"Vajra Lock Jade Technique, Iron Cloth Shirt, Six and Seven Cross..."
Bai Ziyue silently noted, this would be his method for advancing his Martial Arts, he had no choice but to pay close attention.
"Of course, while External Forging Technique is important and fundamental for power advancement, martial arts techniques are equally important.
In Jianghu, if you haven't trained in martial arts techniques, it is very normal to be killed by someone weaker than you.
Some highly skilled individuals can even train their martial arts techniques to a level of perfection and great power, thus making a name for themselves in Jianghu.
For example, our Sect Leader Liu Dong is known outside by the name Celestial Entwining Hand, which is very famous."
Sunx Neng's face was full of reverence.
Even though he had fallen to the level of preparing dishes at Ming Pearl Restaurant due to a leg injury, his heart for the Jianghu had not died, and he was still full of yearning and admiration for the strong.
"Then the Sword Technique you wish to teach me, is it a martial arts technique?"
Bai Ziyue asked timely.
"Correct, once you achieve Small Success in Zen Meditation Posture, I can transmit this Sword Technique to you."
Sunx Neng nodded affirmatively.
Bai Ziyue secretly anticipated this, but he didn't dare to reveal that his Zen Meditation Posture had already reached Great Success, so he waited patiently. Then, at the right time, he would 'reveal' that he had 'achieved Small Success' in Zen Meditation Posture, and then he could learn this martial arts technique.
...
In the morning, due to the early proceedings, he had his own rest time.
Back in the room, he first glanced at his Attribute Panel.
Name: Bai Ziyue
Power: 1.22 (unboostable)
Speed: 1.13 (unboostable)
Physique: 1.32 (unboostable)
Martial Arts: Zen Meditation Posture Great Success (unboostable)
Soul Energy: 672
"Although the morning incidents with the Li Family were thrilling, they were not entirely without gain, they could be considered a blessing in disguise."
Bai Ziyue felt a slight sense of relief, comforting himself.
A few days at the slaughterhouse had increased his Soul Energy to around four hundred points, and the rest came from that Ghost Head Stronghold bandit, greatly advancing his ability to accumulate the eight hundred points needed to elevate Zen Meditation Posture to Perfection.
"Of course, a greater reward might be this."
Thinking this, Bai Ziyue cautiously looked around, verifying no one was present before retrieving a black package from his clothes.
The outer wrapping was soft and smooth, evidently fine fabric.
This made Bai Ziyue even more excited about the contents inside.
Opening the package, two books immediately appeared before him.
"'Purple Qi Divine Observation Technique', First Volume, 'Hundred Talisman Atlas', Upper Volume."
Bai Ziyue read them thrice before he recognized the characters on the cover, and his heart skipped a beat.
"These don't seem to be Martial Arts Secret Manuals, they appear more like..."
Bai Ziyue began to have a few inklings.
Flipping open the 'Purple Qi Divine Observation Technique', Bai Ziyue was left bewildered.
The first page alone, he only recognized half of it; the rest of the characters he had to guess, trying to figure out their meanings.
In recent days, he had been diligently learning characters, nearly finishing all the words in the 'Illustrated Guide', but there were still many he did not know.
Currently, with his level of literacy, completing reading an entire article was challenging.
Nonetheless, even with such difficulty, he could finally confirm his earlier speculation.
This 'Purple Qi Divine Observation Technique' truly was an Immortal Cultivation Technique.
Looking into the 'Hundred Talisman Atlas', Bai Ziyue quietly stacked the two books, rewrapping them in the cloth.
Being illiterate isn't frightening, having a technique but remaining illiterate is.
Bai Ziyue decided to dedicate a significant amount of time to studying characters diligently. Even if he couldn't write fantastically, he had to ensure these precious secret manuals didn't go unpracticed due to his illiteracy.
These two books were exceedingly precious.
Bai Ziyue carefully hid them, ensuring Li Ergou would not find them, then returned to the corner of his room where he usually stood for his training.
"I can't think about it any further."
Bai Ziyue shook his head, a sense of regret in his heart.
With secret manuals in hand, especially the legendary Immortal Cultivation Technique, anyone would be tempted, and he was no exception.
However, despite his urgent desire to understand the Dharma Technique detailed in the 'Purple Qi Divine Observation Technique' and begin cultivating, he knew very well that with his partial literacy, misinterpretations would be extremely dangerous.
So he resolutely sealed away the two books.
After a while, Bai Ziyue regained his calmness, his heart spirit peaceful.
"Zen Meditation Stance Great Success can allow the skin beneath to move like scurrying rats, enabling the practice of External Forging Technique. By now, I qualify for this, but alas, I do not have an External Forging Technique."
Bai Ziyue extended his arm, internal power surged, and a small 'bulge' immediately emerged.
Following his control, this 'bulge' moved in all directions, resembling a rat scuttling under his skin.
Previously, when Sunx Neng demonstrated this ability, he instinctively felt he could do it too.
Trying it now, it was indeed so.
However, without an External Forging Technique, how could he utilize his qualification?
Reveal his Great Success in Zen Meditation Stance? Then learn the Vajra Lock Jade Technique from the Sunburst Gang?
The thought was almost dismissed the moment it emerged.
While he didn't doubt the existence of geniuses, for a genius to achieve Great Success in Zen Meditation Stance within days... no one would believe it.
Moreover, in a world with demons and monsters, if someone labeled him a monster and burned him, that would be truly unjust.
In his memory, he had heard stories of such incidents.
A child, said to crawl at half a month old, walked at three months, and spoke at five months, was burned by locals as a demon...
He didn't want to become such a tale's protagonist.
It was too aggrieving.
"I'll need to find another way."
Bai Ziyue thought of the Iron Cloth Shirt at Iron Armor Martial Arts Hall, an accessible place where learning External Forging Technique might be possible.
As for Head Wuu's Six and Seven Cross, it likely was a unique Wuu Family External Forging Technique, much harder to learn.
Of course, he wasn't lacking in patience; he was still young, and his start had surpassed many others; time was on his side.
...
At noon, Ming Pearl Restaurant was as busy as always.
But today, almost all the guests discussed the extermination of the Li Family.
"It's a pity for the Li Family. They had the potential to become a local affluent family."
"Ah, but who told them to provoke the Ghost Head Stronghold? Even the Government couldn't gain ground after several encirclements, yet Li Xu rashly made them enemies.
When I heard that Li Xu imprisoned the Fourth Village Chief of Ghost Head Stronghold, I knew sooner or later, they would face this disaster."
"Hey, don't boast now. Remember who kept praising Li Xu back then? Claiming the Li Family's three outstanding talents would surely prosper?"