Chương 79: 1.79 What do you mean you found a hidden manual?

"Okay, you stay on watch duty. While our previous information gathering suggests the Crystal-Eyed Hound usually takes over an hour to return while hunting, we should still prepare for the worst-case scenario." Ning spoke softly while crouching beside Fenghuang.

"Just give a signal if anything happens, and I'll return immediately." The white bird stared at him coolly before eventually giving a small nod.

"Good." Ning smiled immediately and rubbed Fenghuang's head happily.

"You really are the best." At this point, Fenghuang no longer bothered resisting. In the beginning, he had found the human's constant touching deeply offensive to his dignity as a spiritual beast. But after spending so much time together, he had gradually become used to the grubby hands of the human before him. Besides, it honestly did not feel that bad anymore. Ning noticed the slightly comfortable expression hidden beneath Fenghuang's usual aloof appearance and immediately suppressed a smug grin.

Was it cheating to use Pure Eyes to accurately identify the spots that produced maximum comfort while petting? Maybe. Was it effective? Absolutely.

"So," Ning whispered dramatically as he stood up, "Operation Take-the-Shit-and-Go officially begins." Fenghuang stared at him silently.

"… Right. Stealth mission mindset." The white bird spread his wings and flew upward soundlessly, disappearing into the surrounding trees to monitor the area from above. At the same time, Ning activated Turtle Breathing Art. His presence immediately weakened. His heartbeat slowed. Even the fluctuations of spiritual qi around his body became faint and difficult to detect. At this point, the technique had already become second nature to him. Ning swiftly moved toward the hidden cave entrance.

The opening was concealed beneath thick roots and jagged stone, almost impossible to notice from afar. Fortunately, Pure Eyes easily picked up the faint traces of spiritual energy lingering around the entrance. He slipped inside quietly. The temperature dropped almost instantly. The cave itself was extremely cold, though that did not bother Ning much due to his body refinement and ice-attributed qi. What bothered him was the smell.

A pungent odor immediately assaulted his nose, be it from wet stone, blood, or rotting beast remains.

"… Cultivators really romanticize exploration too much," Ning thought with a twitch of his lips. The Crystal-Eyed Hound was not a weak spiritual beast. It was a late-stage Qi Condensation predator known for its aggression, territorial instincts, and terrifying sensory abilities. Its body resembled a massive black wolf covered in crystalline growths along its neck and spine, while its eyes naturally absorbed spiritual light and qi fluctuations from the environment. That was precisely why Ning had been so cautious.

The beast possessed exceptional senses, monstrous physical strength, and claws capable of tearing through low-grade defensive artifacts effortlessly. Worse, Crystal-Eyed Hounds were notoriously stubborn creatures. Once enraged, they would pursue targets relentlessly until either the prey escaped far beyond their territory or one side died. Normally, Ning would never willingly provoke something like this. But the reward was worth the risk.

For the past several months, Ning had been searching for resources capable of improving the Pure Eyes Technique. The technique consumed spiritual liquids at a horrifying rate. Although he had already used several kinds over the years, the improvement requirements only became more absurd the further he progressed. It was practically a bottomless pit.

Because of this, besides occasionally buying spiritual liquids whenever he found a bargain, Ning had also been actively gathering information about places where such resources naturally formed. That was how he eventually learned about Shining Crystal Spiritual Liquid. Fortunately, Si Sihua had been the one to provide the information. As a receptionist within the mission hall, the amount of rumors, reports, and miscellaneous intelligence she handled daily was honestly terrifying.

Through her connections, Ning managed to contact an outer sect disciple who had once discovered several drops of strange crystal liquid after slaying a low-tier boar wandering near this region. At first glance, the story sounded unimportant. But after investigating the surrounding area and discovering traces of a Crystal-Eyed Hound nearby, Ning immediately connected the pieces together. Those drops had almost certainly originated from this cave.

Which meant, there was a high chance the beast had been nurturing an entire reserve of Shining Crystal Spiritual Liquid within its territory for years. All this to say, Ning had a single purpose for coming here. Looting. A certified mandatory activity for every cultivator. Ning moved deeper into the cave carefully. The interior stretched surprisingly far underground.

Jagged crystal formations protruded naturally from the walls, glowing faintly with pale blue spiritual light that illuminated the cavern in an almost dreamlike atmosphere. Water dripped rhythmically from the ceiling, the sound echoing softly throughout the underground chamber. For a brief moment, the cave resembled less a beast's den and more a hidden spiritual land untouched by mortals. Honestly, the scenery in this world was top-tier most of the time.

