The Ice Cone Technique is a basic five-element spell for novice cultivators, but the person who launched the sneak attack clearly possessed a cultivation level far exceeding Liang Yan’s. The ice cone currently embedded in his lower abdomen remained frozen, emitting waves of chilling cold that seemed to freeze the blood throughout his entire body.
Liang Yan gritted his teeth and scanned his surroundings. Under the cover of night, the trees stood like shadows, and not a single soul was in sight. It was clearly the work of a cultivator skilled in the arts of concealment and assassination.
Realizing this, Liang Yan flipped himself up. With his upper body arched back, his left hand supporting his head, and his right hand curved behind his back, he assumed the "Dozing Stance."
As the nameless cultivation technique circulated through his body, everything within a ten-mile radius—from the largest trees and boulders to the smallest flowers, grasses, and insects—was captured in his mind with perfect precision.
Liang Yan clearly saw a tall young man skulking behind a large tree, staring at him with a vigilant gaze. This person was none other than Chen Chong’s cousin, Chen Hu!
As it turned out, Chen Chong had a large appetite; he had planned to conspire with Tang Yan and Xu Kun to scheme against Liang Yan, only to have his cousin Chen Hu play the role of the oriole behind the mantis, eliminating Tang Yan and Xu Kun as well.
However, Chen Hu was cautious by nature. Despite being at the third level of Qi Refining, he had not rushed to strike, choosing instead to observe from the shadows. Later, seeing that Liang Yan’s techniques were strange and formidable, he realized that even if he attacked, he had no guarantee of victory, so he decided to resort to a sneak attack.
Chen Hu was naturally cold-hearted; seeing his cousin lose his life, he remained indifferent. Instead, he seized the moment when Liang Yan had just finished off a strong enemy and his guard was at its lowest to launch a thunderous strike, severely wounding Liang Yan in one blow.
"This brat has a tough physique; he’s undoubtedly a body cultivator. It wouldn't be wise for me to clash with him head-on."
"He’s been hit by my reinforced Ice Cone Technique, so the cold poison should be permeating his body by now. I just need to stay hidden and not give him a chance to meditate and regulate his breath. When he exhausts his strength, I’ll deliver the fatal blow! Heh heh, then all these people’s storage bags will be mine."
Chen Hu was plotting happily when he suddenly caught a glimpse of Liang Yan pushing off the ground and charging toward him with long strides.
"Oh no! Could this brat actually see through my hiding spot?"
Liang Yan’s speed was immense. Before Chen Hu could think further, Liang Yan was already within three zhang. Chen Hu was terrified; he quickly formed hand seals, and *pu-pu*, two ice pillars rapidly condensed and shot toward Liang Yan.
Casting two Ice Cone Techniques simultaneously left Chen Hu’s face pale, but he dared not be careless and drifted backward.
Liang Yan did not dodge or evade, charging straight into the two ice cones. He only slightly turned his body to avoid his vitals. *Puchi, puchi!* Two more ice cones struck his body. Liang Yan gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. He dropped into a horse stance, arched his back, placed his left hand on his right arm, and thrust his right fist forward with all his might—this was the "Fist Stance."
"Is this kid crazy?" The thought crossed Chen Hu’s mind. He hurriedly formed seals to shoot another ice cone while condensing a crystal of ice in front of him. Then, the whistling force of the punch arrived. The ice cones and the ice crystal were like paper, shattering into ice dust. The remaining force of the punch did not diminish in the slightest, slamming directly into Chen Hu’s chest. It shattered the protective inner armor gifted by his sect, entering through his chest and exiting through his back. Chen Hu’s eyes bulged wide; he was dead beyond a doubt.
In truth, all living beings say that "the appearance is born from the heart." But with the old monk, it was the opposite. Liang Yan was naturally a cautious person who avoided life-and-death struggles whenever possible. Yet, the moment he used the "Fist Stance" against an enemy, his body and mind were influenced by the Dharma image, inexplicably giving rise to a sense of disdain for the world and a feeling that "none but I am worthy." He felt that no matter how vast the world was, it could not withstand this one punch from his right hand. By the time he regained his senses, Chen Hu was already dead.
Liang Yan let out a long breath, sat cross-legged, and secretly circulated the nameless technique to expel the cold poison from his body.
