Chapter 19: The Method of Devouring

Duan Rong stood there for nearly an hour.

After one hour, Duan Rong opened his eyes and ceased his cultivation.

He let out a long breath, straightened his waist, and his gaze held a hint of exhaustion.

"It seems that practicing this Internal Cultivation Method consumes even more! I've only been at it for an hour, and I actually feel somewhat drained!"

Duan Rong even felt hungry, and his heart even began to flutter with unease.

"If I keep practicing like this for a long time, my body will definitely be depleted!"

"I haven't been eating poorly lately, so why is it still like this?"

Duan Rong had instantly digested several years of experience in the Internal Cultivation Method from Zhao Mu; the moment he circulated it, he was like a veteran, not even missing the most minute meridians.

Not only was the efficiency extremely high, but the precision was also extremely fine; when ordinary Martial Artists first come into contact with an Internal Cultivation Method, even if they learn it, it is intermittent as they grope their way through the circulation. Since Duan Rong circulated it intensely the moment he started, his body had not yet had time to adapt, so naturally, signs of depletion appeared.

But regardless, he had already mastered the Internal Cultivation Method, so he could just practice it slowly in the future.

To him, Xiao Zongting's three-day deadline posed no pressure at all.

And right now, there was a more important problem he had to clear up first.

That was the ability of the Devouring Artifact Spirit that had come with him through his soul transmigration.

Previously, he had been busy dealing with the assessment and had no time to investigate in detail; now that the assessment was finally passed, he had to study this problem thoroughly.

After all, this ability of the Devouring Artifact Spirit was his foundation for standing firm in this world!

It was just that this problem was important but not urgent, so he had set it aside before.

Now that the assessment was over, studying the Devouring Artifact Spirit's ability clearly was his most important task at the moment.

Duan Rong cast his gaze around; this Martial Arts Arena was very spacious, with a large ring in the middle and four weapon racks placed on the four sides of the ring.

After all, this was an Escort Agency, and everyone lived by the ways of the jianghu; martial arts were skills for self-preservation, so it was inevitable that they would cross hands at times.

Moreover, during festivals and holidays, there were often ring-fighting programs.

The Manager and the Chief would provide some extra rewards as prize money for the winners.

Every year, the Intern Escort promotion assessment also included a ring-fighting event.

It was just that the person presiding over it was naturally the Chief Instructor, Xiao Zongting.

The weapon racks held various types of weapons, including axes, halberds, hooks, forks, sabers, spears, swords, and halberds.

Although the Yuanshun Escort Agency taught the Miscellaneous Disciples the Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber, not all the Escorts in the agency had risen from the ranks of Miscellaneous Disciples; many were recruited from the outside.

Duan Rong walked to the weapon rack closest to him and drew a Long-handled Broadsword from the rack.

This Long-handled Broadsword had a total length of 1.5 meters, with the blade being nearly half the total length, and it weighed about six or seven jin in his hand.

"Spirit Reader!"

Duan Rong muttered to himself, and he saw a set of data appear before his eyes.

Artifact: Long-handled Broadsword.

Spirit Artifact Tier: Third Tier.

Devouring Requirement: Host Spirit Power Level 3 (Not met).

Devouring Effect: Rakshasa Saber Technique Proficiency, Asura Saber Proficiency, Yellow Springs Saber Technique Proficiency, Eight Trigrams Saber Technique Introduction.

Duan Rong looked at the devouring effects and clicked his tongue slightly. "Three techniques at Proficiency?"

Duan Rong did not believe anyone had the spare time to practice three saber techniques to Proficiency, and also practice the Eight Trigrams Saber Technique to Introduction.

It seems this Long-handled Broadsword has passed through the hands of who knows how many people; it really is a good broadsword that has served everyone.

Duan Rong told himself a dirty joke, then inserted the broadsword in his hand back onto the rack.

"A Third Tier Spirit Artifact requires Level 3 Spirit Power!"

Duan Rong noticed the devouring requirement in the data. "Then what exactly is my Spirit Power level right now?"

Duan Rong flipped his hand and drew a Plum Blossom Spear from the weapon rack.

"Read data!"

Artifact: Plum Blossom Spear.

