Chapter 486: Chapter 268: As Bait

"Is this Fist Technique’s power just average?" Xu Yang wondered.

A true Celestial Essence Martial Technique shouldn’t have been weak, but he hadn’t seen Song Yushao use this Fist Technique during their life-and-death battle.

But if its power was merely average, it wouldn’t have been placed in the secret chamber alongside the Canglang Sword Technique and the Pure Yang Technique.

He had never heard of the Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist, but he knew the Pure Yang Technique and the Canglang Sword Technique were the Song Family’s most powerful secret skills, which only core family members could learn.

Puzzled, he continued to read through the Cultivation Technique.

Turning to the second page, he was met with the image of a Black Tortoise carrying a mountain, an illustration that radiated an ancient, primal aura.

"The Black Tortoise bears the mountain, a thousand peaks pay homage; one fist pacifies the land, leaving the four seas placid."

"To cultivate this technique, one must first comprehend the imagery of the Black Tortoise carrying the mountain just to reach the Entry Level. Those without a formidable physique cannot practice it, lest they risk their bodies collapsing."

’If my body isn’t strong enough, it could collapse just from practicing this?’

A chill went through Xu Yang.

’This technique isn’t just strong; it’s exceedingly so. Song Yushao probably wasn’t qualified to cultivate it.’

Song Yushao had been in the Celestial Essence Realm for many years, but his physique was inferior to Xu Yang’s, who had only recently broken through.

Furthermore, one had to comprehend the imagery just to reach the Entry Level. How could an ordinary person possibly grasp such imagery before they had even begun to practice the technique?

He tried circulating the Fist Technique according to the introductory Heart Method and immediately felt a terrifying pressure, as if his body was about to split apart.

"Even my body, with the Great Success of the Bright King’s Unmoving Body, is struggling to handle this?" Xu Yang was astonished.

His current physique might not be able to withstand a Spiritual Soldier bare-handed, but he could shatter a Half-Spirit Weapon with ease. And yet, just casually circulating this Fist Technique was almost too much for him to bear.

"Excellent!"

Instead of being alarmed, Xu Yang was delighted. The higher the requirements, the stronger the Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist must be.

He carefully read through the Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist one more time, and a panel popped up before his eyes:

[Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist: Uninitiated (0/3000)]

After a quick glance, Xu Yang continued his meditation on the technique, and the night passed before he knew it.

The next day, the first thing he did upon opening his eyes was look at the panel.

[Killed Song Yushao, Points +50]

[Obtained Vermilion Flame Fruit, Points +50]

[Obtained Seven-Star Grass, Points +10]

...

[Martial Arts Longevity Points: 2315]

There were so many notifications that he skipped to the total at the end. His Martial Arts Longevity Points had actually surpassed two thousand three hundred.

He recalled that his previous total of Martial Arts Longevity Points had been less than fourteen hundred.

In other words, this latest haul had earned him over nine hundred points, the most he’d ever gained at once.

As was his custom, he added one point to his lifespan to keep his body at its peak before closing the panel.

His gains this time were immense, and it would take a good deal of time to fully process everything.

After cultivating for a while, he got up and headed to the dining hall.

By now, the annihilation of the Song Family was common knowledge in the Purple Sun Sect. In the dining hall, all the disciples of Li Fire Peak were discussing the matter.

One of the ten great families, with a Celestial Essence Ancestor at its head, had all its experts wiped out in a single night. It was the biggest tragedy in the lands of the Purple Sun Sect in more than a decade, causing an even greater sensation than the Su Family affair.

"I can’t imagine who could be so ruthless, killing so many people."

"I heard the Sect’s upper echelons are paying attention. The Peak Master personally descended the mountain and rushed to Yunxi Villa to investigate."

"And what happened?" someone asked curiously.

"Apparently, the Peak Master didn’t say a single word and returned to the Purple Sun Sect right away. Some are speculating that the expert who killed Song Yushao cultivates the Li Fire Technique."

The Li Fire Technique?

