Chapter 24 – Dark Bone Method
“Decent bones, still has some potential for growth. Ligaments and muscles are extremely flexible. Seems like you have had some special training. However, there are many torn places in your body. If you want to avoid the consequences of such tears, you should exchange for a couple bottles of “Healing Ligament Pills” once you get Contribution Points. Your meridians are quite strong and can accept more energy than normal kids of your age. Huh? Your Spiritual Sea is quite strange. It seems to be much more solid and thick than other Three Spiritual Pulse Disciples.” As the chubby old man patted Liu Ming, he started mumbling. However, at the last sentence, his hands stopped as an expression of shock showed on his face.
Taking this chance, Liu Ming escaped from the grasp of the old man and asked surprised:
“Oh? Martial Uncle Ruan, are the other Spiritual Seas different from mine?”
“They aren’t really different. It’s just that such a solid Spiritual Sea usually appears in Nine Spiritual Pulse Disciples. Are you really a Three Spiritual Pulse Disciple and not lying to me?” After staring at Liu Ming, the chubby old man said with a serious expression.
“How would I dare to lie to Martial Uncle. I really am a Three Spiritual Pulse Disciple, it’s just that during the Opening Spirit Ceremony, I used a small trick to open my Spirit Sea.” After thinking for a moment, LIu Ming said with some reluctance.
“What trick? Tell me.” Hearing this, the chubby old man asked.
“When I formed my Spiritual Sea, I used my mental energy to shape my Yuan Li into threads and weaved them together like clothing.” After a slight pause, Liu Ming didn’t feel that it was a great secret and said.
“What? You can use your mental energy to control the Yuan Li to this extent? That must mean your mental energy is exceptionally strong.” After hearing Liu Ming’s experience, the chubby old man concluded.
“Yes, my mental energy is indeed stronger than most people.” Liu Ming slightly nodded his head.
“A Three Spiritual Pulse with mental energy that’s exceptionally strong! Tsk tsk, that Cultivation Method is pretty much made for you.” The chubby old man seemed to have thought of something and after looking at Liu Ming for a couple more seconds, he exclaimed.
“Which Cultivation Method? Is Martial Uncle not talking about the thirteen entrance Cultivation Methods!” Liu Ming heard the meaning behind the old man’s words and asked quickly.
“According to your potential, I can give you two choices. The first is the “Phantom Yang Method” and the “Ghost Spirit Method” of the entrance Cultivation Methods. However, these two methods aren’t really popular in the Nine Infant Faction and when you want to change Cultivation Methods in the future, you’ll have quite a bit of trouble. As for the other Cultivation Methods, you’d be wasting your talent in mental energy and after thirty to fourty years, you’d be like the other two out there: a High Spirit Apostle level or even a Middle Spirit Apostle for the rest of your life. However, you can also choose to practice a Cultivation Method outside of the thirteen entrance ones. This Cultivation Method is extremely special since it has two requirements to practice – to have a mental energy that is stronger than the normal person and have a Three Spiritual Pulse. You fit these two conditions.” The chubby old man said.
“Even though Martial Uncle has already said so much, could I first look at the three methods before deciding?” After hearing that, Liu Ming’s mind was still quite undecided and he asked.
“No problem.” With a hand symbol, the chubby old man pointed at three stone tables.
With three sounds of “Peng”, the light barriers on the tables all shattered. From within the tables flew two scrolls and a black bamboo scroll. They all flew before Liu Ming and strangely floated two feet in front of Liu Ming.
Taking a light yellow colored scroll, Liu Ming saw the three words “Phantom Yang Method” written in large purple-red color at the front.
After looking through a few pages, Liu Ming then folded the scroll and placed it back in front of him. With a slight movement of his arm, Liu Ming got the silver colored “Ghost Spirit Method” and started looking through it.
This time, Liu Ming looked through over a dozen pages before placing the scroll. After thinking for a while, he nodded to the chubby old man and said:
“I’ve seen the requirements for practicing these two methods. Since my mental energy is stronger than other, it is indeed easier for me to practice these two methods. However, the Phantom Yang Method said that the continuations of the method is more focused on illusions. For the Ghost Spirit Method, it’s more focused on slaving ghosts and refining corpses.”
“Why would I lie about such a thing? The Phantom Yang Method is one of the more important methods for the Ghost Dance Faction while Ghost Spirit Method is for the Corpse Refinery Faction. Your Nine Infant Faction is more focused on refining demon heads to assist you in battle and not extremely good with illusions or slaving ghosts.” The chubby old man said with a smile.
