Hanging Someone!

Strictly speaking, Shi Feizhe's body was not ugly. The main thing was that he was young!

Even greasy middle-aged uncles had been somewhat handsome at seventeen or eighteen. As for becoming fat, bald, and oily afterward—that was a sad story.

Hua Xiaomei felt it made sense that the demoness from the Heavenly Maiden Sect had looked down on Shi Feizhe. Shi Feizhe's face was sallow now, with bruises still on it. Those were injuries from being beaten earlier, not yet healed.

He wore old patched clothes that were faintly sour, reeking of sweat. Combined with the mud and dust all over him, his face grimy and ashen, he looked like a beggar.

After all, when traveling through the wilderness, how could one possibly have hot water around the clock, let alone wash and dry clothes?

Although Shi Feizhe really wanted to say, "So what if you're more handsome than me?" he knew there was no point in saying that now.

He had many questions in his heart.

Hua Xiaomei had just said that his stance was very interesting, and that Hua Xiaomei had practiced it as a child.

So what had happened after Hua Xiaomei finished practicing the stance?

Hua Xiaomei had also remarked of that Heavenly Maiden Sect demoness, "Luckily, she's only a demoness who just entered the Dust Rejection Stage. Otherwise, this would have been troublesome."

What did the "Dust Rejection Stage" mean? Was it, like the True Person Realm, a Martial arts realm?

And the Heavenly Maiden Sect woman had gone mad from practicing the Seven Treasures Glazed Sutra of Form and Formlessness incorrectly. Could the True Origin Sword Finger Technique that he had muddleheadedly practiced also drive him mad?

"Brother Hua, you said this standing stance was very interesting just now. What exactly is interesting about it?" After thinking it over, Shi Feizhe assumed a Sword Stance and asked.

"Little brother, did you see this stance in the True Origin Sword Finger Technique?" Hua Xiaomei took the same stance as Shi Feizhe and spoke.

"Exactly!"

"When I was young, I came across a copy in my family's study. At the time, I was tempering my strength, and it was terribly arduous. When I saw that there was actually a secret manual that did not require one to temper one's strength, I curiously took it over to have a look and try it."

"I was rather mischievous then. Following the stance described, I secretly practiced it for more than half a month." Hua Xiaomei spoke as he sank into his memories.

"And then..." Shi Feizhe asked.

"Then my father caught me and gave me a beating. He said I was being lazy, practicing nonsense, daydreaming in broad daylight, and wasting time. Hahaha~" Hua Xiaomei started laughing as he spoke.

That outcome was quite reasonable.

"I heard people say that when blood is full, qi overflows; when qi overflows, essence spills forth; when essence spills forth, spirit flourishes; when spirit flourishes, one sees truth! Only with sufficient Blood Qi Spirit can one possess true qi from inner cultivation?" Shi Feizhe looked at Hua Xiaomei as he spoke.

"Oh? Little brother knows that as well!" Hua Xiaomei nodded. "That is indeed so. Only when Blood Qi Spirit become one can true qi be condensed! The sole exception is the True Origin Sword Finger Technique."

"A hundred years ago, a man appeared in the martial world and called himself the Sword Emperor! His true qi was vast and surging, endless and inexhaustible. When unleashed outward, it transformed into limitless sword qi, its might pressing down upon an entire age."

"But aside from him, no one else could learn that terrifying martial art. After his death, his family was exterminated because of the True Origin Sword Finger Technique. More than ten years later, the True Origin Sword Finger Technique suddenly appeared in every corner of the martial world, as though someone had deliberately spread it."

"The True Origin Sword Finger Technique has circulated through the martial world for decades now. No one knows how many original copies and duplicates there are, yet no one has ever succeeded in cultivating it again."

"So, little brother, it is enough to sample the True Origin Sword Finger Technique lightly. There is no need to delve too deeply, lest you waste your time." Hua Xiaomei laid out the origins of the True Origin Sword Finger Technique in detail.

As expected, I'm a genius!

