Transformation Diagram: Starting as a Skinny Dog

Zhang Yuanhai felt a numbing sensation throughout his body, his face turned completely wooden.

He had originally planned to use this opportunity for Zhang Renfeng to leverage his Cultivation and Martial Arts proficiency, which far surpassed Chen Ku's, to publicly reclaim the status he had lost.

Unexpectedly, the situation had turned into a crushing scene where Yang Luochen's disciple dominated with sheer strength.

Even more so, because of his arrogance and failure to act early, Zhang Renfeng didn't even get to use the "Five Elements Qi Needle," which was renowned for countering other Ultimate Skills, before being sent flying by the staff's wind.

Just when he felt indescribably humiliated, "Be careful, Chen Ku!" Chai Bao's loud shout suddenly rang in his ear.

Everyone immediately looked over.

They saw Zhang Renfeng, who was sent flying by the staff's wind and hung on a wall; he wasn't seriously injured, but his face was flushed red with extreme humiliation and shame.

"AHH!"

Zhang Renfeng suddenly roared upwards, his piercing scream spreading like a demonic chant, causing the dust on the ground to quake violently!

Within tens of yards, everyone's eardrums throbbed with pain as their vision darkened.

WHOOSH!

Zhang Renfeng's body suddenly shot out, and in the sounds of tearing through the air, he pulled numerous floating shadows across the sky in swift motions!

It was precisely the rapid and elusive movement technique of the "Five Elements Qi Needle" that Chai Bao had described earlier.

Everyone immediately frowned. Because it was clear that the outcome had already been decided when Zhang Renfeng was knocked away.

Although Zhang Renfeng hadn't even had the chance to use his Martial Arts, it was clearly his own fault for allowing Chen Ku to attack, so who could he blame?

Now, his actions clearly indicated that he was lashing out in a fit of fury, using his Martial Arts again, but in reality, he had already lost. He was simply refusing to accept defeat.

Chen Ku, hearing Instructor Chai's reminder by his ear, didn't actually need Instructor Chai's warning. Long before Zhang Renfeng regained consciousness and roared to the sky, the Transformation Diagram had already alerted him:

[Subject Zhang Renfeng seeks to harm the Diagram Master…]

Seeing the countless afterimages pulling in the air, headed his way, Chen Ku was not surprised but swiftly stuck his staff into the ground and casually drew the iron broadsword from his back, laughter spreading out, "Just in time to experience the 'Five Elements Qi Needle'."

He was aware that the sword, swift and powerful, was superior to the staff when facing such an incredibly fast, movement technique-based Martial Art.

As Chen Ku wielded his sword, his Golden Eyes dynamic vision had already captured the true forms of the phantoms whistling towards him from all directions.

Zhang Renfeng's expression was fierce and furious; with a flick of his five fingers, a sky full of silver needles shot out towards Chen Ku like a rainstorm!

WHIZZ! WHIZZ! WHIZZ!!

Chen Ku, facing this rapid storm of needles and movement technique, stood his ground without dodging. He took a deep breath, stomped his foot, and suddenly slashed through the incoming barrage with his broadsword.

This single stroke was delivered, and instantly everyone on the field felt an incredibly tragic air of bloodshed from that slash.

"That is... Thousand Knives Shredding Technique!"

Shang Yunfang's heart trembled, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "He has reached the same Realm as me, great achievement."

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!...

At this moment, all that could be heard in the field was the sound of silver needles being shattered by the Sword Energy, like the beautiful melody of breaking porcelain in the sky.

Zhang Renfeng's face suddenly became horrified and shocked.

In his view, he clearly saw all his silver needles being sliced apart, and then, a flurry of snowflake-like Sword Light surged towards him.

A terrifying sense of impending death overwhelmed him, making him feel as if he was a piece of meat on a chopping board about to be cut into thousands with the densely packed, gleaming Sword Light.

"Ah! Junior Brother Chen! I yield! I yield!!" Zhang Renfeng suddenly let out a loud cry.

SWISH! SWISH, SWISH!!

As he cried out, he felt the many gleaming Sword Lights pass through his body.

THUMP!

