"Clang—"
The jade pendant quivered lightly, letting out a clear, ringing note. A wave of coolness surged into his brow, followed by a torrent of secret technique information unfolding in his mind.
Tap, tap.
The figure on the thousand-step stone stairway pondered as he walked, feet never pausing, digesting the secret technique passed down from the Sun Family Ancestor in his mind, while striding toward the small town at the base of the mountain.
"If you comprehend it within three hundred steps from the mountain, you count as a Bian State genius; within a hundred steps, you may boast as a prodigy of the continent; within thirty steps, you’re the kind of peerless talent unseen for centuries ..."
Inside the jade pendant, the Sun Family Ancestor’s thoughts flickered, tinged with expectation. He wanted to see what level Su Mu’s comprehension had reached.
Level 1.
Level 2.
Level 3.
As his foot landed on the fifth step, shadows flickered in Su Mu’s eyes—insights and flashes of spiritual light already sparkling in his mind.
When his foot fell on the seventh step, the shadows in Su Mu’s eyes began to recede, radiant inspiration bursting in his mind, most of the secret technique already comprehended.
Buzz!
On the ninth step, just as his left foot rose, Su Mu’s body trembled lightly, and a warm current suddenly welled up in his abdomen.
Life-Attracting Technique (entry-level 1%)
Comprehension: 147 (Dragon-and-Phoenix Level)
When his foot finally touched down, Su Mu’s mind brimmed with confidence, eyes gleaming. The Life-Attracting Technique passed down by the Sun Family Ancestor was, in fact, a fragmentary secret technique.
According to the information of the secret technique in his mind, this incomplete technique was rather peculiar, divided into yin and yang; in other words, there were two ways to activate it—forward and reverse. It required two parties to operate together for it to be effective.
If the secret technique is operated forwardly, one may temporarily borrow all the strength of the reverser for oneself.
Conversely, if reversed, one may temporarily lend one’s strength to the forward operator.
From its effects, this technique is dominated by the forward operator—yang, harnessing momentum—while the other party acts as yin, reversing the current.
Moreover, once activated, either party may choose to interrupt the technique at any time. If one interrupts, the technique immediately ceases to function.
"What a sophisticated secret technique. The world truly holds endless marvels—this Life-Attracting Technique is extraordinary!"
Though Su Mu was marveling inside, he couldn’t help but grow wary; if the technique could not be interrupted by both parties, wouldn’t the yin reverser risk being drained dry of qi, blood, and power by the yang initiator?
His thoughts whirled, and soon Su Mu dismissed most of this concern.
If it were anyone else, Su Mu would be on high alert. Yet the one passing him the secret technique was the Sun Family Ancestor—someone whose power he could not remotely fathom. That Ancestor could decide his life or death with just a curl of his finger.
If he wanted Su Mu dead, he wouldn’t need to go to such elaborate lengths. Besides, with such pride as the Sun Family Ancestor bore, he’d never stoop to such methods.
"Still, unless in dire straits ... best to use this technique as little as possible."
Su Mu immediately decided, then voiced his thanks.
"Many thanks for your teaching, Ancestor!"
The words fell—and the jade pendant vibrated with a low ring.
"Good boy, reverse the technique and let me take a look."
Su Mu’s eyes sharpened on hearing this; not a trace of hesitation showed. Once his Gang Force and qi blood surged forth, his long black hair billowed wildly, pain stabbing into his brow as a dark vortex—like a demonic eye—suddenly unfolded between his brows.
In that instant, in the unseen realm, Su Mu seemed to sense an immense aura, though it was shackled by layer upon layer of towering mountains, trapped and unable to break free.
The next moment, that overwhelming aura, suppressed by those mountains, abruptly awoke, struggling violently and, with difficulty, burst through the mountainous shackles to spill out a strand of power.
"Roar!"
Within his brow, the dragon of spiritual power howled and surged mightily. Su Mu instantly felt he was interwoven, in some profound and mysterious way, with that vast aura.
"Zzz!"
A drop of pale golden blood floated out from the mountains, like a meteor crashing into a cold pool. The instant it mingled into his limbs and meridians, Su Mu’s blood began boiling, on the verge of burning up entirely.
"Zheng!"
Right then, the Jiao Tendon Jade Bone in Su Mu’s body instinctively burst forth with cyan jade radiance, as though facing a formidable enemy.
"Consider this drop of blood my greeting gift."
The proud voice rang out from the jade pendant again, "Enough, any further and you risk bursting yourself—too much is as bad as too little."
Hearing this, a thought flickered in Su Mu’s heart; the Sun Family Ancestor, prideful as he was, must have spotted Su Mu’s worries—this wasn’t just a greeting gift, but also a way to dispel his concerns about the secret technique.
Mind whirling, Su Mu terminated the technique and the "demonic eye" at his brow snapped shut, severing the profound bond with that dreadful, mountain-shackled aura.
Everything was as the secret technique described—either practitioner could interrupt it at will.
"What terrifying aura! Sun Family Ancestor must be no weakling even among Upper Three Grades Martial Arts Grandmasters ... But what could that mountain sealing him be?"
As Su Mu’s final worries faded, awe for the Ancestor’s might remained in his heart.
The Ancestor’s aura made Su Mu acutely aware of his own insignificance—a mere mayfly before a towering tree, the difference utterly beyond reason.
