The memory of the setback Xie Yun suffered in the woods outside the county town suddenly caused a sharp, dull ache in his chest. That mysterious master, with a single, devastating kick, had delivered a shock so profound that even now, he could not forget it.

Regrettably, the person had vanished as quickly as they appeared; just who was that individual? Xie Yun paid absolutely no mind to the wheel-of-war challenge matches taking place in the arena; instead, he was deeply engrossed in thought.

The person had only used a beginner-level basic leg technique. Although the master's face was masked, it was still clear from the visible features that they were very young, certainly no older than twenty.

When leaving, they had moved with unhurried composure, showing no concern whatsoever for the enforcement disciples of the Medicine Harvesting Hall. These were the only few small clues he possessed.

He had continually treated that person as a supreme master of leg techniques, searching among those skilled in that art within the hall, yet failing to locate them. But perhaps he should consider a different angle.

What if the person only knew that entry-level leg technique, and was simply a very ordinary, anonymous disciple within the hall, completely unknown? A resounding thought suddenly boomed in Xie Yun’s mind, revealing an almost insane possibility.

For a master capable of defeating him with a single kick, status and fame were essentially meaningless, because that person clearly did not care about such trivial recognition. They merely wished to remain hidden within the Medicine Harvesting Hall.

Thinking this, Xie Yun was suddenly seized by an unexplainable excitement, turning abruptly to scan the crowd, searching for the water-carrying disciple whose silhouette had seemed vaguely familiar, but that young disciple had already delivered the water and departed. Could that have been him?

Xie Yun paused for only a moment before sprinting toward the Medicine Harvesting Hall. If that person truly was a low-ranking disciple of their hall, they ought to return there after completing their delivery tasks.

The enforcement disciples watched in stunned silence as Xie Yun suddenly abandoned them and ran off without a word. They were all dumbfounded.

"Senior Brother! Hey!

Where are you going?" "Senior Brother, we still need to maintain order here!" "What's gotten into Senior Brother today? This is the strangest I've ever seen him." ......

The Medicine Harvesting Hall. The small courtyard behind the kitchen.

Several servants were busy working. Near a windlass well in the yard, Ye Qin dropped a small wooden bucket in, filling two large wooden pails with well water.

Just a few more loads, and his mundane chores for the day would be complete, allowing him to return to his private quarters to focus on cultivating and researching the Earth Evasion and Water Evasion techniques. Xie Yun walked slowly into the kitchen courtyard, glancing inside and frowning.

Most ordinary disciples avoided such a place. Only the servants and retainers in the hall who possessed no martial skills worked here.

The errand runners and servants in the yard hastily bowed in greeting upon seeing Xie Yun. Xie Yun waved a hand impatiently: "All of you, leave!" "Yes!" Receiving the order, the servants quickly vacated the small courtyard.

Ye Qin did not leave; he continued drawing water into the wooden pails. From the moment Xie Yun entered the courtyard, he felt the weight of Xie Yun’s gaze fixed upon him.

Since he couldn't escape, he simply stayed put. He felt annoyed; why had Xie Yun sought him out?

Nearly two months had passed since that incident in the woods; could he still not forget their brief exchange? Xie Yun strode to the side of the windlass well, studying Ye Qin.

Seeing Ye Qin's outwardly normal expression, Xie Yun was now seventy or eighty percent certain this was the masked man from that day, and he frowned in deep confusion. "Junior Brother, possessing such superb martial skill, why are you content to remain an ordinary Medicine Harvesting disciple here, performing such rough and menial labor?

Does our Medicine Harvesting Hall truly not accommodate a master?" "With your exceptional martial arts, you are fully qualified to become a core disciple of our hall. Why not let me recommend you to Deputy Hall Master Ji in the Outer Branch, to become his personal disciple?

Decades from now, you would have a high probability of succeeding Deputy Hall Master Ji as the head of the Outer Branch." Ye Qin was somewhat unclear about Xie Yun’s intentions in coming here. Was it an interrogation?

Unlikely. It sounded more like an attempt to recruit.

He picked up his carrying pole, preparing to fetch water and leave. "Senior Brother, I am busy working.

If Senior Brother has free time, there are many matters within the hall that require attention." "Am I, Xie Yun, not worthy?" Xie Yun had never encountered such discourtesy before. Rage flared across his face, and with a move called the 'Void Cleaving Palm,' imbued with powerful internal energy, he struck toward Ye Qin with lightning speed, fueled by his indignation.

Ye Qin's expression turned cold, and he grabbed the carrying pole in his hand to block the strike. Crack.

The pole was hit squarely by the palm strike and shattered into splinters under the immense internal force. Ye Qin was jolted back a step, showing a flicker of surprise.

Did Xie Yun seek revenge for his defeat that day? Xie Yun slowly retreated a step, creating ample open space near the well.

A potent protective True Qi erupted from him, enveloping his entire body, his demeanor exceptionally serious. "Allow me to witness your peerless leg technique, Junior Brother.

Let us see if your legwork is superior, or if my Xie Clan's ultimate technique, the Heart Illumination Sutra, is more outstanding. I have cultivated in the Scripture Pavilion for twenty years; I refuse to believe any disciple in this hall can truly surpass me." Ye Qin also grew serious, his gaze heavy.

