Chapter 6

But the old man still kept his eyes closed, which made Yang Dingtian feel a bit disappointed, as if he had done well on a test but didn't get any praise from his parents.

By the fifth move, reality had completely erased all of Yang Dingtian's previous satisfaction, because the progress was excruciatingly slow. The fifth move was the most important, requiring the emission of mystic energy while punching, and simultaneously condensing enough mystic energy in the body's meridians to support the next attack. At least three rounds were needed.

After a full three months, Yang Dingtian hadn't even completed the first round. He needed about half a minute to condense new mystic energy after emitting it.

This progress made him feel somewhat desperate. However, Yang Dingtian was the type who would fight harder the more desperate he became, so he ended up practicing obsessively. After three hours of practice each day, he would think about it intensely, even in his dreams at night.

Three months, four months...

Summer passed in this world, and autumn passed as well, leading into another winter. (In the extremely cold regions, it was winter all year round, but to distinguish, the slightly less cold period was considered summer, and the very cold period was winter.)

In the cold winter, one heavy snowfall after another. This made Yang Dingtian temporarily shift his focus from the Zhengyang Fist to making ice steps. Besides martial arts practice, there was another more important task: to leave this place with the old man as soon as possible.

Finally, after the tenth heavy snowfall of the winter, Yang Dingtian's ice steps were 99.99% complete, with only a dozen steps, about three to four meters, left to reach the ground.

Just one more heavy snowfall, and Yang Dingtian's year-long project of ice steps would be complete. This massive project of over ten thousand ice steps would be finished, and he could take the old man away from this place.

He had been trapped in this ice cave for over a year. Now, he could leave soon.

******

Yang Dingtian, half-asleep, suddenly felt a chill on his face and quickly opened his eyes.

It was snowing, indeed, it was snowing again. And it was a heavy snowfall, enough to complete the remaining dozen ice steps.

Yang Dingtian didn't immediately start making the ice steps. Instead, he began an hour of the Heaven and Earth Technique for breathing and meditation, followed by three hours of practicing the fifth move of the Zhengyang Fist.

Now, after emitting a mystic energy attack, his body's meridians needed about 15 seconds to condense the next attack. So, he couldn't even complete one round, let alone three. At this point, Yang Dingtian had given up all his unrealistic fantasies and was prepared for a long battle.

But... it seemed fate was playing a trick on him.

This morning, he practiced the fifth move of the Zhengyang Fist as usual.

"Bang..." A punch sent the snowflakes flying.

"Bang..."

"Bang..."

"Bang..."

...

Without any warning, Yang Dingtian delivered ten consecutive mystic energy attacks. He didn't even realize it himself; the attacks came one after another without any need for accumulation, and his body's meridians instantly condensed new mystic energy.

When he realized this, Yang Dingtian was completely stunned. How, how could this be? It had taken him four months to not even complete a third of the progress, and he had been prepared to spend one or two years to complete it. Suddenly, he had passed the fifth move, and not just three rounds, but over ten.

Yang Dingtian was afraid it was just an illusion or a fluke, so he tried the fifth move of the Zhengyang Fist again.

Indeed, he could easily deliver over ten mystic energy attacks. After the thirteenth attack, his body's meridians needed time to condense new mystic energy.

Yang Dingtian was completely awed, even forgetting to cheer.

At this moment, the old man suddenly opened his eyes and said, "Yes, martial arts are indeed wondrous. Most of the time, they will make you feel dejected and sad, but occasionally, they will give you infinite surprises. Of course, all these surprises are based on insight and talent."

Then, the old man repeated, "Sigh, comparing people can drive you crazy!"

Yang Dingtian looked at his fist and waved it in the snow, saying, "Grandpa, I've finished the Zhengyang Fist. And my ice steps are almost done. We can leave, we can leave..."

"Grandpa, we can leave..." Yang Dingtian couldn't help but shout excitedly.

He usually couldn't call him that. He had called him a few times before and was scolded by the old man. But in his excitement, he couldn't help calling him "Grandpa" again, then quickly shut his mouth, waiting for the old man's stern reprimand.

The old man slowly opened his eyes, looked up at the falling snow, and then glanced at the excited Yang Dingtian. Unlike usual, he didn't get angry. He smiled slightly and sighed, "This day has finally come."

"Yes, we can finally leave," Yang Dingtian said excitedly.

"Child, sit down," the old man said.

Yang Dingtian quickly sat next to the old man and asked, "What are we learning today?"

"Today, we won't learn anything," the old man smiled. "Haven't you always wanted to know who I am and why I'm trapped here? Even though you've never asked."

Yang Dingtian was slightly taken aback and then nodded.

"The time is right, and if I don't tell you now, there might be no chance later," the old man smiled.

