Having obtained the *Golden Scale Elephant Art*, Lin Xiu felt a slight joy in his heart. Though the energy points he had accumulated were completely drained in one go, that didn’t matter. He could earn more. The treasures he had copied today, once fused and absorbed, would be enough to boost his strength and potential by a significant margin. A look of satisfaction flickered in Lin Xiu’s eyes. This trip today hadn’t been in vain. However, he couldn’t use them here—he’d save them for when he returned.
All of this happened in the span of a breath. Naturally, no one noticed anything unusual. Lin Xiu’s expression remained unchanged as he faced the white-robed elder before him, bowing respectfully. “Disciple Lin Xiu greets Uncle-Master. May I ask how to address you?”
“Mm, my surname is Wang.” The white-robed elder, Wang Xufeng, nodded slightly. “I noticed you’ve been browsing the second floor of the Martial Arts Pavilion for a while. It seems you haven’t found a suitable manual. How about taking a look at this one?” As he spoke, Wang Xufeng handed the manual to Lin Xiu, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.
“Yes, thank you, Uncle-Master Wang.” Lin Xiu bowed again before taking the manual. He began flipping through it. But in an instant, it felt like a lightning bolt had struck his mind, stirring up a massive storm in his heart. This manual was none other than the *Golden Scale Elephant Art* he had been longing for, the one he had spent 200,000 energy points to copy. He hadn’t expected the other party to willingly hand it to him. Could there be some hidden scheme behind this? Countless thoughts raced through Lin Xiu’s mind, but his outward demeanor showed nothing unusual. He simply studied the manual seriously.
After a while, Lin Xiu looked up, a hint of joy on his face, and tentatively asked, “Uncle-Master Wang, this manual…”
“This *Golden Scale Elephant Art* came into my possession by chance. Though incomplete, its power is still formidable. If mastered, it wouldn’t be much inferior to a fifth-tier body-tempering martial art. I saw that your physique is strong and your strength considerable, so I thought you might be suited to practice it. That’s why I recommended it to you. If you’re not interested, that’s fine. I won’t say more—just return the manual to me.” Wang Xufeng said calmly. As he finished, he even reached out as if to take the manual back.
“No, no, Disciple is interested. Thank you, Uncle-Master Wang.” Lin Xiu quickly clutched the manual to his chest, bowing with an excited expression.
“In that case, you may leave.” Wang Xufeng waved his hand, his expression still indifferent.
“Yes, Uncle-Master Wang. Disciple will take his leave.” Lin Xiu bowed once more and hurried down to the first floor, as if eager to get away.
Watching Lin Xiu’s retreating figure, the light in Wang Xufeng’s eyes grew deeper. “What, Junior Brother Wang, found another test subject?” A cold voice came from the third floor. A middle-aged figure with a steady aura descended. If the Outer Sect Grand Elder were here, he would likely be startled, for this middle-aged man’s aura was identical to the Sect Master’s. It was none other than Liu Wuya, the current Sect Master of Flowing Cloud Sect. Somehow, he had arrived at the third floor of the Martial Arts Pavilion.
“Sect Master, I swear this is the last time.” A flicker of panic crossed Wang Xufeng’s eyes as he quickly explained.
“But he’s Lin Xiu, likely the most talented disciple our Flowing Cloud Sect has seen in nearly a hundred years!” Liu Wuya’s face turned cold, a hint of anger appearing.
“Precisely because he’s Lin Xiu, with his exceptional talent, I recommended the *Golden Scale Elephant Art* to him. If he can master it, our Flowing Cloud Sect will produce a true prodigy—not just one scraping the bottom of the Hidden Dragon List!” Wang Xufeng’s expression suddenly grew agitated as he spoke loudly.
“Sigh…” Liu Wuya’s anger faded as he let out a sigh. “It seems you still haven’t given up after all these years. If not for that, you wouldn’t still be stuck at the peak of the Spirit Opening Realm, and you might have even taken the Sect Master position…” His voice wavered as he spoke, but Wang Xufeng cut him off.
“Sect Master, there’s no need to bring up the past.” Wang Xufeng regained his composure.
“Fine. This is the last time. If you do it again, don’t blame me for invoking the ancestral rules.” Liu Wuya also calmed down. “As for Lin Xiu, I’ll use his outstanding performance as a pretext to grant him the treatment of a Strong List disciple. Once he makes the Strong List or even becomes a true disciple, he’ll receive triple the cultivation resources as compensation. How far he goes will be up to him. Don’t interfere, at least not disrupt his cultivation.”
“Yes, Sect Master.” Wang Xufeng bowed in response. Then, the two parted ways. Strangely, despite their loud voices, the disciples selecting manuals on the second floor of the Martial Arts Pavilion noticed nothing—including everything that had happened between Lin Xiu and Wang Xufeng.
After leaving the Martial Arts Pavilion, Lin Xiu’s face still showed excitement and joy, but his heart was ice-cold. Everything he had displayed earlier was an act. By now, he was almost certain that the *Golden Scale Elephant Art* was definitely problematic—and not just a little. There might even be a fair amount of scheming and plotting mixed in. But as an ordinary inner disciple at the Qi Transformation Realm, he had no capital to contend with the sect’s high-ranking officials at the peak of the Spirit Opening Realm. He could only endure for now, at least on the surface, showing no signs of abnormality. As for whether to continue practicing the *Golden Scale Elephant Art*, he would decide after returning home and fusing the relevant cultivation insights he had copied from the white-robed elder, Wang Xufeng.
Before long, Lin Xiu made it back to his residence smoothly. He went straight to the cultivation room, sat down cross-legged, and with a thought, began the fusion process. The first thing he fused wasn’t the talents or insights—it was the understanding of the *Golden Scale Elephant Art*. As he activated his intent, a flood of information surged into his mind, even bringing a slight sensation of swelling—something he had never experienced before. This time, it came from just one martial art. The *Golden Scale Elephant Art* might exceed his expectations, Lin Xiu mused inwardly. Then, he closed his eyes, focused his mind, and earnestly absorbed and fused the knowledge.
Half an hour later, Lin Xiu slowly opened his eyes, a complex, hard-to-read glint flashing within them. On the surface, the *Golden Scale Elephant Art* seemed flawless. Its power far surpassed his imagination. Even at the initial stage, it allowed Wang Xufeng, at the peak of the Spirit Opening Realm, to contend with an early-stage Spirit Yuan Realm cultivator—without using any intent, relying solely on physical strength. If it reached minor or major mastery, how terrifying would it be?! Lin Xiu felt a strong desire for the *Golden Scale Elephant Art*’s power, but he wasn’t blinded by it. His mind remained clear. Despite its apparent lack of flaws and immense power, through Wang Xufeng’s insights, he had still uncovered many hidden issues.