Chapter 892

"Changing Appearance? Isn't that just disguise techniques?" Hu Xiaotian was overjoyed; he always liked taking shortcuts, and in his view, skills like disguise and infiltration were even more important than martial arts, after all, there are too many problems in this world that cannot be solved by force; if martial arts could decide everything, then those sitting on the thrones of the various states ought to be martial arts masters.

Bu Wu said: "Compared to Changing Appearance, any disguise technique is merely a petty trick unworthy of the table."

Seeing Bu Wu's half‑face smug look, Hu Xiaotian secretly thought, "You're so capable, why not dress yourself up a bit better?" He calls it half‑smug because Bu Wu only has expression on half his face; the other half, a bone‑tight skull‑like visage, has its muscles wasted, leaving no room for expression.

Bu Wu said: "Actually, the way of martial arts is that mastering one principle masters all; if you can precisely control every muscle, you can initially change your appearance." He had Hu Xiaotian roll up his sleeve and bend his arm, and Hu Xiaotian proudly showed off his biceps.

Bu Wu's fingers traced the curves of Hu Xiaotian's arm muscles like coarse sandpaper smoothing his skin, raising goosebumps on Hu Xiaotian. Bu Wu said: "Imagine if every muscle in your body could undulate like that; then your facial features could be changed at will. To control muscular change, one must also master the fascia and bones; a martial artist's fascia and bones are far tougher than an ordinary person's."

After speaking, Bu Wu demonstrated; the sound of his joints cracking like firecrackers rang out, his spine underwent an astonishing transformation, and before Hu Xiaotian's eyes his height shrank by more than half a foot—don't underestimate that half a foot, it completely altered his build. Bu Wu said: "If Changing Appearance is combined with Tendon Changing Bone Shifting, even your closest kin would not recognize you standing before them."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Master, the change is powerful, but could you make it a little more handsome? As it stands, you look a bit like the Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Not having read *The Hunchback of Notre Dame*, Bu Wu naturally didn't know who the Hunchback was, and continued: "Stop the chatter. A master leads you to the door; practice is personal. I only teach you the method of change; what you become depends on your own cultivation and fortune."

Hu Xiaotian then put aside his teasing, earnestly following Bu Wu to link Tendon Changing Bone Shifting with Changing Appearance; the two arts are actually one and the same—both are about precise control of the body. Only after genuine practice did Hu Xiaotian understand why Bu Wu insisted he perfect the Art of Soaring: it is not merely an outstanding lightness skill, but Bu Wu's unique internal cultivation method, differing from most internal arts that are practiced statically; Bu Wu's internal training occurs in motion.

By contracting and expanding internal breath to control bones, fascia, and muscles, the range can be increased several times over normal physiological limits; such change is enough to alter height and build, let alone the face. After two days of training, Hu Xiaotian could basically achieve two variations: a puffy face or a sharp‑cheeked monkey face—these are the two simplest extremes of Changing Appearance. As for Tendon Changing Bone Shifting, he had only developed a pigeon chest and hunched back; achieving even that in just two days is quite remarkable.

Before he knew it, five days had passed in Rift Cloud Valley; during those days Hu Xiaotian either practiced martial arts or went to the river to catch fish, and in his leisure he would grill a fish at night, even thinking of offering the grilled fish to Bu Wu as a token of respect, but after reconsidering he decided against it—this master has a strange temperament; flattery might backfire badly, making things awkward.

Bu Wu came every day on time, but tonight he arrived an hour early. Hu Xiaotian, thinking it wasn't yet time for him, was leisurely grilling a green fish by the bank. The water of Dustless Creek is exceptionally clear; because he had once dumped the corpses of the three Qi Daine there, he always goes upstream in Rift Cloud Valley to fish. With his current skill, catching fish is no trivial matter; today he caught a green fish about three feet long and weighing roughly eight pounds, which he grilled until fragrant, then sprinkled with his own seasonings.

Just as Hu Xiaotian was about to tuck in, he noticed a black shape appear on the opposite bank—it was his master Bu Wu.

Bu Wu sniffed the air and said, "Smells good!" Then resentment welled up, and he cursed: "You heartless little turtle bastard, after all my hard work teaching you, you hide here every day to sneak a bite, never thinking to share a bit with me."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Master, hurry over; I thought you were a monk, so I didn't dare let you break your precepts!"

Bu Wu snorted coldly: "Broken precepts? When have I ever observed the monastic rules?" His body swayed and he had already crossed the small river to Hu Xiaotian's side. Since the green fish was too large, Hu Xiaotian cut it into several large pieces and roasted them over the fire. He took a piece of fish belly meat and gave it to Bu Wu. Although Bu Wu and I have a cooperative relationship, the master-disciple status cannot be changed. In the past I always harbored suspicion toward Bu Wu, but after getting along for a while I found he wasn't that terrifying.

Bu Wu took a bite of the plump fish meat, his face showing a rather strange expression. After a while he praised: "Delicious! I wouldn't have thought you little turtle bastard still had some use."

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "Roasting fish isn't exactly a highly technical task; it's merely practice makes perfect. The same goes for roasting fish and for martial arts."

Bu Wu pulled a small porcelain bottle from his bosom, looking like it could hold about half a jin of liquor. He pulled the stopper and took a swig; immediately the aroma of wine filled the air. After finishing, he handed the bottle to Hu Xiaotian, indicating that Hu Xiaotian should also take a sip.

