Martial Hall (Thanks to Alliance Leader Time-Space Rift for the Reward)

Thanks to Alliance Leader Time-Space Rift for the reward. I'm moved to tears~~

May the boss enjoy music and beauties every night, and have strong kidneys every day.

Although Yue Jian had left Yang Yi the Body Tempering Technique, she had been born a great demon and had no interest in such mundane things.

Other than the Body Tempering Technique, the knowledge she imparted to Yang Yi contained little concerning mundane martial arts. As a result, Yang Yi knew nothing about such matters.

Fortunately, he had met Qiao Wuwang. Otherwise, who knew how long he would have had to stumble and struggle before gradually figuring these things out.

"So that's how it is!" Yang Yi became so engrossed in reading that he forgot himself. Suddenly, he circulated his qi and blood into his eyes. In the next instant, his eyes grew faintly warm, and even the words on the page became much clearer.

He could not help recalling his sneak attack on Iron Eagle and the others last night. When he had killed the third man, he saw the other party's sharp weapon chopping toward him. His mind had tightened to the utmost, and his eyes had likewise grown faintly warm. The opponent's movements had seemed far slower, allowing him to seize the blade barehanded with ease.

This was the marvel of the Qi-Blood Circulation Technique. By moving one's qi and blood into the eyes, one could greatly enhance one's vision.

In Yang Yi's understanding, it enhanced not only static vision, but dynamic vision as well. That was why he had felt his opponent slowing down.

Last night, he had acted purely on instinct, in an exceedingly crude manner. Now that he had acquired the Qi-Blood Circulation Technique, he could mobilize his qi and blood with greater precision and detail, so its effects were far better than last night's.

"Good stuff!" Yang Yi said delightedly. "Third Young Master..."

When he looked up, Qiao Wuwang was already gone. The fellow had left at some unknown moment.

Yang Yi glanced at the sky. It was already quite late. Qiao Wuwang must not have wanted to disturb him, so he had slipped away quietly.

He continued reading intently.

The Qi-Blood Circulation Technique was not obscure. He quickly grasped it completely. In the end, this was practically a basic skill that every cultivator could master. Only a lone drifter like him, who had been feeling his way forward alone, had encountered it so late.

With the Mistblood Realm as his lofty vantage point, it naturally posed no difficulty.

After practicing the Body Tempering Technique once more, Yang Yi washed himself clean and fell into a deep sleep.

Early the next morning, after breakfast, Yang Yi had barely stepped out of Bamboo Garden when he saw Qiao Wuwang waiting in the bamboo grove nearby.

"Third Young Master." Yang Yi stepped forward. "You came, so why didn't you go in?"

Qiao Wuwang smiled. "I knew you would come out. Why would I go in?"

"Third Young Master knows what I'm going to do?"

Qiao Wuwang chuckled. "You're definitely heading to the Martial Hall!" This had been his advice yesterday. Having learned the Qi-Blood Circulation Technique, Yang Yi would certainly go looking for martial techniques.

Yang Yi gave him a thumbs-up. "Third Young Master's calculations are divine." Now that he had strength, he still needed martial techniques to bring that strength into play.

"Let's go. I'll take you there." Qiao Wuwang led the way. He knew Yang Yi had only just arrived and was unfamiliar with the Inner Fort, which was why he had specifically come for him.

The Martial Hall stood in the heart of the Inner Fort, right at the center of the entire valley. It could be called one of the Qiao Household's most important buildings.

The Martial Hall was guarded, but one of them was the Qiao Household's Third Young Master and the other a newly appointed Grade-B Attendant, so they passed through without issue.

"As a Grade-B Attendant like you, brother, you may choose three martial techniques from the Martial Hall." Qiao Wuwang had mentioned this yesterday as well.

If he wanted more, he would need to earn merit for the Qiao Household first.

"Do you have any advice, Third Young Master?" Yang Yi asked humbly.

"Naturally, one movement technique, one for attack, and one for defense."

"Sound advice!" Yang Yi nodded.

"Come on, I'll take you to find a movement technique first." Qiao Wuwang beckoned.

He was clearly extremely familiar with the Martial Hall. Before long, he brought Yang Yi before a wooden shelf. The shelf had four tiers with more than a dozen books arranged on it, and there were no fewer than six such shelves here.

