Plum Blossom Needle Technique

Duan Rong stood at the entrance to the Front Courtyard, standing on tiptoe as he peered toward the Inner Courtyard.

He had heard Zhu Xiaoqi's shout as well. It seemed something had happened to Second Miss.

Thinking of Xiao Baijiao's soft, white face like a dumpling and her slender, graceful waist, Duan Rong grew anxious too.

But the Inner Courtyard was a private place, and without the master's permission, it would not be proper for an outsider like him to enter.

As Duan Rong fretted, he suddenly saw a red blur streak through the halls and courtyards, swift and fierce as fire, whistling past.

Duan Rong only saw a flash before the red blur darted past his side from the Inner Courtyard entrance. By the time he turned his head, it had already vanished beyond the Front Courtyard gate.

Duan Rong froze briefly, then suddenly realized that the red blur had been Zhu Xiaoqi.

A chill ran down Duan Rong's spine.

"It was... lightness skill!"

Xiao Zongting truly was an old hand of the martial world who had once been a Chief Escort. Even a maid in the Xiao Residence was so deeply concealed!

Her attainments in lightness skill were likely no weaker than those of the capable fighters in the martial world!

Lightness skills differed from other Martial Skills; they were not taught lightly.

Every major force in Xiangu County had its own means of recruiting talent, but he had never heard of any family teaching lightness skills!

And Zhu Xiaoqi's lightness skill had naturally been taught by Xiao Zongting.

That little girl must have some connection to the Xiao Family. She is definitely not as simple as an ordinary little maid, Duan Rong thought, his gaze flickering.

Half an incense stick later, Zhu Xiaoqi entered the Front Courtyard at a brisk pace with a Medicine Box on her back, shoving along a plump old man past sixty.

Gu Suxiu had already been fat to begin with. After being dragged this far by Zhu Xiaoqi, he was panting heavily, sweat streaming down both cheeks.

"Little Seven... stop pushing! We're here! We're here! Let me catch my breath..."

"Doctor Gu, there is no time, no time!"

Zhu Xiaoqi pushed Gu Suxiu straight toward the Inner Courtyard.

"Little Seven, is Second Miss... is she all right?" Duan Rong asked with concern as the two passed him.

Duan Rong was not merely making polite conversation. He was genuinely worried about Xiao Baijiao!

Though his soul had crossed into another life, he was still a sucker for beautiful faces. Some natures could not be changed!

Especially when Xiao Baijiao was such a woman—pure yet alluring, with peerless grace?

Zhu Xiaoqi, her entire face flushed red, turned her head and gave Duan Rong only one glance. Too pressed for time to answer, she shoved Gu Suxiu into the Back Courtyard.

Duan Rong waited for more than half an hour.

Only then did he see Xiao Zongting personally escort Gu Suxiu out with his Medicine Box on his back, the two talking as they walked.

Xiao Zongting's face was dark and gloomy, like soot scraped from the bottom of a stove.

One look at Xiao Zongting's expression told Duan Rong that Xiao Baijiao's illness was likely serious!

It seems this is no ordinary ailment...

Xiao Zongting escorted Gu Suxiu all the way outside and even stood there watching him leave for a while before turning back.

When Xiao Zongting reached the courtyard, his gaze settled on Duan Rong, who stood there waiting.

Duan Rong asked, "Second Miss's illness..."

Xiao Zongting waved a hand, cutting him off, and glared. "Do not speak carelessly about this when you go out!"

Duan Rong lowered his head and immediately agreed obediently.

Xiao Zongting drew a booklet from his robes and handed it to Duan Rong. "This is the Second Level Secret Manual of the Five Tigers Herd Sheep Saber. I need to look after Baijiao these days, so I may have no time for the moment. Study and practice it on your own first. Come back in ten days!"

Duan Rong accepted the Secret Manual. "Yes. Good people are blessed by heaven. Second Miss's illness will certainly get better!"

Xiao Zongting had first sent Kong Bin away and kept Duan Rong behind because he had intended to give Duan Rong proper guidance. But Baijiao had suddenly run into trouble, and he truly had no mind for it now.

After giving his instructions, Xiao Zongting headed for the Back Courtyard. After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned around and said, "Tell Kong Bin as well. I have matters to attend to lately!"

Duan Rong softly acknowledged him. Only after Xiao Zongting's figure disappeared into the Back Courtyard did he put away the Secret Manual and leave Xiao Zongting's courtyard.

Duan Rong lazily walked down the steps before Xiao Zongting's courtyard gate.

He kept thinking about how a woman like Xiao Baijiao, so pure yet alluring, had somehow fallen ill.

Thinking of it, he could not help sighing.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly saw a flash of white light in the flower bed by the gate beneath the sunlight.

