Chapter 516: The Xuanwu Sacred Scripture
Huang Yanchen's gaze was fixed on that scroll of bone books, saying, "That is the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture. Even if it is only a fragmented copy, it is still a priceless treasure. If it were put up for auction, many saintly clans and noble houses would surely fight over it."
Zhang Ruochen snatched the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture back from Xiao Hei's claws, holding it in his hands and flipping through it.
Indeed, it was only a fragment.
Zhang Ruochen closed the bone book, raised his head, and said, "Legend has it that in ancient times, the cultivation technique of the Xuanwu clan was always passed down through bloodline inheritance. Only by awakening the mysterious power of the bloodline would the technique appear in the mind of a young Xuanwu."
"That technique was called the Xuanwu Secret Sect by the sages of the human race. It is said to be a divine-level technique manual, and only pure-blooded Xuanwu knew the method of cultivation."
"Later, humanity flourished, gradually rising in the wilderness and establishing civilized nations. Some Xuanwu transformed into human form and intermarried with humans. Their offspring, possessing both Xuanwu blood and human blood, were called the 'Xuanwu Half-Human Clan.'"
"Thus, a powerful figure from the Xuanwu clan created a technique suitable for the Xuanwu Half-Human Clan to cultivate, based on the Xuanwu Secret Sect. That was the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture."
"The Xuanwu Sacred Scripture is not only suitable for the Xuanwu Half-Human Clan but also for humans to cultivate. It is a king-grade, mid-rank cultivation technique."
"Unfortunately, later on, the ancient divine beasts suffered a catastrophic disaster. Xuanwu, Kunpeng, Peacock, Divine Dragon, Qilin... almost all of them disappeared from the Kunlun Realm. Even if some descendants of divine beasts survived, their bloodlines were impure, nowhere near comparable to the pure-blooded ancient divine beasts."
"Without the protection of the divine beast clan, how could the Xuanwu Half-Human Clan have guarded the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture? Amidst human plundering and slaughter, the Xuanwu Half-Human Clan endured countless calamities. It is already remarkable that they managed to preserve one-fifth of the fragments."
Back then, the Peacock Sacred Scripture that Zhang Ruochen had passed on to Kong Xuan was also just a fragment, less than one-tenth of the complete volume.
Huang Yanchen said, "Even if it is only one-fifth of a fragment, it is already quite extraordinary, comparable to a complete king-grade, low-rank cultivation technique."
"As far as I know, even some of the saintly disciples in the Holy Academy only practice ghost-grade, mid-rank or ghost-grade, high-rank technique manuals. Only top-tier geniuses have the chance to come into contact with king-grade, low-rank techniques."
"Those Fish-Dragon Realm cultivators from small families and minor sects can mostly only practice spirit-grade and ghost-grade, low-rank technique manuals. If they want to cultivate ghost-grade, mid-rank martial techniques, they must join half-saint families or saintly clans as servants or household warriors."
"For example, the Yuntai Sect Mansion in the Demon Ridge. As a fourth-rate sect with a half-saint in charge, its most powerful technique is only the ghost-grade, low-rank 'Supreme Saint Qiankun Skill,' and there is only one copy."
"Even that Supreme Saint Qiankun Skill is the sect's treasured heirloom, accessible only to the next sect master. Ordinary Fish-Dragon Realm cultivators can only practice spirit-grade techniques."
Zhang Ruochen nodded, saying, "That's right. A king-grade technique, even if it is only king-grade, low-rank, would cause an uproar if it were leaked. Although the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture is just a fragment, it is still an extremely valuable treasure."
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Senior Sister Yanchen, the technique you are currently practicing is ghost-grade, high-rank, right?"
Huang Yanchen was well aware that Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power was extremely strong, so it was no surprise that he could discern the level of the technique she was cultivating.
She nodded, saying, "I practice the ghost-grade, high-rank 'Wind and Cloud Art,' passed down to me by my mother. I have already reached the fifth layer. According to my mother, once I reach the tenth layer, I can break through to the Half-Saint realm."
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "As far as I know, your mother was once a top-tier genius of the Chen Clan. How could she only practice a ghost-grade, high-rank technique manual?"
Huang Yanchen's mother was named Chen Liuli, now known as "Liuli Half-Saint." In her youth, she had entered the top fifty of the Heavenly Ranking.
A king-grade technique was something ordinary martial artists could only dream of, but how vast was the Chen Clan? How could they not have one or two king-grade techniques?
With Chen Liuli's exceptional talent and her ability to reach the Half-Saint realm at such a young age, with even the potential to step into the Saint realm in the future, how could she not have had the chance to access a king-grade technique?
Huang Yanchen sighed, shook her head with a bitter smile, and said somewhat helplessly, "You don't understand. In a large family like the Chen Clan, women are ultimately less valued than men. Unless her talent is so extraordinary that she can enter the top ten of the Heavenly Ranking, she would never have the chance to practice a king-grade technique manual."
