Forbidden Technique, Spirit Stones

Fang Shu's thoughts froze, and he hurriedly stopped his wild imaginings.

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He pondered it. No matter how he looked at it, that so-called Fortune Lot felt like nothing more than a carrot dangling before a donkey's head—visible, yet impossible to eat.

Then his gaze fell upon the work of his second uncle on the low table.

The page was covered in dense scribbles, like ghostly talismans scrawled at random.

Fang Shu stared at it for a long while before discerning something between words like farming and mining.

Read horizontally, it was oxen and horses; read vertically, it was servants and maids. All of it boiled down to just two words: "sucking blood."

At his side, Yu the Second saw the look of realization on his face, as though Fang Shu had understood something. He sighed deeply and leisurely wrote out two couplets:

"Farming and mining, all are beasts of burden—how could they ever rival a Blood Ghost?

Toil in servitude, sell your life to survive, and in the end, you are merely tasted by others."

After studying it for a moment, Yu the Second looked immensely pleased with himself, while Fang Shu wore a self-mocking expression.

He lowered his head and bowed to his second uncle, finally understanding the helpless measures his uncle had taken.

In such circumstances, let alone Yu the Second's current state of having failed his breakthrough and injured his body—even a young, strong lad able to endure hardship could, with one careless misstep, still be chewed into dregs at the bottom of the market.

Rather than that, it truly seemed better to be like his second uncle: lie down properly and wait for the right moment... At least that way, he would not burden others or continue accumulating debts.

"Second Uncle, I understand." Fang Shu took a deep breath.

He did not make any grand vows before his second uncle. Instead, he looked at him with gratitude and fervor.

"Then may I ask, Second Uncle, how should I enter an academy and learn immortal arts?"

Yu the Second became even more interested. He wrote several words on the paper:

"Connections. Talisman Coins."

He even heavily circled the two words "Talisman Coins."

Fang Shu examined them carefully and understood.

Guling Town was an immortal cultivator market. Spells, pills, cultivation methods, and all manner of things rare to see in the mortal world might not be everywhere here, but opportunities abounded.

The academies within the market were places that taught the Way and passed on knowledge to all sorts of people.

There were quite a few of them, and every person who opened an academy was an immortal cultivator at the Refining Qi level. Some had even once been sect disciples, each possessing their own unique immortal arts and secret spells.

Though the admission requirements of these academies differed, generally speaking, anyone under eighteen with enough Talisman Coins for apprenticeship could enter and study.

Among the academies with good reputations and long-standing credentials, further selection might be imposed on top of those two requirements, though sometimes they would loosen them somewhat.

Yu the Second let Fang Shu slowly digest this while continuing to write and calculate the minimum cost of studying under a master.

"Burning-Tail Academy. One term, three months. Three thousand six hundred coins per month. Three months of training, totaling ten thousand eight hundred coins."

Fang Shu stared at it, somewhat dazed.

One month of study at this Burning-Tail Academy actually cost as much as the net income from selling blood for an entire year. And this did not even include all the other expenses needed for cultivation, nor did it guarantee that he could enter the Way.

At the side, Yu the Second frowned and counted on his fingers, beginning to calculate how he could save this sum for Fang Shu.

Seeing this, Fang Shu immediately pointed to the Long-Tongue Sword beside him.

But Yu the Second hurriedly shook his head and wrote:

"The academy is no kind place. You cannot go without a technique to defend yourself.

Do not worry about tuition, and do not even think of selling blood. I have muddled through this town for ten years, after all, and have a few channels. You need only wait two or three months... at most half a year!"

At that moment, Fang Shu smiled and untied his bundle.

From within, he shook out a tattered tiger skin and the Fox Fur artifact he had successfully refined.

Since the Long-Tongue Sword could not be given up, then he could give up the Fox Fur instead.

Just as he was about to mention it, Yu the Second's sharp eyes immediately recognized that the Fox Fur was an artifact. His eyes gleamed, and his reaction was even greater than Fang Shu had imagined.

One hand stroked the Fox Fur while he lowered his head to inspect the writing on the tiger skin, clicking his tongue in amazement.

After a long while, Yu the Second's face flushed red. He fiercely patted Fang Shu's shoulder and wrote:

"Good child! You can enter an academy directly."

Fang Shu was immediately astonished.

Only after questioning him carefully did he learn that spells and artifacts were not cheap in the market either.

To acquire an ordinary One-Tribulation spell and artifact together would likewise cost ten thousand coins. Even bought separately, whether only a spell or only an artifact, each would cost five or six thousand coins.

Unranked spells and artifacts were somewhat cheaper, but buying one alone would still cost around three thousand coins.

And the Mouth-and-Stomach Secret Sword Technique was a genuine One-Tribulation spell and artifact.

That meant Fang Shu only needed to sell the original Mouth-and-Stomach Secret Sword Technique and the Long-Tongue Sword in his possession, and he would have enough tuition!

