Chapter 20: Egg-Swapping Period

Inside the villa, feeling the pressing threat of the long sword mere inches away, Fang Can felt only helplessness.

"Who doesn't know that even those with extraordinary talent need at least five days of hard training to step into the Mortal Shedding Body realm, let alone you who are about to reach the bottleneck of the first stage of Mortal Shedding? With such talent, even if Great Expansion Divine Lord were reincarnated, he couldn't do it."

The long sword in Jiang Ningan's hand moved slightly closer, leaving a tiny scar on Fang Can's neck: "You lied about the number of days you entered; what exactly are you trying to cover up?"

Even with Fang Can's current level of calm, he wanted to sigh deeply; in this era, no one would believe the truth even if you spoke it.

"Is there a possibility," Fang Can countered, "that, of course, I'm only speaking of a possibility, that I am an unparalleled genius, the kind even Great Expansion Divine Lord couldn't match?"

Jiang Ningan didn't answer, but her eyes said everything: Just you?

Fang Can was completely helpless; it was one thing for the weak to complain about the environment, but why complain about the strong?

It's bad enough that people in your world have poor talent, but you blame me for reaching this level in seven days? A bunch of noobs who've never seen the world; do you even understand what 'cheating' means?

"Alright, ah yes yes yes, I actually came to Great Expansion a month ago, and after a month of hard training, I gained this strength."

Fang Can looked helplessly at the foolish woman before him, feeling no anger at all:

"Anyway, after staying in Great Expansion for a while, I came back again, and you should have crossed over with me during that same period."

"If things continue like this, in a few days you will return to Great Expansion again, and then endlessly cycle between the two worlds."

Hearing Fang Can's explanation, although there was no proof, Jiang Ningan still breathed a sigh of relief; at least there was hope of going back.

Relaxed, Jiang Ningan withdrew her long sword, looked at the youth before her for a moment of hesitation, wanting to speak but finding it difficult to bring herself to do so.

Fang Can saw through her thoughts and spoke up first: "You're injured, right? If you want to stay here, just say so, but remember to pay the rent."

"Rent!" Jiang Ningan's eyes widened slightly; after hesitating, she said uncertainly, "I... I don't have money from your place."

As a disciple of a righteous sect, she naturally wouldn't default on a debt; after thinking, she volunteered, "However, I can teach you Wu Gong to repay you; you shouldn't have entered the Egg-Swapping Period yet, right?"

Hearing the term 'Egg-Swapping Period', Fang Can felt a chill run down his back and couldn't help but ask, "Egg... Egg-Swapping Period! What is the Egg-Swapping Period?"

"Then it seems you haven't entered the Egg-Swapping Period yet," Jiang Ningan explained:

"The so-called Egg-Swapping Period is a term used by male martial artists. I heard my master mention that martial artists in the Mortal Shedding Body realm need to replace old blood with new blood, but since male roots are difficult to involve and replace through martial arts, they easily become a weak point in cultivation battles."

"So some martial artists proposed to completely uproot this part while in the Mortal Shedding Body realm; once this flesh and blood is completely gone, it saves at least two layers of hard work during the Mortal Shedding Body stage."

"After crossing this realm, the martial artist only needs to spend a few months to grow it back, which doesn't affect... sexual relations."

As she spoke the last part, Jiang Ningan's face turned slightly red, while Fang Can felt a deep sense of horror.

'How can martial arts involve 'to cultivate the Divine Art one must first castrate oneself'? Don't do this kind of thing!'

Seeing Fang Can's expression, Jiang Ningan suggested:

"Actually, for a boy your age, experiencing the Egg-Swapping Period is already a bit late; if you cut it after the new and old blood have completely mixed, it could cause severe damage to your foundation, so I suggest undergoing the Egg-Swapping Surgery in the next few days."

"I refuse!" Fang Can crossed his arms, making a 'no' gesture: "If the only thing you can teach me is Egg-Swapping, then please leave this villa right now."

Speaking of this, Fang Can felt this woman was too sinister; he only wanted to take advantage of her technique, while she wanted to swap out his eggs.

On the other side, Jiang Ningan also felt aggrieved; after all, ordinary martial artists find it hard to cross the Mortal Shedding Body realm in a lifetime, yet now there's a method to speed it up by two layers, and he still refused it.

Her good intentions rejected by Fang Can, Jiang Ningan felt somewhat depressed, but still said:

"If you refuse the Egg-Swapping, so be it; however, the path of the Martial Dao mainly relies on one's own firm will, so I can't help you much, only point out some techniques; as for deeper inheritances, that is beyond my ability to guide."

"Inheritance?" Fang Can asked in confusion.

"Yes." For the newcomer Fang Can, Jiang Ningan explained patiently:

"The so-called inheritance refers to the techniques and martial skills to be practiced after the Mortal Shedding Body realm, all created and modified generation by generation by their respective sects."

"For example, the 'Words Become Law' of the Heavenly Secrets Tower was gradually improved over a hundred generations by the tower masters from the original 'Golden Mouth Jade Words Technique'."

Fang Can carefully memorized everything Jiang Ningan said, then thought of something and asked, "Then... have you heard of the 'Acting Method'?"

"Acting Method!" Jiang Ningan instinctively turned her head to look at Fang Can and said, "You haven't joined some evil cult, have you? I advise you best not to practice this method; be careful not to harm others and yourself."

"Why?" Fang Can asked.

"Doesn't the Acting Method improve cultivation progress? It feels no different from the Egg-Swapping Period; why do you advise me to swap eggs but not let me practice the Acting Method?"

"Because acting is merely some insignificant evil gains in the early stages; the difference between the Righteous Path and the Evil Path lies in whether using this technique will damage one's future martial path."

"The so-called Acting Method, when encountering bottlenecks, not only won't provide gains but will actually cause obstacles, especially when crossing major realms, unless you plan to stay in the Mortal Shedding realm for a lifetime."

Speaking of this, Jiang Ningan said with righteous indignation: "We cultivators should face difficulties directly, firm up our hearts, unite knowledge and action, not be disturbed by setbacks, and dare to be the first under heaven; if you constantly pretend to be others, your soul will naturally be clouded."

Fang Can nodded in understanding, seeing that the other party likely belonged to some famous righteous sect.

Since that was the case, he prepared to completely hide his dark history of joining the Tiger Fiend Gate, lest the other party have some stress reaction upon finding out.

"I am Fang Can; may I ask this Miss's name?" Fang Can gazed at the young girl before him and asked.

The light from the lamp inside the room shone on the girl's flawless face, making her look radiant and beyond compare.

With no intention of hiding anything, the girl revealed her origin: "Catastrophe Jianshan, Jiang Ningan!"

Fang Can secretly noted down this sect, planning to look it up in books after returning; immediately, a look of embarrassment appeared on his face as he said, "Um... may I ask Miss Jiang, does your Catastrophe Jianshan still accept disciples?"

"You want to become a disciple?" A strange smile appeared on Jiang Ningan's face as she said, "Unfortunately, you have already entered the Martial Dao; before ascending the path to heaven, you can no longer learn other techniques."

"Why?" Fang Can couldn't help but ask; Jiang Ningan's answer completely disrupted his plan.

(End of Chapter)