Chapter 426: 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》

“Hall Master.”

“This subordinate has already gone through the auction catalog sent over for the auction.”

After studying the booklet for a while in his arms, Chen Ergou came to report to the Hall Master, who was currently training.

“With the exception of a few things, most of the equipment and weapons inside were put up by the major families, as well as some gangs and merchant houses. There are also a few Thousand-Forged items from the capital, and some of them really are good. Their prices, however, are generally not low.”

“Among them, there are a few things that should interest you, Hall Master.”

Wangchuan was in the middle of practicing 《Yanyun Eighteen Spear》. The long staff in his hands struck the specially made Iron Dummy Stake in rapid thrusts, jolting blows, heavy chops, and lifting strikes. He was practicing with considerable enthusiasm.

He gave a light “Oh” without turning his head.

“Let’s hear it.”

Without hesitation, Chen Ergou began his serious commentary.

“One of them is a set of three Tang Sect secret-made 《Thunderfire Drills》. They are finely forged, armor-piercing, and bone-drilling. Inside each one are two separate chambers, one filled with gunpowder and the other with deadly poison. Once they enter the body, they erupt on the spot. Anyone struck by one is almost certain to die. They are extremely vicious hidden weapons.”

“But this kind of hidden weapon has to be used together with a high-level hidden-weapon technique. Otherwise, it is very easy for the attack to miss, causing the hidden weapon to self-destruct and five hundred taels of gold to go straight down the drain. It is truly far too expensive!”

“...”

At that, Wangchuan frowned slightly.

“Is that five hundred taels of gold for one, or five hundred for all three together?”

“All three are being sold as one bundle, with a starting price of one thousand taels of gold. It is said that in the capital, a single one can sell for five hundred taels of gold.”

Although Wangchuan currently had over fifty thousand taels of gold on hand, he still clicked his tongue at the price of the 《Thunderfire Drills》.

If he fired one with 《Flying Dragon Technique》 and missed, that would be five hundred taels of gold gone in an instant...

What a truly outrageous price.

“What else?”

“The second lot worth noting is the Blackgold Conical Hat. It is a piece of equipment crafted by a famous master. It can protect the head, and it can also be used as a shield or even as a weapon. Most importantly, it looks quite nice.” Chen Ergou smiled.

Wangchuan shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Wear a conical hat into a fight?

What was this, filming a movie?

“No.”

Chen Ergou promptly restrained his smile and introduced the next lot in all seriousness.

“The last items are two martial arts manuals. One is the fourth-rank martial arts manual 《Reincarnation Axe》. It is said to be a cultivation method created by a master of the axe. Its force is heavy and overbearing. Also, it seems to be a niche cultivation method, which fits your needs, Hall Master.”

“There is also a manual called 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Method》, a fourth-rank inner cultivation method.”

Wangchuan had some interest in 《Reincarnation Axe》, but the moment he heard that the last manual was actually a fourth-rank inner cultivation method, he immediately stopped moving, delight flashing in his eyes.

“A fourth-rank inner cultivation method?”

“Quick, let me see it.”

Wangchuan was visibly excited.

Chen Ergou hurriedly took out the catalog and handed it over.

“It is said that this was a cultivation method acquired by a local family, though its origin is not very clear. But it is indeed a fourth-rank inner cultivation method... it is just that the owner who put it up for auction set the price too high. They want ten thousand taels of gold for it, so it has never been sold.”

Ten thousand taels of gold!

There really were not many people who could afford that.

And those who truly could afford it were probably not interested in a fourth-rank inner cultivation method anyway.

Wangchuan read the description of 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Method》 in the catalog.

It was an inner cultivation method capable of storing internal energy inside the dantian. If cultivated to Perfect Mastery, it was said that it could open a second dantian and store twice as much internal energy—unverified!

When he saw that line, Wangchuan was slightly taken aback.

What did that mean?

It meant that the person providing the lot had never cultivated 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Method》 at all. It was even possible that they had simply obtained the martial arts manual from somewhere else and were relying entirely on self-serving hype to sell it.

Wangchuan fell into thought.

If this thing truly could open a second dantian and double the amount of internal energy one could store, then it would be an extremely formidable inner cultivation method. At the very least, for an ordinary martial artist, doubling the upper limit of internal energy would allow them to last much longer in real combat.