Then Ning noticed the half-eaten carcass of a deer rotting near the corner, and the mystical atmosphere immediately lost several points. Still, his attention was quickly drawn elsewhere. At the very center of the cavern stood a naturally hollowed stone basin several meters wide. Within it flowed a pool of shimmering silver-blue liquid. Ning's eyes brightened instantly.

"Shining Crystal Spiritual Liquid…" A first-tier high-grade spiritual liquid and especially valuable for eye-related cultivation. Shining Crystal Spiritual Liquid was a naturally occurring treasure formed within crystal-rich caves over extremely long periods of time. Through decades of condensation, moon-attributed spiritual qi would gradually merge with mineral essence beneath the earth, eventually producing droplets of liquid carrying purification and perception-enhancing properties.

In many ancient texts, it was described as: "Earth marrow reflecting moonlight." Some alchemists used it to refine eye-opening pills. Artifact refiners occasionally incorporated it into sensory treasures capable of piercing illusions. Certain illusion-path cultivators even diluted small amounts into tea before meditation to sharpen their spiritual awareness. The Pure Eyes Technique itself focused heavily on clarity, perception, analysis, and enhanced visual comprehension.

Any treasure capable of refining the senses naturally possessed extraordinary compatibility with it. To Ning, this was the good stuff. He immediately crouched beside the basin and inspected the liquid more carefully. The quality was excellent. The liquid possessed an almost transparent silver coloration, with only faint traces of blue drifting beneath the surface like flowing moonlight. That level of clarity indicated an extremely low impurity concentration. And more importantly, there was a lot of it.

Nearly half a basin. This immediately explained why the Crystal-Eyed Hound guarded this cave like its ancestral grave. The beast had likely occupied this location for many years, perhaps even decades, slowly absorbing traces of the liquid to temper its eyes and strengthen its perception. Crystal-Eyed Hounds already naturally possessed exceptional sensory abilities. After long-term exposure to Shining Crystal Spiritual Liquid, its eyesight had likely evolved even further.

Perhaps that was why the beast's territory had become so difficult for other cultivators to approach safely. The creature probably noticed most intruders long before they ever realized it existed. And now, Ning was about to rob the creature blind. Pun entirely intended. Ning quickly removed several jade bottles from his storage bag, then carefully started to take the resource. His movements were extremely precise.

The jade bottles tilted gently as he transferred the liquid with painstaking care, making absolutely certain not to waste even a single drop. Even the spiritual mist rising from the surface was carefully sealed within the containers. One bottle filled. Then another. Then another. It was at that moment that Ning heard a distant roar and felt the ground shake violently.

"Hmm?" At the same time, outside the cave, Fenghuang had already begun fighting the Crystal-Eyed Hound. The enormous beast roared furiously as it burst through the forest, its massive body crashing through trees while spiritual qi surged violently around it. The crystalline structures near its eyes glowed with an eerie blue radiance, and each movement of its body carried the pressure of a late-stage Qi Condensation beast. Compared to it, Fenghuang's smaller frame looked fragile. Craw! Craw!

Fenghuang had been slightly careless. The enhanced eyesight of the hound had somehow spotted the bird circling near its cave before Fenghuang could notice the beast itself. Fenghuang understood this and knew he had to own up to his mistake. While their underestimation had partly come from lacking a proper understanding of how much the spiritual liquid had enhanced the hound, Fenghuang still possessed the pride to admit failure in his task.

So Fenghuang chose to engage the beast directly, trying to buy as much time as possible for his human to finish looting the cave. Fenghuang darted through the air with astonishing speed, weaving between branches and shifting directions unpredictably. His white feathers reflected the sunlight as he circled the hound from above, constantly harassing it from angles difficult to defend against.

The Crystal-Eyed Hound suddenly leaped upward with terrifying explosiveness, its claws tearing through the air toward Fenghuang's body. Fenghuang twisted elegantly in midair and narrowly avoided the strike before immediately retaliating. White flames erupted from his beak and crashed onto the beast's shoulder, exploding into intense heat that scorched its fur and flesh. The hound snarled angrily. The attack had worked, but it was not enough. Fenghuang understood this immediately.

