Void Form Wrote at a Furious Pace

Within half a day, news of Ghost Butcher's death had spread throughout the area around North Spring Mountain.

This already counted as a major event in the Martial World. Which of the Black List's top ten did not have a fearsome reputation?

Anyone who could make a name for himself while wanted by the Imperial Court was naturally an expert among experts.

Some who had been itching to make a move felt as though a basin of cold water had been poured over their hearts when they heard the news.

No matter how good something was, you had to stay alive to claim it!

The conclusion that a Grandmaster truly resided on North Spring Mountain had all but become a consensus.

Yet no one left, because another piece of news swiftly spread: someone had seen a flying sword streak through the air over North Spring Mountain from across the ravine last night!

Like a massive bomb, this news stirred ten thousand waves around North Spring Mountain.

If everything before had been rumor, now it was practically confirmed!

The area above Hongyan Mountain Waterfall had all but become Dragon Gallbladder Mountain's camp. From here, they could make out parts of North Spring Mountain in the distance, making it one of the best spots in the surrounding mountains.

All six sworn brothers were at the Profound Martial High Rank. In strength, they could rival some ordinary major sects.

No one wanted to make enemies of them over this matter.

"Eldest Brother, thank goodness for your uncanny foresight. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been Shen Tu Hong who died, but us brothers." Fan Tianjun, the third of Dragon Gallbladder Mountain's brothers, felt immensely relieved.

Yi Pinglin, the second brother, laughed heartily. "Why else would you be the third brother while he's our eldest? To get by in the Martial World, you need more than cultivation. You need brains."

"Heh, when I said we should scout North Spring Mountain last night, someone was agreeing right along with me. If we're talking about having no brains, you're hardly any better!"

"Enough. Let's stop talking about last night. There's definitely a Grandmaster on North Spring Mountain now. We should plan what to do next. Do we leave or stay? Let's hear what all of you think."

"Eldest Brother, just make the decision. We'll all follow your lead."

"Right, we'll all follow your lead."

Miao Wanlin pondered for a moment. "If you ask me, we should stay and wait a little longer. The Imperial Court killed Shen Tu Hong and hung his head from a tree. They're killing a chicken to frighten the monkeys. To my eye, there's a hint of unease behind it. Otherwise, why wouldn't they keep it quiet and find a chance to catch everyone in one net?"

"Now that you put it that way, Eldest Brother, that does seem true. If it were me, I'd be eager for these ill-intentioned people to come up so I could kill them all. Trespassing on forbidden ground would give me every justification, and I wouldn't have to worry about other major sects wagging their tongues."

The others voiced their agreement as well.

"The Secret Sword Grandmaster of North Spring Mountain will be tempted too. When the time comes, even if we gain nothing from a battle between Grandmasters, it would be a shame to miss such a grand spectacle. And if an opportunity arises..."

Miao Wanlin did not continue. They all knew that once Grandmasters truly took action, their hopes would be slim. Even at the Profound Martial Ninth Layer, he might not withstand a casual blow from a Grandmaster.

On North Spring Mountain, in Gu Yuanqing's courtyard.

Gu Yuanqing leisurely drank tea, holding a sheet of paper and reading the cultivation method copied onto it. Beside him lay more than a dozen similar sheets, all covered in writing and diagrams showing how the methods circulated energy.

Inside the house, Void Form wrote at a furious pace, his brush leaving trails of afterimages in his hand. At this moment, his title of Ghost Hand truly lived up to its name!

Gu Yuanqing had given him his word: if he could write out two complete Grandmaster cultivation methods, twenty cultivation methods leading directly to the Profound Martial High Rank, or superior movement arts, supreme Swordsmanship, and the like, he would spare his life.

Naturally, he had no complete Grandmaster cultivation methods. His only way out was through Profound Martial High Rank cultivation methods and a few supreme arts.

He did not understand why a Grandmaster, or even someone beyond that level, would want True Martial cultivation methods. But to him, this was the last straw that could save a drowning man, and he naturally clung to it for dear life.

