Myriad Phenomena Heaven-Swallowing Art

Inside the private room Ding 527.

The phantom that had walked out of Yang Xiao's body swept a cold glance over Yang Xiao, then turned and walked to the wine table.

Crash!

With a flash of white light, a plate of vegetarian dishes vanished in an instant.

An indescribably cool, refreshing sensation passed through the mental link with the phantom and was clearly transmitted into Yang Xiao's mind.

"My Yellow Heaven Body Casting Scripture: Warrior Chapter actually... advanced?"

Feeling a faint tightness coming from his skin, Yang Xiao's face filled with disbelief.

Yang Xiao tried to control the phantom and have it approach the wine pot. With a flash of white light, the medicinal tea inside the pot instantly disappeared.

That mysterious cool, refreshing feeling once again filled Yang Xiao's mind.

Yang Xiao felt that his skin had actually tightened by a few more degrees.

"Again!"

Yang Xiao's eyes lit up, and he continuously controlled the phantom, devouring plate after plate of wine and dishes.

Suddenly—

Boom!

A tremendous bang abruptly rang out in his mind. Yang Xiao only felt a massive warm current instantly fill his limbs and bones.

"Advanced—Cowhide realm!"

Yang Xiao's heart stirred. He suddenly clenched his fist and slammed it hard into the wall.

This was a sturdy wall forged from Mystic Black Stone. Even First Blood experts could not damage it, so with Yang Xiao's punch landing on it, naturally it could not leave the slightest mark.

Yet Yang Xiao was still wild with joy. "It really is the Cowhide realm. Now when I smash down with all my strength, it actually only hurts a little, instead of injuring me and making me bleed!"

In the martial path of this world, qi-and-blood martial arts reigned supreme.

Martial experts who could successfully exchange blood once were few in the end. This realm was already the martial endpoint that ordinary practitioners could hardly reach in an entire lifetime.

Before becoming a First Blood expert, martial practitioners needed to eat large amounts of meat to increase their strength, supplemented by all kinds of body-tempering arts, making the fleshly body become sturdy in sequence and pass through the three stages of "Cowhide," "Bronze Skin," and "Iron Skin."

"The Cowhide realm, though merely the beginning of the martial path, is enough to trap the vast majority of newcomers, keeping them outside the gate for life."

"My newly advanced cultivation art can actually advance even by eating vegetarian food. If there are enough vegetarian dishes, then wouldn't I..."

Looking at the leftovers scattered across the table, Yang Xiao forcefully suppressed the excitement in his heart and swiftly withdrew the phantom back into his body.

In truth, there were still quite a few dishes left, but if Yang Xiao devoured them all, it would easily arouse suspicion.

A person ought to know: one must never lose the big for the sake of the small!

"In any case, I'm guaranteed at least two tables of wine and dishes every day, and no one touches the vegetarian dishes on each table. Keeping a low profile and developing quietly, without drawing anyone's attention—that is the kingly way!"

In an excellent mood, Yang Xiao pondered briefly and understood that it was no longer very suitable to keep calling this entirely new cultivation art the Yellow Heaven Body Casting Scripture: Warrior Chapter.

"This art might as well be called—the Myriad Phenomena Heaven-Swallowing Art!"

After deciding on the cultivation art's name, Yang Xiao developed a new confusion. "Just how did my Myriad Phenomena Heaven-Swallowing Art advance?"

Back then, the brocade-clad young master Wang Yulang had said, "What are you staring at?" and drawn his blade to cut Yang Xiao down. At that moment between life and death, Yang Xiao's Nine Cicada Auditory Arts had instantly advanced into the Spirit Cicada Transformation, increasing his hearing tenfold.

And today, Yang Xiao had faced a life-and-death threat from Uncle Liu. Could it be that at that time, the Yellow Heaven Body Casting Scripture: Warrior Chapter had already completed its advancement?

The more Yang Xiao thought, the more muddled he became. He vaguely felt that the advancement of martial skills should be related to life-and-death crises, but he could not be certain.

"In any case, I've already gained all the benefits. Why bother thinking so much?"