Duan Rong walked closer and looked carefully. It was actually a silver needle that had fallen among the branches and leaves, flashing beneath the sun.

Duan Rong picked up the silver needle between his fingers. After a moment's thought, he guessed it had likely been dropped by Doctor Gu, whom Little Seven had been shoving along.

Duan Rong's eyes shifted as an idea came to him. He silently recited, Read Artifact Spirit.

Artifact: White Hair Silver Needle

Artifact Spirit Rank: Rank One

Devouring Requirement: Host Mental Strength Level 1 (met)

Devouring Effect: Plum Blossom Needle Technique Mastery.

"It is actually Mastery Level!"

Duan Rong was rather surprised. Doctor Gu might look round and pudgy, but his medical skills were quite exquisite.

At the very least, one could glimpse something of them from his realm in needlework.

"This Plum Blossom Needle Technique is clearly not Martial Arts, but rather a method of acupuncture. Yet since it can reach Mastery Level, this acupuncture method is probably not easy to master!"

Duan Rong's gaze stirred. He pulled out the Secret Manual Xiao Zongting had given him from the inner pocket of his lapel, opened it three pages in, tucked the silver needle inside, closed the manual, and put it away again.

Seeing that it was mealtime, Duan Rong turned his steps toward the dining hall in the Middle Courtyard.

Though he was worried about Xiao Baijiao, that could not delay his meal!

After eating at the Middle Courtyard dining hall, Duan Rong went to the Martial Arts Field. Finding a secluded corner, he began to practice his stance.

Worrying would only be pointless. He might as well practice diligently; perhaps there would come a time when he could be of use!

From then on, Duan Rong practiced diligently every day without rest!

Three mornings later, Duan Rong suddenly let out a clear whistle. A dense stream of white vapor as thick as a baby's arm shot from his mouth at an upward angle, rising more than a zhang into the air before dispersing.

"The First Level of Inner Breath is complete!"

With a slight circulation, Duan Rong felt surging power within his meridians. At this moment, the Inner Breath in his meridians and Dantian had also grown as thick as the slender hairpin used to bind up one's hair.

Duan Rong exhaled a long breath of turbid air, and a brilliant smile spread across his exhausted face.

Over the past three days, aside from leaving the escort agency once to buy Blood Antler Velvet from the Crude Drug Store, he had traveled almost exclusively between his quarters and the Martial Arts Field.

His feet seemed to have taken root in the Martial Arts Field.

Having completed the First Level of Inner Breath, Duan Rong immediately began attempting the cultivation of the Second Level of Inner Breath.

It was morning now.

The whole day's work depended on a good start in the morning. How could he waste it?

Xiao Zongting had given him the Second Level Secret Manual that day, but in truth, he no longer needed the Second Level Secret Manual of the Five Tigers Herd Sheep Saber.

That was because he had devoured the Artifact Spirit of the Unsharpened Greatsword in the Inner Treasury, and had long since digested and absorbed the Second Level Inner Power Cultivation Method and Mastery Level Martial Skill realm.

Still, it could not be said that this Five Tigers Herd Sheep Saber Secret Manual was completely useless to him.

At the very least, it served as cover. If one day he exposed his Mastery Level realm in the Five Tigers Herd Sheep Saber, he could not be accused of secretly learning it.

Old Xiao had taught it to him properly and openly.

Duan Rong held a slice of Blood Antler Velvet in his mouth, then assumed the Perfectly Round Stance. His Mental Strength sank into his Dantian as he controlled the hairpin-thick Inner Breath within it and began circulating it according to the Second Level Inner Power Cultivation Method.

Duan Rong had maintained his stance for only half an hour when the slice of Blood Antler Velvet in his mouth had completely dissolved into saliva and flowed into his stomach.

Duan Rong immediately held another slice in his mouth.

"The circulation route for the Second Level of Inner Breath is actually so intricate and winding!"

By devouring and absorbing the Artifact Spirit, Duan Rong had effectively obtained direct experience in circulating the Second Level of Inner Breath. He should have had no trouble circulating it.

Yet after only half an hour, Duan Rong had begun to feel a trace of fatigue.

"It is Mental Strength!"

"Such a complex Inner Breath circulation route consumes Mental Strength enormously!"

"Could this be the true meaning behind Martial Arts having Mental Strength as its core?"

An hour later, Duan Rong held another slice of Blood Antler Velvet in his mouth.

By then, his condition had changed from a trace of fatigue to a feeling of heaviness. Moreover, due to the continual drain on his Mental Strength, the efficiency of his Inner Breath circulation had already declined.

During the following hour, Duan Rong discovered another change in his body. He could clearly feel that his body was running on empty.

For cultivating the Second Level of Inner Breath, the medicinal potency of Blood Antler Velvet seemed to be no longer enough!