Hammer Technique: Fivefold Hammer Force

The Three Saints Hall housed countless cultivation techniques from various paths.

Some techniques were recorded on silk, while others were inscribed on large bamboo slips.

Some techniques were bound in books, and some were etched onto massive stone tablets.

They were truly a motley assortment, each unique. This also illustrated, from another perspective, the vast differences in approach among those who followed different Great Daos.

The most wondrous cultivation method Ning Xiu had ever seen was an Immortal Path transmission jade slip, crafted entirely from fine jade.

By simply pressing the jade slip to one's forehead, an Immortal Path cultivator could perceive the contents of the technique recorded within. It was truly marvelous.

The most common medium for Martial Dao cultivation techniques was paper books. While not as flashy or mystical as those of the Immortal Path, they were far superior to having to sift through several boxes of bamboo slips.

In the hundreds of years since the Demon Subduing Bureau was established, there had been no shortage of intelligent individuals.

From the Lower Three Ranks to the Middle and Upper Three Ranks, there were gifted individuals who had created their own techniques.

Techniques created by those in the Lower Three Ranks were generally easy to learn but had limited potential. Techniques created by those in the Upper Three Ranks were obscure and difficult to comprehend, but their power was extraordinary.

Based on merit, any Demon Subduing Captain could select cultivation techniques of corresponding ranks from the Three Saints Hall according to their accumulated merit.

As soon as Ning Xiu arrived at the Three Saints Hall, before even entering, he began searching for the old man he had met last time.

He soon found the old man dozing on a deck chair behind the main hall's entrance.

As everyone knew, the most formidable individuals in a temple weren't the abbots, but the monks who swept the floors.

Therefore, Ning Xiu had reason to suspect that this old gentleman was likely a hidden master within the Demon Subduing Bureau.

This time, he would have to rely on this master's guidance to choose a suitable hammer technique.

"Sir."

Stirred by the sound, the old man slowly opened his eyes, his expression still groggy from sleep.

Upon seeing Ning Xiu standing beside him, he finally came to his senses and asked, "What do you need?"

Ning Xiu cupped his fists. "Last time, you recommended the Great Sun Profound Scripture to me. Recently, I've made some progress in this technique and truly felt its power. I've come specifically to thank you, sir."

"Great Sun Profound Scripture..." The old man, who had been somewhat vacant, perked up. He picked up a teacup from the small table and said, "Ah, it's you. What technique are you looking to choose today?"

"Thank you for your trouble, sir. Please recommend a hammer technique for me."

"Hmm..." Stroking his beard, the old man began to ponder. Ning Xiu didn't rush, patiently waiting by his side.

Soon, the old man offered his recommendation.

"The hammer is a weapon of brute force. If your ambition lies on the front lines, resisting the Demon Country, you could choose the Mountain Shaking Hammer Technique. It focuses on breaking through defenses, and upon mastery, a single strike can contend with a thousand soldiers.

However, if you frequently go out on missions, it's better to choose the Fivefold Hammer Force. Once mastered, each swing of the hammer contains five layers of force. Some say:

The first layer crushes a bull, the second shatters mountains, the third cuts rivers, the fourth leads to the gates of hell, and the fifth makes even immortals sigh in admiration."

"Hammer techniques have different uses. Only by applying them in the most suitable situations can their true power be unleashed. Why use a killing technique on poultry, or an assassination art where there's no need for it? It all depends on your own choice. The hammer techniques are located on the sixteenth shelf from the left in the Seventh Hall. Go pick one yourself," the old man said.

"Thank you for your recommendation, sir. I understand." Ning Xiu nodded and then walked deeper into the Three Saints Hall.

Watching his retreating back, the old man's previously indifferent expression turned to one of relief.

"A martial prodigy."

Arriving at the shelf the old man had mentioned, Ning Xiu had actually already made up his mind. He directly reached out and took down the "Fivefold Hammer Force" from the shelf.

He had to admit, the old man's description of the hammer technique was indeed quite enticing.

Glancing around, and not seeing True Man Heshan, Ning Xiu opened the book and began to read.

"The safety reports from Cloud Mist Mountain these past few months have been rather brief. I heard the locals there often preach Buddhism to passersby, and some itinerant vendors who went to Cloud Mist Mountain have since disappeared without a trace. My master finds it strange, so he asked me to find a day to go and investigate Cloud Mist Mountain."

"Doesn't Master Chan Hui from the Great Spirit Sound Temple preside over Cloud Mist Mountain? There shouldn't be any major issues, right? He's a Fourth Rank Buddhist master."

"It's always better to be safe than sorry. Cloud Mist Mountain is a treacherous and remote place; it's best to go and confirm it personally."

"How about this, I'll go with you, and we can find a few colleagues who aren't on missions. That way, it'll be safer."

From the other end of the bookshelf, the hushed voices of two people discussing something reached Ning Xiu's ears.

Ning Xiu parted the books on the shelf and peeked through the gap. He saw two Iron Horse Demon Subduing Captains facing him.

One of them had a shiny, bald head, clearly indicating he was from the Buddhist path.

Having been in the Demon Subduing Bureau for so long, this was Ning Xiu's first time seeing a Buddhist monk up close. The previous owner of his residence had passed away, so that didn't count.

And the other Demon Subduing Captain, Ning Xiu actually recognized: Ren Qianxing, an Eighth Rank from the Puppet Path.

"Brother Ren." Ning Xiu greeted him through the gap.

"Brother Ning!" Ren Qianxing clearly hadn't expected to run into Ning Xiu in a place like this.

"What a coincidence, Brother Ren. What technique are you looking for in the Three Saints Hall today?" Ning Xiu walked to the other side of the bookshelf with his book, asking with a smile.