“But I heard that if I get enough Contribution Points, I could directly exchange for a high leveled Cultivation Method.” Liu Ming slowly asked.
“If you have enough Contribution Points, you can indeed get a high leveled Cultivation Method, including the three secret methods that the Sect was founded on. However, do you know how many Contribution Points are needed for a high leveled Cultivation method? There are countless disciples that have not practiced their methods for years and only performed Sect missions for quite a few years and still not been able to get a Cultivation Method. Do you think that you can get that many Contribution Points? In addition, you’d need various pills, glyphs during your everyday life. All these need Contribution Points.” After hearing this, the chubby old man said sarcastically.
“Thank you for your advice. I’ll look at the suggested method first.” Liu Ming’s eyelids twitched as he said.
Picking up the black bamboo scroll, Liu Ming started looked through it. However, after two seconds, he raised his head up.
“Ruan Martial Uncle, what is this?” Liu Ming asked the chubby old man in a surprised voice.
The bamboo scroll was broken in some places and had green words carved onto it. However, the green words were all curly and in a language that Liu Ming wasn’t sure of.
“Hehe, this is the ancient spirit language, ‘Green Death’. It’s not strange that you don’t know it. Here. This is the translated Dark Bone Method that I did.” The old man smiled before slowly fetching out a thin book and gave it to Liu Ming.
Liu Ming was slightly speechless as he took the book and started looking over it.
The chubby old man patiently stood next to Liu Ming and acted as if the events occurring had nothing to do with him.
“This Dark Bone Method does indeed require the practitioner to have a Three Spiritual Pulse with his or her mental energy as strong as possible. What? There are a total of nine levels, the first level would take about a year to finish. The second level would take two. The third would take four while the fourth would take eight years. In addition, there only seems to be four levels here.” As Liu Ming was reading, his face started to turn ugly.
“Hmph kid, look carefully. Once you finish the first level, you will have the strength of a Beginner Spirit Apostle. The second level goes to a Middle Spirit Apostle while the third level goes to a High Spirit Apostle. As for the fourth level, if you manage to master it, then you can be like me, a Spirit Master! As for the later levels, once you get the fourth level, I will give them to you. What are you so antsy about? In addition, in comparison the entrance Cultivation Methods of the sect, this method has one major advantage.” The chubby old man snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Advantage?” Liu Ming asked questioningly.
“When practicing this Dark Bone Method, while you are a Spirit Apostle, all you need to follow what’s written on it and you won’t meet any bottlenecks while cultivating. If you don’t believe, flip to the last page and look at it carefully.” The old man said with a harsh tone.
“Is that true?” Hearing that, Liu Ming’s heart started beating heavily. Quickly flipping to the last page, Liu Ming confirmed what the old man said.
“How is it? Did I lie? If I were you, I would definitely choose this Cultivation Method. As long as you are little persistent in training, you should have no problem in becoming a High Spirit Apostle and can start to tackle the Spirit Master barrier. In addition, after you become a Spirit Master, you won’t have to go through the trouble of changing your Cultivation Method and can keep using this Dark Bone Method.” The old man shook his head as he said.
“However, I heard that a lot of the fighting techniques in the Sect require one of the entrance Cultivation Methods of the Sect to perform. If I practice this Dark Bone Method, would I still be able to use such techniques?” After thinking for a long time, Liu Ming asked another question.
“You haven’t practiced this Dark Bone Method yet and thus naturally don’t know about how the training in the first few levels are extremely similar to the Ghost Spirit Method of the Sect. I’m guessing that all the techniques that the Ghost Spirit Method can use should also be usable by this method without any problems.”
“You’re guessing that it should be without problem?” Hearing this, Liu Ming’s mouth twitched.
“Kid, this method can promise you get to the High Spirit Apostle level in about a dozen years and you don’t need to worry about changing methods. You’re lucky that I’m even offering you the chance to practice this method. What else do you want? If you keep being so long-winded and don’t want to practice this method then never mind. Give it back to me. If not for you fitting the requirements of this method, I would have never taken it out.” The old man seemed slightly mad as he started grabbing for the book.
“I’m sorry Martial Uncle. I will be learning this Dark Bone Method.” Liu Ming jumped in surprise and quickly shoved the book into his pocket.
“At least you’re somewhat sensible. Oh right, when you leave later, do not tell anyone about the Dark Bone Method, instead tell everyone else you’re practicing the Ghost Spirit Method.” Seeing this, the old man seemed to calm down.