This celestial master cultivates both physical and magical arts; why did you provoke him?

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The rear hall of the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain.

Zhang Jingxuan sat in a grand chair, with a person standing in front of her.

To be precise, it was half-leaning.

She was a young woman, who looked to be in her early twenties.

She had wavy hair cascading over her shoulders, striking features, fair skin, and lightly painted lips.

She was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and a black mini skirt.

She wore a pair of over-the-knee boots, revealing a section of her fair, glowing thighs.

She had a short stick tucked into her waistband.

It's a demon-subduing staff, covered with densely packed runes.

She was carrying a makeup case in her left hand and holding her phone in her right, scrolling through short videos.

Xia En walked into the back hall and saw this scene, so he paused. He turned around and glanced at Fang Zijian.

Fang Zijian stood there with his mouth agape and his eyes wide open, holding his phone high as he frantically took pictures.

Xia En turned around, walked up to Zhang Jingxuan, and bowed respectfully. "Master."

Zhang Jingxuan nodded and pointed at the young woman.

"This is your junior sister, Ma Xiaoling."

Ma Xiaoling looked up, saw Xia En, and sized him up. Then she put her phone in her pocket, held her makeup case in her left hand, and extended her right hand as if to shake hands.

"Greetings, Senior Brother. I am Ma Xiaoling, the 41st generation descendant of the Ma family of the Exorcist Dragon Clan. Please take care of me in the future."

Xia En looked at her outstretched hand, paused for a moment, and then took it.

"Xia En. The sixty-seventh Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion. You are also a disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion?"

"Not considered a formal disciple."

Ma Xiaoling withdrew her hand. "My father is Ma Santong, your master's junior brother. I've been practicing with my father since I was little, learning the Ma family's exorcism techniques. I also know a little bit of the Taoist magic of Longhu Mountain, but not much."

"So, what brings you to Longhu Mountain this time?"

"Just checking it out. And by the way..."

Ma Xiaoling took a talisman out of her makeup case and handed it to Xia En. "Take a look at this talisman for me. My dad says it's the 'Five Thunder Demon-Suppressing Talisman,' a lost art from Longhu Mountain. He wants me to learn it, but I can't understand it."

Xia En took the talisman and glanced at it.

The runes on the talisman paper were so complicated that they resembled a tangled mess, with twisted lines and a chaotic structure; they didn't look like usable talismans at all.

He turned the talisman over, looked at it again, and then smiled.

"Your dad got scammed."

Ma Xiaoling was taken aback. "What?"

"This talisman is fake. The structure of the runes is wrong, the stroke order is wrong in at least five places, and the color of the cinnabar is too light. Forget about using Five Thunderbolts to suppress demons, it can't even do the most basic exorcism."

Xia En handed the talisman back to her. "Where did your dad buy it? Taobao?"

Ma Xiaoling took the talisman, her expression changed slightly, and then she smiled.

"My dad bought it on Pinduoduo for 9.9 yuan with free shipping."

Xia En's lips twitched.

Zhang Jingxuan couldn't help but laugh out loud in the back hall.

Ma Xiaoling stuffed the talisman back into the makeup box and looked at Xia En again.

"Senior brother, I've heard you're very skilled in combat. You're proficient in lightning magic, talismans, and physical techniques. Could you show me your skills?"

Xia En took the lollipop out of his mouth and looked at her.

"What do you want to say?"

"Let's have a fight."

Ma Xiaoling's eyes lit up. "Let's stop here and not hurt feelings."

Zhang Jingxuan spoke from the back hall.

"Xiaoling, your senior brother just dealt with a Qing Dynasty zombie general and hasn't had a proper rest yet. Don't..."

"It's nothing," Xia En interrupted him, handing the lollipop to Fang Zijian. "Hold this for me."

He took off his jacket, revealing a black work vest underneath, and stretched his wrists.

"Go to the back mountain. Don't do it here. I can't afford to pay for the broken teacup your master makes."

Ma Xiaoling smiled. "Okay."

