When Jian Yumei and Lin Li returned to their master's house, they entered quietly. However, as they passed by their master's room, they noticed that the door was slightly ajar.
"Strange, could our master have also gone out at night?" Jian Yumei wondered.
At that moment, Lin Li yawned.
"Junior Brother, let's each retire for the night. If my father has gone out, he will naturally return later. You needn't worry about it!" Lin Li said.
"Very well," Jian Yumei recalled the scene from the day of the thunderstorm when he had run out to find their master atop that large tree. However, he knew he couldn't pursue their master's whereabouts at this moment.
Returning to his room, Jian Yumei followed the secret technique of the Earth's Circuit that their master had taught him. With careful execution, his Qi quickly filled his meridians according to the requirements of the technique, releasing it through each acupoint.
"Release, release, release!" Jian Yumei concentrated on circulating his Qi.
Soon, Qi flowed freely through all major acupoints. Jian Yumei then gathered this Qi into his lower Dantian, circulating it numerous times. He felt his body filled with even more Qi than before his practice session.
"No wonder they say 'what you let out is less than what you gain.' I only released a portion of my Qi earlier, but I've gathered even more!" Jian Yumei marveled at the mysterious nature of cosmic Qi.
He then continued to focus on guarding his Dantian lightly, allowing his Qi to further fill him.
Gradually, he entered a trance-like state. When he gradually regained awareness, he noticed the red sun casting its light upon the earth outside. Jian Yumei rose to conclude his practice, gently massaging and striking his acupoints. He felt refreshed and invigorated.
As he stepped out into the courtyard, he saw their master practicing martial arts.
"Come, Mei'er, I want to see how well you've practiced the set of techniques I taught you the other day!" their master said.
"Master, after this period of training, I have basically mastered them!" Jian Yumei replied.
"Then let's have a friendly match!" their master proposed.
"Very well!" Jian Yumei replied and swiftly advanced.
Perhaps due to his recent Qi circulation, his movements were exceptionally agile. He executed the Shadowless Palm technique with remarkable skill.
Their master watched with satisfaction, though he knew Jian Yumei's skills still needed improvement. Therefore, he remained silent, waiting for Jian Yumei to make his moves.
After more than twenty exchanges, Jian Yumei's attacks gradually met with their master's counteractions. Sensing their master's subtle force, Jian Yumei knew he would surely lose if he continued like this.
But he couldn't afford to surrender. While sparring, he pondered a strategy.
Finally, he came up with an idea. After receiving their master's move, he pretended to slip, seemingly on the verge of falling.
Their master, alarmed, reached out to catch him. As he did, Jian Yumei swiftly countered, locking their master's hands.
This technique, known as Dragon-Tiger Lock, was their master's specialty. He had taught it to Jian Yumei, hoping he would excel in it.
Their master was surprised but delighted. "Mei'er, you're truly talented! I thought you hadn't grasped it yet, but I didn't expect you to master it so quickly!"
"It's all thanks to your guidance, Master," Jian Yumei replied.
"Yes, this palm technique complements a claw technique. Learning one leads to mastery of the other. Unexpectedly, you've already studied the claw technique on your own! Take this book and study it carefully!" their master instructed, handing Jian Yumei a book—a treasured heritage of their sect.
"Thank you, Master," Jian Yumei nodded.
"Remember, our work in tomb-raiding is perilous. We deal with various people and creatures, so your skills must be excellent to ensure our safety. Therefore, continuous improvement is crucial. Only then can you truly become a master and emerge unscathed from any situation," their master emphasized.
"Yes, Master," Jian Yumei replied respectfully.
"Our sect's martial arts, both bare-handed and armed, are contained in these books. Take a look," their master said, presenting a box containing several ancient scrolls.
"Mei'er, these books were left by our ancestors. Our martial arts are on par with those of Wudang and Shaolin. While they bear some resemblance, everything in this world is interconnected. We needn't draw clear boundaries," their master explained.
"Remember, you must be adept at learning and absorbing knowledge. Even after mastering our sect's techniques, you must continue to learn from other schools. Broaden your horizons, and your skills will improve. Only by embracing diversity can you reach the level of a true master. If you remain closed-minded, focusing only on our sect's techniques, you'll struggle to advance," their master continued.
"I understand, Master," Jian Yumei replied.
"Study these techniques thoroughly within the next six months, then practice diligently every day. This will lay a solid foundation. Once you've mastered them, I'll spar with you using techniques from various other schools. This will broaden your understanding and greatly benefit you after you leave the sect," their master instructed.
"I will, Master," Jian Yumei agreed.
"Today, I've officially imparted all our techniques to you. From now on, you are the heir of our sect. Master these skills first, and later I'll teach you the finer details of tomb-raiding techniques," their master concluded.
"Thank you, Master," Jian Yumei felt elated, unexpectedly receiving the entire knowledge of their sect on this day. Although he knew his master would eventually pass on these skills to him, he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"Come, we still have some time today. Let's continue with a few more moves!" their master said.
"Yes, Master," Jian Yumei agreed.
At that moment, their master demonstrated a set of martial arts techniques that Jian Yumei had never seen before, and Jian Yumei struggled to keep up. Their master's techniques were both steady and fierce, each move striking at the heart.
Despite using their sect's techniques in response, Jian Yumei felt overwhelmed. However, he refused to admit defeat. After executing a move, he swiftly changed it midway, subtly altering his palm strike.
Their master, caught off guard by Jian Yumei's sudden switch to an aerial fist technique, barely dodged in time. As he did, Jian Yumei smoothly transitioned to another move, prompting their master to dodge repeatedly.
When their master finally landed on the ground, he exclaimed, "That was close! Very close!"
"Excellent, Mei'er! Your adaptability is remarkable. With your diligence, you'll soon catch up to me. Keep practicing hard!" their master praised.