Others can't do it, but I can!

That must mean the problem lies with everyone else!

Hearing Hua Xiaomei say this, Shi Feizhe felt that he was surely one of those legendary Martial Arts Geniuses!

But it seemed someone was fanning the flames behind the scenes regarding the True Origin Sword Finger Technique.

It seemed he could not reveal that he knew the True Origin Sword Finger Technique. Otherwise, someone might come knocking before his martial arts reached great accomplishment.

"But without this, it's far too hard for someone like me to rise above the rest!" Shi Feizhe put on a helpless expression.

"Hmm..." Hua Xiaomei examined Shi Feizhe and said, "Little brother, your natural physique is not bad. If you had a martial arts secret manual, three years in the Blood Qi Stage and three years in the Spirit Stage... perhaps by the seventh year, you could condense true qi."

"But how could someone like me possibly obtain a martial arts secret manual?" Shi Feizhe asked again.

After hearing Hua Xiaomei talk about so many pitfalls in martial arts secret manuals, Shi Feizhe also understood just how rare it was to have a martial arts secret manual that could be interpreted!

"Little brother, have you ever heard of Three Talents Manor?" Hua Xiaomei looked at Shi Feizhe and asked.

"Three Talents Manor? Never heard of it!" Shi Feizhe shook his head.

"One hundred and twenty li west of here, there is a small lake. Beside the lake lies a Small Town called Three Talents Town. In the town stands an estate known as Three Talents Manor." Hua Xiaomei pointed westward. "The Manor Lord there is surnamed Zhan!"

"As the saying goes, when three walk together, one of them is bound to be my teacher. Manor Lord Zhan felt that martial arts secret manuals were far too difficult to decipher, so he had the martial arts secret manuals in his possession engraved upon stone slabs at the manor! Anyone may view them. He asks only that those who gain an insight leave behind their understanding for later visitors to consult!"

"Does he charge admission?" Shi Feizhe asked.

This place sounded like a shared library!

"Admission? No, no, no. Manor Lord Zhan is a prominent figure in the region. How could he care about such trifling sums?" Hua Xiaomei shook his head. "If you gain insights into deciphering them, or unravel Manor Lord Zhan's own insights, he will even offer gold and silver! Little brother, why not go there and try your luck?"

"Try my luck?"

"Exactly. Many people like you, little brother, have gone to Three Talents Manor to try their luck, and quite a few have made names for themselves. For example, Thousand Mile Soul Chaser Ying Wuya and Litang Fierce Tiger Ding Chunzhen." Hua Xiaomei said.

Someone like him could only go and try his luck.

Simple, blunt truth—but that was the most realistic side of the martial world.

Shi Feizhe fell silent for a moment and calculated the distance. He would need three days to get there. With the silver on him, he had enough to live on for a while.

He still had to go and see Three Talents Manor for himself.

The jianghu was so vast, and he was nothing more than a minor player within it. He needed to learn more about the jianghu. Perhaps he could complete the "True Origin Sword Finger Technique"—and maybe even pick up a few other martial arts manuals?

"Many thanks for telling me, brother! I'll head to Three Talents Manor tomorrow!" Shi Feizhe said.

"Oh? What a coincidence. I happen to be making a trip to Three Talents Manor as well."

"Then shall we travel together?" Shi Feizhe asked.

"I'd like to travel with you too, little brother, but you're far too slow on your feet!" Hua Xiaomei shook his head and refused.

"..."

You really were an asshole!

Still, Shi Feizhe knew that the man before him was likely an expert as well. The fact that he had passed through this place and calmly offered him advice already counted as considerable kindness and righteousness.

Perhaps a hundred and twenty li would take him no more than one night—perhaps even half a night. To dawdle along with Shi Feizhe for three days would truly be a waste of time.

"Little brother, we'll meet at Three Talents Manor!" With that, Hua Xiaomei cupped his fists. His figure, like a graceful flood dragon, shot into the dark forest.

An asshole was an asshole! (Thanks, everyone, for your support!)