Simultaneous Transmigration: The Re-merging of 99 Selves

Chapter 191 Rebuilding After Abandoning Skills

"I'm not afraid!"

Lin Chaoying suddenly spoke, grasping Zhao Yu's hand and looking at Yan Chixia with unwavering eyes: "Wherever my husband is, I will go. Even if we die, we will die together."

Yan Chixia looked at her, paused for a moment, then sighed, picked up the wine jar and took another big gulp: "She's quite a strong-willed woman."

He put down the wine jar and stood up: "Alright, for the sake of this fine wine, and since it's still a while before dark, I'll personally escort you down the mountain."

He looked at Zhao Yu, his tone turning serious: "Kid, you have such a good wife, how can you bear to let her risk her life with you?"

Zhao Yu gripped Lin Chaoying's hand tightly and slowly shook his head.

He raised his other hand, took the silk book from his bosom, and gently placed it on the ground.

"If I can master this, could I fight the tree demon?"

Yan Chixia was about to turn around when he caught a glimpse of the silk scroll out of the corner of his eye, and he stopped in his tracks.

His gaze fell on the silk scroll. He glanced at it casually at first, then his pupils contracted, and he couldn't look away.

He crouched down, wiped his hands on his clothes, and carefully opened them: "You're just going to let me see this like this?"

"Brother Yan was once the chief constable, but he resigned and went into seclusion because he couldn't stand the darkness and injustice of officialdom," Zhao Yu said frankly. "If I can't even trust someone as righteous as Brother Yan, who else can I trust?"

Yan Chixia's heart stirred slightly. He glanced at Zhao Yu, then, without further hesitation, picked up the silk scroll and slowly opened it.

The black gold threads felt icy to the touch, and seven colorful Qi circulation diagrams came into view. Although the ancient tadpole script was unfamiliar, the ever-flowing meaning of life in the diagrams was overwhelming.

Yan Chixia watched intently, his brows sometimes relaxing and sometimes furrowing, truly absorbed in the scene.

He himself had a foundation in Taoist magic and was also proficient in martial arts, so he could see the profound mystery of this technique better than ordinary people.

After a long while, he slowly closed the silk scroll and let out a long sigh.

"This 'Longevity Manual' is indeed a miraculous skill that seizes the power of heaven and earth. If practiced to its deepest level, it can connect with the yin and yang of heaven and earth, and perhaps even be able to fight that demon. However—"

He looked at Zhao Yu, his tone heavy: "But it's useless to you."

"Your martial arts are already mastered, and your internal strength is profound. If you want to cultivate this Longevity Technique, you must first cripple your martial arts and start over."

Yan Chixia shook his head: "Even if you were ruthless enough to abandon your skills, how many years would it take to start over? Besides, your knowledge of martial arts is already profound, and your understanding is already limited. If you harbor the thought of achieving success through practice, you will never master this skill. It's difficult, extremely difficult."

He was telling the truth.

The Longevity Technique forbids deliberate pursuit of skill. For someone as accomplished in martial arts as Zhao Yu, it is extremely difficult to let go of his obsessions, making it almost impossible for him to master it.

Zhao Yu remained calm, but continued to ask, "I might be able to fight if I only cultivate one diagram, but what if I cultivate both the Yin and Yang diagrams simultaneously? Would that truly allow me to contend with that demon?"

Yan Chixia's expression changed drastically: "What nonsense are you spouting!"

"The Yin and Yang diagrams have completely different methods of circulating Qi; they are two entirely different paths. How can one person cultivate both?" He suddenly stood up, his voice rising several decibels. "You are so young, yet your martial arts are already among the best in the world. Why take such a dangerous path! One wrong step, and your meridians will be severed, and your soul will be scattered!"

Lin Chaoying, standing beside Zhao Yu, gripped his arm tightly, her eyes filled with worry: "No—"

"I'm not being silly." Zhao Yu patted the back of her hand, comforting Lin Chaoying.

