Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Evil Tiger Devouring Body Great Art
Inside the Tiger Slaughter Sect, Fang Can hurried after the man toward the Sect Leader’s quarters, furtively studying the figure ahead of him.
As expected of the Tiger Slaughter Sect Leader’s personal guard, the man felt to Fang Can to be at least at the seventh or Eighth Layer of the Profound Gate.
As for the Sect Leader himself, the disciples said he had reached the Heaven-Ascending Road Realm. He was practically an immortal, not to be mentioned in the same breath as those still in the Transcendent Body realm.
They rushed through the sect grounds in silence.
As they passed, the disciples in the sparring grounds who had just taken a beating from Fang Can saw his retreating back. They looked at each other, speechless, his words from that morning echoing in their minds.
"This is the smallest the gap between you and me will ever be."
"It’s also your best chance to defeat me."
"Miss this chance, and from this day forward, all you’ll be able to do is watch my back as you struggle to follow in my footsteps."
Thinking of this, the disciples, though filled with resentment, knew his words were true.
...
They stopped before a courtyard with red walls and green tiles. Fang Can saw three more masters guarding the entrance, each at the seventh or Eighth Layer of the Profound Gate. ’This must be the Sect Leader’s office,’ he thought.
"Go on in. The Sect Leader is waiting for you," the guide said. He then joined the other three to stand guard at the gate, clearly intending for Fang Can to enter alone.
With a slight nod, Fang Can slowly walked through the gate under the watchful eyes of the four men. The heavy doors slammed shut behind him with a BANG.
’This feels like a trap.’
Fang Can grumbled to himself, ignoring the meticulously manicured gardens, with their exotic flowers, rare plants, and elegant pavilions. He walked toward the innermost building.
He pushed open the main doors and was greeted by the sight of a colossal figure standing over seven feet tall.
Ever since coming to this world, Fang Can had noticed that every Martial Artist he met was more jacked than the last. Their builds were almost absurd—each one was practically a Schwarzenegger.
As the doors opened, the giant turned to fix his gaze on the newcomer. "You are Fang Can?"
When Fang Can nodded, the giant uttered a single phrase: "Too scrawny."
Fang Can: ???
The giant said flatly, "Skinny arms and legs. You’re a far cry from what I expected. How can you fight enemies on the path of the Martial Dao like that?"
Seeing Fang Can’s baffled expression, the towering man explained, "In the Transcendent Body Realm, flesh and blood *are* power. Take two people at the Profound Gate First Layer. If one is heavier than the other, the heavier one can take on at least three of the lighter one."
Fang Can understood the man’s logic. Assuming equal muscle quality, the heavier person would always have the advantage. It was just like weight classes in boxing.
Of course, pure strength wasn’t everything, but it could make up for a lot.
The man continued, "It’s a shame you’re already eighteen. Your frame is set. Otherwise, with secret medicines and training from a young age, it would have been no problem to get you to grow to over six and a half feet."
Hearing this, Fang Can couldn’t hold back any longer. "You’re the Sect Leader?"
"That’s right. I am Yang Duan, the Tiger Slaughter Sect Leader." The man nodded slightly, confirming his identity.
"The Celestial Secret Tower will release its new rankings in just three days. Time is short. How much you can learn from now until then is up to you."
"Thank you, Sect Leader," Fang Can said with genuine gratitude.
Yang Duan looked at Fang Can with an inscrutable expression. "No need for thanks. I just hope that when you inevitably stir up trouble in the future, you don’t drag the Tiger Slaughter Sect into it."
Fang Can: ’Wait, what’s he talking about? I don’t get it at all.’
Completely bewildered by Yang Duan’s words, Fang Can was lost. But Yang Duan offered no explanation and simply continued.
"I have two Cultivation Techniques here: the *Evil Tiger Devouring Body* and the *Taming Tiger and Dragon Golden Body*. Which do you wish to learn?"
Fang Can hesitated for a moment before saying, "...I’m a genius. Can I have both?"
