I'll write a manual called the Sunflower Manual, and the entire martial arts world will turn in

Zhang Long not only started later but also surpassed Chen Da in progress, which was a full four times faster.

"Indeed, professional tasks should be handled by professionals."

Without saying a word, Xie An walked towards the Ink Fragrance Bookstore.

Two of the bookstore's doors were kicked off by Scarface Liu, so they couldn't be closed properly.

Xie An rushed inside, not intending to continue selling books. He simply moved a broken wooden plank to block the gap, then returned to the main room and closed the door.

After a few simple movements, Xie An clearly felt a surge of heat flowing from the spine, spreading throughout his body and making him feel warm all over.

"So comfortable~"

Once the heat dissipated, Xie An felt much lighter.

He then added all his attribute points to Strength.

The strength has reached 0.66.

In less than a day, it increased by a full 0.16. That's incredibly fast. Even buying the most expensive wild ginseng might not produce such an effect.

Xie An picked up the newly bought dagger and brandished it around the room.

While not exactly fierce, his body was no longer so loose and flabby.

Next, Xie An waited at home for Chen Da and Zhang Long to improve their progress.

Unfortunately, by noon, no feedback had been received.

It seems that the cultivation speed of these two has slowed down, and the third ruthless person who castrated himself has yet to appear...

Waiting passively is never a pleasant experience.

"It doesn't feel right to just wait passively forever."

Xie An felt it was necessary to make some minor adjustments to his plans.

While choosing to lie low and wait can lead to gradual growth, this approach is far too passive. Relying on Chen Da and Zhang Long, it's possible they won't master the Sunflower Manual even after ten years, and their chances of success will be even more distant...

He was struggling to make ends meet and had no money for incense offerings, so how could he keep waiting for Chen Da and Zhang Long?

How many decades does one have in a lifetime to waste?

Before finding a true genius to serve you like a slave, it's safer to walk on two legs and have more control.

Moreover, Xie An's understanding of martial arts in this world is not comprehensive. What if he cultivates the Sunflower Manual to a high level... and it still isn't enough in this world?

"This martial arts treasure trove system is great, but I can't completely rely on this cheat. It's just my trump card. I still need to go and learn about the martial arts of this world."

Moreover, martial arts schools, gangs, sects, and the imperial court in this world represent power, status, and resources.

These are things that even a cheat code can't give you.

Besides, Wuqiao Town is a close-knit community where everyone knows each other, and one needs a martial arts school as a cover for their rise to power. Otherwise, they'd attract too much suspicion and attention.

Just go and take a look, practice a little bit.

Before long, Xie Yu came running back excitedly. "Brother, I found a job washing clothes at Yongsheng Martial Arts School. I go to work every morning and come back at noon. I get four hundred coins a month. In the afternoon, I can also do some odd jobs at the martial arts school and earn an extra two hundred coins a month."

Yong Sheng Martial Arts School?

Xie An was stunned for a moment.

Isn't Zhang Long an apprentice at Yong Sheng Martial Arts School?

There are four or five martial arts schools in the town, among which Yong Sheng Martial Arts School has the best reputation. The school's owner, Chen Lutang, is known for his chivalry and is highly respected.

Even the Dragon King Gang had to give Chen Lutang some face, and never dared to accept incense money from martial arts school apprentices.

The only downside is that Yong Sheng Martial Arts School is quite strict in accepting students; either the tuition is expensive, or the students have exceptional talent.

"Going to Yong Sheng Martial Arts School to do laundry is not a bad idea. Master Chen has a good reputation, so if Scarface Liu tries to take advantage of you again, he'll have to think twice. I've cut two pounds of meat and some white rice for you to nourish yourself; they're all in the kitchen."

Xie Yu ran to the kitchen and saw fresh pork and white rice. Overjoyed, she felt guilty. "This was all earned by my brother selling his calligraphy... It's my fault for being useless. I couldn't support my brother's studies and ruined his path to success."

