Chapter 694: Moving Out
Chapter 694: Moving Out
Night had fallen.
A single flickering flame occasionally burst into a brighter glow.
Inside the room, Xun Heihu sat on a stool, flipping through the secret manual of the Toadstool Force that his father had given him.
His parents were preparing to leave as soon as possible, which truly lifted a weight off his chest.
With this, even if his confrontation with the Jade Instructor were to be exposed, he could flee without fear of being cornered.
While he was confident that his actions had been flawless, he was still just a teenager and shouldn’t underestimate the heroes of the world.
According to the elders, if a martial practitioner who had awakened the Eye or Nose Aperture of the Twelve Body Oddities were to investigate, his every move would be riddled with flaws!
Therefore, one must always prepare for the worst to prevent any possible outcome.
He didn’t want to lose his family at a young age, be forced into a life of exile, and then spend decades, even centuries, plotting his revenge against the Five Beasts Sect!
Such stories might be thrilling in novels, but if it were to happen to his family, no one could bear it.
“Toadstool Force...”
Xun Heihu silently read through the manual: “Martial Path Sixth Rank, the Inner Qi... External hard techniques evolve into internal, and once one becomes a Sixth Rank Inner Qi expert, their Inner Qi becomes immensely powerful. Moreover, with the innate hundred meridians open, the accumulation of Inner Qi is extremely fast... Almost all Sixth Rank martial practitioners quickly reach the pinnacle of their rank.”
“But the cultivation afterward is the key!”
“At the Fifth Rank, known as ‘Dawn Essence,’ one must cultivate the five qi in the chest, refining Inner Qi to its peak...”
“At the Fourth Rank, known as ‘Fetal Breath,’ one practices internal breathing, focusing and maintaining unity, which is also called ‘Primordial’!”
“Primordial martial practitioners are top-notch experts in any realm.”
“As for the top three ranks? This manual doesn’t provide specific methods, but it mentions that the Third Rank is called ‘Mountain Collapse’... They can be referred to as Martial Grandmasters, akin to legends...”
A manual that could guide one to the Fourth Rank was already quite remarkable.
Xun Heihu had no regrets: “If I can’t join a major sect, I might as well cultivate this Toadstool Force...”
He flipped to the end and suddenly paused.
Sure enough, the manual contained detailed records of his father’s experiences, but not in the form of tomb-robbing notes.
Instead, it was filled with all sorts of lowly martial arts tricks!
Everything from sedatives, traps, to honey traps...
At first, Xun Heihu felt somewhat disdainful, but soon he felt his young heart tainted.
By the end, he was just grateful: ‘Some of the poisoning methods in this book could catch me off guard... If I’m not careful, even an Inner Qi expert could be taken down by a roadside bun vendor, possibly even turned into a human meat bun...’
He felt that if he encountered such tricks, he wouldn’t fare well.
‘No... Once you awaken the Twelve Body Oddities, unless it’s an extremely rare poison, ordinary sedatives won’t affect you anymore.’
Fang Xing’s voice echoed in his mind: ‘Besides, these petty tricks might work on Fifth and Sixth Rank martial artists, but they’re not enough against a Fourth Rank Fetal Breath practitioner...’
‘As for Third Rank Mountain Collapse Grandmasters and above? How can ants harm a dragon?’
“I see.”
Xun Heihu carefully put away the manual.
Regardless, this was his father’s sincere intention.
Xun Lao Liu had even written down some of his unique techniques and drug formulas without reservation.
He even detailed the preparations, psychological struggles, and even the cowardly and dark thoughts behind a plot to assassinate an Inner Qi expert.
It was as if he had dissected himself to teach his son.
‘Father must have had a bad feeling and was preparing for the worst...’
‘Indeed, moving out as soon as possible is the best choice...’
...
Xun Heihu lay down on his bed and quickly fell asleep.
Inside the True Martial Talisman.
Xun Heihu sat cross-legged, circulating his Inner Qi.
It was quite miraculous that he could still cultivate his Inner Qi within the True Martial Talisman.
“I’m still too inexperienced. If I were the top-ranked Lotus Master on the Dragon and Tiger List, with the power to easily suppress the Heavenly Beast Master, would I still be a fugitive?”
Xun Heihu’s eyes burned with passion: “I must train! Train hard! One day, I will break through to the top three ranks, no, to the First Rank! I will be listed on the Dragon and Tiger List and shock the world!”
“First Rank?”
A figure appeared in a flash, and Fang Xing materialized.
“Senior!”
Xun Heihu felt a bit embarrassed: “Am I being too ambitious?”
“No, I just think this goal... is a bit low.”
Fang Xing smiled: “In the Nine Ranks of Martial Path, the lower three ranks test one’s wealth, but from the middle three ranks onward, martial talent becomes increasingly important... You have the Twelve Body Oddities, a foundation that few can match, and breaking through to the top three ranks is just a matter of time.”
“And your greatest fortune is having the True Martial Talisman! With its assistance, the emperors of the Great Xia Dynasty could break through the limits of martial arts and suppress the world for three hundred years... You’re only aiming for the First Rank? Your goal should be to surpass the First Rank and become a ‘Supreme Martial Practitioner,’ breaking your own limits!”
