Yue State, Jizhou.
Caixia Mountain, Zixiao Peak, home to the Blood Blade Hall of the Qixuan Sect’s Inner Sect.
Not long ago, thanks to his outstanding performance, Li Feiyu had been transferred from the Blood Blade Hall to the Qijue Hall on the main peak. However, since the disciple quarters there had not yet been vacated, he continued to reside at the Blood Blade Hall.
After finishing his lunch and tending to his needs, he confirmed that all his senses were functioning normally. Li Feiyu had fully accepted the reality of his transmigration. It was fine; anything was better than being dead.
Upon returning from his recent trial, he did not rush to fulfill his appointment with Yu Dong. Instead, he headed toward the Qijue Hall on Sunset Peak. Walking along the mountain path, his mind was already drifting elsewhere.
"Destiny is the fixed number; Fortune is the variable... Until the cosmos is settled, follow your heart."
Li Feiyu had read the original work, yet he had never heard of a "Dao Ancestor of Destiny." And what did "until the cosmos is settled, follow your heart" mean? As for "following one's heart," given Li Feiyu's personality, he would certainly do so. To get ahead, he would even dare to overdraw his own lifespan. If he set his sights on something, he would fight for it and never let go!
In his mind, Li Feiyu applied his only Fortune point to the Wind and Thunder Blade Technique.
[Wind and Thunder Blade Technique +1 point. This martial art has reached Perfection.]
Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks!
It felt as if he had entered an infinite space, where he spent countless hours in bitter, focused practice. Yet, it all happened in the blink of an eye. Every trick and bit of cultivation experience for the Wind and Thunder Blade Technique flooded directly into his brain. The sensation was extraordinary; what would have required long-term cultivation and insight was instantly and automatically mastered by his mind!
Li Feiyu let out a low, excited growl. "So... this is the legendary 'sudden enlightenment'!"
It had nothing to do with cheating!
[Destiny Fortune! Becoming a martial arts master, one step closer to your current Destiny. Fortune +40 (Total: 40 points)]
Those who know neither internal energy nor martial arts and only toughen their bodies are mere low-level brutes. Those who begin practicing internal energy and martial arts are known as Martial Artists; over ninety percent of those pursuing the martial path remain at this stage. Mastering a mid-level offensive martial art to perfection qualifies one as a martial arts master. Most middle-ranking members of jianghu sects—such as the protectors and guest elders of the Qixuan Sect—possess this level of strength.
Realm: Martial Arts Master (20%)
Age: 15/20
Internal Energy: Frenzied Python Power (Proficient, 80+/100)
Martial Arts: Wind and Thunder Blade Technique (Perfection)
Destiny: Master of the Qixuan Sect
Fortune: Misfortune (Bone-Extracting Marrow-Eating) (-5 per day)
Fortune Points: 40
Li Feiyu had just turned fifteen, yet he only had five years left to live. He learned from Han Li that from the moment he took the Marrow-Extracting Pill, he had only ten years to live. In the original timeline, before Han Li left the Qixuan Sect, he had left Li Feiyu many pills to extend his life. Therefore, the original Li Feiyu should have lived to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight.
The current Li Feiyu had already brought his foundational Sun-Yang Power internal energy to perfection, along with the Twisting Silk Hand, the Cloak Blade Technique, and the Seven-Mysteries Steps. These were not reflected in the system; the martial arts column only displayed those currently under cultivation.
As for the Fortune points, the system rewarded a considerable amount as one gradually achieved their Destiny. Perhaps completing the Destiny of "Master of the Qixuan Sect" might even reward one or two hundred Fortune points.
...
Qijue Hall, Library.
"Blinking Sword Technique... Blinking Sword Technique..."
This place housed the core secret arts of the Qijue Hall, though some unique, high-level techniques might not be here. Many predecessors were willing to deposit their techniques in the library, hoping that later generations would carry them forward. But a person's energy and time are limited; many spend their whole lives polishing one technique and eventually stall at the "minor success" stage. Those with luck might reach "great success," but the effort required to go from great success to perfection is double that of the minor stage. Therefore, one should not be greedy and try to chew more than one can swallow.
"Isn't this Li Hu? What are you looking for?"
Li Feiyu had checked the bookshelves twice and hadn't found it.
"Protector Ma, you’re on duty patrolling the hall today. When I first joined the hall and came here, I saw a few copies of the 'Blinking Sword Technique' and even leafed through them..."
The protector on duty was Ma Rong, a disciple of Elder Li.
