Since she was invisible, this strike came straight at Dong Jiao, who had nowhere to hide. "Wife! Don't be afraid! I'm here!" Gao Liang forcefully broke free from the tight grip of his three close friends and charged toward Dong Jiao without hesitation. With his solid, masculine frame stepping in to block, "Ah!" he was struck at a certain part of his body, spinning several times in the air before flipping over. Dong Jiao, protected by this outstanding man, was deeply moved—she truly believed that, for her own safety, he would be willing to sacrifice himself without a second thought. After colliding fiercely with the stone wall, Gao Liang rebounded like a bullet, heading straight toward Hong Da. "Ah!" Hong Da's head collided with the diamond fist that Gao Liang was holding. Though Gao Liang's martial arts skills had been compromised, the strength of the diamond fist was now limited; yet even this limited force struck a sensitive spot on Hong Da's head, causing him to cry out, clutch his head, and convulse in pain. Highlighted, though injured, still called out to Hong Da: "Master! Master!" But Hong Da was in intense pain. Immediately, Highlight signaled his three close friends to lay Hong Da gently on a stone bed and instructed them: "Quick! If my assessment is correct, Hong Da is in serious danger! Fatty Deng, hold him firmly! Worthy Yang, press your palms against his back! Soft-egg Wu, use the pressing palm technique I taught you, and apply pressure to various points on his head!" As Highlight finished speaking, he began to choke and wanted to cough up blood. Dong Qiao promptly covered his mouth with a white silk handkerchief. When she unfolded it, she gasped, saying with a heart-wrenching tone, "Blood! It's blood!" The three friends stared at Hong Da with resentment, as though they wanted to kill him right then and there. Yet Highlight commanded: "You need not worry about me! Act quickly! We only have three minutes!" The three friends, moved to tears, worked diligently to save Hong Da, while Highlight, severely injured, was now struggling to breathe. Dong Qiao firmly supported him, helping him lean gently against her chest. Holding her head tightly in his arms, he said, "You're so silly! Why did you have to do this? Do you know what would have happened to me if it weren't for you?" Yet Highuang heard nothing. His teeth were clenched tightly, and he didn't utter a single sound—because as soon as he made a sound, Dong Jiao would suffer unbearable pain. This strong man, in front of his beloved, grew even stronger. For I am the mountain—I am the solid, dependable mountain that my beloved woman can rely on. The mountain is majestic and enduring, standing firm forever. At this moment, something extremely dramatic unfolded. Hong Da alternated between consciousness and unconsciousness, roaring like a wild lion when awake, despite being chained by iron links to his legs—his strength was immense; with just a slight effort, his three close friends were like three leaves blown away, drifting off into the distance. When unconscious, however, he lay motionless, like a dead man, just as an ant trampled upon by others. The three damaging friends lacked their elder's tolerant nature. As each of them fell from their heights, flames burned in their eyes. When the three called upon the elder, High-light still stepped forward to take his master's pulse. Upon detecting disordered meridians, he immediately urged, "Hurry! It's the last minute—you must act now!" Though reluctant, the three friends complied, determined to save a master who seemed mad. Yet they could not ignore the elder's words. Together, they practiced with focused effort. After a brief while, when Hongda Master spat out a mouthful of bitter water and sighed deeply, he exclaimed, "What a pity! What a pity! All my cultivation has been mere mist!" "Master! Master! Are you awake? Do you recognize me? I am your lay disciple, Gao Liang!" Gao Liang shook his master's shoulders. Mist flowed from Hongda's eyes, dripping onto the ground. His lips moved, but then his voice changed, and he said, "I don't recognize you! Everything is mist! Mist! Look at this!" "Having said that, he launched a powerful Tian-Cang Palm directly at him. Although his martial arts skills had been weakened, Gao Liang's talent shone through—he recognized that the Tian-Cang Palm was exceptionally sharp and refined, a true masterpiece of martial arts, and could not be met with brute force resistance. As he was just about to step aside, Hong Da's voice came through: "I'm only testing your strength. In fact, no matter how formidable the Tian-Cang Palm is, Shaolin's Golden-Cage Technique provides solid protection when one reaches the level of harmonizing meditation and martial arts. As long as one masters that state, the Tian-Cang Palm will be of little effect." Gao Liang, slightly enlightened by Hong Da's subtle guidance, realized that his master was teaching him the Golden-Cage Technique. Indeed, when the three close friends and Dong Jiao were all anxiously watching him, Gao Liang was diligently practicing the Golden-Cage Technique as instructed by Hong Da. The Golden-Cage Technique, as its name suggests, is like "a solid bronze bell completely covering the body," emphasizing the difficulty of external forces penetrating and reaching the inner defenses. It is one of the Four Great Master Techniques of Sha Jin Zhong Zao and Tie Bu Shan are the external fundamentals of Chinese martial arts, while washing the marrow and Tai Chi Guiding Techniques belong to the internal fundamentals. Jin Zhong Zao, a hard external strength practice, embodies yang energy and also incorporates internal strength, making it the most essential among the seventy-two hard techniques. Its training method is somewhat complex and demanding. "Force does not defeat skillful boxing (those with mere physical strength cannot overcome those proficient in boxing), and boxing does not defeat strength (those skilled in boxing cannot overcome those who have cultivated extensive internal strength)." This "strength" generally refers to Jin Zhong Zao and Tie Bu Shan. Gao Liang, under the guidance of Hong Da Master, thoroughly internalized the training principles of Jin Zhong Zao. Hong Da Master orally instructed the techniques, while Gao Liang memorized them, and later also imparted key points and insights. The three close friends and Dong Jiao found the explanations difficult to grasp, yet Gao Liang, with his solid martial arts foundation and experience in both Zen meditation and martial training at the Shaolin Temple, understood them instantly. At this moment, an unusual event occurred—the cave continuously trembled, as if experiencing an earthquake, with "No! The opening is sinking! You must quickly evacuate this deep cavern!" Hong Da was startled, turning to Gao Liang, San Shen, and Dong Jiao. "Master! I'll take you with me!" Gao Liang held his master's hand. Hong Da laughed heartily, saying, "Just knowing you're willing to go is enough. In truth, I myself have no intention of leaving. Remember—after you depart, you must uphold the Shaolin tradition, eliminate the corrupt, and restore our rightful lineage!" Hong Da handed Gao Liang a piece of jade carved from the Buddha's body, saying, "Keep this. The future of Shaolin will rest in your hands!" "Master!" Gao Liang nodded with tears in his eyes, immediately bowing three times, saying, "Master, please rest assured. I will carry out your wishes without fail!" "Go! Go!" As Hong Da spoke, a cascade of stones fell from the ceiling, separating the master and disciple. The cavern was sinking. Gao Liang, holding Dong Jiao's hand, ran forward toward the next cavern, while the three companions followed closely behind. With no exit in sight, what could they do? Ran my fingers along the cave walls, checking for any suspected mechanisms, but none proved effective.