Blind Spot
Chapter 296 - 276. Four

Chapter 296: 276. Four

An hour later.

In a luxurious suite on the upper floor of the Green Meadows Hotel,

Li Chengyi was bare-chested, having just finished showering, when he looked at Da Zhuang, who had just arrived.

"Is it settled?" he asked.

"Yes!" Da Zhuang answered with a perturbed bow, "I really do want to become an apprentice! My name is Li Chongnan, I’m nineteen years old, healthy, with no bad habits, fond of learning, exercising, and I have a strong interest in combat technique. I’ve learned a bit of the basics before, but only self-defense moves. I have enough time and money each month to invest in training, and my three sizes are..."

"Hold on," Li Chengyi interrupted, somewhat speechlessly, "You can skip the measurements. They’re all probably about the same thickness anyway."

"..." Da Zhuang Li Chongnan glanced at his own physique, unable to come up with a response.

"I have another question."

"Please ask!"

"Why do you want to become my apprentice? There are so many schools and martial artists more reliable than a mysterious man like me, right?" questioned Li Chengyi.

"Because of intuition!" Da Zhuang lifted his head, "Ever since I was young, I’ve had strong intuition, and I’ve watched the Extreme Martial Fierce Battles many times. Even the champions there can’t compare to your level."

"Intuition, huh..." This was something Li Chengyi hadn’t anticipated.

First Paine, and now this Li Chongnan...

They all relied on their intuition to make choices that best suited their safety and interest...

Interesting...

"You’re not afraid I’m a bad person?" Li Chengyi asked again.

"Afraid... but I trust my intuition more!" Da Zhuang earnestly replied.

She had no particular talents, couldn’t become a Feiyi Master, was only of common aptitude in combat technique and her academic performance was average, merely middling.

But there was one thing she was confident in, something she believed she excelled in compared to others.

And that was persistence!

"So, what’s your reason for wanting to become stronger?" Li Chengyi finally asked.

"I..." Da Zhuang’s mind flashed through everything she had experienced growing up.

Enduring, repressing, offering apologetic smiles, playing the fool, always showing a nice person’s façade to everyone.

Keeping everything buried inside her, repressed and unexpressed...

"I want... freedom!" she said.

"Freedom..." Li Chengyi fell silent for a moment, "That’s a good answer... I can give you hope, but whether you can achieve it depends on yourself."

He extended his hand and placed down an old and somewhat worn booklet.

The pale blue cover of the booklet was adorned with the bold script: Holy Spirit Technique.

It was his hand-copied, artificially aged first layer of the Seven Spirit Holy Technique.

This fundamental technique of the Faceless Sword Sect was both strange and mysterious.

There were seven layers to the technique, each layer comprising seven realms.

The method of cultivation was also resource-intensive, requiring a large amount of drugs that stimulate the mind and spirit, to forge one’s willpower and reach the pinnacle.

Each layer of the Holy Spirit Technique would eventually form a Holy Infant, achieving a comprehensive enhancement of both consciousness and physical attribute.

Li Chengyi wasn’t sure what would happen once it was mastered, but considering how the Faceless Scholar appeared, it didn’t seem too shabby.

"This is a test for you, the entry-level Holy Spirit Technique that I’ve created."

Li Chengyi pressed his finger on the booklet and gave a gentle push, sliding it to the front of Da Zhuang.

"If you can enter the technique within a month, then you can come to me to formally become my apprentice."

"If not, I will kill you to prevent any leaks."

Li Chengyi’s eyes sharpened as he glanced at Da Zhuang’s neck, startling her so much that she nearly wet herself.

Of course, he was only scaring her; how else could he provide her enough motivation to cultivate in a frenzy?

The Holy Spirit Technique was copied from the Flower Language Technique, the first section of the first layer.

Seven Spirit Holy Technique, if counted by sections, truly comprised forty-nine layers; the mere first section of the first layer was just laying a basic foundation. Even if it was leaked, it wouldn’t amount to much.

At most, it would be just about on par with many common spiritual cultivation methods available in the market.

Picking up the booklet, Da Zhuang felt her heart pounding, a sense of indescribable crisis welling up within her.

Her eyes glued to the booklet as if magnetized, she began to gently turn the first page.

Dense text crowded the paper.

As if enchanted, she kept flipping through page after page.

Soon, she went through the entire thin booklet.

Oddly, Da Zhuang felt like she could remember everything she had read—the focused mindset required, the method of practice, which drugs were needed for assistance, the type of environment needed for support, and so on—vividly in her memory.

And then...

"Ah!?" Suddenly, she shivered, the booklet slipping from her hands to the floor.

It spontaneously ignited.

In the blink of an eye, the booklet burned with a black flame, and in a few seconds, turned into ash.

The black ash faded away and disappeared.

Just a few seconds later,

There was no trace left on the ground.

It was as if the booklet she had been holding was just an illusion.

Da Zhuang stood rooted to the spot, dazed, before finally letting out a shout.

"Fuck!!"

At that moment, she knew she had hit the jackpot!!

And it was an exceedingly rare, top-tier prize!!

At least the changes that had just occurred seemed difficult for technology to replicate...

Especially those words that seemed to have been etched onto a photograph, still vivid in her mind...

Meanwhile, Li Chengyi, who had already left the hotel, had no idea what had transpired in the room.

He was unaware of the peculiar changes that befell the Holy Spirit Technique he had transcribed.

He had barely left the hotel and hadn’t walked far when he received feedback from Evil Flower.

’The First Holy Child of the Seven Spirit Holy Technique confirmed. Flower Language Technique in synchronous training...’

