Chapter 43: Wind Spirit, Surnamed Qin

As the top model student of Old Factory Street, the well-behaved child in the neighbors' mouths, Qin Shi suspected for the first time that he might be illiterate.

Lao Liang took out that ancient booklet; opening it for a glance, all sorts of crooked, slanted, twisted, chaotic, bizarre symbols.

Arranged in rows without any discernible pattern, similar to primitive yet complex pictographs, containing complex and variable ideographic nature, making it very difficult to understand.

"It's not looked at with the eyes."

Lao Liang finally felt gratified; no matter how high the talent of the monster, facing this gate for the first time, they'd still be baffled.

"You have to feel it from the bottom of your heart."

Are you giving me the Riddler treatment!

Qin Shi saw it; Lao Liang had been shocked by him repeatedly.

Once a genius, his Dao heart had suffered a setback; now he wanted to win back face.

"The Yangtze's rear waves push the front waves! Lao Liang, oh Lao Liang, today I'll let you see what's called the new generation's heaven's pride!"

He smiled faintly; relying on his extraordinary comprehension, his unmatched heart-nature, could he still fail to enter the gate of the Nourishing Spirit Technique?

A joke!

Forty minutes later.

"So hard!"

Qin Shi's head was dizzy and swollen, eyelids drooping, like they had lead balls hanging on them.

"I actually, really! Can't understand a single character! No reason, my language class scores at Xin Yi High School are all above a hundred!"

You should know, mastering five or more major general languages is the graduation requirement for any university in Dongxia.

From the Four Great National Universities to top academies like Qiguang Heng University and Jia Kai University of Technology, down to the most ordinary technical institutes, all have compulsory language courses.

This is a written regulation of the Education Bureau.

This is also why Qin Shi was so confident; his language exam scores had never dropped.

Like Dongxia's Five Autonomous Regions, Tianzhu, Yingzhou, Yamo, Baluo, Qindao, they all have their own language systems.

Qin Shi could basically achieve listening, speaking, reading, writing, and smooth communication.

He thought the strange symbols on the ancient booklet were merely pictographs like oracle bone script, Sumerian script, and the like.

Even if the learning difficulty was high, as long as he found the common features between character elements, he could judge the approximate meaning.

"Can't understand, completely can't understand! How can text be felt with the heart? Close your eyes, then you can't see anything……"

Qin Shi was deeply confused, feeling discouraged.

Sitting opposite, Lao Liang sipped his cooled tea, putting on the look of someone watching a show.

Old Martial Arts Inheritance has always retained many outdated conventions and bad habits.

Like "pass to sons not daughters, pass to insiders not outsiders", "teach the disciple, starve the master", "always keep a trick up your sleeve".

Under the prevalence of this unhealthy atmosphere, it's very easy for sects to wither, the awkward situation of a sudden break in lineage.

"People of the Old Martial Arts often regard 'techniques' as extremely important, even willing to let the lineage sever, unwilling to let it fall into outside surnames.

From this derived a systematic set of 'secret texts'. These secret texts imitate the character forms of ancient Buddhist and Daoist eras, excerpted and pieced together from 'Brahma Script' and 'Yun Seal Script'."

Lao Liang thought to himself:

"Without a master to lead you through the door, no matter how heaven-gifted the talent, it's hard to fathom."

The correct steps are: the master teaches the method to dismantle the secret text, then has the disciple memorize it word by word, sentence by sentence, firmly.

Until it's thoroughly mastered, clearly understood, so that even with eyes closed it can be replicated exactly.

Finally day and night contemplation, chewing and tempering out the 'essence' from within.

"He Lanchan sat bitterly for two days in Master Uncle's Dao Guan, only entering the gate after receiving a pointer.

The youngster is still too young, too spirited, too confident in his own talent."

Lao Liang pondered, waiting for another ten minutes to pass, then he'd be like Master Uncle back then, casually giving a few pointers, letting Qin Shi suddenly see the light.

Thereby establishing the master's authority!

"Sleep a bit work? 【Deep Sleep】 can only restore the energy bar, can't add intelligence.

The Brain has no muscle tissue, relying on 【Muscle Memory】 probably won't work either."

Qin Shi still hadn't given up; he summoned the Stele Panel on his retina, pondering a solution.