Everyone was startled. Didn’t that mean the killer of Song Yushao could be an Elder of the Purple Sun Sect? Or, to be more precise, either the Peak Master of Li Fire Peak or one of its four Elders.

This was because only disciples of Li Fire Peak were qualified to cultivate the Li Fire Technique; disciples from other peaks couldn’t access it no matter how many contribution points they had.

"It’s a shame I wasn’t in Cyan Yang City yesterday," someone sighed.

His words piqued the curiosity of many.

The man continued, "A few fellow disciples happened to be nearby yesterday, and they participated in looting the Song Family. Someone grabbed a Half-Spirit Weapon from the Song Family’s Treasure Vault, and another made off with several hundred taels of gold."

Everyone’s faces filled with envy. It was a complete windfall.

With the Song Family in utter chaos, it was like picking up money off the street. Anyone who participated in the looting came away with something. They only regretted not being there at the time.

As Xu Yang listened, his eyes swept across the dining hall. He could no longer see Song Wendeng, the man who had been constantly watching him.

"Junior Brother Xu!"

Gao Lin waved from a distance. After getting his meal, Xu Yang went over and sat with him.

"You can rest easy now."

Gao Lin said with a smile, "The Song Family acted with such arrogance and impunity that they provoked an expert they couldn’t afford to offend. They were almost completely wiped out yesterday."

Xu Yang had been in seclusion lately, so Gao Lin assumed he didn’t know what had happened and eagerly relayed the details.

"Good that they’re gone!"

Xu Yang said with a smile, "Senior Brother, do you have any inside information? Do you know who did it?"

As Elder Huoyun’s head disciple, Gao Lin had a high status and likely knew things that others didn’t.

In an instant, all eyes turned to Gao Lin.

Everything they had been discussing was just rumors and hearsay. Given Gao Lin’s status, perhaps he knew something they didn’t.

"What inside information could I possibly have?" Gao Lin said with a dry laugh, his expression slightly unnatural.

Xu Yang’s interest was piqued. ’It looks like Gao Lin really does know something different, he’s just unwilling to say it publicly.’

"The Peak Master suspects Master killed Song Yushao for your sake, but Master denied it," Gao Lin said via voice transmission.

’Elder Huoyun is taking the blame?’

No wonder Gao Lin was unwilling to speak of it in public.

Elder Huoyun had both the strength and the motive; it wasn’t baseless for him to be the prime suspect.

"But, Junior Brother, you need to be careful. That Han Yingjie might come back," Gao Lin added.

"Thank you for the warning, Senior Brother Gao!" Xu Yang’s expression grew solemn.

Having been able to enter the Celestial Strategy Academy, Han Yingjie’s talent was unquestionable. After several years of cultivation, he might already be at the Celestial Essence Second or Third Layer.

After all, the Celestial Strategy Academy was a cut far above the Purple Sun Sect; they had every resource imaginable.

’I still can’t get careless. I have to continue to lay low.’

After the meal, Xu Yang returned to his courtyard and took out the Vermilion Flame Fruit.

The Vermilion Flame Fruit was a supreme treasure for cultivating Supreme Yang Techniques. The Song Family had paid an unimaginable price to capture a Crimson Flame Tiger and raise it, all so they could bleed it daily to nurture this single fruit. This was all done to give Song Yushao a chance to break through to the Celestial Essence Second Layer.

Of all the items he had taken from the Song Family, this Vermilion Flame Fruit was the most valuable.

It was a pity it was only eight years old. If it had been allowed to mature for ten years, the Vermilion Flame Fruit would have been even more valuable.

Of course, if the Vermilion Flame Fruit had reached ten years of maturity, Song Yushao would have consumed it long ago.

A rich fragrance wafted into his nostrils. Xu Yang took a bite, and his mouth instantly filled with a sweet aroma. The taste was surprisingly pleasant.

The Vermilion Flame Fruit melted the moment it entered his mouth, transforming into a scorching torrent of heat, like molten iron, that radiated throughout his body and seeped into his very bones.

