66: Library

Chu Qing had given too much.

Cui Moyang and the others thought for a long time, but didn't know how to repay him.

Chu Qing smiled.

The secrets he had gotten from Tang Wuming and Miss Xu completely tied these people to his war chariot.

This was actually his greatest repayment.

After all, he was truly a Mud Leg.

He had no Foundation whatsoever.

Although the eight Prodigies from Noble families had killed people with him.

And had boarded the same war chariot, without mutual benefit, they would eventually fall apart.

But now, after Chu Qing threw out what wasn't a secret, he could firmly bind them.

With this shared interest:

Even if they went their separate ways in the future, they could still look out for each other.

And this was what he wanted.

What he valued was no longer just Shiji County's Martial Arts Academy; he valued Prefecture City, Zhou City, and even... a broader world.

The young men and women pondered.

Chu Qing stood up and said, "Everyone, I'm going to the Library first."

"Oh, and take one of these iron whistles each."

"If you get separated or run into trouble, blow the whistle."

"Those who hear it must go and help."

He distributed the blood-stained whistles to The Crowd.

One for each, no more, no less.

The young men and women suddenly understood and immediately smiled.

Chu Qing went to the Library to look for Cultivation Techniques.

Meanwhile, Cui Moyang and the others discussed in low voices how to repay Chu Qing.

Someone suggested giving gold and silver.

"How much can we mobilize?"

"Can that little gold and silver buy the secret of 365 Golden Tendons?"

Someone suggested sending women.

Nangong and Cui Moyang rolled their eyes: "As long as one is strong enough, what kind of woman can't be obtained? What kind of man can't be obtained?"

By noon, they still hadn't come up with a plan.

And at this moment:

Chu Qing had already stepped into the Library.

The first floor contained ordinary fist and foot Cultivation Techniques, densely packed, over a thousand types.

Mantis Fist, Iron Hand, and others were among them.

"In the past, I racked my brains for a single Cultivation Technique."

"How long has it been, and I can already freely browse them?"

Though there were many low-level Cultivation Techniques, he no longer found them appealing.

After all, low-level Cultivation Techniques activated too few Iron Tendons.

The second floor had mid-level Cultivation Techniques.

Most of the Cultivation Techniques here could activate around fifty Iron Tendons.

But he wasn't satisfied.

The third floor, Advanced Cultivation Techniques.

There were only a few dozen types here.

Each one could Cultivate around sixty Iron Tendons.

Chu Qing picked and chose, but was still not satisfied.

He continued to ascend the stairs.

However, at the entrance to the fourth floor, a Martial Instructor blocked his way.

This Martial Instructor, in his forties or fifties, had lost both legs and was in a wheelchair.

"Identity token!"

Chu Qing handed it to him.

The Martial Instructor examined it and said with surprise, "You're from the new Inner Courtyard!"

"Logically, someone should be explaining the pros and cons of Cultivation Techniques and Martial Arts Knowledge to you this afternoon, and you'd only come to choose Cultivation Techniques tonight or tomorrow."

"I didn't expect you to be so impatient!"

Chu Qing smiled and said, "Instructor, our current batch of Inner Courtyard students has offended many instructors."

"So... those instructors aren't willing to teach Martial Arts Knowledge."

The One-legged Instructor scoffed, "Didn't you just kill one instructor? You didn't kill their parents, so why are they still holding a grudge?"

Chu Qing smiled but said nothing.

The One-legged Instructor then asked for his seal, signature, and stamp.

Chu Qing complied.

The One-legged Instructor said, "The fourth floor is for weapon Cultivation Techniques; these weapon Cultivation Techniques are divided into ordinary and Secret Inheritance types."

"The fourth floor only has ordinary weapon Cultivation Techniques."

"According to the rules, you can choose one."

Chu Qing asked curiously, "What about the fifth floor?"

The One-legged Instructor smiled and said, "The fifth floor is where the Dean is in seclusion; it contains Secret Inheritance fist and foot techniques, Secret Inheritance weapon techniques, as well as Cultivation Techniques for bones, Five Viscera and Six Bowels, Flesh, Skin and Hair, and so on."

"To go to the fifth floor, you need a large amount of academic credits."

Chu Qing cupped his fists in thanks.

Seeing his politeness, the One-legged Instructor happily said, "The instructor on the fourth floor is my master. I'll secretly tell him to ignore you in a moment."

"You can learn as many as you like."

Chu Qing was stunned.

The One-legged Instructor said proudly, "What I hate most are rules."

Chu Qing cupped his fists in thanks and ascended the stairs.

As soon as he reached the fourth floor, he was stunned.

He had thought:

Weapon techniques were precious, so their number must be small.

But he found densely packed bookshelves, as many as on the first floor.

At this moment:

Footsteps sounded.

An instructor with a white beard came over.

This instructor's arms were empty, but his legs were fine.

He saw Chu Qing and smiled:

"My disciple said that the ruthless person who likes to kill instructors has arrived."

"He told me to secretly ignore you."

