Martial Arts for Dealing with Ghosts and Wraiths

Chen Mo, as usual, flicked the blade with her right index finger.

Do not underestimate the force of that finger flick. It contained more than a decade of cultivation.

Chen Mo had always been raised under strict discipline.

She had begun learning martial arts from her father at the age of three. She trained martial arts through winter and summer, practiced swordsmanship through spring and autumn, and after fifteen years, she had finally become an Inner Force Martial Master.

For that reason, Chen Mo had exceptional confidence in her own strength.

But—

The instant her finger touched the blade, she suddenly felt a bizarre power of withering corruption bore into the flesh of her index finger.

Her index finger shriveled by a full circle in an instant.

Hiss!

Alarm bells blared in Chen Mo's mind. She fiercely mobilized the Inner Force throughout her body and poured it into her right index finger, trying to suppress that terrifying power of withering corruption.

Yet she discovered in horror that Manifest Force could not drive out or erase that power of withering corruption.

Fortunately, the power of withering corruption was not strong. Only then could her Manifest Force forcibly dilute its corruptive effects through sheer quantity and barely keep her finger normal.

Even so, Chen Mo was already deeply unnerved. She flicked the blade away with all her strength and retreated three steps. Beyond shock, her gaze at Xie An now carried several shades of terror and lingering fear.

What kind of Jianghu evil art had the eldest young master of the Xie Residence cultivated?

He was clearly only at the second stage, Muscle-Tendon Tempering, yet he had made even her, a Manifest Force martial artist, feel lingering dread.

It was simply too terrifying.

Clang!

Xie An sheathed his saber in satisfaction.

Withered Abyss was effective even against Manifest Force martial artists.

Manifest Force could not completely drive out and erase the power of Withered Abyss, but Manifest Force martial artists had abundant Inner Force and vast reserves, allowing them to temporarily suppress Withered Abyss's corruptive effects.

It was like the HIV virus in his previous life.

It did not mean that someone would die the moment they contracted HIV. Rather, they would only fall ill and die once the quantity of HIV viruses exceeded a certain threshold.

Manifest Force martial artists could not erase Withered Abyss, but if the amount of Withered Abyss was too small, it likewise could not kill a Manifest Force martial artist.

But Xie An had only used thirty percent of Withered Abyss's power just now. Once he cultivated Withered Abyss until it became three or four times denser in the future, he should be able to kill Manifest Force martial artists.

That was already an immensely terrifying ability.

As expected of the talent of Monster Strain demons!

But upon further thought, Xie An felt a suffocating pressure settle over him.

He had only just begun cultivating Withered Abyss and already possessed such ability. Then how terrifying was that Monster Strain youth who possessed Withered Abyss in the first place...?

No wonder Uncle Shui had not made a move back then. He probably had not been certain of victory.

The key was that the Monster Strain had escaped. Before fleeing, it had even asked whether he had paid his Grave Tax... That was fucking terrifying.

That Monster Strain had deliberately been trying to create panic for him.

It felt like when he was in elementary school in his previous life and had a conflict with a classmate. If they had simply fought on the spot, it would have been nothing, and the matter would have ended there.

But that classmate had refused to fight then and there. Instead, he had pointed at his nose and said, "Just you wait. I'll beat you up after school."

How was anyone supposed to attend class in peace after that?

The panic it caused was far more frightening than simply fighting on the spot.

Thinking of this, Xie An no longer had any desire to spar with Chen Mo. He tossed the saber to Li Dao, who was watching beneath the eaves, and said to Chen Mo, "Instructor Chen, you have worked hard today. For the next few days, you will temporarily stay in the residence and train with me. Without my orders, you are not to leave privately."

Only then did Chen Mo recover from her shock. "I will follow Young Master Mingxi's arrangements in all things. But I am very curious—what martial art did Young Master Mingxi use just now?"

Xie An replied casually, "Nothing more than some unpresentable unorthodox tricks. In these troubled times, cultivating a few more unorthodox paths gives one a few more means of self-preservation."

After leaving those words behind, Xie An entered his bedroom, leaving Chen Mo standing there with a stunned expression.

Although she had no way to refuse Xie An's orders, having a dignified instructor from Yongsheng Martial Arts Hall serve as someone's sparring partner left her somewhat displeased.

