When Lu Dingtai spoke these words, he was half proud and half wistful.
Proud that he had taught a truly exceptional disciple.
Wistful that, in reality, he hadn’t taught him much; aside from a set of the Great Vajra Fist and occasional guidance, Zhao Ya had walked most of the path himself.
This only further highlighted the terrifying potential of Zhao Ya’s talent.
Thinking of this, Lu Dingtai’s resolve grew even stronger.
He waved his hand, signaling Shen Dao, Miao Shaocheng, and Xu De, who had rushed over at the noise, to come over.
At this moment, Meng Shiwen also arrived.
Once everyone was gathered, Lu Dingtai announced something.
"You all saw, just now, I exchanged a move with your junior disciple. I only had a slight edge, and if we were to truly fight, I wouldn’t dare to say I’d win for sure against Ya."
Upon hearing this, everyone was visibly shaken.
They had all heard a sound like an earthquake and rushed over.
When they arrived, they saw Zhao Ya’s residence in disarray, with even the walls collapsed.
At the time, they didn’t know what had happened, but after Lu Dingtai spoke, they understood.
Turns out, master and disciple were exchanging moves in the courtyard in the middle of the night instead of sleeping.
But could such a terrifying scene be caused by humans?
Especially when they heard Lu Dingtai admit that he only slightly edged out Zhao Ya, and wouldn’t dare say he’d win in a life-and-death duel, they were even more shocked.
This meant that junior disciple Zhao Ya’s strength was already approaching the master’s?
Zhao Ya dared not admit it and quickly said, "Master, it was just luck on my part...."
"Ah, as a martial artist, you should be straightforward and decisive. If you’re strong, you’re strong; there’s no need to be modest," Lu Dingtai interrupted Zhao Ya, and then said.
"With your current strength, you are more than ready to graduate."
Zhao Ya and everyone present were taken aback.
"Master...."
Before Zhao Ya could finish, Lu Dingtai raised his hand to stop him.
"Listen to me. With your talent and strength, there is nothing more I can teach you. And if I can’t teach you, there’s no one in all of Yunxiao County who can, so staying in the Commandery would just be a waste of time."
"Don’t think that because you’re young you can afford to waste time; martial cultivation progresses step by step, and after the New Year, you will be twenty. At this age, possessing the strength of a half-step into the Fifth Realm sounds impressive, but I’m telling you, it’s far from enough!"
As he said this last part, Lu Dingtai’s voice grew extremely stern.
"Because for those truly great sects beyond the world, only entering the Fifth Realm makes you a true Martial Artist; the rest count for little, and they won’t care how old you are in the half-step to the Fifth Realm, they’ll only care about when you enter the Fifth Realm!"
"Entering the Fifth Realm before you’re thirty can be called promising, and you’ll have a chance to prove your way and open your meridians. But once you pass the age of thirty, the value plummets, and if you surpass thirty-five, even if you advance to the Fifth Realm, you’re just an ordinary Martial Artist and not worth much in the eyes of those great sects."
"So you must understand the urgency of cultivation. If you can advance to the Fifth Realm by thirty or even twenty-five, then I, your master, would go to any length to ensure you have a bright future."
Lu Dingtai’s words were truly awakening and resounding.
Not only Zhao Ya, but Shen Dao, Miao Shaocheng, and the others present all fell silent.
Indeed!
Martial cultivation progresses step by step, and this world is so harsh that no reason can argue against it.
And as the brightest hope of the Dingtai Martial Arts Hall and even the entire Yunxiao County, it is evident how high Lu Dingtai’s hopes are for Zhao Ya.
"Master, I understand. I will give my utmost to cultivate diligently and strive for an early breakthrough," Zhao Ya said solemnly.
To his surprise, Lu Dingtai shook his head, "Completely wrong. What you should do now is not cultivate arduously but leave here."
"Leave here?"
This time, even Shen Dao and the others were a bit puzzled.
"That’s right!"
Lu Dingtai looked at Zhao Ya with piercing eyes, "Your talent is the rarest I’ve seen in my life. If you waste it here in the Commandery, even ascending to the Fifth Realm would be a waste. You should have a much brighter future."
He then looked into the distance and said softly, "Do you remember when I mentioned the Realm-Breaking Guide to you?"
Zhao Ya nodded.
It was something he could hardly forget, not for a moment.
"During the last Beast Tide, the two beads you obtained from the Mountain Demon and Ghost Child are precisely the Realm-Breaking Guide, and of quite high rank. But to use them, you must know how to refine them."
"Refine them?"
"Yes, which means finding a way to extract the power contained within. However, around the world, apart from those with long-standing legacies of great sects, only some individuals who specialize in this way know how to do this."
At this point, Lu Dingtai smiled slightly, "And as it happens, I happen to know one such person!"
"His name is Mo Qi, a master of medical arts. I once saved him by chance, so he owes me a favor. Now it’s time for him to repay it."
As he spoke, Lu Dingtai took out a piece of paper from his bosom and handed it to Zhao Ya.
"This is the address he left me when we parted."
Zhao Ya opened it and saw only a single line of small characters.
