Bian Technique, Suanni Method

A Five-Colored Peacock spread its wings and cried, scattering dazzling radiance, powerful and awe-inspiring.

As expected, Shi Zhao discovered that the rag in her sea of consciousness had branded itself with another imprint. All along the way, it had recorded the Precious Technique imprints of those powerful Ancient Species, one after another.

These imprints seemed alive, sometimes taking the forms of the fierce beasts themselves. A golden roc battled the heavens, a Suanni rode thunder, and a True Hou roared at the moon, all fighting within this tiny corner of the rag.

The rag's origins were a mystery, and she had no idea how to use it.

Surely it couldn't mean that, when I fought someone later, their Precious Technique would become mine after a single glance?

Hmm, something to look forward to, but that definitely couldn't be the proper way to use it.

"This is a Bian precious bone, inscribed with the Bian Precious Technique. Study it well." Finally, the Old Guard Captain led Shi Zhao into a quiet chamber, produced a bone from somewhere, and handed it to her.

Shi Zhao reached out with both hands to receive it. Suddenly, the precious bone blazed with light so bright it stung her eyes.

A Bian abruptly burst out of the bone. It resembled a divine tiger with dragon horns, its entire body gleaming gold. Ferocious beyond measure, it raised its head and roared like thunder.

She remained unmoved, her little face expressionless. She merely lifted her head and looked at the old man beside her with some puzzlement.

"Ahem. Perhaps you're especially compatible with this Precious Technique, and that's why the Bian manifested." The Old Guard Captain coughed, having never expected that the little girl would not be frightened in the slightest.

It couldn't be helped. At his age, he sometimes couldn't resist teasing the little ones, especially a youngster who looked this composed. Unfortunately, he had failed this time.

Shi Zhao said nothing, continuing to watch him quietly with her bright, wide eyes.

[Stare-]

"Ah, you really have me beaten, little girl. Take this. Bring it along when you study the Golden-Winged Roc Soaring to the Heavens Diagram. It might help."

The Old Guard Captain sighed softly and fished out a roc feather from somewhere. It was only as long as a forearm, dull and gray, looking as though he had just picked it out of some bird's nest.

Shi Zhao accepted it and thanked him, only to find that the old man had already vanished without a trace.

She sat cross-legged on a rush cushion, emptied her mind of all thoughts, and began studying the Bian Precious Technique.

Generally speaking, any Primordial Remnant would destroy its own precious bone before death, doing everything possible to erase the primal rune imprints inherited from its race, lest they fall into the hands of another race.

This was why primal precious bones were so rare, and why Precious Techniques were beyond price.

Even if heaven granted someone the good fortune to obtain a primal precious bone, before long its vitality would fade, and the rune imprints it held would dissolve into the bone and become invisible. It could then serve only as a precious artifact; its Precious Technique could no longer be obtained.

Clearly, this Bian precious bone had not been left behind by that pureblood Bian. Someone had merely used it to record the Bian Precious Technique. Unfortunately, parts of its edges and corners were missing, leaving it incomplete.

Even so, this Bian Precious Technique remained incomparably precious, its power far surpassing the Precious Techniques of ordinary Ancient Species.

Holding the bone, Shi Zhao studied it closely. In less than half a day, she committed its many rune transformations to memory and gained an initial understanding.

Her eyes shone, her pupils taking on a golden tint. She swept her left hand forward, and the seven tiny red moles on her palm shifted into an alignment of seven stars. Radiance instantly blazed, as though an ancient gateway were slowly opening.

With a thunderous boom, golden mist seethed. Patterns flickered across her left hand, dense and brilliant, before finally forming a single symbol. Through the haze, a Bian actually charged out.

Fortunately, no one else was in the quiet chamber. No one knew that she had gained an initial understanding of the Bian Precious Technique in less than half a day. Otherwise, word of it would surely have shaken the ancient kingdom, and even the vast Desolate Region!