In other words, there were eighty or ninety sets of movement techniques here. Yang Yi's eyes were dazzled, and he did not know how to choose.

"Do you have any specific requirements for a movement technique, brother?" Qiao Wuwang asked attentively, then explained, "Movement techniques generally fall into two categories. One makes you run fast, while the other is elusive and unpredictable. The former suits escaping or chasing enemies, while the latter suits shifting, turning, and maneuvering during a fight."

"I want one that lets me run fast!" Yang Yi answered without a moment's thought.

Qiao Wuwang grinned. "Excellent judgment, brother. Those of us in the martial world place survival first. It doesn't matter if you can't beat someone, so long as you can outrun them."

As he spoke, he picked up a movement technique. "Wind-Chasing Formula. Once you cultivate it, brother, you'll become a man as swift as the wind."

"Not bad!" Yang Yi's eyes brightened slightly.

Qiao Wuwang took out a second book. "Shadowless Divine Movement. Your figure becomes ethereal and leaves no trace. It is most suited for long-distance raids."

"This works!" Yang Yi's eyes shone even brighter.

"Swan Glimmer. You come and go in haste, leaving behind only a fleeting glimpse like a startled swan. When you burst forth, your speed can increase by another thirty percent."

"Good stuff!"

Qiao Wuwang knew the martial techniques here like the back of his hand. He introduced more than ten volumes to Yang Yi in succession, until his mouth was dry. Yet Yang Yi still watched him with great interest, his eyes full of thirst for knowledge. Qiao Wuwang said helplessly, "Brother, pick one."

Yang Yi asked, "Which one here is the strongest?"

Qiao Wuwang laughed. "There are no strong martial techniques, only strong people."

"There must still be differences in rank!"

"That is true... The harder one is to cultivate, the stronger it is, because cultivating it places extremely high demands on the quality and control of one's qi and blood."

"Qi and blood have quality too?" Yang Yi was stunned.

"Of course. The qi and blood cultivated through different body-tempering arts are different. The better the body-tempering art, the better the quality of qi and blood it tempers, and the greater the power when one strikes."

Yang Yi wore an expression of having been taught. He made up his mind. "Then give me the hardest kind!"

His Body Tempering Technique had been passed down by Yue Jian. He did not know how profound it was, but it certainly could not be poor.

"You really want it?" Qiao Wuwang blinked.

"Naturally."

Qiao Wuwang had no choice. After looking around, he took down a movement technique from a high place. "This is the one."

Yang Yi looked at the large characters on the page: Shadowless Formula!

Qiao Wuwang spoke beside him. "Other than the old master, no one in the Qiao Household has managed to master this movement technique to this day. Take it back and study it carefully. Don't rush for success, or you might hurt yourself."

He secretly made up his mind that once Yang Yi realized the difficulty, he would replace it with another one. Other Attendants did not receive such treatment, but could his Qiao Third Young Master's savior possibly be denied it? It was only a word from him anyway.

After taking the movement technique, the two went to another area. With their previous experience, Qiao Wuwang did not even ask this time. He simply took a defensive technique and handed it to Yang Yi. "Mountain Suppression! Once mastered, there will be no weak point anywhere on your body." After saying that, he added, "Not even the old master has mastered this one."

Then they headed to the offensive techniques section, where Qiao Wuwang found another volume. "Shatter Mountains and Rivers. Once the fist strikes, mountains and rivers shatter! This one is truly like a little cow refusing to pee—it's badass beyond belief. Brother, cultivate this one."

He would have to return them sooner or later anyway. He might as well let Yang Yi accumulate some cultivation experience.

They found the elderly Qiao Household member who managed the Martial Hall and registered the books. After being reminded that he could not take these martial techniques out of the Inner Fort or casually pass them on to others, they were finally allowed to leave.

Yang Yi held the three martial techniques close to his chest as though he had obtained peerless treasures, then returned to Bamboo Garden.

Qiao Wuwang knew that Yang Yi was delighted at the sight of prey and would certainly be eager to cultivate, so they parted ways midway. Besides, after being away from home for so many days, he too needed to begin dealing with his own cultivation.