The Evil Tiger Devouring Body Technique

Within the Tiger Fiend Sect, Fang Can followed a man toward the Sect Master's quarters, secretly studying the figure ahead of him.

The man was every bit the Tiger Fiend Sect Master's bodyguard. Fang Can sensed that he was at least at the seventh or eighth level of the Mysterious Pass.

As for the Sect Master, according to the disciples, he had reached the Heaven Ascending Path realm and was already like an immortal—nothing like someone in the Mortal Shedding Body realm.

They traveled in silence, hurrying through the sect.

When the Martial Arts Hall disciples who had just been beaten saw Fang Can's back as he passed, they exchanged speechless looks. His words from that morning rang in their minds.

"This is the time when the gap between us is smallest."

"It's also your best chance of defeating me."

"If you miss this chance, from today onward, you'll only be able to gaze up at my back and struggle forward along the path I've walked."

Thinking of that, the disciples were filled with resentment, but they knew he wasn't wrong.

Fang Can stopped before a residence with red walls and green tiles. Three experts, each at the seventh or eighth level of the Mysterious Pass, stood guard at the entrance. He realized this was probably the Sect Master's office.

"Go on in. The Sect Master is waiting for you." The man who had led him there stayed at the entrance with the other three, clearly intending to let Fang Can enter alone.

Fang Can nodded and slowly stepped inside under the four men's watchful eyes. The door slammed shut behind him.

Why does this feel like a Hongmen Banquet?

Muttering to himself, Fang Can ignored the exotic flowers and plants, pavilions, and towers, all meticulously tended, and headed toward the building at the back.

When he pushed open the door, a towering figure stood before him, two meters and twenty centimeters tall.

Ever since arriving in this world, Fang Can had found that each martial artist he met was more burly than the last. Their physiques were downright absurd. Every one of them looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

As the door opened, the huge man turned to stare at him. "You're Fang Can?"

Fang Can nodded. The huge man then said, "You're too scrawny."

Fang Can: ???

The huge man spoke calmly. "Thin arms and legs. You're nothing like I imagined. How are you supposed to fight your enemies in the martial world?"

Seeing Fang Can's bewildered expression, the tall, burly man explained, "At the Mortal Shedding Body realm, flesh and blood are strength. If two people are both at the first level of the Mysterious Pass, the heavier one can take on at least three opponents of the same level."

Fang Can understood the man's reasoning. If their muscle quality was the same, the heavier fighter would have the advantage, much like weight classes in boxing.

Of course, raw strength alone couldn't decide everything, but it could make up for a great deal.

The man continued, "It's a pity you're already eighteen, and your bones have set. Otherwise, with secret medicines and training from childhood, you could've grown to two meters."

At last, Fang Can couldn't hold back. "Are you the Sect Master?"

"That's right. I am Yang Duan, Sect Master of the Tiger Fiend Sect." The man nodded, confirming his identity.

"There are only three days left before the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion releases its next rankings. Time is limited, so take in as much as you can."

"Thank you, Sect Master," Fang Can said sincerely.

Yang Duan looked at him with an inscrutable expression. "Don't thank me. Just don't drag the Tiger Fiend Sect into it when you get yourself into trouble later."

Fang Can said, "Wait, what are you talking about? I don't understand."

Fang Can had no idea what Yang Duan was thinking, but Yang Duan didn't explain. He simply said, "I have two techniques here: the Evil Tiger Devouring Body Technique and the Tiger-Subduing Dragon-Taming Golden Body. Which one do you want to learn?"

Fang Can hesitated for a moment, then said, "...I'm a genius. Can I have both?"

Yang Duan was taken aback, but then nodded. "Though too many things at once can leave you mastering none, that's fine."

With that, Yang Duan gave a small wave. Two wooden boxes flew off the table behind him, and Fang Can caught them.

"These contain training methods simplified from the original inheritances. The martial truths within were passed on through my Heart Manifestation. Only the first person to read them can comprehend them, and only for half an hour."

"What you can understand, and how much you can grasp, depends on your own insight."

Are these books some sort of experience tome or Devil Fruit? Only one person can use them. Fang Can grumbled to himself as he looked at the tome before him, then gently opened one of the boxes.

A dazzling golden light shot into Fang Can's brow like a sword, transforming into a martial truth.

When Fang Can came to, he found a scroll of sheepskin in the box. He opened it and, using the characters he had learned over the past few days, made out the first few large words: "The Evil Tiger Devouring Body Technique."

But he didn't actually need to know how to read. As soon as his gaze fell on the words, Yang Duan's voice appeared in his mind.

Yang Duan had actually used his Heart Manifestation, which he had left inside the box beforehand, to pass on the technique.

Only then did Fang Can resolve one of his lingering questions: everyone in this world was illiterate, so how did experts learn their martial arts manuals?

Now he understood. They just used their Heart Manifestations.

After all, communicating heart to heart was much clearer and more precise than putting it into words.

But Fang Can couldn't do that yet. He would probably have to reach the Heaven Ascending Path realm before he could use such a method.

According to the teachings in Yang Duan's Heart Manifestation, the Evil Tiger Devouring Body Technique was a burst-power technique that damaged one's foundation and consumed one's qi and blood. It was similar to the Heavenly Demon Disintegration and shouldn't be used lightly except when facing certain death.

"Wait, wait, wait." Under Yang Duan's strange gaze, Fang Can hurriedly pulled a handful of arsenic from the lining of his robe and swallowed it.

Feeling his aptitude increase more than tenfold, Fang Can let out a sigh of relief. Now that was more like it.

Without hesitation, he opened the other box. Inside, the Tiger-Subduing Dragon-Taming Golden Body was an external hardening technique that could transform the surface of one's skin until it was harder than steel.

Fang Can immersed himself completely in the contents of the two scrolls before him, beginning to grasp their essential principles.

Meanwhile, the corresponding information began to appear in the Description Bar.

Description Bar:

The host's thoughts are gathering. Using the Evil Tiger Devouring Body Technique as a medium, flesh and blood as an altar, intent as an anchor, and the Heart Manifestation as an offering, Visualization Manifestation is beginning.

Beginning manifestation of [Evil Tiger Devouring Body Technique]

--Estimated time: 5 minutes 16 seconds--

The host's thoughts are gathering. Using the Tiger-Subduing Dragon-Taming Golden Body as a medium...

As the Heart Manifestation continued to flicker, ten minutes later Fang Can rose to his feet and let out a long breath. He had completely learned the contents of the Heart Manifestation.

But even though he'd learned them, the Heart Manifestation in his mind kept wailing like a broken record, transmitting information about the two techniques over and over, as though it wouldn't stop until it had finished reciting for half an hour.

At that, Fang Can stirred his thoughts and deliberately released his own Heart Manifestation to clash with it.

In an instant, it was like a flame drawing near butter. Fang Can's mind cleared, and the chattering Heart Manifestation was completely dissolved.

"You've learned them?" Yang Duan asked, surprised despite knowing that Fang Can possessed peerless talent.

"Yeah. Took me ten minutes, but I managed to learn them," Fang Can said with a smile, showing off as modestly as he could.

"Excellent." Yang Duan smiled and clapped his hands. "Guards! Fang Can secretly learned the sect's forbidden techniques. Strip him of his disciple status immediately and throw him into the dungeon!"

Fang Can: Huh???