Set a goal, and the system takes over the body.

The covers of the three manuals were worn and faded, clearly indicating that they had been read and handled frequently over the years.

"Let's wait and see."

Qi Xiuyuan picked up the thinnest copy of "Swift Wind and Fleeting Shadows" and began to read it page by page.

"Swift as the wind, moving with the speed of the wind, quick and elusive, adept at attacking and dodging, moving as if the wind is passing through a crack, making it difficult for ordinary people to detect their tracks... indeed a remarkable lightness skill."

The movement technique Qin Heilong used during the battle flashed through his mind. It was very similar to the essence recorded in the manual, but it was not as powerful as described in the manual.

"I reckon Qin Heilong has only reached a minor level of mastery, and hasn't grasped the true essence."

Once the entire book is read, the system panel will simultaneously complete the data entry.

【Swift as the Wind (Beginner, 1/249)】

"Two hundred and forty-nine points of proficiency, which is the same grade as White Tiger Shining Golden Saber and Horizontal Bodyguard."

Qi Xiuyuan picked up the "Breaking Waves Blade" manual again.

"The Wave-Breaking Blade possesses a fierce and powerful momentum, its strikes as powerful as waves breaking through a dam. It excels at direct, head-on attacks to break through defenses, its moves are straightforward and without any fancy tricks..."

As he flipped through the pages, his eyes lit up.

"Hmm, this sword technique is quite similar to the White Tiger Shining Golden Blade. Both are about fierce and brutal killing. If the two martial arts could be combined, the power would definitely be on another level."

"but.

"If you combine two martial arts and cultivate them to perfection, you can only obtain one Dao Fruit, which is a bit of a loss. But we can try to see if we can combine them first."

As soon as the thought arose, he immediately began to recite it silently in his mind.

"Set a goal: to fuse the White Tiger Golden Blade and the Wave-Breaking Blade into a new martial art!"

[Target detected: Fusion Martial Arts]

[Method 1: Collect two martial arts manuals. Seven days later, at midnight, go to the ancient well and willow tree in the west of the city and practice both sword techniques with all your might. You will enter a quarter of an hour of enlightenment and successfully fuse them.]

[Method 2: Cultivate both martial arts to the perfect level separately, then train diligently for more than ten years to successfully fuse them.]

Please select a method to complete the objective.

"Wait, is it under the willow tree by the ancient well in the west of the city again?"

Qi Xiuyuan was somewhat surprised and a sense of unease began to rise in his heart.

It was under the willow tree by that ancient well that he had a brief moment of enlightenment, which allowed him to reach the perfection of the Five Elements Stance Technique ahead of schedule.

This time, the martial arts techniques have been combined, and it's happening in the same place again!

"Could there be some treasure hidden there?"

A thought struck him, and he immediately set a new goal.

"Set a goal: explore the opportunity beneath the willow tree at the ancient well in the west of the city, and find the root that can lead to enlightenment."

[Target detected: Seek opportunities and uncover the source]

[Method 1: Go to the ancient well in the west of the city, jump into the well, and dive to the bottom. You can retrieve a Yin Fish Jade Pendant. Wearing it will allow you to absorb moonlight daily, slightly enhancing your comprehension. Every so often, you will have a brief opportunity for enlightenment.]

[Method 2: Go to the ancient well in the west of the city, lie and say that the jade pendant fell into the well, and pay someone to retrieve it. You will then obtain the Yin Fish Jade Pendant. Wearing it will allow you to absorb moonlight daily, which will slightly enhance your comprehension. Every so often, you will have a brief opportunity for enlightenment.]

Please select a method to complete the objective.

"There really is treasure!"

Qi Xiuyuan's eyes lit up, and he could hardly contain his excitement.

It can enhance comprehension and occasionally trigger sudden enlightenment. If news of such a treasure were to spread, all the martial artists in Tianfu City would go crazy.

At that point, we'll probably have to fight to the death.

The idea of ​​hiring someone to salvage the object had barely crossed his mind when Qi Xiuyuan nipped it in the bud.

The fewer people who know about this, the better.

You have to go in person.

It has to be done late at night when everyone is quiet and there is no one around, so that no trace can be left.

Suppressing his excitement, he composed himself and continued to peruse the "Breaking Waves Blade" manual.