Yang Duan seemed taken aback for a moment, but then he nodded. "You might be biting off more than you can chew, but very well."
With that, Yang Duan gave a light wave of his hand. Two wooden boxes flew off the table behind him and into Fang Can’s waiting hands.
"These contain simplified versions of the original techniques. I have imbued them with the true meaning of the Martial Dao using my Heart Image. Only the first person to read them can comprehend it, and for only one hour."
"What you glean from it, and how much, will depend on your own aptitude."
’Is this some kind of one-time-use XP tome or a Devil Fruit?’ Fang Can mused, looking at the box. He then gently opened it.
A golden light, as piercing as a sword, shot out and sank into the space between Fang Can’s eyebrows, transforming into a stream of pure martial intent.
When Fang Can came to his senses, he found a sheepskin scroll inside the box. He unrolled it and, using the writing he’d learned over the past few days, made out the large characters at the top: *Evil Tiger Devouring Body Technique*.
In truth, it wouldn’t have mattered if he couldn’t read. As soon as Fang Can’s eyes fell upon the words, Yang Duan’s voice automatically echoed in his mind.
The Sect Leader had used a Heart Image, left in the box beforehand, to transmit the Cultivation Technique.
This finally cleared up something that had been puzzling Fang Can: in a world full of illiterates, how did masters learn secret martial arts manuals?
Now he understood. ’So they just use a Heart Image.’
After all, what written word could be as clear and precise as direct mental communication?
Fang Can couldn’t perform such a feat himself, though. He probably wouldn’t be able to until he reached the level of a Heaven-Ascending Road master.
According to the teachings from Yang Duan’s Heart Image, the *Evil Tiger Devouring Body Technique* was a desperate, power-bursting technique that damaged one’s foundation and consumed their vital energy. It was similar to a technique called Heavenly Devil Disintegration—something not to be used lightly unless facing certain death.
’Hold on, hold on.’ At this thought, under Yang Duan’s strange gaze, Fang Can hurriedly pulled a handful of arsenic from a hidden fold in his clothes and swallowed it.
Feeling his aptitude increase more than tenfold, Fang Can breathed a sigh of relief. ’Ah, that’s more like it.’
Without hesitation, he opened the other box. The technique inside, *Taming Tiger and Dragon Golden Body*, was an external hardening Cultivation Technique. It could make the surface of one’s skin harder than steel.
Staring at the contents of the two scrolls, Fang Can became completely immersed, beginning to intuitively grasp their essence.
On his panel, the description field began to display corresponding information.
Description:
Host’s will is converging. Using *Evil Tiger Devouring Body* as the foundation, flesh and blood as the altar, consciousness as the anchor, and the Heart Image as the offering, beginning visualization and materialization.
Beginning materialization of [Evil Tiger Devouring Body]
--Estimated time: 5 minutes, 16 seconds--
Host’s will is converging. Using *Taming Tiger and Dragon Golden Body* as the fou...
As his Heart Image flickered, Fang Can stood up ten minutes later and let out a long breath. He had completely learned the contents of the Heart Image transmission.
But even though he’d learned them, the Heart Image in his mind was still rigidly droning on, transmitting the information for both Cultivation Techniques over and over. It seemed it wouldn’t stop until the full hour was up.
In response, with a mere thought, Fang Can released his own Heart Image to counteract it.
Instantly, like a flame to butter, the noisy power of the other Heart Image melted away, and Fang Can’s mind fell silent.
"You’ve learned them?" Yang Duan couldn’t hide his surprise as he watched Fang Can rise, even knowing the young man’s talent was peerless.
"Mhm, took me a whole ten minutes to finally get it done," Fang Can said with a humblebragging smile.
"Excellent." Yang Duan smiled and clapped his hands.
"Guards! Fang Can has stolen the sect’s Secret Techniques! Strip him of his disciple status immediately and throw him in the dungeons!"
Fang Can: Huh???
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