The difference in cultivation between them was still too large. A frontal confrontation would only end in defeat. So instead of competing directly in strength, Fenghuang continued fighting while maintaining distance, constantly forcing the hound to waste energy chasing him. Compared to the Fenghuang from a year ago, the current him was completely different. Back then, engaging a beast at this level would have been suicidal.

But over the past year, Ning had trained him in ways that could only be described as abnormal. Fenghuang still remembered those terrifying days vividly. At first, Ning had simply trained his flight speed and reaction time normally. Then, at some point, the human somehow concluded that ordinary training was "too inefficient" and began personally shooting arrows at him. They were not real arrows, thankfully. Even so, they were still terrifying.

Ning would stand calmly in an open field with a bow in hand while Fenghuang flew overhead trying desperately not to die.

"Flying higher isn't aerial superiority," Ning had once said seriously while pulling back another arrow.

"Surviving while flying is." The next second, the arrow had nearly pierced through Fenghuang's tail feathers. Over time, the training only became more ridiculous. Ning began predicting Fenghuang's flight paths and firing toward places he had not yet reached. Sometimes he deliberately aimed for blind spots. Other times he used movement techniques while firing, creating impossible attack angles that forced Fenghuang to adapt continuously in midair.

Of course, Ning had always asked for Fenghuang's permission beforehand. He had even seriously explained that Fenghuang did not need to continue if he disliked the training. But was Fenghuang some cowardly weakling? Absolutely not. So he endured. And slowly, he improved. Compared to Ning's absurdly accurate archery, the Crystal-Eyed Hound honestly felt easier to deal with.

The hound roared again and suddenly accelerated, its body exploding forward with astonishing speed as it attempted to intercept Fenghuang directly in midair. Fenghuang immediately folded one wing and spiraled downward sharply, narrowly avoiding the beast by inches. At the same time, several clusters of white flame scattered behind him. The Crystal-Eyed Hound ignored them entirely and continued its pursuit. Then, moments later, the scattered flames exploded simultaneously around its body.

The beast staggered slightly in surprise as violent white fire erupted from multiple directions at once. Fenghuang's eyes sharpened. This was another thing Ning had taught him.

"Predictable attacks are trash," Ning had once declared proudly while drawing strange diagrams in the dirt.

"If the enemy already knows when your attack ends, then your attack already failed." Fenghuang had not fully understood the explanation back then. But after enough explosions, he eventually understood the results. Under Ning's bizarre training methods, Fenghuang had gradually learned how to slightly delay the ignition timing of his flames instead of detonating them immediately upon release. It had been extremely difficult at first. The flames would either explode too early or dissipate completely before activation.

Several times, Fenghuang had accidentally detonated the attacks directly beside himself. One particularly memorable failure had blown him out of the sky and into a river while Ning calmly took notes nearby. Still, the training worked. Now Fenghuang could scatter flames throughout the battlefield like hidden traps, forcing enemies to constantly guess which attacks were real and which were delayed explosions waiting to erupt.

The Crystal-Eyed Hound snarled furiously as another delayed detonation exploded across its flank. For the first time since the battle began, the beast slowed slightly. The Crystal-Eyed Hound found itself constantly pressured by attacks arriving at awkward timings and strange angles. Just as it thought it had passed through danger, another delayed explosion would erupt nearby and force it to reposition again. Enraged, the beast's crystal eyes glowed intensely.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Several blue beams of spiritual light suddenly shot toward Fenghuang at terrifying speed, piercing through the forest and shattering everything in their path. Fenghuang instantly accelerated. His wings shifted fluidly as he twisted through the air with graceful precision, narrowly dodging the beams one after another. One beam passed so close it scorched several feathers from his wing.

Another tore apart the tree behind him. The Crystal-Eyed Hound gradually realized something troubling. This bird was extremely annoying. Every time the hound tried to commit fully to an attack, Fenghuang would reposition beforehand. Every time it attempted to predict his movements, the bird would suddenly alter direction or timing. Worse still, those strange white flames continuously pressured it from every angle. Finally, the Crystal-Eyed Hound lost patience.

A violent surge of qi exploded from its body as the crystal structures along its spine began glowing brighter and brighter. The surrounding spiritual energy trembled violently under the pressure. Fenghuang's instincts immediately screamed danger. The beast lowered its body slightly before launching upward like a black meteor, its jaws aimed directly toward Fenghuang's neck. The speed was terrifying. Even Fenghuang's pupils contracted slightly. At that moment, another memory surfaced within his mind.