"The Chen Clan would never easily let a king-grade technique spread outside, because king-grade techniques are the foundation of the Chen Clan's prosperity and strength. Not to mention a king-grade technique, even a ghost-grade technique could attract many talented individuals to pledge allegiance to the Chen Clan."
"Moreover, even among the male descendants of the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Mansion, only the top five of each generation have the opportunity to practice king-grade techniques."
Zhang Ruochen thought for a moment, then handed the bone book containing the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture to Huang Yanchen, saying, "After you break through to the Fish-Dragon Realm, you can switch to another technique. At that time, you should focus on cultivating the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture. Although it is incomplete, it is still dozens of times more profound than the 'Wind and Thunder Art' you are currently practicing."
The Wind and Thunder Art was a ghost-grade, high-rank technique. With diligent cultivation, there was also a chance to reach the Saint realm.
But how could the Wind and Thunder Art compare to the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture?
This was a fragment of a king-grade, mid-rank technique manual. How could Huang Yanchen not be tempted?
Cultivating a king-grade technique offered at least three major advantages:
First, with a superior technique, the cultivator's training speed would certainly be faster, often several times or even dozens of times that of a lower-grade technique.
Second, a cultivator practicing a king-grade technique would have far greater combat power at the same realm compared to a martial artist practicing a ghost-grade technique.
Third, cultivating a high-grade technique made it easier to communicate with the rules of heaven and earth and comprehend the sacred path. In simple terms, the chance of becoming a saint was greater than for others.
Huang Yanchen hesitated, biting her lip, and said, "It's too precious! The Xuanwu Sacred Scripture is your spoils of war from killing Huang Shenxingshi, and it even represents the inheritance of the Xuanwu. I..."
Before Huang Yanchen could finish, Zhang Ruochen directly stuffed the bone book inscribed with the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture into her hands, saying, "It's just an incomplete technique manual, not the legendary Xuanwu Secret Sect. Take it! If I ever want to study the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture in the future, I can borrow it from you to read."
"Since you insist on giving it to me, I won't be polite!"
Huang Yanchen no longer hesitated. She put away the bone book, treating it like a precious treasure, carefully storing it in her space ring.
Even her mother, "Liuli Half-Saint," and her father, "Qianshui Commandery Prince," such important figures had never had the chance to come into contact with a king-grade technique. Yet she had obtained a volume. It must be said that Huang Yanchen was in an excellent mood, and a faint smile appeared on her usually cold face.
Zhang Ruochen looked at Huang Yanchen's exquisitely beautiful face and that smile. It felt like a spring breeze blowing across a lake, sweeping away the winter's chill and giving a very warm feeling.
He couldn't help but say, "Senior Sister, you should smile more often. When you smile, you are truly captivating."
Huang Yanchen immediately withdrew her smile, returning to her icy demeanor. Her long eyelashes lifted upward as she said, "Are you flirting with me?"
Xiao Hei chimed in, "That can only be considered a compliment, not flirting."
Zhang Ruochen just smiled faintly. He didn't feel he was flirting with her or complimenting her; he was just speaking a heartfelt truth.
In truth, Huang Yanchen was very happy inside, but she didn't want to show her emotions so clearly.
How could words from her fiancé be considered flirting?
Even if it were flirting, it would be sweet and romantic.
If Zhang Ruochen had said a few more words—compliments or flirting—she might not have been able to maintain that cold face and would have immediately shown a blissful smile, throwing herself into Zhang Ruochen's arms, revealing her softer side.
Unfortunately, Zhang Ruochen didn't say more. Instead, his expression turned serious, and he said solemnly, "Huang Shenyi practices the Xuanwu Sacred Scripture, and it is only a fragment. I suspect that the inheritance he obtained is not from a true ancient Xuanwu."
"I think so too."
Xiao Hei also nodded, saying, "Pure-blooded Xuanwu have long been extinct. The inheritance Huang Shenyi obtained should come from some descendant of a Xuanwu."
Zhang Ruochen said, "To be able to cultivate Xuanwu Qi, it is definitely not an ordinary Xuanwu descendant. It must have reached the saint level."
Xiao Hei said, "Among the descendants of the Xuanwu, the three most powerful clans are the Ice Water Xuanwu, the Green Fire Xuanwu, and the Nine-Headed Xuanwu. Based on the aura emanating from that bone book, I can be certain that Huang Shenyi obtained the inheritance of an eighth-rank Green Fire Xuanwu."
Huang Yanchen was somewhat shocked, saying, "The strength of an eighth-rank savage beast already surpasses that of a human saint. Moreover, an eighth-rank Green Fire Xuanwu is even more terrifyingly powerful. How could such a creature be born in a mere mid-rank ruin realm?"
Zhang Ruochen's expression was grave, saying, "The Xuanwu Ruin Realm is one of the top-tier mid-rank ruin realms. It is not surprising that an eighth-rank savage beast was born there."
Xiao Hei chuckled, saying, "Zhang Ruochen, what are your plans next?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "I just used my spiritual power to sense a special aura on the bone book. With this aura, once we reach the Xuanwu Ruin Realm, finding the Xuanwu inheritance site should not be difficult."