This Scripture is Ominous

"Boy, although these bamboo slips were passed down from antiquity, no one has ever been able to understand their contents. Whether they're a martial technique at all—no one knows."

The terror in the old man's eyes vanished in an instant, and he returned to his cold indifference. "To use the precious Martial Primer you get only once in your life to exchange for a roll of trash like this—you're really sure?"

Hearing this, Yang Xiao's expression shifted slightly. Then, with a "bitter" look, he said:

"Senior, my aptitude and foundation are so poor. Rather than look at other ordinary martial techniques, I might as well take a gamble. What if I happen to pick up some peerless divine art?"

Still... a peerless divine art?

The old man burst into a hoarse laugh, struck speechless for a moment. "If it truly were a peerless divine art, why would this roll of bamboo slips have gathered dust for years, with no one paying it any heed?"

"Senior, please give me some guidance."

Yang Xiao's heart stirred. His face immediately piled up with smiles as he skillfully and soundlessly stuffed a piece of broken silver into the old man's hand.

Perhaps the old man had a decent impression of Yang Xiao, or perhaps it was because he had taken the money, but after hesitating for a moment, he finally said in a deep voice:

"Boy, seeing as you sincerely wish to practice martial arts, this old man will offer you a word of advice. This scripture is inauspicious. You had best choose another one."

This scripture was ill-omened?

Yang Xiao looked utterly puzzled. "Senior, I can't even understand the words on this scripture. How could it be inauspicious?"

Not so, not so!

The old man shook his head. "In truth, this roll of scripture was something the founding emperor acquired by chance from an immortal's cave dwelling when he was young. Back then..."

Following the old man's description, Yang Xiao finally understood that the scripture in his hands could truly be called legendary.

This scripture had first been obtained by the founding emperor of Great Yan. The founding emperor studied it for many years but gained nothing at all, so he placed it high on the shelf and paid it no more attention.

Several years later, a martial grandmaster within the imperial palace discovered this scripture by chance. His interest was immediately piqued, and he studied it day and night, yet even after thinking until a hundred thoughts yielded no answer, he could not make sense of it. Not long after—he died suddenly!

In the several centuries that followed, aside from the founding emperor, anyone who studied this scripture, without exception, would die suddenly not long afterward.

After the current Emperor Ming ascended the throne, he ordered this scripture sealed away and banned, removed from the imperial palace, and instead stored in Vermilion Bird Tower.

Just like that, several years slipped by, and this scripture had long since been left entirely unattended.

If not for Yang Xiao's "bad luck," just happening to turn up this scripture...

Then even the old man would already have forgotten that this scripture had originally been tossed into a corner of the first floor.

"Boy, this scripture is inauspicious. All who study it fail to meet a good end. You..."

"Senior, there is something you do not know. This junior has been weak and sickly since childhood. I was already sickly and lingering, with not long left to live. If, before I die, I can study out the mysteries of this scripture, would that not be delightful?"

Before the old man could finish, Yang Xiao said with a smile.

"So be it. This old man has said all he can. Since your mind is made up, go on, then."

The old man swept Yang Xiao with a pitying glance, then closed his eyes to doze off, no longer bothering with him.

For someone destined to die, the old man naturally had no wish to pay him any mind.

"Many thanks, Senior, for pointing out the path through the fog. This boy takes his leave."

Yang Xiao did not take it to heart. He respectfully bowed to the old man once more, tucked the bamboo slips into his robes, and only then turned to leave.

Strangely enough, Yang Xiao had only walked a few steps when the sound of the guqin rang out once more, seeming to come from the upper floors of the Scripture Pavilion, though he could not tell exactly which floor.

"Could it be that only I can hear this music, or has the old man long since grown used to it?"

Yang Xiao swept a glance at the old man, who showed no reaction whatsoever. Doubt filled his heart, but he did not ask. He turned and left the Scripture Pavilion.

Scripture Pavilion, Ninth Floor · Tower Top.

The sound of the guqin suddenly stopped.

That white-robed figure looked down from on high, overlooking like a god the back of Yang Xiao, who had already gone far away and seemed as tiny as an ant.