Ning standing before an alchemy cauldron while manipulating tiny strands of white flame.

"Power isn't about making bigger explosions," Ning had explained seriously at the time.

"That's low-level thinking." The flames above his fingers had slowly compressed inward.

"True power comes from concentration." The originally unstable flame became smaller and smaller until it resembled a tiny white star.

"Less waste. More pressure. Greater penetration." Fenghuang's eyes sharpened instantly. The white flames surrounding his body suddenly began compressing inward violently instead of spreading outward naturally. Layer after layer of white fire condensed together around his wings and beak, becoming denser and brighter with each passing moment. The surrounding air was distorted by the heat. Even the Crystal-Eyed Hound sensed danger now. But it had already committed to the attack. Fenghuang folded his wings completely.

Then he unleashed everything. The condensed white flames erupted forward in a concentrated stream that resembled a spear forged entirely from divine fire. The flames rotated violently within themselves, compressing and reinforcing their own momentum as they tore through the air toward the beast. The attack was not large. Yet the moment it appeared, the surrounding forest trembled. The Crystal-Eyed Hound tried to dodge instinctively, but it was already too late.

The rotating white flames slammed directly into its chest. For one brief moment, the world turned completely white. Then the forest exploded. The rotating spear of white flame slammed directly into the Crystal-Eyed Hound's chest. The Crystal-Eyed Hound was thrown backward violently. Its massive body tore through several ancient trees before crashing into the earth with enough force to carve a deep trench across the forest floor. Smoke and dust surged upward while the smell of scorched flesh spread through the air.

High above the battlefield, Fenghuang hovered unsteadily in the sky. White flames flickered weakly around his body while his breathing grew noticeably heavier. That final attack had consumed an enormous amount of qi and concentration. Even with all the strange training Ning had forced upon him over the past year, the difference between middle-stage and late-stage Qi Condensation still could not be ignored completely. Still, the attack had landed directly.

No normal beast should have been able to withstand that cleanly. For a brief moment, the battlefield became quiet. Then a low growl slowly echoed from the smoke. Fenghuang's pupils narrowed sharply. The growl deepened, but this time it was filled with anger and malice. The smoke gradually parted as the Crystal-Eyed Hound slowly stood back up. The beast looked battered.

Burn marks spread across its chest, patches of fur had been completely incinerated away, and blood continuously dripped from wounds left behind by the compressed white flames. Even the crystal structures near one side of its face looked partially melted. Yet despite the injuries, its spiritual pressure had barely weakened. If anything, it had become more violent. The crystal structures surrounding its eyes began glowing brighter and brighter until faint blue radiance spread across the surrounding forest itself.

Fenghuang immediately sensed danger. This was not simply a beast with powerful physical strength. The Crystal-Eyed Hound possessed a keen spiritual perception. Its crystal eyes were the source of its terrifying reputation throughout the surrounding mountain ranges. The beast could perceive spiritual fluctuations with abnormal clarity. Track movement through residual aura. Detect killing intent. And most troublesome of all, predict movement patterns.

The Crystal-Eyed Hound slowly raised its head and stared directly at Fenghuang. The moment their eyes met, Fenghuang felt a strange chill crawl across his body. It was as though every instinctive movement he intended to make had already become visible. The beast slowly opened its jaws. Then, it howled. The sound exploded across the forest like a spiritual shockwave. Visible ripples spread through the air while nearby trees shook violently beneath the pressure.

Loose stones shattered apart instantly while hidden birds and smaller beasts fled in panic deeper into the mountains. Fenghuang immediately felt dizziness strike his mind. His flight rhythm destabilized slightly. The Crystal-Eyed Hound moved at that exact moment. Its massive body exploded upward with terrifying speed, far faster than before. Spiritual qi surged violently through its limbs while blue crystal structures spread across its claws, forming sharp crystalline blades that gleamed with deadly light.

Fenghuang instantly twisted sideways to evade. But the moment he moved, the crystals around the hound's eyes suddenly flashed with an eerie blue radiance. For a brief instant, Fenghuang felt an intense spiritual pressure lock onto his body. It was as though the beast had already seen the trajectory of his dodge before he completed it. The Crystal-Eyed Hound twisted its claw unnaturally midway through the strike, forcibly altering the angle of attack with terrifying precision.

