Chapter 22

After dealing with the Three Mountains, Yan Buji sucked dry the essence blood of three chieftains and two grandmasters; the agitation of the Blood Essence Skill completely settled, even if only for a moment that was enough!

After finishing all that, Yan Buji burned everything on his person related to the Three Mountains Bandits and directly returned to Lin Shan Cheng, shutting his doors and not going out.

To outsiders, Yan Buji's selling off the family estate causing the Yan family's decline, and his avoiding visitors, was perfectly normal.

But Yan Buji knew that this raid on the Wu Family was really a stroke of great luck!

"Mysterious Accumulation Token!"

This ancient-looking token overall exudes a mysterious and ancient aura, its surface covered with the marks of time. On its front is a clearly visible "Ji" character, the script vigorous and powerful, as if containing endless power. However, what truly draws attention is not just this character, but the exquisite pattern on the back of the token.

At first glance these patterns seem nothing special, merely simple lines and motifs interwoven. But upon close examination, one discovers hidden intricacy within. Each line and each motif appears as if carefully designed, mutually echoing to form a complex yet harmonious picture.

When one's gaze delves into these patterns, an intangible attraction can be felt, compelling one to want to explore their secrets.

And this wondrous pattern seems to correspond to something.

Yan Buji pondered for a while, then suddenly thought of something.

"It's somewhat similar to the tattoos on Chi Ren Fo's body. Moreover, I originally thought that Chi Ren Fo's Demon-Subduing King Skill and my Blood Essence Skill share some similarities; could it be..."

Although Yan Buji this time completely abandoned the Three Mountains' foundation, he didn't come away empty-handed.

Besides some illicit medicines he had previously collected, he also had the complete manual of Chi Ren Fo's Demon-Subduing King Skill in his hands.

When Chi Ren Fo came to the vicinity of Lin Shan Cheng, he once battled Yan Buji and ended up defeated; in order to challenge strong opponents, and even more so to defeat his own self, he willingly remained here.

Over these years Yan Buji investigated him, learning that the opponent possessed the top-tier Buddhist internal skill Demon-Subduing King Skill, he then conceived the idea, and after some means actually obtained the complete cultivation method, though it clashed with his own Blood Essence Skill, so he never practiced it.

But aside from that, Chi Ren Fo hid another very important thing; after his death, it naturally ended up in Yan Buji's hands.

The Demon-Subduing King Skill itself isn't important; it's just that its functions similar to Blood Essence Skill piqued his curiosity, and after obtaining the complete manual and studying it a bit, he noticed that some of its secrets for arousing qi and blood and enhancing strength resemble those of Blood Essence Skill.

Chi Ren Fo appears to have practiced the Demon-Subduing King Skill in reverse, which would lead to the Ten Thousand Devils Devouring the Body, seeking to comprehend the Ming King's Suppressing Prison martial realm, but that's actually not the case!

Yan Buji placed the complete manual of Blood Essence Skill and a piece of black cloth he had scavenged from Chi Ren Fo's dwelling on the table, then unfolded it to look.

"Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng?"

Yan Buji frowned; at a rough glance the gilded characters looked as if they had just been written, but this ancient aura could not be faked—it was definitely an artifact several hundred years old.

Having run a pawnshop as a merchant, Yan Buji naturally had an eye for such things; he could tell this cloth was likely an imperial tribute, a precious silk known as Black Wood Brocade from the Kan Road region. It is said that this brocade can only be woven from a unique black wood found in the Kan Road region, combined with various costly ingredients, and having endured thousands, even millions of years without decay, the characters written on it will stay as fresh as new if properly preserved.

The materials recorded in this Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng are out of the ordinary, so this internal skill is naturally not common either.

"What does it mean? Tempering one's will by borrowing a ghost's body? What mundane martial arts in this world could ever come into contact with gods and ghosts?" Yan Buji frowned and looked further down.

As expected, Yan Buji saw three kinds of pictures below.

They were: Avīci Hell, the Sea of Blood in the Asura Realm, and King Yama Judging Ghosts.

Ah?

