Chapter 80: The Uncut Jade Reveals Its First Luster

A sharp glint flashed in Tang Tian’s eyes as he clenched his right fist into a hammer and slammed it downward. His fist, wreathed in azure flames, struck the shaft of the arrow without any flourish. A surge of immense power traveled up his arm; Tang Tian let out a muffled grunt, but seized upon this force to propel himself into the air, shooting upwards toward the ceiling! The power of the arrow was just as Tang Tian had expected—it was nearly equivalent to the strength of a fourth-tier martial artist. If not for Tang Tian’s clever use of technique, this blow would have pierced right through his fist.

Yet, overwhelming force had its advantages. By fully borrowing the arrow’s power, Tang Tian’s leap soared to impressive heights. The ceiling of the passage rushed toward him, growing rapidly in his vision; just as he was about to collide with it, Tang Tian’s ten fingers hooked like claws and plunged into the ceiling. His momentum halted abruptly, his body pressed tightly against the top.

With a roar, Tang Tian summoned his strength, and like an arrow released from the bowstring, he shot forward along the ceiling. Then he repeated the process.

Tang Tian’s movements became increasingly calm and agile. The explosive power of his small crashing fist was perfect for changing direction, while his Shattered Shadow Palm—a single strike producing a dozen afterimages—could disrupt the flight of the arrows. His actions were astonishingly nimble; his robust stamina, flexible yet resilient body, and deft agility were all the fruits of five years of foundational martial training, now showing their immense worth.

He moved like a nimble wildcat, his speed astonishing.

The soldier riding on Tang Tian’s back was quietly awed. Many of Tang Tian’s ingenious techniques had never crossed his mind, yet he could not help but admire them. He simply could not understand how Tang Tian, who seemed so dull and clumsy in daily life, became clever and agile in battle. The recruits the soldier had trained in the past, though each more powerful than Tang Tian, were far less adept at adapting to crisis.

This fellow was born for combat!

How far can you go, I wonder?

A flicker of expectation arose in the soldier’s heart, for the Thousand Arrows Passage was not so easily traversed. This was only the beginning…

Tang Tian soon discovered the arrows’ power was intensifying, their density growing more astonishing, their angles increasingly treacherous. His movements became more desperate.

But the soldier saw even more. Under danger, Tang Tian’s potential was quickly unearthed. Though his movements grew more frantic, his excess actions dwindled rapidly. Pressured by the escalating rhythm of attacks, Tang Tian’s motions became ever more concise.

Increasingly streamlined movements and changes began to carry an admirable elegance.

Indeed, he’s worthy of the name “Foundational Tang!”

Even the soldier could not help but silently praise him. Tang Tian’s foundational martial skills were already near perfection, but he had never faced such an extreme situation. The beating training of the recruit camp was dense, but compared to the ever-present threat of death now, it could only be called training. Under intense peril, Tang Tian had no choice but to make his actions ever more rational and concise.

After the initial flurry of desperation, Tang Tian gradually stabilized his footing.

Though his speed slowed considerably, he pressed onward with unwavering resolve.

His stamina and true force drained rapidly.

Wait!

The soldier’s admiration turned to surprise as he suddenly noticed Tang Tian beginning to allocate his stamina and true force. This truly astonished him! For new recruits, the most common mistake was failing to manage their stamina and true force, and only seasoned veterans mastered this art.

Yet Tang Tian was figuring it out on his own.

Such battle intelligence… This fellow truly is a born warrior!

It was difficult to reconcile the alert, sharp, and battle-wise Tang Tian before him with the usual stubborn, dull-witted Tang Tian.

…Is this the real Tang Tian…?

The soldier felt a surge of emotion, as if he were witnessing the rough stone of a precious jade slowly being chipped away, revealing the brilliant gem beneath. He had never underestimated Tang Tian; Tang Tian’s ruthlessness, tenacity, stubbornness, arrogance, and wildness were all qualities the soldier admired. But today’s Tang Tian still left him shocked.

Tang Tian was oblivious to the tumult in the soldier’s heart. He hadn't been so desperate in a long time; the arrows whistling toward him from the end of the passage showed no signs of abating. Even as he began to attempt distributing his stamina and true force, they continued to be rapidly depleted.

Bang!

His punch struck an arrow. With his strength waning, he was sent flying like he’d been grazed by a charging rhinoceros. In panic, his fingers flipped and dug fiercely into the bronze wall, suspending himself.

But the bronze arrows gave him no respite.

Swish, swish, swish!

The sound of arrows slicing the air was relentless.

Tang Tian gritted his teeth and summoned his last reserves, curling his body to dodge several bronze arrows, then forced himself forward with a push of his arms.

He had lost count of how far he’d advanced; with his stamina exhausted, his mind began to cloud and blur.

Watching Tang Tian stagger forward, the soldier remained silent, a faint glow appearing in his palm.

He waited for Tang Tian to reach his absolute limit before intervening.

