Starting with Mingyu Gong, the Soul-Chasing and Life-Stealing Technique

Lu Chen's heart skipped a beat: "The Demon Extermination Division? This Jingguan monk is this old man? Damn it, the bald guy is actually pretending to be the manager?"

I was only after the benefits, and before I knew it, I was on a pirate ship!

Lu Chen learned this from the original owner's shattered memories.

There is a demonic sect in this world.

Combining this with memories from his previous life, he realized that this demonic sect was not the one that had been slandered in the novels of his previous life due to differing ideologies.

It is the real demon!

In order to increase their power, they devour human essence and blood, and both humans and strange beasts are their targets.

Especially newborn babies, and people who practice martial arts.

Therefore, those who cultivate demonic arts may appear human, but their actions are vastly different from those of ordinary people.

They were also proud of their demonic name and didn't feel it was a disgrace at all.

The Demon Extermination Bureau, as its name suggests, is an institution established by the imperial court. This organization is tightly knit and complex, comprising sons of officials and merchants, masters from various sects, and even recruited notorious bandits—it can be said that people from all walks of life are represented. Its power is immense, and naturally, it has the most enemies.

Because this Demon Extermination Division, though seemingly named for exterminating demons, is actually dedicated to exterminating martial arts.

Those killed were martial arts practitioners.

Therefore, the Demon Slayer Guards had the highest mortality rate, especially those at the bottom.

This is common knowledge.

However, in the path of martial arts, the three stages of body tempering, qi cultivation, and meridian opening can be achieved through unorthodox methods and some rare and precious treasures. But to go further, to open the Ren and Du meridians, to form a great circulation within the body, to condense qi into a powerful force, and even to inherit martial arts techniques, the path is largely monopolized by prestigious sects and some aristocratic families.

Many martial arts practitioners who want to achieve great success in the future either join a martial arts sect, a martial arts family, or the imperial court.

In comparison, the Demon Extermination Division of the imperial court has a lower entry threshold, making it a popular choice for many independent cultivators to advance their cultivation.

Lu Chen quickly changed his mind, but said calmly, "Then thank you very much, Manager Zhang."

Shopkeeper Zhang said, "In that case, I hope we'll have the chance to meet again!" He and Zhou Qianqian were about to leave.

"Wait!" Lu Chen picked up the silver note and handed it to Zhou Qianqian, saying, "Take this silver back!"

Zhou Qianqian looked at Manager Zhang.

Manager Zhang frowned slightly: "This is a deposit; it's the rule."

Lu Chen laughed and said, "But I, Li Feiyu, prefer to do things according to my own rules. If she didn't lie to me, even though she didn't mention the hardships she and her brother endured while fleeing for their lives, it doesn't mean they didn't exist."

If I fail, this money will be useless. If I succeed, the remaining payment can be settled later, without any double-crossing. That would be ideal.

He spoke these words in a calm and ordinary manner, but Zhang Zhanggu and Zhou Qianqian had a completely different feeling after hearing them.

The shopkeeper was testing the waters, and at this moment he couldn't help but think to himself, "This person is young, but he is quick-witted, sharp-witted, and resolute. With proper training, he might become a good helper in the future."

Thinking it over, he immediately clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Alright, since Boss Li says so, we won't stand on ceremony."

Lu Chen clasped his hands in a fist and said, "No problem."

Zhou Qianqian glanced at Lu Chen, gave a curtsy, and then withdrew.

After the two closed the door, Lu Chen thought to himself, "Goodness, this system is really something else. So, accepting a mission requires a deposit first! But I like it!"

If you don't use cheat codes now, when will you?

"System, claim your reward!"

[Ding: System rewards you for the third level of Mingyu Skill]

Lu Chen felt a surge of true energy rising in his dantian, opening up the Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian and the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian. Instantly, his mind became clear, his hearing and vision sharpened, and a white light filled his vision.

[Ding: Reward awarded: Lightness Skill Leap (Mastery)]

Then a Taoist figure appeared in his mind, reciting an incantation: "Sink your Qi to the Dantian, focus your mind on the Yongquan point, one inhale and it soars to the sky, one exhale and a wild goose falls. The waist is the axis, the legs are the bow, the toes touch the ground and the body is light, using momentum to rise without leaving a trace. Fall high as if it were cotton, land as if it were smoke. The knees bend first, the heels do not touch the ground."

The figure leaped into the air like an arrow released from a bow, tracing an arc through the sky like a large bird.

It landed as lightly as a falling leaf, without making a sound, even though the distance had already exceeded fifty meters.

Lu Chen's mouth dropped open.

It's just a simple light-footed leaping technique, does it have to be so exaggerated?

Once Lu Chen regained consciousness, he circulated his qi according to the method and felt as light as a feather, as if he were about to leap out.

That's when I understood.

What does it mean to have endless skills but limited achievements?