Even though Yan Buji has extraordinary talent in martial arts, he couldn't discern the meaning of these three pictures; could it be that, like Chi Ren Fo, he needs to get a tattoo on his body before he can start cultivating this Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng?

The key is whether mundane martial arts truly have a need to continue practicing.

Even the Blood Essence Skill alone makes it hard for Yan Buji to divide his attention; although he has now achieved mastery in Blood Essence Skill, enabling him to observe the heavenly-human realm, that too took a full twenty years of his time.

Cultivating this Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng, which looks abnormal at first glance, would likely require an immeasurable amount of time.

Wait, the Mysterious Accumulation Token?

Yan Buji looked at the Mysterious Accumulation Token, secretly contemplated the Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng for three hours, then also verified the circulation of his Blood Essence Skill.

At daybreak, Yan Buji's eyes turned red; he carefully took the Mysterious Accumulation Token and meticulously committed its patterns to memory, forming a bold idea.

"If we take the pattern on the back of the Mysterious Accumulation Token as some kind of mysterious art governing the flow of meridians and qi-blood, linking the Blood Essence Skill and the Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng... it seems possible!"

After a brief moment of thought, Yan Buji stood at the doorway and shouted: "I won't be going out today; just leave the refreshments at the door."

"Yes, sir." the maid said.

"Remember to tell Rou Er that I've caught a chill and need to rest for a while."

"Ah? Shouldn't you go see a doctor, sir?" the maid asked worriedly.

"No need, just brew some cold-relief medicine for us."

"Yes, sir."

Yan Buji took a deep breath, sat on the bed, and began to contemplate the profundities of the evil arts, demonic arts, and the patterns of the Mysterious Accumulation Token, trying to find a way to cultivate them together.

If Yan Buji's idea is correct, then he could master the Guān Tiān Dēng Mó Zhuàng in a short time and thereby break through to the heavenly-human realm!

During this period, since he doesn't need to go out anyway, he just needs to patiently strengthen his own strength.

If it doesn't work out, he'll simply attend the Spring Literary Assembly as originally planned.

Over the past half month, Yan Xirou has also become quite popular at the academy; compared to the few daughters of officials and nobles there, the lovely Yan Xirou is still the most endearing.

"Miss Xirou, would you like to go see the winter jasmine? The winter jasmine on the mountains has recently bloomed, and it's very beautiful."

Some students gathered around, no longer restrained as before, but rather somewhat enthusiastic.

Yan Xirou chuckled: "Sorry, senior brother, I still need to go see the teacher this afternoon to make up lessons, so I won't join you all for flower viewing."

"That's really too bad."

"Well, when I have time I'll invite you all to my home as guests; I hope you won't disdain my humble abode." Yan Xirou said with a smile.

"If your Yan family counts as a humble abode, then our family can only be called a pigsty."

"Hahaha."

Yan Xirou's face flushed: "No... no, I didn't mean it that way."

"Alright, alright, stop teasing Xirou, everyone, let's go."

"Goodbye, senior brothers!"

The female students nearby all wore looks of disdain; seeing Yan Xirou being favored made them feel uncomfortable inside.

"I was just saying that this flirtatious girl shouldn't be underestimated; even Senior Brother Zhao Jinzhong has some feelings for her!"

"Hmph! What good is being pretty? She's just a merchant's daughter, fit only to be a concubine."

"Heh, who knows, maybe every afternoon she goes to Scholar Zhou's place... you know what I mean."

Beside her, Yan Xirou's maid heard their conversation, her face showing displeasure, about to go over and say a few words, but Yan Xirou quickly grabbed her:

"Xiao Cui, don't bother with them. They only spout baseless windy talk; it's better to study hard."

"But Miss, they're spreading rumors about you like that, obviously...."

"It's fine." Yan Xirou smiled.

"The innocent are clear; let them say what they want. I don't want to cause trouble for my father, and besides, I'm not here to compete in spirit, I'm here to study. Once I pass the scholar exam, they won't dare say such things!" Yan Xirou muttered to herself.

Xiao Cui laughed: "Miss, you truly have great ambition."

"Alright, let's go, it's time to find the teacher!"