Chapter 44

Cold to the touch, the paper yellowed with age.

This was the lower volume of the legendary Nine Yin Manual.

Ning Chuan carefully unfurled the secret manual with his serpent tail.

Row upon row of tiny, dense script came into his view.

It recorded exquisitely refined external martial arts techniques.

There was the cruel and venomous Nine Yin White Bone Claw.

There was the utterly wicked Shatter Heart Palm.

There was the agile and eerie White Serpent Whip Art.

There were also sections on healing, pressure point striking, breath-holding secrets, and more.

Ning Chuan swiftly scanned through it; with his current eyesight and his prodigious comprehension, he nearly forgot nothing after one glance.

In just a brief moment, the entire content of the lower volume of the Nine Yin Manual was fully memorized in his mind.

Though he had only roughly memorized it, not yet deeply pondered it.

But Ning Chuan could already sense the exquisite subtleties of these martial techniques.

He was confident that after further careful study, he would surely refine and improve many aspects to suit his own needs.

For instance, the White Serpent Whip Art emphasized yielding to overcome hardness, with whip movements like a spirit serpent emerging from its cave, unpredictable and elusive.

He could fully borrow its power generation techniques and movement variations, using his own strong, supple serpent body as the whip—its power would surely be astonishing.

Likewise, the Soul-Shifting Great Method was a profound mind-control art capable of manipulating others' spirits.

If he could comprehend its underlying principles, perhaps he could evolve a more suitable application method tailored to his own spiritual force.

There were also the Tendon Strengthening and Bone Forging Chapter, the Sinew-Contracting and Bone-Shortening Method, and others—these made Ning Chuan's eyes light up.

If he could master them, would it not make his serpent body even more agile, even allow him to control his size to some degree?

In that case, whether for stealth or combat, he would be far more effective.

This lower volume of the Nine Yin Manual was, to him, nothing less than a treasure trove!

More than enough for him to digest and absorb for a long time.

Ning Chuan felt joy in his heart—this venture had yielded abundant rewards.

At the same time, he could not help but feel a pang of regret.

Unfortunately, this was only the lower volume; it contained none of the upper volume's Internal Energy Cultivation Method, let alone the most crucial, overarching summary.

As he knew, the upper volume of the Nine Yin Manual recorded the Xuanmenzheng Sect's Daoist internal alchemy cultivation, emphasizing refining essence into Qi, Qi into spirit, spirit into emptiness.

And the summary expounded the fundamental martial truth of yin-yang complementarity and the unity of hardness and softness.

That was the true essence of the Nine Yin Manual.

If he could obtain the complete Nine Yin Manual—especially the upper volume's Internal Energy Cultivation Method and the summary—

In the future, he might use it as a foundation, draw from Daoist internal alchemy, and combine it with his own Black Water Black Serpent bloodline traits to truly create a groundbreaking demonic cultivation method!

That was the true path he longed for.

Yet, one must not force things.

To obtain this lower volume was already an unexpected blessing.

He would seek the rest gradually.

"At least… Wang Chongyang possesses the complete version of the Nine Yin Manual!"

"But this Middle Divine's strength is likely even greater—he is undoubtedly a Grand Master-level powerhouse!"

After firmly memorizing the contents of the lower volume of the Nine Yin Manual, Ning Chuan carefully refolded it, wrapped it in brocade, and slipped it back into the unconscious Chen Xuanfeng's arms.

He would never keep this hot potato on himself.

Having done this, he coiled his tail around the unconscious Chen Xuanfeng and dragged him like a dead dog back toward the previous courtyard.

At this moment, inside the courtyard.

During Ning Chuan's absence, the effects of the Softening Powder in Qu Lingfeng and the others' bodies had largely dissipated.

They were all cultivators with internal energy, their physical constitutions far surpassing ordinary people, metabolizing toxins more quickly.

Though their internal energy had not fully returned, they had regained some mobility.

Their first action was to tightly bind Mei Chaofeng, who still lay limp on the ground, both arms shattered, to prevent her from playing any further tricks.

Mei Chaofeng's face was ashen, her eyes filled with despair and venomous hatred, yet she could no longer muster even a shred of resistance.

Ning Chuan's terrifying power had utterly shattered all her illusions.

At that moment, Ning Chuan's massive figure appeared at the courtyard gate.

He dragged the unconscious Chen Xuanfeng slowly into the courtyard.

Seeing this, the last glimmer of hope in Mei Chaofeng's eyes vanished completely, leaving only boundless despair.

Even Brother Chen had been captured by this demonic serpent!

Qu Lingfeng, Lu Chengfeng, Wu Mianfeng, and Feng Mofeng, upon seeing Ning Chuan return with the unconscious Chen Xuanfeng, froze for a moment, then their faces broke into uncontrollable joy!

"Brother Ning! You… you captured Chen Xuanfeng too?!" Qu Lingfeng exclaimed, his voice trembling as he struggled to rise, though his body remained weak.

"Excellent! These two traitors have finally been subdued!" Lu Chengfeng sighed in relief, his face showing unmistakable release—the tension in his nerves finally eased.

Wu Mianfeng and Feng Mofeng were even more eager to rush forward, but then remembered Ning Chuan's terrifying power and the shocking scene moments ago; their steps halted involuntarily, their eyes brimming with awe.

The four exchanged glances, their hearts filled with complex emotions.

They drew a deep breath, then together bowed deeply to Ning Chuan—this bow was more solemn, more heartfelt than any before.