Yang Xiao could not figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it and left the private room.

Once again arriving at the hidden room behind Ding Pavilion, Yang Xiao wasted no words and directly revealed the token at his waist that represented his status as a waiter.

The two burly men guarding the entrance to the top floor said nothing and directly made way.

He walked into the tunnel behind the wall inlaid with night pearls and stepped into the rising iron cage where no sun or moon could be seen. Yet Yang Xiao could sense that he could actually vaguely make out the structure of the iron cage.

"This Myriad Phenomena Heaven-Swallowing Art is truly overbearing. Not only did it strengthen my fleshly body, it actually strengthened my essence, qi, and spirit at the same time, making my awareness, hearing, and vision all become sharper?"

Yang Xiao's face was full of shock.

Whoosh—

The iron cage stopped rising, and the gate slowly opened.

The bustling, clamorous hidden world of the top floor once again appeared before Yang Xiao's eyes.

Yang Xiao first quickly went to the Martial Hall on the east side. After confirming that there were no soaring golden beams around, Yang Xiao hesitated for a moment, then in the end cautiously stood to one side, with no intention of entering the Martial Hall.

Before long, Ye Feng, dressed in training clothes and drenched in sweat, walked out of the Martial Hall. Only then did Yang Xiao go up to meet him.

"Big Brother, you came at just the right time. This is a Mystic Fire Buckle. Senior Brother Huo eliminated it and sold it to me at a low price."

Taking out a dark-red button, Ye Feng handed it to Yang Xiao and explained, "In the future, Big Brother only needs to lightly tap the Mystic Fire Buckle three times. As long as I'm within the Vermilion Bird Tower, I'll be able to sense it."

"There's actually such a wondrous object?" Yang Xiao immediately became interested. He picked up the Mystic Fire Buckle and lightly tapped it three times.

The Mystic Fire Buckle hanging at Ye Feng's waist immediately gave a faint tremor.

"Not a bad thing."

Yang Xiao tested it several times before finally praising it. "With this Mystic Fire Buckle, when I need you to come pour out the swill in the future, I'll knock it three times."

"That was exactly what I intended," Ye Feng said with a nod, looking a little embarrassed. "But in that case, I'll have to trouble Big Brother to help keep an eye on the swill bucket for me from now on."

"That's a small matter!" Yang Xiao waved it off indifferently. "As long as you train properly, Brother Ye, and succeed in exchanging your blood in the future, Big Brother will be able to hold his head high as well, sharing in your glory!"

With that said, Yang Xiao turned and left, soon vanishing into the vast sea of people.

"Big Brother has treated me well. In the future, I, Ye Feng, will surely not let him down!"

Forcing down the emotion in his heart, Ye Feng clenched his fists tightly.

After leaving the top floor.

Yang Xiao thought it was still early, so he was in no hurry to return to the private room. Instead, he went to the end of the Ding Pavilion, to the entrance of the private room marked "Ding 599," and lightly tapped the knocker on the bronze door.

"Enter!"

An aged, authoritative voice came from inside the private room.

At the end of every floor in the Ding Pavilion, the private rooms ending in "99" were never opened to outsiders, instead serving as the management office for that floor.

Room "Ding 599" was Uncle Liu's management office.

Yang Xiao pushed the door open and entered. At once, he saw a table covered in rare delicacies from mountains and seas, as well as Uncle Liu, who had an arm around a beauty and was drinking wine.

On the raised platform to the side, three dancing girls were also performing.

The dancing girl with the white gauze veil over her face and the most graceful figure had a one-inch white glow above her head, dazzling Yang Xiao until it was somewhat painful to look at.

This dancing girl was actually the deeply hidden, unfathomable Xiao Zhao, whose purpose was unclear!

Seeing Yang Xiao walk in, Xiao Zhao was immediately stunned, but she concealed her emotions very well and continued dancing.

"What is it?"

Uncle Liu raised his fine wine and fed it to the beauty in his arms with great interest, not even glancing at Yang Xiao.

"Uncle, I'll have to trouble you to issue this kid a Martial Introduction."