Fenghuang immediately understood he would not escape completely. So instead of continuing the dodge blindly, he forcefully shifted his body to minimize the damage as much as possible. The crystal-coated claw still tore across one of his wings. Craw! Fenghuang cried out in pain as white feathers scattered through the air and blood seeped from the wound. His flight instantly destabilized. The Crystal-Eyed Hound did not hesitate for even a moment.

The instant it noticed Fenghuang temporarily losing balance, the beast lunged forward again with terrifying aggression, crystal qi surging around its claws as it prepared to end the battle in a single strike. Even injured, Fenghuang refused to give up. White flames erupted around his body desperately, trying to form a barrier between himself and the incoming attack. Then, at that exact moment, a familiar arrow tore through the forest.

The projectile arrived with astonishing speed, spiraling qi wrapped around its shaft as it pierced directly toward the Crystal-Eyed Hound's exposed flank. The beast was forced to twist sideways abruptly, its killing strike interrupted midway as the arrow exploded against its shoulder and tore through flesh. The hound roared furiously. And before it could react further, a figure blurred through the battlefield.

Ning arrived instantly beneath Fenghuang and swept the injured bird into his arms before retreating several meters away using Shadow Steps.

"I told you not to take unnecessary risks, you know." Ning said helplessly while checking Fenghuang's injured wing. Craw. The bird answered weakly. Thanks to their long familiarity, Ning could roughly understand the meaning behind the sound.

"Even so," Ning sighed, quickly feeding Fenghuang a healing pill, "you're still not ready to fight a late-stage beast head-on. Especially not this thing." The Crystal-Eyed Hound immediately charged toward Ning. Its speed was astonishing. The massive beast crossed the distance almost instantly, crystal claws tearing through the air toward his head. Ning's eyes glowed blue. Pure Eyes activated fully. Time seemed to slow slightly within his perception.

He twisted sideways at the last possible moment before counterattacking with a sharp kick infused with spiraling qi. The impact forced the enormous hound several steps backward. Ning then ran. He hoped to outrun the beast, but unfortunately, the hound was too persistent. It kept chasing Ning even though he was already nearing the end of the hound's territorial range. Ning dodged another set of crystal spikes thrown his way, and gently placed Fenghuang onto a nearby branch, "Rest here for a while.

I will quickly finish this battle and we will return to treat your wounds properly." At this point, escape was no longer realistic. With the beast's territorial personality and heightened senses, it would never allow Ning to leave peacefully after robbing its cave and injuring it repeatedly. It had already shown a tendency to run after him even if he left the forest. So, the only option left was to exterminate this threat.

Ning immediately used Shadow Steps to leap onto a higher tree branch before drawing his bow in one smooth motion. The forest wind shifted slightly. Ning slowly calmed his breathing. Normally, fighting a late-stage Qi Condensation beast this deep inside the forest would have been extremely dangerous. Bloodshed and spiritual fluctuations could easily attract even stronger beasts from deeper regions. But at this point, there was no helping it.

"Alas, plans can never keep up with the changes," Ning muttered quietly. Then, he drew the bowstring fully. At this point, archery had already become second nature to him. The bow no longer felt like a separate weapon in his hands. It felt natural. Like an extension of his own body. Yes, Ning had already reached Unity in archery. After comprehending Unity through the spear, crossing the same threshold in archery became far easier.

In fact, his natural talent with the bow had always surpassed his spear talent from the very beginning. And honestly, what were arrows if not tiny spears flying very fast? Ning entered the familiar state instantly. His senses sharpened. The world quieted. The movement of leaves, the direction of airflow, the muscle contractions beneath the hound's fur. Everything became clear under his blue eyes. Then, he released all the accumulated qi into a single attack.

The arrow shot forward like a streak of light, spiraling qi wrapped tightly around it as the projectile pierced through the forest with terrifying speed. The Crystal-Eyed Hound reacted immediately. Its crystal eyes glowed intensely as it attempted to capture the arrow's trajectory. But this time, it was too late. The arrow pierced directly into the beast's shoulder. It's swiftness beyond words. Similarly, the moment it struck, poison spread rapidly through its bloodstream.

The Crystal-Eyed Hound roared violently as its movements slowed slightly. Ning drew another arrow immediately. Then another. The arrows descended continuously from above like falling stars, each strike carrying terrifying precision. The Crystal-Eyed Hound attempted to dodge, but Ning's attacks only became sharper and more oppressive with each shot. One arrow pierced through its crystalline defense. Another tore through its leg. Another exploded directly beside its injured shoulder.