After I finished reading the whole book, the panel refreshed.

【Wave-Breaking Blade (Beginner, 1/249)】

Finally, he picked up the "Mountain and Sea Transformation and Qi Concealment Technique" that he had taken from Guan Bao.

The pages were yellowed and the edges were worn, indicating that the book was quite old.

Qi Xiuyuan was increasingly pleasantly surprised as he flipped through the pages.

"It can actually disguise itself, change its appearance, and even control its qi and blood, concealing its cultivation level, making its aura no different from that of an ordinary person. It's truly a superior secret technique for stealth and concealment!"

Qi Xiuyuan suddenly realized.

"No wonder Guan Bao was able to escape from the encirclement last night. It seems that in addition to wearing a soldier's uniform, he also changed his appearance and aura to get away with it."

"This is a great thing!"

This secret technique is not a traditional martial art, but rather a method for the precise control of muscles and blood.

Once one's cultivation reaches the Inner Strength Realm, the combination of light and dark energies allows for initial application of this technique.

Among them, Mingjin moves the facial muscles and can change one's appearance.

The hidden force gathers the body's qi and blood, concealing one's cultivation level.

If one reaches the Minggu Realm, even one's height and skeletal structure can be subtly adjusted, making the disguise even more thorough.

However, it also has a drawback.

After using it, your strength will be reduced by 10%!

Yes.

After performing this technique, one must use 10% of one's cultivation to maintain the transformation. Once one goes all out in a fight and loses control of their power, the secret technique will automatically break down, and the user will return to their original state.

Once your cultivation breaks through to the Core Formation Realm, you will only need to consume one percent of your cultivation to maintain it.

It has almost no impact on combat effectiveness.

Qi Xiuyuan closed the booklet, a slight smile playing on his lips.

With this secret technique, it will be much easier to do things that are inconvenient to do in public in the future.

but.

The minimum requirement for performing this technique is to be in a state of inner strength.

It requires the combination of overt and covert force to be effective.

"This shortcoming is acceptable."

Qi Xiuyuan ran his fingertips along the cover of the manual and murmured softly.

Splitting off even a tenth of one's cultivation level allows one to alter one's appearance and conceal one's aura; it's an excellent secret technique for murder, robbery, and escaping with ease, offering great value for money.

"Eldest brother, second master and the others are back!"

Qu Yuanyuan's voice came from outside the courtyard gate.

Although she hadn't formally joined the martial arts school, Qi Xiuyuan had specifically instructed her to greet people along with Qu Jiuge, without calling him "Young Master."

This way, they not only appear closer, but also help the brother and sister develop a sense of belonging more quickly, truly treating the martial arts school as their own home.

"Okay, I understand."

Qi Xiuyuan responded, put away the three manuals, patted his clothes, and got up to leave.

Beside the training ground, Qi Wence was standing talking to several disciples. He was covered in dust and had a faint smell of blood. He looked travel-worn, but his spirits were good, and he hadn't been injured.

Xu Yi stood to the side, his left arm wrapped in a white cloth strip, stained with red blood.

He took a knife wound while saving a junior brother who was being attacked by bandits. Fortunately, the wound was not deep and did not damage any bones or tendons. He will recover in ten days to half a month.

Other disciples who participated in the bandit suppression also suffered some injuries; some had their arms wrapped in cloth, and some walked with a limp.

Fortunately, no one lost their life.

Qi Wence instructed the accountant to allocate thirty taels of silver to the disciples who went to suppress the bandits, and also exempted them from three months of tuition fees, instructing them to take good care of their injuries during this period.

As for the losses suffered by the martial arts school, they can only wait for government compensation and relief.

According to the usual practice, those who assist the government in suppressing bandits are rewarded, but there is no set time or amount for the reward.

Waiting for a month is waiting, waiting for three months or half a year is also waiting.

It's possible that the news will disappear without a trace and we'll never hear from them again.

Especially now that the prefect is dead and the new prefect hasn't arrived, things are even more uncertain.

But Qi Wence knew this well.

We must not discourage our disciples.

The martial arts school must advance these expenses.

"Let's not talk about that anymore, Xiu Yuan. How's your Hundred Battles Sword Technique coming along?"

Qi Wenze suddenly asked.