Staring at that ancient booklet of unknown years of inheritance, his gaze suddenly flashed:

【Food Ingredient Classification: Item】

【Quality: Low Grade】

【Edible Parts: Page 1, Page 5, Page 7】

【Consumption Effect: Enhance reading comprehension, gain temporary 'Temporary Epiphany' trait, comprehend 'Its Speed Like Wind Momentum'】

"This can be eaten too?"

Qin Shi froze for a moment; he reckoned 【Overgrowth】's definition of "high-nutrition high-energy substances" was a bit too broad.

Since that's the case!

Then, sorry about this, Lao Liang!

Stele Activation!

"Master Liang……"

Qin Shi hesitated on how to open his mouth.

"What? Can't fathom it, hard to guess, right?"

Lao Liang only regretted not keeping a long beard, so he couldn't imitate Master Uncle stroking his beard and acting the sage.

"No matter no matter, let me give you some pointers……"

Qin Shi shook his head, freezing the smile that had just risen to the corners of Lao Liang's mouth once again.

Only to hear the little disciple ask cautiously:

"Master Liang, is this booklet extremely valuable?"

"It's hardly worth calling valuable. Hong Sheng's entire inheritance has been turned over to the Martial Association. If your permission level is high enough, you can spend the corresponding points to read it, spend a bit more, and you can even download it."

Old Liang gave a wry smile:

"Mine isn't even an original. It's a manuscript copied by Master Uncle."

"Pity most of it is missing in the middle, made up by Master himself."

No wonder only the first page, fifth page, and seventh page could be eaten.

It seemed Old Liang's master was far inferior to Master Uncle.

Qin Shi breathed a silent sigh of relief upon hearing this, then asked:

"Master Liang, hypothetically, I mean hypothetically, if this manuscript were gone, would you feel heartache?"

What was this kid trying to do?

Old Liang furrowed his brow:

"Heartache is too strong a word. Even if it spread, without guidance from someone of Hong Sheng, no one could understand it."

"As for Master Uncle's manuscript, I have half a box of them, kept as mementos."

Qin Shi's heart settled slightly, and he posed his final question:

"Master Liang, have you ever used this manuscript to wipe your hands or blow your nose?"

"What nonsense are you spouting! Master Uncle's manuscript—I cherish it too much to do such a thing... Hey, what are you doing!"

Old Liang's expression was strange, not knowing what Qin Shi was up to.

Before he could finish speaking, he saw the little disciple snatch up the ancient booklet and tear out several pages.

Then he crumpled them into a ball and stuffed them into his mouth!

"It's over!"

Old Liang wasn't angry, just startled by Qin Shi's madness.

"Could it be that as a child he couldn't understand the secret text, his Dao-heart shattered, and he's been stimulated?"

A genius disciple he'd finally picked up as a bargain—he couldn't afford any mishaps!

Qin Shi didn't care about Old Liang's changing expression. After a hurried "Sorry, Master Liang," he chewed and swallowed the few sheets of paper.

【Completed one high-quality meal (1/20)】

Clear text flashed across his retina.

"So the condition can actually be met."

Qin Shi's mouth twitched. Putting it that way, if he learned a trick from Hannibal, he could cut Lin Yunqing, that bitch, into pieces, choose the cuts, and cook them carefully.

Would that count as a "meal" or "foraging"?

"She could serve as emergency rations. If I really can't rack up enough times, I'll use Teacher Lin to make up the difference."

Qin Shi dismissed the joking thought.

If Lin Yunqing knew this idea, her beloved female-protagonist novel "The Urban Noblewoman Picks Up a Young Wolf-Dog of Old Martial Arts, Love Me Don't Stop" would turn into a horror suspense story called "The Tender and Delicious Young Teacher's Abusive Love with the Murderous High School Boy Who Wants You to Eat His Pancreas."

In the single dormitory, silence for several minutes. Old Liang, full of worry:

"Xiao Shi, are you alright?"

"Master Liang!"

Qin Shi opened his eyes, which had just closed, his expression serious.

"What's wrong? If you can't learn, we can take it slow. Don't get too excited or too extreme. It's fine if Master Uncle's manuscript is torn; Master won't blame you."

Old Liang coaxed him like a child, afraid the disciple would have another episode.

"Master Liang!"

Qin Shi spread his arms. Various wind sounds seemed to ring in his ears, fierce howling, ever-changing.