Then, he looked at Yan Chixia and said, "I have my own secret method and am quite confident that I can master it. However, when I am rebuilding my cultivation, my mind is most vulnerable. I need someone to protect me and guard against tree demons and ghosts. That's why I came to find Brother Yan."

He spoke solemnly: "The tree demon is wreaking havoc in this region, taking lives. Every day it remains unexterminated, more people will die. Now that I'm here, I cannot stand idly by. I'm willing to sacrifice myself to rid the demon and bring peace to the people. Brother Yan, why hesitate?"

Yan Chixia stared at Zhao Yu, his chest heaving, unable to utter a word for a moment.

He was by nature a man who hated evil, otherwise he wouldn't have abandoned his position as chief constable and hidden in this deserted temple to confront the demons.

Seeing that Zhao Yu, a young junior, possessed such courage and determination, he was both surprised and impressed.

After a long silence, Yan Chixia stamped his foot heavily: "Fine! I agree!"

He had already made up his mind: "If Brother Zhao encounters any problems while practicing his skills, I will risk my life to save him."

We can't just stand by and watch such a promising talent die at Lanruo Temple.

"Thank you, Brother Yan!" Zhao Yu said with a joyful expression, bowing respectfully.

"No need to thank me." Yan Chixia waved his hand, picked up the wine jar again, and smiled again. "If you want to stay, then stay. It's quite deserted here anyway. But I still want to remind you, if you hear any noise at night, don't open the door randomly, and don't talk to any strange women."

Zhao Yu smiled and nodded: "Brother Yan, don't worry. I have my beautiful wife by my side, so I won't be bewitched by a female ghost."

Seeing that he was determined, Lin Chaoying had no choice but to suppress her worries and agree.

The last rays of the setting sun shone through the broken window and fell on the three of them.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, the aroma of wine filled the hall, and the once desolate and lifeless Lanruo Temple unexpectedly gained a touch of liveliness.

After the banquet, Yan Chixia returned to his meditation room, while Zhao Yu led Lin Chaoying to a relatively well-preserved side hall, where they simply cleaned away the cobwebs and dust and settled down for the time being.

The interior of the hall was simply furnished, with only a dusty, broken bed and half a dilapidated table.

Zhao Yu reached out and brushed the dust off the chair, then turned to Lin Chaoying: "It's dangerous and filthy here. Sister Lin is very particular about cleanliness, so why don't I take you back first? You can come back to pick you up tomorrow."

Lin Chaoying didn't respond to the question, but instead asked, "What exactly happened with the 'discarded cultivation and restarted practice'? Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

Zhao Yu walked over and gently wrapped his arms around her waist from behind: "I had no choice."

Lin Chaoying turned around to face Zhao Yu: "Such a big matter, you decided it in front of that Constable Yan without even consulting me. How can you say you had no choice? Losing your cultivation is no child's play. Once your cultivation is gone, you can't just come back whenever you want."

Her tone carried a hint of anger, but more so, it was filled with worry.

Zhao Yu's martial arts skills are now among the best in the world. If he abandons his skills and starts over, he will be doomed if he is not careful.

"With a formidable enemy at my side, I had no choice."

Zhao Yu held her hand, his fingertips stroking the back of her hand: "My martial arts are based on the Free and Unfettered Sect's martial arts. They are exquisite, but they are ultimately limited. Although the Northern Darkness Divine Art accumulates internal energy quickly, it is difficult to make any further progress at this level."

The saying goes, "No destruction, no construction." By using the methods of the Longevity Formula to abandon my cultivation and start anew, I can break through the shackles and advance further.

"Don't try to talk nonsense with me." Lin Chaoying rolled her eyes at him. "A wasted skill is a wasted skill. Once you lose all your internal energy, you'll be no better than a useless person."

"You're no different from a human. How can you recover in such a short time? Shi Zhixuan is still lurking in the shadows, and the tree demon is right in front of you. If you cripple your martial arts, how will you protect yourself?"

"Sister Lin underestimates me too much." Zhao Yu chuckled and pinched her cheek.

"I was prepared and would never risk my life. After losing my skills, I have my own way to quickly recover them and will not put myself in danger."