Cultivators Are So Weak in This World-Chapter 38 - 37

"No.... If sister-in-law really encounters trouble, it must be resolved quickly. I can’t afford to delay. I should hurry back to notify senior brother."

Zhang Rongfang thought for a moment and decided that it was more appropriate to deliver the message as soon as possible.

Immediately, he packed his luggage, took some food and drinks, and left the temple overnight.

However, upon reaching the county town gate, he found that the gate was already closed.

A group of gatekeepers leaned on long spears, chatting casually by the city wall.

There were also soldiers holding torches patrolling back and forth.

Zhang Rongfang had no choice but to return to the temple and wait for the gate to open at dawn before heading back to the mountain.

After returning to his room, he faintly heard murmuring voices from the adjoining room.

The next room belonged to another disciple who came with him.

Disciples of the same sect usually have decent backgrounds, and this person was no exception.

Zhang Rongfang lay on the bed, ready to rest, but heard faint laughter from a woman in the conversation.

He shook his head inwardly, guessing that the other party might have brought some female companion into the temple, or perhaps someone from a brothel.

Dismissing these thoughts, Zhang Rongfang carefully recalled today’s encounters.

Except for Chen He, the others were no match for him and were quickly subdued.

But Chen He... His strength was formidable. If they fought in daylight, Zhang reckoned he couldn’t withstand ten moves.

"No.... In broad daylight, maybe within five moves, my defense would collapse. At that point, I would either be severely injured or have to flee. If luck wasn’t on my side and he had other lightweight skills, then...."

As Zhang Rongfang reflected on the recent probe, a slight cold sweat appeared on his back.

The matter with sister-in-law would be handled by senior brothers and masters who are far more experienced, and it should be resolved quickly.

At this moment, Zhang Rongfang wasn’t thinking about these things but rather about how he relied on the lightweight skills to escape after adding only a little to the Rejuvenation Purification Talisman Manual....

"Without the Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill, I’d probably have been captured or killed by now."

"It’s clear that under the current circumstances, the lightweight skill is my greatest assurance.

Since I can’t find good Hard Skills, focusing on lightweight skills is the best choice."

Zhang Rongfang felt more convinced as he thought it over.

Even with Hard Skills, the ear holes, eyes, nostrils, and mouth remain critical vulnerabilities.

Even if his abilities allow him to push the Hard Skills to the limit, even breaking through those limits.

But these lethal weaknesses can’t be avoided.

Even if future abilities enhance these Hard Skills’ weaknesses to a very strong level, how many attribute points would that take?

How many points are needed to strengthen these vital points to withstand enemy attacks?

Compared to investing in Body Techniques, the cost-effectiveness is too low, too slow.

In a world that even has firearms, only speed is the ultimate key.

"High speed, along with a sufficiently sharp weapon, should be the best way forward."

The more he thought about it, the more he believed this was the right path.

In martial arts, speed is invincible.

As long as you’re fast enough, others won’t even have the chance to raise their hand against you.

Therefore, improving agility and speed is the quickest way to ensure personal safety now.

The next morning, just as dawn broke.

Zhang Rongfang got up, washed, and left the temple with a small bundle, heading back to the mountain.

He didn’t expect that he would have to return so soon after leaving.

More than an hour later.

Qinghe Palace, Zhang Xuan’s pavilion.

Zhang Xintai was wearing short Daoist robes, sparring and exchanging moves with his father Zhang Xuan in the backyard.

Their movements varied from fast to slow, fists and kicks, all moves Zhang Rongfang had never seen before.

Seeing someone arrive, they gradually slowed down and then stood apart.

"Junior Brother Rongfang, didn’t you just go down the mountain for guard duty? Why are you back so soon?" Zhang Xintai asked in surprise. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Senior Brother, yesterday I was delivering a message to sister-in-law in the county, and I encountered something near her house, so I came to inform you."

Zhang Rongfang then recounted his encounter with Chen He and others in detail.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xintai frowned.

"I’ll go to the government office later to see if I can find out anything."

The matter concerned his fiancée, so he had to be cautious no matter what.

Seeing that the message had been delivered, Zhang Rongfang felt relieved.

"I’ve told you everything, and the message has been delivered. By the way, Senior Brother, apart from the Talisman Manual, does our sect have any powerful body techniques?"

"Body techniques? There’s only the Mist Smoke Step from the Morning Energy Talisman. This step is used to complement talismanic skills and isn’t known for speed, just considered average in the martial world. There’s nothing else," Zhang Xintai explained.

"Is that so?" Zhang Rongfang felt slightly disappointed. "Then what about matching martial skills for weapons?"

"Also no, our Qinghe Palace focuses mainly on longevity and hasn’t studied much into fighting and killing," Zhang Xintai smiled and said.

"No.... Actually, there is," interjected Zhang Xuan with a sidelong glance.

"May I ask where I can learn it, Master?" Zhang Rongfang’s spirit lifted immediately.

"Why learn that? The Rejuvenation Purification Talisman Manual is enough for you. Follow the path upward; it’s enough to break through to the seventh-grade realm.

If you switch to other martial skills suddenly, you’ll have to start from scratch. Each grade and limit takes at least three years, how many sets of three years do you have in life?" Zhang Xuan said impatiently.

"Just for reference, disciple recently feels inadequately experienced and wants to learn a thing or two to avoid being helpless when facing such weapon masters." Zhang Rongfang found an excuse.

