"Don't scare me, Master!" Fiona Fang's face went pale. "Am I really going to explode?"
"Pretty much. Just like if you got hit by my internal martial arts." Jack Young wasn't joking at all. "Yin and Yang in conflict—no god can save you. Unless you destroy your foundation and give up completely, even if Infinite Essence himself were here, unless he's a grandmaster who truly understands the changes of Yin and Yang, you're toast."
"Then what do I do?!" Fiona had seen Jack's internal martial arts before—they were scarier than any demonic technique. Her face went even paler.
"What can I say, you've got good luck. If I'd come a few days later, or you hadn't met me, you'd be done for. But you just happened to meet me at the right time. I happen to be a grandmaster who understands Yin-Yang changes. And I just got a few new things that are perfect for solving your problem." Jack Young weighed the Prime Crystal in his hand. "I've got three solutions."
Three solutions? Just a minute ago you said not even gods could save me, and now you've got three ways to fix it? Master, are you messing with me? But for the sake of her life, Fiona nodded obediently, sitting up straight like a well-behaved schoolgirl.
"Yin and Yang in conflict—it could kill you, and you'll never break through to the next level. Sounds complicated, but the reasons are simple: weak foundation, wrong technique, and poor control." Jack Young said seriously, "Let's start with your foundation. Fiona, your overall constitution is just average. When I taught you Dragon Elephant Technique, you didn't get much out of it. Four years later, you're only at the third level, which is turtle speed compared to your internal energy progress."
"Hehe..." Fiona stuck out her tongue, embarrassed. "Master, that Dragon Elephant Technique you taught me is really hard! And getting a little stronger physically doesn't help much, does it?"
"Doesn't help much?" Jack Young gave her a sly smile. "You've got an aunt-master, and she's really good at tempering the body."
"I've got an aunt-master? Is she strong?" Fiona perked up instantly.
"Strong? Heh!" Jack Young chuckled, not wanting to brag. He straightened his face and started talking nonstop: "There was this maniac who called himself 'The Divine,' claimed to be number two under the heavens, wielded divine skills that terrified everyone. He could breathe fire hot enough to melt magma, crush lightning in his palm, fly at supersonic speed, his golden aura made him immune to knives and bullets. When he raised his hand, the sky changed color and thunder gathered. When he focused his energy, the wind and clouds converged—Infinite Tempest. He could summon rain, come and go through the blue sky. You tell me, is someone like that strong or not?"
"There are actually people like that?!" Fiona Fang shivered, her face pale as she imagined it. "That's basically a full-blown god!"
"Mess with your aunt-master, and you'd get smacked dead. This—" Jack Young weighed the Prime Crystal in his hand. "—is part of her legacy."
"Uh..." Fiona's jaw dropped and she froze for ages, her mind buzzing like thunder. She wanted to say something, but couldn't think of a word. Finally, she blurted out some gossip: "Master, could you beat Aunt-master?"
"It's fifty-fifty... well, maybe fifty-five to forty-five. I usually edge ahead by half a step. But this time, she's a notch above me—her physical level is basically demigod. Even Infinite Essence can't compete. She can fly, bathe in magma, you name it. Best foundation I've ever seen."
"Just one step? So Master, you're basically invincible here! You could walk sideways across the whole martial world!" Fiona's eyes sparkled.
"There's always someone better. This world is full of surprises, so invincible? Not quite—but I could walk sideways, sure. Enough nonsense, your foundation is terrible." Jack Young tapped Fiona's forehead. "If you had even a tenth or twentieth of your aunt-master's foundation, you wouldn't be suffering so much from mere acquired internal energy."
"Hehe~ I'll practice, I'll start right now!" Fiona stuck out her tongue.
"Too late."
"Huh?"
"Distant water can't quench nearby thirst. Full body training is too late, but you can focus on strengthening your meridians and acupoints. The stability of your meridians and acupoints is also a crucial foundation. If you can refine them to the peak, it'll benefit you greatly in the future. I've mastered the Purification Manual. Once you perfect your meridians, breakthroughs will be easy, and you won't have to worry about constitution issues. This little conflict? Not a big deal."
"Oh!!" Fiona's eyes sparkled like gold coins. So if she mastered this Purification Manual, she'd be Infinite Essence for sure: "I'll practice, I'll master it, I definitely will!"
"Not necessarily."
"Huh?"
"This technique is picky—it needs talent and a bit of fate. If it's meant for you, you'll get it fast. If not, you might never succeed. It's tough to practice here, and I can't teach it to just anyone. But you..." Jack Young sized up his disciple.
Fiona immediately stuck her nose up. "Of course I'm a genius, Master!"
"Average looks, average talent. But you're lucky—maybe you'll stumble into something."
Fiona protested, "Don't say that, Master! Sounds like a dead end!"
