He quickly flipped through a few pages, his eyes gradually lighting up.
If it had been saber techniques or something similar, he wouldn't have cared in the least.
Because he was a swordsman, and he only wanted to practice the sword.
But internal cultivation arts were different.
Internal cultivation was the foundation of martial arts; no matter what weapon one wielded, one had to rely on internal energy to enhance their true qi cultivation.
Having a good internal cultivation manual was akin to possessing a stepping stone to higher realms.
“Brother Chen! Look!”
He thrust the secret manual in front of Chen Zui, his voice trembling with excitement.
“Internal energy! Ten to one these guys killed each other to snatch this thing!”
Chen Zui took the manual and casually flipped through a few pages.
Li Wu stood to the side, eagerly anticipating his evaluation.
However, he watched Chen Zui's brow smooth out the more he flipped, until he gently shook his head upon reaching the final page.
Closing the manual, Chen Zui handed it back to Li Wu, his tone flat without a trace of excitement.
“A third-rate technique. At most, it can increase the speed of your true qi circulation by ten or twenty percent, and it grows increasingly feeble in the higher realms. For these Mountain and Sea Realm martial artists, practicing it would indeed be of some use. But to throw away their lives for this? Not worth it.”
Li Wu took back the manual, the excitement on his face instantly doused like cold water poured over his head before he could even process Chen Zui's words.
He looked suspiciously at the manual in his hands, then at Chen Zui's unruffled face, feeling a wave of stubborn indignation rise within him.
“Third-rate? I say, Brother Chen, are you putting on that mysterious, profound act with me again?”
Li Wu stuffed the manual into his robes and slapped Chen Zui on the shoulder.
“Your martial arts aren't even as good as mine. I'm at least a Candlelight Realm expert. What realm are you in? I bet you haven't even reached the Knocking Realm, right? What could you possibly understand? This is an internal cultivation manual that five Mountain and Sea Realm experts fought to the death over. Yet in your mouth, it becomes a third-rate technique? Only a fool would believe you.”
Without waiting for Chen Zui to retort, he turned and strode forward.
As he walked, he pulled the manual back out from his robes to flip through a couple more pages, looking more satisfied the more he read.
Chen Zui followed behind him, his lips curling up slightly, offering no further explanation.
That 《Hunyuan Qi Gathering Art》 was indeed merely average. He had once flipped through Qi Tianchen's prized general outline of internal arts back at Furnace-Listening Pavilion.
That was the supreme treasure of the world's number one weapon-forging sect; pulling out any random page from it would be several times superior to this manual.
Furthermore, the handbook Qi Tianchen had given him upon parting recorded the lifelong Martial Dao insights of both Qi Tianchen and Xie Qingyi, making it a true priceless treasure.
In comparison, this 《Hunyuan Qi Gathering Art》 naturally amounted to nothing more than third-rate trash in his eyes.
Still, he was too lazy to argue with Li Wu.
Besides, practicing it wouldn't hurt the kid.
A third-rate technique was still a technique, and it would offer at least some benefit to a Candlelight Realm martial artist.
Not to mention, given Li Wu's fickle, short-lived enthusiasm, he would likely complain of exhaustion and give up before reaching the third page anyway.
The northern wind swept across the plains once more, tumbling withered grass past their feet.
“Junior, leave the treasure behind!”
Suddenly, a thunderous voice reverberated from above!
A grey figure shot toward them at terrifying speed, appearing before them in the blink of an eye.
The newcomer was an old man in grey robes.
He stood hovering in midair, his robes rustling loudly in the howling northern wind as he looked down condescendingly on the two young men below. His gaze was as cold as if he were staring at two cold corpses.
At this moment, a dense and heavy surge of true qi fluctuated relentlessly around his body.
Inquiry Realm!
Cold sweat instantly soaked Li Wu's back.
With one hand tightly clutching the 《Hunyuan Qi Gathering Art》, his other hand felt for the hilt of the rusty sword at his waist.
Yet because his fingers were trembling so violently, he failed to get a firm grip even after three tries.
He swallowed hard, forcing out a smile that looked uglier than crying.
Then, raising the secret manual above his head with both hands, he spoke with deliberate subservience.
“Senior, please appease your anger! This junior was merely passing by and happened to hold onto it for you for a moment. I was just wondering how to return it to its rightful owner! Look, the manual is completely undamaged. I will offer it to you with both hands right now; I would never dare keep it for myself!”
As he spoke, he held the manual high, bowing so low his torso was practically parallel to the ground.
The grey-robed old man cast a glance at the booklet in his hands, a sneering smile curling his lips.
“You certainly know how to read the room.”
Hearing this, Li Wu let out a quiet sigh of relief, thinking the man would take the manual and leave.
However, the old man showed no intention of landing.
He remained hovering in midair with his hands behind his back. His eyes slowly drifted from Li Wu to Chen Zui, then back again, a sinister glint appearing in his gaze.
“However, since the two of you know the whereabouts of this secret manual... If word got out that I took the 《Hunyuan Qi Gathering Art》... Wouldn't every martial artist in the world come looking for trouble with me?”
The grey-robed old man sneered and continued, “Therefore, the two of you must die here!”
The moment his words fell, he no longer restrained his Inquiry Realm pressure, slamming it down from above like a physical iron sledgehammer.
Li Wu felt as though two mountains had suddenly crashed onto his shoulders. His knees buckled uncontrollably, and every bone in his body creaked violently.
He gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to collapse to his knees.
But bean-sized beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, rolling down his cheeks.
Inquiry Realm.
Two whole cultivation realms above him.
Li Wu took a deep breath, stuffed the manual back into his robes, and slowly drew the rusty, battered sword at his waist.
The moment the sword cleared its scabbard, his hand was still trembling, yet he forced himself to take an arduous step to the right, placing himself directly in front of Chen Zui.
“Brother Chen.”
He kept his voice extremely low, so quiet that only Chen Zui behind him could hear.
“Run! Fast! I'll buy us time.”
Chen Zui stood behind him, looking at his slightly trembling back in silence.
Thinking Chen Zui hadn't heard clearly, Li Wu repeated himself, his tone even more urgent than before.
“What are you standing there for? Run! Run as far as you can!”
“When did you become so brave?”
Chen Zui's voice sounded from behind, making Li Wu grind his teeth in frustration.
Ignorance was truly bliss!
This Brother Chen had no idea how terrifying an Inquiry Realm expert was, actually having the leisure to tease him in a moment of life and death like this!
Li Wu explained anxiously, “This time isn't like before! Those street thugs and horse bandits from before would at most beat us up. Worst-case scenario, maybe chop off a finger or two. But this old bastard—the murderous intent in his eyes is real! He's not trying to intimidate us; he genuinely wants to kill us both! Your martial arts are so terrible you haven't even reached the Knocking Realm, so staying behind is just suicide. I'm your brother, so of course I have to protect you.”
“Since you know he's in the Inquiry Realm, aren't you afraid of dying?”
Hearing this, Li Wu twitched his lips. Staring at the old man hovering in midair, he suddenly laughed.
The smile could hardly be called free and easy, nor was it particularly solemn.
Rather, he looked like a street scoundrel who usually engaged in petty trickery, suddenly displaying a comically earnest resolve.
“Scared? Of course I'm scared! My calves were trembling just now—didn't you see? But so what? Dying for a brother? I'd be more than happy to!”
Hearing this, Chen Zui, standing behind Li Wu, let a faint smile touch the corner of his lips as his fingers slowly rested upon the sword hilt at his waist.
Rate on N.U.
