Chapter 86

"This secret manual is extremely precious. I hope you can study it well. If you can master it, dominating the world will be a piece of cake," Luo Qingquan said.

Bu Li naturally knew this, but he didn’t believe that anyone else on the Soul Wave Continent could recognize simplified Chinese characters besides himself, otherwise, this book wouldn’t have fallen into his hands.

Seeing that Bu Li’s expression remained unchanged, Luo Qingquan continued, "Don’t bother choosing other soul techniques. I have a manual about pattern hunting cultivation here, which I believe is quite suitable for you. Take it and cultivate well."

As he said this, Luo Qingquan was filled with mixed feelings. He really wanted to keep this manual of Elder Nie Xinlei, even if he couldn’t learn it, passing it down to his descendants would be good. However, Luo Qingquan only thought about it. If he really kept it, not only would he not survive, but his descendants probably wouldn’t either.

Bu Li was moved. This little girl, Zhang Xitong, was really taking good care of him. To make Luo Qingquan speak to him with such deference and provide him with a special manual, it was almost like finding a wild father. He never thought that one day he would have something special for himself, perhaps this was the end of his hardships and the beginning of his good fortune?

A scroll of animal skin appeared in Luo Qingquan’s hand, and Bu Li received it with both hands. The animal skin was tough and smooth, warm to the touch, and a powerful soul force surged within it, making it clear that this was no ordinary item.

Luo Qingquan looked at the animal skin in Bu Li’s hands with a hint of reluctance, almost tempted to kill and take it. After all, Elder Nie’s cultivation method was at least a third-grade treasure, far superior to the seventh-grade soul technique he had learned from his master. Suppressing his greedy desires, Luo Qingquan forced a smile, "That’s it then. You signed the Blood Battle Book yesterday, so cultivate well and don’t disgrace your master."

These words clearly indicated the hierarchy. Bu Li, who had just joined the sect, was closer to the core than a long-time outer disciple like Wu Zongfei. If Bu Li lost to Wu Zongfei, it would be a disgrace to the Henshan Sect. What a powerful logic.

Bu Li nodded and carefully stored the animal skin.

"If you win the Blood Battle, I will break the rules again and admit you to the inner sect. Such opportunities are rare, so you must make the most of it," Luo Qingquan instructed. Bu Li nodded in agreement, knowing that this was probably due to Zhang Xitong’s influence, but he didn’t realize how simple his thoughts were. Dahei obediently followed behind Bu Li, never leaving his side.

Luo Qingquan and Bu Li walked out of the scripture hall together. After comforting Bu Li a few more times, Luo Qingquan flew back to the Henshan Sect’s main hall. Bu Li had no complaints; this time, he had gained a lot, getting almost everything he wanted. Even things he hadn’t thought about, he had received. Then what? Should he return to the outer sect’s residence or go down the mountain to see Cai Xiaoxian and Hu Wu?

Thinking of Cai Xiaoxian, Bu Li was eager to return and headed down the mountain path.

The mountain path was winding, and he hadn’t walked far when two Henshan Sect outer disciples appeared in front of him, blocking his way.

"What’s the matter?" On the mountain path, he had no advantage, but if he used vines, Bu Li once again marveled that there were no strongest pattern beasts, only the most suitable ones. Using vines, this obstacle would become a smooth path for him, and while he might not be able to defeat these outer disciples, escaping would be a simple task.

"Have you signed the Blood Battle Book and now want to run?" one of the Henshan Sect outer disciples sneered.

"Who said I want to run?" Bu Li asked with a smile, his soul force already subtly fluctuating, preparing to summon vines.

"If you’re not running, why are you going down the mountain?" The Henshan Sect outer disciple spat, his face filled with hatred. "After signing the Blood Battle Book, you can only cultivate on Henshan Mountain for the next month. You can’t go anywhere."

"What if I don’t agree?" Bu Li didn’t take the Henshan Sect outer disciple’s words seriously, treating them as mere wind in his ears. "You say I can’t go down the mountain, so I won’t?"

"You can try, and it just so happens that I don’t have a good reason to kill you," a voice like a bell resounded behind Bu Li. Dahei growled, turning to protect Bu Li’s back, facing Fan Honglei, who had appeared at some point.

Bu Li wasn’t afraid. Luo Qingquan’s attitude today had already made everything clear. As long as he was on Henshan Mountain, these Henshan Sect disciples had to follow the rules. But he didn’t understand why Luo Qingquan didn’t suppress this situation. Was it a test?

But the current situation was troublesome. These damn people! Bu Li cursed in his heart, smiling and turning to face Fan Honglei, "It’s Instructor Fan. Since the rules are like this, I won’t insist. I’ll return to the outer sect’s residence to cultivate. Is that acceptable?"