But after witnessing the young master's peerless talent and unfathomable unorthodox arts, Chen Mo had become extremely curious about him. Being a sparring partner no longer seemed so objectionable.

Before long, Qiu Lan brought over a physician from the Peaceful Medicine Furnace. He went to the rear courtyard's back rooms and dressed A Shan's severed-arm wound. Afterward, he came to the main house to report that A Shan was no longer in danger.

Xie An waved a hand. "Everyone has worked hard today. Go rest early. Qiu Lan, clean out the west wing for Instructor Chen to stay in. Li Dao, you will stay in the servant quarters in the front courtyard. Without my orders, no one is allowed to leave."

"Yes." Everyone cupped their hands and nodded.

Xie An closed the door and sat cross-legged on the bed, reviewing the details of the Tiger-Subduing Stance from earlier.

"Keep your intent at the dantian, let strength travel through the entire body. Fix your eyes upon the saber's edge, let your spirit cow the enemy's courage. Wield the saber with the body, not to triumph through brute force. Though a fierce tiger may be savage, it too submits beneath the sun."

"This saber technique is exceedingly tyrannical. It truly deserves to be Yongsheng Martial Arts Hall's secret saber manual. Chen Mo may be somewhat arrogant by nature, but she understands the larger picture and knows when to advance and retreat. It would be good if she could remain at my side as a sparring partner."

Having a Manifest Force martial artist as a sparring partner was something only the Xie Residence's wealth could sustain.

One had to know that Manifest Force martial artists were figures capable of opening a hall on Drill Ground Street and taking disciples...

"In my fight with A Shan, I suffered from the disadvantage of weapons. I need to cultivate the Red Sun Saber Technique to completion as soon as possible. Otherwise, I have far too little sense of security."

Xie An immediately opened the second move of the Red Sun Saber Technique.

Sinking Pressure Stance.

—Sink the qi into the dantian, let strength course through the saber. The force of a thousand pounds presses upon a single line. Do not contend in sharpness; rely only on momentum. The stronger the enemy, the deeper I sink, like an iron anvil meeting a hammer.

If the Tiger-Subduing Stance was "stability," then the Sinking Pressure Stance was "tempering."

The essence of this move lay in the word "sink." One constantly pressed and tempered the qi, blood, and Inner Force of the entire body downward, like a craftsman forging iron, removing impurities to create something supremely hard.

Its core was to repeatedly temper one's muscles, tendons, and bones with the power of utmost yang.

"So... the Sinking Pressure Stance is also greatly beneficial for Bone Tempering. I happen to be stuck at the threshold of Bone Tempering."

"Ten Thousand Questions, estimate the qi and blood required to implant the Sinking Pressure Stance."

[Estimating...]

[Estimation successful: Implanting the Sinking Pressure Stance requires 1.8 units of qi and blood]

Eh?

It only required 1.8 units of qi and blood...

That was within range.

"Implant the Sinking Pressure Stance for me!"

The next morning.

The storm had already passed.

Xie An called Qiu Lan over early to wash and dress him. Then he borrowed Li Dao's saber and came to the courtyard to spar with Chen Mo.

"Young Master Mingxi is truly diligent!"

Chen Mo praised him, then flicked her finger to dissolve the saber's momentum.

Clang!

After catching Xie An's strike barehanded, Chen Mo's expression changed drastically. "This is the second move of the Red Sun Saber Technique, the Sinking Pressure Stance... Young Master Mingxi mastered it in just one night?"

Xie An said blandly, "I was merely lucky."

Chen Mo: "..."

After a hundred exchanges, Xie An withdrew his saber. He took the sweat towel Qiu Lan handed him and wiped away his perspiration, feeling the flesh, muscles, bones, and tendons throughout his body loosen and stretch.

Only with a Manifest Force martial artist as his sparring partner did Xie An dare unleash his saber technique without holding back. He did not need to worry about cutting the other person to death.

If it had been Li Dao instead, he would likely have already been hacked to death by Xie An...

Before long, a light set of footsteps sounded from outside the door.

The instant Xie An saw the newcomer, he was overjoyed. "Yu... Elder Sister. Are you here to teach me martial arts for dealing with ghosts and wraiths today?"