Chapter 23

The pale moonlight streamed in through the dormitory window, casting a silver veil over the room.

In the center of the room, Sun Yan and Shuilian Qing stood facing each other, palms pressed together, still engaged in the [Internal Essence Stimulation]. A white mist rose from the girl's body, her aqua-blue hair damp and her white shirt soaked with sweat.

"Just a little more, just a little more..."

Shuilian Qing hoped, but unfortunately, every time her internal essence reached its limit, it seemed to encounter a slight obstruction, like a tightly wound spring.

This phenomenon had started three days ago, and Shuilian Qing felt it was a sign of a breakthrough, but she couldn't seem to make that final step.

Sun Yan opened his eyes, his brows furrowed. "Shuilian Qing, stop for a moment." As he spoke, he manipulated his internal essence, and their palms naturally separated.

"What's wrong, Sun Yan?" Shuilian Qing's face showed a hint of panic. She was worried that Sun Yan might become impatient and change his mind due to her inability to break through.

"Don't worry, I didn't say we're stopping." Sun Yan smiled and asked curiously, "But there's one thing. Haven't you noticed that when your internal essence reaches its limit, there's a slight obstruction?"

Shuilian Qing's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Sun Yan to notice such a subtle change.

"Yes, ever since I reached the peak of the second level of [Weak Water Technique], this phenomenon has appeared." Shuilian Qing nodded in agreement.

After meeting Chen Wang, Sun Yan's understanding of martial arts had advanced rapidly, even to the point where some of his insights were so sharp and imaginative that even Chen Wang was amazed. This was beyond what Shuilian Qing could imagine.

After a moment of thought, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind. He muttered to himself, "The obstruction in the circulation of internal essence shouldn't be a sign of a breakthrough. Is there something wrong with the [Weak Water Technique] you're practicing?"

As he spoke, Sun Yan shook his head, finding his hypothesis absurd. "That's impossible. If there was a problem with the [Weak Water Technique], your family would have discovered it long ago and wouldn't have let you practice it."

But as he finished speaking, he saw Shuilian Qing's face filled with shock and disbelief.

"Really? Shuilian Qing, is there something wrong with the [Weak Water Technique] you're practicing?"

Shuilian Qing lowered her head, biting her lip, her voice barely audible. "The [Weak Water Technique] I practice is actually a fragment of our family's technique."

A fragment?

Sun Yan was speechless, thinking to himself, "Are you kidding me? Practicing a fragment of a technique?"

"The situation is like this. Our Shui family's [Weak Water Technique]..."

Listening to Shuilian Qing's explanation, Sun Yan finally understood what was going on.

The original Luoshan City Shui family was once a thousand-year-old martial arts family, as famous as the Feng, Chen, Chang, and Qian families. However, during the Fourth Sino River War, the [Weak Water Technique] was lost in the chaos, leaving only the first two levels. The family's elite members were all killed in the war. After the war, the Shui family declined, and the other descendants could only practice other techniques, none willing to touch the fragment of the [Weak Water Technique].

Shuilian Qing, from birth, was considered a genius with a constitution suitable for practicing the [Weak Water Technique], a once-in-a-century talent. This gave the elders of the Shui family a glimmer of hope.

Sun Yan listened quietly, his tone somewhat displeased. "So, your family hopes you can perfect the [Weak Water Technique]?"

Indeed, Shuilian Qing's constitution was naturally suited for the [Weak Water Technique], but the idea of perfecting a fragmented technique was too naive. It was a gamble with her martial arts life, and now it seemed the Shui family was about to lose that bet.

"Sun Yan, do I have no hope of breaking through to the third level?"

Plop, plop... Tears fell to the ground, and Shuilian Qing wept. In her mind, she vaguely recalled her childhood. From the age of three, she knew she was different from the other members of her family. She had a special mission: to practice the fragment of the [Weak Water Technique], perfect the family's unique technique, and restore the glory of the Shui family.

She had no choice.

Her slender hands clenched tightly, her white teeth biting her lip until it turned pale. Shuilian Qing lowered her head, trying not to cry out. All her hopes were shattered in this moment.

From a young age, while other girls went on trips with their parents, she practiced the [Weak Water Technique]. When other girls had innocent fantasies, she was burdened with the family's expectations, unable to breathe. When other girls started their first romantic relationships, she continued to practice tirelessly...

She knew the hope was slim, but she couldn't help feeling so frustrated!

"Ah, why are you crying again?" Sun Yan scratched his head in frustration, sighing that women were made of water. "Here's what I'll do. Since your family's [Weak Water Technique] is a fragment, tell me about it. It might help you break through."

"Eh?" Shuilian Qing looked up in surprise, asking incredulously, "Sun Yan, you're going to help me perfect the [Weak Water Technique]?"

Sun Yan rolled his eyes, correcting her. "Perfecting a unique technique? Do you think I'm a martial arts master? I'll just give you some advice. Don't get your hopes up too high."

Shuilian Qing hesitated for a moment, then her spirits lifted. Without any hesitation, she began to describe the first two levels of the [Weak Water Technique].

