Unusual Techniques

Feng Ying merely stood at the edge of the crowd.

There was also an exceptionally dazzling Daoist acolyte among them.

She was a beautiful young girl dressed in cloud-white robes, quiet by nature and exquisite as a porcelain doll. She looked considerably older than Qingli, at least fifteen or sixteen.

She was Qing Xian.

She was also one of the geniuses among Qingli's batch of Daoist acolytes who had awakened innate talents directly and entered the Daoist registry.

Hearing their voices, Yang Huai saw many Daoist acolytes pause and turn their gazes toward them, clearly drawn by their loud voices.

"What is the path of the ancient gods?"

He wondered inwardly. It was a question on the minds of many Daoist acolytes as well.

For so many gifted and talented Daoist acolytes to be so proud of it, it could hardly be some trivial technique.

At that moment, one richly dressed Daoist acolyte swept his gaze over the crowd and suddenly smiled.

"The path of the ancient gods originated from the ancient divine beings deep within the wilderness. They were existences whose Dao attainments surpassed even those of the True Ones. Born as divine beings, they possessed extraordinary powers from the moment they came into the world. The path they walked was entirely different from ours. We qi refiners only gradually took shape by imitating those divine beings. As for the specifics of cultivation and how to draw closer to those divine beings..."

"I am sure all of you are interested. If you wish to understand the mysteries of the path of the ancient gods, why not come with me to Glory Hall for a discussion?"

"Since Brother Dao Yuanlu has invited us, naturally we should go and have a look!"

A Daoist acolyte stepped forward, and the others were immediately tempted as well.

"Let's go together!"

Yang Huai watched the scene coldly without moving. He was one of the few Daoist acolytes who had not joined the flow of people.

If the discussion among these genius Daoist acolytes had merely left him somewhat puzzled before, he was now finally certain that there was likely something fishy going on.

At this moment, several people from Glory Hall also noticed the Daoist acolytes who had not set off. They simply passed them by, and those few did not mind.

Only Feng Ying walked over curiously and asked.

"Qingli, why aren't you coming? Brother Dao Yuanlu rarely takes the trouble to clear up everyone's doubts. He might even teach you one or two unusual techniques."

It reeks of a con... If there isn't a trap here, I'll write my name backward...

Naturally, Yang Huai did not say that aloud. He merely replied:

"No time!"

"Hehe, you've made me see you in a new light!"

Seeing Yang Huai politely refuse, the look in Feng Ying's eyes grew deeper.

He was also a member of Glory Hall, and one of its core members at that, so he naturally knew full well why Glory Hall was hoodwinking the Daoist acolytes.

Yet one thing that Daoist acolyte Yuanlu had said was true: the path of the ancient gods did indeed exist.

It was simply that these Daoist acolytes had not even touched the threshold of that path themselves. How could they possibly teach its secret arts to others? They merely wanted to deceive these acolytes and reap some benefits from them.

Naturally, the Daoist acolytes would have to bleed a little and be stripped of a layer of skin before they could walk out of Glory Hall.

As he looked at Yang Huai, Feng Ying suddenly said.

"I have an opportunity for you. Are you interested?"

Yang Huai glanced at him, slightly surprised.

"How so?"

He looked around. Quite a few Daoist acolytes were watching them, so Feng Ying said.

"Let's find another place to talk!"

Xi Huang Hall.

This was where the Daoist temple worshipped the ruler of the realm. Grand and solemn, it was located within the temple at the foot of Qingping Daoist Temple's mountain and was one of its three main halls.

The two found a sparsely populated slope nearby. Feng Ying's gaze fell on Yang Huai, and after pondering for a moment, he said.

"Let's make a deal. I want that technique of yours for strengthening the foundation and nurturing the source. In exchange, I'll teach you an unusual technique. What do you say?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Huai glanced at him, turned, and started to leave.

Feng Ying immediately shouted.

"Qingli, you possess such immense vital essence, yet you have no unusual technique to protect your body. You are simply inviting trouble! Do you know that if this continues, sooner or later you'll become rations for those evil entities and demons? Don't think that being inside a Daoist temple means you can rest easy. Do you not know that Daoist temples are precisely where the most nonhuman creatures and evil entities gather?"

Yang Huai halted.

He looked at Feng Ying and asked.

"Is the vital essence on my body that obvious to all of you?"

"You didn't know?"

This time, it was Feng Ying who was surprised. After pondering for a moment, he said.

"I don't know whether the other Daoist acolytes are like me, born with divine eyes that can see more things, but I do know that all the heavenly beings can certainly see it!"

"The vital essence on your body is so dense that it has practically become tangible bloodfire. What is more, it is exceptionally pure and still being compressed. You are like a walking great tonic!"

