Can't Make It onto the Stage!

"Take intent as the root, draw spiritual energy to temper the body!"

"Though it's only a minute amount of spiritual energy, it's already extraordinary. Only those born with Spirit Roots can achieve this..."

"Worthy indeed of the Basic Stance Cultivation!"

"No wonder the Celestial Martial Sect required every newly inducted disciple to begin cultivating with the Basic Stance Cultivation. It truly wasn't without reason..."

At this moment.

Li Yun was immersed in the Green Pine Intent, sensing the minute spiritual energy in the air being drawn over by the Green Pine Intent and slowly seeping into his flesh and physique. His heart was filled with emotion.

And this was merely the true intent of the first stance among 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 effects would surely become even more pronounced. Perhaps he would not need any external aid to reach the Body Tempering Ninth Level and break through into the Refining Strength Realm.

At that thought, tremendous motivation rose within him.

But at that moment, Zhang Chu came running over with a grin plastered across his face, practically bouncing with excitement.

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

"Aren't you being too disloyal? You actually 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 clearly driven out. Hmm, no, wait... what did you call me? Since when did I become your boss?"

Zhang Chu said with a shameless grin, "Yesterday, you taught me the Zhuang Gong and got me to the initial stage. That makes you my boss. If sect rules didn't restrict it, I'd even want to take you as my master."

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

Li Yun was so annoyed that he raised a foot and kicked at him, but Zhang Chu dodged aside.

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

"See for yourself..."

Li Yun did not hide it from him. He took out the booklet Zhao Chuanfeng had given him. "After you got drunk, that future brother-in-law of yours turned on me. He tossed me a book, saying it was a martial art that could improve one's aptitude. The price was that I could never contact your sister again, nor could I ever go to Clear Reflection Residence again, or my little life would be in danger!"

"Pah!"

"Zhao Chuanfeng is always like that, petty and sinister. I get annoyed just seeing him... wait, let me see that book..."

The mention of Zhao Chuanfeng made Zhang Chu furious.

But he seemed to think of something and snatched the booklet away.

After flipping through it.

He immediately cursed, "I knew it... this is the Reverse Fate Art. You absolutely must not cultivate it! What martial art that improves aptitude? He's trying to take your life!"

"Take my life? How so?"

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

After all, aptitude was something one was born with.

It was basically impossible to change in the Houtian Realm.

If there truly were a martial art that could improve aptitude, it would surely be among the finest martial arts in the world. How could Zhao Chuanfeng casually toss it out like this?

The reason he had taken it out was to use Zhang Chu to send word to Zhang Ruohan, hoping to learn the nature of the book.

He had not expected Zhang Chu to recognize it at a glance.

"Boss, this book is called the Reverse Fate Art. I heard my sister mention it before. When it first appeared ten years ago, it caused a huge sensation. Many disciples heard that cultivating the Reverse Fate Art could improve their aptitude, so they paid enormous prices to obtain 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. After an investigation, they learned that this book had been deliberately spread by an organization called the Heavenly Mandate Cult."

"It cannot be cultivated at all. It only cripples people, or even turns 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. If consequences resulted, they could even be treated as evil cultists by the Punishment Hall and killed on the spot!"

Li Yun's expression immediately turned extremely ugly.

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

If Zhao Chuanfeng gave him the Reverse Fate Art and he 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 secretly possessing the forbidden martial art, the Reverse Fate Art. Either way, he would be unable to escape disaster.

On the other hand.

He could not report Zhao Chuanfeng.

After all, no one had seen Zhao Chuanfeng give him the Reverse Fate Art. If he truly reported it, Zhao Chuanfeng could easily turn around and accuse him of planting evidence.

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

He might even truly be treated as an evil cultist by the Punishment Hall and killed on the spot.

This Zhao Chuanfeng was fucking vicious.

Was that really necessary? All Zhang Ruohan had done was take him through the Inner Sect once, yet Zhao Chuanfeng wanted his life?

At that moment.

Li Yun silently wrote Zhao Chuanfeng's name into his blacklist without the slightest hesitation.

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

Zhang Chu was even more enraged, gritting his teeth as he said, "Fuck, Zhao Chuanfeng is truly a piece of shit. He actually used the Reverse Fate Art to frame Boss. No, I'm going to find my sister right now..."

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

"Get back here!"

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

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

"On the contrary, if you take a Reverse Fate Art into the Inner Sect and someone discovers it, 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. "Boss, then what do you think we should do? We can't just let Zhao Chuanfeng frame you like this, can we? It makes me furious just thinking about it!"

Li Yun could not help but laugh when he heard that.

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

"Don't say that. What one of our own... pah! Boss, let me tell you, if it weren't because of... uh, forget it. I can't say this without my sister's permission. She'll beat me to death if I do!"

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

After saying that.

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

"This kid..."

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

In truth, although he was angry, he felt that an Inner Sect Disciple like Zhao Chuanfeng resorting to such tricks simply could not make it onto the stage.

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

The response was simple as well.

Cultivate. Once his own strength rose, all schemes and machinations would be futile.

He soon tossed the matter to the back of his mind and took out the Entangling Silk Force Zhang Ruohan had given him to study. Unlike the Basic Stance Cultivation, this was a genuine offensive martial art.

It was his first time encountering such a martial art after transmigrating, and he was still very interested in it.