In such a desperate situation, every extra moment Tang Tian endured would yield greater rewards. Experience gained from battles like this was invaluable, far more precious than cultivation. It would not directly raise his rank or martial skills, but its effect on his actual strength was real.

With equal strength, someone who has hovered at the edge of life and death is far more formidable and likely to survive.

Tang Tian’s reactions slowed, his movements growing forced and fraught with danger.

The soldier was ready to step in at any moment.

Yet time ticked by. Tang Tian, though staggering and seeming on the verge of collapse, continued to stumble forward, never falling, always pressing on despite numerous close calls.

This fellow…

The soldier’s astonishment deepened—this was… combat intuition!

Tang Tian’s reactions slowed, but just before a bronze arrow could strike him, he would always manage a narrow, miraculous dodge.

Many believe intuition is innate, but as the chief instructor of the Southern Cross Legion, the soldier knew well that intuition is honed through experience. He knew Tang Tian had been training his intuition, or else he could never have endured so long in the beating drills.

But for this fellow’s intuition to have matured to this degree…

The soldier felt he was destined to be shocked by Tang Tian today, for when he finally came to his senses, Tang Tian had already completed the Thousand Arrows Passage!

He… he finished the Thousand Arrows Passage…

The soldier stared at Tang Tian in a daze. No bronze arrows flew toward him now; freed from danger, Tang Tian collapsed backward onto the ground, sweat spraying everywhere.

Floating once again in mid-air, the soldier gazed down at the exhausted, slumbering Tang Tian, unable to speak for a long time.

This fellow…

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“Mom, when I grow up to be a man, I’ll protect you!”

“Mom, I’ll find that scoundrel, beat him up, drag him before you, and make him repent!”

“Alright! Chihui, it’s a promise! I will find you!”

“Chihui, I’ll become stronger. No matter how far the Sky Road stretches, I’ll never break my promise!”

…

Tang Tian slowly opened his eyes, still feeling as if voices echoed in his mind. The first thing he saw was the finely carved bronze ceiling above him.

Wait!

Tang Tian jolted upright, shouting, “Ahhh, Uncle Bing, Uncle Bing!”

“Hm? You’re awake?” Uncle Bing’s voice came from behind.

Seeing Uncle Bing, Tang Tian breathed a sigh of relief. After a moment, his face filled with confusion: “Huh, how did I fall asleep?”

“Oh, guess you were tired,” Uncle Bing replied blandly.

“Seems like it.” Tang Tian recalled some of the earlier events. Suddenly, his brow twitched, and he spun around, pointing at Bing and cursing, “How dare you call me a rookie!”

“Did I say anything wrong?” Uncle Bing mocked. “A mere Thousand Arrows Passage left you so bedraggled? Tsk tsk, that passage used to be breached countless times every month. Oh, I remember once, it broke from overuse. The mechanics had to come over and fix it. You know, these people are really bored.”

But in his heart, Uncle Bing silently thought: Yet every one of them had a much higher rank than you…

Tang Tian was momentarily stunned by Bing’s words, then scoffed, “What’s so great about it? This is just the first time! Next time I come, hmph, I’ll defeat it!”

“So you’ve got energy to boast again. Looks like you’ve recovered,” Bing said indifferently. “Let’s keep moving.”

Tang Tian climbed up, suddenly feeling something tugging on his hair. He reached up and found something hanging there. Pulling it down, he saw it was Sprout, the little one clutching a bow and arrow, sound asleep. Its tiny belly visibly rose and fell. Tang Tian shook his head and shoved Sprout into his pocket.

“Are there any more traps ahead?” Tang Tian asked, a bit apprehensive.

“What, scared?” Uncle Bing’s voice was tinged with ridicule.

Tang Tian immediately jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, glaring fiercely at Bing: “Scared? You bastard, trying to provoke me? Come on, let’s have a good fight!”

Uncle Bing didn’t even look at him, acting as if Tang Tian didn’t exist. “Looks like you’ve recovered pretty quickly.”

Tang Tian snorted, a bit smug. “Of course, a youth like a god—you couldn’t possibly understand!”

Not far ahead, they came upon a bronze door.

Such a smooth bronze door!

The entire door was polished to a mirror-like finish. Tang Tian ran up to it, striking various poses, full of pride. Sprout, somehow awakened, was immediately captivated by the mirror-like bronze door, scurrying onto Tang Tian’s shoulder and mimicking Tang Tian’s poses.

“Hey, youth, looking stylish!” Tang Tian praised himself, then added with a smug grin, “Like master, like pet!”

Sprout, excited, tumbled several somersaults on Tang Tian’s shoulder.

Bing ignored the pair, walking straight to the door and fiddling with it. Tang Tian watched curiously out of the corner of his eye, but couldn’t see what Bing was doing.

The door creaked open. Despite the passage of countless years, not a trace marred its mirror-like surface.

Then, Tang Tian was utterly stunned by the scene before him.