Abyssal Sea Technique

As everyone was still discussing the ghost,

Su Yuan had already returned to his room and begun studying the Abyssal Sea Technique.

"Sink the body and take in the abyss; store Blood Qi like the sea. Open the Abyssal Mansion within, and its power will never run dry... This technique is rather interesting."

The notes that followed said that one had to dive into the deep, shadowy depths to practice. No wonder it was so difficult to master.

But the technique could open a "Blood Mansion" within the body. Each Blood Mansion increased one's Blood Qi by fifty percent—truly extraordinary.

Su Yuan followed the instructions and took up the stance: feet spread wide, body leaning slightly forward with his chest drawn in, shoulders lowered and relaxed, arms hanging naturally at his sides, fingers slightly spread, palms facing down.

His head and neck dipped slightly, neither raised nor tilted. His whole body looked like a giant whale sinking into the deep sea.

[Abyssal Sea Technique: 1/500 (First Layer)]

The technique had five layers, corresponding to five Mansions. Once all five were complete, Blood Qi could increase by nearly three times.

Blood Qi was the foundation of cultivation. If he could master this technique, Su Yuan's strength would rise tremendously.

The sudden uproar lasted only one night.

For the better part of the next half month, Su Yuan returned to his old routine.

Only his work at the horse ranch had become a little heavier.

Su Yuan emerged from one of the dark buildings and handed over the painting in his hands.

As expected, some members of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall and spies planted at the horse ranch had been captured alive. Su Yuan was ordered to paint and sculpt likenesses of them.

The Shan Family widely circulated these objects to tarnish the reputations of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall and the Jiguang Society.

More importantly, if anyone broke under torture and revealed crucial information, it could implicate the entire resistance in Ji City.

Su Yuan couldn't help feeling a little powerless.

Would their resistance really lead anywhere?

And was the Great Jing court truly worthy of their trust?

With members of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall being captured one after another, the guards at the city gates had grown somewhat lax.

Tomorrow, Chai Nian would lead the people from the Martial Academy on their first hunting drill.

It might be a good chance to escape.

But his friends and family were all in the city.

Su Yuan glanced at the empty platform.

Yun Xu had also been taken into a dark room, but not to be tortured. Instead, she was forced to watch her fellow disciples suffer, in an effort to break her resolve.

Su Yuan believed that the spy persona he had cultivated in front of her these past few days should have earned her trust.

He feared her will might crumble and she might give up completely, revealing everything.

But he and the Shan Family were already locked in a fight to the death.

He had maintained separate, one-on-one connections with Yun Xu and Cloud-Striding Martial Hall, and neither had any concrete evidence.

Besides, he had Gao Mian backing him now. He could handle things when the time came.

The only person Su Yuan felt he had wronged was Sister Mian. She had been so good to him, yet he could hardly repay her.

He gently stroked the scented sachet against his chest.

Gao Mian had given it to him when she learned he was leaving the city. Out in the wild, it could repel insects and also help counter poison and clear the mind.

"If she knew I was secretly resisting Great Liang, I wonder what she'd think." Su Yuan let out a soft sigh.

There was no use dwelling on it. All he could do was take care of what was in front of him.

He left the horse ranch and waited until nightfall.

Su Yuan put on his mask and met Duan Hongyan at an inn.

Now that he had revealed his identity to them, Su Yuan wanted to learn what information and resources they had.

Still, he was only allowed to come alone.

With so many fellow disciples captured, Duan Hongyan looked much more haggard.

Su Yuan asked outright about their plans and the situation at the front.

"Green Ghost Senior, the unrest in the south is about to be quelled. The Great Jing army will be able to march north soon. Though our position is dire now, I believe we can still succeed. We must hold on—for our country, our families, and the people of Ji City. We must not fall." Duan Hongyan's eyes reddened as he drained his bowl of wine in one gulp.

Su Yuan nodded silently and handed over the information he had gathered that day.

Duan Hongyan took it, his eyes growing even redder.

It included updates on some of their fellow disciples. Learning that they had endured brutal torture without giving in made his heart feel as if it were being cut to pieces.

"Senior, are you really unwilling to let us move against the Su Family?" Duan Hongyan suddenly asked.

These past few days, Su Yuan's paintings had surfaced, and everyone believed he was the one carrying out the executions. They hated him to the bone.

Duan Hongyan deeply regretted letting Su Yuan go back then. The idea of capturing him alive and persuading him to switch sides seemed laughable now.

Su Yuan was a man of the gravest crimes!

The people of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall wished they could cut him into a thousand pieces.

Su Yuan reflexively touched his face, but all he felt was the cold mask. He explained in a hoarse voice, "Don't take that risk. Su Yuan only makes the records. Du Hengfeng is the one who carries out the torture..."

As soon as Du Hengfeng's injuries had healed a little, he had poured all his pent-up hatred onto Cloud-Striding Martial Hall's prisoners, personally overseeing their torture.

"Du Hengfeng!" Duan Hongyan's face went pale, and his fists clenched with a sharp creak.

