Another Manual

After Yang Mingyuan left, Zhou Qi stood in the courtyard for a long while.

Peak of the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement.

At this realm, he could already swagger through Lin'an City. Even City Lord Yao Qing was no more than this.

But he did not act.

He was settling an account.

Yang Zhenshan, mid ninth-layer Qi Refining. His Dragon-Binding Hand was at Great Mastery, his Mountains and Rivers Sword Seal at Perfection, and he possessed abundant combat experience.

Though his own realm was higher, he only had the Mountain-Splitting Fist and Cloud-Wandering Step, both basic fare.

If they truly fought, what were his odds of winning?

Zhou Qi ran through several simulations in his mind.

The result was: less than sixty percent.

A sixty-percent chance of victory was neither high nor low.

But the problem was that even if he won, he might not obtain the antidote.

Would an old fox like Yang Zhenshan honestly hand over the antidote? Or would he destroy it before dying? Or perhaps the Soul-Splitting Pill had no antidote to begin with?

Zhou Qi recalled the system's description of the Soul-Splitting Pill: "When it took effect, it gnawed at the heart and devoured the viscera. It first corroded the five organs, then bored into the marrow. When the soul insect burst from the body, blood would pour from the seven orifices, and the soul would be utterly extinguished."

Would such a poison pill have a cure that could eradicate it completely?

"So the best solution is not to turn hostile."

Zhou Qi's gaze was calm.

After the tournament, if Yang Zhenshan kept his word and gave him the antidote, then all would be well.

But if he did not, Zhou Qi would have to find another way.

And if no other way worked, then they could only perish together, fish dead and net torn.

Before that, he needed to raise his strength as much as possible.

Martial skills.

What he lacked most right now were martial skills.

Although the Mountain-Splitting Fist and Cloud-Wandering Step had both reached Perfection, their grades were too low. Against true experts, they would put him at a severe disadvantage.

With that thought, Zhou Qi pushed open the door and walked to the entrance of the western wing.

Yang Jinshan was lying on the bed with one leg crossed over the other, holding a yellowed booklet.

When he saw Zhou Qi approach, he could not even be bothered to raise his eyelids. "What is it?"

Zhou Qi cupped his fists. "Fifth Elder, this one wishes to request a martial skill."

Yang Jinshan sneered, tossed the booklet aside, and sat up. "A martial skill? What does a dying man want with a martial skill?"

Zhou Qi lowered his head. "The tournament is imminent. This one wishes to have better odds."

"Better odds?" Yang Jinshan rose to his feet, walked to the doorway, and looked Zhou Qi up and down. "What do you think martial skills are? Cabbages littering the streets? Every martial skill in the Yang Residence was bought with our ancestors' lives. Why should we give one to you?"

Zhou Qi remained silent.

Yang Jinshan continued, "Besides, wasn't your Mountain-Splitting Fist quite impressive? One punch crippled someone, another sent me reeling. What, now you think you're not good enough?"

His tone was thick with mockery.

Zhou Qi still kept his head lowered, saying nothing.

Seeing that Zhou Qi would not respond, Yang Jinshan became even more animated. "Peak of the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement, and you want a martial skill? Do you know that only Yang Residence disciples at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement are qualified to learn a low-grade Yellow-rank martial skill? You're an outsider. What gives you the right?"

He stepped closer and stared into Zhou Qi's eyes. "Just because you're fighting once for the Yang Family? That match is your chance to stay alive, not an invitation for you to bargain."

Zhou Qi raised his head, his gaze tranquil.

Yang Jinshan froze for a moment. He had expected to see anger or resentment, but there was nothing in those eyes, like a stagnant pool of dead water.

"What are you looking at?" Yang Jinshan frowned. "Go back and stay put. Don't come out before the tournament."

Zhou Qi nodded, turned around, and returned to the eastern wing.

The courtyard gate closed behind him.

Zhou Qi sat at the edge of the bed, his gaze falling on the palm print on the table.

Yang Jinshan, late Sixth Layer of Qi Refining.

He could kill him with a single punch.

But he endured it.

"That old bastard's been hopping up and down like a monkey."

Zhou Qi forcefully suppressed his anger, closed his eyes, and began circulating his cultivation method.

"A small impatience will ruin great plans."