Hu Xiaotian would have liked to drink, but seeing Bu Wu's mouthful of blackened teeth, he thought better of it and smiled: "My disciple does not drink alcohol."

"Just drink when I tell you to!"

Hu Xiaotian had no choice but to accept it. He raised the porcelain bottle high, opened his mouth, avoiding letting his lips touch the bottle's mouth, and a stream of liquor poured in. As the liquor entered his throat, a strange icy cold sensation spread through his throat, leaving Hu Xiaotian's whole body almost numb from the cold. Immediately he felt a throbbing pain in his forehead, similar to the feeling when he as a child greedily bit into half an ice cream, only much stronger. Hu Xiaotian could only keep his mouth wide open, continuously exhaling, making him look like a dog.

Bu Wu snatched the bottle from his hand and took another sip, pursing his lips with evident satisfaction.

It took Hu Xiaotian a good while to recover his strength, and only then did he feel his abdomen beginning to warm up. He whispered: "What kind of liquor is this? It's strange—freezing cold."

Bu Wu said: "This liquor is called Nine Yin Osmanthus Brew, distilled by the ferocious ghosts of hell, infused with the resentment of wronged souls."

Hu Xiaotian stuck out his tongue: "Master, we don't need to be so frightening."

Bu Wu put the small porcelain bottle away: "Do you feel a warm sensation in your dantian now?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Not bad!"

Bu Wu said: "This warmth is the counterforce of your dantian. Although you possess such strong internal energy, your dantian qi sea lacks sufficient capacity, so if you wish to live longer you must continually train your dantian qi sea, enhancing its capacity. The Void Grand Law ultimately deviates into demonic deviation because practitioners only know to incessantly devour others' internal energy, without considering their own capacity."

Hu Xiaotian said: "It's the same principle as being stuffed to death from overeating."

Bu Wu said: "Exactly! The same food can fill you up, but if given to a small child it could burst them; therefore, to avoid bursting, you must continually increase your capacity."

Bu Wu's words suddenly sparked hope in Hu Xiaotian; he realized he was not necessarily doomed to deviate into demonic deviation from the Void Grand Law, as long as he could cultivate a dantian qi sea capable of bearing vast internal energy, he could safely survive this calamity.

Bu Wu's appetite was astonishing; most of that green fish ended up in his stomach.

Hu Xiaotian gazed at Bu Wu under the moonlight and suddenly felt sympathy. Even if one possessed peerless martial arts, what could it do? Bu Wu's family had been slain by his own younger brother; alone in the world, solitary and friendless, he was furthermore confined to a corner of the back mountain of Heaven Dragon Temple, where he had remained for thirty years—how tragic his fate was.

Bu Wu patted his belly: "It's been a long time since I've eaten such delicious fish."

Hu Xiaotian said: "If Master wants to eat, I'll roast fish for you every day."

A hint of a smile appeared on Bu Wu's ugly face: "You little bastard, are you trying to curry favor with me again? After all, you just want to learn more techniques from me."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Master has already taught me plenty; besides, the saying goes that teaching a disciple to starve the master, so you had better keep a couple of secret techniques for yourself."

Bu Wu exclaimed: "Challenge accepted! Then I'll teach you a set of Heaven Dragon Temple's Subduing Tiger, Seizing Dragon Hand. This martial art is most suitable for close-quarters combat—watch closely." Bu Wu selected an open clearing and began the demonstration; Hu Xiaotian watched and learned, and it could be said that this set of martial arts is truly the genuine killing technique Bu Wu taught him. Hu Xiaotian discovered that Bu Wu's martial arts were extremely eclectic, yet he had mastered each one to perfection; this person truly deserves the title of a generation's martial arts genius.

This Subduing Tiger, Seizing Dragon Hand is also the final set of martial arts Bu Wu taught Hu Xiaotian. The Art of Soaring allows Hu Xiaotian to scale walls and rooftops as if walking on level ground; Tendon Changing Bone Shifting lets him alter his appearance to avoid exposing his identity; and the Subduing Tiger, Seizing Dragon Hand enhances Hu Xiaotian's close-combat ability.

Hu Xiaotian spent the least amount of time learning this Subduing Tiger, Seizing Dragon Hand, and by that night he was already able to perform it with passable skill.

As he was about to leave, Bu Wu said to Hu Xiaotian: "Tomorrow I won't be coming back."

Hu Xiaotian's heart skipped a beat; with two days left before his departure, he had thought he could still learn some ultimate techniques from Bu Wu, but he never expected Bu Wu to declare that it was enough.

Bu Wu said: "Lately my internal energy has been fluctuating, so I need to enter seclusion for a few days. The martial arts I've taught you are already sufficient for you to act within Heaven Dragon Temple; if you don't encounter a few senior elders, escaping should not be difficult."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Master, aren't you still supposed to enter the Scripture Pavilion?"

Bu Wu nodded and said: "During this time, help me keep watch on the movements around the Scripture Pavilion and perfect that map. In ten days we will meet here again, at which point you will tell me everything you have learned in full detail."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Rest assured, Master, I will definitely handle this matter for you flawlessly."

First Update delivered—please vote for the monthly ticket! I will also post two more updates tonight, striving to have them up before ten! (To be continued~^~)