Closing his eyes, the technique of the [Weak Water Technique] flashed clearly in his mind. Sun Yan couldn't help but curse inwardly. This fragment of the [Weak Water Technique] wasn't just missing from the third level; even the second level was incomplete. No wonder Shuilian Qing's internal essence encountered an obstruction.

But how could he solve this problem?

Sun Yan's brows furrowed deeper. This was his first time dealing with a unique technique. He realized that a unique technique was essentially an amplification of internal essence, guiding the internal essence through different pathways to produce different effects. He had a vague feeling that the Shui family's [Weak Water Technique] was particularly suitable for women.

His mind became clear like a mirror, and Sun Yan gradually entered a meditative state. His expression was solemn as the technique of the [Weak Water Technique] flashed through his mind repeatedly. After an unknown number of repetitions, when his mind focused on the end of the second level, a spark seemed to flash in his mind, and a series of words appeared, seamlessly connecting with the second level.

Suddenly opening his eyes, Sun Yan was astonished. "Is this possible? Damn, where did these words come from? How did they suddenly appear in my mind?"

After a moment of shock, Sun Yan regained his composure. He saw Shuilian Qing's watery eyes, her emerald gaze flickering, looking like a pitiful kitten.

"Sun Yan, do you... have a way?" Shuilian Qing's voice was weak.

The [Weak Water Technique] was a fifth-grade technique. Even a martial arts master wouldn't dare claim to perfect it. Her hope in Sun Yan was like a drowning person clutching at a straw.

Seeing Sun Yan's long silence, Shuilian Qing smiled sadly and whispered, "It's okay, Sun Yan, really, thank you. I..."

Before she could finish, a series of words softly entered her ears. To Shuilian Qing, these words were like pearls, instantly resolving her doubts.

Shuilian Qing slowly closed her eyes and began to circulate her internal essence. A white mist rose from her head as she began to challenge the third level of the [Weak Water Technique].

Time passed, and sweat poured from Shuilian Qing's body, soaking her clothes. Suddenly, her body trembled, and a pattern of water-like ripples appeared on her smooth, white skin, accompanied by a series of crisp sounds.

This was a sign that her essence had fully penetrated her skin, indicating the peak of a first-level internal essence.

Shuilian Qing opened her eyes, her eyes filled with joy. Her [Weak Water Technique] had finally broken through to the third level, and her internal essence had reached the peak of a first-level martial artist.

Turning her head, she saw the young man's clear face and was overwhelmed with gratitude. "Sun Yan, thank you, thank you, thank you..."

Sun Yan held his forehead and groaned. "Why are you crying again?" His eyes twinkled mischievously. "No need to thank me. I've already received my gift."

"Gift? What gift?"

Shuilian Qing was confused. Following Sun Yan's gaze downward, she realized her shirt was completely soaked, clinging to her skin, revealing the curves of her well-developed chest. The two white bunnies were in full bloom, and the spring scenery was impossible to hide.

"Ah!" The girl cried out, quickly grabbing her coat to cover her chest. A blush spread from her cheeks to her neck, making her look incredibly shy and adorable.

Sun Yan felt his nose heat up and quickly pressed it, not wanting to embarrass himself with a nosebleed. However, the scene was clearly imprinted in his mind. Shuilian Qing was wearing nothing underneath, and the sight was too stimulating. All the hard work was worth it.

After a while, Shuilian Qing calmed down, put on her coat, stood up, and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Sun Yan. I really don't know how to thank you..."

"Enough, enough." Sun Yan waved his hand. "We've been training together for four days, so we're friends. No need to be so formal. Besides, I can only help you with the second and third levels of the [Weak Water Technique]. I can't do more."

While Shuilian Qing was breaking through, Sun Yan had tried to complete the rest of the [Weak Water Technique] in the same way, but no matter how hard he thought, no more words appeared in his mind.

However, Sun Yan had a vague feeling that as his cultivation deepened, he might be able to complete the [Weak Water Technique] in the future.

But this terrifying ability was something Sun Yan would never reveal to anyone. Like his secret of condensing internal essence in a day, he planned to take it to his grave.

Shuilian Qing smiled, her emerald eyes flickering as she looked at the young man. Just as she was about to say something, a series of knocks echoed, and the clock chimed, indicating it was 9:00 PM.

Sun Yan's face changed. "Oh no! It's 9:00. This is bad, bad."

Though he didn't want to go to the appointment, seeing the time pass made him feel uneasy.

Seeing Sun Yan's troubled expression, Shuilian Qing was surprised. "Sun Yan, do you really have a date? Is it important? Should I help you explain?"

"It's fine, it's fine." Sun Yan waved his hand weakly. "You just broke through, go back and rest."

Indeed, he had a real date, and Shuilian Qing felt guilty. She had been too impolite. It made sense; such a martial arts genius, though not prominent in class, must have his own circle outside school. The friends in his circle were beyond her reach, and it would be ridiculous for her to try to explain.

...

At the same time, on the roof of the C-level teaching building, Feng Lingxue stood, gazing at the moon. She tapped her feet lightly, her delicate white shoes leaving shallow footprints on the ground, reflecting her current displeasure.

This Sun Yan had actually stood her up!