Chapter 37: Sup Cuz!
Meeting my cousin turned out to be more awkward than I had anticipated. Despite his friendly demeanor, his casual attitude towards crushing someone's cultivation made quite an impression.
Still, I was grateful for their help in dealing with the arrogant young master.
"Thanks for helping me handle that inner disciple. He attempted to kill me multiple times and even sought to degrade me," I remarked, recalling what I had already mentioned in the letter. Also added a little extra to make them act because I thought they wouldn't care otherwise.
Liu Feng knew little about his relatives in the sect. So what was there to talk about? It wasn't like we were going to high-five for crushing the cultivation of an inner elder's descendant.
"Anyway, enough with the pleasantries," Liu Bo smile widened as he continued. "How much do you know about what our clan is trying to achieve here in the sect?"
"Next to nothing," I admitted.
"Well, the gist of it is that the Blazing Sun Sect is one of the best in the continent, and our clan is striving for a foothold here," he explained, nodding proudly.
While that sounded promising, wasn't this the same goal every other clan pursued by sending their children here? To access better resources and secure opportunities for future generations?r
"Liu Qian recently broke through, giving us a better chance than ever, as she's become an inner elder's personal disciple," Liu Feng said, his fond smile reflecting a glimpse of the journey they had gone through. Undoubtedly, the entire group felt a sense of pride in their accomplishments. "Sadly, as inner disciples, we are restricted from certain activities. However, there's an upcoming event with newcomers from the Liu Clan. We've heard they've made it through the preliminaries, and now only the elimination part of the exams remains."
Liu Feng wiggled his eyebrows, a playful smirk on his lips. "Do you see where I'm going with this?"
"You want me to enter the exam as a tester and help our clan members pass," I concluded.
He nodded eagerly, his eyes shining like I had just solved a complicated math problem.
"As expected from a member of the Liu Clan, our family seems to have a knack for understanding each other without words," he chuckled, his happiness bordering on eerie.
What was he talking about? There was no silent understanding between us, and we did speak about the situation. But I wasn't about to confront him in case he turned out to be a smiling psychopath.
There were a couple of concerning aspects to consider. Undoubtedly, the Blazing Sun Sect had measures in place to counter situations like this. They had demonstrated great caution in such matters before.
"While I'm willing to help, my help might not be enough. I'm only an eight-star body temperer-"
"Congratulations," he interrupted, patting me on the shoulder. "I recall you were only at five stars when you joined. That's remarkable progress."
Encountering such a supportive figure in the xianxia world was unsettling. While it might have been common in my previous world, it was far from typical here. I couldn't shake the feeling that there might be something hidden beneath Liu Bo's facade of kindness.
"Anyway, as I was saying," I pressed on. "While I may be among the top in the outer sect, there are nine-star disciples and those nearing Qi Gathering. They're not opponents I can easily overcome."
To say I had zero chance against them would be a stretch. I had managed to hold my own against the arrogant young master, even though he mostly toyed with me. My survival was largely due to my ability to sense Qi, a skill beyond the average Body Tempering disciple's grasp.
"I have just the solution for that problem," he began, reaching into his uniform's inner part as if retrieving something. Suddenly, his expression paled, and panic flashed across his face. He frantically searched before finally locating a pouch at his side, pulling out a book with a look of relief as if it were a precious gem.
It seemed like I had just witnessed the xianxia equivalent of searching for your phone only to realize it was in your hand or pocket all along. Moments like these reminded me that despite their extraordinary abilities, they were still just people.
Leaning closer, Liu Bo whispered, "This technique was discovered during a mission outside the sect."
His cautious glances around suggested he was wary of being overheard. After an uncomfortable silence, he continued, "I'll take this book back to the clan. But for now, you can read it."
Accepting the book, I quickly flipped through its pages, realizing it was unlike anything I had encountered before. Even the introductory sections delved into topics like Qi, far beyond my current understanding.
Meeting Liu Bo's gaze, his nod confirmed my suspicions. We exchanged no words aloud as I handed the book back to him.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
It was undoubtedly an Earth Grade Technique. The question lingered: how had our relatives obtained something so rare?
Though I had countless questions, voicing them now would be perilous. Even in solitude, possessing such knowledge was a risk that could provoke the ire of elders. Liu Bo displayed remarkable courage in shouldering the responsibility of returning the book to the clan.
Could our clan safeguard such a treasure? Our leader, as far as I knew, stood at the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment. Our clan, barely three centuries old, was still growing. Our founder, a Core Formation cultivator, remained a mysterywhether alive or not.
"How..." I treaded carefully with my words. "How will this aid me against opponents stronger than myself?"
In other words, lacking Qi, I couldn't use such techniques.