Though he had gained no new martial skill, he could still deepen his mastery of the two he already possessed.

After reaching Perfection, the system showed that they could no longer be improved, but their applications in real combat could still change in a thousand ways.

The Mountain-Splitting Fist had three moves in total.

The first move, Opening the Door to See the Mountain. A straightforward punch, carrying the greatest force.

The second move, Splitting Mount Hua with Force. It came down from above with the momentum of a cleaving strike.

The third move, Mountains Crumble and Earth Splits. Both fists struck together, unleashing the greatest power.

Over and over, Zhou Qi simulated these three moves in his mind, combining them with the Cloud-Wandering Step and trading blows with different opponents.

Against someone on Iron Ox's level, one punch was enough.

Against someone like Yang Jinshan, whose speed was slow, he could kill him within three punches.

Against someone like Yang Yuanshan at Qi Refining, Seventh Layer, with his current strength, he could also hammer him to death in three punches.

Yang Zhenshan...

Zhou Qi opened his eyes, his gaze narrowing slightly.

The system listed Yang Zhenshan's weakness as "unknown."

That meant either he had no obvious weakness, or Zhou Qi's current strength was insufficient to perceive it.

"I need to find an opportunity to look at him again."

Zhou Qi muttered to himself.

That night.

Zhou Qi had never been in the habit of sleeping early. Though his current cultivation method and martial skills had all reached Perfection, he still persisted in accumulating proficiency points.

After meditating for two consecutive hours, his legs were somewhat sore. Zhou Qi was just about to stand and stretch.

The door was pushed open.

Yang Jinshan walked in, carrying a wooden box. He placed it on the table. "A reward from Second Brother."

Zhou Qi sat up and opened the wooden box.

Inside was a small booklet.

[Martial Skill: Sky-Splitting Blade]

[Grade: High-grade Yellow Rank]

[Proficiency: 0/3000]

[Effect upon reaching Perfection: Blade Qi +50%, Armor Penetration +40%, Attack Range +30%]

Yang Jinshan stood in the doorway, his tone as cold as ever. "Second Brother said that it's best not to learn a new martial skill before a battle. For these next two days, you only need to stabilize your realm. Learn this martial skill after the tournament."

With that, he turned and left.

Zhou Qi watched his retreating back, then suddenly spoke. "Fifth Elder."

Yang Jinshan did not turn around. "What else is it?"

"Thank you."

Yang Jinshan's footsteps paused, but he said nothing. He strode away.

For the next two days, Zhou Qi did not step outside.

Every day, aside from eating, he practiced the Sky-Splitting Blade technique in the courtyard.

Yang Jinshan occasionally came out to take a look. Seeing that Zhou Qi was behaving himself, he did not interfere.

Only, each time he passed by, he would snort coldly, his face filled with disdain.

The night before the tournament.

Zhou Qi stood in the courtyard, continuing to practice his blade technique.

Although Yang Zhenshan had warned him not to cultivate a new martial skill, he had a proficiency system.

What ordinary people could not cultivate, he would cultivate all of it.

Time was too tight. Over these two days, he had slept only four hours, yet he had still only trained it to Great Mastery.

He summoned the system panel:

[Current Realm: Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement (Peak)]

[Martial Skills: Mountain-Splitting Fist (Perfection), Cloud-Wandering Step (Perfection), Sky-Splitting Blade (Great Mastery)]

Zhou Qi withdrew his gaze and returned to his room.

He had barely lain down when the door was pushed open again.

Yang Jinshan held a small porcelain bottle and placed it on the table. "This is also a reward from Second Brother."

Zhou Qi picked up the porcelain bottle from the table and opened it.

Inside was a pill, emerald green throughout and giving off a faint fragrance.

[Item: Rejuvenation Pill]

[Grade: Mid-grade Yellow Rank]

[Effect: Quickly restores internal and external injuries]

"The tournament is in two days. Don't disgrace the Yang Family."

With that, he turned and left.

Zhou Qi lowered his head to look at the Rejuvenation Pill in his hand, a faint smile curling his lips.

Yang Zhenshan was afraid that an injury would affect his performance, so he had given him a pill in advance as preparation.

"Works for me. Saves me from buying one myself."

He put away the pill, lay down, and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow would be the Great Clan Tournament of Lin'an City.