"Could that boy truly hear the guqin? Or... was it an illusion?"

The white-robed figure frowned faintly, then paid it no mind, feeling that he must have overthought it.

This guqin music was a resonance of the spirit. Only grandmasters could hear it!

How could a mere ordinary waiter, with lowly aptitude and foundation, plain and unremarkable, possibly hear it?

Yang Xiao returned to Private Room Ding 527. He did not hurry to take out the bamboo slips, but instead stood at the doorway and quietly regulated his breathing.

Before he knew it, the hour of you had arrived.

The tens of thousands of crimson lanterns in Vermilion Bird Tower seemed to light up in a single instant.

Far beyond the window, a red sun slowly sank.

Noble guests in luxurious clothing kept passing before Yang Xiao, arms around beautiful women, talking and laughing as they swept by.

Soon, the surroundings grew quiet.

An old man in a white Confucian robe, hands clasped behind his back and bearing an extraordinary aura, slowly walked over.

"Mr. Zou."

Yang Xiao hurried forward and greeted him with utmost respect.

"Mm."

Mr. Zou nodded slightly, smiled as he greeted Yang Xiao, then turned and entered the private room.

In the distance, a graceful young girl in white and a refined young gentleman in white were walking this way, chatting and laughing.

"Little Junior Sister, it's rare for you and Teacher to come to the capital. Why don't you try persuading Teacher to stay at my residence for a few days?"

"Senior Brother Song, it's not that I won't help you. It's just that Grandfather came to the capital in such a low-key manner this time to witness the Grandmaster Dao Debate six days from now. Before that, Grandfather doesn't want to show his face, much less let anyone know he's come to the capital."

"So that's how it is..."

Song Que gave a soft sigh. His gaze soon landed on Yang Xiao up ahead, and a flash of disgust vanished from his eyes.

The young girl, Jing Shu, also saw Yang Xiao, and her face instantly turned cold.

Without saying a word, the two brushed past Yang Xiao. Only after walking a few more steps did they begin talking and laughing again.

"..."

Yang Xiao was both speechless and amused, but he did not take it to heart.

They were only two passersby. Why should he care?

Half an hour later.

Zhang Long and Zhao Hu were the first to walk out of the private room, both bowing in salute at the same time.

Surrounded by Song Que and Jing Shu, Mr. Zou stood with his hands behind his back and departed in extraordinary bearing, leaving the dust behind.

"Brother Yang, sorry to trouble you to tidy up the private room. Old Zhao and I have some business today, so we need to leave first."

After the group of honored guests had gone far away, Zhang Long smiled and patted Yang Xiao on the shoulder. Without even asking whether Yang Xiao agreed, he hurried off with Zhao Hu.

"Big Brother, the helmsman instructed..."

"Silence! Beware of ears beyond the wall..."

Listening to the two of them whispering in broken snatches, Yang Xiao withdrew his gaze expressionlessly, entered the private room, closed the door, and his eyes fell on the table full of wine and dishes.

Unlike the midday meal, although the evening meal was mostly vegetarian, there were also a few meat dishes added in, and the wine jug contained clear wine rather than tea.

"Looks like Zhang Long and Zhao Hu are Song Que's men. Those two are acting on Song Que's orders, probably carrying out some secret mission. Otherwise, they wouldn't have left without even bothering to eat the wine and meat..."

Although he was somewhat curious about what the two had gone to do, Yang Xiao could not be bothered to think too much. With a thought, a phantom immediately walked out of his body and quickly headed toward the wine table.

Yang Xiao controlled the phantom and grabbed a plate of stir-fried meat.

A black gleam flashed, and the meat in the plate vanished instantly.

A scorching, violent aura suddenly rose through Yang Xiao's every limb and bone.

Yang Xiao keenly sensed that his skin, already comparable to cowhide, had only increased by an almost imperceptible amount.

"Looks like after stepping into the cowhide realm, if I want to rise to the copper-skin realm, it isn't something one meal of wine and meat can accomplish."

Yang Xiao had already guessed as much, so he was not too disappointed. He controlled the phantom and continued to devour the next meat dish.

Hm?

