Though he had achieved a proud victory, he was severely injured; after the triumph, he lost consciousness and his frame was hurried back to the main branch with the utmost urgency.His afflictions were not limited to the deep gash from the short sword; he also suffered internal injuries from the force of the internal energy that had struck through the shield, leaving him to lie in a stupor for three full days before he finally regained his senses.
When he awoke, the first thing he sought—hoping with all his heart to behold—was the caring countenance of Sect Master Lin Xiu and to hear words of praise for his meritorious deed in successfully slaying the leader of the Fragrant Wood Sect.But he was met only with bitter disappointment.Within the room, he was entirely alone; nearly half an hour passed before a maid-servant entered to find him and brought water to quench his thirst; yet, when he inquired after the Master, his heart sank once more.
He had hazarded his existence to perform an illustrious exploit for the sect, only to return severely injured, hoping the Master would finally recognize his worth.Yet, against all expectations, the Master showed not the slightest sign that he was held in regard; he had not even come to visit him while he lay in such a critical condition from the blade's edge.
He learned later from the attendant that the Master had not come because he was entirely occupied with caring for his wife, who had just given birth to a second son.Upon hearing this, he could only suppress his despondency, gloom, and smoldering envy within his heart, coming to the stark realization that he was but a lowly attendant, and in no way an important person to the Master!
Once he had recovered from his injuries, his bearing and behavior underwent a profound change; from a cheerful and smiling youth, he became quiet and somber.Instead of noticing the unusual nature of this shift, the Master praised him for his increased prudence, as befitted a dignified adult.Chen Shuyuan merely accepted the words of praise with a faint smile and continued with his routine duties as usual.
Furthermore, he was compelled to perform the duty of assisting in the care of the Master's two young sons at times.In truth, these little dolls were adorable—plump and sturdy, with charming faces and a mischievous nature.Yet, when he witnessed the Master placing such importance upon these children, feelings of despondency and abandonment began to smolder in his chest, causing intense suffering in his heart.These matters were all painful in the extreme to him, yet he never opened his mouth to utter a word or reveal his true feelings.
Nevertheless, he continued to advance within the sect, eventually attaining a position of greater prominence than all others. This was because the Sect Master placed great trust in him, assigning him many affairs in his capacity as a trusted close lieutenant. Furthermore, the Master granted him special permission to cultivate both the Thunder Eagle Claw Technique and the Heaven-Soaring Eagle Sword Style up to the second level, a rank equal to the Elders of the sect.
The Thunder Eagle Claw Technique comprises three distinct levels, with each stage consisting of seven stances, totaling twenty-one moves in all.
The first level serves as the foundational basis, known as the "Attacking Eagle" stage. It emphasizes the utmost speed and swiftness of an assault. Ordinary subordinates within the sect are capable of training in this level; once they master these seven stances, they can walk the martial world (jianghu) as Valiant Knights without any sense of shame.
The second level is the intermediate stage, known as the "Lightning Eagle" stage. Its movements are highly complex, requiring the practitioner to circulate internal energy (Nei Gong) and harmonize it with each stance. Its power is exponentially more formidable than the first level. Mastery of this level is reserved for ranking officials, such as Masters of the Cloud-Soaring Tower or Branch Leaders. Yet, few are those who can attain full mastery of the fourteenth stance, as this art requires not only the training of forms but also the precise and accurate exertion of internal strength. To reach this stage, one must receive specialized pointers and guidance from an expert who has previously achieved success in the technique.
The third and highest level of the Claw art is known as the "Thunderbolt Eagle" stage. This stage is strictly reserved for the person who occupies the dais as the Sect Master. It focuses almost entirely on the cultivation of profound internal energy. To succeed at this level, one must receive direct transmission from the predecessor or be granted three sets of keys to unlock the Master's Secret Chamber. Within that room is kept the manual containing the secrets of the third level, with each key held for safekeeping by three separate Elders.
In addition to the Thunder Eagle Claw, he was also permitted to receive transmission of the Heaven-Soaring Eagle Sword Style up to the second level.
The Heaven-Soaring Eagle Sword Style is comprised of three distinct levels. The first and second levels each consist of sixteen stances, while the third and highest level contains seventeen, making a total of forty-nine stances in this martial art.
The first level serves as the foundational stage, known as "Eagle Gliding on the Wind." It emphasizes rigorous training of the forms to achieve utmost agility in blade control. While all subordinates within the sect are permitted to receive transmission of this level, one must not regard it as a mere fundamental skill; for by employing only the first-level stance "Eagle Piercing the Wind," Chen Shuyuan was able to cleave the skull of the leader of the Fragrant Wood Sect with total success!
The second level is the intermediate stage, entitled "Eagle Swooping from the Sky." Its stances are highly complex, utilized in harmony with profound internal energy (Nei Gong) to manifest formidable destructive power. To cultivate this second level, one must simultaneously master the second level of the Claw technique, as success in the claw art will augment the virulence and might of the blade. If the practitioner possesses a sturdy internal energy, the destructive force will be increased exponentially. Mastery of this level is strictly reserved for ranking officials, such as Masters of the Cloud-Soaring Tower or Branch Leaders.
The third level is the pinnacle of the art, titled "Heaven-Soaring Eagle." It is a stage that only the Sect Master is permitted to cultivate. The training for this level is painstakingly difficult, as one must first achieve full mastery of the third level of the Claw technique to possess the profound internal strength and dexterity required to command the blade according to one's will. Even Sect Master Lin Xiu, who received direct transmission from his father—the "Peerless Divine Eagle" Lin Feirong, who originated the style—endured extraordinary hardship before reaching the forty-ninth and final stance. The secret formulas for this style are likewise kept within the Master's Secret Chamber.
