Niu Geng's True Face

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"Ding. Skill book Bloodthirsty Technique detected. Requires Qi Cultivation Realm Level 1 and 1 Skill Point. Learn?"

The system's mechanical prompt sounded in Zhuge Xiang's mind. Having already made his decision, Zhuge Xiang chose to learn it.

No unusual phenomenon appeared. Rather, a sudden sense of enlightenment rose from the depths of Zhuge Xiang's heart, as though it were instinctive. He found that he had learned the Bloodthirsty Technique. Though he was only at Entry Level, he had genuinely mastered it.

Without giving anything away, Zhuge Xiang set down the Bloodthirsty Technique manual. After pondering briefly, he picked up the Blood Thunder Slash manual beside it. Apart from Zhuge Xiang himself, no one knew that he had instantly learned the Bloodthirsty Technique using a Skill Point. Thus, according to the Asura Sect's rules, Zhuge Xiang could still learn one more Martial Art. His choice was Blood Thunder Slash.

Blood Thunder Slash was a fairly popular Martial Art in the Martial Arts Pavilion. Though it had only one move, its offensive power was among the highest. Moreover, Martial Arts with only one move were naturally easier to cultivate than others. For Zhuge Xiang, with the Bloodthirsty Technique's boost, once he mastered Blood Thunder Slash, its power would surely become even greater.

Seeing Zhuge Xiang put down the Bloodthirsty Technique, Lu Yuling said nothing. She turned and drifted away. Zhuge Xiang paid no attention to her departure; all his focus was on the Blood Thunder Slash manual.

With only a single move, the Blood Thunder Slash manual was merely two or three thin pages. The circulation of Qi Energy, cultivation methods, precautions, and so on—Zhuge Xiang memorized them with ease. As for the cultivation method for Qi Energy, he gave it a casual look before leaving the Martial Arts Pavilion, ready to begin cultivating Blood Thunder Slash.

Although he had already comprehended Qi Energy, during the Assessment Assembly, disciples who had comprehended Qi Energy would engage in a Grand Tournament before everyone. On one hand, it was to select outstanding disciples for focused training; on the other, it was to give the next generation of disciples greater motivation to cultivate.

Those who achieved good rankings in the Grand Tournament would receive generous rewards from the sect, which never pinched pennies in such matters. Thus, Zhuge Xiang wanted to master Blood Thunder Slash before the tournament. Time was pressing, and one reason he had chosen this one-move Martial Art was that it was comparatively easier to cultivate.

As he walked, Zhuge Xiang also calmed his mind and examined his Bloodthirsty Technique skill. Within the skill tree, the icon representing the Bloodthirsty Technique gleamed brightly. As Zhuge Xiang immersed his consciousness in it, information about the technique surfaced in his mind.

Bloodthirsty Technique (Entry Level): Increases attack, defense, speed, and attack speed by 30% for 1 minute. Afterward, the user enters a weakened state; the degree of weakness depends on the duration of the Bloodthirsty Technique. Effective in the Refining Essence to Qi Stage.

Zhuge Xiang was quite satisfied with the Bloodthirsty Technique's information. Though the increase was only 30%, one had to remember that this was merely Entry Level. As the Bloodthirsty Technique rose in level, reaching Proficient Level, Mastery Level, or even Perfection Level, its effects would surely become far more powerful.

More importantly, that 30% increase applied to every attribute. The resulting rise in overall strength was no trifling matter.

Effective in the Refining Essence to Qi Stage? Zhuge Xiang could understand that. Having spent a year in the Asura Sect, he had gained some understanding of cultivation.

The path of cultivation consisted of three great realms: Refining Essence to Qi, Refining Qi to Spirit, and Refining Spirit to Void. The Bloodthirsty Technique forcibly drew upon the body's essence, blood, and vitality to enhance all attributes, so naturally it was only effective during the Refining Essence to Qi Stage. Upon reaching the Refining Qi to Spirit realm, the strength of one's physical blood and vitality would no longer be enough to improve one's power. Besides, if the Bloodthirsty Technique remained effective forever, it would truly be a godly skill.

Refining Essence to Qi had six minor realms: the Qi Cultivation Realm, Body Tempering Realm, Meridian Opening Realm, Void Splitting Realm, Innate Realm, and Return to Simplicity Realm. Zhuge Xiang was currently at the first level of the Qi Cultivation Realm, meaning his path of cultivation had only just begun. As for the realms beyond in Refining Qi to Spirit and Refining Spirit to Void, Zhuge Xiang did not know.

Though the Bloodthirsty Technique was only effective in the Refining Essence to Qi Stage, Zhuge Xiang was merely at the first level of the Qi Cultivation Realm. He still had a long road to travel even within the Refining Essence to Qi Stage alone. He remained very satisfied with this skill.

"Hm? Is that Li Bin and Niu Geng?" Just as Zhuge Xiang immersed himself in studying the Bloodthirsty Technique, two figures suddenly caught his attention. In the distance, Niu Geng was supporting Li Bin as the two headed toward the Asura Sect's back mountain.

