Starting as a cowherd, he sought a way to cultivate immortality.

Chen Chi spent eleven days traveling by carriage to reach Youzhou Prefecture.

The city that came into view was not as bustling and luxurious as I had imagined. The buildings in the city were no different from those in Changqing County, only much larger in scale.

"The ten-year war with the Sand Kingdom has indeed severely weakened Youzhou Prefecture," Chen Chi thought to himself.

Youzhou served as a northern barrier for the Yan Kingdom, bordering the warlike Sha Kingdom.

In the first ten years after Emperor Jinglong ascended the throne, wars frequently broke out between the states of Yan and Sha.

The present-day Youzhou city was rebuilt from the ruins of the past.

Yang Jin, the governor of Youzhou, was promoted to a high-ranking official by Emperor Jinglong based on his outstanding military achievements in the war against the Sha Kingdom.

The carriage slowly made its way through the streets of the prefectural city, eventually stopping in front of the martial arts hall.

The coachman told Chen Chi that the martial arts hall was built by Yang Jin specifically for martial arts scholars from all over the country who came to participate in the prefectural examination.

Staying at the guild hall for ten days costs only one tael of silver, which is very cheap compared to other inns.

Chen Chi entered the martial arts school, showed his certificate of martial arts talent, registered his name, and then settled in smoothly.

After a long and tiring journey, he was just about to take a good rest when there was a knock on the door.

Chen Chi frowned slightly and stepped forward to open the door.

A man of medium build with a beard stood in front of the door, bowing respectfully to Chen Chi.

"My name is Pang Wen."

"Chen Chi." Chen Chi returned the greeting with clasped hands.

After a conversation, Chen Chi learned that Pang Wen lived next door and came from Shahe County, the northernmost part of Youzhou.

"Our county has a small population, so there is no county-level martial arts examination. I went to the neighboring county to take the county-level examination and that's how I managed to win a spot as a martial arts scholar."

Speaking of his martial arts degree, Pang Wen's face showed a mixture of helplessness and pride.

After hearing this, Chen Chi felt great respect for Pang Wen.

A martial arts scholar who emerged from a remote county town is truly one in a million.

Pang Wen then changed the subject, stating his purpose: he wanted to invite Chen Chi to stroll around the city together.

Chen Chi shook his head.

"I just checked in today, and I'm quite tired from the long journey."

"Indeed, Brother Chen, you should rest. Anyway, the prefectural examination doesn't start until five days later. How about we go sightseeing together tomorrow?"

Seeing the sincerity in Pang Wen's tone, Chen Chi agreed.

After making their agreement, Pang Wen took his leave.

Chen Chi closed the door, lay down on the bed, and fell fast asleep.

……

The next day, after breakfast, Chen Chi strolled around the city with Pang Wen.

Although Pang Wen came from a harsh and cold place, he was quite knowledgeable. When he talked about the world situation and the scenery in front of Chen Chi, he spoke with a natural ease.

Chen Chi couldn't help but glance at him secretly.

"Brother Pang's insight is truly remarkable."

Pang Wen laughed and explained, "Although I am a martial arts student, I have read many military books and ancient texts, and I want to serve the court and make contributions."

Chen Chi smiled slightly, realizing that Pang Wen had lofty ambitions.

As they chatted and laughed, the two of them ended up on the street where the governor's mansion was located.

From afar, the governor's mansion appears majestic and imposing, with armored soldiers standing guard in front of it, exuding an aura of dominating the entire city.

Yang Jin, the governor of Youzhou, lived here.

Pang Wen's eyes revealed envy, and he couldn't help but sigh.

"A true man should stand tall in this world like General Yang, galloping across battlefields and fighting for his country!"

Chen Chi did not respond.

One will be a million bones.

People only sing praises and admire generals who have achieved great success, but who cares about those nameless soldiers who are buried in foreign lands?

Pang Wenben intended to linger there for a while, but seeing Chen Chi's lack of interest, he said:

"I've heard there's a Willow Alley south of the General's Mansion that sells martial arts techniques circulating in the martial arts world. Would Brother Chen be interested in taking a look?"

"There are places like this?" Chen Chi's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

Pang Wen smiled and said, "After all, it's a prefecture, which is better than a county town."

"We should go and take a look."

After agreeing on the plan, the two immediately set off.

Pang Wen didn't know the exact location of Willow Lane. After asking around and passing through several streets, the two finally heard the sound of bargaining coming from the entrance of an alley.

"Looks like this is the place," Pang Wen said as he walked in.

The alley entrance was extremely narrow, allowing only two people to walk side by side. It only gradually widened as you went deeper into the alley.

Chen Chi looked around and saw that both sides of the alley were lined with simple stalls.

The stalls were filled with incomplete and tattered martial arts manuals. Some stall owners closed their eyes to rest, while others squinted and secretly observed the buyers coming and going.

Chen Chi roughly estimated that there were at least forty or fifty people strolling around Willow Lane.