Yan Capital City, Changping Square, Yuzhu Alley.
"Take this and find him, and say you’re my disciple. He will help you refine these two Realm-Breaking Guides. Once you can ascend to the Fifth Realm through these Realm-Breaking Guides, your future prospects will truly be limitless," Lu Dingtai said with a smile.
Zhao Ya held the piece of paper, feeling it as heavy as a thousand pounds, then took a deep breath and carefully tucked it into his bosom.
He knew very well how significant this seemingly light piece of paper was to his life.
"Master...."
Zhao Ya wanted to express his gratitude, but before he could speak, Lu Dingtai waved him off.
"Alright, you’re my disciple. If I don’t look out for you, who will? There’s no need for such formalities between us in the future, understand?" Lu Dingtai said with a stern face.
"Yes!" Zhao Ya cupped his hands and responded.
"Pack your things and set off in a few days. I’ll be waiting for your good news!" With that, Lu Dingtai strode away.
Shen Dao, Miao Shaocheng, and the others were left looking at one another.
They all knew that Junior Brother was about to leave the commandery and head to the Great Yan Capital City.
So, the atmosphere turned a bit somber.
Finally, Shen Dao was the first to react, reaching out to pat Zhao Ya on the shoulder.
"It’s too late today. Don’t bother tidying up here. Take Zui’Er and crash at my place for the night."
"Alright!" Zhao Ya nodded.
"I’m going too!" Miao Shaocheng said.
"What’s the point of you joining in?" Xu De couldn’t help but comment.
"I miss Sister-in-law’s cooking, and besides, Ya is about to leave. If we don’t have a few more drinks now, we might not get the chance again!" Miao Shaocheng said quietly.
Everyone was taken aback.
No one expected that the usually carefree Miao Shaocheng could be so thoughtful.
At this moment, Miao Shaocheng felt someone embrace him. Looking up, he saw Zhao Ya smiling at him.
"Senior Brother Miao, why does what you said sound so odd to me, as if I’m leaving and not coming back again?"
In fact, to Miao Shaocheng and the others, it did seem unlikely that Zhao Ya would return once he left.
After all, once he advances to the Fifth Realm, he’ll truly be like a dragon in the sea, with a vast world waiting for him outside. Why would he come back to this small place, Yunxiao County?
"Don’t worry, no matter how far I go, I’ll always return. After all, this is my home!"
Zhao Ya’s words were heartfelt.
Since coming to this world, only two places had truly given him a sense of home.
One was the Changlong Escort Agency in Wuxiang City, but it had already been destroyed.
The other was the Dingtai Martial Arts Hall here in Yunxiao County.
Not only had his master Lu Dingtai been devoted to him, but even his senior brothers and sisters had no complaints.
Upon hearing Zhao Ya’s words, the atmosphere finally lifted a bit.
Ultimately, they all ended up at Shen Dao’s house.
Shi Qingqing had been worried at home, unaware of what was happening outside. Once everyone arrived, she asked for the details and immediately went to the kitchen to cook.
With the help of Zui’Er and Meng Shiwen, a lavish spread of dishes was soon prepared.
Even though it was already the early morning, everyone enjoyed the meal happily until dawn.
Afterward, Zhao Ya took a short nap, then packed his things and went to the Ren Yong Martial Arts Hall to see Nie Jingnian.
After handing him the exotic insect, Nie Jingnian was somewhat surprised.
"What are you doing?"
Zhao Ya smiled, "This belongs to you from now on."
"What about you?"
"After I advance to the half-step Fifth Realm, the exotic insect egg will be of little use to me. Besides, I’m about to leave, so it’s better to give it to you."
"Leave? Where to?" Nie Jingnian asked, surprised.
"The Capital City!"
Zhao Ya didn’t mention the Realm-Breaking Guide, only stating that his strength had reached a bottleneck, and advancing wasn’t something achievable overnight.
So he planned to try his luck at the Great Yan Capital City.
After hearing this, Nie Jingnian was silent for a moment before finally nodding.
"I wish you a smooth journey and swift advancement to the Fifth Realm!"
"Thank you!"
After a couple more casual exchanges, Zhao Ya turned and left.
Watching his departing figure, Nie Jingnian was filled with emotion.
There was a time when they were at the same realm, but now the gap was immeasurable.
It seems I must work hard, or I’ll never catch up to him!
Nie Jingnian secretly resolved to work harder.
At the same time, Zhao Ya began preparing what was needed for his journey.
Since this trip was long, he needed to be thoroughly prepared.
But Zhao Ya didn’t have to worry about it, as Zui’Er took care of everything himself.
During this time, Zhao Ya and his senior brothers, along with the disciples of the Martial Arts Hall, drank heavily on numerous occasions.
Besides that, Zhao Ya didn’t reveal his departure from the commandery to the outside world, as it would only attract unnecessary trouble.
Just as Zhao Ya was busy with preparations, in the Shang Mansion, Shang Jingchuan and his daughter Shang Luoluo had also packed their bags.
On the morning of that day, just before dawn, a convoy was already parked in front of the Shang Mansion.
"Master, everything is ready. We can set off now."