Zhang Renfeng fell from mid-air, frantically checking his arms and legs. In his illusion, he felt as if he had been dismembered.

It was only after touching all his limbs and finding them intact that he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But before he could relax for long, RUSTLE! RUSTLE! The clothes on his body fell like torn pieces of paper, slipping away from everywhere.

Zhang Renfeng was startled, already realizing what was about to happen, and quickly covered the remnants of his clothes with a flushed face, blocking crucial parts, and finally managed to save his trousers on the lower half.

Yet he looked like a beggar under the watchful eyes of the public, both ridiculous and laughable.

"Ah." Huo Xiaoxia immediately covered her eyes and turned away.

"Quick, quick, take him away," Zhang Yuanhai was beside himself with anger and humiliation.

After today, Zhang Renfeng would completely lose any chance of making it in Baojiao County. He decided to send him back to Prefecture City the next day. At the same time, he had also come to a sobering realization: Chen Ku's existence and status, just like the extraordinary Talent this Disciple possessed, would never be buried by any external force, no matter what.

"Senior Brother Zhang has shown mercy." After the slash, Chen Ku returned the salute to the dispirited Zhang Renfeng, his sword in hand.

Then, he turned around, bowing to the seven people on the stage, "The sparring with Senior Brother Zhang has ended. May I know if I can step down now?"

At this moment, at least five of the seven on the stage looked at Chen Ku as if they were beholding the world's most precious treasure.

"Don't rush, when exactly did you achieve such great achievement in the Thousand Knives Shredding Technique? And the Minor Achievement of the Piercing Sound Step, even I, your master, didn't know?" Shang Yunfang said excitedly and proudly, "And your Cultivation, when did you break through the Mystic Barrier?"

Chen Ku quickly said, "It's only been a few days. Eldest Master is aware of my progress into the Mystic Barrier Realm."

"Oh, so you chose to tell him but not me, huh?" Shang Yunfang huffed, puffing his moustache and glowering.

Chen Ku felt his head swell like a balloon and hastily apologized, "I—I just broke through and haven't had the chance yet."

Shang Yunfang, still visibly irritated, said, "I'll let it go this time, but you better tell me honestly, besides 'Thousand Knives Shredding Technique' and 'Piercing Sound Step', how much progress have you made with the 'Black Tiger Butcher Knife'? I suspect you've reached great achievement in more than just that one technique."

He could tell from Chen Ku's skill with that one slash that his Bladesmanship in the technique definitely wasn't limited to just one move at great achievement.

Seeing he couldn't keep it a secret any longer, Chen Ku rubbed his head and chuckled, "Indeed, there are two more techniques."

"Really?" Shang Yunfang eagerly pressed, "So there really are other moves at great achievement? Out with it, which two?"

"Apart from 'Thousand Knives Shredding Technique,' on the 'Dismembering into Thousands' and 'Gut Slicing Lung Cutting,' I also have reached great achievement," Chen Ku admitted.

The reason he was able to reach great achievement in three techniques of 'Black Tiger Butcher Knife', aside from some groundwork laid down by the previous 'Ling Transformation', was crucially due to having recently received a boost from the 'Shadowless Exquisite Blade Technique' of one of the Mystic Barrier Realm Demon People he had killed on New Year's Eve. It allowed him to cast his blade to leave a trail of afterimages, perfectly complementing the three techniques of the 'Black Tiger Butcher Knife'.

"What about your 'Furious Ape Mighty Staff'?" Yang Luochen couldn't hide his anticipation as he asked at that moment.

Chen Ku looked shamefaced, "So far, only the 'Skyward Strike' has reached great achievement."

Yang Luochen jumped up in frustration, exclaiming, "You rascal, favoring one over the other, huh? How come your Bladesmanship is improving so fast, while your Stick Technique progresses as slow as a turtle?"

Shang Yunfang immediately took offense, countering loudly, "What are you saying? He just has more Talent for Bladesmanship!"

Seeing the two instructors on the verge of arguing in front of all the Apprentices and Shopkeepers, Cao Shouxiong and Chai Bao hurriedly intervened, "Gentlemen, the election is still going on. Please be mindful of the impact."