“Above the First Rank?”
Xun Heihu was startled: “Is there such a realm?”
“People today far surpass the ancients. In the Great Xia period, was there even a First Rank Grandmaster?”
Fang Xing smiled and said, "This world is far from fully developed, which is why the pinnacle of martial arts is only at the First Rank... But since you have the True Martial Talisman, you can at least break the limits and push the world's cap up by one rank... or even two! At that point, you'll be a figure like the founding emperor of Great Kang."
"I... I haven't even secured an Inner Qi cultivation technique yet..." Xun Heihu admitted that the promise was grand, but he felt a bit overwhelmed.
"An Inner Qi technique, you say? Actually, the Toadstool Force is quite good. You can start with that, and if you reach the Fourth Rank, you can always switch."
Fang Xing continued, "I know you don't want to taint your martial foundation and strive for absolute purity... For ordinary martial artists, practicing multiple techniques not only wastes time and energy but also risks conflicts, making it hard to achieve greatness. But in martial arts, the foundation is paramount. Your foundation is incredibly solid. Even if you practice only low-tier techniques, you might still gather the strengths of many schools and break through to the Third Rank, where you can shatter mountains."
"I..."
Xun Heihu shook his head. "I think I'll just rely on hard techniques for now... My foundation is already quite solid, and I feel my Inner Qi is progressing quickly. Besides, if I learn an Inner Qi technique and later join a major sect, and they find out, won't that cut off my future? Unless... Senior can guarantee me an unparalleled martial technique."
He blinked, showing a sly look, almost like a cunning old farmer.
"You little brat... You're already scheming against me?"
Fang Xing laughed and scolded him.
"Choosing a sect is a serious matter... Outsiders from other regions find it hard to earn the trust of local sects. Moreover, once you join a sect, it's like diving into a deep sea. I only want to join a sect to obtain a technique that can take me to the Third Rank and beyond. If I have that, I can wander the world freely..."
Xun Heihu voiced his true desire.
Even if he joined a major sect smoothly, he would still have to work hard and loyally, and it was unlikely they would teach him an unparalleled technique right away. The tests of loyalty were indeed tedious.
"An unparalleled technique?"
Fang Xing smiled. "Well, that... is possible."
"Huh?"
Xun Heihu squinted, a bit skeptical. "Senior... Didn't you say you could only teach me ancient martial techniques? How come you now have an unparalleled divine technique?"
"Of course, it's something I recently enlightened myself to."
Fang Xing smiled.
After his long period of seclusion, he had gained new insights into the True Martial Path. Over the years, he had quietly observed the Ninth Rank of martial arts and had no doubts about the lower three ranks. The lower three ranks of the Ninth Rank were the foundation and the basics...
By creating a technique based on the "True Martial Attributes", he was almost certain it wouldn't carry the toxic legacy of the past.
"Moreover... in this era, the world is limited. Even if it carries the toxic legacy, it won't matter much. It will just help me identify and fix any flaws."
In other words, Xun Heihu would be a guinea pig.
Uh... or should he be called a black guinea pig?
"Recently enlightened?"
Xun Heihu bowed deeply. "I humbly request that you teach me, Senior."
He had thought it through. This senior in the True Martial Talisman was undoubtedly an extraordinary figure!
Even if he only practiced "ancient martial arts" as a secondary path, it would be enough to make him comparable to a Third Rank Grandmaster in the future.
The technique he was offering, even if newly created, was definitely of the highest tier!
"Snake coiled with turtle, that is the True Martial... The martial art I have created is called the Turtle Breath Technique. It is a method for circulating Inner Qi. Its effects? It can accelerate the accumulation of Inner Qi and help you understand Fetal Breath... and it can also conceal your true strength."
Fang Xing began to explain his newly created technique. "This technique only reaches the Fourth Rank. Beyond that... I haven't created it yet. So, there is some risk in practicing it."
"Still, it's better than the Toadstool Force... That technique is likely a secret transmission of the Heavenly Sun Sect. Using it recklessly would be courting death."
Xun Heihu accepted this quickly. "The Turtle Breath Technique definitely won't have that problem."
"True, but the 'most ancient martial arts' you've learned are quite problematic."
Fang Xing said, "Although the Great Xia Dynasty has been gone for a long time, if someone recognizes the Twelve Body Oddities, they might associate it with the royal martial techniques of the Great Xia Dynasty... I don't know if there are any remnants of the Great Xia left, or if anyone is still searching for the True Martial Talisman..."
Xun Heihu clenched his fists, a sense of urgency rising in his heart.
...
The next day.
Xun Lao Liu, somehow convincing Heihu's mother, packed their belongings and, leading a donkey, set off with Xun Heihu.
"Old Li, what are you up to?"
Many people asked curiously along the way.
"Heihu has made it big. We're going to the city to enjoy a better life", Xun Lao Liu laughed.
"You're so lucky!"
"Of course, Heihu is a Martial Lord now."
The villagers were envious and congratulated them...
Xun Heihu took one last look at the small village where he had grown up: 'Once I leave, I don't know when I'll return...'
(End of Chapter)
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