Martial Secrets Almanac

Chu Xisheng was full of vexation. When he arrived at the dining hall, the chicken legs and chicken wings had already been snatched away by others.

Fortunately, the martial academy probably considered that it was very hard for the disciples to stand in the scorching sun for half a day, so today the dining hall added an extra five large basins of braised pork.

Chu Xisheng served himself a sea-bowl of braised pork, took another six fist-sized steamed buns, and sat face-to-face with Chu Yunyun.

While eating meat with his steamed buns, he asked with brimming anticipation, "I've already learned Light-Cloud Movement. Yunyun, when are you going to teach me to practice the Lightning-Pursuing Finger?"

The Lightning-Pursuing Finger was also one of the External Ten Arts of the Formless Divine Sect, and it was a palm-and-finger cultivation method.

These External Ten Arts also mainly focused on speed.

Chu Xisheng's Wind-Chasing, Lightning-Pursuing Hands were not only the most suitable for practicing the Wind-Chasing Blade, but they were also a perfect match with the Lightning-Pursuing Finger.

He had always worried that all his martial arts prowess rested on a single saber.

If one day he forgot to bring his saber, or something went wrong with his saber, wouldn't he be at the mercy of others?

"I will teach you the Lightning-Pursuing Finger, but we'll have to wait until your Origin-Nourishing Art reaches the third stage."

Before picking up her chopsticks, Chu Yunyun cast a sidelong glance at Chu Xisheng. "The Lightning-Pursuing Finger requires sufficient true qi to protect your fingers, otherwise it will leave you with extremely severe hidden injuries. You haven't learned how to walk yet, so don't think about running."

The corners of Chu Xisheng's lips twitched as he lowered his head to continue eating his meat.

Yet right at this moment, a tiny firework burst open at the edge of his field of vision, and his Martial Dao Points had actually risen by one.

At first Chu Xisheng didn't pay attention, but next these small fireworks actually exploded one after another, making his Martial Dao Points soar all the way to 8.

Just as Chu Xisheng was puzzled about what was going on, he saw Lu Luanli walking over with a bowl in one hand and a thick book in the other.

After the young woman walked over, looking at Chu Xisheng's greasy mouth and the pile of fatty braised pork in his bowl, a trace of disgust instantly appeared in her eyes.

However, Lu Luanli still sat down opposite Chu Xisheng, clucking her tongue and looking up and down at Chu Xisheng.

Chu Xisheng stopped his chopsticks and suspiciously locked eyes with Lu Luanli. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Could it be that he had flowers on his face?

"I'm looking at the illustrious Young Hero Chu." Lu Luanli placed the book in front of Chu Xisheng with a bantering expression. "Congratulations, Senior Brother Chu. Your name has already made it into this issue of the Martial Secrets Almanac."

"The Martial Secrets Almanac?" Chu Xisheng was stunned for a moment, immediately taking the book from the table into his hands.

This book was about half a finger thick, and the seven ancient and heavy seal-script characters written on the cover read "Martial Secrets Almanac: Eastern Province Gazette".

Chu Xisheng flipped the pages, only to see that the book was even illustrated with pictures and text.

The Martial Secrets Almanac was a periodical published by the Martial Discourse Tower of the Imperial Court, issued once every two months in a format somewhat like modern magazines and journals.

The content recounted major events in the contemporary martial arts world, the legendary anecdotes of various martial arts masters, chivalrous heroes, and demonic overlords, and so on, while ranking these pugilistic figures on various lists.

The so-called Heavenly Ranking, Earthly Ranking, and Azure Cloud Ranking of this world all originated from it.

Aside from this, the Martial Secrets Almanac was also divided into local gazettes that circulated only in a single region, and the Divine Province Gazette of a nationwide nature.

The one in Chu Xisheng's hands was a local gazette published exclusively in the eight prefectures of Eastern Province.

As for why the Martial Discourse Tower, affiliated with the Ministry of Rites of the Imperial Court, wanted to expend massive amounts of manpower and material resources to formulate various rankings and publish the Martial Secrets Almanac, Chu Xisheng was unclear.

The Martial Secrets Almanac was very expensive, costing as high as three taels of Demon Silver per copy.

When Chu Xisheng was formerly at the escort agency, out of curiosity, he had once borrowed a few copies from several colleagues to peruse.

However, those were editions published by the Martial Discourse Tower several years ago and were long outdated.

This was the first time Chu Xisheng had seen the latest issue of the Martial Secrets Almanac: Eastern Province Gazette.

After flipping through it for a moment, he looked doubtfully at Lu Luanli.

Where was his name on here?