The training ground on the back mountain.

Xia En and Ma Xiaoling stood in the center of the field, ten meters apart.

Zhang Jingxuan sat on the stone bench next to her, holding a teacup, her expression calm.

Fang Zijian held up his phone, his hand trembling.

It wasn't out of fear, it was out of excitement.

Liu Ruyan and Shen Ye arrived at some point and stood by the field. Cuihua, perched in the shade of a tree, peered out.

"Senior brother, I've made my move."

Ma Xiaoling pulled the demon-subduing staff from her waist and waved it in the air.

The runes on the Demon-Subduing Staff lit up, and golden light flowed across its body.

Xia En stood still, without moving.

Ma Xiaoling took a step forward with astonishing speed.

Her figure left a blur in the air as the Demon-Subduing Staff pierced straight at Xia En's face.

Xia En turned his head to dodge, and the Demon-Subduing Staff grazed his ear, creating a whooshing sound.

Ma Xiaoling didn't stop; with a flick of her wrist, the Demon-Subduing Staff swept across Xia En's neck.

Xia En took a half step back to avoid it.

Ma Xiaoling advanced again, her Demon-Subduing Staff slashing down towards Xia En's shoulder.

Xia En raised his hand, and a golden light flashed in his palm, blocking the Demon-Subduing Staff.

"Bang--!!!"

The sound of metal clashing echoed in the training ground.

Ma Xiaoling was so shocked that she took three steps back, and the Demon-Subduing Staff almost slipped from her hand.

She looked down at her hands, then looked up at Xia En, her eyes filled with shock.

"Senior brother, your hand..."

"Golden Light of Invincibility." Xia En flicked his hand. "Defensive spell."

Ma Xiaoling paused for a moment, then smiled.

"As expected of my senior brother. Then I won't stand on ceremony."

She tucked the demon-subduing staff back into her waistband and formed a hand seal.

Her fingers moved swiftly, each gesture corresponding to a different mudra.

Her lips moved slightly as she uttered a string of incantations: "Lin, Bing, Dou, Zhe, Jie, Zhen, Lie, Zai, Qian—Zhu Xie!"

A dragon's roar suddenly echoed in the sky.

A golden ray of light shot out from Ma Xiaoling's palm and condensed into a golden dragon in the air.

The dragon was shimmering with golden light, its scales clearly visible, its whiskers fluttering in the wind, and its eyes burning with golden flames.

It hovered in the air, letting out a deafening dragon roar, before swooping down and heading straight for Shane.

Xia En stood still, watching the dragon charge towards him.

He didn't dodge, didn't use his invincible golden light, and didn't even raise his hand.

He just stood there, watching the dragon get closer and closer.

Then, when the dragon was only one meter away from him, he spoke.

"Palm Thunder".

"boom--!!!"

A bolt of lightning erupted from his palm, not striking the dragon, but striking the sky.

Thunder exploded in the air, transforming into countless golden arcs of electricity, like a giant net that enveloped the training ground.

The dragon crashed into the middle of the electric grid, letting out a miserable scream.

Then it turned into golden fragments and dissipated into the air.

Ma Xiaoling was stunned.

She stood there with her mouth agape and her eyes wide open, unable to utter a word for a long time.

"Your dragon is very strong."

Xia En withdrew his hand. "But your magic power is insufficient. If you could cultivate for another ten years, I might need to use both hands."

Ma Xiaoling fell silent.

Then she laughed, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

"Senior brother, you're amazing. I'm impressed."

She put away her magic wand, walked up to Xia En, and extended her hand. "Senior brother, please take care of me in the future."

Xia En looked at her outstretched hand and took it. "Okay."

Fang Zijian stood on the sidelines, holding his phone, his face flushed with excitement.

"We got it! We got it! Divine Dragon! Palm Thunder! It's amazing!"

Liu Ruyan stood beside him, shaking her head with a smile.

Shen Ye held the porcelain jar, a glint of light flashing in his silvery-white eyes.