For Chen Shuyuan, whose status was but a personal attendant to the Master, to be granted permission to cultivate the second level of both the sword and claw arts was an extraordinary exception. Few would believe that he could attain full mastery of these superior techniques in both disciplines.
Yet, being quick-witted with sharp intuition, and having built a foundation of internal energy from an early age, his progress was exceptionally rapid. Most remarkable was his mastery of all fourteen stances of the claw technique within a mere two years, a feat rarely witnessed in the martial world. However, he may have been blessed with greater fortune than others, as it was Sect Master Lin Xiu himself who personally provided the pointers and guidance for that crucial fourteenth move.
There was, in truth, a hidden history behind his being granted permission to cultivate the second level of both martial disciplines. It began one afternoon when Sect Master Lin Xiu secretly observed Chen Shuyuan's practice after the youth had recuperated from his hazardous encounter with Gao Bowen. The Master noted him caressing the shield of Gao Bowen and strapping it to his frame before donning a cloak and executing sword stances, attempting to adapt the back-strapped shield into his martial forms. It was an unseemly sight that the Master found offensive to the dignity of the Divine Eagle Sect's arts. To allow a close lieutenant to modify techniques in a manner that suggested a fear of death or a desire for self-preservation was to invite public derision. Furthermore, it contradicted the sect's principles which favored the offensive over the defensive; if permitted to continue, the conflicting energies might lead to a fire deviation, resulting in a critical or even fatal outcome.
Thus, the Master revealed himself to offer a severe reprimand. Chen Shuyuan did not deny his attempts to integrate the shield into the sect's arts, nor that such actions were shameful. Yet, he confessed with profound sincerity that his martial prowess was lowly; if he wished to perform illustrious exploits in service of the sect, courage alone was insufficient. Hence, he sought to adapt his techniques based on his hazardous experience to advance his skills further.
Sect Master Lin perceived his earnest resolve and his manifest achievements, notably his solitary extermination of the leader of the Fragrant Wood Sect. Consequently, he summoned the Elders of the sect to deliberate and issued a command granting special permission for Chen to cultivate the second level of both the Claw and Sword techniques. Though the Elders initially dissented, they could not oppose the Master's iron will. Ultimately, the former wandering orphan was permitted to learn the superior arts of the second level.
On the day he achieved full mastery of the fourteen stances of the Sword style, Master Lin ordered Chen Shuyuan to produce the bizarre shield of the Golden-Shelled Venomous Turtle. He then commanded him to strike with the "Eagle's Severing Hack," the pinnacle attack of the second level. The destructive power of the second level was immense; with but two consecutive strikes, the miraculous shield was cleaved in two!
"Behold! This is true martial prowess," Sect Master Lin Xiu declared, letting out a hearty laugh of delight upon witnessing Chen Shuyuan attain the superior arts of the sect's second level. "Such spurious defenses are worthless when encountering a top expert. Diligently apply yourself to your training and do not become attached to magical artifacts for self-preservation!"
Chen Shuyuan dropped to his knees and knocked his head against the floor, manifesting an expression of profound gratitude and submission. Yet, within his heart, he ruminated: if even a top expert required two consecutive strikes of maximum effort to shatter it, then a truly superior magical artifact would surely augment one's might tenfold! He committed this secret to the depths of his mind.
Armed with martial skill, illustrious exploits, and courageous valor, and being held in the Master's highest trust, his advancement within the sect knew no limits. Despite the hidden rancor smoldering in his heart, Chen Shuyuan persevered with tireless determination, striving to master every literary classic, martial art, and administrative affair of the sect. For he had resolved that attaining a high-ranking post and wielding absolute authority were the lofty goals he must seize, rather than seeking the Master's admiration or pride.
By the age of thirty, Chen Shuyuan was conferred the title of Vice-Master. Within the Divine Eagle Sect, he was below but one person and above the multitude, receiving only the Master's decrees and the counsel of the High Elders. It was a station of immense grandeur, yet in his heart, he knew with absolute clarity that his true status remained that of a lowly servant.
This was because Sect Master Lin had explicitly clarified to him in private regarding his future strategy; he had been appointed to the dais only to assist the Master's two sons in managing the sect's affairs in the days to come.
When his sons grew to adulthood, Sect Master Lin Xiu intended to abdicate his seat, allowing his eldest son to ascend as the new Master while he himself would set out on a journey to seek pleasure and tranquility in his advanced years.The second son was to be appointed as Vice-Master to stand by his brother's side.
When that time arrived, Chen Shuyuan was expected to withdraw from his post as Vice-Master and assume the rank of Elder, serving as a 'Chief Steward' to manage the sect's internal affairs for the two sons.
"You are as a younger brother to me; you must continue to support and look after your two nephews, ensuring they inherit their stations with stability, and establish the enduring grandeur of our Divine Eagle Sect for generations to come," the late Master had declared with a resolute voice.
The Master's firm voice still rang clearly in his ears, and the memory of that steady embrace while those words were spoken remained etched in the old Master's mind to this very day.He recalled vividly that on that day, he had smiled—a smile through tears—feigning an expression of profound warmth and gratitude, while in truth, his chest felt as if it were being consumed by the fires of hell!
There was only a sense of acrid bitterness in his throat and a despondency so intense he wished to scream in a blind rage!To be compelled into submission as a lowly servant to the father, only to continue being a slave to his two sons, was a taste too difficult to endure!
It meant that all his successes and the sum of all his tireless efforts were merely to be offered as tribute beneath the feet of others!That was the feeling that arose within the heart of the 'Heavenly Blade Divine Eagle' at that time... a burden too heavy for his shoulders to bear.Nevertheless, he kept his dissatisfaction closely concealed beneath a smiling countenance and a humble bearing, manifesting an air of intimate friendship.
All of this was but a strategy... waiting for his opportunity!
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