Spirit Artifact Tier: First Tier.

Devouring Requirement: Host Spirit Power Level 1 (Met).

Devouring Effect: Arhat Spear Technique Introduction, Ice Fire Double Spear Technique Introduction, Soul Snatching Spear Technique Introduction.

Duan Rong looked at the data before him and pondered for a moment; he had tried many Spirit Artifacts before, both Second Tier and Third Tier, and he could not devour any of them.

"It seems my Spirit Power level is Level 1."

"Level 1, that sounds like it's really weak!" Duan Rong's gaze flickered with contemplation.

Today, the term "Spirit Power" had entered his field of thought several times.

He still remembered that sentence from Xiao Zongting.

"Martial arts use Martial Techniques as the method of combat, Internal Cultivation Method as the foundation, and Spirit Power as the core!"

"Spirit Power as the core..." Duan Rong repeated this sentence to himself again.

How martial arts could have Spirit Power as the core was something he could not yet understand.

However, he already understood that his ability to devour Spirit Artifacts had Spirit Power as its core.

The higher the host's Spirit Power level, the higher the tier of Spirit Artifact they could devour.

His current Spirit Power level was only Level 1, so he could only devour First Tier and Unranked Spirit Artifacts.

Duan Rong did not devour the Spirit Artifact of the Plum Blossom Spear in his hand, but instead put the spear back on the weapon rack.

He had no interest in these three miscellaneous spear techniques that were like those from a general store!

Duan Rong touched the weapons on all four weapon racks one by one.

The names of the martial arts were varied, and the highest-level devouring effects reached Great Accomplishment; of course, Spirit Artifacts of that level were not something Duan Rong could devour right now.

Inside, there were a few weapons with a Spirit Artifact Tier of First Tier, which indeed met Duan Rong's standards for devouring.

However, he put them all back.

He was currently in the Escort Agency and had only learned the Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber; if he were to digest and absorb other martial arts and accidentally reveal it in front of Xiao Zongting, the charge of stealing martial arts would be inescapable.

He had already experienced just how sharp that old man's eyes were.

Kong Bin was at a Stone Table in the corner of the Martial Arts Arena, flipping through the Secret Manual of the Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber.

He had carefully studied the Internal Cultivation Method section, but after trying several times without success, he was just at his wit's end when he suddenly looked up and saw Duan Rong at the weapon rack, touching this for a moment and that for a moment; Kong Bin's eyes revealed a look of disgust, and he said, "Putting on an act."

Duan Rong put a saber back onto the weapon rack; he could not help but feel a bit disappointed, as he had not found the Spirit Tool of a Proficiency-level Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber.

A voice suddenly came from behind Duan Rong.

"Look, they say this ginkgo tree is over three hundred years old; it's an Ancient Ginkgo Tree!"

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong turned his head and saw two youths dressed as Personal Attendants whispering in the corner.

The Personal Attendants and servants in the Middle Courtyard and Back Courtyard were generally relatives of the Escorts and required a guarantor. If something went wrong, the person who recommended them would be held jointly responsible.

These two Personal Attendants looked to be only twelve or thirteen years old; noticing Duan Rong looking at them, they ran away somewhat shyly.

Duan Rong stood there, looking toward the Ginkgo Ancient Tree not far away with a deep gaze.

The afternoon sunlight shone on the tender green leaves of the ginkgo, like countless flickering eyes.

Looking at the leaves flickering in the sunlight, Duan Rong seemed to have a sudden realization; he walked over, placed his palm against the smooth trunk of the ginkgo, and silently said, "Spirit Reader."

Looking at the set of data appearing before him, Duan Rong felt a wave of astonishment in his heart.

Artifact: Ancient Ginkgo Tree (tree age: 361 years).

Spirit Artifact Tier: Ninth Tier.

Devouring Requirement: Host Mental Power Level 9 (not met).

Devouring Effect: Reading the Years (can increase the Host's Mental Power).

"Reading the Years..." Duan Rong muttered to himself; he raised his head, and the sunlight spilled through the gaps in the ginkgo leaves, landing in his eyes.

At this moment, he seemed to hear the whisper of the ginkgo tree beneath his palm.

(End of this chapter)