Chapter 121: Innate Cultivation Technique

Ping'er looked displeased, bit her lip, and said, "You’ve always wanted me to have a complete body, haven't you? If I absorb the blood of one more martial artist, I can gain more parts of my body—next is everything below the shoulders..."

A blush crept across her face, appearing somewhat shy, and she fell silent, though her meaning was clear. Niu Chuming struggled internally. Of course, he wanted Ping'er to have a complete body so she could stay by his side forever. But he could not bring himself to accept the method of drinking human blood.

"No, you cannot drink any more human blood," Niu Chuming said, suddenly stubborn and refusing to give in.

The atmosphere grew silent. After a while, fearing he had upset her, Niu Chuming added, "If you absolutely must have blood, take mine. I am healthy; I can handle it if you drink from me every few days."

Ping'er rolled her eyes at him. "Do you think it's just blood that I'm taking? Never mind. Drag those two corpses outside. The people in the martial arts school will likely come to investigate once they hear the commotion."

...

Under the glow of lanterns, several corpses lay in the courtyard. The members of the martial arts school gathered, silent, as if waiting for something. Niu Chuming stood to the side, inconspicuous as usual. Yet, this time, the others could not help but glance at him more than once, for this fat man had, single-handedly and through stealth, killed two martial artists far superior to himself.

...

Inside the room, Fang Yue, Qiu Shiyan, and Bai Fu were interrogating two martial artists, the only survivors Fang Yue had captured from the backyard. These two had little backbone; seeing their leaders, She Shanhai and Qian Rutao, already dead, they dared not withhold anything and confessed every detail of their plot to raid the Fengyang Martial Arts School.

Fang Yue was stunned by the results of the interrogation. They had come to the Fengyang Martial Arts School looking for the Martial Saint's secret manual. Moreover, it had to be said that the rumor about Qiu Rubai obtaining the manual several years ago actually held a certain logical consistency.

Fang Yue looked at Qiu Shiyan.

Qiu Shiyan shook her head. "It is nothing but nonsense. If there really were a Martial Saint's manual and my father had obtained it, given his martial talent, he would have become a Martial Saint long ago. Our school would not have fallen into such a sorry state."

Bai Fu said worriedly, "I fear others will not see it that way. The martial artists from other provinces and those locally who are hunting for this manual are nearly going insane. If they take this rumor seriously, our school will face grave trouble."

Fang Yue pondered. "There are all sorts of rumors outside; no need to worry too much. At worst, we can fabricate a few more to muddy the waters. This current rumor is spreading like wildfire, and with so many foreign martial artists flocking to Yunzhou, there is likely some conspiracy hidden within. But that is irrelevant to us for now. What about those corpses outside? How do you intend to dispose of them?"

Bai Fu said, "We cannot report this to the authorities. If they investigate why these men raided us and the rumor about the Martial Saint's manual comes out, it will be a disaster. What was once a rumor will, in the mouths of others, become the truth."

Fang Yue and Qiu Shiyan agreed with Bai Fu. The bodies had to be disposed of privately; tonight’s events must be treated as if they never happened.

"Leave the bodies to me," Bai Fu said.

...

He picked up his sword, thrust it into the hearts of the two captives whom Fang Yue had knocked unconscious, and then carried the corpses outside. Fang Yue and Qiu Shiyan followed him out.

...

Bai Fu threw the two new corpses onto the ground and pulled a small ceramic bottle from his robes. It was filled with a white powder. He sprinkled a little onto the wounds of each body. A bizarre sight ensued: smoke rose from the corpses, and they began to dissolve from the wounds. Within a quarter of an hour, the several bodies had melted into a pool of fluid and vanished.

Bai Taoru turned pale, covering her eyes in fear, though she couldn't help but peek. Fang Yue, meanwhile, thought that the white powder in the small bottle was truly an excellent tool for destroying evidence; he would find an opportunity later to ask the old steward, Bai Fu, where he had acquired it.

...

After the night's chaos, no one had the heart to sleep. Fang Yue returned to his room, lit an oil lamp, and began examining a manual he had scavenged from Qian Rutao’s body. The cover was blank, and the contents detailed the art of the "Shadow Puppeteer," a branch of the heterodox paths.

"Heterodox paths?"

Fang Yue mused. He had heard the old steward briefly explain earlier that She Shanhai, who commanded ghost infants, was a "Ghost Driver," and Qian Rutao, who played with shadow puppets, was a "Shadow Puppeteer."

"Flaying human skin alive to create flat puppets..."

Fang Yue shook his head. The heterodox paths were indeed heterodox and unworthy of serious study. These methods seemed inconceivable, but at their core, they relied on the power of ghosts—the resentment and malice of heaven and earth. To use such powers with a human body was cruel; how could there not be a price to pay? Most followers of heterodox paths had short lifespans and met poor ends.

Yet, why did so many still learn these methods? Simply because they offered a faster and more convenient path to power. Unlike martial arts or cultivation, which required decades of bitter, unceasing toil, only to potentially hit a wall and remain stagnant, the heterodox path offered rapid growth—provided one was cruel enough and hardy enough. Although, one might die all the faster.

Most importantly, was there truly no upper limit to the power gained through these methods?

"No upper limit?"

Seeing this claim in the manual, Fang Yue felt a jolt of alarm. Could those Evil Gods be related to these heterodox paths?

...

Under the lamplight, Fang Yue studied the manual. Although the methods were too cruel for him to practice, he could learn the principles and use them as fuel for his own cultivation and the deduction of divine abilities.

Just then, a knock sounded at his door.

"Who is it?" Fang Yue asked, looking up.

"It is I, Junior Brother Fang. Are you available?" Qiu Shiyan’s voice came from outside.

Fang Yue paused. It was the middle of the night; dawn was not far off. For Qiu Shiyan to come looking for him now and ask if he was available—a lone man and a woman—could it be... Of course, Fang Yue was just letting his imagination run wild; he knew she must have something important to discuss.

He stood up, walked to the door, and opened it. Qiu Shiyan stood there, holding a cloth bundle. She stepped straight into his room and said, "Close the door."

Fang Yue obeyed without hesitation. After glancing around his room, Qiu Shiyan said, "Your purpose in joining the Fengyang Martial Arts School was primarily to learn the Innate Technique, wasn't it?"

Fang Yue nodded; there was no point in denying it, and he knew they were already aware.

Qiu Shiyan continued, "The Innate Technique is the foundation of a martial arts school and is not easily taught. You have been here too short a time, and we should have observed you longer. However, these are troubled times, and based on our interactions, I trust your character."

As she spoke, she handed the cloth bundle to Fang Yue. He looked at her and took it. Under her sign, he opened the bundle to reveal a manual titled "Long Wind Technique."

Qiu Shiyan said, "This 'Long Wind Technique' was compiled by my father based on the 'Five Hong Technique' of the Five Hong Sect, combined with our family's ancestral techniques. It can lead one to the Innate Realm."

With the Innate Technique finally in his hands, Fang Yue’s face lit up. This was what he had been waiting for. He bowed and said, "Thank you for your trust, Senior Sister."

Qiu Shiyan shook her head. "Junior Brother Fang, don't be too happy yet. There are a few key oral formulas not recorded in the manual. Without them, you cannot reach the Innate Realm. I can recite them to you, but you must agree to one condition."