"My name is Dongfang Niemie, the head of the Yin-Yang Sect."

Although Yang Dingtian didn't know how big or small the Yin-Yang Sect was, he was still a sect leader, so he asked, "So, were you very powerful before?"

Dongfang Niemie was slightly taken aback and then smiled, "Yes, I was quite powerful."

Then the old man smiled, "You must be wondering, if I was so powerful, how did I end up in this situation, right?"

Yang Dingtian nodded.

"Child, I can't tell you this now. If you're not strong enough, knowing this secret will do you no good and might even harm you," the old man said. "Being frozen in this ice for miles is the biggest secret in the world."

"I thought I would be frozen here forever, never seeing the light of day. Who knew you would appear from another world, truly by fate!"

"So when you rescued me from the ice, I kept asking if you were sent by my enemies, if you had some sinister plot. No matter how smart I was, I couldn't have guessed you were from another world."

"Child, your appearance has brought my dead heart back to life, reviving my once-desperate ideals. Heaven has sent you to me to inherit my legacy and complete the path I couldn't finish."

"What I couldn't achieve, you can. What I couldn't defeat, you can! Because you have the Nine Yang Mystic Vein."

The Nine Yang Mystic Vein? The old Taoist on Earth had also said Yang Dingtian had the Nine Yang Body.

"Haven't you asked me before how your Mystic Vein talent is?" the old man smiled. "Your Mystic Vein talent is one in a billion, a once-in-a-century find!"

"The Nine Yang Body might be worthless in your world and could bring endless trouble. But in this Mystic Heaven Continent, it is something that only appears in legends."

"A woman with the Nine Yin Body is a once-in-a-millennium find. A man with the Nine Yang Body is also a once-in-a-millennium find," the old man said. "When you were practicing the Heaven and Earth Technique and the Zhengyang Fist, I had already estimated the highest possible outcome, but your performance still far exceeded my expectations."

"The martial artists in this world start their启蒙期 (enlightenment period) before the age of seven or eight. Even the outstanding ones need about three to four years to complete it, while you only took seven months and eighteen days," the old man said.

Yang Dingtian said sheepishly, "But they are only seven or eight years old, and I'm in my twenties. Winning against a child isn't glorious."

"That's not true. The later you start the enlightenment period, the more disadvantaged you are, and the slower your progress," the old man smiled. "Starting your enlightenment at your age is unprecedented."

"Child, my talent was also very high, but I still fell short of you," the old man said. "I thought my ideals were completely shattered, but fate has brought you, with such astonishing talent, to me."

"I have lost, I have failed, and I have fallen to a fate worse than death. But my ideals and spirit can continue through you."

"Child!" the old man stared into Yang Dingtian's eyes, "Are you willing to be my disciple? Are you willing to inherit my legacy?"

Yang Dingtian, still not fully understanding the meaning behind the old man's words, instinctively replied, "Of course, of course I am willing. You are my only family in this world, the person closest to me."

"Then kneel down!" Dongfang Niemie said.

Yang Dingtian stood up, knelt before the old man, and respectfully bowed three times.

"Good, good! From today on, you are my only direct disciple, the successor to the 29th generation head of the Yin-Yang Sect." Dongfang Niemie extended his palm, and two flames immediately began to burn around his fingers, forming a ring on his ring finger.

A very ornate ring, like two flames intertwined, one red and one blue.

Dongfang Niemie took off the flame ring and slowly slipped it onto Yang Dingtian's ring finger. As soon as the ring was on Yang Dingtian's finger, it disappeared.

Dongfang Niemie said, "This is the head's ring of the Yin-Yang Sect. Now, it won't reveal its true form on your finger until your strength reaches a certain level. When the flame ring appears on your finger, you will truly become the head of the Yin-Yang Sect."

Yang Dingtian was shocked, "Grandpa, oh, Master, how can I be the head? I am so weak."

"Each generation's head of the Yin-Yang Sect is the direct descendant of the previous head. So, if you don't become the head, who will?" Dongfang Niemie said. "When you go to the Yin-Yang Sect, you can temporarily keep my death a secret, making everyone believe I am still the head. After ten or twenty years, when you are strong enough and the flame ring appears on your finger, you can announce my death to the world and officially become the head of the Yin-Yang Sect."

Then, Dongfang Niemie took off a pendant from his neck. It was a beautifully carved red jade flame.

"This pendant is the token of love between me and your master mother. It is called 'Moth to the Flame.' I have one half, the flame pendant, and your master mother has the other half, the jade moth pendant. Take this token to your master mother, and seeing it, she will believe you unconditionally."

"Once you have the flame pendant, just combine it with the moth pendant. Your master mother will see the letter I left for her..."

***

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