Yet very soon, Yang Xiao frowned.

"The more of these meat dishes I devour, the more irritable I become. My limbs and bones also grow hotter and drier, and there's always a surge of vicious qi in my heart..."

After devouring several more plates of meat, Yang Xiao finally understood why, despite the Yellow Heaven Body Casting Scripture: Warrior Chapter being so powerful, Yellow Turban Warriors were rarely seen.

So it turned out that although this art could advance without limit as long as there was enough flesh and blood, in the process of devouring flesh and blood, vicious qi would also attach itself to the body, making one increasingly brutal and bloodthirsty!

"And this is only cooked meat. If I were to eat flesh and blood raw, then no matter how quickly my strength increased, I'd end up nothing more than a killing tool, like a walking corpse—what a venomous evil art!"

The more Yang Xiao thought about it, the more alarmed he became, and he could not help secretly feeling fortunate.

For some unknown reason, the Yellow Heaven Body Casting Scripture: Warrior Chapter had advanced into the Myriad Phenomena Heaven-Swallowing Art, allowing Yang Xiao to advance even by devouring vegetarian dishes.

Vegetarian dishes were cool and soothing, while meat dishes were violent and scorching. With meat and vegetables paired together like this, alternating cold and hot, Yang Xiao was actually able to remain calm and composed, and the vicious qi in his heart was swept clean, no longer violent.

"If my guess is right, even Uncle Mute, despite being a grand elder of the Peace Sect, has no way to resolve the violence within the meridians."

"But Uncle Mute has cultivated the Yellow Heaven Body Casting Scripture for many years, yet he hasn't suffered qi deviation. Could it be that within the Peace Sect, there's some special secret method to suppress vicious qi?"

A moment later, as he looked at the empty wine table, Yang Xiao felt curious. At the same time, he took out the Mystic Fire Buckle Ye Feng had given him and gently clicked it three times.

In only a short while, Ye Feng hurried down from the top floor. He took the slop bucket Yang Xiao handed over and thanked him again and again.

"Oh, right, Brother. Senior Brother Huo is hosting a meal tonight at the Drunken Immortal Inn. He invited a few newcomers who joined the Vermilion Bird Tower in the same year as us, saying everyone should get to know one another so we can help each other in the future."

"Senior Brother Huo invited me and told me to invite you to the banquet. What do you think..."

Seeing that Yang Xiao was about to leave, Ye Feng hurriedly spoke, his eyes filled with expectation.

"Little Ye, Big Brother's body is far too weak. I need to go to the medicine shop to get medicine today, so I won't go to the Drunken Immortal Inn. Thank Brother Huo for me."

Yang Xiao smiled, then turned and left.

Huo Zhen was a martial-arts prodigy with superior aptitude and foundation. He had no regard for Yang Xiao at all, so Yang Xiao naturally could not possibly go there just to serve as background.

What was more, Yang Xiao had just obtained the mysterious scripture. He did not want to let a long night breed more dreams, so of course he had to hurry back to the manor and study it.

After leaving Vermilion Bird Tower, Yang Xiao headed toward his family's secluded residence in the inner city.

As he passed a medicine shop, Yang Xiao's heart stirred, and he walked inside.

"Brother Xiao, the usual—ten taels!"

The young medicine boy who had been working the abacus at the counter immediately beamed and came over to greet him, holding a heavy bundle of medicinal herbs in his hands.

"Done!"

Yang Xiao took out the hundred-tael silver note Uncle Mute had given him and casually handed it to the medicine boy.

"Brother Xiao, please wait a moment. I'll go get your change right away."

The medicine boy bowed and scraped, then hurried into the back. Before long, he came over with a heavy pouch of broken silver and said ingratiatingly, "Would you like to count it?"

"No need. My father has bought medicinal herbs from Baohe Hall for years. I trust you. I'm off!"

Yang Xiao waved a hand, picked up the herbs, put away the broken silver, turned, and left.

"Hm?"

Not long after he walked out of Baohe Hall, Yang Xiao keenly sensed a cold, vicious gaze behind him, staring icily at his back.

Within that gaze, killing intent surfaced!