“Oh, right, you just said there’s a Cultivation Technique inside this metal plate?” Lin Xuan nodded indifferently, then remembered what Xiao Feng had said earlier.
At the same time, Lin Xuan muttered to himself: A protagonist is a protagonist; even an ordinary metal plate can reveal its Dao to him. I guess I just don’t have the protagonist’s fate.
It’s truly a case of different people, different fates. This time, Lin Xuan understood that people are different. A metal plate that could only be used as a knife in his hands became a treasure recording a Cultivation Technique in Xiao Feng’s hands…
“Yes, but what Cultivation Technique is recorded inside, we’ll only know after it’s deciphered. If Brother Lin trusts me…” Xiao Feng nodded, then spoke with some hesitation.
“No matter, you can take it. To me, it’s just scrap metal anyway. Even if there’s a Cultivation Technique, I can’t decipher it. You can just give it to me then.” Lin Xuan saw through his thoughts and immediately said with a smile.
He knew nothing about Cultivation. Trying to decipher the metal plate to obtain the Cultivation Technique was undoubtedly a fool’s errand. It was better to let Xiao Feng take it. If he was conscientious, he might even share the Cultivation Technique with him.
“Brother Lin, rest assured, after the metal plate is deciphered, the Cultivation Technique within will definitely be shared with you!” Seeing Lin Xuan so unconstrained and calm, Xiao Feng couldn’t help but feel a surge of respect. He immediately stood up, cupped his hands, and said solemnly.
“I trust you.” Lin Xuan didn’t have too many doubts about Xiao Feng’s words. Generally speaking, those who can become protagonists surely have impeccable credit, except for a certain scoundrel named Tang…
Moreover, even if he did keep it all to himself, it wouldn’t be much of a loss for him. At most, it was a useless metal plate, even if a Cultivation Technique was recorded inside…
Seeing Lin Xuan trust him so much, Xiao Feng felt quite complex and deeply moved. After all, they had just met and could be said to have no emotional connection whatsoever…
“Holy crap, it’s almost noon! I still need to sell the prey. I’ll be off first, see you.”
Lin Xuan looked at the sky, slapped his head, grabbed the prey beside him, and rushed down the mountain in a hurry, leaving a bewildered Xiao Feng behind.
Watching Lin Xuan, who was in such a rush and disappeared from sight, Xiao Feng couldn’t help but smile again: “I didn’t expect to meet such an unconstrained person. This person is indeed worth befriending. Don’t you agree, Old Li?”
As Xiao Feng’s voice fell, a figure appeared beside him. The figure had white hair and beard but showed no signs of old age. His aura was ethereal, like an exiled immortal.
The white-haired figure stroked his beard, looked in the direction Lin Xuan had left, and nodded with a smile, agreeing with Xiao Feng’s words: “This person’s Heart-Nature is indeed good. However, you seem to have forgotten to ask for his address…”
“Uh, I think I forgot. But it doesn’t matter, Brother Lin should come here every day. I’ll just wait for him here next time.” Xiao Feng was stunned for a moment, then remembered that he really hadn’t asked for his address.
“Old Li, what level of Cultivation Technique do you think is inside this metal plate?” Xiao Feng retracted his gaze, played with the metal plate in his hand, and asked Old Li.
Old Li didn’t answer immediately. He simply raised his hand and waved gently, and then the metal plate flew precisely into his hand as if it had grown wings.
After a thorough examination, a hint of surprise flashed in Old Li’s unruffled eyes, and then he slowly spoke: “There is an ancient Seal within this metal plate. Anything that requires such a Seal should not be an ordinary item. However, what exactly it is, we will only know after breaking the Seal.”
“Fortunately, perhaps because this item is ancient, the Seal on it has mostly faded, becoming fragile and easy to break.” As he spoke, Old Li began to break the Seal. Only Dao flowed around his body, constantly gathering into his hand, transforming into profound and abnormal runes that continuously poured into the metal plate.
After a short while, a faint shattering sound was heard in the void. The metal plate flashed with light and then quickly returned to silence, resuming its ordinary appearance. Old Li also stopped his movements.
“Hiss, Star Body Refining Art? A Nine-Rank Body Refining Cultivation Technique!” Old Li couldn’t help but gasp as he examined the contents of the Cultivation Technique within the metal plate, his eyes filled with disbelief.
“Nine-Rank!” Xiao Feng was also shocked. He never imagined that such an inconspicuous metal plate would contain a Nine-Rank Cultivation Technique!
