Suddenly, Yang Luochen couldn’t be bothered to calculate anymore. Stretching out his hand towards Chen Ku, he said, "No need for all that trouble. Just lend your hand and use your full strength. Then I’ll know how strong you are."
Gazing at the large hand before him and the expectant, curious eyes of all the apprentices, Chen Ku took a deep breath and reached for Old Master Yang’s hand. The mont their hands clasped, he felt as if he had grasped the limb of an ancient Tyrannosaurus Rex; it was impossible to estimate Master Yang’s true strength.
Yet, Yang Luochen instantly assessed Chen Ku’s strength. "A single arm possesses the Irresistible Power of Two Elephants. With both arms, that would be Four Symbols Power..."
Yang Luochen looked at Chen Ku, overwheld with delight. "Such Divine Power and Root Bone, yet without any Inner Qi! Scour the entire Qiu Dragon Mansion, and only the Qin Yuxian of old possessed such a Root Bone. Child, I have searched for you so arduously for so many years!"
The thought that he could accept a younger version of Grandmaster Jin Chui as his disciple made Yang Luochen feel as if Chen Ku was the long-lost, heaven-sent successor he was destined to find.
Yang Shaoqi listened to his master’s unrestrained words and scoffed internally: Is he not even trying to hide it anymore? I’m still here! When he took as a disciple, he said so earnestly that he would never take another one in this lifeti. And now... am I just a worn-out shoe? That boy is his true disciple, and I was rely picked up from the roadside!
No one knew Yang Shaoqi’s thoughts. However, Jiang Shaoyou and the others were thrown into an uproar rely by hearing Master Yang reveal Chen Ku’s true arm strength. The news sent shockwaves throughout the entire dicine King Hall.
Without Inner Qi, yet possessing the Irresistible Power of Four Elephants! Good heavens! What kind of monster has dicine King Hall accepted as an apprentice?!
Jiang Shaoyou’s eyes shone even brighter as he looked at Chen Ku. Previously, Chen Ku’s displayed strength was rely enough for Jiang Shaoyou to seek a connection and admire him. But now, this Irresistible Power of Four Elephants was more than enough for him to force his way into their small circle; he might even secure a central position among them.
Watching Master Yang’s actions, it seed he was about to finalize the master-disciple relationship with Chen Ku on the spot.
Ke Yansheng felt extrely reluctant. After all, Chen Ku was a genius he had personally recruited. If Elder Yang whisked him away to Jinshi Academy, what would beco of the Butcher Court? He thus spoke up, "Master Yang, regarding the matter of accepting a disciple, perhaps it’s best not to rush. After all, he is an apprentice of the Butcher Court. Why don’t I go and fetch Elder Shang first and let him make the decision?"
He knew he couldn’t compete with Yang Luochen, nor was he qualified to. His only hope was that Elder Shang wouldn’t let Chen Ku go so easily.
"Hahaha, go and get him! Isn’t it just a matter of getting Little Shang to agree to hand him over? What’s the big deal? I don’t believe he could refuse !" Yang Luochen was brimming with confidence.
A youth with Divine Power, possessing the Irresistible Power of Four Elephants—if he doesn’t train in my Furious Ape Mighty Staff, should he be learning Bladesmanship instead? What does it an to mislead a talented youth?! Letting him stay in the Butcher Court would be truly misleading a talented youth!
Ignoring Ke Yansheng, who had gone to fetch the recuperating Shang Yunfang, he turned to his eldest disciple, Yang Shaoqi, and said, "Go, inform the Shopkeepers that I, this old man, am taking another closed-door disciple today. Ask the three Shopkeepers to co and witness the ceremony."
Closed-door disciple... Yang Shaoqi heard this and grumbled internally, I hope you actually keep the door closed this ti.
Despite his thoughts, he didn’t delay and obediently went to summon the Shopkeepers.
Yang Luochen instructed others to prepare tea, clearly intending for Chen Ku to perform the apprenticeship ceremony today and formally accept him as his disciple.
Go to Jinshi Academy, huh? Chen Ku mused. The Jinshi Academy’s status within dicine King Hall was undisputed. Coupled with the complete inheritance of Master Yang’s Furious Ape Mighty Staff, the offer was indeed tempting. However, the demon slaughtering at the Butcher Court...
While Chen Ku was contemplating, several Shopkeepers, Shang Yunfang, and Grandmaster Nong Baosen from the Hundred Herbs Courtyard—who had previously accepted Chen Ku’s Treasure Herb—also arrived.
"I never expected our dicine King Hall to find an apprentice with such an exceptional Root Bone!" Cao Shouxiong exclaid upon arrival, looking at Chen Ku with praise. "If I had known this child possessed such a Root Bone and so much potential, I would have taken him as my disciple personally back then."