This left Fang Shu clicking his tongue in amazement. He had never expected the artifact and spell his second uncle had sent him to be worth so much.

And here he had thought those thousand coins of boat fare were the most expensive part!

Secretly, he hated Cheng the Jar's switch even more bitterly.

Coming back to himself, Fang Shu was still somewhat doubtful.

Though the Fur-Shedding Skin-Changing Technique was also a spell, it differed from the Mouth-and-Stomach Secret Sword Technique.

This technique was not definitively a One-Tribulation spell. It depended on luck and materials, and required years upon years of nurturing. Only with medicinal ingredients and Fox Fur might it possibly enter the ranks of a One-Tribulation Artifact.

The value of such a technique was clearly greatly discounted. Even if he sold the tiger skin, Fox Fur, and the inherited original formula for the Mouth-and-Stomach Secret Sword Technique all together, he might not be able to gather ten thousand coins.

Fortunately, Yu the Second quickly explained:

"In terms of rank, this technique counts as a minor art. But in the market, it is a forbidden technique and cannot be sold openly on the streets.

The reason is nothing else: this technique can alter one's face and transform one's body. If someone commits a crime, it makes the market's investigation inconvenient. Thus, every family passes it down privately."

Yu the Second also carefully asked whether Fang Shu had revealed this technique before outsiders after coming ashore.

Fang Shu thought it over, then hurriedly shook his head.

Yu the Second breathed a sigh of relief. His expression then turned solemn as he taught Fang Shu more about the experience of concealing one's weapons upon one's body.

"This Fox Fur technique must not be exposed lightly.

Its spell effect is only one reason. You possess multiple spells, but reveal only one. Others will not know you have this technique and cannot guard against it. That is the second reason."

Fang Shu listened to such experience with great relish and nodded emphatically in agreement.

Seeing how seriously he listened, Yu the Second wrote with even greater enthusiasm, not feeling his hand grow sore in the slightest.

Even when Fang Shu once more asked to borrow his tongue and have him speak freely for a while, Yu the Second hesitated before refusing again.

After speaking for quite some time, Yu the Second finally returned to the main point.

"Such techniques are rarely seen on the market, and selling them can easily draw attention. Naturally, their price rises as the tide rises.

Put simply, a One-Tribulation one can be sold as a Two-Tribulation one, and an Unranked one can be sold as a One-Tribulation one."

Fang Shu nodded. Then his eyes flickered as he thought of something, and he suddenly asked:

"Then, Second Uncle, do you have a way to sell it without leaving trouble behind or letting anyone know?"

Yu the Second dusted off his sleeve and, with the composed air of an old hand, pulled a chipped bowl into his hand. He seemed to want to take a sip, but the bowl was empty.

He could only cough lightly. His entire face seemed to bear two words—"indeed so"—and he looked rather pleased with himself.

Immediately afterward, Yu the Second briefly explained his plan.

It turned out he had no intention of selling the item in the market at all. Instead, he would sell it outside the market.

As for where specifically, he hesitated and did not tell Fang Shu at once. He only instructed him to stay at home and rest well for the next two days. If he felt stifled, he could go out for a stroll.

If he truly ran into any trouble, he could ask Dou Sufu next door for advice.

Dou Sufu was none other than that wet nurse in her thirties, ripe and lovely as Xi Shi.

Uncle and nephew carefully discussed their plan.

At dawn the next day, Yu the Second calmly left home carrying the tiger skin, the original Mouth-and-Stomach Secret Sword Technique, and the Fox Fur.

Fang Shu remained in the Paper Workshop and barely went out, only becoming familiar with Dou Sufu, who left early and returned late.

On the third day.

Yu the Second staggered back from outside, carrying an unusual fragrance and the smell of scorched smoke. He looked exactly like someone who had spent three whole nights in a gambling den, gambling fiercely without rest.

His appearance attracted the attention of many neighbors and provoked no small amount of mockery.

"So his nephew came, and he sent his nephew to sell blood, then took the money gambling?"

Fang Shu sat cross-legged inside the paper house. Hearing the discussion outside, he remained completely unmoved.

After Yu the Second pushed open the door, entered, and secured it behind him, a faint smile immediately appeared on his face.

He reached into his sleeve and drew out an item wrapped in yellow paper, no larger than a fist, then gestured for Fang Shu to take it and open it.

Fang Shu carefully untied it. The moment the yellow paper opened, he felt a tremor in his heart, and his throat involuntarily moved.

Wrapped in the paper was a mineral stone shaped like mixed jade, colored like clear green water, with something within that seemed like liquid pulp flowing about.

The moment he touched it, threads of coolness flowed into his hand, making Fang Shu's mind tremble even more.

"This is..."

His eyes shone brightly. His fleshly body could not suppress the greedy yearning that surfaced. "Spirit Stones!?"

Yu the Second gathered his sleeves, shook out his robes, and nodded reservedly.