Under the relentless barrage, the beast's movements gradually became slower and more chaotic. Then, the final arrow descended. It pierced directly through the Crystal-Eyed Hound's eye. The beast froze. Its massive body staggered several steps before collapsing heavily into the forest floor, shaking the surrounding trees violently upon impact. The hound was dead, Ning sighed. Roar Hearing a distant sound quickly nearing, Ning had no chance of respite.

He quickly collected the corpse and, along with Fenghuang, ran away.... [Wind Waking Arrow: Spirit Rank Technique] [An archery technique focused on control and trajectory manipulation. Instead of forcing arrows through the air, the user synchronizes with surrounding wind currents, allowing arrows to travel more silently and unpredictably. At higher mastery, arrows can curve mid-flight, bypass obstacles, and strike from unnatural angles. According to sect rumor, the creator invented this technique after failing to shoot the same spirit bird for three years straight before concluding that "straight lines were the true enemy."] [Lightning Cry Arrow: Spirit Rank Technique] [A lightning-attributed archery technique centered around explosive speed and destructive impact. Lightning qi erupts along the arrow during release, drastically increasing acceleration and penetration power. Upon impact, the compressed lightning detonates violently, disrupting spiritual defenses and temporarily paralyzing targets. Advanced users can manipulate the timing of the lightning burst itself, creating delayed explosions or chained strikes.]"Hmm… these two techniques would fit my arsenal the best right now," Ning muttered thoughtfully. What was he doing, one may ask? Window shopping.

Ever since entering the inner sect, Ning had developed the habit of regularly visiting the Scripture Pavilion to browse through techniques, manuals, and strange cultivation arts. Since he now had access to Spirit-ranked techniques, he treated it almost like research work, constantly reading through descriptions and analyzing potential future paths. Of course, there was one major issue. He was broke. Which meant Ning had to be extremely careful with technique selection.

Every Spirit-ranked art cost an absurd amount of spirit stones, so choosing poorly would basically mean financially crippling himself for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, Li Houran had already helped narrow down the direction for his spear cultivation. But archery? That part he had to figure out himself. And among all the Spirit-ranked archery techniques currently available to him, these two fit him the best. Wind Waking Arrow. Lightning Cry Arrow.

Both possessed extremely strong compatibility with his current fighting style, especially since he needed stronger techniques capable of carrying intent properly.

"Hm…" Ning rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Wind Waking Arrow would synergize really well with Turtle Breathing Art and my stealth-oriented fighting style." Then, he looked at the other manual.

"But Lightning Cry Arrow…" Ning narrowed his eyes slightly.

"That one would significantly strengthen my long-range offensive capabilities." That was the current issue. As beasts and cultivators became stronger, his ordinary arrows were gradually starting to lose lethality. Just like during the outer sect competition, his archery had been excellent for suppression, interference, and positioning, But lacking in decisive killing power. He needed a true one-shot technique. Something capable of ending fights instantly. And Lightning Cry Arrow clearly specialized in exactly that.

Ning sighed deeply. Choosing techniques really was difficult. It felt strangely similar to choosing a favorite waifu. There were simply too many excellent options, but he could only commit to one seriously.

"…That analogy still needs work," Ning muttered before shaking his head. Then he sighed dramatically.

"But alas… the hardest choices require the strongest wills." At the moment, the biggest weakness in his arsenal was definitely his lack of explosive finishing power in archery. As enemies became stronger and more durable, ordinary attacks simply became less effective. Lightning Cry Arrow could compensate for that weakness perfectly. After all, among martial cultivators, sword cultivators were famous for possessing the highest offensive power.

And among spell cultivators, Lightning techniques were universally acknowledged as some of the most destructive and terrifying arts in existence. While Lightning Cry Arrow was fundamentally still an archery technique, it nevertheless carried traces of lightning principles within it. Moreover, if he could eventually comprehend lightning intent or related concepts through the technique, it might become extremely valuable later down the cultivation path. Especially regarding heavenly tribulations.

After all, every cultivator feared thunder tribulation. If he could understand lightning beforehand, that might become a major advantage in the future. Of course, it was not like he would abandon the Wind Waking Arrow technique entirely. Ning simply had to postpone acquiring it for now. Once he reached Foundation Establishment, he would have plenty of time to learn additional techniques. Having resolved himself to this decision, Ning continued browsing through the descriptions of various other techniques.

