Chapter Seventy-Two: The First Grade of Spiritual Flower

I walked into the courtyard with Second Uncle, thinking he was about to teach me something. Instead, with a swift motion, he threw a straight punch at me. Caught off guard, I hurriedly blocked, then looked back at him in confusion.

“Today, let’s see if your Bajiquan has become rusty. We’ll only use Bajiquan, no spiritual energy,” he declared, assuming the opening stance of the style.

Truth be told, Second Uncle was being overly cautious—I used Bajiquan in nearly every fight. But he gave no quarter, launching himself at me with full force. Though Bajiquan wasn’t his main discipline, his mastery was formidable; every punch was fierce, embodying the spirit of a raging tiger. Even without using spiritual energy, the wind from his fists stung my face.

“All right, that’s enough,” he called out, just as I was about to counter.

“We’ll leave it at that. You’re not bad at all—quite the natural talent for martial arts,” he praised. “In that case, I’ll teach you even stronger Bajiquan techniques.”

I nodded, still somewhat dazed, and began my warm-up exercises. This time, Second Uncle taught me with utmost seriousness, correcting every move I made.

At some point, Nangong Xi appeared and seated herself on a stone bench, watching us.

According to Second Uncle, Bajiquan is both offensive and defensive, a style revered for its practical power. Despite the persistent heat of the day, I was so focused on learning that I didn’t even notice when I was drenched in sweat. Second Uncle spared nothing, teaching me all the techniques he knew; we practiced for the better part of the day.

The gains were tremendous—he taught me several killing moves in one session alone.

…

It wasn’t until my stomach began to rumble that I finally stopped my relentless punching.

“Hungry, aren’t you? Wait here,” Second Uncle said, heading into the kitchen.

But I couldn’t resist continuing my practice in the courtyard, wanting to cement everything while it was fresh in my mind. After all, if I didn’t train now, I’d just have to do it later. Besides, for some reason, every time I punched, I could feel a faint trace of spiritual energy seeping in through my fingertips.

It didn’t cool me down—instead, it fueled my determination. As I continued, I felt the blood in my veins begin to boil, heat radiating from within. I glanced at my fists. Could this sensation really be the result of my training?

As the heat intensified, anxiety crept in. Desperate, I drew my Snowblade, hoping the cold would bring some relief.

Still, it couldn’t quell the surging energy within me.

Just then, Second Uncle emerged from the kitchen. I hurried over to him for help.

“Uncle, come quickly!”

Seeing my distress was genuine, he dropped his cleaver and ran over. After I explained my condition, a broad smile broke across his face.

“Ha ha ha… Boy, you’re about to break through!”

What?

I doubted him, but he told me to sit and run the Tanzi Record. I’d know soon enough.

Sitting cross-legged, I quickly entered the flow of the Tanzi Record. I could feel the spiritual energy in my body churning with my blood. Sweat poured from me as if I’d spent hours in a sauna.

Just as I was about to break free from the heat, a refreshing surge of spiritual energy entered my body—no doubt Second Uncle’s doing.

With this energy, I was able to continue circulating the Tanzi Record. It worked wonders; soon, the spiritual energy in my body began to settle.

I didn’t relax for a second, keeping the flow going. Gradually, the energy returned to its rightful place, and even my agitated blood grew calm.

Suddenly, a powerful force surged to the top of my head, making me shudder violently before I slowly opened my eyes.

It felt as though I’d entered a whole new realm—my vision, hearing, and senses all heightened dramatically. I clenched my fists; not only that, but my strength had increased as well.

I quickly grabbed a mirror to check my forehead. The leaf was gone, replaced by a tiny flower with a single petal.

This was the Spirit Blossom Realm!

With a burst of strength, I sprang up from the ground. Glancing at the sky, I saw it was already afternoon. Nangong Xi had apparently returned to her room; only sounds from the kitchen remained.

I hurried over to the kitchen, where Second Uncle was still busy.

“You’re finally awake,” he said, his eyes first full of relief before he spoke.

Wait… finally awake?

“How long was I out?” I asked, trying to recall what had just happened.

“One day.”

What? A whole day? I’d only just sat down—a day had passed already? Time had never flown by so quickly during cultivation before.

“All right, stop worrying. Breaking through to the Spirit Blossom Realm is something to celebrate. Go call Nangong Xi for dinner.”

I nodded and headed to Nangong Xi’s room, knocking politely at the door.

A few seconds later, I heard footsteps inside.

“Brother, you’re awake?” Nangong Xi was surprised to see me, her astonishment quickly fading.

“Yes, let’s go eat,” I replied, leading her to the stone bench in the courtyard. Second Uncle soon brought out one dish after another.

I heard he’d especially bought several pounds of pork for us, worried we might not like the wild game from the mountains. But the local specialties weren’t so easily found; many dishes were new to me.

Though the table was small, there were still six or seven dishes; Nangong Xi’s favorite was the braised chicken with mushrooms.

Second Uncle’s cooking was superb—even the simplest ingredients became delicious in his hands. He’d even prepared a small jug of bamboo wine just for me. The wine was smooth and no matter how much I drank, I couldn’t get drunk.

I took the opportunity to check my phone—there was no news from the Ghost King’s side, which put my mind at ease.

While eating, I asked Second Uncle, “Where is Qu Long Town?”

He thought for a moment before replying, “You can find Qu Long Town on a map, but the real Qu Long Town isn’t what it seems.”

His words were cryptic and confusing, but he must have guessed my bewilderment. After a sip of bamboo wine, he continued, “While you can locate Qu Long Town on a map, few have ever seen the true Qu Long Town.”

“On the surface, it’s just an unremarkable little tourist spot, but inside, it’s a world of its own.”

“Behind the Qilin Hall in Qu Long Town lies a cliff—not just any cliff, but the entrance to a formation gate.”

“Once you jump in, you’ll reach the real Qu Long Town.”

With that, Second Uncle picked up some wild greens and ate with relish.