Chapter 135: A Matter of Three to Five Minutes

"I did not know that you were guiding me, and I failed to recognize your eminence. I beg your forgiveness!"

Entering the room and seeing Zhang Xuan seated upright in the center, Ling Tianyu was filled with trepidation.

Yesterday, he had indeed treated this master poorly, even harboring suspicions. Being allowed entry was already quite generous.

"There's no need to beg forgiveness!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "I'm not so petty."

Sun Qiang, standing to the side, widened his eyes.

You left him outside to be drenched by dew all night, then slowly ate breakfast before letting him in—and you call that not petty?

"Yes, yes!" Ling Tianyu's face reddened. Just as he was about to continue, he saw Zhang Xuan extend his hand and look over calmly: "Do you know why I made you wait outside all night?"

"I..."

Ling Tianyu looked embarrassed.

Don't you think I slighted you and deliberately gave me a show of power?

I admit my mistake, isn't that enough?

"Do you think I deliberately made things difficult for you?" Zhang Xuan looked at him.

"No... no!" Ling Tianyu quickly shook his head.

"Don't deny it. It's normal to think that way!" Zhang Xuan seemed unperturbed, his voice earnest. "Actually, making you wait outside all night was for your own good!"

"For my own good?"

This time, not only Ling Tianyu was puzzled, but Sun Qiang also looked bewildered.

Making someone stand at the door all night—for their own good?

What kind of reasoning was that?

"If I'm not mistaken, your wife is gravely ill and could die at any moment. And your purpose in coming to me is to ask me to save her, isn't it?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"Yes!"

Hearing the other party state his thoughts outright, Ling Tianyu shuddered.

"For me to save her, you must bring your wife here. But yesterday you still came into contact with the Tinan Blood Jade, and your body still harbors the aura that devours one's vitality. If I had agreed and you contacted her again, she might have perished before being brought here."

Zhang Xuan sighed and continued: "So, making you stand outside all night served two purposes: first, to completely dissipate the special aura in your body; second, to keep you from rushing home and avoid danger. Of course, if you had disobeyed and left, your wife would surely have died, and there would be no need for you to come again. A dead person cannot be saved, even by a master teacher."

Hearing this, Ling Tianyu's face changed, and cold sweat broke out.

In truth, he had been quite resentful about standing outside all night. Though he dared not say it, he was inwardly unconvinced.

A master teacher should not only guide and be capable but also have grace, not quibble over trifles.

And this master teacher, in his view, had clearly been deliberately tormenting him to humiliate him.

Now he understood... he had truly misunderstood. The other party had been deeply thoughtful.

After treating him that way, the other party still considered his well-being...

This was truly the demeanor of a master teacher, inspiring admiration.

Compared to him, he had indeed measured the gentleman's heart with his own mean measure.

While feeling grateful, he also secretly rejoiced.

Fortunately, he had persisted last night; otherwise, if he had gone back, he would have regretted it for life.

Sun Qiang, standing to one side, also had his eyes wide open.

A master is a master, a renowned teacher is a renowned teacher—every step has deep meaning.

He had originally thought it was deliberate torment, but now he realized that the master's thoughts were not something a small figure like him could fathom.

"Thank you, sir!"

Ling Tianyu was about to bow.

"Go bring the person here and let me have a look. If the illness is already too severe, I'm afraid I won't be able to do anything either," Zhang Xuan said, waving his hand.

"Yes!" Ling Tianyu's eyes reddened with excitement, and he quickly withdrew with Master Cheng Yuan.

After the two had left, Zhang Xuan turned to Sun Qiang at his side.

"Xiao Qiang, I promised to help you advance to the fourth level of martial artist, and I won't break my word. Perform a set of boxing techniques and let me see your condition!"

"Yes, Master!"

Hearing that the master was going to help him advance, Sun Qiang nodded excitedly.

Soon, after finishing a set of boxing techniques, Sun Qiang showed not excitement but embarrassment: "Master, I was injured yesterday... my strength has greatly diminished. If I try to break through to the Skin and Bone Realm today, I'm afraid I won't have the strength..."

Breaking through a realm requires adjusting one's state to reach the peak before making a concerted effort. Having just been beaten yesterday, with injuries still on his body and insufficient energy, no matter how brilliant the master's guidance, it would be difficult to succeed.

He hadn't realized it while not boxing, but as soon as he moved, he immediately felt pain from the injuries, and his true energy flow was somewhat obstructed.

"Don't worry!" Zhang Xuan interrupted him, smiling as he looked over: "The reason you've been stuck at the True Energy Realm for so many years is that the true energy you cultivate is too turbid, unable to penetrate the meridians and nourish the flesh. If this continues, the true energy will even settle, and not only will you be unable to progress, but you might even regress."

"Yes!" Sun Qiang nodded.

In the past two years, he had indeed felt his physical strength continuously declining, and his strength was slowly improving. If not for desperately training to hold on, he might have already dropped to the early stage of the True Energy Realm.

"The fourth level of martial artist, the Skin and Bone Realm, requires true energy to flow through the entire body, increasing the strength of muscles and periosteum. Logically, your turbid true energy would have difficulty flowing through the whole body, but now it's different! Being beaten yesterday damaged the flesh, and the previously settled true energy was also shaken loose, clearing many obstructions in the meridians..."

"Master... was it... intentional that I got beaten yesterday?"

Before Zhang Xuan could finish, Sun Qiang's whole body trembled, and tears of gratitude streamed down his face.

Earlier, the master had deliberately made Ling Tianyu wait outside the door for his own good. I thought letting me get beaten was a mistake, but now I know... it was also for me!

Pity that I misunderstood him and thought he was deceiving me...

"Huh?"

Seeing his fat butler suddenly moved to tears, Zhang Xuan was a bit baffled.

I just meant that your injury doesn't affect your training... how did you jump to that conclusion? Your mind is too associative...

But this is good, it helps establish my authority as a master teacher...

"Ahem!" He cleared his throat: "Good, your understanding shows that my efforts in nurturing you were not in vain. Alright, no need to say more. If I'm not mistaken, Ling Tianyu must have given you some healing pills!"

"I..." Sun Qiang's face turned red.

The master endured misunderstanding for my sake, and I still had the nerve to take the other's pills...

Comparing people really shows the difference...

"It's nothing. As long as you serve me loyally, taking a few things is fine." Guessing what he was thinking, Zhang Xuan interrupted: "Take out the pills and prepare. We'll now attempt to break through to the fourth level of martial artist."

"Now?" Not expecting it to be so soon, Sun Qiang was taken aback: "Master, don't we need to find a quiet room? If I do it here, I'm afraid that before I succeed, Master Ling will arrive and delay your business..."

"No need. It's a matter of three to five minutes. Why look for a quiet room?" Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Three to five minutes? And... break through?"

Sun Qiang was startled, his eyes wide open, looking at the master before him in disbelief.