Chapter 20: Dominating Fist

Little Rain was quite straightforward about losing; she immediately handed over a gold ticket worth three hundred taels. "Here, take it. I'm not familiar with the Marching Fist. If it were another style, I wouldn't lose, hmph!" She grumbled, stuffing the ticket into Xiao Nanfeng's hands. Surprised, he had expected her to be difficult, but her generosity revealed why she was so well-liked among the disciples. "Thank you, Senior Sister!" With that three hundred taels, plus his benefits as a new disciple, he now had a total worth of one thousand three hundred taels. 

"Why thank me? You won the bet fair and square. You should let Elder Ku help you heal; my strength was too much, and the Five Poisons Heart Piercing Palm is harmful. Don't let it linger," Little Rain reminded, despite her irritation at losing. 

"No worries; the Elder resolved most of it already," Xiao Nanfeng replied, feeling more favorably towards her. 

"I only managed to alleviate most of your injury. Did you absorb part of the force yourself?" Elder Ku asked, confused. 

"Indeed," Xiao Nanfeng nodded. 

"The Five Poisons Heart Piercing Palm is exceptionally sinister; it's not easy to counteract. What type of internal energy cultivation method are you practicing?" Elder Ku inquired. 

"My method isn't very strong; I'd appreciate your guidance. It's called 'Morning Sun Technique,'" Xiao Nanfeng respectfully replied. 

"Morning Sun Technique?" Little Rain stared at him in disbelief. 

Not just her; the nearby chanting disciples were equally shocked. How did he practice that technique? 

"Yes, it's a third-rate method, not impressive at all," Xiao Nanfeng sighed. 

"Morning Sun Technique? Hold on, how old are you? You've reached the sixth level?" Little Rain was incredulous. 

"Didn't you know I'm sixteen?" 

"Impossible! Sixteen? Sixth level of Morning Sun Technique? How did you do it? This technique is notoriously hard to cultivate! Ordinary people can't handle it," she insisted. 

"I know; other techniques can continuously absorb spiritual energy, but the Morning Sun Technique can only draw energy from the first rays of sunlight each day. It's only trainable for about a stick of incense in a day and can't be practiced on rainy days, making it extremely difficult to achieve results," Xiao Nanfeng explained. 

"You know this? Then why did you choose it?" 

"I had no choice!" he chuckled sadly. "I didn't pick the Morning Sun Technique. The chief steward only allowed this third-rate method." 

"But you've reached the sixth level at just sixteen!" 

"Exactly. The first five levels are the foundation and can only absorb the morning sun's energy. After that, I can use certain yang-enhancing items to speed up my cultivation. Typically, it would take over thirty years of diligent practice to reach the fifth level of acquired realm, but I achieved it faster," Xiao Nanfeng explained. 

Elder Ku was intrigued. "You can improve your absorption rate before daily cultivation, right?" 

"Yes, I've read some Daoist texts, including the 'Gathering Qi Scripture' which describes methods to optimize the absorption of specific energies. There are also techniques for compressing this energy, allowing me to store more. And there's..." he continued recalling. 

Little Rain and the chanting disciples were speechless. Was he really utilizing these Daoist texts? 

Elder Ku was astonished, realizing his disciple had integrated various teachings into his practice, significantly speeding up his cultivation process. 

"Initially, I only reached the fifth level of the acquired realm. On my way here, I caught a golden eel and consumed half; that's how I broke through to the sixth level," Xiao Nanfeng shared. 

"Ah, a stroke of luck indeed!" Elder Ku nodded. 

"Master, the Morning Sun Technique is too harsh; I need to know which technique to switch to. Please guide me," Xiao Nanfeng requested respectfully. 

Though difficult, reaching the sixth level at sixteen was remarkable, given the technique's inherent limitations. 

Elder Ku shook his head. "The Morning Sun Technique is tough, which is why it's third-rate, but its internal energy is of rare quality, the pure yang energy. Your ability to withstand Little Rain's attack was due to this." 

"Pure yang energy?" Xiao Nanfeng was curious. 

"Yes, it's precious and rare. I suggest you continue with it. Once you reach the innate realm, you can select from pure yang techniques to further your cultivation. The pure yang methods may start slow but become increasingly powerful," Elder Ku explained. 

"Master, so the Morning Sun Technique, while slow, is beneficial for building a solid foundation?" Xiao Nanfeng's eyes lit up. 

"Exactly!" 

"Thank you, Master! I'll train hard in the Morning Sun Technique." Xiao Nanfeng felt a weight lift off his shoulders; maybe the technique wasn't so bad after all. 

"After the fifth level, you can consume yang-enhancing materials to accelerate your progress. Little Rain manages the kitchen for some of the junior disciples, where you can find various mythical creature ingredients for purchase," Elder Ku mentioned. 

"Thank you, Master!" Xiao Nanfeng's eyes gleamed. So, Little Rain had a bit of authority? 

"Now, regarding your technique, the Marching Fist?" Elder Ku frowned slightly. 

"Yes, it's the only technique I have. I know it's a bit lacking; please guide me," Xiao Nanfeng replied with a wry smile. 

"Are you familiar with the Dominating Fist?" Elder Ku mused. 

"Dominating Fist? I think I read about it in some texts—it was created by a great emperor thousands of years ago, known for its incredible power, capable of sweeping armies and toppling mountains? A fearsome killing technique?" Xiao Nanfeng recalled. 

"Correct. It's indeed an emperor's creation, extremely domineering, but few can master it. Your Marching Fist is a simplified version, passed down to the military after many cuts. Even so, its popularity shows its might," Elder Ku explained. 

"The Marching Fist is a heavily edited form of the Dominating Fist?" Xiao Nanfeng was astonished. 

"Exactly. Our Taiqing Immortal Sect has its teachings, but it's very challenging. Without the insight to grasp the Dominating Fist, it's on par with a second-rate technique. Would you like to try?" Elder Ku asked earnestly. 

"Do you think I could cultivate the Dominating Fist?" Xiao Nanfeng felt uncertain. 

"Your foundation in the Marching Fist is excellent; you might have a chance. However, mastering it could mean becoming extraordinary, while failing might just leave you with a second-rate technique. It's ultimately your choice." 

Xiao Nanfeng recalled the Yin Shen Pearl at the Brow Acupoint, which could enhance his comprehension of various techniques. It was worth a shot! 

"Please teach me the Dominating Fist!" 

"Very well! We'll begin tomorrow. Do you have any other questions for me?" Elder Ku was pleased with Xiao Nanfeng's attitude. 

"I enjoy reading Daoist texts; may I have permission to read more from the scripture palace?" Xiao Nanfeng looked hopefully at Elder Ku. 

Little Rain and the chanting disciples stared at him, bewildered. Was he serious about wanting to read those complex texts? They struggled to memorize them and were dumbfounded by his eagerness. 

Elder Ku was also slightly surprised but acknowledged Xiao Nanfeng's ability to apply the teachings and realized he was genuinely eager to learn. 

"Very well! The first floor of the scripture palace has forty-eight thousand Daoist texts; feel free to explore," Elder Ku said, his mood lifting.