The Legend of the Netherworld

A month passed quietly. Lin Xiao continued to practice the Dragon Swimming Across the Seas in the well, and he was already able to move quickly and freely in the water. The resistance in the water gradually became as light as dust to him, which made his body movements on land even more flexible.

That day, the dirty Taoist priest called Lin Xiao to the front of the thatched cottage and said with a smile: "Come, let me see you now, the Dragon Wandering Around the World."

Lin Xiao didn't dare to delay and immediately mobilized his energy. With a light leap, he flew onto the thatched roof. He used the roof's rebound force and imitated the dirty Taoist's movements, rushing towards the top of the mountain.

However, when he tried to walk on the 90-degree cliff face like the dirty Taoist priest, he found that he had not yet fully mastered such a delicate balance technique. He misstepped and nearly fell off the edge. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and, with the agility of a dragon swimming across the four seas, turned 360 degrees in the air and landed steadily on the ground.

The dirty Taoist priest stood in the distance, watching Lin Xiao's performance, nodded slightly, and said: "Not bad, great progress. You have mastered the basics of the body movement. Next, I will teach you the Dragon Shadow Fist."

With that, the dirty Taoist tapped his fingers and chanted a formula, transmitting the Dragon Shadow Fist's formula and moves into Lin Xiao's mind. Then, the dirty Taoist began to demonstrate. With each punch, his fist resembled a dragon, carrying an invisible shadow that swirled through the air. The force of his fist was fierce, as if a dragon's shadow were moving through the air, unpredictable and elusive.

The dirty Taoist said, "This boxing technique imitates the agility and might of a dragon. The wind of the fist is like a dragon's shadow, swift and unpredictable. Combined with the body movement of a dragon roaming the four seas, the fist force is like a dragon, powerful and unmatched. A single punch can shatter stone and split gold."

Lin Xiao stared intently at the Taoist Priest's demonstration, deeply impressed. He began to follow the instructions and techniques, throwing a few tentative punches. Though he hadn't yet transformed into a dragon, his Qi was already gathering, and his punches were whistling and unstoppable. The Taoist Priest stood by, occasionally guiding Lin Xiao's movements. Seeing that Lin Xiao had quickly mastered the key points of the boxing technique, the Taoist Priest nodded and said, "Continue practicing." He then returned to his cave to practice.

From then on, Lin Xiao practiced even harder. Every morning, he would practice the Dragon Swimming Across the Seas in the well, in the afternoon he would focus on the Dragon Shadow Fist, and in the evening he would combine the two, practicing repeatedly.

Coupled with the nighttime water-carrying task, Lin Xiao's physical strength and energy were rapidly improving, and he became increasingly powerful. As time went on, Lin Xiao's boxing and body movements became more and more sophisticated. When he punched, he could even feel the dragon-like power brought by the fist wind.

A month later, seeing that Lin Xiao had become quite proficient, the dirty Taoist decided to teach him a new martial art - the Tiger Roaring Palm.

Taoist Zang said, "The Tiger Roar Palm concentrates immense energy within the palm. Once it strikes out, it's like a tiger emerging from the mountains, accompanied by a deafening roar, doubling the power. This palm can not only inflict heavy damage to the enemy, but also shock their mind and intimidate them."

Following the Taoist's instructions, Lin Xiao began to diligently practice his fist and palm techniques in front of the thatched cottage every day. The Dragon Shadow Fist and the Tiger Roar Palm complemented each other and gradually became one and the same.

The dirty Taoist priest stood at the entrance of the cave in the distance, quietly watching Lin Xiao who was practicing hard, and a trace of emotion emerged in his heart. He couldn't help but think of his eldest disciple. If that incident hadn't happened back then, perhaps his disciple would have been so powerful that he would have almost caught up with him.

Just as the dirty Taoist priest was deep in thought, an idea suddenly occurred to him. He suddenly raised his fist and threw a fierce Dragon Shadow Fist at Lin Xiao.

While Lin Xiao was practicing, he suddenly felt a cold wind coming from behind him. His reaction was extremely fast, he dodged to the side, then turned and saw that it was the dirty Taoist priest. He shouted, "Dirty Taoist priest, it's me, Lin Xiao!" But the dirty Taoist priest didn't hesitate, his eyes cold, and then he punched with a Dragon Shadow Fist, the wind as swift and fierce as a dragon's shadow.

Seeing this, Lin Xiao realized the dirty Taoist wasn't mistaking him for a misunderstanding, but was deliberately testing him. He stopped dodging and decided to engage. Using the Dragon Swimming Across the Seas technique, Lin Xiao quickly approached the dirty Taoist and attempted a Dragon Shadow Fist strike to the face.

The dirty Taoist easily dodged sideways, then threw a backhand hook straight at Lin Xiao's chin. Lin Xiao hurriedly retreated, and after gaining some distance, he decisively launched a powerful Tiger Roar Palm, pouncing on the dirty Taoist with the momentum of a tiger.

The dirty Taoist's eyes flickered, and he swiftly threw a punch, completely neutralizing the force of the Tiger Roar Palm. Effortlessly, he countered with a punch, unleashing another Dragon Shadow Fist. Seeing this, Lin Xiao unleashed the same Dragon Shadow Fist without hesitation. The two fists collided with a dull thud. The powerful impact sent Lin Xiao flying several meters.

The dirty Taoist priest didn't stop attacking. He flashed and immediately used Dragon Swimming Across the Seas to close in on Lin Xiao, intending to attack him closely. The two instantly engaged in a close combat. Lin Xiao used both hands and feet to continuously defend and counterattack.

Despite his agility and strength, Lin Xiao was ultimately outmatched by the Dirty Taoist Priest. The Dirty Taoist Priest's experience and skills far surpassed Lin Xiao's, and with a well-aimed uppercut, Lin Xiao was struck hard in the abdomen.

Lin Xiao flew five meters, but surprisingly, he felt no pain. Instead, he felt the power within him still surge. Without hesitation, he leaped up again, continuing to engage the dirty Taoist priest. The dirty Taoist priest's heart trembled slightly, initially worried that he might have struck too hard. But seeing Lin Xiao's swift counterattack, a hint of relief crossed his face.

The fight intensified, and Lin Xiao was kicked and knocked back by the dirty Taoist priest several times, but he always managed to stand up quickly, as if he had an endless supply of strength within him to support him. The two men exchanged blows, fists and palms clashing, and their energy collided. The air in the mountains and forests seemed to tremble at their fighting.

Although Lin Xiao was knocked down many times, he never retreated. He kept standing up and fighting back. His body movements became more agile and his punches became more powerful.

Finally, Lin Xiao's strength gradually depleted, and his movements became sluggish. Seeing that he had reached his limit, the dirty Taoist priest withdrew his hands and stopped, standing aside and observing silently. Lin Xiao felt as if his strength had been drained from his body, and he was about to collapse.

At this moment, Lin Xiao suddenly felt the spiritual energy of the surrounding heaven and earth begin to converge upon him. The energy surged into his body like a torrent into the sea, instantly energizing him and dispelling all fatigue. He quickly sat cross-legged, holding his breath and concentrating, and began to practice the "Boundless Heart Sea Art" to absorb the surrounding energy.