Raise a sword!

"Raising a Sword!", a sweet and delightful novel released in late October, is available to read now!

Jiang Peng finally saw Qian Laosi use his family's secret technique.

Although I had heard Qian Laosi mention his family's long-standing tradition before, and knew that he had made a lot of money using this method.

But this is the first time I've actually seen it in person.

Qian Laosi was carrying a wooden box the size of his head, on which sat a finely crafted compass with an extremely complex mechanism.

As he muttered incantations like a blind fortune teller, the compass in front of him seemed to be drawn by some force, constantly spinning and changing.

Seeing Jiang Peng watching intently, Song Lian explained in a low voice, "That's not spiritual power driving the compass to change... I was also curious about the Qian family's secret techniques, just like Brother Jiang. According to Brother Qian himself, the compass changes are due to the pull of Qi."

"Qi?" Jiang Peng didn't quite understand.

Just then, Qian Laosi opened his eyes and looked at Jiang Peng.

"All things in heaven and earth possess vital energy, from mountains and rivers to birds and beasts... My family's secret technique is said to be tracking, but in reality, it is searching for vital energy."

Qian Laosi lifted a corner of the wooden box in his hand, revealing a human head inside.

Jiang Peng glanced at the head and noticed the charred marks on the wound.

"Hey, isn't that the flesh and blood puppet of that Foundation Establishment evil cultivator?"

Jiang Peng did not reveal that he had dealt with the puppet himself, and Qian Laosi was obviously unaware of this inside story. He simply continued, "The qi in the body is interconnected, and my family's secret technique is to find the source of the qi."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Peng seemed to recall something and smiled, "You said that mountains and rivers also possess a vital energy, so what opportunities are hidden within them..."

Jiang Peng didn't finish speaking, but Qian Laosi already understood what he meant.

Qian Laosi nodded slightly.

"That's how I search for treasure in the wild... It's just a pity that this method goes against the natural order. Although it doesn't necessarily mean I'll suffer from the five deficiencies and three lacks, even if I happen to encounter some so-called opportunity, I'll most likely end up with nothing."

Based on her previous experience exploring the underground cave, Jiang Peng believed Qian Laosi's words.

Despite possessing secret techniques, Qian Laosi only managed to fare slightly better than ordinary rogue cultivators, which speaks volumes.

"Even so, Brother Qian's methods are enough to make others covet it. Apart from being recruited, is there no one else eyeing the Qian family?" Jiang Peng asked curiously.

Qian Laosi said, "I understand what Brother Jiang means, but this secret technique cannot be practiced by those who are not of the Qian family bloodline... This is common knowledge."

Jiang Peng nodded slightly and did not ask any further questions.

Similar methods of calculation exist in this world, and there are many related records in the Cangshan Sect's library.

But those who can use such methods must either have extraordinary cultivation or possess some special abilities.

Just like what Qian Laosi said about Qi, it was so mysterious and incomprehensible to Jiang Peng that he didn't know what form Qi took or how it could be perceived and utilized by the Qian family bloodline.

But for Qian Laosi, the so-called "qi" (vital energy) was as natural as the weather, with its sunshine and rain.

...

As evening fell, the Peak Master of Rainbow Robes swaggered away from Da Cang City.

Seeing Ni Chang flying through the sky without any attempt to conceal her movements, Jiang Peng realized that she had probably already made contact with that Foundation Establishment evil cultivator, and that her departure was to trade for the "Hundred Poisons Technique".

"Brother Qian, how is it?" Jiang Peng subconsciously looked at Qian Laosi.

But Qian Laosi's face turned deathly pale.

After a full day of searching, they had covered most of the vast city of Dacang on foot, and Qian Laosi's breathing became increasingly light and weak.

It's clear that using the Qian family's secret technique was quite taxing for Qian Laosi.

But what is consumed is not spiritual power, but mental energy.

"Strange." Qian Laosi frowned, his gaze fixed on the compass in front of him. "I've searched all over Da Cang City, and now only the southern part of the city remains. The energy is drawn here... but I just can't figure out the location of that evil cultivator."

Song Lian, standing to the side, looked tense.

"Are you sure it's in the south of the city?"

After a slight hesitation, Qian Laosi nodded emphatically and said, "I was also afraid of delaying the important matters of the sect, so I confirmed it several times before I dared to speak."

Song Lian responded and immediately took out a communication talisman. After activating it, he tapped the talisman twice, and the talisman immediately flew into the air and disappeared.

After doing all this, Song Lian explained in a low voice, "The sect has gathered a lot of late-stage Qi Refining disciples in advance. Apart from you and me accompanying Qian Laosi, the rest of the people are preparing for the formation."

"The evil cultivator is hiding here, clearly intending to use the people of the city as hostages if things are exposed... Unfortunately, he miscalculated. If it weren't for Martial Aunt Ni Chang's personal arrival, the evil cultivator might have actually succeeded."

Song Lian paused slightly, carefully choosing his words.

"What a pity. Although Aunt Ni Chang is usually... well, not very serious, who doesn't know how cunning and resourceful she is?"

Jiang Peng, who was listening nearby, wanted to laugh.

"Senior Brother Song, our Uncle has already swaggered away to make a show of himself to the evil cultivators."

"To put it bluntly, if we really anger Aunt Ni Chang, she won't care about the people in the city... she will only seek revenge for the people who are affected."

While Song Lian and Jiang Peng were talking, Qian Laosi had already walked a distance in a daze, and then stopped at the entrance of an inconspicuous alley.

The southern part of Dacang City is mostly inhabited by ordinary people. Although it is lively, it lacks a certain grandeur.

The alley in front of us looked rather dilapidated, with piles of rotten vegetable leaves and other garbage at the entrance.

Jiang Peng and Song Lian quickly arrived at Qian Laosi's side.

Song Lian lowered his voice and asked, "Is this where the heretical cultivators are hiding?"

Qian Laosi nodded uncertainly and said, "It's noisy and the energy here is chaotic. This is the only place I could find."

"That's enough."

Just then, a talisman descended from the sky and landed in front of Song Lian.

Song Lian took the talisman and examined it, then smiled and said, "The formation has been set up properly."

As they were talking, Song Lian suddenly noticed that Jiang Peng seemed to be lost in thought.

He patted Jiang Peng on the shoulder.

"Junior Brother Jiang, what's wrong?"

Jiang Peng remained silent.

Just a few feet away from the three of them was the alley where Qian Laosi had stopped.

A few breaths ago, a ragged old man emerged from the alley, rummaging through the garbage heap at the alley entrance. He looked like a beggar scavenging for scraps, trying to find anything that could fill his stomach.

What caught Jiang Peng's attention was that the old man's tattered robe was dark green.

"It really looks just like the green Taoist robe that Old Demon Dan wore back then." Jiang Peng's heart tightened.

At the same time, as if sensing the gaze, the beggar-like old man also looked up at Jiang Peng.

Upon meeting each other's eyes, the old man immediately realized something.

He grinned, revealing a mouthful of rotten teeth, with worms vaguely crawling between them.

Almost simultaneously, Jiang Peng's pupils contracted, and he grabbed Qian Laosi in front of him.

"Senior Brother Song, run!"