Relieved, Li Chengyi’s lips curled into a slight smile.

He continued to walk away into the far distance of the street.

Since he had come to Chaoyu, he naturally had to take a good look around before leaving.

Especially since the mission was now completed, it was an opportunity to rest and tour this top-tier, self-sustaining urban metropolis—the second-largest in Yi Country.

*

*

*

Qinggang City.

Dragon Whisker Sect.

Beep beep beep...

Yu Long was lying on a rattan chair playing a mobile game when the game suddenly paused, and a phone call took over the entire screen.

He glanced at the phone number, his expression quickly turned serious, he sat up, and pressed the answer button.

"Hello, Yu Long, the grand tournament organizers have sent you an invitation. Have you seen it?" an elderly male voice on the other end said solemnly.

"What does this mean? We’ve been out of the circle for so many years. Why send me an invitation now?" Yu Long asked, confused.

"This is the situation, one of the main sponsors of the tournament from the Zhao Family has proposed a slight rule adjustment for the tournament. Past achievements can no longer be claimed as a lifetime monument for rewards and recognition. To promote the flourishing development of combat techniques, they’ve modified the validity period of achievements. Without new scores, all factions not ranked in the top one hundred will have their permanent benefits cancelled. Your Dragon Whisker Sect hasn’t competed for a long time, and just last year, you also exceeded the validity period. So..."

"So we too must participate?" Yu Long interrupted.

"Yes. Unless you want your sect to be deregistered at the national registry. Without tournament results, even the name will be cancelled..."

"...What the hell is this!?" Yu Long said, frustrated, "Understood, we’ll go!"

"Same place, in Chaoyu. Timing and location will be sent to your phone later. See you then."

The call ended.

Yu Long put down his phone, his previously relaxed expression now seriously unamused.

Not far off in the dojo, his most proud disciple Zhuang Yijing, was sparring with a bewitchingly attractive woman with an even more lithe and supple physique and black hair.

The woman appeared to be in her twenties or thirties, far more mature than Zhuang Yijing. She was taller and had longer legs.

"Both of you stop!" Yu Long’s voice carried over from afar.

After exchanging a punch, the two women quickly separated.

"Thank you for going easy," Zhuang Yijing saluted with her fist cupped.

The seductive woman looked upset.

"Junior sister is exceedingly talented... I am far from comparable."

"Senior sister flatters me," Zhuang Yijing replied with a smile.

In just a few short months, she had successfully learned Li Chengyi’s previously mastered techniques such as All-Star Dragon Shadow and Soft Qi Eruption, officially entering into the realm of Dragon Whisker Strength.

The woman opposite her was Yu Long’s biological daughter, Yu Yanxiao.

Regrettably, her heart wasn’t set on martial arts at all; after years of training, she was actually being overtaken by a junior sister who had only been learning for a few months...

Each with their own thoughts, the two women approached Yu Long.

"Master."

"Dad."

"There’s something you both need to consider," Yu Long said, scanning them with a solemn expression.

He needed to decide who to send to compete.

After all, he only had these two true disciples now. The rest weren’t likely to return to compete.

And Li Chengyi...

As a Blind Spot Individual with little time to spare, and not yet formally having taken an apprenticeship, it was even less likely he would represent them.

Now, between Yu Yanxiao and Zhuang Yijing... who to choose as the main combatant...

Beep beep beep...

The phone rang again.

Yu Long picked up the phone and his eyes immediately reflected complex emotions.

He answered the call.

"Teacher," Li Chengyi’s voice came from the other end of the phone.

"I got news from the company that you’ve received an invitation to the grand tournament?"

"You are well-informed," Yu Long laughed. "No problem, just going through the motions. We’ve been out of the game for so many years, no need to fight to the death with them."

The Martial Warrior Fierce Battle Tournament had a casualty index; the schools that took the top three places not only gained immense fame, attracted a multitude of talented individuals from prestigious families, but also received military invites for influential positions, leaping to power with numerous privileges, benefits, and connections.

For a school, this means money, fame, and power—all were at play, naturally leading to ruthlessness and frequent underhanded tactics.

That is desire.

The current leading sect, Yan Bagua Gate, climbed to the peak step by step in just this manner.

Their Feiyi Masters and Reinforced Humans are abundant, and many high-ranking nobles even send their core offspring there to study.

The influence of its gate leader is no less than that of a territorial governor.

Their educational enterprises alone bring in profits of tens of billions each year.

"If you don’t want to participate, just give it up," Li Chengyi said.

"That won’t do. With the new regulations, giving up means deregistration of the sect, at least retaining a place in the top one hundred would be good," Yu Long replied with a laugh.

"Manage it however you see fit. If there’s trouble, you can find me."

"Okay..." Yu Long acknowledged.

In fact, ever since the last phone call, a deep gap had formed between him and his genius disciple, Li Chengyi.

Yu Long’s prudent approach to self-preservation and Li Chengyi’s dazzling and active way of life, the path of the stars, were completely contradictory ways of living.

In Yu Long’s view, Li Chengyi was too domineering, arrogant, and fierce, often demanding a person’s life—such behavior would inevitably backfire.

In Li Chengyi’s opinion, the teacher’s concessions were too feeble, losing one’s own dignity and will—such a person would definitely not reach the pinnacle of martial arts.

So, Yu Long decided in his heart that during this competition, if they lost, they lost. No matter how difficult it was, he could not let Li Chengyi get involved.

As a Blind Spot Individual and with that guy’s martial arts philosophy, Li Chengyi’s participation would likely cause major trouble.