Unknown Secret Art

Lin Mu hadn't expected there to be such a miraculous secret art in the world.

He kept cultivating this secret art, and faintly, red patterns began to emerge on the surface of his skin—though they weren't as deep or as intricate as Qian Mu's.

But as Lin Mu practiced again and again, the patterns on his body gradually increased, and their color steadily deepened.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but Lin Mu felt a pang of hunger in his stomach, and it seemed as though there was plenty of food right in front of him.

His awareness stretched outward, quickly touching the food, and a surge of blood energy flooded into his body along the cultivation method.

A sound of relief escaped Lin Mu's mouth.

It felt as though every single cell in his body was wrapped in that blood energy, and power kept surging forth from within him.

Qian Mu, who had been cultivating, sensed something strange.

He noticed that the blood energy of the Iron-Metal Beast beneath him was draining away rapidly.

Even though it was already dead, the blood energy shouldn't have been vanishing this fast.

When he opened his eyes, his expression shifted noticeably.

Because not far from him, Lin Mu bore blood-red markings like maple leaves on his body, and the Iron-Metal Beast's blood energy was flowing into him in an unending stream.

"How is that possible!?" Qian Mu's eyes were filled with shock.

He had cultivated this method for a long time—it was a secret art passed down only within his clan.

And yet Lin Mu had mastered it too.

Sensing that someone was watching him, Lin Mu stopped cultivating and opened his eyes to look at Qian Mu.

For a moment, he felt a bit awkward.

He had only meant to give it a try, never expecting to actually succeed in mastering the secret art.

And right under the original owner's nose, no less.

"I saw you cultivating and thought it looked interesting, so I just followed along," Lin Mu said with a dry laugh.

"You mastered it just by watching me cultivate?" Qian Mu's gaze held a trace of shock.

Lin Mu nodded.

Qian Mu's heart was deeply shaken.

Although the circulation path of this secret art appeared on the surface of the body when it was in use, the path was extremely complex—it was impossible to master without long, repeated observation.

"Can the gap between one person and another really be this wide?" Qian Mu couldn't help saying.

"Sorry. As compensation, I can guide you in your cultivation," Lin Mu explained.

Hearing this, Qian Mu's eyes widened a little.

He had been cultivating this secret art for quite some time.

Lin Mu had only just started, yet he was offering to give him pointers.

"Are you serious?" Qian Mu asked.

Lin Mu nodded. "Mm."

Qian Mu took a deep breath. He had to admire Lin Mu's talent.

"Forget it. Maybe there really is a chasm between you and me. But since you've learned my family's secret art, be careful in the future—don't use it in front of outsiders."

"If they come after you for it, I won't be able to help," Qian Mu explained.

"You're not angry with me?" Lin Mu was a little surprised.

"No. You figured it out on your own—I didn't teach you. If I fought someone and they picked up a move or two from me, would I have to make them give it back?" Qian Mu said.

He had a fairly easygoing personality.

Besides, he understood that this was Lin Mu's own fortune.

If Lin Mu lacked the talent, even if he demonstrated it dozens of times in front of him, Lin Mu still wouldn't grasp it.

Since he could comprehend this secret art, then it was meant to be his.

A smile crept onto Lin Mu's face. He had gained a new appreciation for Qian Mu's character.

"Sit closer. This Iron-Metal Beast is huge—I can't use it all by myself," Qian Mu said.

Lin Mu nodded and moved next to the Iron-Metal Beast.

The two of them once again sank into cultivation.

With his system, Lin Mu had fully grasped this secret art in just a few hours, reaching Initiate (17%).

If Qian Mu ever found out, he would be utterly stunned.

Because after all this time cultivating, he was only at Minor Achievement (28%).

Lin Mu's cultivation speed was at least dozens of times faster than his.

In the blink of an eye, two days passed.

The two of them had been cultivating inside the cave the entire time.

The Iron-Metal Beast's corpse had turned into a dried husk.

A hint of excitement flickered across Qian Mu's face.

He swung his fist, and a faint layer of gray surfaced on his skin.

Boom!

His fist struck the rock, and the rock shattered instantly.

Clearly, in this state, his attack power and defense had both noticeably improved.

Lin Mu's expression shifted slightly. He understood well that Qian Mu's skin had taken on some traits of the Iron-Metal Beast.

"Not only does this secret technique absorb and refine energy, but it also retains a portion of the characteristics?" Lin Mu asked.

Qian Mu nodded slightly. "That's right, but the materials required are quite complex. I've absorbed many herbs with similar properties before, and combined with the Iron-Metal Beast's blood essence, I was able to reach this step."

"If you want to train to this level too, you'll have to do the same as me."

Lin Mu nodded slightly but didn't say much.

Because he had noticed that when he executed the secret technique, a faint gray-gold color appeared on the surface of his skin.

The effect seemed similar to Qian Mu's.

But it was stronger than Qian Mu's.

Still, he didn't want to discourage Qian Mu.

After all, he had only been cultivating for a short time. If Qian Mu found out he had already reached this level, it would definitely be a big blow.

The system's ability is truly astonishing.

Just a day or two of training matches years of someone else's work.

In Qian Mu's eyes, I only absorbed a portion of the Iron-Metal Beast's blood essence, but with the system's help, I've effectively absorbed the equivalent of hundreds of Iron-Metal Beasts. The effect is far better than his herb absorption.

And it's purer too.

Lin Mu thought to himself.

He also knew that this secret technique was incomplete; otherwise, its effects would be even stronger.

Qian Mu's family must have obtained some opportunity too. Otherwise, they wouldn't have a secret technique like this. Even as a fragment, it rivals ordinary Third Tier secret techniques. If complete, it might be above Fifth Tier.

Thinking this, Lin Mu's breathing grew a little heavier.

A Fifth Tier Secret Technique!

In Li City, that was a priceless treasure.

With his current status, he wasn't even qualified to come into contact with it.

"I've been meaning to ask—what is this secret technique called?" Lin Mu inquired.

"I don't know either. This technique was created by my ancestors, but part of it was lost over time. My family never gave it a name; we were just told to cultivate it," Qian Mu explained.

Lin Mu nodded slightly.

Every family had its own rules.

The Qian family probably placed great importance on such matters.

Since the name was unknown, he wouldn't give it one for now. He would wait until he found the remaining parts of the technique before naming it.

"If I ever find the missing chapters in the future, I will definitely return them to the Qian family," Lin Mu said.

"You have a kind heart," Qian Mu said with a cupped fist salute, his gaze looking into the distance.

"Barring any surprises, the final showdown should be starting soon."

Lin Mu's gaze also turned toward the distance.

Just then, beams of light shot up into the sky, and a majestic voice rang out at that moment.