If not for what had happened to He Yunlang, Ning Xiu would have had a good friend in the Demon Subduing Bureau to chat and drink with.

Now, he didn't know many people in the Bureau. It was rare to encounter someone he knew, so he naturally had to greet them.

"It's a technique for making puppets. Brother Ning, let me introduce you. This is Monk Zhengwu, a Buddhist Seventh Rank."

"Benefactor Ning." Zhengwu immediately clasped his palms together and bowed to Ning Xiu.

The skin exposed outside his monk's robe was tinged with gold all over, clearly indicating his Buddhist Golden Body had achieved some minor success.

Once he advanced to Buddhist Sixth Rank, this trace of golden intent would become more conspicuous and he would be even more resilient and durable.

"Hello, Brother Zhengwu." Ning Xiu cupped his fist in greeting.

Hearing Ning Xiu's address, Ren Qianxing couldn't help but chuckle: "Your way of addressing him is quite peculiar, I've never seen it before. Just call him Zhengwu."

"That works too." Ning Xiu nodded.

Recalling how Ning Xiu had single-handedly killed four demon folk who had broken into the prison when he was in Wendeng County, his strength was not weak.

Ren Qianxing then asked, "Brother Ning, do you currently have any tasks assigned by the squad leader?"

"Not yet. After all, I just returned from Wendeng County, and you know that, Brother Ren."

"That's great." Ren Qianxing patted Zhengwu on the shoulder: "Zhengwu is a monk from Great Spirit Sound Temple. Recently, his master wants to send him to Cloud Mist Mountain to visit the venerable Chan Hui who is stationed there.

This isn't a task from the bureau, so the squad leader can't dispatch reinforcements. I'm worried Cloud Mist Mountain might not be safe, so I wanted to find a few colleagues from the bureau to accompany Zhengwu to Cloud Mist Mountain. Since you don't have any tasks, Brother Ning, could you lend a hand?"

Ning Xiu asked, "When is this departing?"

Zhengwu replied, "In three days. Although my master didn't set a specific date, it shouldn't be delayed too long."

"Alright, I'll accompany you two then."

Ren Qianxing cupped his fist: "Thank you, Brother Ning. If you need anything in the future, just say the word, and both Zhengwu and I can help you."

"No need to be so polite."

Cloud Mist Mountain is located two thousand li east of Chaotian Capital. It is a mountainous region with steep terrain, perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist.

If one were to travel there, it would be considered quite a distance, taking several days to arrive.

Within Cloud Mist Mountain, there are eighteen villages, each with two hundred inhabitants. Mountain paths connect each village, allowing for travel between them.

According to the rules set by the Demon Subduing Bureau, every county seat needs to be guarded by a master of Sixth Rank or above.

The eighteen villages in Cloud Mist Mountain, combined, have a population size comparable to a county seat. According to regulations, Cloud Mist Mountain should also have a master of Middle Three Ranks or above stationed there for protection.

This is to prevent the local populace from being harmed by malevolent spirits or demons.

Venerable Chan Hui, a Buddhist Fourth Rank, was sent to Cloud Mist Mountain by Great Spirit Sound Temple twenty years ago to establish a Buddhist temple and oversee the area.

For the past twenty years, Venerable Chan Hui has sent disciples back with letters of peace every month. However, for some reason, in the most recent month, the letter sent back by his subordinate had frantic handwriting, as if something was troubling him.

Zhengwu's master, Venerable Chan Jue, found this strange and asked Zhengwu to go and investigate.

Monk Zhengwu, with his Buddhist Seventh Rank cultivation and the protection of his Golden Body, is actually overqualified for this investigation task, even by Demon Subduing Bureau standards.

Generally, when strange occurrences happen in a certain area, the Demon Subduing Bureau dispatches Eighth or Ninth Rank Demon Subduing Captains to investigate.

Only after confirming that the incidents are caused by malevolent spirits or demons will a Bronze Leopard Demon Subduing Captain lead a team to eliminate them.

Cloud Mist Mountain is too remote. Ren Qianxing and Zhengwu became friends when they were in the Champion Camp, and he was worried about Zhengwu traveling alone.

This is why he thought of inviting colleagues from the Demon Subduing Bureau to complete this investigation together.

With Monk Zhengwu at Buddhist Seventh Rank, Ren Qianxing at Puppet Path Eighth Rank, and Ning Xiu at Martial Dao Seventh Rank, this lineup is considered quite good.

However, Ren Qianxing joined the Demon Subduing Bureau one or two years earlier than Ning Xiu, so he must have many friends. It's likely that the roster of team members will increase by then.

However, Ning Xiu doesn't need to concern himself with this. After obtaining the "Fivefold Hammer Force" from the book, he immediately left the Three Saints Hall and headed towards the Demon Subduing Prison.

Right now, the most important thing is to quickly open up his Martial Apertures.

After being chosen by Su Qianqian to join Bronze Leopard Squad 6 that day, he could no longer stay comfortably in the Demon Subduing Prison every day, executing malevolent spirits and gaining Universal Proficiency.

Although Ning Xiu felt a bit regretful, he didn't have many regrets.

Joining the Demon Subduing Bureau to protect the common people and eliminate demons was his original intention.

As a Demon Subduing Captain, one can eliminate malevolent spirits when out in the field. If you're willing, you can also help out in the Demon Subduing Prison during your leisure time; no one will say anything.

Returning to the familiar Demon Subduing Prison, Ning Xiu felt a sense of closeness. He directly found the head jailer and intended to apply for about a hundred prison cells to execute malevolent spirits.

He was already Martial Dao Seventh Rank now. They couldn't possibly find excuses to restrict him anymore, could they?