Spirit-ranked techniques possessed far more diverse effects compared to Mortal-ranked arts, so it was honestly quite something to read through so many manuals with bizarre-sounding descriptions. It was while browsing that Ning suddenly spotted a familiar silhouette. At this hour, there were already quite a few people on the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion. Yet strangely enough, the section where this particular silhouette stood was almost completely empty. Ning grew curious and quickly discovered the reason.

The silhouette belonged to Xiao Fan, who was currently staring intensely at a technique manual in his hands.

"So, what are you doing?" Ning walked over casually.

"You're glaring at that book so hard you might burn a hole through it."

"E-eep!" Xiao Fan yelped in shock at the sudden voice. And because he was the type of protagonist whose body reacted faster than his brain, he immediately threw a punch toward Ning out of instinct.

"Wait, wait! It's me!" Ning said quickly while barely dodging the attack.

"N-Ning?!" Xiao Fan finally recognized him and immediately relaxed.

"Heavens, don't you have any presence at all? You nearly scared me to death!"

"You were the one who was too enamoured with the technique. I just walked here." Ning couldn't help but say.

"Also, eep, huh? I really didn't expect a manly guy like you to make such a girly sound when startled." Xiao Fan's expression darkened instantly.

"You will forget that immediately," he declared in a tone that sounded suspiciously like a threat.

"Seriously, you need to wear a bell or something. You walk around without making any sound at all."

'Must be because of mastered Turtle Breathing Art and Shadow Steps,' Ning mused internally. Once techniques reached mastery, they naturally became ingrained into the body like instinct. Still, he simply shrugged and changed the topic.

"So anyway, what were you looking at so seriously?" Ning wisely decided not to tease Xiao Fan any further. For a guy who always chose the fight response over flight in sudden situations, provoking him too much probably was not healthy in the long run. Xiao Fan visibly relaxed after seeing the topic change. Then he carefully lifted the technique manual in his hands before pulling out a thin sheet hidden within the cover.

"I found this inside the manual," Xiao Fan explained quietly.

"It was hidden between the inner layers. I only noticed because the texture felt slightly different. Otherwise, I never would have discovered it."

"Of course you did," Ning said immediately, already understanding the situation. Classic hidden-manual trope. Honestly, he was not even surprised anymore.

"So," Ning asked curiously while leaning closer, "what's written on the sheet?"

"Let's have a look." Both Xiao Fan and Ning leaned closer toward the jade sheet spread across the table. Faint spiritual light flowed across its surface as the recorded text revealed itself. [Food Qi Nourishment Method: In this world, everything is illusory. Swords are external objects. Spears are external objects. Merits and wealth are also external objects, all of which may disappear one day. Only what I eat is truly mine. Thus, I care more about the quality of my food than anything else.]"…

This senior sounds extremely committed to eating," Xiao Fan muttered. Ning nodded solemnly.

"A respectable mindset." The technique continued afterward, detailing a method of refining and nourishing the body through food. Rather than directly cultivating spiritual qi through meditation alone, the user gradually strengthened digestion, absorption, and nutrient conversion efficiency. Simply put, it was a cultivation technique entirely dedicated toward becoming absurdly efficient at eating. The more Ning read, the brighter his eyes became.

"This is actually pretty good," he said. Xiao Fan glanced at him strangely.

"Really?"

"Yes." Ning tapped the jade slip lightly.

"This is what I'd classify as a utility technique."

"Utility technique?" Xiao Fan blinked.

"Mm. As a qualified cultivator, we need to cover seven major aspects: attack, healing, defense, movement, storage, investigation, and utility." Ning spoke with the tone of someone giving a lecture.

"These can be covered through artifacts, spells, martial arts, formations, contracts, or whatever strange methods cultivators come up with after locking themselves in caves for fifty years." He tapped the jade sheet lightly.

"And from what I've seen so far, this falls under utility. It's the kind of technique that improves quality of life and cultivation efficiency rather than direct combat strength."

"With those seven aspects covered," Ning continued, "most cultivators can usually hold their ground against both enemies and harsh environments."

"Seven aspects, huh?" Xiao Fan muttered thoughtfully.

"Never really heard anyone categorize things like that before."

"Well, I summarized it myself, so it would be weird if you had." Ning shrugged casually.

