Not Fit to See the Light!

“Use intent as the root, draw Spirit Qi to temper the body!”

“Though it's only an extremely tiny amount of Spirit Qi, it's already extraordinary. Only those born with a Spirit Root can achieve this...”

"It truly deserves to be called Basic Stance Cultivation!"

"No wonder the Celestial Martial Sect requires every newly inducted disciple to begin cultivating with Basic Stance Cultivation. There really is a reason for it..."

At this moment.

Immersed in the Green Pine Intent, Li Yun sensed the minute traces of Spirit Qi in the air being drawn over by the Green Pine Intent, slowly seeping into and tempering his body. His heart was filled with emotion.

And this was merely the True Intent of the first of the Twelve Stances.

Yet it already had such an effect.

He had a powerful premonition that if he could cultivate all Twelve True Meanings within the Zhuang Gong, the results would surely become even more apparent. Perhaps he could reach the Body Tempering Ninth Level and break through into the Refining Strength Realm without any external aid at all.

At that thought, immense motivation welled up inside him.

But just then, Zhang Chu came running over with a broad grin, all eagerness and fawning.

"Li Yun... oh, no, Boss!"

"Aren't you being a little disloyal? You left me alone in that bastard Zhao Chuanfeng's courtyard and snuck back here to cultivate by yourself!"

"Pah, did I sneak back? I was obviously kicked out. Wait, no... what did you call me? Since when did I become your First Senior?"

Zhang Chu said with a sleazy grin, "Yesterday, you guided me in cultivating the Zhuang Gong and helped me reach the Initial Accomplishment Realm. That makes you my First Senior. If sect rules didn't forbid it, I'd have wanted to take you as my master."

"Get lost. Take me as your master? You might as well be asking for my life."

Li Yun angrily raised a foot to kick him, but Zhang Chu dodged aside.

"Heh, Boss, you said you were kicked out just now. What happened?"

"See for yourself..."

Li Yun did not hide anything. He took out the booklet Zhao Chuanfeng had given him. “After you got drunk, that future brother-in-law of yours showed his true colors. He threw me a book, saying it was a Martial Arts manual that could improve one's aptitude. The price was that I could never interact with your sister again, nor could I go to Clear Reflection Residence. Otherwise, my life wouldn't be safe!”

"Pah!"

"That bastard Zhao Chuanfeng has always been like this—petty and sinister. Just seeing him annoys me... Wait, let me see that book..."

The mention of Zhao Chuanfeng made Zhang Chu furious.

But he seemed to recall something and snatched the booklet away.

After flipping through it,

he cursed under his breath, “I knew it... This is the Reverse Fate Art. You absolutely cannot cultivate it! What Martial Arts manual improves aptitude? He wants your life!”

"He wants my life? What do you mean?"

Li Yun had never believed Zhao Chuanfeng would be kind enough to casually give him a Martial Arts manual capable of improving aptitude.

After all, aptitude was something one was born with.

It was basically impossible to alter it in the Houtian Realm.

If there truly were a Martial Arts manual that could improve aptitude, it would surely be among the finest Martial Arts in the world. How could Zhao Chuanfeng simply toss it out so casually?

The reason he had brought it out was to use Zhang Chu to pass word to Zhang Ruohan, so he could find out what kind of book it was.

He had not expected Zhang Chu to recognize it at once.

"First Senior, this book is called the Reverse Fate Art. I heard my sister mention it. When it first appeared ten years ago, it caused a tremendous stir. Many disciples heard that cultivating the Reverse Fate Art could improve their aptitude and paid enormous prices to get a copy. Even some Inner Sect Disciples couldn't resist the temptation."

"But in the end, those who cultivated the Reverse Fate Art either died or were crippled!"

"Later, it even alarmed the sect higher-ups. Only after an investigation did they learn that this book had been deliberately spread by an organization called the Heavenly Mandate Cult."

"It cannot be cultivated at all. It only cripples those who practice it, even turning them into monsters that are neither human nor ghost."

"So ten years ago, the sect issued an order forbidding Celestial Martial Sect disciples from cultivating the Reverse Fate Art. Violators would be expelled from the Celestial Martial Sect, and if they caused any consequences, the Punishment Hall might even execute them as evil disciples!"

Li Yun's expression immediately turned grim.

As someone who had transmigrated and been reborn, he instantly understood Zhao Chuanfeng's intentions.

By giving him the Reverse Fate Art, if Li Yun secretly cultivated it because he believed it could improve his aptitude, he would either die or be crippled. If he resisted the temptation and did not cultivate it, Zhao Chuanfeng could report him to the Punishment Hall for concealing the forbidden Martial Arts manual, the Reverse Fate Art. He would still be unable to escape disaster.

On the other hand,

he could not report Zhao Chuanfeng.

No one had seen Zhao Chuanfeng give him the Reverse Fate Art. If he truly reported him, Zhao Chuanfeng could turn around and accuse him of framing an Inner Sect Disciple.

An Outer Sect Disciple framing an Inner Sect Disciple—there was no need to describe how miserable the outcome would be.

He might even be executed by the Punishment Hall as an evil disciple.

Zhao Chuanfeng was fucking vicious.

Was that really necessary? He had merely been taken into the Inner Sect by Zhang Ruohan for a walk, yet Zhao Chuanfeng wanted his life?

At that moment.

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Yun quietly wrote down the three characters Zhao Chuanfeng on his personal blacklist.

Just wait. Sooner or later, I'll kill you!

Zhang Chu was even more furious. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Fuck, Zhao Chuanfeng is truly no good. He actually used the Reverse Fate Art to frame you, Boss. No, I'm going to find my sister right now..."

Li Yun hurriedly grabbed him and snatched the Reverse Fate Art back.

"Come back!"

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

"What can you accomplish by going to your sister now? No matter what, he's your future brother-in-law. Could your sister really report him? Besides, do you have any evidence?"

"Instead, if you carry a Reverse Fate Art into the Inner Sect and someone finds out, not only will you be in trouble, you might even drag your sister down with you..."

"Ah..."

Zhang Chu froze at once, then clenched his teeth. "First Senior, then what do you think we should do? We can't just let Zhao Chuanfeng frame you like this. The more I think about it, the angrier I get!"

Li Yun could not help laughing at that.

"I'm saying, isn't Zhao Chuanfeng your future brother-in-law? He's one of your own. He framed me, not you. Do you really need to be this angry?"

"Stop saying that—what do you mean, one of our own... Pah! First Senior, I'm telling you, if it weren't because of... uh, forget it. I don't dare say it without my sister's permission. She'll beat me to death if I do!"

"Forget it... No matter what, since he framed you like this, I have to tell my sister and ask whether she has a solution. Otherwise, now that bastard has his eye on you, sooner or later he'll harm you."

After saying that,

Zhang Chu hurried away, refusing to look back no matter how Li Yun called after him.

"This kid..."

Li Yun shook his head helplessly, but he did not take it to heart.

In truth, though he was angry, he felt that such schemes from a dignified Inner Sect Disciple like Zhao Chuanfeng simply were not fit to see the light of day.

There was no need to stew in bitterness over such tricks.

The way to deal with them was simple.

Cultivate. Once his own strength rose, every scheme and conspiracy would be futile.

He quickly put the matter out of his mind and took out the Entangling Silk Force that Zhang Ruohan had given him to study. Unlike Basic Stance Cultivation, this was a genuine offensive Martial Arts technique.

It was his first time encountering this kind of Martial Arts since transmigrating, and he was quite interested in it.