He did not even dare tamper with the cultivation manuals in the slightest. In his eyes, Gu Yuanqing's attainments in cultivation were far beyond his own. If Gu Yuanqing noticed, would he not be seeking his own death?

Feng Tao brought Gu Yuanqing lunch. She noticed the additional person in the courtyard but showed no reaction, acting as though she had not seen him.

Only after finishing lunch did Gu Yuanqing leisurely enter the house.

Seeing Void Form scratching his ears and head in frustration, he asked, "How's the writing coming along?"

Void Form's eyes were bloodshot. He had been writing nonstop since last night.

Cultivation methods that could take someone to the Profound Martial High Rank were no ordinary fare. They were enough to establish a sect. The treasured foundational methods of some famous schools in the Martial World amounted to no more than that.

Fortunately, he had stolen quite a few over the years and studied many of them closely. Even so, who would memorize every word of all these cultivation methods?

"Young Master Gu, why not let this lowly one leave first? Never mind twenty cultivation methods—I could find you fifty."

Gu Yuanqing folded his arms and leaned against the doorway. "If I let you down the mountain, who knows where I'd find you? You're a master thief of the Martial World. The Imperial Court has hunted you for years, yet you've still lived free and easy."

"You're a Grandmaster. How would I, Void Form, dare deceive you? The Imperial Court hasn't found me because they never took me too seriously. This lowly one knows what he can and cannot do."

"Then why did you come here? Are you saying stealing from me was something you could do?"

Void Form's expression froze.

"This lowly one was possessed by a moment of madness, wasn't he?"

"Then keep writing properly. When you finish, I'll let you go. Here, have these two fruits. I forgot to have them send an extra person's meal today."

As he spoke, two Wild Fruits flew to Void Form's side.

Then Gu Yuanqing leisurely returned to the courtyard and resumed studying the manuals.

Among these cultivation methods, two were rather interesting: the Vast Void Horizontal Technique and the Vast Void Breath Concealment Technique. Both were arts Void Form relied on, the two supreme techniques that let him enter and leave heavily guarded places as though no one were there.

These were also the two that interested Gu Yuanqing most. He studied them carefully, going inside to ask Void Form whenever he encountered something unclear.

Under another man's eaves, Void Form had no choice but to bow his head. Whenever asked, he answered, showing even more patience than he would when teaching a disciple.

That night, Void Form, whose stomach was knotted with hunger, finally got a meal.

After eating, naturally, he went right back to writing.

A complete cultivation method ran to at least ten thousand words, sometimes tens of thousands. Void Form felt he had never written so much in his entire life. His wrists ached and tingled, and his head swam.

Fortunately, he was at the Profound Martial Ninth Layer, with extraordinary hand speed. An ordinary person would not have finished even in ten days or a fortnight.

As dawn approached, Void Form, who had been staring blankly for an hour, finally could not hold back any longer. "This lowly one truly can't remember the last cultivation method."

"Think a little harder. People only discover their potential when they push themselves."

What does this have to do with potential? Void Form felt like cursing, but did not dare.

"This lowly one truly doesn't remember that many cultivation methods leading directly to the Profound Martial High Rank. However, I once obtained a fragmentary text of a cultivation method. It's quite wondrous, but unfortunately, my aptitude is poor, and I never managed to comprehend it. Would you accept that fragmentary text in place of one cultivation method?"

Gu Yuanqing's interest was piqued. "Write it out first, and let me see."

Void Form returned to the room and picked up his brush again. An incense stick's worth of time later, a fragmentary text of more than three thousand words was delivered into Gu Yuanqing's hands.

Gu Yuanqing had only read a few lines when his eyes lit up. It read: He who knows what Heaven does and what man does has reached the utmost! He who knows what Heaven does lives according to Heaven... Such a man climbs high without trembling, enters water without getting wet, and enters fire without feeling heat. Such is the knowledge that can ascend to the Dao...

Standing beside him, Void Form did not dare breathe loudly, terrified that Gu Yuanqing would reject it.

Gu Yuanqing read for a full hour before finally raising his head.

"Acceptable! It can count as one Cultivation Technique!"