The phrase ‘as difficult as ascending to the heavens’ was no exaggeration.
And yet, even after overcoming the ‘heavens,’ they were stumped by the ‘earth.’
“What about the trial of the earth?” Jiang Bai asked.
Wu Cong shook his head. The journals contained little information about it, suggesting that his ancestors never discovered the answer.
“I see…”
As they chatted, a small house nestled in the mountains soon came into view.
The structure was simple and crude, built from several wooden cabins joined together and covered with a thick layer of thatched roofing.
Out front, a man stood motionless, yet his mouth was constantly muttering, “Hmph! Ha! Hah!”—as if he were deep in training.
Beside him, an elderly man wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a short sword at his waist observed in silence. Occasionally, he would murmur reminders to focus.
“True Lord, I brought some friends over!” Wu Cong called out, drawing the pair’s attention.
The old man lifted his head, his straw hat tilting upward to reveal sharp, piercing eyes.
Despite his advanced age, his posture radiated strength, and his every movement exuded the presence of someone extraordinary.
Taking two steps forward, he gave Jiang Bai and Hu Tao a once-over before saying:
“I see that you both possess exceptional bone structure and extraordinary auras. Have you come seeking my legendary martial arts?”
Jiang Bai’s expression twitched.
‘Exceptional bone structure’? ‘Extraordinary aura’?
Master, are you blind? I just got beaten up—my face is swollen like a pig’s head!
“You must be True Lord of Thunderous Lightning! I’ve long heard of your great name!”
As Jiang Bai was still inwardly roasting the old man, Hu Tao had already stepped forward, smiling brightly. She looked at him as if she had found a premium client—and promptly pulled out a flyer.
“Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is currently offering an exclusive 20% discount for customers who bring this flyer! I’m sure you’ll need it someday!”
“…Huh?”
The old man took the flyer, completely stunned.
I thought you were here to seek enlightenment… Why are you selling me a funeral package?!
Lowering his gaze, he scanned the paper.
‘Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—Custom Burial Services, 20% Off’
“Ahem, I’ll… take a look at it later.” He coughed lightly, slipping the flyer into his sleeve as if nothing had happened.
“But let’s not stray from the topic—have you two come to learn my martial arts or not?”
“To be honest, we’ve indeed heard of your great name and have come specially to witness your skills,” Jiang Bai said, stepping forward.
He wasn’t sure why Hu Tao was handing out funeral parlor flyers to a supposed adeptus, but hyping things up was always a safe bet.
The old man stroked his beard and gazed up at the towering peaks of Jueyun Karst. A serene, otherworldly air seemed to emanate from him.
“All who enter Jueyun Karst are rare talents, possessing unparalleled potential. Seeing such individuals delights this old heart, so I have taken it upon myself to open this humble school and pass on my teachings.”
He turned slightly, facing the humble thatched house before continuing:
“As the saying goes: ‘When great masters cannot be found, one must turn to the sages hidden in humble abodes.’”
“Wow~” Hu Tao gasped dramatically, eyes sparkling. “So what exactly do you teach, True Lord?”
“Why, my legendary martial arts, of course!”
“Could you give us a demonstration?” Jiang Bai pressed closer.
“Yes, yes! We ordinary mortals have never witnessed an adeptus in action!” Hu Tao chimed in.
“Exactly, exactly!”
Together, they flanked the True Lord of Thunderous Lightning, hyping him up with every word.
The old man’s expression remained calm as he gestured toward a bench.
“You have traveled far—rest first. Once I have adjusted my energies, I shall perform a demonstration for you.”
With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and disappeared into the hut, closing the door behind him.
Jiang Bai and Hu Tao exchanged glances.
Hu Tao’s little ghost companion quietly slipped out and snuck after him.
Wu Cong, unaware of this, patted Jiang Bai’s shoulder with admiration. “Looks like True Lord is in a good mood today—he seems to think highly of you two! You’re about to witness something amazing!”
“Oh? Does True Lord not usually give demonstrations?” Jiang Bai asked.
After seeing Xiao, a true adeptus, he felt like something about this old man was… off.
Unlike Xiao, who carried an ethereal, distant presence as if detached from the mortal world, this so-called adeptus didn’t have that same unearthly quality.
He had some aura, but it felt forced, almost like he was trying too hard.
In short—his vibe wasn’t high enough!
That being said, Wu Cong’s punches earlier were pretty strong, almost like a human helicopter. Maybe the old man really did have something to teach?
“No, no, no!”
At that moment, the man who had been training earlier spoke up.
Arms crossed, he lifted his chin and said smugly, “True Lord has already demonstrated multiple times. It’s just that his movements are too fast for the human eye to follow.”
Jiang Bai, Hu Tao: “???”
“Did you not notice the change in air currents when True Lord raised his hand? That was the residual force from ten thousand consecutive punches! Even though he used magic to suppress its full power, a small portion still leaked out—just enough to make me tremble in awe!”
—
T/N: ahhh a xianxia mc of misunderstanding power
This is a fan translation of 胡桃拿我冲业绩 by 余溯. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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