Chapter 31: Extorting Iwao

Dragon Jade Hand? A flicker of excitement crossed Iwao's brow at the mention of this. Whatever Swallow had given him, whether it was the Myriad Wood Soaring Body or the Imperial Art: Volume One, had been incredibly valuable. Surely, this Dragon Jade Hand would be no different. In his mind, the complete method for practicing the Dragon Jade Hand had already been imprinted. There was no need for tedious study; just closing his eyes brought all the techniques within easy reach! "Whoosh!" Iwao circulated spiritual energy within him, gradually concentrating it on his right hand. The essence of the Dragon Jade Hand lay in the fact that once cultivated to the Eminent Level, the entire arm would become as hard as a diamond. Whether in fist or palm, its strength would be extraordinary, its power immense! Crucially, upon reaching the Eminent level, it could even unleash a trace of draconic power. This trace of dragon power was what truly breathed life into the Dragon Jade Hand. "Alright, let me demonstrate it for you!" Swallow hopped off Iwao's shoulder with a smug grin and pointed to a bronze figure in the training room. "The essence of the Dragon Jade Hand lies in one word: hardness. Channel your spiritual energy into your palm, forging it as solid as if it had been tempered by a thousand blows. Once you've achieved this level of hardness, the force behind your strikes will be earth-shattering!" Iwao's gaze scrutinized Swallow. He had indeed mastered the techniques of the Dragon Jade Hand, but without personal practice, his understanding remained superficial. Watching Swallow demonstrate it would provide a much deeper insight. Swallow transformed a vine into an arm, gathering spiritual energy until the arm was covered in a faint jade hue, initially somewhat translucent, but as the spiritual energy enveloped it, the arm turned completely jade green! It looked like a perfect jade piece, emitting a lustrous glow. "Take this!" Swallow's arm smashed forward, crashing into the bronze figure. His strike was not only fast but also fierce! Upon impact, it directly hit the head of the bronze figure. "Crack!" A crisp sound rang out as the incredibly sturdy bronze figure, at that moment, cracked open from the top of its head. Then, cracks spread throughout its body. Completely shattered! Swallow withdrew, smiling faintly. "That's the Dragon Jade Hand for you!" Iwao absorbed everything, his pupils shrinking involuntarily. From start to finish, he couldn't help but feel that the Dragon Jade Hand's power was indeed dominant! The shockwave unleashed at that moment seemed to resonate with everything in heaven and earth, exuding a hint of true dragon energy. It was as if a mighty dragon had suddenly appeared, descending from the sky, its giant palm crushing mountains! "No wonder it's called the Dragon Jade Hand; it's as fierce as a dragon and as hard as jade!" Iwao took a deep breath, his heart filled with boundless longing. If he could master this technique, his combat power would surely skyrocket in future battles! "Swallow, demonstrate it again for me!" Iwao's interest was piqued, and he stepped forward, his voice tinged with excitement. Swallow shook his head at first, but then grinned and said, "If you want to learn, that's fine, but first bring me three Triple Marked Spirit Jade!" This time, he was smart enough not to be too greedy right away. Otherwise, if he scared off Iwao, he would end up with nothing. "Three, huh? Here you go!" Iwao flicked his fingers, and three Triple Marked Spirit Jade flew into Swallow's hands. "Crack! Crack!" Without hesitation, Swallow tossed them into his mouth. He chewed the Spirit Jade continuously, producing crisp sounds. After swallowing it down, he spat out a mouthful of spiritual energy with a hearty laugh. "Let me demonstrate it for you again, pay close attention!" With that, Swallow condensed the Dragon Jade Hand once more and threw a punch. This time, Iwao watched even more attentively. As expected, he discerned even deeper aspects! For instance, the most crucial aspect after delivering a punch wasn't the strength but the momentum! The reason it was called the Dragon Jade Hand was because it came with a dragon's aura. At the moment of impact, one had to fully unleash this dragon's aura. Every movement carried the aura of a true dragon, with ferocious power, as if a real dragon had descended, its force capable of shattering mountains! "I know you won't learn it. No matter how talented you are, just a glance won't allow you to master it." Swallow looked smug, as if he had Iwao figured out. "Come on, this time give me ten Triple Marked Spirit Jade. I'll teach you this technique step by step until you're proficient!" In his view, no matter how talented Iwao was, he couldn't learn the Dragon Jade Hand in such a short time. And he could take advantage of this opportunity to extort him! He thought to himself, "Kid, you still want to compete with me? With just a little strategy, I can easily extract all the Spirit Jade you have." "No need." Unexpectedly, Iwao refused outright and began to practice on his own. "Hey, if you try to figure this out by yourself, you won't get far!" Swallow glanced over, pretending not to care. "But anyway, I'm not in a hurry. You are. My price is here. As long as you want to learn, I'm here. Seven... ah no, seven Triple Marked Spirit Jade, and I'll teach you everything!" In a subtle move, he lowered the price a bit. A reasonable price makes transactions easier! After all, Iwao was just bargaining with him. Swallow had seen this trick plenty of times, hadn't he? But who could have expected that Iwao would go off on his own, facing the bronze figure and practicing? He began to circulate spiritual energy according to the formula in his mind, integrating it into his arm and attempting to condense his power. After a few moments, his arm also emitted a faint jade color! Swallow, who was watching on the side, was almost dumbfounded by the scene. This... this shouldn't be happening! The Dragon Jade Hand was a very profound Martial Technique. Even if one had the technique imprinted in their mind, it was difficult to comprehend it in a short time. This was why Swallow dared to "extort" Iwao. But who could have thought that he would complete the first step immediately? He... he activated it according to the technique, infusing his arm with energy. "Is it like this?" Iwao felt his arm become incredibly heavy in an instant as if he was wielding a giant hammer. Although the speed was slow, there was a strong feeling of pressure. It was as if a true dragon had merged into his arm. "Take this!" Iwao shouted lowly, accelerating his arm suddenly and smashing it towards the bronze figure! At that moment, power erupted, resounding thunderously! The ferocious force, like a mountain pressing down. After being punched, the bronze figure was sent flying dozens of meters, crashing into the wall. "So much amplification!" Excitement flashed in Iwao's eyes. Although he hadn't completely mastered the Dragon Jade Hand, he had at least made a start. Swallow was dumbfounded by the scene, hesitating. "This shouldn't be happening, you, this..." "No need to bother you. I've already got the hang of it myself." Iwao smiled confidently, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.