Yang Xiao quickly stepped forward with a fawning smile all over his face, and a heavy piece of silver "accidentally" rolled down by Uncle Liu's feet.

"You're quite an understanding and clever fellow."

Uncle Liu calmly stepped on the silver before finally looking at the respectfully deferential Yang Xiao before him.

"Xiao, seeing as you and I are both household slaves of the Princess Mansion, this old man might as well give you a pointer."

Seeming to be quite pleased by Yang Xiao's flattery, Uncle Liu was in a good mood and could not help speaking.

"Uncle, please tell me."

Yang Xiao wore a respectful expression, and as he bent to salute, another heavy piece of silver "accidentally" rolled to the edge of Uncle Liu's other foot.

The smile on Uncle Liu's face grew even brighter. "After every waiter joins our Vermilion Bird Tower, he has only one chance in his lifetime to take a Martial Introduction to the Scripture Pavilion and exchange it for any martial skill."

"But this old man may as well be frank. Xiao, with your aptitude and foundation, rather than wasting your martial opportunity, you'd be better off reselling the Martial Introduction."

Yang Xiao was stunned when he heard this. "Uncle, according to the rules of our Vermilion Bird Tower, the Martial Introduction cannot be resold. Is that really allowed?"

"Rules are dead, but people are living, after all. The Martial Introduction may not be sold, but transferring it privately is an unspoken rule."

Uncle Liu's smile grew ever more enthusiastic. "Xiao, why don't you let this old man act as the middleman and help you sell the Martial Introduction? How about it?"

That damned old dog. He's actually got his eye on my Martial Introduction, wants to be a second-hand dealer and eat the price difference in the middle?

Yang Xiao cursed inwardly, but on the surface, he acted overwhelmed by favor, his eyes full of gratitude. "Uncle, if I were going to sell the Martial Introduction, I would definitely come to you."

"What a pity, before my father passed, he told me I had to go to the Scripture Pavilion to exchange for a martial skill and try my luck."

"At the time, the chief steward of the Princess Mansion was also there and heard it from the side. If this kid doesn't follow Father's final wish, and if the chief steward holds me to account and implicates you, Old Uncle, then... then what should be done?"

Uncle Liu's smile vanished, and his expression instantly turned ugly.

Yang Xiao's family had been hereditary household slaves of the Sixth Princess. Although their status was very low, when Yang Xiao's father was on his deathbed, it was not impossible that the chief steward had visited on behalf of the Sixth Princess to put on a show.

As for whether Yang Xiao was borrowing the tiger's might like a fox, dragging in the chief steward's name to fool him, Uncle Liu had never even considered it.

Even if Yang Xiao were lent several extra guts, Uncle Liu was sure he would not dare!

"It is rare for you to show such filial piety, Xiao. Very well. Then your old uncle wishes you in advance that you choose a suitable martial skill and formally step onto the martial path."

With a cold face, Uncle Liu stood and opened the locked cabinet to the side, took out a Martial Introduction, and casually handed it to Yang Xiao.

Yang Xiao left after thanking him a thousand times over. Throughout the whole process, Uncle Liu did not make another sound and no longer paid Yang Xiao the slightest attention.

Yang Xiao did not care about that.

However, after leaving the private room, he thought back to the fleeting greed in Xiao Zhao's eyes when Uncle Liu had opened the lock.

As for why Xiao Zhao, this mysterious two-blood expert, would keep a low profile and hide her identity, Yang Xiao vaguely had a guess.

But then again, it was still the same saying: what did this have to do with me?

Behind Ding Pavilion.

Yang Xiao brushed past the two burly guards expressionlessly, passed through the familiar tunnel he had walked twice before, and once again stood inside the dark, lightless iron cage.

Ding Pavilion had nine floors in total, and above the ninth floor was the top floor. He wondered which floor the Scripture Pavilion was actually on.

Just as Yang Xiao was wondering, his expression suddenly changed drastically.

This tightly sealed, heavy iron cage was not rising at all!

It was—plummeting at terrifying speed!