"That? There are actually over seventy copies. When I was organizing the shelves last month, I realized that technique hasn't been borrowed for over a hundred years! So I packed them up and put them in the corner. Why are you looking for that? You’ve finally entered the Qijue Hall, you should seize the opportunity..."
Li Feiyu ignored Ma Rong’s chatter and hurried to the corner, pulling out the seventy-four volumes of the "Blinking Sword Technique." Before he left, he had met with Han Li and promised to borrow them for him. Ma Rong tried to persuade him, but Li Feiyu turned a deaf ear. He registered them and prepared to leave with the large bundle of books.
Before leaving, he thought of something else. "Protector Ma, what’s hidden on the upper floor of the library?"
The library had only two floors, and ordinary disciples were not allowed upstairs.
"Up there? Nothing special, just some old books. I was curious when I first became a protector, but I flipped through them for a few days and found nothing good!"
The Qijue Hall was the core of the Qixuan Sect; could the library really just store useless old books?
"Uncle Ma, look, we’re so close..."
"Cut it out! If we were that close, you’d listen to me and not borrow useless, idle books. If you’ve got the talent, wait until you finish your apprenticeship and become a protector yourself to go see! Go on, get out!"
It seemed Ma Rong was dissatisfied with his dismissive attitude, feeling some resentment toward his lack of ambition. Li Feiyu couldn't be bothered to argue and used his light-body techniques to head toward Godly Hand Valley.
The scenery of Caixia Mountain was magnificent. As it was his first time touring it personally, Li Feiyu accidentally missed the agreed-upon time. Even with his memories, that old locust tree wasn't easy to find. Just as he climbed in, the person inside immediately launched into a tirade.
"Senior Brother Li! You are a full hour late! Can you even get lost in a place you've lived for four years? I’ve already poured eight buckets of water over myself to cool down!"
Well, well! The legendary "Han the Runner"!
The boy before him was dark-skinned, and his looks were far from "plain." He was still some distance away from being plain-looking; he probably wouldn't reach that level until he "applied beauty filters" through cultivation later on. The cautious Han Laomo, who always thought eighteen steps ahead and was as steady as an old dog, had clearly not yet taken shape. He was bare-chested, having just dumped a bucket of water over his head.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Xiao Li! But here I am! I’ve brought the things you wanted!"
Li Feiyu placed the bundle of books in a corner where the water wouldn't reach, then began to take off his clothes. The Marrow-Extracting Pill affected his fortune, and detoxifying while abandoning his martial arts was unsafe; he lacked the points to restore them through the system. He had been restless on the way over, and the heat had been suffocating. It was cool here, and dousing himself in the spring water felt incredible.
Hearing the address "Xiao Li," Han Li clearly seemed unaccustomed to it. In the original work, the two addressed each other as Senior and Junior Brother. However, since he needed Li Feiyu’s help, he decided to endure such trivial matters.
"This is a huge bundle! You didn't bring your whetstone, did you?"
Watching Han Li’s hands move like lightning as he untied the knots Li Feiyu had intentionally made, Li Feiyu was thoroughly impressed.
"Xiao Li, you’ve got nimble hands!"
Han Li certainly didn't understand the double meaning in Li Feiyu's words. The moment he opened the package, he felt a chill run through him. Just like in the original work, he became anxious.
"Senior Brother Li! You are not a reckless person, so why have you brought nearly half the library of the Qijue Hall here... I want to draw a line between us and pretend I don't know you..."
Li Feiyu just continued dousing himself with water, smiling as he waited for Han Li to finish. They had known each other for over half a year and were now good friends. Seeing Li Feiyu’s nonchalant attitude, Han Li could do nothing.
"Open it and see for yourself. All seventy-four volumes are the Blinking Sword Technique! Actually, it's just a hodgepodge of techniques that don't use true energy; only a small part is swordplay. This technique is extremely difficult to practice. Even if one were a genius, it would take seven or eight years to master it all..."
Li Feiyu spent a quarter of an hour telling Han Li everything he knew about the Blinking Sword Technique. Two months ago, Han Li had reached the fifth level of Qi Condensation and possessed a photographic memory. Han Li had already opened a book and was reading ten lines at a glance.
A couple of hours passed before Han Li raised his head. He said with disbelief, "Senior Brother Li, this martial art is of great use to me!"
Meanwhile, Li Feiyu sat crouching on the ground with a branch, drawing and writing with symbols that Han Li couldn't understand...