The sound of paper turning, shush-shush, was crisp and pleasant. But for Li Feiyu, it was utterly annoying.
He ignored Han Li, who was deeply immersed in his reading, and instead went back to the edge of the water, pulling out the long knife stuck in the soil. He began practicing with it, swinging it in the air with a calm, rhythmic motion.
Han Li glanced at him, noting how full of energy Li Feiyu was. He then shifted his focus back to the task at hand and resumed reading.
Using an astonishing reading speed, Han Li made quick work of flipping through the thick pages of the Blinking Sword Manual. With his eyes narrowed in concentration, he barely took his gaze off the pages. His head moved back and forth in rhythm with his eyes, the picture of a scholarly figure lost in study.
Time passed quickly, and soon Han Li had browsed through the first ten manuals. When he finished the eleventh, he paused, stopping his incredible pace. The book was tossed back into the pile of manuals.
He closed his eyes briefly to rest, letting his mind catch up with his body.
After a short while, he sat down cross-legged and activated his Changchun Gong technique. He began replaying the contents of the dozen books in his mind, running through them over and over. His face changed as he went through the details—sometimes excited, sometimes deep in thought, and at times frustrated.
After a while, Han Li opened his eyes again, but he was shocked by what he saw.
Li Feiyu's face was so close that it almost touched his nose. His presence was startling—Han Li could feel his breath on his skin.
"What are you doing? Weren't you practicing with your knife?" Han Li asked, startled.
Li Feiyu pulled back slightly, rolling his eyes. "Han Junior Brother, what time do you think it is? You still ask such silly questions." He glanced around, and Han Li noticed that the light had dimmed.
He looked up at the sky, which had turned a dull gray—dusk had arrived.
"Ah! Time really flies. I didn't even notice how late it's gotten," Han Li said as he stood up, stretching his limbs.
"So, what did you find? Anything interesting in those books?" Li Feiyu asked eagerly, his gaze focused on Han Li, awaiting his verdict.
"Well, it's good, it suits me." Han Li replied with a vague answer.
"What do you mean, 'suits me'? Give me something more concrete," Li Feiyu pressed impatiently.
"These manuals are a hodgepodge, nothing really systematic. They're pieced together from different sources," Han Li explained slowly.
"Then what about Blinking Sword? Does it really exist? Why such a weird name?" Li Feiyu wasn't satisfied yet, still probing for more details.
"Blinking Sword really exists, but it's just a small part of these mixed-up manuals. It only makes up a fraction of them," Han Li continued with patience.
"As for the name, there's a reason behind it."
"What reason? Can't you just tell me all at once? Stop dragging it out like some old professor," Li Feiyu shot him an exasperated look, irritated by Han Li's slow pace.
Sighing, Han Li relented and sped up his explanation. "The sword technique, as described in the book, uses light and visual tricks to defeat enemies. It exploits the fleeting moments when people blink, giving the practitioner an opening to strike. That's why it's called Blinking Sword."
"Such a bizarre sword technique? There really are some oddball masters out there!" Li Feiyu was fascinated by the concept, but his interest quickly waned when Han Li added:
"But there are three conditions you cannot meet to practice it: If your true qi is only a little developed, you can't practice it; if you lack strong willpower, you can't practice it; and if you lack natural talent, you can't practice it."
Upon hearing the first condition, Li Feiyu immediately lost interest. His own internal energy was far more developed than the requirement for this technique, and there was no way he would risk wasting his abilities on an uncertain skill.
With that, Li Feiyu lost all interest in the books. He stood up and prepared to leave. Before he left, he reminded Han Li, "Make sure to copy down all these manuals. When we meet again, I'll bring back the originals. Although these books aren't valued by others, if they go missing for too long, someone will notice."
Li Feiyu departed, leaving Han Li alone. After a while, Han Li also got up and headed back.
The entire mountain range was enveloped in a faint mist, casting a somewhat gloomy atmosphere over the narrow path. On both sides of the road, dense coniferous trees swayed in the wind, their branches creaking with eerie sounds. The wind blew through the trees, creating a strange, unsettling scene.
Han Li hurried along the path, his steps quick and urgent, making his way toward Shen Shou Valley.
It had gotten late, and by the time he reached halfway, it was completely dark.
Without his Changchun Gong to sharpen his vision in the dark, Han Li would never have dared to travel on such a treacherous path at night. The road was full of sharp turns and dangerous sections, where even the slightest mistake could lead to disaster and possibly even death.