Su Zhe's eyelids lifted slightly, and the robust flow of energy surged within his body.

It felt as though beams of light might shoot from his eyes at any moment.

He was just about to pick up his hammer to train when he noticed Yu Yi approaching, wielding a simple blade.

"Brother Yu, your diligence is impressive!" Su Zhe said with a smile, nodding in greeting.

Yu Yi, seeing Su Zhe, showed no surprise. His normally stern face softened slightly as he raised his hand in salute. He then spoke, "Not at all, Brother Su. My master has been teaching me this blade technique. Though I've practiced hard for a while now, I'm still short of perfection."

He paused, a hint of admiration in his tone, before continuing, "Brother Su, without even joining the Artisan’s Hall, simply by watching Hall Master Sun demonstrate once, you've already refined your hammer technique to an intermediate level. That is true martial talent!"

As he spoke, Yu Yi’s brow twitched ever so slightly.

Su Zhe was naturally gifted, his physique perfectly suited for the Barbaric Ox Hammer Technique.

But Yu Yi was no ordinary cultivator—he was a top-tier prodigy. In recent months, Wang Shan, his mentor, had been intentionally nurturing him, providing him with countless pills and resources.

Talent combined with abundant resources allowed Yu Yi’s blade technique to improve at a meteoric pace.

In just half a month, his progress surpassed what many inner sect disciples could achieve in years of dedicated practice.

In Yu Yi’s eyes, Su Zhe, while talented, lacked the innate foundation to keep up. Though Su Zhe’s early progress was impressive, surely, after the past fortnight, Su Zhe's cultivation had stagnated. Meanwhile, Yu Yi had surged ahead, catching up, if not overtaking.

Yet, to his surprise, Su Zhe's face betrayed a look of astonishment.

"How has Yu Yi advanced in his blade technique so quickly?" Su Zhe thought to himself.

"This… Could it be that his innate potential isn’t just ordinary top-tier, but rather supreme-grade?"

Su Zhe silently calculated.

He had equipped himself with numerous mortal-grade weapons just to raise his physique to mid-tier top-grade.

But even with this enhancement, Su Zhe admitted to himself that it would be impossible for him to master a martial technique in just half a month.

This confirmed one thing: Yu Yi’s natural talent was downright terrifying.

"Brother Yu, you are truly a once-in-a-generation genius!" Su Zhe exclaimed; his voice tinged with genuine admiration.

Hearing Su Zhe’s praise, Yu Yi couldn’t help but feel a small surge of pride.

It wasn’t that Yu Yi was unused to flattery—disciples of the Breaking Army Hall often lauded his talents, though their opinions mattered little to him.

But Su Zhe was different.

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The pressure Su Zhe brought to Yu Yi was immense, enough to make him momentarily forget Su Zhe’s supposed deficiencies. For the first time, he considered Su Zhe a rival.

Observing Yu Yi’s slightly smug expression, Su Zhe found himself at a loss.

"What’s with that look? Ah, youth," Su Zhe thought, shaking his head inwardly.

Though sixteen or seventeen was considered adulthood in this world, by modern standards, they were still boys at heart. Immaturity in a society with low productivity was hardly unusual.

"Since Brother Yu has achieved so much, I must strive harder and learn from your example," Su Zhe said with a slight smile.

"But forgive me, Brother Yu—I must resume my training now."

"Of course, Brother Su," Yu Yi replied with a nod.

Gripping a fifty-pound forging hammer, Su Zhe began his practice. His stance firmed, his arms lifted the hammer, and his movements radiated raw power.

With the force of four oxen coursing through him, even a simple swing of the hammer kicked up a storm of dust and debris. The ground trembled beneath him.

Su Zhe paid no mind to whether Yu Yi might steal glances at his training.

After all, the Barbaric Ox Hammer Technique relied on brute force to crush all techniques. Without reaching a foundational level of strength, even watching it a thousand times would be fruitless.

"Barbaric Ox’s Horn Thrust!"

Su Zhe’s eyes gleamed with a cold, sharp light.

Harnessing the strength of four oxen, his movements became fluid yet terrifying. The hammer, wielded with near five thousand pounds of force, flew from his hand with a deafening roar.

Even Su Zhe’s martial attire couldn’t withstand the strain; his bulging muscles shredded the fabric with audible snaps.

"Boom!"

The hammer soared a hundred feet before slamming into the ground, creating a massive crater three meters wide.

Yu Yi’s eyes widened, and he drew in a sharp breath.

This destructive power—just a single strike—was enough to ensure that, even with his blade technique perfected, if he were struck, his tombstone grass would surely grow three feet high by next year.

"Could it be… that his hammer technique has already reached mastery?"

The thought sent a chill through Yu Yi’s heart.

Su Zhe, meanwhile, seamlessly transitioned into another move. With a leap, he closed the distance to the crater in an instant, his movements blending the ferocity of the Barbaric Ox and the agility of a dragon plunging into the sea.

Landing with both feet, he stomped down hard.

"Boom!"

The earth groaned as the hammer, embedded in the ground, was launched back into Su Zhe’s hand. Without hesitation, Su Zhe slammed it into the ground again.

"Crack!"

A resounding noise echoed as the earth split, forming a jagged fissure over thirty feet long.

"Again!"

Su Zhe continued his relentless training.

Yu Yi stood frozen, his mouth agape, unable to utter a word.

Mastery. This was indisputable mastery of the hammer technique!

Yu Yi, who had thought himself knowledgeable in martial arts after Wang Shan’s intensive teachings, could hardly believe his eyes. Su Zhe’s technique didn’t just reach mastery—it far exceeded it, delivering a level of power unimaginable to the average practitioner.

A freak of nature. A monster.

Su Zhe, meanwhile, finished his routine and wiped the sweat from his brow. Examining the numerous craters he’d left behind; he nodded in satisfaction. For the first time, he felt truly "superhuman."

"Brother Yu, are you all, right?" Su Zhe asked, noticing Yu Yi’s pale complexion.

Snapping back to reality, Yu Yi stammered, "I’m fine… doctor."

"Doctor?"

Su Zhe blinked in confusion.

Yu Yi, realizing his slip, flushed with embarrassment and quickly corrected himself. "I mean, Brother Su… Have you mastered the hammer technique?"

"Finally," Su Zhe admitted with a sigh, "but it took much effort. I can’t compare to you, Brother Yu."

Yu Yi’s mouth twitched. He wanted nothing more than to throttle Su Zhe on the spot.

"Brother Su, you’re nothing short of a divine being," Yu Yi muttered bitterly.

"Your mastery isn’t ordinary. Once you master the final martial kill technique, the Barbaric Ox Hammer will surely reach its peak."

Su Zhe smiled faintly. "Martial cultivation is never simple. I’ll rest for now. Brother Yu, why not demonstrate your blade technique and let me learn from you?"

Su Zhe sat down, consumed a vitality pill, and began recovering his energy.

Yu Yi, though shaken, clenched his teeth and stepped forward.

"Clang!"

His blade left its sheath, the motion as swift as a tiger pouncing on prey. A frigid red aura of bloodlust spiraled around him, and as he struck, gusts of wind howled like a blade storm.

Watching from the sidelines, Su Zhe’s eyes widened in shock.

This technique…

He had seen it before!

The tyrant of the rivers, Huang Mazzi, had wielded this very blade technique!