As the Qi Sense within him cycled several times, strands of "wind" were drawn in, swirling around his body.

Finally concentrating on the tips of his two feet, it condensed into an extremely weak lifting force.

"I've comprehended it!"

Qin Shi felt the "Swift as Wind Momentum" among the Hundred Aspects. His mortal body seemed to shed its shackles and burdens, suddenly becoming much lighter.

As if in a flash of thought, he could merge into the endless air currents of subtle changes, like a drop of water falling into the ocean, causing not a ripple.

I am the God of the Wind!

Strong emotions occupied Qin Shi's heart, giving rise to such an arrogant thought.

The night sky of the Urban Circle was colorful and bright, with lights intertwining like an ocean.

On the top floor of the thirty-story Black Flame Grand Hotel in the central district, Qin Lihao, dressed in a white suit, hands in his pockets, coldly looked down at Wang Long, whom he had just fished out.

"Hao Ge, I really didn't know that female teacher was Lin Xiaohan's sister. She's a Lin Family Eldest Miss, why run to the Youth Palace..."

Qin Lihao's right leg shot out, his shiny leather shoe striking Wang Long's chin.

With a crisp crack, bones shattered, blood spurted!

The arrogant youth who wore sunglasses and name brands at noon, driving a convertible, instantly rolled like a dead dog several times, smashing into the railing behind, making it clang loudly.

"What a stupid pig. Besides having a dick and sleeping with women, what else can he do?"

Qin Lihao seethed inside, veins on his forehead jumping:

"He doesn't even know Lin Yunqing, that crazy hag! Ajie's leg was almost broken by her, and you actually rushed to curry favor with her? I told you to manage the Yi Quan Society with A Biao under Cheng Ze, and you bring a bunch of killers to the Youth Palace to pick up girls?"

He strode forward, lifted his foot, and the thick heel of his leather shoe came down on Wang Long's head again and again.

Moments later, the howls grew weak until they vanished, and the twitching body no longer moved.

"Damn it, even someone as arrogant as me knows the rule of the Urban Circle: 'Don't provoke Chen, don't fight Lin.' You mangy wild dog dare to court a Lin Family miss—your guts are bigger than mine!"

Qin Lihao cursed under his breath; the wind atop the high-rise roof blew open his unbuttoned suit shirt, revealing a large expanse of ferocious tattoos.

It was an evil eagle spreading its wings to pounce and bite!

"Hao Ge."

The little brother beside him bent and squatted, letting Qin Lihao step his foot on his back, while another wiped the bloodstains off his leather shoes with his sleeve.

"From now on, any wild dog that stirs up trouble—I'll kick every one I see!"

Qin Lihao exhaled his pent-up breath, his tall frame like a heavy mountain range pressing down on everyone's hearts, leaving them silent as cold cicadas.

"A Si, pick a heavy gift and send it to Lin Yunqing's place tomorrow. As for Lin Xiaohan, that Smiling Tiger, I'll personally go to his door to apologize!"

"By the way, I heard Wang Long, that stupid pig, took a group over there and they all got knocked down? Was the other side just a student?"

The little brother shining shoes answered:

"Correct, a student who works part-time at the Youth Palace."

Qin Lihao frowned:

"A student that fierce? What's his name?"

The little brother lowered his head:

"Couldn't find out. Just knows his surname is Qin..."

Qin Lihao raised his foot again:

"Useless trash! What am I keeping you for? Surname Qin? There are plenty of Qins in Hengzhou. I'm surnamed Qin too!"

After he calmed down, he took out a handkerchief, wiped his face, then let go and let the wind carry it away.

A student?

Since he's just a small fry, can't be bothered to deal with him.

Not even worth getting stuck in my teeth.

"Call Brother A Ze and urge that wild dog of his to buy up more land quickly—the approval for the Old Factory Street redevelopment is coming down, don't delay my big money."

Qin Lihao held a thousand-yuan Nine Heavy Tower Cigarette between his lips; under the rich night, that ember flashed on and off, then he exhaled blue smoke.

"The Yincheng Qin Family's accumulation over these years—if we really went head-to-head with the Lin Family, it wouldn't be nothing."

He grinned, looking toward Old Factory Street, like a starving beast waiting to feed.

(Chapter End)