It was the dead of night, and the sky was as black as ink, with barely a few stars visible. For Liang Yan, this night had been far too long. Since he began learning from the old monk, he had never fought a cultivator. He hadn't expected to be besieged by three people in his first encounter, followed by a sneak attack. It was a harrowing experience at every turn. Even though Liang Yan was mature for his age, he couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.
"Although this is a deep mountain forest, many people came to the auction tonight. After such a battle, I fear it might attract other interested parties. I had better leave early." Thinking of this, Liang Yan hurriedly suppressed his injuries, stood up to collect everyone’s storage bags, and headed toward the town.
In the town halfway up the mountain, inside the Piaoyun Inn, a series of hurried footsteps echoed through the elegant corridor. They stopped in front of a guest room, and the door was pushed open. A teenager in his teens entered, his face covered in blood and his expression weary.
This was Liang Yan. He had just escaped from a fierce battle and had been anxious and fearful the entire way. Pushing open the door, he saw the withered old monk sitting cross-legged beside a dim oil lamp, looking at him with concern.
Only then did Liang Yan’s tightly wound nerves relax, and a sense of having survived a catastrophe welled up within him.
"Good child, come here."
"Yes." Liang Yan followed his instructions and walked before him.
The old monk raised his hand to draw a circle in the air, then formed a seal with one hand to guide it. A golden lotus flower appeared out of thin air, its petals gently unfurling with a vibrant vitality. It spun around and, following the old monk’s gesture, drifted into Liang Yan’s body.
As the lotus entered his body, Liang Yan felt a tearing pain spread through his flesh and blood, while at the same time, his injuries began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Liang Yan gasped in pain and bared his teeth at the old monk: "Old monk, are you saving me or butchering a pig?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt it was inappropriate. He was truly muddled today; why was he insulting himself along with the monk?
It was the first time the old monk had seen him so irrational, and he guessed that he must have experienced a fierce battle tonight.
"How many did you kill?"
Liang Yan was stunned and replied, "Four."
"Did they deserve to die?"
"They did!" Liang Yan answered without hesitation.
Unexpectedly, the old monk did not lecture him today but instead nodded silently.
Liang Yan couldn't gauge his intentions and remained silent. The oil lamp flickered, and in the dim room, the old man and the young boy fell into a sudden silence.
After a long while, the old monk finally broke the silence, looked at Liang Yan, and said slowly
"Our fate has reached its end; it is time to part."
As soon as these words were spoken, Liang Yan felt as if he had been struck by lightning, standing frozen on the spot. His family had suffered a great tragedy, and if not for the old monk’s help, he would be nothing but a pile of bones by now. Over the past year, he had been carefully taught by the old monk. Though Liang Yan didn't say it aloud, he had come to regard the old monk as both a teacher and a father. Hearing the implication in the old monk’s words—that he was to be separated from him—he asked in a hoarse voice
"Why? Is it because my aptitude is too poor, that I am rotten wood that cannot be carved?"
The old monk had said more than once that his spiritual roots were impure and his aptitude too poor, and that he would need ten times the perseverance of an ordinary person to have even a sliver of a chance to attain the Great Dao.
The old monk sighed and said, "That is not the case. Although your aptitude is poor, your mind is clever, you possess great wisdom, and your character is resilient. You may yet be able to comprehend the Great Dao in the future."
"Then why?"
"An adversary I have been tracking for a long time has recently surfaced. Years ago, this person and I clashed several times, and we were evenly matched. Now, I have no guarantee of victory in a battle. This journey is a matter of life and death, and I truly cannot take you with me." After saying this, he looked at him with a sense of regret.
"What kind of adversary is so powerful? If you take me, perhaps..."
Before he could finish, the old monk waved his hand sternly and said, "No!"
Liang Yan’s heart turned cold. He knew that although the old monk was easygoing, he never changed his mind once a decision was made. Thinking that this parting might be the last, he blurted out, "Master!"
As he spoke, he knelt on the ground and *peng-peng-peng*, kowtowed three times.
Although the old monk had never allowed him to call him Master, he did not correct him this time. Instead, he patted his head and said gently, "Good child, get up."
As Liang Yan stood up, the old monk suddenly formed a seal with his right hand and tapped his lower abdomen, the Dantian.