Besides, as a mere Ninth-Rank Lower, what qualifications did he have to be listed in the Martial Secrets Almanac?

"On the lower left corner of page seventy-nine."

After pointing it out to Chu Xisheng, Lu Luanli began eating while curiously sizing up Chu Yunyun beside him.

She had inquired about Chu Xisheng's situation and knew this young woman was Chu Xisheng's younger sister.

Yet the facial features of these two siblings looked nothing alike.

Moreover, Chu Yunyun's posture and bearing inexplicably made her think of her own father-majestic without being angry-

Lu Luanli violently shook her head, pondering that she was really overthinking it.

This was just a young woman under fourteen years old.

She asked with a smile, "Your name is Chu Yunyun, right? My name is Lu Luanli. I'm Chu Xisheng's fellow disciple in the inner sect."

Yunyun glanced at her, then continued eating.

Her movements remained meticulous and poised.

Just when Lu Luanli thought this girl didn't want to bother with her, Chu Yunyun put down her bowl and chopsticks and nodded slightly toward her. "Hello, Senior Sister Lu. I've heard my older brother mention you before."

Lu Luanli thought that Chu Xisheng's family background must also be extraordinary; every single action of Chu Yunyun's contained rules and methodology, a decorum and discipline found only in great aristocratic clans.

She just didn't know why Chu Xisheng hadn't learned it.

However, there was nothing bad about this either; Lu Luanli liked his unconstrained and casual nature.

She asked curiously, "Then what did he say about me? Did he speak ill of me?"

Chu Yunyun fixed her gaze on her, pondering what kind of words this woman wanted to hear from her mouth.

After deep thought for a moment, she cautiously replied, "He said you are innocent and carefree--"

Actually, Chu Xisheng's original words were naive and easily swindled.

Chu Yunyun figured she couldn't say it so bluntly.

"Gallant and upholding righteousness--"

Easy to trick, and this woman's strength could be borrowed when necessary.

"Lively and lovable--"

Her personality is flighty, with too much vitality.

"Unflagging in temperament."

She likes to pester people without letting go.

Hearing this, the corners of Lu Luanli's lips instantly curved up involuntarily, blooming into a smile.

"How am I as good as he says? Innocent and carefree, lively and lovable-these are all descriptions for little girls."

Lu Luanli embarrassedly waved her hand, at the same time casting a reproachful glare at Chu Xisheng.

"However, speaking of being loyal, I, Lu Luanli, am renowned for my sense of loyalty. Come to think of it, Yunyun, you are also a spellcaster; I can teach you in the future."

For some reason, the more she looked at Chu Yunyun, the more she liked her, and she even had the urge to curry favor.

Yet Chu Yunyun tilted her head and looked at her suspiciously. "Also? Senior Sister Lu is a spellcaster? A dual cultivator of technique and martial arts?"

Lu Luanli was startled inwardly, thinking to herself-oh right, she is currently just an ordinary inner-sect disciple.

With a roll of her eyes, she smiled and corrected herself, "I haven't cultivated spellcraft, but my family has a spellcaster's heritage, with many cultivation secret classics and secret methods that I can lend you to read."

Chu Yunyun's expression stirred slightly. "Then many thanks, Senior Sister Lu."

Her tone was somewhat faint.

Chu Yunyun had previously specialized in martial arts, and although she had also read some spellcraft classics, the quantity was very small.

She was actually very interested in the cultivation secret classics and secret methods of Lu Luanli's family.

Yet for some reason, she was unwilling to accept this girl's favor.

At this time, Chu Xisheng had finally finished reading the passage Lu Luanli had mentioned.

This was an article introducing the more prominent young chivalrous heroes of Xiushui City recently, and Chu Xisheng only occupied an extremely small portion of space within it.

The text introduced the details of his slaying of the Bloodwind Bandit spellcaster and the battle of Firebone Cavern, and also stated that his overall combat power might already be the number one of the Zhengyang Martial Academy's inner sect.

However, the author of the article also stated that he had merely heard it by hearsay and it was unverified.

Chu Xisheng closed the Martial Secrets Almanac: Eastern Province Gazette in his hands and thoughtfully asked, "When was this issue of the Martial Secrets Almanac published?"

"Just now. Don't you know that the Martial Secrets Almanac is always published at noon on the fifteenth of every even-numbered month?"

As Lu Luanli spoke, she looked at her own bowl. Because she went outside to buy this Martial Secrets Almanac: Eastern Province Gazette, only a few green beans and braised pork were left in the dining hall.

Meanwhile, Chu Xisheng's gaze brightened slightly as he looked before his eyes.

Just then, two more small fireworks burst out in his field of vision, increasing the total number of Martial Dao Points to 10.