It had been hundreds of years since Richard last entered the Mountainous Secret Realm.
This span of time was enough for a mortal dynasty to rise, flourish, and then decline, but for the Secret Realm, it was merely a fleeting moment.
Upon entering the realm, Richard followed the path from his memory and arrived at Changshan Temple, where he had once cultivated.
Compared to his last visit, the temple now seemed eerily quiet.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Richard landed at the temple's gate and knocked heavily on the door.
Soon, a rumbling sound echoed as two elderly dwarves opened the gate.
These two old dwarves were of the second level, their aged faces as if cast in iron.
"Who seeks entry to Changshan Temple?" they asked.
As they focused their gaze, the figure in the black robe standing outside looked strangely familiar. "Do you two masters remember me?" Richard smiled slightly at the dwarves. "Over six hundred years ago, I once cultivated here."
The two old dwarves pondered for a moment, and one of them suddenly raised his head as if recalling something.
"Master Richard!" the old dwarf exclaimed, immediately prostrating himself in a full bow.
Seeing this, Richard quickly stopped him. "Ah, no need for such formalities. It's enough that you remember me."
But the old dwarf was stubborn. Even as Richard held him up, he insisted on performing the bow.
The other dwarf, reminded by this, also remembered who Richard was.
Without a word, he threw himself to the ground and performed a full bow.
"Ah, what are you doing?" Richard said, somewhat helplessly, as he looked at the prostrate dwarf.
"Without your guidance, we would have withered away in this Secret Realm, never to return to the Mountainous World or rebuild the legacy of Changshan Temple!"
Hearing this, Richard understood why the dwarves held him in such high regard.
The advice he had given to the abbot of Changshan Temple so many years ago had evidently come to fruition.
These Mountainous Dwarves had indeed returned to the Mountainous World and rebuilt their legacy.
Seeing the stubbornness of the dwarves, Richard let go and allowed them to perform their bows.
These Mountainous Dwarves were even more obstinate than the Magic Dwarves of the Wizard World.
After the bows, the two old dwarves led Richard into Changshan Temple.
The temple was now eerily quiet, and apart from the old dwarves, Richard didn't see a single dwarf disciple.
"Have all your disciples been sent out of the Secret Realm?" Richard asked, puzzled.
"Yes, sir," one of the old dwarves replied respectfully. "All the disciples of the temple have been sent out to rebuild Changshan Temple."
"Then why are you still here?"
"Sir, we are the insurance of Changshan Temple," the other dwarf replied. "The environment of the Mountainous World is not ideal. The wars of the past have left many life-forbidden zones, and Changshan Temple is located on the edge of one such zone."
Richard nodded thoughtfully and didn't ask further.
As they reached the depths of the temple, Richard met the manager of the Secret Realm's Changshan Temple.
The moment Richard saw the dwarf, he smiled.
"Abbot, it's been a long time."
The manager of the Secret Realm's Changshan Temple was none other than the abbot who had once made a deal with Richard.
The abbot approached Richard and, without hesitation, prostrated himself in a full bow.
Then he stood up with a smile and said, "It's been many years, Master. Your progress has been astonishing. In just over six hundred years, you've advanced from the Second Circle to the Third Circle. Such speed truly puts me to shame."
Richard waved his hand with a smile, "Just some fortunate opportunities."
"May I ask, Master, what brings you here this time?"
Richard sighed and spoke slowly, "Although my strength has improved over the years, I've neglected honing my combat skills. Now that I've reached the Third Circle, my skills are inferior to some Second Circle Wizards. So, I've come here to refine my combat techniques."
"Refining skills..." The Abbot pondered for a moment, then spoke with some hesitation, "Master, how long can you stay this time? Skill refinement isn't something that can be achieved overnight. Without prolonged practice, no one can master the art of controlling their skills freely."
"There's no need to worry about that, Abbot," Richard replied. "I can practice at Evermountain Temple for ten years. If that's not enough, twenty or thirty years is also possible."
"Then there's no problem," the Abbot smiled. "I'll have someone tidy up the room you used before. Starting tomorrow, I will personally be your sparring partner."
Richard clasped his hands together in gratitude, "Thank you, Master."
...
The next morning, Richard awoke from meditation and slowly made his way to the training ground. There, the Abbot, dressed in dark blue martial robes, was already waiting for Richard's arrival.
"Master, you've been somewhat lax," the Abbot said with a serious expression. "Since you've come to Evermountain Temple and entrusted us with refining your skills, we will do our utmost to fulfill your request. And you, Master, must also cooperate with us as much as possible. If you have any special circumstances, I hope you can inform us in advance."
Richard clasped his hands together and bowed slightly to the Abbot, "I meditated a bit longer than intended. It won't happen again. Additionally, I need to observe the Heart of the Mountain for an hour each day."
The Abbot nodded in acknowledgment, "That's acceptable."
Richard removed his Wizard Robe, revealing the training clothes underneath. The Wizard Robe was indeed cumbersome for close combat, but that couldn't be helped—Wizards were noble spellcasters, not brawlers.
