Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Searching for the Stone Touching Skill (Requesting collection, vote recommendation, thank you all!)
Hearing Su Yanru’s words, Shi Xiaole had to admire her, though he felt helpless.
After all, the Fuyang Qi Skill is a second-rate Internal Power. How could Cao Ruoyu resist it? Once he accepted it, he would be tied to the Golden Phoenix Tower, making it impossible for him to disclose any secrets.
Besides, even if he didn’t accept it, the Fuyang Qi Skill had already been delivered to the Knife Assistance Gang. Even if he didn’t practice it, he couldn’t detach himself from it.
However, remembering Cao Ruoyu’s persona, Shi Xiaole was still concerned, thinking he may need to do something when he got stronger.
They chatted a bit more, and as Shi Xiaole was about to stand up, he suddenly found himself swaying and falling forward. Thankfully, Su Yanru was there to catch him in time.
"Have you still not recovered from the consumption of your life force?"
Su Yanru asked with sorrow in her eyes.
"I’m feeling a lot better now," Shi Xiaole replied weakly, thinking to himself, "Aunt, please don’t blame me."
To prevent his aunt from getting suspicious, Shi Xiaole had previously lied that he was able to kill Sima Biao and Jiang Buxu by using a technique that consumed his life force, which could only be used a few times in his lifetime.
Therefore, these days, Su Yanru often blamed herself for not fulfilling her duty to protect Shi Xiaole.
After helping Shi Xiaole to the bed and instructing him to rest, Su Yanru stayed by his side until he fell asleep before she left with a sigh.
In the following days, Shi Xiaole lived quite leisurely.
He practiced martial arts moves in the morning and meditated on the Fuyang Qi Skill in the afternoon. In the evening, he would sometimes chat with his aunt when she had time, or he would read a book by himself.
Days later, a faint sound came from his room, and Shi Xiaole’s black hair fluttered beside his temples without any wind. This lasted for half a day before it eventually stopped.
"The last bloody battle, although it depleted my vitality, unexpectedly solidified my foundation. After recuperating, my internal power has actually improved further."
A faint smile spread across Shi Xiaole’s face.
Improving internal power and mastering techniques are two different things.
Someone with high aptitude could achieve a high level of technique mastery in a short time. To a certain extent, the strength of your techniques is not determined by your age, but your comprehension.
However, internal power is different.
No matter how good one’s comprehension is, they won’t be able to reach advanced levels of internal power within a short period of time because it requires accumulation over time and no shortcuts can be taken.
Of course, those with high aptitude would progress faster than those with poor aptitude, but this gap is not as exaggerated as it is with techniques.
Shi Xiaole had had the Fuyang Qi Skill for several months. With his persistent practice, he had finally mastered it today.
Upon achieving mastery of the Fuyang Qi Skill, Shi Xiaole’s internal power began a process of rejuvenation. After a few cycles, not only was his power more profound than before, but it also lasted longer, giving the feeling of being inexhaustible.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
After practicing in the courtyard until he ran out of internal power, Shi Xiaole was pleasantly surprised to find that his techniques were about 20% more powerful than before, and furthermore, his endurance was frighteningly about 30% stronger.
If his victory over Lian Tu had been by a hair’s breadth before, now Shi Xiaole was confident that even if he just relied on Taiyue Three Green Peaks, he could still be undefeated.
"Lele, your aptitude has really exceeded my expectations," a voice exclaimed in astonishment.
Yu Fangge had actually arrived quite a while ago, but he had been standing at the entrance to the courtyard the whole time. After witnessing Shi Xiaole’s practice session, he had to admit, the nephew that Su Yanru had taken in truly had extraordinary abilities.
"Uncle."
After a slight hesitation, Shi Xiaole promptly invited Yu Fangge to sit down in the courtyard. After the maidservant had brewed two cups of aromatic tea and left, he laughed and asked, "Uncle, did you have something on your mind when you came to see me?"
"What, I can’t visit you unless I have something to discuss?" Yu Fangge asked with a slight smile, leaving Shi Xiaole flustered.
Of course, Shi Xiaole didn’t mean it that way. He just thought that a martial arts fanatic like Yu Fangge, who trained even harder than he did, wouldn’t have time to waste.
"The crisis at the Golden Phoenix Tower has been resolved, and I should return to the Huajian Sect. Would you like to come with me?" Yu Fangge stated his reason for coming.
Shi Xiaole smiled bitterly, "Although my aunt hasn’t mentioned it explicitly, she has implied that she wants me to return to the Golden Phoenix Tower."
Upon hearing this, Yu Fangge became anxious and said, "How can that be? Lele, you are the star of the Huajian Sect. We rely on you to attract more disciples. How can you leave?"
Shi Xiaole was momentarily speechless. So that was his role in the Huajian Sect?
Yu Fangge’s face reddened, and he hastily added, "Lele, you don’t realize how important you are. The Huajian Sect simply can’t do without you."
In fact, Shi Xiaole didn’t want to leave the Huajian Sect. He knew that his aunt wanted him to return to the Golden Phoenix Tower to prepare him for taking over her position.
The problem was, Shi Xiaole had no interest in being a gang leader.
His dream was to roam the martial world, training his swordsmanship and horsemanship, venturing into the wider world to witness more wonders, encounter more masters, and climb to the pinnacle of martial arts.
If he were to become a gang leader, he would inevitably waste a lot of unnecessary energy on trivial matters, which could hinder his progress in martial arts.
