Esoteric Arts

"Zhou Family Fort?"

At the sound of that name, Li Hai's eyes flashed.

What a coincidence. Wasn't this exactly the territory of Zhou Hu, the Second Master of the Black Wolf Bandits?

Well... to be precise, it was the territory of the Zhou Clan, the family line Zhou Hu came from.

From that fat Black Wolf Bandit, Li Hai had learned quite a bit about the Zhou Family's vile deeds: how they bullied the common folk and preyed on the people in their territory.

And the reason he knew so much was that the fatso himself had taken part in those misdeeds many times.

So, just like Guo Huaijin, the Zhou Family was nothing but a pile of dog shit and a pest that harmed people—one that oppressed the common folk under its rule while colluding with bandits and outlaws beyond its borders.

In a word, they deserved to die!

"Brother."

Zhang Miaoji cupped his hands. "Now that we're parting ways, who knows when we'll meet again?"

"What 'brother'?"

Li Hai waved a hand. "I'm only eighteen. Just call me Brother Li."

"Eighteen?"

Zhang Miaoji stared at him in astonishment. "You don't look eighteen... People would believe you were thirty-six."

"What can I do if I look old?"

Li Hai curled his lip. "Besides, you're already in your thirties, and you're calling me old?"

"Now you're the one who's mistaken."

Zhang Miaoji pointed to his own aged face with a grin. "Don't let my looks fool you. I'm only twenty-three this year."

"You look forty-six to me."

Li Hai gave him a once-over. "Could it be you practiced some kind of technique that damages your lifespan?"

"Huh?" Zhang Miaoji said, stunned. "You even guessed that? Amazing!"

As he spoke, he gave Li Hai a thumbs-up.

In truth, Li Hai knew because he had learned all of Zhang Miaoji's skills. Putting them together with what Zhang Miaoji had said, he'd figured out the whole story.

As for that skill, it was neither a martial art nor a Ghost Path art nor a divine ability. It was an... Esoteric Art: the Life-Cutting Essence-Trimming Technique.

As its name suggested, this technique temporarily sent one's Dharma Power soaring by cutting away one's own lifespan. Its effects lasted for fifteen minutes. The greater the share of one's lifespan sacrificed, the greater the increase: for every three years trimmed away, one's power doubled.

Li Hai guessed that Zhang Miaoji looked so old because, in the past, he'd found his Dharma Power insufficient while slaying ghosts or fighting enemies, and had been forced to sacrifice his lifespan to use this technique.

Wait... Dharma Power?

That's right, Dharma Power.

From Zhang Miaoji, Li Hai had learned the fourth cultivation system in this world: the Way of Arts.

This system was entirely different from martial arts and divine abilities. It placed greater emphasis on cultivating the human soul.

In that respect, it bore a fair resemblance to the Ghost Path.

But while the Ghost Path cultivated sinister yin energy, Esoteric Arts cultivated righteous yang energy, or simply, yang qi.

The main practice of an arts cultivator was to use various methods to gather yang qi, drawing it from the outside world and collecting it within their body and spirit. Then, through the appropriate methods, they refined that yang qi into Dharma Power and infused it throughout their soul, spirit, body, and physique. This continually improved their quality until they eventually underwent a transformation and grew stronger.

The personal profile of the Daoist before Li Hai, Zhang Miaoji, who claimed to be an unaffiliated Talent Recruitment Officer for the Demon-Slaying Division, was as follows—

Character Name: Zhang Miaoji

Level and Rank: Esoteric Arts → Soul Gathering and Spirit Condensing; Orthodox Martial Arts → Force-Qi Circulation

Skills: Bone Shrinking and Disguise Ghost and Monster Seeking Yin-Yang Eyes Qi Observation Technique Wave Impact Palm Primordial Breath Yang Refining Method Life-Cutting Essence-Trimming Technique Heavenly Scorching Yang-Drawing Technique <Supreme Origin Spirit-Suppressing Talisman (Fragment)>

Traits: [Spiritual Inspiration Level 1] [Yang Absorption Level 1] [Focusing Spirit Level 1] [Dharma Power Level 1]

Stronger Fragments: None

It could be said that Zhang Miaoji had more skills than anyone Li Hai had seen so far—a full nine of them.

He also had an unusually large number of traits: four in all.

And yet someone like him was merely an unaffiliated member of the Demon-Slaying Division.

That couldn't help but make Li Hai yearn even more for the mysterious Demon-Slaying Division.

He believed that place was absolutely teeming with experts, which meant it must also contain countless skills he'd never seen before.

After a brief farewell to Zhang Miaoji, Li Hai set off toward the southwest, racing over mountains and ridges at dozens of zhang per second.

As he ran, he unhesitatingly pushed every skill he'd learned from Zhang Miaoji to the pinnacle.

And so, Li Hai's personal profile changed to—

Master Name: Li Hai

Level and Rank: Orthodox Martial Arts → Steel Tendons and Iron Bones; Bloodline Divine Ability → Middle Grade; Ghost Path → Fierce Soul; Esoteric Arts → Soul Gathering and Spirit Condensing

Skills: Five Animals Qigong Beast Intent Demon Claw Blood Soaked Sinking Heart Ghost Body Soul Remains Evil Spirit Earth Yin Absorption Method (Fragment) Evil Sha Descending Yin Resentful Sha Yang Extinguishing Savage Bull Fist Iron Fan Palm Iron Barrel and Bell Framework Moon Marrow Refining Technique Bone Shrinking and Disguise Ghost and Monster Seeking Yin-Yang Eyes Qi Observation Technique Wave Impact Palm Primordial Breath Yang Refining Method Life-Cutting Essence-Trimming Technique Heavenly Scorching Yang-Drawing Technique <Supreme Origin Spirit-Suppressing Talisman (Fragment)>

Traits: [Soul Strengthening Level 2] [Finger Claw Level 2] [Berserk Level 2] [Wildness Level 2] [Ghost Body Level 2] [Ghostly Image Level 2] [Twin Sha Level 2] [Iron Body Level 2] [Stone Heart Level 2] [Spiritual Inspiration Level 1] [Yang Absorption Level 1] [Focusing Spirit Level 1] [Dharma Power Level 1]

Stronger Fragments: None

Perhaps because these so-called Esoteric Arts focused mainly on cultivating the soul, spirit, and consciousness, even after Li Hai had mastered so many skills all at once, they hadn't changed much about his outward appearance.

Only his eyes and bearing had grown sharper and more imposing.

But from what Li Hai could tell,

after mastering these esoteric skills, he had become far more sensitive to the mysterious, invisible currents of energy threaded through the mortal world.

At the same time, his soul, which had previously been rather indistinct to his own senses, suddenly became crystal clear.

And a gentle, elusive power surged forth, filling the space between his soul and spirit.

That power was Dharma Power.

Supported and strengthened by it, Li Hai felt that his soul and spirit had become so lively and nimble that they could slip out of his body at any moment and roam the world in an invisible, intangible form.

But Li Hai knew this was a dangerous illusion.

Before reaching the next level of the Way of Arts, Focusing Spirit and Wandering, he absolutely could not let his soul leave his body, or the consequences would be dire.

At best, he would barely make it back into his body, only to lose his vital essence and spirit and fall seriously ill. At worst, he would be unable to return and become a lonely wandering ghost.

"Let's try out the Talisman Art."

Out in the deserted wilderness, Li Hai gradually slowed to an ordinary walking pace, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a long, narrow yellow talisman, its writing faintly resembling a flying dragon and dancing phoenix.