Xie An patted her little head: "To hell with fame and fortune, we're family, no need for formalities. Sir, you're angry, let's cook you a good meal first."

"Okay, I'll listen to you, brother."

After traveling for four days, Xie An ate his first meal of meat.

Xie Yu only picked out some scraps of meat to eat, stuffing most of the pieces into Xie An's bowl, saying, "Brother, you haven't recovered yet, eat more."

……

Two days passed in a flash.

That morning, Xie An got up early to sweep the dust off the entrance of the bookstore. He vaguely heard the shop assistants around him talking.

"I heard that the Money Gang was driven away by the Dragon King Gang."

"That's right. The second-in-command of the Dragon King Gang rushed back from outside in the dead of night. He wielded the Swift Wind Sword with great skill and killed the Money Gang without leaving a single survivor."

"The Second-in-Command is a well-known figure in the martial arts world, known as the Swift Swordsman. It's understandable that the Money Gang was driven away. But I heard that the Dragon King Gang also suffered heavy losses, so I guess the donations will have to go up again..."

"Sigh, all this fighting between gangs in the underworld, it's always us ordinary folks who foot the bill in the end. How are we supposed to survive like this..."

Xie An returned to the bookstore after sweeping the floor.

Open the panel.

[Treasure Vault Level: Lv0]

Current martial arts level: None

[Current Martial Art: Sunflower Manual, Level 1, 15/100]

【Strength: 0.9】

【Spirit: 0.5】

【Speed: 0.5】

[Attribute Points: 0]

[Number of students learning the Sunflower Manual: 2 (Chen Da, Zhang Long)]

[Zhang Long has mastered the first level of the Sunflower Manual: 12/100]

[Chen Da's Sunflower Manual, Level 1 Completed: 3/100]

Although his strength had reached 0.9, and Xie An's body had become noticeably stronger and more muscular, the feedback was getting slower and slower...

After the initial excitement of the first two days, Xie An discovered that the Sunflower Manual was very difficult to practice. Chen Da and Zhang Long's feedback was simply too slow.

Especially that Chen Da...

It's made to look like a piece of trash...

A prodigy!

I need a prodigy!

But geniuses are hard to find, and even if you do find one, they might not practice a martial art like the Sunflower Manual that can cause the extinction of one's lineage.

"Why hasn't the third person shown up yet...?"

Xie An rubbed his temples.

……

Yongsheng Martial Arts School is located on East Street in Wuqiao Town, covering an area of ​​three acres. With its blue bricks and gray tiles, it is one of the most impressive buildings in the town. At this moment, the sun has just risen, and the training ground is already full of students. Some are practicing horse stance, while others are practicing on stakes, and shouts are rising and falling.

Dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, Chen Lutang sat on a grand chair on the second floor, holding several yellowed sheets of Xuan paper in his hand, which were densely covered with tiny characters.

This was slipped in through the crack in the door three nights ago.

His gaze fell on the sixteen large characters at the beginning: "To practice divine skills, one must castrate oneself; to refine elixirs and take medicine, one must achieve harmony between the internal and external."

"That's a ruthless skill."

Others might not be able to distinguish the authenticity of the technique, but Chen Lutang, with his extensive experience in the martial arts world, could tell at a glance... that this was a miraculous skill!

Chen Lutang closed the Xuan paper, looked up at the martial arts arena outside the window, and his gaze quickly locked onto a thin apprentice.

The apprentice's punches were as fast as a shooting star, and his retractions were as steady as a rock. He performed a set of Bajiquan with great force, and all the other apprentices around him stopped to watch.

It's Zhang Long.

Chen Lutang narrowed his eyes.

This child has only been at the martial arts school for a little over three months, but he's almost mastered stance training and the first form of Bajiquan. Last night, he even broke through the skin-strengthening barrier, a progress that's outstanding even in the entire Wuqiao Town.

"Master."

As footsteps approached, the eldest apprentice, Wei Xiang, walked in, carrying a bowl of tea, which he placed on the table next to Chen Lutang.