"These... techniques," Liu Bo spoke cautiously, avoiding overt references to its grade. "Even someone who can't sense Qi can utilize them. While one may not unlock their full potential, even a fraction would suffice. Those attuned to Qi can tap into the energy around them for their techniques."
He hinted that even someone at the peak of nine-star cultivation could utilize Earth Grade Techniques with only partial efficiency, which was still a significant advantage.
He likely entrusted me with this book because there would be no other opportunity to read it after it was sent to the clan. It seemed they aimed to equip all the Liu Clan children in the Blazing Sun Sect with a substantial edge over their peers.
But before delving further, I needed assurance. "You didn't take this from the sect, right?"
Xin Ma, the librarian, had warned me about the consequences of removing techniques from the Blazing Sun Sect. Though they preferred avoiding enmity, their retaliation spared no one, extending even to everyone related to the clan who might brew in revenge.
"Of course not. We respect the rules and really did find it outside," Liu Bo replied, appearing genuine.
"How long can I have with the book?"
"One hour, in seclusion, with me present," he stated firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.
"I know the perfect spot," I announced, leaping off the stairway to land softly on a nearby tree branch. Liu Bo followed suit effortlessly as we traversed from branch to branch, our movements silent, disturbing neither the foliage nor the tranquility of the autumn day. Silence prevailed until we reached my secluded training grounds.
"Remember, one hour. No exceptions. I have obligations to fulfill," Liu Bo reminded me as he handed me the book.
Opening the book, I absorbed every word, striving to commit the text to memory while racing against the hourglass.
By the time I finished the book, Liu Bo retrieved it just before dashing off. However, I halted him with a call, "Hey, wait a second. I have something to show you."
Since they had entrusted me with an Earth Grade Technique, something I wouldn't have discovered on my own, I felt compelled to reciprocate by aiding him.
The book broadened my perspective considerably.
Approaching a tree marked with my fist, I unearthed a pouch nestled beneath its roots, containing around sixty-nine spirit stonesnot exactly overflowing, but a substantial sum nonetheless.
Opening the pouch, I revealed its contents to Liu Bo, whose eyes widened in surprise. Comprehension dawned on him quickly, and he remarked, "Ah, I see. So you were indeed imprisoned. It was odd when people inquired about you, so we suspected something of the sort."
"Take as many spirit stones as you need. Just leave me a few for emergencies," I offered, laying out my terms.
While a hundred or even a thousand spirit stones couldn't purchase an Earth Grade Technique, this gesture was the best I could manage.
"We had to pool resources for Liu Qian's breakthrough, leaving me short on spirit stones for the journey. This will be more helpful than you realize, reducing the need for frequent rest stops," he acknowledged, taking ten spirit stones.
"Do you need the talisman? It suppresses Qi signals," I offered.
"No need. The natural Qi emitted by the spirit stones won't pose a problem. In fact, it might deter some who sense my Qi, as long as they remain unaware of... the other matter," he replied, glancing into the distance before departing. However, he paused once more, turning back to me. "Remember, the Liu Clan youths you're assisting are twins. And if anyone witnesses you fully using the technique you just learned, make sure they speak of it to no one else."
Essentially Liu Bo meant I had to kill them. But as long as I didn't use the technique to full power, no one should notice it was an Earth Grade Technique.
I nodded as he vanished into the distance. With him gone, I secured the sack of stones and decided against stashing it under the tree roots, opting to carry it with me.
There was no scheduled training for today, so I hurried to the library. By now, the sun had nearly set, and nighttime offered the best opportunity for training. However, circumstances had shifted considerably.
Upon reaching the library, I approached the librarian and placed the dirty sack on the counter. He arched an inquisitive brow at me.
"What should I do with this?" he asked.
Glancing around to ensure we were alone, I replied, "Since you're my teacher now, it wouldn't be too much favoritism to ask you to keep my spirit stones safe."
After a moment of contemplation, he nodded. "Very well. Feel free to approach me whenever you need spirit stones to purchase something."
With a nod of gratitude, I ascended to the second floor, where I found the old man seated, sipping tea just as I had left him. Hopefully, none of my books had fallen victim to his tea spills.
"You're back already? Weren't you supposed to be training?" he grumbled. "Now I have even less private time. It's a nightmare. I might go insane any day now."
Ignoring his complaints, I replied, "I need to write something."
Grabbing one of the empty notebooks scattered about, which I often used to jot down anything of interest, I began transcribing the Earth Grade Technique from memory.
The old man leaned in to peer at my writing and asked, "What's with the strange scribbles?"
"It's a foreign language," I quipped, finishing the transcription.
I doubted even someone proficient in English could decipher my atrocious chicken-like writing.
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