"It's not a dead end, just a hard road—but you can't skip it. No matter what secret technique you learn, never forget to build your foundation." Jack Young grew serious.
"Got it." Fiona nodded, then her eyes sparkled mischievously: "Master, does that mean you'll teach me a top-tier technique?"
"You're quick." Jack Young smirked. "To be precise, I'll combine Bright Jade Technique, Wedding Dress Divine Skill, and all my Yin-Yang specialties to create a new method just for you. Since you haven't hit the innate stage, you can switch without losing anything. Once you master it, balancing Yin and Yang will be a breeze."
"Wow! Master, you're too good to me!" Fiona was so moved she threw herself at Jack, eyes brimming with tears. "Whatever you want me to practice, I'll do it! I'll listen to you!"
"Hold on—don't get too excited yet."
"Huh?" Still touched, Fiona was stunned again. "Master, why do you always rain on my parade? This is like the hundredth time!"
"Because this new technique—I still have to invent it. There might be mistakes, who knows? I was going to wait, but since you're here, you'll be my test subject." Jack's face darkened. "If anything goes wrong, just brace yourself for a tough time."
Fiona broke out in a cold sweat.
"Leave me—I need to meditate. And keep it quiet. If anyone interrupts and I mess up your acupoints..."
Fiona dashed out the door: "Everyone, silence! From now on, no talking—if anyone so much as coughs, I'll hang them up and beat them!"
Chaos immediately erupted outside.
The cabin quieted, only the brazier glowed softly. Jack Young smiled, then turned serious. He would never really use Fiona as a test subject.
The twins' other disciples each had their own traits. Luo Yuxi was calm and balanced, strong in body, energy, and spirit, fitting Jack's style. Guo Xiang was tough and resilient, with a unique physique—perfect for Queen Yang's approach.
But Fiona Fang was the most unique of all.
Personality-wise, she's more like Jill Young. In sharpness, more like Jack Young. Not just anyone can master dual cultivation of ice and fire—out of ten thousand, maybe not one. Achieving this much in just four years is unheard of.
Jack Young didn't care much about talent—he valued other things. Fiona grew up tough, yet stayed cheerful and kind. The pain of internal conflict is no joke, but she endured, showing her strength. With her unique dual internal energy, she's actually suited to inherit from both twins.
Of course, she couldn't inherit all their strengths. But even a small part made her rare.
If it was just balancing Yin and Yang, Jack could solve it in a snap. But with such a rare successor, he wanted to guide this wild bird to the best path to the clouds.
"I thought I needed more preparation, but now, it's time to begin."
Jack Young sat upright, eyes closed. Three divine rings floated above his head, interlocking into a complex, beautiful diagram. His hands moved like clouds, and the Prime Crystal floated before his chest, glowing and revealing its true power.
Infinite Tempest was the ultimate dual-polarity skill. With it as a reference, creating a new technique was much easier.
But Infinite Tempest wasn't Jack Young's only reference.
In his spiritual domain, his mind-lake churned, swirling into a giant vortex. Within it, a massive Ultimate Balance Diagram slowly appeared, constantly changing and evolving like a world in motion.
Jack Young couldn't remember where the diagram came from—as if something had blocked all its origins. He knew he'd seen it, experienced it, but the memory was hidden. Still, with his powerful mind, he brushed aside a corner of the fog.
In that sliver of memory, a blurry old Taoist pointed at him, shouting: "This diagram is for you!"
This diagram is for me, definitely for me. He didn't know what happened in the hidden memory, but he felt the old Taoist's resolve. Everything else was blurry, but the diagram was crystal clear. He knew its name.
Ultimate Balance Diagram.
Yin and Yang flow endlessly. If you could draw the Dao itself, this Ultimate Balance Diagram would be its sketch—the closest thing to the Dao's essence.
The Ultimate Balance Diagram was too profound—even Jack Young couldn't grasp it all. But fate brought Infinite Tempest to him, and he sensed it was the key to unlocking the diagram.
He'd been studying Infinite Tempest and the Ultimate Balance Diagram, gaining insight. He guessed they were pieces of a bigger puzzle.
He felt, deep down, that this grand picture was vital for the twins—more precious than any martial skill or treasure, able to elevate their very essence.
The puzzle wasn't complete, so the final mystery couldn't be solved. But Jack Young's understanding of Yin-Yang soared, making Fiona's problem easy to solve.
A spark of inspiration hit him; the spiritual array shifted. The Prime Crystal glowed and slowly shrank, merging into Jack Young's insight.
The Divine's martial realm was low—he just used the skill mechanically. Jack Young made it his own. When the crystal vanished, he'd fully grasp Infinite Tempest and glimpse the Ultimate Balance Diagram's wonders.
Time passed unnoticed. The fleet stopped. Fiona quietly peeked in, and Jack Young opened his eyes.
"Come here."