Even the most basic light-body skills, if one's internal strength is profound enough, can naturally allow one to leap dozens of meters in a single bound.

Lu Chen began to learn the grappling techniques again.

[Beep: Issue the first two moves of the Shaolin Great Capturing Technique.]

In Lu Chen's mind, there was a gray-robed monk who began to demonstrate the first move, "Chain Hands," clearly demonstrating eighteen moves including pushing elbows, leaning back against the body, forward backhand, white horse turning its hoof, carp supporting gills, willow bending in the wind, kicking the right foot, chopping punch, sky-reaching cannon, golden thread climbing eyebrows, supporting and sliding forward backhand, monkey sitting on hair, silk winding, pounding waist, rolling hoof, supporting hand, piercing ear, filling emptiness, etc.

Lu Chen enthusiastically followed along, learning the moves. The first move of this Great Capturing Hand technique had eighteen moves, a wonderful method for close combat without weapons.

Lu Chen received the second route.

At this point, two monks began to demonstrate their skills, and the two of them visualized all eighteen moves, including the Horizontal Fist, Rolling Hoof, Balance Hand, Stealing Sheep, Upside Down, Thousand-Pound Drop, Elbow Strike, Rolling Hand, Three-Waist Split, Stealing Peach, Turning Palm, Uprooting Willow Tree, Sitting Leg Three-Section, and Toad Leap.

This new style of grappling is even more exquisite than before. It incorporates pressure point techniques into the grasping and seizing, and does not rely on brute force to win. It is truly ingenious.

Lu Chen felt a surge of excitement. If he had mastered these techniques in his previous life, he would have been able to land a hit.

I can say it out loud: I'm going to take on ten of them!

The Shaolin Great Capturing Technique has eighteen forms, each with eighteen moves, resulting in a total of three hundred and twenty-four variations.

If one were to master these eighteen styles to a high degree, one could easily take down an opponent in close combat. However, reaching that level requires an immense amount of practice; it's certainly not something that can be achieved in ten or twenty years.

Fortunately, I have a system that saves me a lot of trouble.

However, this only intensified Lu Chen's urge to complete the system task and claim another wave of rewards.

Lu Chen immediately opened the box and saw a leather mask inside. He held it up in his hand, and it was human-shaped. He put it on his face, looked in the mirror, and saw that his complexion was sallow and unremarkable.

Lu Chen thought to himself, "This is going to strip me of my handsome looks. But it's fine, the more ordinary Li Feiyu is, the better. It wouldn't be good if she stole my thunder."

He picked up another piece of paper with information about Tang Tianlong written on it.

The Tang family is a branch of the Tang Clan in Sichuan. Their martial arts are known for their hidden weapons. The current head of the Tang family, Tang Qinghe, along with his brothers Tang Qinglin and Tang Qingjun, are all highly skilled masters. They also have a wide circle of friends, both in the martial arts world and the imperial court.

In particular, Tang Qinghe had a remarkable adventure in the martial arts world, during which time he had a fortuitous encounter. In the art of swordsmanship, no one in the Tang family could surpass him.

Tang Tianlong is now twenty-eight years old. He has been intelligent since childhood and received early training from his parents. Not only is he well-versed in martial arts, but he is also said to have become a disciple of the Kongtong Sect Elder Qingzhuo Daoren. Now, only his Ren and Du meridians are not yet open. He will set up a ten-day arena in Liangzhou and invite martial artists under the age of thirty from Xiliang to participate.

After reading the message, Lu Chen felt deeply that the road ahead was fraught with difficulties, and that completing the mission might mean certain death.

After all, this kid has been setting up the arena for ten days. Regardless of his own strength, he must have a powerful protector. His system mission only gave him seven days, so he didn't have time to find an opportunity for the opponent to be alone.

Lu Chen picked up his wine glass, took a sip of wine in silence, and then his thoughts changed. What could he do if things weren't going well?

They're all cheating! They're either incredibly bold and reckless, or they're timid and retreat when faced with difficulties.

How to choose?

Fortune favors the bold!

Besides, who says an assassin can carry out an assassination?

Tang Tianlong set up a challenge, and I'm challenging him openly and honestly, so what?

Besides, Tang Tianlong's name is so famous, in my experience, this kid can handle it.

It was bound to end in a violent and short-lived death!

Maybe Heaven will use me to destroy him. When the system gives me a reward, I might not be afraid of that old Tang family!

Dry!

Once Lu Chen made up his mind, he went to bed, sat cross-legged, and entered a meditative state.

Before you knew it, the night had passed.

After getting up and washing up, Lu Chen left the inn.

"Young master, he has gone out."

The maidservant reported to the handsome young master.

The young master narrowed his eyes slightly and said calmly, "You go with Uncle Zhang and follow him. If he shows any signs of leaving Liangzhou, just bring back his head."

"Yes!" The maid suppressed a smile and hurried away.