Complete Cultivation Method

Once you enter Jianghu, your fate is no longer your own. You will inevitably be drawn into strife, but remember: when cutting grass, remove the roots. Mercy toward an enemy is cruelty toward yourself. You have resolved this calamity.

First Entry into Jianghu 2 completed. Calculating rewards.

Mission rating: A. Rewards doubled.

Received 30 Achievement Points!

Achievement unlocked: First Entry into Jianghu!

Age +5

Achievement Points have reached 100. Retrieving reward.

A young hero entering Jianghu—how could he lack a divine skill?

Received the complete version of "White Ape Mantle Blade"!

Young hero, begin your perfect journey through Jianghu!

Name: Li Rui

Age: 5

Talent: Martial Bones

Cultivation Method: White Ape Mantle Blade

Achievement: 0/100

Li Rui had not expected that killing Zhao Mazi would trigger another storyline.

Although he had failed to earn an S+ rating this time, an A was already quite good. In one fell swoop, it raised his Achievement Points to "100."

The complete White Ape Mantle Blade!

The next instant, a flood of immense information poured into his mind as if enlightenment had been forced into him. Vivid little golden figures appeared in every imaginable posture.

Li Rui's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

So the White Ape Mantle Blade he had obtained before had only been half of it—more precisely, the External Skill portion.

As everyone knew, martial arts were divided into internal skills and external skills.

The two were not like fire and water, utterly incompatible. In truth, most Martial Masters practiced Internal and External Cultivation.

What he had obtained before was the blade technique of White Ape Mantle Blade. What he had gained now completed its missing breathing method.

The blade technique was an art of killing; the breathing method was a practice for nurturing life.

With the breathing method to assist him, practicing the blade would yield twice the result with half the effort. The chances of suffering qi deviation would greatly decrease, and it could even prolong one's life.

In short, it had benefits beyond measure.

Li Rui suspected that even the Huaqing Sect did not possess the complete White Ape Mantle Blade.

Otherwise, that Huaqing Sect disciple could not possibly have stolen only half.

"Great Fortune!"

He had already burned the first half of the White Ape Mantle Blade. Now, with the information in his mind, the complete White Ape Splits Mountain was likely known to him alone in all the world.

"If you wish for immortality, guard the One and understand it. All things are born from One; One is born from the Dao. Thus, guarding the One allows one to reach the Dao."

Compared with the External Skill portion, the breathing portion was filled from start to finish with Daoist theories.

Li Rui was utterly lost in the clouds and mist.

Fortunately, what he lacked least was peace of mind. Confined for three days, he could use the opportunity for Closed-door cultivation and devote himself to studying the breathing method.

Three days later.

Li Rui stepped out of his room. The sky had cleared after the snow, and the sunlight was dazzlingly bright.

He had succeeded!

After three days and three nights of grueling effort, he had finally glimpsed the gateway to the breathing method. This breathing method of the White Ape Mantle Blade was truly extraordinary. It did not require bitter cultivation in a quiet chamber—every sip and every peck was cultivation. Even walking and sleeping counted as practice.

After practicing the breathing method for only half a day,

Li Rui already felt that his hearing and sight had sharpened, while his senses were far keener than before.

On his way to the stables, he happened to overhear several people whispering among themselves.

"Have you heard?"

"A murderous fiend has appeared in the city lately. He specifically kills constables. Several have already been murdered, and when they were found, they were horribly mutilated—you couldn't even tell what they looked like anymore."

"But the strange thing is, that person isn't after money. He seems to kill purely for pleasure."

"Don't you think he's a freak?"

Li Rui's brows knit slightly.

Clear River's public safety had always been good. Aside from the authorities taking it seriously, the three great families and the underworld also followed the rules. At the very least, no major trouble broke out in the open.

Yet now, a murderous fiend had suddenly appeared.

The ruthless feared the reckless, the reckless feared those who did not fear death, and those who did not fear death feared the mad.

If he truly was a madman who took pleasure in killing, anyone who encountered him would be in dire trouble.

"I still need to increase my strength as soon as possible."

But although he now possessed Martial Bones and the complete White Ape Mantle Blade, he had no money.

Practicing martial arts without medicine was like making a bricklayer work without feeding him.

Without strength, what martial arts could one practice?

He was short on money—desperately short on money.

Although Master Zhu of the Zhu Family had raised his allowance, less than half a tael a month was merely a drop in the bucket. Even adding the five taels of silver he had searched out from Zhao Mazi's home, it could not begin to cover his shortfall.

His medicinal herbs had already been used up. He had to find another way.

"Master, are you going out?"

Seeing Li Rui put on thick clothing, Wang Zhao asked.

Li Rui nodded.

"Master, that murderous fiend is still roaming free in the city. You mustn't go."

Wang Zhao said anxiously.

Ever since Li Rui had stood up for him that day, he had acknowledged Li Rui as his master. Even if Ma Yang truly had been killed by Li Rui, even if Ma Yang truly had been a monster in disguise, he accepted it.

He had sold himself to the Zhu Family as a child, and he had long since had no idea where his parents were. He truly regarded Li Rui as his own father.

"Don't worry. I'll be back before dark."

Seeing that Li Rui insisted on going out, Wang Zhao could only say no more.

After leaving the Zhu Family,

Li Rui headed straight for the Black Market.

He had already learned that the murderous fiend usually struck at night, and his targets were all constables from the yamen.

Those constables had probably done something utterly lacking in conscience and were now suffering retribution.

Besides, he was now an Entering Rank martial artist. Protecting himself would not be a problem.

The Black Market was not far from the Zhu Family. Before long, he arrived at its entrance.

The familiar black-clad guards were still there.

After paying the market entry fee, he made his way skillfully into the Black Market.

"Ginseng, great Fleeceflower Root!"

Li Rui gazed at the precious medicinal herbs on the stalls and secretly swallowed.

There were quite a few good things in the Black Market, but the prices were simply too high. He could not afford any of them.

For a martial artist born into poverty to earn enough for ginseng by working was no different from a fool dreaming in broad daylight.

"Hm?"

"Hooked so quickly?"

Li Rui did not even need to turn around. Relying on the keen perception granted by the breathing method, he could tell with certainty that someone was watching him.

That was right. He had not come to the Black Market to buy things, nor had he come to buy things.

He had come to bury someone!

Saving money himself was slow, but taking someone else's money was fast.

Quite a few old thieves prowled the Black Market. These people were ruthless, and their hands were more or less stained with blood. Killing such people came with no psychological burden at all.

This time, he deliberately hunched his back and did not deliberately puff himself up to look strong.

He used himself as bait to lure someone in.

He was now an Entering Rank martial artist, and he had also practiced the White Ape Mantle Blade. His combat strength far surpassed that of an ordinary Entering Rank martial artist.

Moreover, the prey he was fishing for were petty thieves in the Black Market who only dared prey on old men. There was almost no chance they were fierce dragons crossing the river.

"Come on."

Li Rui pretended to flee in panic, quickening his pace.

Just as he left the Black Market and turned into an alley—

"Big brother, don't, don't! It's me!"

"Damn it!"

The man behind him had still gotten a handful of Lime Powder thrown into his face by Li Rui. Lime Powder truly worked far better than yellow dirt.

When Li Rui saw who it was, he was instantly speechless.

It was actually the old thief he had encountered in the Black Market last time—Ding Liang.

Ding Liang fell to the ground, rubbing his eyes frantically with both hands.

"Big brother, one of our own! It's our boss—our boss wants to invite you for a drink."

Li Rui said irritably, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"