Chapter 427: Su Yun’s Guidance

Wangchuan had no interest in how the Wang Family had died.

He only wanted to know whether the effects of 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 were real.

Under further questioning, Qin Haiyuan finally told the truth.

In fact, under the guidance of that old family friend, he himself had also cultivated 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》. But after cultivating it for many years, the progress of this inner cultivation method had been painfully slow. Even now, it remained stuck at the second layer, and the depth of his internal force had not changed very much at all...

His old family friend, on the other hand, had cultivated 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 to the realm of Integration. He was indeed somewhat stronger than ordinary martial artists of the same rank, but as for doubling his internal energy, that was still impossible.

Qin Haiyuan said to Wangchuan,

“Hall Master, 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 does indeed have the effect of storing internal energy, but in actual combat, it only offers a slight advantage in internal energy and nothing more. In a real fight, it is basically useless! My old family friend was only able to stand on equal footing with martial artists of the same rank and gain a certain advantage because, while cultivating 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》, he was also cultivating another inner cultivation method.”

Wangchuan was stunned.

Chen Ergou was stunned as well.

“Cultivating two inner cultivation methods at the same time?”

Wangchuan could hardly imagine it...

Cultivating even a single inner cultivation method was difficult enough.

Yet that man had managed to cultivate 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 to Integration while also cultivating another inner cultivation method, then pushed all the way into the Fifth Rank and even managed to stand out among fifth-rank martial artists.

That was not ordinary talent.

That was genius!

For a normal person, the most likely outcome would be exactly like Qin Haiyuan’s—being tormented half to death by a single inner cultivation method.

At that thought, Wangchuan glanced at Qin Haiyuan and finally understood why the Qin Family was so low-key...

The third-rank martial artist before him was probably not much stronger than a veteran second-rank martial artist.

Even so.

The purpose for which he had invited Qin Haiyuan here today had already been achieved.

At the very least, the man had explained the situation regarding 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》.

It really did have the effect of increasing internal energy. It was just that to reach the point of doubling one’s internal energy reserves, one would need to raise 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 to Perfect Mastery, or perhaps even higher. In the early stages, it might only provide a tiny amount of extra reserve.

This inner cultivation method could be bought at auction!

No matter how much it increased internal energy, it would at least not shortchange him on attributes.

Just as he was silently considering the matter, Qin Haiyuan spoke again, cautiously watching Wangchuan.

“Hall Master, are you interested in 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》?”

“And if I am?”

“Well, Hall Master, the situation is this.”

“Because the effects of 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 are not very obvious, after much consideration, the auction house gave Qin two choices. Either I lower the starting price of 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 and let it begin at the rate of a third-rank inner cultivation method, or they prepare to return it to me...”

“In truth, Qin could not bear to let the auction house disgrace my old family friend’s martial arts manual and reputation, so I had already decided to withdraw the manual.”

“...”

Wangchuan froze.

Chen Ergou had clearly not expected this turn of events either.

“Qin Family Head, you no longer plan to put 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 up for auction?”

“That is correct.”

Qin Haiyuan nodded, then said to Wangchuan,

“But if Hall Master is interested in this cultivation method, Qin is willing to hand it over directly to you at the auction house’s minimum starting price of five thousand taels of gold.”

“Then it’s settled.”

That was exactly the line Wangchuan had been waiting for. Rising to his feet, he said,

“Ergou, go draw five thousand taels of gold from Yuehui, then take some brothers with you and accompany Qin Family Head back.”

He spoke and acted with firm decisiveness, swift and clean.

Chen Ergou cupped his fists.

“Yes!”

Qin Haiyuan had not expected Wangchuan to agree without even attempting to haggle. He was somewhat surprised and taken aback.

“Hall Master.”

“I should only take four thousand taels of gold. In the future, the Qin Family will still have plenty of business that will require Hall Master’s care...”

“Qin Family Head, you are too polite. The fact that you think highly enough of Caobang to entrust us with the transport of your wine and silk business is our honor! No matter what, Caobang will always see its clients’ affairs through to the end. On that front, you need not have any worries at all. If anyone gives you trouble during transport, come to me directly.”

