A Meeting Between Siblings (Continued)

Si Ming teased, "It seems you never borrow books from here, so they never even ask you what you want to borrow?"

"There's nothing I can do. Some people are allergic to pollen, some to animal dander, and I'm allergic to books. It's a genetic condition I can't change." Lin Qingtong laughed, made up a story, and then asked the administrator, "Where is my master?"

"Master Zhu is in the martial arts hall, and your elder brother is there too. Would you like me to show you the way?"

"No need, I know the way."

Lin Qingtong led the three towards the inner library, explaining as she went, "This library was built with funds from my master. He has no other hobbies but loves collecting all sorts of martial arts manuals. The stranger and rarer they are, the more he likes them. He doesn't really care whether they're advanced or not. The gang gives him a large sum of money every year, which he uses to acquire rare manuals."

Four or five minutes later, the group arrived at a spacious martial arts hall. Upon opening the door, they saw two people sparring inside.

One of them was a man in his early thirties with short white hair. He wore a white bodysuit with blue stripes and held an ancient sword with azure patterns. His swordplay was swift and fierce, with tricky angles. His footwork was also strange and unpredictable, as if it could cause visual illusions and could not be deduced by common sense.

The other was a broad-shouldered middle-aged man with a slightly high hairline, suggesting he was "extremely intelligent." He had White Face, thin face, a broad back, and strong legs. He wielded a long staff, and his gait was unsteady and unsteady, completely violating the martial arts principle that required a stable lower body. His staff techniques were all over the place, without any rules, yet they somehow managed to block his opponent's ruthless sword moves.

Lin Qingtong shouted, "Big brother, look who I brought!"

Her voice was quite loud, echoing throughout the martial arts school, so loud that it affected the two fighters, forcing them to stop.

The white-haired man sheathed his sword, turned around, and looked behind Lin Qingtong several times before finally fixing his gaze on Liu Qingqing.

"Big brother, it's been a long time."

Liu Qingqing took a few steps forward and greeted them.

Upon recognizing the figure, the white-haired man's face instantly darkened. He turned to Lin Qingtong and scolded, "Nonsense! Why did you bring her here?"

"How can you call this nonsense? The three of us siblings haven't seen each other for almost ten years. Now is a good time to get together. Don't you want to see your little sister?"

"No, you should take her away now."

"To kick you out the moment we meet? Even if we're not siblings, it's incredibly rude of you to any ordinary guest."

That's just my temper.

"Fine, I won't see you then. Don't act like you're so high and mighty. I don't care! Bring me the original copy of 'The Illusory Moth Killing Art,' and we'll leave once we have it."

"What are you going to do with the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art'? You can't even learn it."

"I'm giving it to Qingluo. I brought her here so she could carry on my father's legacy."

"I won't give it to you, give up."

The white-haired man flatly refused, then walked through the gate and left without glancing at Liu Qingqing once.

Chapter 223 Negotiation

"What kind of attitude is this? It's just a martial arts manual! What era are we living in? Peerless martial arts techniques are commonplace now. And you call him your elder brother? You're such a stingy person!"

Lin Qingtong stuck out her tongue at Lin Qingxiang's departing figure, then shifted her gaze to Zhu Hao, and said shamelessly, "Master, I remember when my elder brother was practicing the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art,' he asked you for guidance. I'm sure you've seen the contents of the Cultivation Method. Why don't you try to recall them and write them down?"

Zhu Hao said, "That won't do. The 'Illusory Moth Killing Art' isn't my martial art. Your elder brother disagrees, which means he has his reservations. I can't be so generous as to give away someone else's martial arts. If word gets out, who will be willing to lend their martial arts to my master in the future?"

"The 'Illusory Moth Killing Art' is a martial art left to me by my father. He never said he wanted it to be left to anyone before he died. According to the inheritance law of this country, my younger sister and I both have the right to see the contents of this martial arts manual. Although he is the eldest brother, he cannot deprive my younger sister and me of our legal rights. Initially, I left the manual to my eldest brother because I was not good at practicing the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art,' but that doesn't mean he can monopolize the manual. This selfish and petty behavior violates the code of the martial arts world. Master, you must stand up for us!"