Indeed, in the process, he might acquire wealth, status, and power, but as long as he was strong enough, all of these things would naturally follow.
Through getting to know each other over these days, Shi Xiaole had come to understand that the most powerful beings on this world were far beyond his imagination, with strength that could make even the royal power tremble, eliciting awe and respect.
Only with such strength can one truly attain freedom and ease! Otherwise, all externalities are as rootless duckweed, a precarious tower in the sky, at risk of collapsing at any moment.
"I will explain things to your auntie," Shi Xiaole assured.
His promise put Yu Fangge at ease. He knew that Shi Xiaole was a man of his word — if he said something, he meant it.
As Yu Fangge was about to leave, a thought crossed Shi Xiaole’s mind, and he suddenly asked, "Uncle, do you know a master known as the Stone Touching Master?"
Any diminishment in spirit and comprehension would directly affect his martial path, and Shi Xiaole did not want to see that as a result.
A person accustomed to flying could never stand running on the ground, even if he was fast enough to leave everyone else in his dust.
Shi Xiaole deeply understood that if he wanted to climb to the apex of the martial path, he needed to always stay in his best condition. Otherwise, the so-called peak would merely be an empty phrase.
His plan was to learn high-level Stone Touching Skills from a powerful Stone Touching Master to restore his lost spirit force, thus recovering his mental and comprehending capacities.
However, Stone Touching Masters were extremely rare, and most of them were figures from the top powers in the world, unreachable to the average person. The others either concealed their identities or secluded themselves from the world, rarely seen by common people.
Looking for Stone Touching Skill separately was even more difficult than finding a Stone Touching Master, even by trying one’s luck at a place as unpredictable as the Dark Alley.
Therefore, Shi Xiaole just asked casually, without holding any hopes.
Unexpectedly, after some thought, Yu Fangge said, "I don’t know any Stone Touching Masters, but I have an acquaintance whose ancestor was a renowned Stone Touching Master. He once mentioned that they kept a family heirloom which is a Stone Touching Skill manual."
Filled with happiness, Shi Xiaole asked, "Uncle, do you know where this person might be?"
Yu Fangge looked at Shi Xiaole and said, "My acquaintance used to be a martial arts master, but after he was sneakily attacked, he lost all his skills and has been living in seclusion for years. A few years ago, I went to visit him."
As he spoke, Yu Fangge couldn’t help but frown.
A warrior inquiring about the whereabouts of a Stone Touching Master was likely after the Mystic Crystal Stone. But obtaining a Mystic Crystal Stone was not as easy as it seemed. As for becoming a Stone Touching Master himself, that was even more impossible.
"Xiaole, after all, the most solid martial arts skills are those you cultivate step by step on your own," said a serious Yu Fangge, fearing Shi Xiaole was becoming too complacent.
"Uncle, I am compelled by my circumstances to find him. But the reason is not what you think," Shi Xiaole explained with a wry smile.
"Never mind then, you are indeed different from ordinary people. I believe in you. But recently, I feel like I am about to break through, so I won’t be able to accompany you," Yu Fangge said.
After some consideration, Yu Fangge gathered some paper and a brush, quickly wrote a letter and handed it to Shi Xiaole. He informed him of the location and instructed him to deliver the letter to his old friend, who would then understand everything.
Shi Xiaole thanked him repeatedly.
"Lele, you’re not returning to the Golden Phoenix Tower?" Knowing that Shi Xiaole was about to return to the Huajian Sect, Su Yanru showed a mix of reluctance and helplessness.
"Auntie, although I’m reluctant to leave so soon, you can rest assured that once I feel strong enough after adventuring in the outside world for a few years, I will take up your burdens," he answered.
Meals are eaten one bite at a time, and things can’t be accomplished in one step, especially with his aunt’s delicate but strong personality. Shi Xiaole wasn’t eager to announce his decision all at once, to avoid any extreme reactions.
Indeed, as soon as Su Yanru heard that Shi Xiaole was only taking a break for a few years and not completely giving up on inheriting the Golden Phoenix Tower, she smiled happily. "In that case, make it quick. Actually, Auntie believes that you are already strong enough as it is.
She leaned her alluring body against Shi Xiaole’s, trying to measure their heights. She found that without noticing, Shi Xiaole had grown a few inches taller than her.
He sure grows fast.
The next day, Shi Xiaole and Yu Fangge left together.
Along the way, groups of guards all stopped and stood at attention in respect when they saw Shi Xiaole. Even the three deputy leaders who were on their way to a meeting made a special point to stop and greet him.
Shi Xiaole smiled at the three of them, without showing any indication of prejudice.
"This young one is truly a dragon among men. I wonder how far he’ll lead the Golden Phoenix Tower in the future," the fourth leader remarked, face filled with both satisfaction and expectation.
"We’ll see as we continue to observe." The second leader sighed quietly, withdrawing his gaze. Along with it, he put aside his covetous gaze at the position of leader.
With the respectful gazes of a few guards at the gate, Shi Xiaole and Yu Fangge rode away and left Feiyan City quickly.
"Lele, be careful on your journey. If anything happens, your Auntie Ru will blame me," warned Yu Fangge as they travelled on the road.
"Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ve got it under control," replied Shi Xiaole, grinning widely. He turned his horse in the opposite direction from Yu Fangge, setting off on his own to find Yu Fangge’s old friend and acquire the Stone Touching Skill.
"That kid, I hope he won’t get into too much trouble," Yu Fangge smiled and shook his head, before setting off for Mountain Luyan.