In this moment, Su Mu realized the Ancestor spoke true; there was nothing he could do for him now.
Whoever sealed the Sun Family Ancestor was absolutely beyond anything Su Mu could hope to challenge now.
With the technique ended, Su Mu sat cross-legged atop the stone stairs, beginning to digest this greeting gift from the Sun Family Ancestor.
In the state of introspection, his old blood ignited immediately upon contact with that drop of pale gold, Su Mu driving his new blood—now after blood exchange—along with Majestic Gang Force to crush and refine it; the golden blood was swiftly digested by Su Mu.
The old blood melted away, and amid the struggle, the new blood grew purer and purer.
And as the golden blood was devoured, it released waves of surging Qi and Blood Power, which became part of Su Mu himself; less than a third of his old blood remained, wildly turning into still purer new life blood.
...
Meanwhile, at the Li Mansion in Donglai City—
"Patriarch, we can’t bear this any longer!"
"The Zhou Family’s bullying is too much—today they dare break Li Mountain’s tendons and bones, tomorrow they’ll wipe out our entire Li Family!"
"Exactly! We of the Li Family are no cowards; at worst, we’ll fight to the death!"
From the depths of the Li Mansion, furious shouts shook the roof beams. Just outside the Council Hall, dozens of Li Family youths glared, righteous indignation burning in their eyes.
Ever since last year, the Zhou Family had targeted the Li Family again and again. First, they encroached on Li lands outside the city; then, they devoured the Li Family’s subordinate forces. Today, they even stormed the Drunken Wind Tower, breaking the Shopkeeper Li Mountain and over ten people’s bones and sinews.
Li Mountain’s bones and tendons were broken in more than fifty places. Even if his life could be saved, his road in Martial Dao was nearly severed—his future wasted.
And this wasn’t the first time!
"Enough! This Council Hall is no marketplace—such clamor is disgraceful!"
Inside the hall, the Great Elder slammed the table. With his gray hair at the temples, he clearly commanded respect in the Li Family. His gaze swept over the crowd outside—none dared meet his eye.
"All of you, get out! Or I’ll deal with you by clan law. The Zhou matter will not end here!"
At his words, the angry Li Family youths retreated. In the hall, candlelight flickered over seven figures. In the center, the Patriarch Li Linfeng tapped his rosewood armrest, the creased furrow between his brows carved deep as a blade.
"That damned Zhou Family—they really want to rip things apart with the Li Family. If we don’t handle this well, it could bring disaster upon us."
"We must decide, and soon. Perhaps the Patriarch could send a letter to the main family in Ancient County—if they intervene, we might survive this trial."
"Right, if the main family steps in, even the Tao Family will have to back off ..."
But before the words were finished, someone slammed the table and interrupted.
"Hmph, main family? Years ago, our branch still had hope of rejoining; after what happened, if we beg now, do you think the main family will acknowledge us? Will they care if we live or die?"
Everyone understood—the Zhou Family only dared be so bold because they knew the Ancient County Li Family would not help their branch. And this time, it wasn’t just the Zhou Family targeting them.
With those words, an already oppressive atmosphere grew subtly tenser within the hall.
Several gazes focused on the head seat—on Li Linfeng. The old matter was inseparable from the branch of the Li Family’s main house.
As a heavy silence returned, the man to Li Linfeng’s lower right—a middle-aged man, much resembling Linfeng—spoke loudly.
"Right now, it’s the very survival of our Donglai Li Family! Brother, you are head of our Lin Family—why remain silent? Are you afraid?"
Li Hong locked eyes with Li Linfeng, intent to speak further—
When, outside, quick footsteps approached. A Li Family youth rushed in and knelt on one knee.
"Patriarch, Elders—the Zhou Family just delivered a letter."
"Bring the letter here!"
Silent all this while, Li Linfeng finally spoke. He knew that at such a time, any Zhou Family letter spelled trouble—but for him, it was a chance; he had to see what the Zhou Family wanted.
Li Linfeng took the letter, reading it carefully. Li Hong, seeing the opportunity lost, clenched his fist in his sleeve, his face shifting as he resumed his seat; the other elders were similarly anxious.
"Patriarch, what does the Zhou Family’s letter say?"
Li Linfeng’s face was somber as he finished reading, then passed the letter to the Great Elder at his left. Once everyone had read it, some secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but more boiled with anger.
"The Zhou Family is trying to dig out the roots of our Li Clan!"
An elder, eyes reddening, growled through gritted teeth—crushing the teacup in his fist. What the Zhou Family sent wasn’t a letter, but a challenge.
The Zhou Family proposed a duel between the two clans in three months, with the Li Family ancestral shrine as the stake.
"Despicable Zhou Family!" The Great Elder ground his teeth, the veins bulging on his aged hands.
"Since last year, the Zhou Family has been recruiting strongmen from across the county’s Jianghu. These years, they’ve grown close to multiple elders in Pill Cauldron Pavilion and the Cyan Fish Gang—so all this was plotted long ago. Now, they can openly send Zhou Family Tributors into battle ..."
"Patriarch, you must not accept this duel! There are other families’ shadows behind the scenes. No matter how strong our sons, how can one clan stand against half of Donglai County?"