The thief was about to steal the secret manual when the final mechanism would activate, releasing a mass of white phosphorus. Upon contact, the white phosphorus would ignite instantly, and all the thief could get would be a wall of ash.
Because of such formidable theft-prevention measures, the ’Scripture Pavilion’ had never been robbed.
It might be that ordinary thieves lacked the courage, and those who had the guts were mostly insiders. Knowing they didn’t possess the final mechanism’s password, they understood that forcing it open would yield nothing but ash.
Therefore, no one dared to target these secret manuals lightly, allowing them to be preserved.
Chen Jie memorized the three fragmented spear strokes seriously. Due to their incompleteness, he memorized them quickly.
In about an hour, Chen Jie had them mostly down.
However, he didn’t hurry to leave. Instead, he reviewed them for half an hour more to ensure not a word was out of place, branding them into his mind.
After that, Chen Jie exited the ’Scripture Pavilion’ and arrived at the training field.
Coincidentally, there were training spears available at the field. Chen Jie picked one up to test it, feeling it a bit light, yet still proceeded to practice the three spear moves he had just learned.
[Wandering Soul] [Separation] [Bone-Deep Longing]
The more Chen Jie practiced these spear moves, the more he felt the profound depth of this spear technique.
Every stroke of [Thirteen Breaking Tribulation Strokes] was infused with emotion.
Apart from [Wandering Soul], which evolved from the Qingming seasonal move,
Even [Bone-Deep Longing] and [Separation] were top-level moves. When emotions breathe life into the spear technique, the moves come alive.
Chen Jie had to admit, the creator of this spear technique was definitely a Martial Arts Master.
Even higher than all the masters he had encountered combined.
In the [Bone-Deep Longing] stroke, there lay a naive love between a man and a woman, with the moves shy and probing, twisting and turning endlessly.
[Wandering Soul] carried the essence of Qingming, a mourning for deceased elders, a sensation of striking through a dense fog — imparting an indescribable sense of bewilderment.
And finally, [Separation].
This stroke held within it the vastness of the desert, the remoteness of friends dispatched to distant battlefields, perhaps forever parted, making meetings scarce — emotions of reluctant parting. The move transitioned from ferocity to intricate twists, bearing a subtle sorrow that was elusive and intriguing.
If one were to immerse in the world of this spear technique, it could even affect one’s emotions, possessing great infectious power.
Chen Jie once heard someone say that good music possesses a strong infectious power, and amazingly, this spear technique had the same effect on emotions.
[Exquisite dice filled with red beans, bone-deep longing, do you know, Bone-Deep Longing!]
[Dream shatters at dawn, breaking one’s heart, the horn sound blows off the moon, Wandering Soul!]
[The setting sun on the river, the lonely smoke rises straight, a thousand-mile journey starts with a single step, remember old friends, Separation!]
After performing the three moves, Chen Jie’s emotions abruptly cut off. The feeling was unbearable, almost to the point of breakdown, but fortunately, the Yang Chun Skill circulated quickly, stabilizing his emotions.
No wonder his adoptive father advised him against learning it.
This abrupt disruption of emotions was truly maddening. One could handle it once or twice, but over an extended period, it could indeed weaken one’s psyche.
It might even lead to neurosis.
Thankfully, [Wandering Soul] derived from the same lineage as Yang Chun Skill, so while practicing, Chen Jie attempted to perform [Wandering Soul] as the last move following the three strokes and then resolve it with Yang Chun Skill, which made it much more bearable.
Although it didn’t allow the emotions to continue, at the very least, it smoothed them out, preventing a sudden jolt of shock.
After practicing [Thirteen Breaking Tribulation Strokes], Chen Jie gained a strong interest in the complete set of thirteen strokes. If all thirteen were complete, how formidable would they be!
Chen Jie thought to himself that he must collect all thirteen strokes one day.
Chen Jie practiced until evening before stopping and casually opened his personal panel.
[Realm: Refining Body Realm]
[Martial Arts: Yang Chun Skill (Expert) Water Manipulation Palm (Expert) Thirteen Breaking Tribulation Strokes (entry-level) Grand Ancestor Long Fist (Small Success)]
[Evaluation: You seem to have learned another decent martial art, too bad it’s incomplete~]
Chen Jie looked at the evaluation and was speechless for a long time. Incomplete, who are they mocking? Incomplete and yet I still want it.
Moreover, the Grand Ancestor Long Fist was almost failing to keep pace with his own Martial Arts advancement. Chen Jie hadn’t practiced in a long time, so there was almost no progress.
Yang Chun Skill and Water Manipulation Palm were progressing normally.
But the advancement of Thirteen Breaking Tribulation Strokes was a bit too fast, wasn’t it!
He had just practiced for an afternoon and already reached the entry-level.
It was unclear whether this was due to the influence of Yang Chun Skill, or because the act of practicing involved emotions, which typically accelerated development.
Noticing it was already late, a guard from Peng Mansion came with a meal, saying, "Fifth Master, the Hall Master says that you’ve practiced enough for today, moderation is key. After you’ve eaten, go and look after your family. There’s no rush in training."
Chen Jie replied, "Thank you, brother. I’m actually quite hungry. By the way, where’s my adoptive father?"
"Oh, the master ate and went to listen to performances. Today, the southern opera troupe is at the Spring Breeze Theater."
Chen Jie nodded, thinking the city’s wealthy knew how to enjoy life; daily life here meant not just fighting but also listening to operas.
Such a leisurely life was out of his reach for the moment.
Chen Jie ate the meal brought by the guard. The food at Peng Mansion was quite good, with white flour buns and red-braised pork in abundance.