"Ancient manuals? Sure!"
The mustached merchant grinned as he handed over the ancient manuals.
He did not forget to boast, "These are all out-of-print martial arts manuals. Only a major chamber of commerce like the Luoyuan Chamber of Commerce could have gathered them."
Wei Fan reached out to take them and began studying them.
There were three manuals in total. The first was a spear technique called the "Serpent King Spear." Wei Fan ignored it outright. He had grown used to using a saber and found it more convenient, so he had no intention of changing for now.
The second was a movement technique called "Cicada Catching Steps," and it looked quite good.
Movement techniques were exceedingly rare among martial arts manuals. Even though he had already cultivated the "Chasing Wind Nine Steps," Wei Fan still felt the more, the merrier.
The third was a special palm technique called the "Fire Toxin Palm." This palm technique was fierce and sinister. Anyone struck by it would burn and itch all over, suffering so badly they wished for death, before finally dying after forty-nine days.
What a vicious palm technique! Wei Fan clicked his tongue inwardly.
"How much are these three manuals?" Wei Fan asked.
"One hundred taels of silver each!" the mustached merchant said with a sly grin.
"So expensive?" Wei Fan's face darkened.
"If you take all three, I'll give you a discount—two hundred taels!"
"Still too expensive!" Wei Fan shook his head.
"One hundred and eighty taels. I can't go any lower!" the mustached merchant said again.
"Let me take a look first." Wei Fan flipped them open. Since they were so expensive, he planned to mooch them for free.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the system's voice sounded.
"Cicada Catching Steps" successfully loaded! "Fire Toxin Palm" successfully loaded!
Wei Fan had already cultivated several martial arts to their peak, achieving Extreme Breakthrough. From such a lofty vantage point, he could memorize these martial arts manuals much faster as well.
He could memorize everything after just a single read-through!
"One hundred and eighty taels. Are you buying or not? That's already a very fair price!" the mustached merchant urged.
"No. Your martial arts manuals have unknown origins. They might even be fake!" Wei Fan set down the ancient manuals and turned to leave.
After mooching two martial arts manuals for free, Wei Fan was in an excellent mood.
Wei Yingying was waiting nearby, looking very obedient.
"Yingying, there's a little shop ahead that makes delicious food. Come on, let's go!" Wei Fan called out.
"Okay!" Wei Yingying smiled and jogged over.
Over the course of the afternoon, Wei Fan took Wei Yingying through every chamber of commerce shop, and they even sampled quite a few exotic delicacies.
Wei Yingying laughed happily the whole way, and Wei Fan felt equally delighted.
During their days living in the Outer Circle of Wushan Village, they had been on edge every day. It had been a long time since they had relaxed like this.
Even a peaceful life requires enough strength to obtain, Wei Fan could not help but sigh inwardly.
Soon, night fell.
Wei Fan stood atop the city wall in the southern district. Night Fireflies occasionally drifted out from the distant thickets.
Everything around him was quiet. It seemed like another peaceful night.
Hee~
Just as Wei Fan was lost in thought, a strange laugh rang out beside his ear.
"Hmm?" Wei Fan instantly entered the True Intent State, drawing his Wild Goose Wing Saber as he vigilantly scanned his surroundings.
Whoosh!
At the same time, a yellow smoke signal exploded in the night sky.
Wei Fan gauged the distance. It was within his southern district patrol area.
Without hesitation, Wei Fan used the "Chasing Wind Nine Steps" and rushed toward the site of the incident.
By the time he arrived, the two Night Watchers on duty were already dead.
Wei Fan frowned and examined the Night Watchers' corpses. He discovered a finger-thick bloody hole in the center of each of their brows.
"This uncanny creature is extremely fast, and its destructive power is formidable!" Wei Fan analyzed.
It had taken him only two breaths to get here, yet the Night Watchers had already died. This uncanny creature's attacks were incredibly swift.
The human skull was the hardest part of the body, yet it had been effortlessly pierced through. Clearly, this uncanny creature possessed terrifying penetrative power.
Hee~
Just as Wei Fan was thinking, that strange laugh appeared again.
Compared to before, Wei Fan's mind actually went blank for an instant this time.
At that moment.
Whoosh!
A sharp sound split the air.
Clang!
A sparrow-sized uncanny bird slammed into the center of Wei Fan's brow, producing the ringing clash of metal against metal.
Perhaps it had not expected Wei Fan's defenses to be so strong, but the uncanny bird actually knocked itself unconscious.
"Are you scratching an itch for me?" Wei Fan sneered, clamping the uncanny bird in his large hand as he prepared to crush it to death.
But at that moment, Wei Fan felt the "Ghost Locking Seal" on his palm grow faintly hot.
"Hmm? Could the Ghost Locking Seal not only seize human souls, but the souls of uncanny creatures as well?"
With a thought, Wei Fan blasted the mark in his hand into the uncanny bird's body.
"Ding! Blood Ghost-level uncanny creature killed. Energy Points +18"
The system notification sounded.
Why were there still Energy Points?
"Did it fail?"
Wei Fan curled his lips.
But immediately afterward, a strange sight unfolded.
The uncanny bird, which had originally died, actually opened its eyes again. Only, its pupils were gray and dim, as though filled with the color of death.
Not only that, but the uncanny bird's aura gradually began to weaken.
"Could it be that the Ghost Locking Seal doesn't work?" Wei Fan frowned.
"System, add points!"
Wei Fan summoned his interface.
Before you continue