"Suit yourself, this cultivation technique is called the Wish Wheel Skill, using a metal round wheel as a weapon. Throughout Qinghe Palace, there are few who know how to practice it. Moreover, the technique requires a very strong physique; otherwise, practicing for ten years would not be as effective as someone else practicing with a knife for one year," Zhang Xuan said casually.

"I ask the Master to grant me the skill!" At this moment, Zhang Rongfang had already completed practicing both talismanic skills and was worrying about lacking a suitable weapon technique. Immediately, he showed joy on his face and bowed in salute.

"If you want to see, go to the library on the second floor yourself. All my collected manuals are there, just don’t damage them," Zhang Xuan waved his hand, with an expression of ’go see for yourself, don’t bother me.’

"Thank you, Master!" Zhang Rongfang was excited.

These days, the preciousness of a good martial arts manual is not cheaper than its weight in gold.

With this wave of Zhang Xuan’s hand, who knows how much time and effort it saved him.

Immediately, Zhang Rongfang excused himself and quickly went up to the second floor, soon finding a partially open small room.

He pushed the door and entered.

Inside, on all four walls, small concave holes were carved out. Each hole neatly placed with a martial arts manual.

Sweeping a glance, there were at least dozens of them in the room.

"Impressive!" Zhang Rongfang was instantly shocked in his heart.

Although he had long known that his master was a fifth-rank expert, it was at this moment he truly understood what the concept of fifth-rank was.

Not to mention anything else, just this financial power far exceeded his imagination.

He took a step forward and slowly scanned from left to right.

The left side had leg techniques in the middle Literary Cultivation, and on the right were fists, palms, and weapons.

Literary Cultivation was placed in the most center and conspicuous place. The placing holes were also the largest and most luxurious, evidently the spot Zhang Xuan valued most.

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Zhang Rongfang slowly stepped forward.

’Yang Family Leg,’ ’Shunfeng Leg,’ ’Iron Foot,’ ’Eagle Leg,’ ’Donglin Thirteen Legs’....

A series of leg techniques were all available, though the names were not as flashy as in wuxia novels.

These names mostly pointed out characteristics, origins, or the creator’s surname, without much else.

Zhang Rongfang glanced around and soon saw the Zhenyi Sect’s Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill.

This manual was placed at the top, evidently most valued. It was not as casually placed as Zhang Xintai had suggested.

"What, are you also thinking of practicing lightweight skills?" Zhang Xintai’s voice sounded from behind.

He had unknowingly entered as well.

"A bit," Zhang Rongfang nodded.

"Actually, even though there are many of these techniques, they are mostly incomplete. If you practice them without supporting cultivation techniques, you’ll be stuck at the base level, unable to progress," Zhang Xintai sighed.

Hearing this, Zhang Rongfang looked closely.

He picked up a Shunfeng Leg manual, which simply stated that this martial skill was a segment of the overall cultivation technique from Shunfeng Escort Agency.

Practicing it was unattainable, but it was good for understanding techniques.

He felt regret in his heart, flipping through one by one.

At least half of these martial arts required supporting techniques.

Eventually, he chose a complete set of leg techniques: Eight Steps to Catching a Cicada.

This was an explosive lightweight skill, claiming to catch up with the cicada’s movement within eight steps.

Besides this, he also found the weapon Wish Wheel Skill, and a complete hard skill he most desired: Wood Armor Skill.

With three complete martial arts manuals, Zhang Rongfang again descended the mountain, returning to Qinghe Temple.

Zhang Xintai accompanied him to Huaxin County to check the situation, but strangely, there was no further sign of those from Mi Gang.

For three consecutive days, he went near Yang Hongyan’s home, seeing no suspicious signs.

Full of doubt, Zhang Xintai accompanied Yang Hongyan around the town, then bought some small gifts for the Yang family before returning to the Taoist Palace.

Zhang Rongfang was also puzzled.

Following Zhang Xintai, he went there too, indeed seeing no more lookouts or anyone from Mi Gang.

Regarding this, Zhang Xintai even visited the county yamen to see the Captain, and after inquiring, discovered nothing amiss.

Finally, a week later, Zhang Xintai returned to the mountain to prepare for his upcoming engagement.

In addition, although he had not said a word, Zhang Rongfang could sense he was slightly dissatisfied with his reminder.

Possibly he felt Zhang Rongfang had made a mistake. Perhaps Mi Gang’s people had genuinely mistaken him for someone else when they approached him.

Even Zhang Rongfang himself began to doubt his judgment as time went on.

*

*

*

Huaxin County, Mi Gang.

Chen Zihan was dressed in plain clothes, a long blue robe, holding a bamboo slip, slowly reading in the sunlight.

He was calming his mind.

His son was dead, and their day of vengeance crept closer. He must suppress the evil fire in his heart with Taoist scriptures.

Outside the room, Chen He was pointing a few disciples on palm techniques with his hands behind his back.

Not long after, a pale woman wearing a cloak slowly entered the room, with her head lowered, occasionally coughing.

The newcomer was none other than the current Mi Gang leader, Shao Quanhua.

Her gaze fell on Chen Zihan, who was by the window reading.

"Husband, on the first of the month, the ones coming from Qinghe Palace to watch out for are Zhang Xuan and his son. Most others are Literary Cultivation, their ranking not high. Easy to handle."

"We don’t need to entirely aim at Qinghe Palace," replied Chen Zihan. "Zhang Xuan killed my child, and I’ll first kill his. At that time, I, Chen He, and Old Ding, together will launch a surprise attack."

"I can cooperate by drugging their meals to prevent Zhang Xuan from acting desperately. After all, a fifth rank could still take one of equal rank if determined. We must be cautious," Shao Quanhua nodded and said.