“You boy, your luck is truly good! This is a Nine-Rank Body Refining Cultivation Technique. If it were to leak out, all the major forces would fight over it,” Old Li said to Xiao Feng with emotion.
“Hehe, as long as it wasn’t for nothing.” Xiao Feng chuckled, his eyes filled with excitement.
“This is a Nine-Rank Cultivation Technique. What are your plans?” Old Li asked Xiao Feng with a smile.
“Old Li, one must be trustworthy. Brother Lin trusts me so much. Let alone a Nine-Rank Cultivation Technique, even if it’s a Cultivation Technique beyond Nine-Rank, he should have a share,” Xiao Feng said firmly.
“Good, knowing how to repay kindness. I didn’t misjudge you. You memorize this Cultivation Technique first, then give the metal plate to him as well. He hasn’t stepped into Cultivation yet. Only by letting him perform a blood recognition can he obtain the Cultivation Technique,” Old Li nodded with satisfaction, threw the metal plate to Xiao Feng, and then said.
“Okay.” Xiao Feng responded, then used his Mental Energy to probe into it, beginning to comprehend the Cultivation Technique within.
Soon, Xiao Feng firmly memorized the contents of the Cultivation Technique and opened his eyes again. However, this time, there was a hint of confusion in his gaze.
“Old Li, cultivating this Cultivation Technique seems to require Star Power, but I have a fire attribute. Is this not…” Xiao Feng looked at Old Li, puzzled.
“Fool, didn’t it say at the end of the Cultivation Technique? All Dao originate from the same source. Regardless of what power you Cultivate, you can use this method to Cultivate your body. Can’t you just replace the Star Power with fire attribute power? Although the effect might be slightly different, it’s harmless,” Old Li looked at Xiao Feng, somewhat speechless.
“So that’s how it is. This Disciple was careless…” Xiao Feng scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed.
…
Lin Xuan naturally knew nothing about what happened in the forest. At this moment, he had already arrived in the city.
Turning left and right on the bustling streets, Lin Xuan finally arrived at a restaurant. The restaurant owner, seeing Lin Xuan carrying prey, came forward and instructed his servants to take the prey from him.
“Brother Lin, you’re a bit late today. I thought you weren’t coming today,” the restaurant owner said with a smile.
“How could I not come? I just got delayed by something and was a bit late, that’s all. Shopkeeper, business is good today, almost full…” Lin Xuan smiled.
“It’s alright, the recent flow of people is large, so there are naturally more customers than usual.” The shopkeeper said it was alright, but his face was filled with an uncontainable smile.
And just as the two were chatting, a group of people, led by a young girl, walked into the restaurant.
The few people were dressed luxuriously, with a hint of arrogance in their expressions, and exuded a faint pressure, clearly indicating that their cultivation was very strong.
“The Personal Disciple of the Sect Leader of the Wind Spirit Sect!” The shopkeeper’s pupils contracted as he looked at the leading young girl.
“Shopkeeper, do you know her?” Lin Xuan asked curiously.
“Others might not know her, but I was fortunate enough to meet her once. This is undoubtedly Liu Yanran, the Personal Disciple of the Sect Leader of the Wind Spirit Sect! Excuse me, Brother Lin, I have to go over there.” After explaining to Lin Xuan, the shopkeeper immediately went to greet her.
Following the shopkeeper’s gaze, Lin Xuan looked up, and a young girl came into view.
The girl had a beautiful face, with long hair as black as ink, cascading over her shoulders. Although she couldn’t be described as stunning, her beauty was definitely excellent.
After a few glances, Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze with a strange expression. One must know that, according to rumors, the Personal Disciple of the Sect Leader of the Wind Spirit Sect had a childhood engagement with Xiao Feng…
Now, her coming to Tianling City was nothing more than to visit the Xiao Family, and it was for that marriage contract. However, Lin Xuan didn’t think she was there to fulfill the marriage contract.
According to the usual tropes, a protagonist of the 'waste' genre would have a scene of a broken engagement, after which the protagonist would shout the classic: “Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully a young man into poverty!”
“Who cares, it’s not me who’s getting the engagement broken off.” Lin Xuan muttered to himself, then walked out of the inn. After wandering around the city for a while, he unhurriedly left the city and headed towards his home.
At this moment, dusk was already falling, with only the afterglow of the setting sun stretching his shadow long. Lin Xuan was alone on the road. His steps were slow and unhurried until the sun set and the stars accompanied him.