Chương 50: Exchanging Techniques

Although Cang Lian lost nearly half of her vital energy, her face was as pale as paper, and she was experiencing dizziness, she still had physical strength thanks to the strong foundation laid by the "Sun Essence".

This place is not safe to stay for long. Hong Lie is suspicious by nature. If he were to turn around and launch a surprise attack, the two of them would surely die!

Cang Lian swept Chu Zhaoxue up in his arms, enduring the weakness from excessive blood loss, and ran like the wind towards the deep mountains in the opposite direction from where Hong Lie had fled.

The wind whistled in his ears. Cang Lian ran for an unknown amount of time until he was completely far away from the area of Misty Swamp Town, and then he found a dry cave hidden in a mountain wall.

Cang Lian staggered into the cave, carefully placed Chu Zhaoxue on a flat rock, and then her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

This is truly a case of surviving a catastrophe.

Although they had temporarily escaped Hong Lie's clutches, the crisis was not over.

Once that old thief realizes what's going on, he might launch a surprise attack at any moment.

Outside the cave, the sky was still bright.

Cang Lian sat cross-legged at the cave entrance, bathed in the thin sunlight, using the Heaven and Earth Pearl to transform the sunlight into solar essence, restoring her lost vital energy.

After recovering somewhat, he got up and returned to Chu Zhaoxue's side to give her another blood transfusion.

He did this for two reasons: first, he was worried that the Blood God Pearl inside her would drain all her life force and cause her to die; second, he hoped that she could wake up quickly.

In this perilous wilderness, only when Chu Zhaoxue regained her strength did they have a sliver of real security.

Sunlight, the essence of the sun, restores qi and blood, blood transfusion...

This cycle continued from daytime until the moon was high in the sky.

As night fell, the low growls of an unknown wild beast echoed through the mountains and forests. Chu Zhaoxue, who had been unconscious, finally trembled a few times and slowly woke up.

She first sensed the depletion of her vital energy and blood, then her gaze fell to her side.

Cang Lian's face was deathly pale, and blood was still flowing from her wrist, clearly indicating that she had exhausted a great deal of her energy to save her.

Thank you very much this time.

Chu Zhaoxue didn't mince words. She took a deep breath, and the faint internal energy in her dantian suddenly surged.

"puff!"

She spat out a scarlet, eerie bead, which rolled to the ground.

That was the "Blood God Pearl." Even after leaving its host, it still emitted a chilling blood-red light, as if it were still craving blood.

"General, how are you feeling?" Cang Lian's tense nerves finally relaxed when he saw her spit out the Blood God Pearl.

"I'm not dead yet, I'm just exhausted," Chu Zhaoxue said, leaning against the stone wall, panting.

Cang Lian nodded, quickly bandaged the wound, and then lit a campfire inside the cave.

The orange-red flames flickered, dispelling the cold and dampness inside the cave.

The two leaned against the fire, feeling warm and cozy, and immediately felt much better.

After a moment of silence, Chu Zhaoxue broke the tranquility.

"Cang Lian, after this battle, we can be considered comrades-in-arms who have shared life and death. Consider this life owed to you by me, Chu Zhaoxue."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Cang Lian's waist, a half-smile playing on her lips: "I didn't expect you to be a psychic. Since you took that 'Blood Soul Needle,' keep it for self-defense. However, this thing is malevolent, so use it with caution."

"Thank you, General!" Cang Lian was completely relieved to see this.

Looking at his expression, Chu Zhaoxue rarely showed a mischievous smile: "What? I thought you would continue to play dumb and say that I was seeing things and there was no magic needle at all."

"Ahem... I'm just afraid of being punished by military law, General." Cang Lian smiled slightly, taking the opportunity to back down.

"By the way!" Chu Zhaoxue changed the subject, looking directly into Cang Lian's eyes, "What was the name of the move you used to kill that Dark Force expert 'Mist Monkey'? In that instant, the mobilization of your entire body's energy was perfect, even faintly revealing a grand artistic conception of 'creating the world.' If I'm not mistaken, what you cultivate... should be a national martial art, right?"

Cang Lian hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded: "General, you have a discerning eye!"

Seeing his admission, a glint of light flashed in Chu Zhaoxue's eyes, but her tone became sincere:

"Don't worry, everyone has their own destiny. I won't pry into your secrets. Didn't you mention wanting a national martial arts technique? In that case, how about we make a deal?"

"A deal?" Cang Lian was taken aback.

"That's right," Chu Zhaoxue said solemnly.