"Still, the idea itself is useful. Most cultivators specialize too hard into one area and then suddenly die because they neglected another." Xiao Fan blinked.

"That sounds oddly specific."

"It usually is." Ning nodded sagely.

"For example, sword cultivators love offense so much they sometimes forget defense exists. Alchemists stack healing and utility but collapse the moment someone punches them in the face. Formation masters spend twelve hours preparing a battlefield and then die instantly if dragged outside it."

"…You sound like you've personally met all these people."

"Well, I've read enough books to understand the general pattern," Ning replied calmly. He then tapped the jade sheet again, his thoughts moving quickly as he reread parts of the Food Qi Nourishment Method. The technique itself was not particularly profound. At least, not compared to true cultivation arts that directly improved combat power. But what interested Ning was the philosophy behind it. Efficiency, conversion, and waste reduction. That was something Ning understood very well.

The human body was fundamentally a machine of transformation. Food became energy. Energy became strength. Strength became cultivation. Most cultivators simply brute-forced the process with expensive pills and resources. This technique, however, focused on maximizing every single input.

"This thing has a lot of hidden value. Did you know that when consuming spiritual dishes, our bodies can't fully absorb all the nutrients?" Ning explained while tapping the sheet lightly.

"Especially with meat from higher-tier beasts. A large portion of the qi is lost after consumption. Some dissipates naturally, some remains unabsorbed, and some simply becomes waste because the body can't refine it efficiently enough."

"I see." Xiao Fan nodded thoughtfully.

"Of course, the effectiveness of this technique also varies." Ning shrugged.

"It's not like we can casually eat high-level beast meat every day, right?" High-level beast meat was extremely expensive by nature. Which meant the only practical way to obtain it regularly was hunting. And hunting powerful beasts in the wilderness was dangerous in itself.

"H-Haha… right." Xiao Fan laughed awkwardly. His mind instantly recalled the absurd amount of peak Qi Condensation boar meat currently sitting inside his storage bag. This technique truly could not have appeared at a better time. Xiao Fan thought. Seeing Xiao Fan's expression, Ning could roughly guess what the protagonist was thinking. Then he casually took out a jade bottle and tossed it toward him.

"Here, take this."

"Hm?" Xiao Fan caught it instinctively before looking confused.

"This contains Shining Crystal Spiritual Liquid compatible with the Pure Eyes Technique." Ning smiled slightly.

"Consider it payment for letting me study the technique after all. You're the one who found it."

"There's no need for that." Xiao Fan immediately tried to refuse.

"It's not like I bought the technique or discovered it through effort. I just found it hidden inside the manual. Besides, you already explained a lot of useful things to me."

"You should still take it." Ning waved dismissively.

"For you to discover this technique in the first place, it was probably due to your luck. I'm just benefiting from it afterward." He shrugged casually.

"I'm a fair guy, so naturally I should pay properly."

"B-But, ""Okay, okay." Ning raised a hand dramatically.

"If you really want to repay me, then help look for the next part of the Pure Eyes Technique someday." Ning had recently been reading about karma and related concepts to better comprehend his Soul Ferrying Scripture. And what had happened just now was definitely the work of protagonist luck. Clearly, this was one of those cliché situations where some senior cultivator left behind a hidden technique for their destined inheritor or something similar.

And from the rudimentary reading he had done so far, the best way to settle karma was naturally to repay the other party for the benefit received. It also served as a reminder for Xiao Fan to share the later parts of the Pure Eyes Technique if he ever discovered them in the future.

"If you say so." Xiao Fan finally smiled helplessly and accepted the jade bottle.

"Though honestly, even if you hadn't given me this, I still would've shared it with you if I found anything else."

"Just take it already, would you?" Ning waved him off.

"Being this wishy-washy doesn't fit your image at all. Wait… actually, considering that earlier girly scream-" Xiao Fan's expression immediately darkened. Ning instantly corrected himself.

"Right. My mistake. Nothing happened earlier. Absolutely nothing." Xiao Fan stared at him silently for several seconds before finally snorting.

"…Good." Then he stored the jade bottle away carefully. Ning nodded to himself in satisfaction, seeing this.

"Yes. Dropping exposition on the protagonist, giving him useful information, handing over rewards, and setting up a future fetch quest…" He nodded to himself, "Truly, I'm playing the supporting character role perfectly."... Thanks for reading~