The matter of Root Bone could sotis be mysterious, but in essence, it described a person’s potential, a certain physique. Like intelligence, it was an innate difference. So people were born with a better physique than others. As they trained in martial arts, they would further tap into their body’s potential, creating an even greater gap between themselves and ordinary people.
Those with ordinary Root Bone talent, even after cultivating Inner Qi and benefiting from its enhancent, would only possess three to four thousand Jin of strength. However, those with a superior Root Bone constitution, upon cultivating Inner Qi, could possess tens of thousands of Jin of strength. Yang Shaoqi was one such example, and Chen Ku, whose Root Bone was even better than Yang Shaoqi’s, was another.
"Third Shopkeeper, you specialize in needle techniques; it’s not a suitable match for him!" Yang Luochen said, stroking his beard, anxious that so complication might arise in his recruitnt of a disciple.
Cao Shouxiong smiled. "Rest assured, Master Yang, I won’t compete with you. Indeed, the most suitable technique for him to cultivate in dicine King Hall is the Furious Ape Mighty Staff." As a Shopkeeper, and one of the three highest authorities in dicine King Hall, Cao Shouxiong naturally hoped that in the decades to co, the Hall would have another guardian like Master Yang, a pillar to continue securing its Qi Fortune.
The Second Shopkeeper, Zhang Yuanhai, spoke slowly, "Let’s wait for Master Shang to arrive before discussing this further. After all, this person joined the Butcher Court. Transferring him to another court requires Master Shang’s approval."
Just as he finished speaking, Shang Yunfang walked out, his face slightly pale. He wore a large gown, and his hands were wrapped in bandages. His gaze fell first on Chen Ku. He sighed and said to Yang Luochen, "Do you rember what I told you the other day? You even said you wouldn’t try to snatch him from . Look at you now!"
Unbelievable, just unbelievable... It actually ca true.
Master Yang, however, was not the least bit embarrassed. Closing his eyes, he said brazenly, "You still have the nerve to bring that up? If I’d known earlier you were hiding a prodigy with Four Symbols Power, I would have stord your Butcher Court to snatch him long ago! Now, stop dawdling and transfer him to Jinshi Academy. Or do you really expect soone with such a Great Strength Root Bone to learn your ’delicate flower’ Bladesmanship?"
"Delicate flower? My Black Tiger Butcher Knife is ranked as an Ultimate Skill, just like your Furious Ape Mighty Staff!" Shang Yunfang retorted, not yielding an inch. Yet, he ultimately turned to Chen Ku and asked, "What do you think? Do you want to continue staying in the Butcher Court and learn Bladesmanship, or go to Jinshi Academy to learn Stick Technique?"
Everyone could see that Master Shang was giving himself a way out. As long as Chen Ku expressed his willingness to go to Jinshi Academy, Shang Yunfang would have no reason to stop him and could smoothly send him over. After all, everyone knew that with the strength of Four Elephants, learning Stick Technique was the best choice.
All eyes were on Chen Ku, awaiting his obvious choice: to go and learn the Furious Ape Mighty Staff.
"Ahem..." Unexpectedly, Chen Ku coughed, appearing sowhat embarrassed. He said to Shang Yunfang, "Grandmaster, can I... choose both?"
"Choose both?"
Yang Luochen abruptly stood up from the chair where he had been prepared to receive the ceremonial tea, looking at Chen Ku. "What did you say?"
Everyone present stared at Chen Ku in disbelief.
Was there really such a person? So greedy?
Among dicine King Hall’s Six Ultimate Skills, having the talent and Root Bone suited for even one was like being personally blessed by the heavens. Yet this boy wanted to take on two? Besides, everyone knew he was suited for cultivating the Furious Ape Mighty Staff, possessing over forty thousand Jin of strength. How could he be so greedy as to bite off more than he could chew by wanting to learn Bladesmanship as well?
Ke Yansheng, however, felt a warmth spread through his heart. This child is loyal and righteous! He naturally assud Chen Ku felt he couldn’t defy the Hall’s top expert but also didn’t want to sever the bonds he had ford during his ti in the Butcher Court, which led to this audacious suggestion.
Shang Yunfang, however, frowned, his displeasure evident as his voice grew heavier. "Choose both? How can you choose both? Since you’re suited for Stick Technique, just go to Jinshi Academy. Trying to beco the disciple of two Grandmasters will only lead to you biting off more than you can chew. I suppose you think that because you quickly grasped the basics of the bone-chopping butcher blade, you believe you also have a talent for Bladesmanship. But let tell you frankly, grasping the basics quickly ans nothing. Even achieving Minor Achievent within a few months isn’t anything special. Many people have accomplished that over the years..."
Chen Ku deliberately lowered his head and said, "Actually... my Bladesmanship has already reached Great Achievent..."
Silence.
Then, Shang Yunfang’s expression underwent a dramatic change. The somber look vanished, replaced by an intense fervor. "Great Achievent?!"
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