197: So terrifying!

“Heart Monkey…”

Xu Sanyan closed his eyes, slowly emptying his mind as described in the book, but chaotic thoughts kept emerging in his mind. So he captured one thought to visualize, and when all his attention was focused there, the other Random Thoughts quietly disappeared.

Now, he only needed to clear this one thought, but precisely this thought was the most difficult to clear, because when this thought disappeared, other thoughts would come flooding back in.

This required the help of the "Subduing the Mind Monkey Art".

“The heart moves with the will, where the will goes, the mind thinks. Empty heart, empty thoughts, empty delusions…”

The book was vague, more about conceptual understanding. Some principles could not be conveyed through words and could only be comprehended through self-realization, which was extremely time-consuming.

Xu Sanyan lifted his eyelids slightly, revealing a hint of his pupils, and a transparent panel appeared before him.

“Xu Sanyan”

“Age — 21 / 468”

“Realm — Mi Dao Realm (Mid-tier)”

“Cultivation Technique — Duo Dao Qi Yuan Scripture (Perfection)”

“Techniques — Soaring Wind Manipulation Technique (Perfection). Soul Condensation Technique (Perfection). Lu Family Refining Spirit Strength (Perfection). Purple Mountain Heart Planting Art (Perfection). "Subduing the Mind Monkey Art" (Uninitiated)…”

“Skills — Perfect Stance (Perfection). Three Tigers Subduing Dragon Saber (Perfection). Horse Appraisal Technique (Perfection)…”

“Qi — 558”

This was much more satisfying!

Xu Sanyan closed the book and silently chanted in his heart,

“Upgrade!”

His “Qi” rapidly drained, instantly dropping from five hundred fifty-eight points to one hundred eighteen points, consuming a total of four hundred forty points!

The "Subduing the Mind Monkey Art" also successfully advanced from Uninitiated to Initiated.

“Hiss…”

Xu Sanyan gasped, this consumed even more than his cultivation of the Purple Mountain Heart Planting Art.

Over four hundred points, just to Breakthrough a minor Realm!

As expected of a secret technique from the Yaotian Holy Sect, it was truly not simple.

But Xu Sanyan didn't feel bad; now, “Qi” was readily available to him and no longer a rare commodity.

As the secret technique was initiated, Xu Sanyan felt his Divine Soul clear, as if a ten-thousand-jin mountain pressing on his heart had been halved, and his entire body was filled with lightness.

“Good, truly a good thing!”

The ropes binding his mind were loosened slightly, which filled Xu Sanyan with joy. A smile appeared on his face as he couldn't stop praising the profundity of the Cultivation Technique.

The Elder seemed to sense something and spoke in surprise, “You… you couldn’t have initiated it, could you?”

Xu Sanyan humbly waved his hand, “Hahaha, just lucky, just lucky.”

“This child is truly terrifying!”

This thought suddenly popped into the Elder’s mind.

Even in their era, when Prodigies emerged in abundance, very few people could successfully initiate this secret technique. Even if they did, it took a vast amount of time. Those with excellent talent might initiate it in ten years, as for those with average talent…

He didn't recommend practicing it, because it was possible they might never initiate it in their lifetime.

Xu Sanyan looked around and turned to go downstairs.

At this moment, the Elder spoke in a low voice, “Little friend, this old man has a request.”

Xu Sanyan was not surprised by this, and looked at the portrait with a smile, “Senior, are you going to take this painting?”

“Indeed, it’s also a way to accompany her on her final journey.” The Elder’s voice was filled with regret.

“Senior is still a man of deep affection, truly admirable.” Xu Sanyan smiled as he rolled up the portrait and put it into his Storage Pouch, thoughtfully placing it next to the ruler.

The Elder didn't speak, his mood quite low.

At this moment, Xiang Tan’s surprised cry and deep disbelief suddenly came from the ninth floor,

“Ah! She came up?!”

Because of the appearance of the stairs, the ninth and tenth floors were no longer two independent entities; they were now connected as a whole. He could hear everything happening downstairs.

As soon as Xu Sanyan turned around, he felt his entire body enveloped by Yin Qi, and his body immediately stiffened.

Such dense Yin Qi!

The bone-chilling cold almost froze him.

The Elder, hidden within the ruler, seemed to sense something, and his voice suddenly became agitated, even containing a hint of disbelief, “Is… is it her aura?”

“That’s right, it’s her! It’s her!”

“I definitely won’t be mistaken, she’s still alive?!”

Xu Sanyan gritted his teeth, not knowing what nonsense the Elder was spouting. He only saw a crimson figure in his peripheral vision, that tall figure squeezing through the narrow stairs, revealing a fair neck beneath a red bridal veil.

The Elder’s voice stopped, “She… how did she become like this?”

“Save me…!” Xu Sanyan squeezed out two words with difficulty.

The Elder seemed oblivious, staring blankly at the figure from within the ruler, muttering in a low voice,

“Qian’er, why did you become like this…?”

“Grand Elder! It must be him who did it!”

The Elder suddenly shouted, his voice filled with endless rage.

The red-clothed female ghost brushed past Xu Sanyan’s side, then suddenly stopped, reached out, and took his Storage Pouch, pulling something out of it.

It was precisely the scroll he had just put in.

But she only took the scroll, showing no reaction at all to the ruler, which was right beside her and contained the Elder’s soul.

Xu Sanyan dared not look directly at her. From Xiang Tan’s surprised cry just now, he could guess that this female ghost was most likely the “unlookable” entity.

After taking the scroll, the red-clothed female ghost casually threw the Storage Pouch to the ground and floated back the way she came, walking out of the Drum Tower.

Only when she completely disappeared did Xu Sanyan feel alive again. Cold sweat drenched his clothes, and the feeling of hovering between life and death suffocated him.

What kind of cultivation?

What kind of strength?

Could bring him such a desperate sense of oppression?

“Qian’er… why don’t you look at me? Are you still hating me? Do you even want to take back the portrait you gave me?” The Elder was filled with loss, his tone laced with deep regret.

Xu Sanyan was not interested in their melodramatic love story, but he could tell that the relationship between the two was not as beautiful as the Elder had portrayed.

“Senior, are you alright?” Xu Sanyan asked, while circulating his magical power, and his clothes became dry again.

“Alas…”

The Elder was forlorn, as if he had lost all his essence, “Let’s go, let’s go…”

Xu Sanyan descended to the ninth floor and saw Xiang Tan squatting on the ground, tightly clutching her head, her body still trembling slightly.

“She’s gone,” Xu Sanyan said.

Xiang Tan then stood up, her face pale from fright.

The two walked out of the Drum Tower one after another. Xu Sanyan looked at the dark sky, his expression indifferent.

It had been two days, why hadn't the people under him arrived yet?

And what about Qin Manyang?

At this moment, the mother stone in his embrace emitted warmth. Xu Sanyan took it out and glanced at it,

“Saint, are you still alive?”

Xu Sanyan twitched his lips, “I’m sorry to disappoint you, I’m not dead yet.”

“I’ll be right back!”

Qin Manyang was currently hiding in a distant house. After receiving the message, she got up and ran towards the Drum Tower.