Pang Wen leaned close to Chen Chi and whispered, "Brother Chen, I'm going to check out the stalls up ahead."

These vendors are seasoned veterans; they're experts at lying and cheating, so you'd better be careful.

Chen Chi nodded, understanding that Pang Wen's words made sense.

Picking out martial arts manuals at this kind of stall is no different from finding a national treasure at an antique stall.

Chen Chi walked slowly forward, his gaze sweeping over each of the cultivation techniques.

"The Mighty Vajra Fist," "The Water-Cutting Knife Technique," "The Falling Goose Skill," "The Pure Yang Sexual Technique"...

The wide variety of martial arts techniques and secret manuals amazed Chen Chi.

The name sounds impressive, but upon closer inspection, it's found that most chapters and pages are missing, and the content is incomplete.

"My 'Pure Yang Bedtime Techniques' is a family heirloom. I am eighty-three years old this year, and I can still sleep with several women every night." The old man in front of Chen Chi stroked his white beard, with a meaningful expression on his face.

Chen Chi glanced at his tattered clothes and almost burst out laughing.

"Having fewer dreams while sleeping is very good for your health."

Hearing Chen Chi's sarcasm, the old man's face showed a look of heartache.

"People's hearts are not what they used to be. I'm telling the truth, but you're mocking me."

"Go away, go away! Once someone else buys this secret manual, you'll be crying somewhere."

Chen Chi then got up and walked towards another stall.

After walking past a few more stalls, Chen Chi shook his head slightly, thinking to himself that there were no interesting martial arts techniques in Willow Alley.

Suddenly, a cold gaze fell on Chen Chi.

Chen Chi looked up and saw that the stall owner in front of him was a beautiful woman dressed in black.

She crossed her arms, exuding an aura of power, and was coldly staring at me.

A flash of surprise crossed Chen Chi's mind—the woman in black before him was actually a martial artist at the Meridian Opening Realm.

He ignored the woman's cold gaze, squatted down, and began to examine her stall.

The stall only displayed a dozen or so martial arts manuals.

"Don't look if you're not going to buy!" the woman said curtly, trying to interrupt Chen Chi's outstretched hand.

Chen Chi didn't seem to care and simply picked up a book: "How can I buy it if I don't read it?"

The woman raised an eyebrow, intending to get angry, but suddenly seemed to remember something, and her imposing aura dissipated instantly, leaving her only staring coldly at Chen Chi.

After flipping through several books, Chen Chi found that most of them contained martial arts techniques, and there was nothing particularly surprising about them.

"Hmm?" Chen Chi raised an eyebrow and picked up a tattered book.

The Secret to Calming the Mind and Soothing the Spirit

He opened the book and browsed through it. The exercises recorded in the book were mainly for regulating breathing and nourishing the spirit, which were quite beneficial to the mind and spirit.

What surprised Chen Chi the most was that although this "Tranquil Mind and Calm Heart Technique" was a fragment, it was a complete chapter that could be practiced independently.

He possesses the destiny of "accumulating strength for a future breakthrough," and his mastery of the incomplete technique, once perfected, may not be inferior to the complete technique!

"Good stuff!" Chen Chi thought to himself.

Since entering the Transformation Realm, he has come to realize the importance of mind and spirit more and more.

A strong mind not only improves training efficiency but also helps maintain steady movements and precise power in actual combat.

"How much is this manual for?" Chen Chi waved the "Tranquil Mind and Calm Spirit Technique" in front of the woman in black.

The woman in black looked at Chen Chi with a strange expression.

In her eyes, mental cultivation techniques are the most useless of all martial arts techniques. They are difficult to master and are not as effective as external martial arts moves.

Moreover, the "Tranquil Mind and Calm Spirit Manual" in Chen Chi's possession was only a fragment...

The woman in black pointed to a martial arts manual on the stall.

"This book, 'Thunderbolt Palm,' costs three taels of silver. If you buy it, I'll also give you the 'Tranquil Mind and Calm Heart Technique.'"

Chen Chi shook his head, then shook the "Tranquilizing Mind Technique" in his hand, and asked calmly:

"One tael of silver, will you sell it or not?"

The woman in black remained silent for a moment, concluding that Chen Chi was completely ignorant of martial arts and was simply a sucker.

"it is good."

Without wasting words, Chen Chi took out a tael of silver from his pocket and placed it on the stall.

Just then, Pang Wen walked over, clutching a cultivation manual in his hand, clearly having also gained something.

"Brother Chen, is there anything that catches your eye?"

Chen Chi stood up, a smile playing on his lips.

"I'm in luck today; I've obtained an interesting fragment of a cultivation technique."

Pang Wen glanced at it subconsciously and saw the words "Tranquil Mind and Calm Spirit Technique" in Chen Chi's hand.

He opened his mouth, hesitated, and finally just patted Chen Chi on the shoulder.

"Well... congratulations, Brother Chen."