But...

How could something be put up for auction without even being verified?

He glanced at the merchant house that had submitted the lot.

The Qin Family.

The Qin Family of Sanhe Commandery.

He knew of them.

The family head was a third-rank martial artist with some strength. In daily life, he managed a silk shop and a brewery. He was generally low-key and rarely involved himself in Jianghu conflicts.

For 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Method》 to end up in the hands of the Qin Family was, at the very least, rather strange.

Why was the Qin Family Head not cultivating it himself?

Wangchuan returned the catalog to Chen Ergou, resumed his 《Yanyun Eighteen Spear》 stance, and instructed,

“Ergou, make a trip to the Qin Family. Tell them that this Hall Master wishes to invite the Qin Family Head over for a visit and express my thanks.”

In truth, when he had been promoted to Hall Master, the Qin Family Head had also sent people bearing congratulatory gifts.

Using that as a pretext would not be abrupt.

“Yes!”

Chen Ergou immediately understood. The Hall Master had taken an interest in 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》.

Not long afterward, Chen Ergou brought the Qin Family Head, Qin Haiyuan, to the training grounds.

At that exact moment, Wangchuan’s 《Yanyun Eighteen Spear》 happened to reach a breakthrough.

“Ding!”

System prompt:

“《Yanyun Eighteen Spear》 has risen to Minor Mastery. Reward: +1 Strength.”

The momentum of the spear suddenly became ferocious. With ease, he shook out more than a dozen savage spear-points. Thud, thud, thud, they stabbed one after another into the Iron Dummy Stake wrapped in thick iron plating, leaving behind several spear holes three inches deep.

Then—

Bang!

The Iron Dummy Stake, already riddled with holes, could finally no longer withstand Wangchuan’s battering. It split open from the middle and burst apart to the left and right, startling many nearby Caobang disciples into hurriedly dodging aside.

“Hall Master.”

“The Qin Family Head has arrived.”

Chen Ergou stepped forward at just the right moment to report.

Wangchuan tossed aside the weapon in his hand, and the disciples nearby hurriedly caught it.

“Come.”

“Qin Family Head, let us go to the main hall and drink tea.”

Wangchuan extended the invitation with a smile.

Qin Haiyuan was both flattered and overwhelmed. He cupped his fists and nodded.

“Then I shall gladly accept your invitation.”

“Hall Master, I had long heard that you are utterly devoted to martial arts, and that from the beginning of the year to the end of it, you spend the vast majority of your time at the training grounds. Seeing it for myself today, I can only say that your reputation is fully deserved. Qin truly admires you deeply.”

Qin Haiyuan smiled as he offered his flattery.

After all, the young Hall Master before him was only twenty years old, yet he had swept the Beggar Sect’s forces out of Sanhe Commandery in short order. His methods were extraordinary, and his future boundless.

“You flatter me, Qin Family Head. I am still young. I am not like you senior figures, who have been famous for many years and possess abundant experience. There are many things I still need to learn from all of you.”

“I would not dare.”

A group of them entered the main hall.

Chen Ergou naturally took his place standing behind Wangchuan.

Qin Haiyuan sat upright and formal, still unaware of why Wangchuan had summoned him alone.

Wangchuan got straight to the point.

“Qin Family Head, I hear that you have a manual called 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 and intend to put it up for auction. Yet the evaluation given for this inner cultivation method is rather ambiguous. I happen to be quite interested in it, and I would like to know the inside story. I wonder whether Qin Family Head would be willing to tell me.”

Qin Haiyuan relaxed at once and smiled.

“So Hall Master has taken a liking to 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》. In truth, that manual was left in my care by an old family friend...”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Back then, that old family friend had already cultivated to the Fifth Rank and wished to attend the Mount Hua Sword Discussion Tournament to test himself against the heroes of the realm. But he feared that something unexpected might happen, so he entrusted this cultivation method to me for safekeeping.”

“Who would have thought that not only would he never return, but the entire Wang Family, old and young alike, would also die at the hands of bandits on the road to Mount Hua while trying to retrieve his body?”

“And so that cultivation method remained in my hands...”