Su Yuan didn't know if he regretted letting him go, but continued, "Make your move at the Wolf God Festival in half a month."

Duan Hongyan nodded firmly and took out a book. "Senior, this is the first layer of the Cloud-Striding Palm. We truly can't give you the rest of the technique right now."

Su Yuan said he understood and took the manual.

Then he melted into the darkness and left.

After putting away the things, Su Yuan slipped into the Anlan River to practice the Abyssal Sea Technique.

[Destiny: One step further after reaching the top of a hundred-foot pole]

[Golden Horse-Head Technique: 676/1000 (Second Layer)]

[Origin-Returning Finger: 102/2000 (Perfection)]

[Flying Horse Leg: 557/1000 (Great Accomplishment)]

[Cloud-Covering Art: 476/500 (Minor Accomplishment)]

[Horse Spear Technique: 215/500 (Minor Accomplishment)]

[Abyssal Sea Technique: 315/500 (First Layer)]

[Literacy: 1632/2000 (Perfection)]

[Scent Discrimination: 983/2000 (Perfection)]

[Swimming: 453/1000 (Great Accomplishment)]

"There still isn't enough time."

The more techniques he learned, the less time he seemed to have.

The Origin-Returning Finger had already reached the Second-Blood Realm, and the Golden Horse-Head Technique could be pushed to the Three-Blood Realm.

Before the Wolf God Festival, he needed to train the Cloud-Covering Art to great accomplishment, break through to the second layer of the Abyssal Sea Technique, and improve his Scent Discrimination as much as possible.

There was no time to practice the Cloud-Striding Palm.

Su Yuan ignored the cold and submerged himself at the bottom of the river. His physique could now withstand much greater water pressure.

But the river simply wasn't deep enough, which restricted how quickly he could practice the Abyssal Sea Technique.

Every so often, a few corpses drifted by, a chilling sight. He kept suspecting one would suddenly sit up.

"I wonder which Sixth Elder keeps throwing bodies into the river." Su Yuan sighed. He remembered that their drinking water came from this river, and couldn't help feeling queasy.

At daybreak, Su Yuan returned to the Martial Academy.

The Martial Warriors there had already gathered.

Few had reached the Martial Warrior stage during this period. Including those who had broken through earlier, there were only a little over ten Blood-Condensing Martial Warriors.

Many with average natural aptitude regretted their choice. If they had cultivated normally, they might have broken through on their own within three months.

But after taking the Blood Origin Pill, they had repeatedly tried to break through, only to fail again and again.

They even suspected the young master's medicine was faulty. Otherwise, why hadn't the Su brothers been affected?

Unfortunately, they only dared to be angry in silence.

Su Yuan glanced around. Huang Jiangyue had made it. There were only five in their group, including Tie Niu.

The lucky ones were few and far between.

Those taking part in this hunting drill would also be the ones who participated in the Wolf God Festival.

Though Jiang Yu hadn't become a Martial Warrior, she had grown much closer to Tie Niu.

She often visited the Su Family to look after the children and prepare meals.

Su Yuan understood how she felt, but Tie Niu liked her, and as long as he was happy, that was enough.

So far, she seemed kind-hearted, diligent, and sensible.

She said goodbye to Tie Niu in a soft voice. "Senior Brother Tie Niu, please be extra careful on this trip. I've heard Monsters are terrifying."

"Don't worry. Third Master is going with us. He's a Vein-Splitting Martial Warrior. Nothing will happen." Tie Niu reassured her.

Su Yuan was at a loss.

With a Vein-Splitting Martial Warrior watching over them, there was little chance of escaping even if he wanted to.

"Move out!" Chai Nian remained seated in the carriage.

The Su brothers drove for him as the entire procession headed toward the city gates.

Along the way, the common folk hurried aside. They looked at the Su brothers with fear, envy, and resentment.

From inside the carriage, Chai Nian explained the Wolf God Festival. "At this Wolf God Festival, your results will be measured by the number of beasts you hunt. Though the score is individual, you'll only get more prey by working together. I hope you cooperate and hand more of your kills over to Tie Niu, so he can compete for first place."

"What?" Everyone started murmuring, especially Zhu Yan, Kuang Hong, and the other "old hands" among the Martial Warriors. Their faces showed their displeasure.

No matter how talented or powerful Su Tieniu was, they had been at the Martial Academy for a long time. Why should they pave the way for him?

Chai Nian spoke calmly. "I won't stop you from competing for individual rewards, but I expect everyone to hand in at least half their kills. If Tie Niu wins first place, the few who contribute the most will receive the Heavenly Horse Flying Star Fist."

His words set off an uproar.

The Heavenly Horse Flying Star Fist was the Shan Family's true art, a technique that could refine force.

Only by learning this technique would one have a chance to break through to Savage Strength.

Su Yuan said as well, "Tie Niu, I'll help you take first place."

Tie Niu felt everyone's eyes on him, and the pressure weighed on him like a mountain.

While they were still talking, they had already reached the West City Gate.

Su Yuan couldn't help gazing out at the world beyond the city.

At last, he was leaving the city.