Cuihua drifted out from the shade of the tree and floated to Ma Xiaoling's side, curiously looking her over.

Ma Xiaoling looked at Cuihua and smiled.

"You're Cuihua? The female ghost your senior brother raised?"

Cuihua nodded.

"Hello, I'm Ma Xiaoling."

Ma Xiaoling reached out her hand, wanting to shake hands with Cuihua.

Cuihua hesitated for a moment, then extended her pale hand and shook it.

Ma Xiaoling's hands were warm, while Cuihua's hands were cold.

Zhang Jingxuan stood up from the stone bench, holding her teacup, and smiled.

"Alright, alright, stop hitting. Let's go back and eat."

The group walked towards the rear hall.

Ma Xiaoling was walking next to Xia En when she suddenly spoke.

"Senior brother, what percentage of the power did you use with that palm lightning attack just now?"

Xia En thought for a moment, "Thirty percent."

Ma Xiaoling paused for a moment. "Thirty percent?"

"Yes. You're my junior sister, so you can't use your full strength."

Ma Xiaoling fell silent.

She watched Xia En's retreating figure.

Suddenly, she realized that this senior brother was even stronger than she had imagined.

Evening, Qingheju.

Xia En lay on the wicker chair, sucking on a lollipop.

Ma Xiaoling sat on the chair next to her, holding a notebook and quickly jotting something down.

"Senior brother, could you please explain the Five Thunder Orthodox Method you just mentioned?"

Xia En took the lollipop out of his mouth and looked at her.

"Didn't you say you studied the Ma family's exorcism magic? Why are you so interested in thunder magic?"

"Because of Lei Fashuai."

Ma Xiaoling's eyes sparkled. "You didn't see it, but the video of you using the Five Thunderbolts Technique to wipe out a hundred zombies in one move has over 100 million views online. I want to learn it too."

Xia En paused for a moment, then said, "The Five Thunder Orthodox Technique requires the inheritance of the Celestial Master's Mansion to learn. You are not a formal disciple, so you cannot learn it."

Ma Xiaoling's expression fell. "Then can I become a formal disciple?"

"You'll have to ask my master about that."

Ma Xiaoling immediately took out her phone and dialed Zhang Jingxuan's number.

"Senior Uncle, can I become a formal disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion?"

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Jingxuan paused for a moment. "Don't you have the Ma family's legacy?"

"I also know the Ma family's techniques, but I also want to learn the thunder magic of the Celestial Master's Mansion."

Zhang Jingxuan fell silent again. "Does your dad agree?"

"My dad said that as long as my senior uncle agrees, he will agree."

Zhang Jingxuan smiled.

"Alright. Starting tomorrow, you will be a formal disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion. Your senior brother will teach you thunder magic."

Ma Xiaoling hung up the phone, looked at Xia En, and smiled so hard her eyes curved into crescent moons.

"Senior brother, my senior uncle said you will teach me thunder magic."

Xia En looked at her and remained silent for a long time.

Then he sighed. "Okay. But tuition has to be paid."

Ma Xiaoling was taken aback. "Tuition fees?"

"That's right. The Celestial Master's Mansion doesn't support idlers. To learn thunder magic, you must first pay 500,000."

Ma Xiaoling's face fell. "Senior, I've only just started working, I don't have that much money."

"So what do you have?"

Ma Xiaoling thought for a moment, then took something out of her makeup case and handed it to Xia En.

It is a jade pendant, entirely emerald green, with a dragon carved on it.

"This is the Ma family heirloom, the Demon-Exorcising Dragon Pendant. It can ward off evil, protect the wearer, and amplify magical power. Is it worth 500,000?"

Xia En took the jade pendant and weighed it in his hand.

The jade pendant is heavy and has a warm, smooth texture like jade.

No, it is jade.

He could feel a powerful force contained within the jade pendant, no less than the black jade talisman under his pillow.

"value."