Liang Yan felt a sharp pain in his Dantian, and his spiritual power began to churn uncontrollably. Immediately after, he saw a bead the size of a ring fly out from his Dantian. Inside, half-black and half-white energies flowed slowly, and a nebula-like mist emerged around it.
Liang Yan was dumbfounded, and then he heard the old monk say
"This is the object that caused the deaths of three hundred and thirty-six mortals in Huaiyuan Town, and it is also what the blind man Yan sought. This object is called the Heavenly Secret Bead. Its origins are quite mysterious, and I am not entirely clear on its specific functions. However, one thing is certain: it can obscure the heavenly secrets. With this bead on your person, as long as the existence is not far above your realm, they will not be able to detect your true cultivation level."
"When you were severely injured and unconscious, I drove away the Fire Yama and seized this bead. Later, while you were unconscious, I refined it into your body."
Liang Yan was stunned after hearing this, then looked at the bead with a complex expression.
The old monk knew what he was thinking and said slowly, "Are there rights and wrongs in divine weapons? Grudges and hatreds exist only in the human world. This object brought you disaster, but it may not necessarily fail to bring you opportunities in the future. Whether it is a blessing or a curse depends on you yourself."
Liang Yan took a deep breath and nodded solemnly: "This disciple has been taught."
The old monk looked satisfied and added, "You must keep this object safe and never reveal it in front of others. You must know..."
Before he could finish, a sudden change occurred. Liang Yan’s storage bag vibrated violently without warning, and a wooden fish flew out from inside.
The Heavenly Secret Bead seemed to sense something and shot a ray of light onto the wooden fish.
*Ka-cha, ka-cha...* Visible cracks began to appear on the wooden fish, and finally, unable to withstand the pressure, it collapsed and shattered. A mass of black energy flew out from within. Inside the black energy, a human face was vaguely visible, with two horns on its head and fangs in its mouth.
"Hahaha, that flower monk trapped me for a hundred years, but I finally got out!" As soon as the face emerged, it laughed toward the sky, then stared viciously at Liang Yan and the old monk, saying, "Hmph, a mortal and a first-level Qi Refining brat—not even enough to fill the gaps in my teeth as a blood sacrifice. But since I have just escaped, I will reluctantly take you both!"
As he spoke, he opened his mouth and spat, and a rolling demonic energy swept toward the two of them.
The old monk frowned and was about to strike. Who would have thought that the Heavenly Secret Bead would react faster than the old monk? Almost at the same time the demonic energy appeared, it shot out a black-and-white light. When the demonic energy met the black-and-white light, it instantly dissolved. The face within the demonic energy seemed to have encountered its natural enemy and actually turned to flee.
However, the black-and-white light was faster, catching up to the face in an instant and dragging it back.
The Heavenly Secret Bead began to spin, dancing and circling around the face. Liang Yan didn't know if it was an illusion, but the bead gave him the feeling of a lion inspecting its prey.
After a while, the Heavenly Secret Bead shook slightly, as if dissatisfied with the prey before it, and shot a black light from within the bead at the face. The face twisted and struggled for a moment before instantly turning into fly ash, leaving only a faint trace of demonic energy, which was sucked into the Heavenly Secret Bead. Immediately after, four black light orbs appeared around the bead, slowly rotating. One of them faintly revealed the character "Demon," but the light was dim and vanished in an instant.
Seeing this, the old monk cast a spell, and the Heavenly Secret Bead spun and flew back into Liang Yan’s Dantian, disappearing from sight.
As soon as the Heavenly Secret Bead entered his body, Liang Yan felt a warm current rise from his Dantian, then spread through his meridians to his limbs and bones, making his whole body feel extremely comfortable and warm.
Suddenly, he heard the old monk shout: "Boy, your opportunity has arrived! Quickly calm your mind, circulate your technique, and prepare to break through to the second level of Qi Refining!"
Liang Yan was startled, immediately guarded his mind, and silently operated the nameless technique. The warm current in his Dantian surged out wave after wave, helping him cleanse the impurities in his meridians, and the momentum within his body continued to climb...
He didn't know how much time had passed, but Liang Yan slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air. Outside the window, the sun was just rising, birds and beasts were beginning to chirp, and a ray of morning light lazily shone on him. The old monk sat cross-legged opposite him, looking at him with a smile in his eyes.
"Peak of the second level of Qi Refining. Not bad."