He had no time to savor the taste, quickly devouring the rest of the fruit and beginning to circulate the Li Fire Technique.

A surging power swept through him, converging into his Gang Yuan and beginning to refine and strengthen it.

Xu Yang’s entire body began to glow as his aura soared. A series of crisp pops and cracks echoed from his bones and tendons. CRACKLE! POP!

His Gang Yuan was already very pure, and at first, the Vermilion Flame Fruit didn’t seem to have much effect. But under the fruit’s medicinal power, the heat within his Gang Yuan rapidly intensified, as if it were about to ignite.

The temperature in the private chamber began to skyrocket. He became like a furnace, ceaselessly radiating astonishing waves of heat.

’There’s also a slight Body-Refining effect.’

Under the scorching, molten-iron heat, his entire body felt as though it were being tempered in a furnace. Impurities were incinerated, and the resilience and strength of his physique increased dramatically.

Of course, the Spirit Medicine’s most fundamental ability—to enhance one’s Cultivation—was also present. With each circulation of the Li Fire Technique, his Gang Yuan grew more potent.

As the Li Fire Technique circulated again and again, Xu Yang’s aura grew progressively stronger.

Several hours later, once all the medicinal power of the Vermilion Flame Fruit had been refined, he had undergone a significant transformation.

Xu Yang opened his eyes, feeling completely refreshed.

[Li Fire Technique First Layer (1322/10000)]

His progress in the Li Fire Technique had reached over thirteen hundred, equivalent to four or five months of painstaking cultivation.

’The increase in my Cultivation is secondary; the main improvement is to my Gang Yuan.’

Xu Yang spread his fingers. His Gang Yuan now resembled a burning golden flame, emitting an astonishingly high temperature as a domineering aura filled the private chamber.

He took out a piece of Spirit Iron, and his Gang Yuan quickly heated it until it was red-hot.

"Iron Refining Hand!"

He activated the Iron Refining Hand’s Heart Method, and the temperature of his Gang Yuan surged even higher. The Spirit Iron glowed white-hot, showing signs of melting into liquid.

’I need to find a chance to kill Liu Qingyuan.’

Song Yushao was dead, but Liu Qingyuan remained. He would be the most difficult to kill and the one against whom it would be hardest to find an opportunity.

"I’ll have to use myself as bait," Xu Yang mused.

For the next while, he continued to live in seclusion. Aside from going down the mountain to deliver some Leopard Embryo Muscle-Toning Pills to Xu Qing, he hardly ever went out.

Li Fire Technique, Bright King’s Unmoving Body, Eight Ferocious Hidden Dragon Strength, Blood Prison Heart Blade Scripture, Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist, Canglang Sword Technique... he had far too many things to cultivate, on top of refining the Spirit Medicines he’d acquired from the Song Family.

In the blink of an eye, two months passed. He had finished refining all the Spirit Medicines obtained from the Song Family.

[Li Fire Technique First Layer (3761/10000)]

His progress in the Li Fire Technique had reached an astonishing level; he had already completed more than a third of it.

He had originally estimated that it would take him nearly a year and a half to reach this stage.

[Blood Prison Heart Blade Scripture: Great Success (3144/15000)]

[Bright King’s Unmoving Body: Great Success (3857/12000)]

[Eight Ferocious Hidden Dragon Strength: Entry Level (3625/10000)]

[Canglang Sword Technique: Entry Level (822/4000)]

[Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist: Uninitiated (1984/3000)]

[Remaining Lifespan: 200]

[Martial Arts Longevity Points: 2475]

His various Martial Techniques had improved steadily, with the sole exception of the Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist, which he had yet to master. This technique not only placed extreme demands on one’s physique but also required immense Comprehension. After two months, he still hadn’t even reached the Entry Level.

Of course, the main reason was that he hadn’t been focusing all his attention on it. With so many Martial Techniques to comprehend, he hadn’t been able to dedicate much time to the Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist.

He closed the panel and rose to his feet.

’It’s time to deal with Liu Qingyuan. If I wait too long, he might not fall for the bait.’

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