"No, even an upright official can't settle family disputes. I can't interfere in your family matters. It's understandable that Qingxiang has concerns. The 'Illusory Moth Killing Art' is purely a killing technique; it neither cultivates the body nor refines the mind. It's completely useless for ordinary people to learn this martial art."

"The 'Illusory Moth Killing Art' is my father's signature martial art, and the culmination of generations of ancestors' efforts. We can't let it die out, can we?"

"Isn't Qingxiang the heir?"

Lin Qingtong curled her lips. "What he practiced wasn't the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art' at all, but the 'Illusory Moth One Sword.' It only has one move from beginning to end. Once it's used, either the enemy dies or you die. He's completely distorted a perfectly good assassination technique. Even if my father came back to life, he probably wouldn't recognize it as the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art.'"

Zhu Hao sighed, "There's nothing we can do about it. The 'Illusory Moth Killing Art' has very specific requirements for the practitioner's aptitude. Your elder brother is a rare genius, but even he can't learn the original version of the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art' and can only modify it. Actually, with his talent, he could achieve even greater things by practicing other Swordsmanship, but he's willing to delay his own future in order to inherit his father's mantle. You should understand his filial piety."

"Yes, it's precisely because I understand him that I brought my little sister back. As long as she learns the original 'Illusory Moth Killing Art,' he can be freed from the cage of inheriting the mantle and freely choose the martial arts he likes. I'm doing this out of pure good intentions!" Lin Qingtong said, patting her chest.

Zhu Hao didn't believe this nonsense, but he did become curious about the third sister of the Lin family. Among the more than a thousand martial arts techniques he had collected, the "Illusory Moth Killing Art" was a very special one. Its entry requirements alone would block 99.9% of people in the world, including him.

"Where is your sister? I need to check if she's truly suited to cultivate the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art.' If not, it's best to send her back as soon as possible; don't waste her life."

"I'm here."

A voice suddenly came from beside him, almost startling Zhu Hao. He quickly looked in the direction of the voice and saw a girl standing less than five meters away from him. He could clearly sense her aura, but he subconsciously ignored it. Even with his strong will as a Nascent Spirit Transformation, he had to concentrate to keep an eye on her.

"What a strange trait, a type I've never seen before. It's somewhat like a return to simplicity, but the cultivation level is far different. It's ambiguous." Zhu Hao looked him up and down curiously.

Lin Qingtong asked, "So, can she cultivate the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art'?"

"It's hard to say. Your father doesn't have that trait. We'll only know the result after actual cultivation."

Lin Qingtong tempted, "Master, this is such an interesting thing, don't you want to investigate it? If you miss this opportunity, you won't get another chance like it."

Zhu Hao looked conflicted. As a martial arts fanatic and a theorist, he was very interested in this unprecedented situation. After a while, he finally made a decision. "I neither support nor oppose this. If you want the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art,' go get it from your brother yourself."

"Alright, that's enough! A gentleman's word is as good as his bond, Master, please don't go back on your word."

Lin Qingtong didn't press the matter, thinking that books are only truly read when borrowed. Just as she was about to lead everyone away, she slapped her forehead, remembering something important, and hurriedly said to Zhu Hao, "By the way, Master, these two are the Grandmaster Candidate. They want command of the Black Earth Gang and plan to make a big splash soon."

"Grandmaster Candidate, huh? It seems Xiao Xuan really isn't planning on coming back..."

Zhu Hao sighed, then walked up to Yu Shuying, bent down, and asked, "You must be the snake's apprentice. I heard you can Mind-Reading Technique, so do you know what I'm thinking right now?"

Yu Shuying immediately said, "Senior intends to attack me."

"You can read that? Impressive. Now, do you know which part of your body I'm going to attack?"

"I don't know. My Mind-Reading Technique is ineffective against Spirit Transformation stage experts. I was just guessing based on common sense that you would test me by making a move."