Xia En put the jade pendant away. "Starting tomorrow, every morning at six o'clock, at the training ground on the back mountain. One late arrival will result in a deduction of five thousand."

Ma Xiaoling smiled. "Okay."

Fang Zijian, who was watching this scene from the side, asked,

"Xia En, you're even making money off your junior sister?"

"It's not about earning money, it's about paying tuition."

Shane put the lollipop back in his mouth. "Knowledge has value."

Fang Zijian was speechless.

That evening, Fang Zijian posted a message on his WeChat Moments:

"Today, a junior sister named Ma Xiaoling came to the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain. She is the 41st generation descendant of the Ma family, the demon-exorcising dragon clan. She wore a short skirt and long boots and can summon divine dragons. She said she wanted to learn thunder magic from Xia En, and Xia En said the tuition was 500,000. She gave Xia En her family heirloom. I'm impressed."

The comments section exploded.

"Ma Xiaoling? Is that the Ma Xiaoling I know?"

"Exorcise the dragons! Warriors, array yourselves before us! Slay the evil! My youth!"

"Xia En even makes money off his junior sister? That's ruthless!"

"It's not about earning money, it's about learning from your tuition. Knowledge has value. That's true."

"The Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain is indeed a place where hidden talents reside."

When the news reached Longhu Mountain, Zhang Jingxuan was drinking tea in the back hall.

Zhang Jingqing walked in with her phone and read the post from her WeChat Moments to him. Zhang Jingxuan smiled after listening.

"This kid, he even went after his junior sister."

Zhang Jingqing sighed from the side.

"Master, is Xiaoling really going to give the Ma family's exorcising dragon pendant to Junior Brother?"

"Um."

"That's a family heirloom of the Ma family, how much is it worth?"

"priceless."

Zhang Jingxuan put down her teacup. "But Xiaoling doesn't care about money. What she cares about is learning. She's been a smart child since she was little; she knows what's worthwhile and what's not."

Zhang Jingqing fell silent.

Zhang Jingxuan looked out the window at Longhu Mountain, where the moonlight was very bright.

"Moreover, that jade pendant is more useful to Xia En than to Xiao Ling. Xia En can do more with it. Xiao Ling knows this, so she gave it to him willingly."

The next morning at six o'clock, at the training ground on the back mountain.

Ma Xiaoling arrived on time, wearing a sports vest and shorts, with her hair tied in a ponytail, looking energetic.

Xia En stood in the center of the training ground, holding a stack of talismans in his hand.

"The first step in thunder magic is not learning thunder magic, but learning talismans."

Xia En handed a talisman to Ma Xiaoling, saying, "Because the essence of thunder magic is the combination of talismans and magical power. If you don't understand talismans, you can't grasp the essence of thunder magic."

Ma Xiaoling took the talisman and examined it carefully. "This is..."

"The talisman for the Palm Thunder. First, learn how to draw this talisman, then learn how to use it."

Ma Xiaoling nodded, took out a brush and cinnabar from her makeup case, and began to draw talismans.

Her movements were slow, each stroke deliberate and careful. Xia En stood beside her, watching her paint.

"This isn't right."

Shane pointed to a rune on the talisman paper, "This stroke should go from left to right, not from right to left."

Ma Xiaoling paused for a moment, then corrected it.

"This is wrong too. This stroke should be a circle, not a square."

Ma Xiaoling changed it again.

"This is correct. Continue."

Ma Xiaoling drew for an hour and finally finished a complete palm lightning talisman. She looked up at Xia En.

"Senior brother, it's finished."

Xia En took the talisman and examined it. "Not bad. It works."

Ma Xiaoling smiled.

"But it's only usable; it's far from being a master."

Xia En handed the talisman back to her. "Keep drawing. Keep drawing until you can draw it with your eyes closed without needing to look at the blueprints."

Ma Xiaoling nodded and continued drawing.

Fang Zijian squatted by the sidelines, holding up his phone, and captured the scene.

He suddenly realized that the way Xia En taught his apprentices was more interesting than the way he fought.