Yang Luochen grudgingly backed down, but he glared at Chen Ku, as if to say, 'Wait until we get back, and then you're going to practice your Stick Technique even harder.'

Chen Ku shrank away, his head down.

The election continued unabated.

Next up were Yang Shaoqi, Lan Fuxi, Huo Xiaoxia, and that unseen elder disciple, Kou Ming.

When it was Yang Shaoqi's turn, his excitement was palpable as tears and snot mingled on his face, "Master, I thought you had forgotten about me since you've got a junior brother now. I never expected you'd still nominate me."

Even though he had only garnered the same single vote as Zhang Renfeng, Yang Shaoqi still felt warmth in his heart.

Lan Fuxi's number of votes wasn't much higher, with a total of three—coming from his own instructor, Cao Shouxiong, Store Manager Qin Sifan, and Yang Luochen.

As for Huo Xiaoxia, her total number of votes was an impressive five, no fewer than Chen Ku's.

And as for that absent eldest disciple, Kou Ming, the number of votes he received was unanimously the maximum. Seven votes in full agreement.

This practically settled it; Lan Fuxi, the Third Shopkeeper's disciple, had lost his chance to attend the great conference. Because the top three vote-getters had already been decided: Kou Ming, Chen Ku, and Huo Xiaoxia.

He was quite curious. What was so special about this senior brother—who wasn't even present—yet managed to get full votes, clearly satisfying everyone? Chen Ku asked Huo Xiaoxia beside him, "Senior Sister Huo, have you met Senior Brother Kou?"

Huo Xiaoxia nodded gently, "I have seen him, but only three times. Senior Brother is quite genteel, like a scholar. I heard he's still in Prefecture City and hasn't returned, so he couldn't attend today."

At that moment, the seven people on the stage stood up.

Store Manager Qin Sifan, with his hands clasped behind his back, looked toward Chen Ku and Huo Xiaoxia with a gentle and hopeful gaze, "Good. Today, witnessed by our fellow brothers, the 'Young Shopkeeper' positions for the next four years of Medicine King Hall have been preliminarily chosen. I look forward to the three of you securing the interests Medicine King Hall deserves on the fifteenth of the first month, and upholding our prestige."

Chen Ku and Huo Xiaoxia saw that after the Store Manager finished speaking, many instructors in the hall saluted them both with clasped fists.

My status has climbed another rung, another promotion, he couldn't help but think to himself.

Though the position 'Young Shopkeeper' didn't come with an actual increase in salary, those three words nearly equated to being the clear successors to Medicine King Hall, barring any accidents.

And so, an assembly that was meant to establish a successor ended slowly after turning into a bit of a personal showcase for Chen Ku, following the small incident with Zhang Renfeng.

「Back at Jinshi Academy.」

Yang Luochen finally seized the moment when there was no one else around to pinch Chen Ku's ear and demanded, "Tell the truth to your instructor, how much of your real strength did you use against Zhang Renfeng?"

Chen Ku was about to speak.

Yang Luochen glowered, "Dare to lie and see what happens?"

Chen Ku blinked and held up two fingers, "Twenty percent? Thirty percent?"

Yang Luochen took a deep breath.

Even though he guessed it might be the case, he was still taken aback by the strength Chen Ku had kept hidden.

Then, he chuckled mischievously, "So that means, your senior brother is no longer fit to be your sparring partner. How about your instructor here gives it a try?"

"Don't, Master! I've just been in a fight! My back and waist are killing me!" Chen Ku immediately turned to flee.

"Bullshit, don't run."

That's how a chase between old and young began in Jinshi Academy.

Yang Luochen's thinking was simple. There's an adage that goes, 'Discipline your disciple early.' Given Chen Ku's Cultivation, he could still be disciplined and picked on for now. But give this lad another year or so, and who knows... maybe the tables would be turned, and the old man would be the one suppressed.

And so it went.

By the evening, Chen Ku pretended to be truly sore and tired, sporting a big lump on his head, as he pleaded to leave his instructor's side.

However, the moment he stepped out of Medicine King Hall...

[Yan Longhao is lurking in the shadows, following the Diagram Master with malicious intent in his heart…]