Chapter 82

When he returned to the Duke's Mansion, it wasn't even noon. The return trip was faster than the journey there, and the White Tiger Yang Cultivation Diagram was indeed marvelous.

He had received 600,000 taels of silver, and his purse was once again full.

Xueling prepared a few dishes as usual, with excellent color, aroma, and taste, and warmed a pot of wine for him.

Chu Li's stomach was empty, and he ate with great satisfaction, feeling the warmth of home.

He was sitting in the small pavilion, enjoying his meal, when the door to the courtyard was pushed open. Su Ruxiang, dressed in a yellow silk robe, entered the pavilion with a fragrant aroma, her bright eyes glaring at him fiercely.

Chu Li smiled in surprise and said, "Would the Chief Steward like to join me for a meal?"

"Chu Li!" Su Ruxiang said, her face taut with tension.

Chu Li said, "About Ding Weisong?"

Su Ruxiang replied irritably, "What did you promise me?"

"Would the Chief Steward listen to my explanation?" Chu Li smiled at her.

"Speak!" Su Ruxiang said, "I want to hear how you'll justify yourself!"

Chu Li smiled and said, "If I say that Ding Weisong wasn't hired by me, would the Chief Steward believe it?"

"Who then?"

"Feng Shicai!"

"He—?" Su Ruxiang's eyes narrowed, and she said, "Does he have the nerve?"

Feng Shicai, though a great martial hero and a先天高手 (先天高手 means a martial artist who has reached the Xiantian realm, which can be translated as "Xiantian expert" or "Xiantian martial artist"), was like an ant to the Duke's Mansion. Killing him would be as easy as stepping on one.

Chu Li was a member of the Duke's Mansion. If he truly died, the Duke's Mansion would certainly investigate. It seemed Feng Shicai was confident that the Duke's Mansion wouldn't find Ding Weisong and wouldn't trace it back to him!

"Chief Steward, don't underestimate martial artists. They are full of blood and spirit. Feng Wen died at my hands; how could Feng Shicai bear it?"

"Hmm, he only had one son." Su Ruxiang believed Chu Li's words.

Feng Shicai was a smooth old fox, but even the smoothest fox has its Achilles' heel. Feng Wen was his only son, and no matter how useless, he was still his son. In the end, he was killed by Chu Li.

The pain of a parent losing a child, she could understand to some extent. Feng Shicai, wary of Chu Li's status in the Duke's Mansion, couldn't act directly, so it was only natural that he would use someone else to do the job.

"Was Ding Weisong really hired by him?"

Chu Li nodded vigorously. "Absolutely!"

"This Feng!" Su Ruxiang pursed her lips and huffed.

Even if she understood his grief over losing his son, hiring someone to kill a guard of the Duke's Mansion, and a fifth-rank guard at that, was unforgivable. Otherwise, what would be left of the Duke's Mansion's authority?

Chu Li said, "Don't rush to deal with him. Having him around can also draw the attention of the Great Thunderclap Temple."

He estimated that the disciples of the Great Thunderclap Temple would still be lying in wait, waiting for him to show up. This way, it would limit the actions of the Great Thunderclap Temple's disciples, giving him more freedom.

"Does Ding Weisong have the White Tiger Yang Cultivation Diagram?" Su Ruxiang asked with a half-smile.

Chu Li nodded slowly.

Su Ruxiang's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

Chu Li said, "He practices the White Tiger Yang Cultivation Diagram, but unfortunately, he only mastered one part. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so useless."

"Ding Weisong is already quite formidable, managing to escape when you and Zhao Ying worked together." Su Ruxiang said, "Zhao Ying is now a Xiantian expert!"

Chu Li said, "The White Tiger Yang Cultivation Diagram is truly marvelous. The way he practiced it is a disgrace. Miss, do you want the second part?"

Su Ruxiang shook her head. "Miss isn't interested in it."

Chu Li smiled and said, "The White Tiger Yang Cultivation Diagram, when combined, is not just one secret manual. Practicing only the first part won't yield much."

Su Ruxiang asked curiously, "Is it because the first part is incomplete?"

Chu Li said, "If you can't practice the first part, it's better not to try. The complete version has stricter requirements. If my Buddhist cultivation were weaker, it would drive me mad. Dividing it into two parts is also a sign of the White Tiger Cave's predecessors' kindness."

"Is that so..." Su Ruxiang became even more curious.

Chu Li smiled and said, "Xueling, prepare the ink and brush!"

"Yes." Xueling had been standing quietly by, occasionally refilling their tea.

She brought the ink, brush, and paper, ground the ink with her delicate hands, and then handed the brush to Chu Li.

Chu Li picked up the brush and drew six tiger diagrams in one fluid motion. Each paper depicted a white tiger in a different pose, vivid and lifelike.

Chu Li put down the brush and smiled at Su Ruxiang. "Chief Steward, these are the six diagrams."

"You're quite skilled at painting," Su Ruxiang praised, staring at the six tiger diagrams. Then she closed her eyes.

"Ah!" She suddenly cried out, clutching her head.

Chu Li watched her with a half-smile.

After a long while, Su Ruxiang lowered her hand, her face pale, and her demeanor more delicate. "What happened?"

Chu Li asked, "What did you feel?"

"When I visualized the first diagram, my head felt like it was splitting open."

"You're lacking in energy. It's best not to force it."

"Alright," Su Ruxiang sighed, giving up. "Then focus on your cultivation. Master the Vajra Deliverance Divine Skill as soon as possible, so you won't fear those stinky monks!"

Su Ruxiang waved her hand and left with a graceful sway of her waist.

---

The night was as still as water.

Chu Li practiced the White Tiger Yang Cultivation Diagram twice in his room, then went to the courtyard to practice the Vajra Deliverance Divine Skill. After 72 movements, he could almost hear the blood flowing in his body.

The Vajra Deliverance Divine Skill had made significant progress.

The White Tiger Yang Cultivation Diagram was extremely effective, but he was also secretly worried about when it might lose its power. Mastering the Vajra Deliverance Divine Skill was too difficult.

The four Great Thunderclap Temple disciples he killed didn't know how to cultivate the later stages of the Vajra Deliverance Divine Skill, as no one in the temple had yet mastered it.

He practiced the White Tiger Yang Cultivation Diagram twice and the Vajra Deliverance Divine Skill once, repeating the cycle. He went in and out of the room, focusing on his cultivation for a whole day. By the evening of the next day, a golden glow suddenly emanated from his body, making him look like a golden statue standing proudly in the sunset.

Xueling was stunned, staring at him in amazement.

Chu Li clenched his fist and smiled.

Xueling quickly said, "Master, have you succeeded?"

Chu Li moved his wrist and rotated his arm, smiling. "I've only mastered the second level!"

"Congratulations, Master," Xueling praised. "You've worked so hard, and now you've finally succeeded in mastering the second level. I must work harder too."

Chu Li stopped smiling. The next level was to strengthen his tendons. Once mastered, his strength would greatly increase, and his speed would also improve, possibly allowing him to match the Xiantian experts of the Great Thunderclap Temple.

"Xueling, take the sword from the pavilion and stab me."

"…Yes."

Xueling took the sword hanging on the red pillar, leaped out of the pavilion, and stood in front of Chu Li, thrusting the sword at his shoulder.

"Clang…" The sound of metal clashing, the sword tip couldn't penetrate.

Chu Li smiled. "Try harder!"

"Clang…" Xueling increased her strength.

"Clang… Clang… Clang…" Xueling thrust ten times in a row, each time with greater force. By the end, she was using all her strength, but still couldn't break through Chu Li's skin!