Chapter 33: Private Exchange
Han Li hoisted up a rope attached to a bucket and threw the bucket into the mountain spring. Once the bucket was filled to the brim with spring water, he pulled it back up.
Without expending any strength, Han Li easily lifted the wooden bucket above his head, and with a flick of his wrist, a “Hua” sound rang out as the water in the bucket poured over his head, drenching him all the way to his toes.
“How refreshing!”
“How comfortable!”
Han Li and another youth both exclaimed in delight. The water was a soothing effect in the hot summer climate. The heat was unbearably hot, so as they poured spring water over their bodies, they shivered in delight.
“Heh heh! Junior Disciple Han, you really found a good place. This creek was well hidden, and yet you somehow managed to discover it,” The youth with a callous look on his face suddenly stated.
“This is nothing.There are even more remote places that are harder to discover. I have only managed to find a few, but it’s a pity that none of the locations I found had spring water as magnificent as this one,” The other youth straightforwardly replied.
The youth who replied, was Han Li, and the one with the callous expression was none other than Li Feiyu.
Ever since Li Feiyu obtained the first delivery of pain-relieving medicine from Han Li and tested them, he found that the medicine’s effectiveness was extremely good. One dose diminished the backlash caused by the Essence Extraction Pill by a great amount.
After experiencing Han Li’s pain-relieving medicine, Li Feiyu couldn’t live without it. Whenever he didn’t use the medicine, he would suffer a painful backlash from the Essence Extraction Pill. Although Han Li had given him a year’s supply of pain-relieving medicine, Li Feiyu had completely used up his supply within a few short months.
Facing the pain of the backlash that almost broke his limits, Li Feiyu had no choice but to thicken his skin and ask Han Li for help. The current Han Li wanted to increase his own strength, so he used Li Feiyu’s needs to his own advantage. After knowing that Li Feiyu was selected to enter the Seven Supreme Division, Han Li asked Li Feiyu for secret skills stored in the Seven Supreme Division in exchange for pain-relieving medicine.
The usually silent Li Feiyu agreed immediately upon hearing Han Li’s request.
In order to not let others discover the secret agreement between him and Li Feiyu, Han Li decided to explore the Celestial Rainbow Mountain for a remote location where they could do their trade in private.
The two of them decided to secretly meet up after a set amount of time. In their secret location Han Li would hand over the pain-relieving medicine to Li Feiyu, and Li Feiyu would teach Han Li some of his secret arts that he gained from the Seven Supreme Division.
Just like this, they were both extremely satisfied by their trade, which continued for half a year.
Li Feiyu and Han Li had taken to each other during this half year. Unknowingly, they became close friends that could talk about anything under the sun..
Li Feiyu was very satisfied with the spot Han Li found, specially the small creek it contained. They stood in a medium-sized depression surrounded by tall mountain peaks. In order to gain access to it, they had to crawl on their hands and feet through an extremely narrow tunnel.
Most importantly, this place had a flowing spring, which they had access to during the unbearably hot summer!
After they exercised and bathed themselves in the cool mountain spring water, they felt an incomparable sense of comfort and satisfaction.
Once they were done washing themselves, Han Li glanced at Li Feiyu and asked, ”Earlier, you taught me the Ferocious Serpentine Strike. Although it’s a formidable technique, it is too vicious, so I don’t think it is suitable for me. Are there any other techniques that are more gentle?”
“Junior Disciple Han, do you really think that I am the only disciple in the Seven Supreme Division or that I can learn whatever I wished to learn? I could only select a small amount of techniques to study. Not to mention, my martial arts has always been overbearing in nature, so of course I would pick a formidable “hard” technique .” Li Feiyu explained to Han Li, exasperated by his request.
“Senior Disciple Li is the leader amongst all the disciples. How could you be comparable to the normal disciples in the Seven Supreme Division?”
Noticing hints of anger, Han Li unabashedly began to praise Li Feiyu.
“It is not so simple, but to think that I actually managed to make our ‘Great Genius Han’ sing songs of praises.” Li Feiyu smiled as he teased Han Li.
“What genius? I’m always defeated by you after a few moves.”
“Heng! That was because I used my True Qi to execute my techniques. There is nothing to boast of. If I did not use my True Qi, i’m afraid that I would definitely lose to you within a hundred moves.”
“Is there even anyone who doesn’t use their True Qi when fighting? Senior Disciple Li is too humble.”
“Humble? I’m not humble at all! You did not start learning martial arts until recently and had never sparred with anyone before. The only thing you learned was some useless oracular formula. To think that within such a short span of time, you have already comprehended the intricacies of each martial technique that i thought you. If you are not a genius, then who is? That oracular formula seems to have no effect on increasing your might, so why are you still assiduously practicing it every day?”
Han Li bitterly smiled to himself as he thought, “You think that I want to learn this? Right now, I might as well be riding on top of a tiger. Even if want to stop practicing it, Doctor Mo wouldn’t let me.”
“Junior Disciple Han, I’m not saying this just for the sake of talking. Based on the talent you displayed this past half a year, I know that you have great potential. I strongly urge that you discard the stupid oracular formula and concentrate on learning martial arts techniques with me. I dare to guarantee that you would only need a span of two years to become strong enough to everyone. I have no doubts that after two years, both you and I will dominate the Seven Mysteries Sect!” Li Feiyu tried persuading him.
Han Li felt somewhat moved in his heart. Although Li Feiyu had said these words many times, making Han Li feel irritated, the senior disciple did have some good points. Not only that, Li Feiyu sincerely cared for Han Li’s future.
Han Li shook his head, showing his rejection of the idea, and quickly changed the topic.
“In the Seven Supreme Division, are there any supreme martial arts techniques that restrict opponents without consuming True Qi?”
Li Feiyu, seeing how quickly Han Li changed the topic, stopped trying to persuade him. He didn’t want to force Han Li since he knew that Han Li was the same as him: a keeper of a secret that he wanted to keep hidden.
Li Feiyu lowered his head to ponder before mentioning, “There is indeed a strange sword technique that does not require True Qi to execute, but…”
“But what?” The moment Han Li heard that there was a technique he could use, he was overjoyed and quickly asked for more information.
“This particular set of sword techniques has been passed down in the Seven Supreme division for over a hundred years, but there has never been a disciple who was able to successfully master it. Even the Elder who created this technique passed away before mastering. This technique is known as the Blinking Sword Art. Don’t you think that the name for this technique is bizarre?”