He now understood why Xie Yun had sought him out. It was neither an accusation nor an act of vengeance, but a pursuit to verify the supreme Martial Dao.

Just as an immortal cultivator dreams of reaching the peak of immortality, a martial artist’s highest aspiration is undoubtedly to step onto the pinnacle of the Martial Way. With his current cultivation at the third layer of the Qi Refining stage, he normally wouldn't contest a martial artist who was merely a first-rate master; it risked seeming unsporting.

However, Senior Brother Xie Yun's pursuit of the highest martial arts had always been the standard for disciples of the Medicine Harvesting Hall, and Ye Qin held him in deep respect. For someone to cultivate rigorously from the age of six or seven since childhood, spending over twenty years in seclusion without pause—achieving that level required far more than a few casual words could express.

This unwavering dedication alone commanded respect. ......

Ye Qin’s expression turned severe, and he lifted his foot in a sweeping motion. The large wooden bucket beside him soared ten feet high, exploding with a loud crash in mid-air.

"Boom!" A mist of water erupted in all directions, refracting the midday sun into dazzling light. Xie Yun snapped his head up to look at the bursting bucket.

Through the rising spray, he saw hundreds, perhaps thousands, of shimmering fist shadows attacking him. Xie Yun recoiled in horror and immediately moved to block with his palms.

But his palm strikes were almost entirely riddled with flaws; there was no way to completely cover the deluge of incoming fist shadows. Xie Yun watched in terror as the fist projections pierced the gaps, landing densely upon him.

Bang, bang, bang... In a matter of mere seconds, over a hundred lightning-fast punches struck Xie Yun’s most vulnerable meridian points and acupoints, effectively sealing almost every pressure point on his upper body.

His internal True Qi could no longer flow smoothly and was even forced into retrograde motion. Ye Qin had struck out with the absolute limit of his speed, achieving the fastest velocity he could manage.

This would also be the last time he used martial arts to deliver this set of rapid-fire strikes against a martial artist dedicated to the Martial Dao. From this day forward, he would never use his fists again.

His pursuit was not the Martial Dao, but the path of Immortal Cultivation. CRASH—!

Xie Yun tumbled heavily, falling several yards away onto the ground, his entire body's acupoints nearly paralyzed. He choked back a surge of blood rising in his throat.

As the brilliant mist dissipated. Ye Qin’s indifferent figure in the pale green robe reappeared.

"Basic Fist Technique, Straight Punch! Senior Brother Xie Yun, my boxing skills are not worth mentioning; I couldn't even break through your protective True Qi.

I targeted your weakest acupoints with one punch, at best causing slight paralysis. But my speed surpasses your eyes, and my fists were capable of sealing off any point you possessed, leaving you utterly defenseless.

Furthermore, Senior Brother Xie Yun, this is the final contest between us. I am busy.

Do not seek me out again unnecessarily; my patience is finite." Ye Qin fetched a replacement carrying pole, filled a fresh large wooden bucket, and walked away carrying his load. He simply wished to live quietly within the Medicine Harvesting Hall as an ordinary disciple, dedicating himself solely to his cultivation.

But this did not mean he would shrink from confrontation when necessary. With his current strength and the spells he commanded, he had no fear that anyone in the Medicine Harvesting Hall could genuinely threaten him.

If he hadn't been trying to avoid attracting undue attention, the simplest Wind Binding Spell could have left Xie Yun lying respectfully on the ground for an entire day. Xie Yun watched Ye Qin’s departing back, his thoughts complex.

He had lost, and this time, the defeat was absolute, leaving no room for argument. That tempestuous, stormy flurry of punches was simply beyond his ability to withstand.

It took nearly fifteen minutes for Xie Yun to forcibly unseal the acupoints throughout his body that had been locked by the force of the punches. He regulated his breathing, smoothed the chaotic True Qi, and slowly stood up, leaving the kitchen courtyard with a look of dejection.

－－－－－－－－－－－－－ September 10th Plot Announcement: Regarding the storyline from Chapter 42 (Yellow Orb) to Chapter 48 (Spiritual Eye Technique), involving the Nan Tianba plotline, some readers found this section dull and protracted. Therefore, Baili spent one morning implementing a "technical" revision.

The modifications are now complete. Chapter 43 "Fierce Battle on the Floating Isle"—Added details of the two individuals fighting fiercely within the Floating Isle, attacking via biting.

Added a plot point where Nan Tianba suffers a disadvantage, resulting in his rank dropping. Chapters 44 & 45—Added and modified the details of their fight outside the light barrier within the Purple Mansion.

Chapters 46~48—Slightly adjusted the strength comparison between the two Primordial Spirits. Nan Tianba suffered a disadvantage, descending to the third layer of the Qi Refining stage.

The protagonist’s strength rose to the third layer of the Qi Refining stage. Overall, the purpose of this revision was to delete portions of the story that were frustrating and enhance sections that were more exhilarating and satisfying.

Since these were purely "technical" adjustments designed to maintain overall smoothness and reader satisfaction from Chapter 1 through Chapter 59, the plot adjustments are minimal. Those interested may wish to review the changes.

Not reviewing them will not affect understanding of the subsequent plot. Please excuse any potential misinterpretations caused by the modification of certain plot points.

Thank you. .