Chu Qing smiled, cupped his fists, and said, "Instructor, you don't need to ignore me."

"Just follow the rules."

"Besides... I don't like killing instructors."

The Armless Master laughed heartily, "The Martial Arts Academy has been established for nine hundred years, and in this vast Empire, you are the first to dare drag an instructor out of the Martial Arts Academy and kill him."

Chu Qing said modestly, "The waves behind push the waves ahead; there will always be someone who can surpass me and kill an instructor within the Martial Arts Academy."

The Armless Master... Chu Qing... The Armless Master smiled and said, "Originally, I should have listened to my disciple and let you learn any weapon Cultivation Technique you wanted."

Chu Qing's heart stirred.

If he could learn all weapon Cultivation Techniques, that would be amazing.

He had a professional panel; as long as he looked at it once, it would be registered on the professional panel.

At that time... he would be proficient in eighteen kinds of weapons.

How powerful would that be?

However, the Armless Master continued:

"However, I suggest you specialize in one type of weapon."

"If you can Cultivate a certain weapon Cultivation Technique to its limit... then it will be several times more powerful than being proficient in seven or eight Cultivation Techniques but not reaching their limits."

Chu Qing's heart stirred, and he said:

"Weapon training doesn't Cultivate tendons and bones, so is there also a concept of breaking the limit?"

The Armless Master said, "Breaking the limit in weapon Cultivation Techniques has a chance to Cultivate the Tongtian Road; if you can Cultivate a Tongtian Road before reaching the limit of Skin and Hair, then... your future achievements will be limitless!"

Chu Qing was bewildered; he didn't know what the Tongtian Road was.

The Armless Master, appreciating his courage in killing an instructor, explained to him.

Weapon techniques are divided into three major categories: Orthodox, Heretical, and Esoteric.

Swords, spears, sabers, and halberds belong to Orthodox.

Axes, halberds, hammers, and shields are Heretical.

Crutches, meteors, Chain Spears, etc., are Esoteric.

These collectively form the three Tongtian Roads.

Chu Qing asked curiously, "Does our Martial Arts Academy have anyone who has cultivated a Tongtian Road?"

The Armless Master was silent for a long time before saying, "Even the Dean hasn't cultivated one."

Chu Qing... "Is it difficult?"

The Armless Master said, "Among a thousand people who Cultivate 365 Golden Tendons, at most only 1 can Cultivate a Tongtian Road."

"Do you think it's difficult?"

Chu Qing felt... this wasn't a question of difficulty; it was purely an impossible achievement.

The Armless Master's eyes rolled, and he said, "It is said that if one Cultivates a Secret Inheritance weapon technique to its limit, there's a ten percent chance of cultivating a Tongtian Road."

"If you can get some Secret medicine, the chances are even greater."

Chu Qing... was speechless.

"Can I go to the fifth floor to see the Dean?"

The Armless Master smiled and said, "You want to get a Secret Inheritance weapon technique from the Dean?"

Chu Qing nodded.

The Armless Master smiled and said, "A thousand academic credits can get you an audience with the Dean."

"As for Secret Inheritance weapon techniques... you'll need to pay other huge prices."

Chu Qing's thoughts raced, and he said, "I want to get a Secret Inheritance weapon technique."

The Armless Master laughed heartily, "Ambitious."

"Back then, I led thirty-six disciples to challenge the Secret Inheritance weapon technique. As a result, thirty-five died, I lost both arms, and the one who survived lost both legs."

"Do you still dare to want a Secret Inheritance weapon technique?"

Chu Qing smiled and said, "Instructor, I used to be a flag-waving grunt; but ever since I started practicing martial arts, I told myself: I, Chu Qing, will never be a grunt."

"If I'm going to Cultivate, I'll Cultivate the best."

The Armless Master said, "Ambitious!"

"If I still had hands, I would definitely give you a thumbs up!"

Chu Qing... "The best Secret Inheritance weapon technique in this Martial Arts Academy is the overlord spear!"

"The Dean at that time said: if you want to learn the overlord spear, it's best to practice the Chain Spear first."

"Starting soft then hard, Esoteric then Orthodox, with Secret Inheritance enhancement, the chance of cultivating the Tongtian Road can increase to 20%!"

Chu Qing's heart stirred, and he said, "Then, which Chain Spear should I choose?"

The Armless Master smiled and said, "The Chain Spear is the most difficult weapon to train among Esoteric weapons, and among them, the Double-Headed Chain Spear is even more difficult!"

"But the more difficult it is, the more it aligns with the Secret Inheritance overlord spear!"

"Coincidentally, the Martial Arts Academy has a Cultivation Technique for the Double-Headed Chain Spear."

Chu Qing's heart stirred, and he said, "Did you ever practice it?"

The Armless Master said resentfully, "Back then, it was because of the Double-Headed Chain Spear, this prerequisite Cultivation Technique, that I had both my arms severed."

"Do you think I practiced it or not?"

Chu Qing... "Good thing I can get it for free!"

The Armless Master...