After preparing, with a loud bang, Richard's figure suddenly vanished, leaving only a pair of clear footprints on the bluestone ground.
Hearing the sound, the Abbot's expression remained unchanged. He crouched slightly, and a gust of wind brushed over his head.
"Master, you're too slow," the Abbot said.
Before the words had fully left his mouth, the Abbot's body suddenly trembled, and faint magical patterns, like living creatures, began to emerge and swirl within his robust frame.
Seeing this, Richard's alarm bells rang loudly. However, before he could react, an unprecedented sense of pressure descended upon him like a mountain. In the next instant, a fist, as massive as a mountain, seemed to transcend the limits of space and appeared right in front of Richard's chest.
Boom! A tremendous sonic boom echoed through the training ground, and Richard's body was sent flying like a cannonball.
The Abbot retracted his fist and stood still, calmly watching the direction in which Richard had been flung.
Richard lay on the ground, a large dent caved into his chest.
"Hiss, that was fast."
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Richard clutched his chest as he stood up from the ground. The Abbot's punch seemed unremarkable, but it was a manifestation of profound simplicity.
In that single punch, Richard sensed at least three distinct forces.
A spiraling force breached his Magic Barrier, a mental force intimidated his spirit, and finally, an overwhelming physical force sent him flying.
"Abbot, your Evermountain Fist Intent has truly advanced," Richard praised.
The Abbot nodded slightly, "Thanks to the Mushroom provided by the master, the injuries to my soul have fully healed, allowing me to take this fist technique to the next level."
Previously, hindered by his soul's injuries, he could only let his Evermountain Fist Intent gather dust.
But now that his injuries have healed, this unique skill he created would not be left to decay.
The injury on Richard's chest quickly healed with the help of Flesh Manipulation and the Bloodline Seed.
Soon, the two were engaged in combat once again.
Bang! Boom! Thud...
After a long while, the martial practice ended, and Richard, dragging his exhausted body, arrived at the location of the Heart of the Mountain.
"Sigh, that dwarf really gave it his all, but he's also quite naive," Richard thought to himself, rubbing his head.
Although the Abbot held back his strength during the fight, not going all out, his Evermountain Fist Intent still had a significant impact on Richard's soul.
So much so that Richard's mind was now somewhat foggy.
Shaking his head, Richard tried to clear his thoughts.
Before him, the luxurious Heart of the Mountain remained unchanged, just as Richard had seen it hundreds of years ago.
For a mountain, a mere few hundred years are but a fleeting moment.
Switching his vision to an energy perspective, Richard began the task he had left unfinished hundreds of years ago—completing the runes of the Heart of the Mountain.
...
The days of cultivation were monotonous. Apart from martial practice with the Abbot, Richard spent his time either observing the Heart of the Mountain or studying the inheritances within Evermountain Temple.
Yes, as a distinguished guest of Evermountain Temple, Richard had free access to all its inheritances.
Time flew by, and Richard grew stronger continuously.
It took him a year to go from being full of flaws and being defeated by the Abbot in one punch, to requiring two punches.
Then, just three months later, it took the Abbot three punches to defeat Richard.
Subsequently, four punches, five punches, six punches... After adapting to physical combat, Richard's progress was almost visible to the naked eye.
He was like a dry sponge, constantly absorbing the skills of the many combat masters at Evermountain Temple.
And then, like a furnace, he melted these skills into his own.
...
Bang! Bang! Bang...
The sound of massive sonic booms echoed continuously in the martial practice field. Two blurred figures intertwined in the field, their speed surpassing the limit of the naked eye, leaving only faint afterimages that flickered like ghosts.
Although both sides deliberately restrained their power, trying to land their attacks precisely on each other to avoid excessive damage to the surroundings.
Even so, the solid bluestone ground beneath their feet could not withstand the residual force of their battle.
Cracks spread rapidly across the bluestone like a spider's web, then shattered into dust.
Boom! With a deafening roar, the two combatants suddenly separated. The taller figure was sent flying backward, leaving only a shorter figure standing in place.
"Master, you've won," the shorter figure said with genuine admiration. "In just ten short years, you've managed to push me to use my full strength. Such talent truly leaves us in awe."
Richard stood up from the ground, brushing off the dust from his body.
"So, Master, you've been holding back all this time while fighting me?"
The Abbot shook his head. "Master, your physical constitution is far inferior to mine. If I were to use my full strength, wouldn't that be bullying the weak?"
After ten years of training, Richard had finally won once, albeit with just a single move.
A rift cracked open behind Richard, and the voice of the female Wizard emerged from the other side.
"Master Richard, your time is almost up."
Richard straightened his clothes and bowed respectfully to the Abbot.
"Abbot, it's time for me to leave. Take care of yourself."
The Abbot clasped his hands together and returned the gesture. "May the spirits of the mountains and rivers protect you, Master, and ensure your victories in all battles."
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