Yang Huai frowned. This was indeed something he had overlooked.

The Heavenly Circuit Heart Method was truly wondrous. It could strengthen the foundation, nurture the source, and bolster one's vital essence. Yet a child brimming with vital essence was indeed an enormous temptation to evil entities.

Still, Yang Huai did not really want to trade away the Heavenly Circuit Heart Method.

Although Yuan Xiuxiu had called the Heavenly Circuit Heart Method quite ordinary, as he continued cultivating it, Yang Huai felt that such a secret art of nurturing one's source was something those born with innate talents would never trade even for ten thousand gold pieces.

Those without a foundation could use it to build one, strengthening the foundation and nurturing the source.

Those with innate talents could fully unleash those talents and transform them into a foundation, like a tiger that had grown wings.

However, this place was entirely different from the main world. It might only be one stop along his journey. He did not need to fear the technique being leaked, and perhaps he could trade it for something useful.

Seeing that Yang Huai's attitude seemed to have shifted, Feng Ying's gaze flickered as he said.

"I possess the Seizing Mountain Wind Technique. With a raise of the hand or a step of the foot, it can bind the winds of heaven and earth for one's own use. What do you think?!"

With a lift of his hand, a gale formed in his palm and instantly turned into a tornado that swept toward the mountain ravine. In an instant, it set the white clouds in the ravine and the surrounding trees swaying wildly, sending sand flying and stones rolling. The spectacle was astonishing.

Yang Huai's expression shifted slightly as he watched. This was the first time in his life that he had seen someone manipulate the power of heaven and earth with bare hands. The winds gathered within that tornado were truly terrifying. If a person were caught up in it, they would likely be sent skyward on the spot.

But after considering it, Yang Huai shook his head.

"Not enough. My secret art can solidify one's foundation, unleash one's innate talents, and possesses all manner of mysteries. It cannot be exchanged for such a minor technique!"

"It can even unleash one's innate talents?"

Feng Ying froze at those words, then his eyes lit up.

This confirmed part of his earlier suspicions.

He had previously guessed that Qingli might possess innate talent, but how could he have displayed such astonishing ability? To reveal all his innate talents within a few days, there had to be some reason for it.

Now, it seemed this secret art was the key.

If he could obtain this secret art, would he not be able to further excavate the innate talents within his own body? This would surely be of the utmost importance to his future cultivation.

"My Wind Clan possesses the Soul-Calming Spirit-Cleaving Technique. What do you say?"

His eyes widened, and two foot-long white rays immediately shot forth. The moment those two white rays locked onto Yang Huai, Yang Huai was greatly startled. He found that his entire body could not move, while invisible sharp swords seemed to pierce straight into the depths of his soul, raising every hair on his body.

Fortunately, Feng Ying bore him no ill will, and the two white rays vanished in an instant.

"What a wondrous unusual technique!"

Yang Huai was secretly alarmed as well. Though he had mastered the Heavenly Circuit Heart Method and possessed astonishing vitality and blood, he still had little ability to resist such an unusual technique.

He did not want to experience that feeling a second time.

It seemed that once he had taken the first step into a fundamental method, cultivating a secret art to protect his body was imperative.

Otherwise, having only the Dao without any art to protect the body would be like the moon reflected in water, a flower mirrored in glass.

Yet from Feng Ying's eager display, he knew that the Heavenly Circuit Heart Method in his hands was worth far more than this.

He decisively shook his head.

"Not enough!"

This put Feng Ying in a difficult position. Though he was a member of the Wind Clan, he belonged to a collateral branch and had received very few secret arts—only two or three. The rest were clan secrets and could not be passed on.

Taking out the Soul-Calming Spirit-Cleaving Technique had already pained him greatly.

But when he recalled the incomparably miraculous effects of Qingli's secret art, his heart still itched unbearably. He felt that he could not let this chance pass.

After thinking for a moment, Feng Ying said.

"Could you allow me a few days to consider it?"

Yang Huai looked at him, then said, "You have only two days. If you do not come within two days, I will sell it to someone else!"

Since this technique had already been exposed, Yang Huai naturally needed to turn it into profit as soon as possible, lest further complications arise and leave him with hidden dangers. Who knew whether Feng Ying might entertain some crooked thoughts during this time?

Giving him two days already meant taking some risk. If Feng Ying had not often looked after Qingli's former self, Yang Huai would never have given him this opportunity to trade!

Feng Ying frowned at this, then nodded.

"Fine. Two days it is. I'll give you an answer!"

He hurried away.

Yang Huai, meanwhile, prepared to head to the cultivation grounds specially provided for the Daoist acolytes by the Daoist temple and attempt to gestate a talisman seed.