"Zhang Long has made remarkable progress these past two days." Wei Xiang followed his master's gaze and said, "Last night, after he broke through the Skin Refining stage, I registered him according to the rules. Those who break through within six months of entering the sect can become formal disciples and have their tuition waived."

Chen Lutang nodded: "Then we'll proceed according to the rules."

Wei Xiang paused, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

"Is there anything else?"

"Master, I've noticed that Zhang Long... has been acting strange lately." Wei Xiang lowered his voice. "His Adam's apple has become smaller, and his voice has become a bit shrill. I asked him if he was feeling unwell, and he said he was fine."

After saying that, Wei Xiang took out a piece of Xuan paper from his pocket and spread it on the table.

"I suspect Zhang Long practiced the Sunflower Manual. I don't know who released this technique, but it's all over town, saying that some 'benefactor of the martial arts world' revealed the Red Serpent Fairy's unique skill. I looked at the incantation, and although the method is unorthodox, it is indeed a miraculous skill."

After saying this, Wei Xiang looked up at his master and asked, "Should we establish a rule to prohibit apprentices from practicing this technique?"

Chen Lutang remained silent for a moment, then picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Practicing martial arts is a matter of mutual consent. Some seek speed, some seek stability, some seek fame, and some seek profit. Everyone has their own destiny, and this kind of thing cannot be prohibited."

"But……"

"Go out."

Wei Xiang opened his mouth, but in the end he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and withdrew.

Chen Lutang picked up the sheets of Xuan paper again and read them through from beginning to end once more.

—At midnight and noon, calm your mind and focus your energy, visualize a celestial maiden, guide the energy along specific meridians, repeat 36 times, practice for 100 days, and you may have the complexion of an infant…

He closed his eyes.

Images from many years ago flooded my mind—

That escort mission, that ambush, was a bloodbath of flashing blades and flowing blood. He fought desperately to protect the goods, only to be slashed in the back by a knife, the cut so deep it exposed bone. The goods were saved, and he survived, but that blow damaged his very being, leaving him with chronic injuries for over a decade.

Now, my back aches slightly every time I practice.

The doctor said this hidden injury won't heal.

He opened his eyes and looked down at his hands.

These hands, which once wielded a knife for thirty years, now struggle even to perform a complete set of Bajiquan. Outsiders respect him simply because he once demonstrated his skills, implying that his kung fu is as good as ever.

But only Chen Lutang himself knew that his hidden injuries were getting worse and worse, and his strength was constantly declining.

This time bomb will explode sooner or later.

"This is truly a remarkable skill. No wonder the Crimson Serpent Fairy from a side branch of our sect dominated the entire Cangzhou martial arts world at such a young age; it turns out she practiced such an extraordinary skill..."

"Judging from Zhang Long's condition, this technique indeed has no other side effects, and its effects are obvious..."

"Although that benefactor only disseminated the first level of the Qi cultivation technique, it was already remarkably effective. With my skill, even mastering just the first level would be enough to heal my hidden injuries..."

He muttered to himself, his voice so low that only he could hear it.

"If I cultivate this technique, not only will I have hope of revenge, but my hidden injuries will also be fully healed..."

He stopped before he could finish speaking.

A delicate, pretty face appeared before his eyes—Xiulan, his first wife.

He closed his eyes and clenched his fists, and it took him a long time to open them again.

He stood up, walked to the wall, and took down the knife that had been hanging there for three years.

The knife was drawn from its sheath, yet its blade remained sharp.

He looked at his reflection in the blade—his temples were gray, his eyes were sunken, and there was no trace of the spirited head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) he once was.

"Xiulan, if I cannot avenge my husband in this life, there is no point in living... I can only apologize to you."

Having said that, he turned the blade downwards, aiming it at the space between his legs...

His hands were trembling violently, a man's instinctive fear.

But the next second, a resolute, blood-red light surged in his eyes.

"Even if I become a ghost, I will fight my way back!"

Hand up, knife down!

Click!

Blood splattered on the blue brick floor, but it was nothing compared to the cold glint in his eyes.