In truth, she had learned everything quickly since childhood. This was not merely because her Primordial Spirit was innately powerful; her own comprehension and aptitude were extraordinary. She had simply concealed them well before.

After all, she knew full well that the tree rising above the forest would be battered by the wind. But now it no longer mattered. Having inexplicably gained the Supreme Bone, she was destined to become the center of attention.

Since there's nothing left to hide, I might as well show my talent openly. Sooner or later, I'll tell everyone that I was born with heaven-gifted talent. Even without this bone, I can punch Big Shi and kick Little Shi... ahem, actually, I'm still a very gentle person.

Shi Zhao shook her head, tossing aside those thoughts that hardly suited her demeanor. Then an idea struck her, and she began communicating with the rag deep within her sea of consciousness, attempting something bold.

"Since you love recording Precious Techniques so much, fetch me the Suanni Great Method!" She had no idea whether this quiet chamber was the one containing the Suanni Precious Technique, but there was no harm in trying.

"Humm-"

The rag quivered slightly. Perhaps entering the Enlightenment State today had further condensed her Primordial Spirit, while the union of her spirit and flesh had brought her into harmony with the Dao. It actually seemed to sense her request and respond.

The next instant, the rag abruptly vanished from within her, leaving her Primordial Spirit behind as it appeared outside, then floated unsteadily toward the chamber's stone wall.

Suddenly, the entire stone-built chamber shuddered. Purple qi came from the east, and golden lightning interwove, transforming the room into a sea of thunder.

An enormous Suanni appeared on the wall, its golden body marked with purple stripes. Savage, fearsome, and utterly terrifying, it seemed about to leap through the stone and attack.

"The Suanni Precious Technique!"

Shi Zhao's little mouth fell slightly open. She had never expected that she could actually draw it out.

Normally, one had to hold the Imperial Jade Seal, the Human Emperor Seal, to make the Suanni Precious Technique manifest.

Again, it took only an instant for the rag to peel away from the stone wall. She hurriedly reached out to catch it.

This was the first time Shi Zhao had truly touched the rag. It was only palm-sized. Until now, she had not even been certain that it had a physical form.

She turned it over to look. Sure enough, a pureblood Suanni was roaring at the heavens. Then a Bian charged out and began fighting it.

These two occupied the largest areas on the rag.

The Suanni resembled a lion, while the Bian resembled a tiger. Their battle was vicious and terrifying.

Her gains this time were immense. She had obtained the supreme Precious Techniques of two heaven-tier fierce beasts. Without question, once her cultivation advanced further, her combat power would be astonishing.

Of course, Shi Zhao did not pass up the other Ancient Species' Precious Techniques either. She plunged headfirst into the piles of Bone Text and never emerged, studying the various scriptures and Precious Techniques so intently that she forgot to eat or sleep.

Eventually, even the elderly royal venerable guarding the Scripture Temple had to show himself. What else could he do? Let the child starve to death in there?

If something like that really happened, his lifelong reputation would be ruined in a single stroke!

"Let me go back! I haven't finished reading!" Shi Zhao was deeply displeased.

The Old Guard Captain hurried over upon hearing the news, the corners of his mouth twitching. He had never imagined that the girl would insist on staying and refuse to leave. He had no choice but to seek instructions from the Human Emperor.

When the Human Emperor learned of this, he smiled and granted her special permission to enter and leave the Scripture Temple as she pleased.

And so, Shi Zhao immersed herself in the Scripture Temple every day, diligently reading all manner of scriptures and studying the two great pureblood Precious Techniques. Almost oblivious to everything else, she gained an ever-deeper understanding.

Fourth Grandfather waited anxiously outside, terrified that something might happen to her. Several times, he asked others to deliver messages, and he even tried every means possible to visit her himself. She did not know whether to laugh or cry, but his concern also warmed her heart.

Only after nearly half a year did Shi Zhao finally "emerge from seclusion."

"It's time to try breaking the Blood-Moving Limit," she murmured, her eyes sparkling with spirit.