Fan Honglei was helpless against Bu Li, who didn’t react to his provocation. Bu Li could turn hostile at any moment, even though he was smiling now. "You know the rules," Fan Honglei said in a deep voice, stepping aside to let Bu Li pass.

Bu Li smiled and walked past Fan Honglei with Dahei. At that moment, Fan Honglei almost pushed Bu Li off Henshan Mountain. He could kill these two outer disciples and frame it on the Henshan Sect. But just as this thought appeared, he heard Bu Li whisper, "Instructor Fan, the sect leader just left. I wonder if he’s distracted and watching here."

Fan Honglei was taken aback as Bu Li passed by. He bowed slightly and said, "Following the rules, I have nothing to say. But as for what we discussed yesterday, about the Wu family preparing a coffin, I’ll need your help. I have a soft heart and can’t bear to see bodies left in the wilderness. After all, the dead should be respected, don’t you think?"

With that, Bu Li turned and left. The mountain mist was filled with eerie mountain songs: "Shangyang’s blood, the star field changes, one day drunk before the Jade Mountain..."

This kid! Fan Honglei was so angry his teeth ached. "Watch him closely, don’t let him run."

He threw these harsh words and headed to his own residence in the outer sect. The two Henshan Sect outer disciples, listening to Bu Li’s mountain songs fading into the distance, wondered if he really intended to run.

Since he couldn’t go down, he wouldn’t. Bu Li thought clearly. The Blood Battle Book was a hurdle he had to overcome. If he passed, the sky would be wide and the sea vast. If he didn’t, he would die on Henshan Mountain. There was nothing to fear. Bu Li entered his room and took out the *Kuihua Manual* to study for a while. The formations inside required soul force to activate, and his soul force was too weak. It wasn’t the right time to learn soul formations.

So, he could only start with this. Bu Li didn’t know that the animal skin scroll was from Nie Xinlei. Even if he did, he wouldn’t have any impression of the so-called first pattern hunter on the Soul Wave Continent. They were worlds apart.

Dahei lay in the room, ate a little, and quietly dozed off. Knowing Bu Li was going to cultivate, Dahei didn’t sleep deeply, afraid his snoring would disturb Bu Li. Disturbing Bu Li was a minor issue; if he lost the Blood Battle, would he be boiled and eaten with an iron brush? That was a major issue.

Unfolding the animal skin, a wave of soul force surged around it. The first few ancient characters read: "Duanjin Suiyu Gang."

Gang energy? Soul force-induced gang energy? Bu Li was confused. He continued reading, word by word, without any negligence.

Regardless of whether he understood it or not, Bu Li read through the entire scroll. It wasn’t the gang energy he imagined, but a method to use soul force to make arrows sharper, suitable for pattern hunters. Luo Qingquan was indeed a wise man, knowing what Bu Li liked and what suited him. After reading the Duanjin Suiyu Gang, Bu Li’s perception of Luo Qingquan changed. What Bu Li didn’t know was that this was a secret technique of Nie Xinlei’s sect, entrusted to Du Tianci because of Bu Li’s special status. Nie Xinlei, eager to nurture talent, had passed it to Bu Li, but it ended up benefiting Luo Qingquan.

Bu Li didn’t rush to start cultivating. He reviewed the soul techniques he had learned from Hu Wu over nearly ten years, following his old habits. Once he entered a meditative state, he slowly opened the animal skin and read it word by word.

"The way of heaven, diminishes what is excessive and supplements what is insufficient. Therefore, the void overcomes the solid, and the insufficient overcomes the excessive." This was the general principle, followed by a detailed description of how to cultivate this technique. The Duanjin Suiyu Gang was divided into seven levels. Throughout history, the highest level achieved by Nie Xinlei’s lineage was the seventh level, with the rest being speculations by the founder.

Could arrows really pierce the void? Bu Li thought it was nonsense. A tall building rises from the ground; even if it were true, it would still require daily cultivation.

Following the Duanjin Suiyu Gang technique, he began to guide the surrounding soul force. The soul force on Henshan Mountain was extremely dense, and this was the first time Bu Li had encountered such dense soul force since the night before. Cultivating felt refreshing, and he felt the soul force flowing through his body like a small stream. In the past... Bu Li recalled the past and felt ashamed; even calling his soul force a trickle was an exaggeration.

But something seemed wrong. Bu Li cautiously gathered his soul force and found that it was like a dam breaking, with the surrounding soul force rushing into his body. It was as if he was a piece of rotten meat, and the soul force was flies that couldn’t be driven away.

And the meridians in his body were like a whale drinking water, accepting all the soul force without any loss. Bu Li even felt the soul force swirling around him, creating a storm-like howl. Could this be the effect of the general principle? Bu Li speculated.

Bu Li himself didn’t believe his thoughts, but this guess, though not entirely accurate, was not far off.