"The two of them?" Looking at their backs, Zhuge Xiang instinctively recalled what Li Bin had said at the Martial Arts Arena. Why had he been unharmed after drinking Spirit Fruit Nectar laced with Heartbreak Powder? Curious, Zhuge Xiang secretly followed them.

The Asura Sect had Hundred Thousand Disciples, so its clusters of buildings were extensive. Supporting Li Bin, Niu Geng headed toward the back mountain. Gradually, fewer and fewer people could be seen around them. Zhuge Xiang followed with curiosity, unable to understand what they were going to do, and even less able to understand why Li Bin, seriously injured as he was, had not stayed behind to recover.

After walking for more than half an hour, they had reached a secluded part of the back mountain rarely visited by anyone. Li Bin's severely injured body had become even more exhausted, and he was clearly growing impatient. He asked Niu Geng, "Didn't you say you found a ginseng root over a hundred years old in the back mountain? Where exactly is it? Hurry up and find it so I can recover from my injuries."

Niu Geng looked around, making sure this part of the back mountain was deserted and that no one should come by. Then he suddenly smiled at Li Bin. On his honest-looking face, however, his eyes were sharper than ever before.

"Ah!" Li Bin cried out in alarm, evidently frightened by the sharpness in Niu Geng's gaze. He staggered back several steps and fell onto the ground. After a year of living together, Li Bin believed he understood Niu Geng's temperament very well. Yet that fierce look just now made Niu Geng seem stranger to him than ever.

Just as Li Bin fell to the ground, he suddenly felt a twisting pain in his abdomen. Black Qi rose from his body, and numbness swept through him, as if countless venomous insects were gnawing at his flesh. Amid the agony, Li Bin realized that he had been poisoned.

"Niu Geng, why? Why would you do this?" Clutching his stomach, Li Bin raised his head and stared at Niu Geng. His face was covered in black Qi, his expression filled with disbelief.

He could not believe that Niu Geng, whom he had always toyed with in the palm of his hand, would actually strike at him with lethal intent. Li Bin had never imagined it. At this moment, he also understood that the so-called century-old ginseng had merely been an excuse to lure him here.

"Why? Hehe..." Li Bin's question made Niu Geng seem as though he had heard something laughable. A mocking smile appeared on his honest-looking face. "I am a master poisoner. At the Martial Arts Arena today, Zhuge Xiang was completely unharmed. Do you still not understand even now?"

"You!!!" Niu Geng's words made Li Bin realize it in an instant. No wonder Zhuge Xiang, who had drunk the Spirit Fruit Nectar right in front of him, had been completely fine. Only now did Li Bin finally understand.

"That's right, it was me. The moment you gave me the Spirit Fruit Nectar, I knew from a single sniff that it had been mixed with Heartbreak Powder. The conflict between you and Zhuge Xiang, your attempt to poison him—none of that had anything directly to do with me. But when I said I would let Zhuge Xiang drink the Spirit Fruit Nectar alone, how did you respond?"

As he spoke, Niu Geng's expression became exceedingly complicated, carrying regret, mockery, and the fury of betrayal. His tone also grew much sharper. "You clearly intended to wipe me out as well. For the past year, I have regarded both you and Zhuge Xiang as rare friends. Even though you were always ordering me around and treating me like a servant, I never got angry. But what did you give me in return? You wanted to kill me!"

Hidden in the shadows, Zhuge Xiang's eyes widened as well. The Niu Geng before him felt utterly unfamiliar. Like Li Bin, he too had been deceived by Niu Geng's honest and simple exterior. He had never expected such a ruthless heart to be hidden beneath that appearance.

At the same time, Zhuge Xiang secretly rejoiced that Niu Geng had no intention of dealing with him. Otherwise, that gourd of Spirit Fruit Nectar laced with Heartbreak Powder alone would have been enough to leave him dead without a burial place.

With his life hanging by a thread, Li Bin's poison flared up. His face was full of black Qi as he begged bitterly, even bringing up how they had once been friends in an attempt to move Niu Geng with emotion. But Niu Geng's heart had become as hard as iron and stone. Or perhaps Li Bin's attempt to poison Niu Geng along with Zhuge Xiang had left Niu Geng utterly disappointed in him.

From pleading, to cursing, to despair, Li Bin finally died as the poison took hold. From beginning to end, Zhuge Xiang remained hidden in the shadows and witnessed everything.

Li Bin had died from the poison. Niu Geng seemed lost in thought as he stared blankly at Li Bin's corpse for a moment. Then he turned his head toward Zhuge Xiang's hiding place and said in a voice heavy with deep exhaustion, "Zhuge Xiang, come out. I know you've been there the whole time."

Since Niu Geng had discovered him, Zhuge Xiang had no intention of continuing to hide. He walked out openly and calmly, but as he looked at Niu Geng, he sighed. "I never expected that among the three of us in that room, you were actually the one most capable of enduring in silence. I have to say, Li Bin and I both misjudged you."