Wangchuan drew a clear line between public matters and private ones.

Once Qin Haiyuan received Wangchuan’s promise, he was overjoyed.

“Hall Master truly is straightforward! Qin will remember this...”

Just then, Chen Ergou returned quickly with the gold notes. Qin Haiyuan rose to his feet and cupped his fists.

“Then Qin will now lead Brother Chen back with me to retrieve the manual. I will not trouble you further.”

“Take care, Qin Family Head.”

The transaction went through very smoothly.

He obtained 《Three-Yin Qi-Circulation Art》 ahead of time.

After Chen Ergou brought the manual back, Wangchuan opened it at once and learned it without a second word.

The cultivation method entered an inactive state.

But now was not yet the time to cultivate it.

Wangchuan continued training 《Yanyun Eighteen Spear》...

That very night—

“Ding!”

System prompt:

“《Yanyun Eighteen Spear》 has risen from Minor Mastery to Practice Makes Perfect. Reward: +2 Strength.”

Without pause, Wangchuan immediately began training 《Mountain-Splitting Staff Art》.

But after pondering it for an entire day, he still failed to find any way to activate it and bring it to Entry Level.

He tried many of the methods he had used before.

He still could not get started!

At last...

That day, Su Yun had been watching from the side for quite a while. The longer he watched, the less he could hold himself back.

“Hall Master.”

Su Yun took the initiative and volunteered,

“How about this subordinate spars with you a little?”

Wangchuan had long since trained himself into a throbbing headache and was almost at the point of wanting to discard the technique altogether.

“Fine!”

“Let’s treat a dead horse like a live one.”

Wangchuan picked up a staff and tossed it to Su Yun.

The latter caught it and immediately took up an opening stance.

Wangchuan was startled.

“Su Yun, have you learned 《Mountain-Splitting Staff Art》?”

“We of the Beggar Sect deal with staff techniques all the time, so we more or less understand some of the staff arts of Jianghu,” Su Yun said tactfully. “It was only that this subordinate did not realize at first that Hall Master was cultivating 《Mountain-Splitting Staff Art》.”

Fine.

My fault!

Wangchuan was so stifled he nearly rolled his eyes.

“So you understand 《Mountain-Splitting Staff Art》... I’ve been fumbling around for so long for nothing... I should have asked you for guidance much earlier.”

Su Yun chuckled and changed the subject.

“The greatest difference between 《Mountain-Splitting Staff Art》 and other staff arts is that it is a staff technique that unites three steps into one: gathering momentum, opening and closing, and explosive release.”

“...”

Wangchuan knew that 《Mountain-Splitting Staff Art》 required gathering momentum. He also knew that it was a staff technique of broad, sweeping motions, and he understood as well that its explosive force was astonishing...

But when those concepts were linked together, he found that he somehow could not quite understand what Su Yun meant.

Su Yun said no more. Instead, he turned to Su Qi, who looked equally confused at the side, and said,

“Come over and be my opponent.”

“Oh.”

Su Qi hurried over.

Wangchuan fixed his eyes on Su Yun’s movements.

Su Yun moved!

His five fingers clenched tightly. The long staff in his hands seemed to fuse with his body as one...

Su Yun’s realm in 《Basic Spear Technique》 was absolutely no ordinary one, at the very least Perfect Mastery, and possibly even Peak Perfection. As he stepped forward holding the staff, his entire presence changed.

His momentum was rising!

His internal energy was pouring into the staff!

Wangchuan watched with close attention.

Su Yun suddenly struck.

The long staff swept upward toward Su Qi...

After the latter blocked once, Su Yun abruptly withdrew, spun, twisted his waist, and poured his strength into the motion. The long staff in his hands became like a soaring dragon, roaring into the sky before crashing down with terrifying force.

Explosive release!!

The momentum of splitting a mountain!!

Su Qi turned pale with fright and directly dodged aside.

Su Yun’s staff smashed fiercely into the ground.

Boom!!

More than a dozen blue stone floor tiles shattered at once and sprayed outward.

The wooden staff in Su Yun’s hands...

Shattered to pieces!!

The might of that single strike was terrifying beyond comparison.