Translator: CinderTL
In an instant, the battlefield was littered with corpses, their scattered remains splattered everywhere.
It was indeed a literal splattering—the monster's fingers flicked, and the bodies tore apart, with internal organs spilling everywhere.
It seemed the monster didn't enjoy eating the organs, so it scooped them out, consuming only the flesh.
Even… the bodies of the two from the Ma family were not spared, devoured by the monster.
Xu Sanyan lowered his head in thought. Considering Ma Tianqing's affection for his fourth uncle, he would never have allowed the monster to consume his uncle's body. This led to a conclusion.
Ma Tianqing had lost his emotions, or perhaps he couldn't fully control the monster.
But judging by Ma Tianqing's calm expression, it was more likely that he had lost his emotions.
No wonder during the previous battle, Master Ma had chosen to lead the charge himself rather than let Ma Tianqing take action.
It turned out this thing couldn't distinguish friend from foe. Once summoned, it would devour anyone in its path. If the Ma family members had died at Ma Tianqing's hands, it would have caused immense psychological trauma to the young man.
It seemed Master Ma not only cared for the boy's physical health but also his mental well-being. Truly a well-considered approach.
After the monster had eaten its fill, it leaped into the black mist behind Ma Tianqing and disappeared, the mist gradually dissipating.
Ma Tianqing's body went limp, collapsing to the ground as he fell unconscious. It seemed this method had taken a heavy toll on him as well.
Xu Sanyan quickly stood up and ran toward the courtyard, but someone was faster than him.
Tang Huanhuan!
She vaulted over the wall, landing in front of Ma Tianqing. She rummaged through his robes, pulling out a small booklet and tucking it into her own clothes, then fixed her gaze on Xu Sanyan.
Xu Sanyan rested his fingers on the hilt of his blade, a smile on his face but no warmth in his eyes. "Third Sister, are you planning to take it all for yourself?"
Tang Huanhuan smiled sweetly. "Fourth Brother, what are you saying? Didn't we agree to study it together? How could I take it all for myself?"
"That's good to hear. Then why not hand it over to me?" Xu Sanyan slowly drew his blade.
Tang Huanhuan shook her head. "That's not a good idea. It's safer with me."
"Hmph, Third Sister, your actions make it hard for me to trust you…" Xu Sanyan took a light step forward.
With such a significant prize at stake, there was no room for sentiment between them.
Even though the two had just shared an intimate exchange the night before, it didn't stop them from clashing today.
"You're no match for me," Tang Huanhuan warned, her eyes locked on his.
She had already obtained the item and didn't want to engage in a pointless fight. If Xu Sanyan could step back, that would be for the best.
In her heart, she truly had no intention of sharing the Cultivation Method with him.
"Hmph, whether I'm a match or not, we'll find out soon enough."
Without wasting words, Xu Sanyan flicked his wrist, his blade instantly unsheathed. His figure flickered in the swirling sand, moving with incredible speed.
Tang Huanhuan's expression hardened as she drew her blade to block. The moment their swords clashed, she felt an overwhelming force transmitted through her blade, forcing her to take several steps back.
"You've broken through?!" Tang Huanhuan exclaimed in shock.
Just a few days ago, he hadn't been her match. But now, he had surpassed her.
"Just luck," Xu Sanyan said modestly.
With a swift movement, his arm bent, and his blade sliced upward, aiming to gut her.
Tang Huanhuan shifted her feet, retreating rapidly while tossing her scabbard to disrupt Xu Sanyan's vision.
Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes to shield them from the sand, sidestepping the scabbard, and lashed out with a kick, striking the side of her blade.
"Bang!"
Tang Huanhuan staggered back, her heart filled with shock. He had surpassed her by far, and if this continued, she stood no chance.
After exchanging three more moves, Tang Huanhuan suddenly roared, "Stop! If you come any closer, I'll tear it apart!"
Tang Huanhuan had no choice but to pull out the Cultivation Method, threatening to destroy it in a desperate bid for survival.
"Third Sister, what's this about? Just hand it over to me, and we'll study it together. Isn't that better?" Xu Sanyan slowly closed the distance, searching for an opening.
"I said, stop!" Tang Huanhuan snarled, forcing Xu Sanyan to halt.
"Let me leave. I'll give it to you after I've studied it. How about that?" Tang Huanhuan proposed a terrible idea.
Xu Sanyan remained silent, his gaze fixed on her.
Tang Huanhuan knew he would never agree to such a condition, so she added, "I'll make a copy, and we'll each have one. How's that?"
Xu Sanyan thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Fine, but I want the original in your hands."
"Deal."
Tang Huanhuan agreed, knowing that if she didn't, Xu Sanyan would never let her leave.
The two found paper and ink, and Tang Huanhuan began copying the method in the hall while Xu Sanyan stood a short distance away. "Are you sure this method is genuine?" he asked.
Tang Huanhuan shook her head. "I'm not sure."
Xu Sanyan glanced at Ma Tianqing, debating whether to kill him.
If the method turned out to be fake, Ma Tianqing would be the only one who knew the true version. After some thought, he decided to spare him for now.
Ma Tianqing's life was far less important than the Cultivation Method. Once he confirmed its authenticity, he could always kill him later.
After a while, Tang Huanhuan set down her brush and looked up at Xu Sanyan, who stood five meters away. "Here's the method. Will you spare my life, out of our past bond?"
Xu Sanyan nodded. "With the method in hand, why would I bother killing you?"
Tang Huanhuan nodded. "Let me walk a hundred steps, and then I'll give it to you."
"Fine."
Xu Sanyan didn't hesitate. A hundred steps would take him just five breaths to cover.
Tang Huanhuan walked out of the mansion, and after a hundred steps, she tossed the method over the side wall and fled.
Xu Sanyan moved swiftly, chasing after her, vaulting over the wall to retrieve the method. It was the original.
When he returned to the main street, Tang Huanhuan was nowhere to be seen.
"Hmph, she's fast."
Xu Sanyan shook his head. He hadn't planned to spare her, but it wasn't a necessity either. Since she had disappeared, there was no need to pursue her further. After all, he had the method.
This was Tang Huanhuan's cleverness. She knew that if she gave him a copy, Xu Sanyan would never let her go.
Returning to the Ma family compound, Xu Sanyan carried Ma Tianqing away, finding an empty house. He searched Ma Tianqing thoroughly, finding a small pouch in his sleeve.
Opening it, he saw two crystalline stones resting inside.
"Could these be… spirit stones?"
Xu Sanyan murmured to himself, a glint of excitement in his eyes. He tucked them into his robe and continued searching, finding only some gold and silver trinkets, which held no value to him.
Eagerly, he opened the Cultivation Method, and eight large characters greeted him:
"Supreme Truth and Absolute Stillness Sutra"
Xu Sanyan frowned and pulled out another method from his robe—the one he had taken from the second-in-command, Liu Hong. Comparing the two, they were identical.
Flipping through the pages, he was relieved to find the contents were different. It seemed this fake method had been prepared long ago.
(End of the Chapter)
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