"I'm willing to exchange a national-level martial art at the 'Dark Force' stage for the national-level martial art you possess at the 'Manifest Force' stage. What do you say?"

She continued, "Referencing different national martial arts techniques can help me solidify my foundation, identify weaknesses, perfect my martial arts, and ultimately help me reach the pinnacle of martial arts! I'm very interested in the national martial art technique you possess. Would you be willing to exchange it with me?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Cang Lian replied almost without hesitation, even pleasantly surprised.

This is like a windfall!

What he lacks most right now is the next stage of his training. Exchanging the Ming Jin (明劲) chapter, which he has already learned, for the An Jin (暗劲) chapter is a sure-fire deal for him, and he is even afraid that Chu Zhaoxue will change her mind.

"You give me a unique feeling!" Chu Zhaoxue looked him over with interest.

"I thought you would be limited by some sectarian prejudice or sect rules and unwilling to share your knowledge."

Upon hearing this, Cang Lian smiled freely, his eyes revealing a modern-day clarity and ambition:

"Trading techniques, each to their own advantage, it's a win-win situation. If a person's life is bound by rules, how can they reach the top? I only want to become stronger, nothing else matters."

He doesn't care about those rules and regulations!

He is a modern soul who only wants to take advantage of every possible opportunity to become stronger and gather all kinds of great power into one person. All rules have to take a backseat in the face of becoming stronger.

"Well done, all you want is to get stronger." Chu Zhaoxue nodded approvingly.

"But General..." Cang Lian's eyes darted around, a hint of a probing smile in them, "Since I saved your life, could you please give me all the national martial arts techniques at the Transformation Realm, Core Realm, and even罡 Realm stages?"

Chu Zhaoxue was amused by his words: "Is this what you call taking advantage of a favor?"

She suddenly stopped smiling, her expression turning serious: "It's not that I'm stingy, it's just that I really can't give it to you. I can only trade you martial arts techniques at the Inner Strength stage, because I obtained this martial art through a fortuitous encounter in my early years, and it belongs to me personally."

"The martial arts I subsequently practiced, such as Huajin, Danjin, and Gangjin, all originated from the 'National Martial Arts Hall'."

At this point, Chu Zhaoxue lowered her voice slightly:

"I'm not giving it to you for your own good. You have no record of exchanging techniques with the National Martial Arts Hall. If you rashly start practicing, and it's discovered, you'll be hunted down by the entire National Martial Arts Hall! This is no joke. At that time, even I, who leaked the technique, will be punished. Even if my teacher, 'Crane White Elder,' intervenes, he won't be able to protect me!"

"Is it that serious?" Cang Lian's heart skipped a beat.

"It's more serious than you think," Chu Zhaoxue sighed.

"Without rules, there can be no order. Although the National Martial Hall and the New Army are full of factions, they have grown to their current size because of certain ironclad rules. With my current strength, I cannot transgress those rules."

Seeing Cang Lian's solemn expression, she softened her tone and said, "Unless... you can cultivate to the 'Martial Immortal' realm in one go. Once you reach that level, you transcend the mortal world, and the rules will naturally no longer bind you."

"Martial Immortal?" Cang Lian murmured.

"But don't be discouraged," Chu Zhaoxue comforted her.

"You've completed two S-rank missions this time. Once you complete one more and accumulate enough merit points, you can legitimately exchange for a national martial art of any stage at the National Martial Arts Hall."

"Moreover, if you're lucky enough to acquire a national martial arts inheritance that's currently unclaimed, like I did back then, you can save your merit points and use them to exchange for more advanced Dan Jin and Gang Jin martial arts later on. On the path of martial arts, opportunity and strength are equally important."

After saying this, Chu Zhaoxue looked at Cang Lian again and asked curiously, "After all this talk, what is the name of this Ming Jin National Defense Martial Art you're practicing?"

Cang Lian didn't hide anything and slowly said, "This is the national martial art from the Hong Dynasty—'The Heaven-Opening Force'!"

"It's actually the 'Creation Force'?!"

Chu Zhaoxue's pupils contracted slightly, then she suddenly realized: "No wonder... I should have guessed it earlier, since Cang Xiong's fighting style was somewhat similar to yours. But given your marginal position in the Cang family, it would be impossible for you to have access to such a core inheritance."

She gave Cang Lian a deep look, as if she were seeing him in a new light: "It seems this is your destiny."

"Everyone has secrets, and this is something I need the general to keep secret for me," Cang Lian said with a faint smile.

"Okay, I understand." Chu Zhaoxue smiled.

"I'll keep your secret to myself."