âLi Hao,â Wang Ming whispered next to his colleague. âCan the Breathing Method of the Five Styles really not be taught to outsiders?â
Li Hao glared at him and kept his voice down. âOf course not! Donât even think about it unless you kill me and take the book about the secret method from my body! And donât get any funny ideas either. These secret arts are always only partially written down. Randomly attempting it will cause your death. The Breathing Method of the Five Styles is only half recorded in the book, the rest of itâs in my mind. So donât even think about it!â
âHow would I ever...â Wang Ming mumbled. âBut what are you carrying it on you for? Isnât that incredibly dangerous?â
âNo shit! But should I hide it at home instead? Donât worry, only half of itâs written down. Itâs not like all of it will be leaked if I lose it. Youâre teacherâs honorary disciple. Iâll let you read it if you do well.â
âOkay!â
The two kept their voices so low that they were inaudible. Director Zhou on the other side didnât hear anything and didnât mind their whispering.
......
However, the ears of several Solars twitched on the second floor.
Inside one of the private booths.
Hu Dingfangâs expression shifted slightly. That idiot! He looked at Chen Yuhua and transmitted, âIs there a secret record detailing the Breathing Method of the Five Styles?â
His wife looked at him and transmitted back, âThere was before, I donât know if thereâs one now. Why do you ask? You already know it, so why do you need the book?â
âItâs not that, but your junior brother... Does he really think that people canât hear what heâs saying? Heâs carrying it on him...â
âWhat?!â Chen Yuhua blinked. What was he carrying it around for?
There werenât a lot of words in the manual for the breathing method; it mostly detailed some movements and the actual technique. To know it was to plumb the depths of its knowledge. He could destroy it after he learned it, why keep it on himself?
âWait, you heard him?â she realized in the next second.
âYes!â Hu Dingfang answered out loud with a frown. âHe said it very softly, but what level of strength does a Solar command? Theyâll be able to hear if they concentrate their focus on him...â
Both of them frowned ferociously. This was not good! The more Li Hao demonstrated the effects of the breathing method, the more it would tempt people. Even supernaturals would be moved if this went on. He would be in grave trouble as the situation continued. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Hu Dingfangâs ears abruptly pricked forward as he heard the two voices once more.
âLi Hao, youâve got a Nova blood pearl on youâwhy donât you give me one? Director Hou split it into ten for you, you wonât lose much if you give me one. Iâll buy it off you...â
âShut up and keep your voice down. No one else knows about this, so keep quiet, you big mouth! Stop talking! Thereâs powerhouses on the second floor, what if they hear us? Youâve seriously got a huge mouth!â
âPfft, weâre talking so softly! Do you really think theyâre gods? And who cares if they hear us? Who dares touch you when weâve got the director backing us up? Heâll stab them to death with one jab!â
âYou... forget it, Iâm not talking to you.â
That was the end of their conversation, but Hu Dingfang glowered blackly.
âHeâs also carrying a Nova blood pearl on him!â he transmitted after a moment. Even Chen Yuhuaâs expression changed drastically. The Breathing Method of the Five Styles and a Nova blood pearl was a perfect match! Even she herself would be tempted at this point. Their lives would be so different after killing Li Hao!
As for the secret method being incomplete, some veteran martial masters might be able to deduce the rest of the method after obtaining the first half. Their capabilities were not to be underestimated.
A headache set in for Chen Yuhua. Her junior brother... was too foolish and she didnât know how many had heard him. Hu Dingfang heard him because her husband was a late Solar. What about the others?
âPay attention to the reactions from the other booths...â
Hu Dingfang furrowed his brows as soon as she responded. âThereâs no reaction, itâs all very quiet. Perhaps... no one heard him? We did because weâre keeping an eye on him. Other people might not have noticed anything.â
However, his brows remained locked in a frown. He needed to remind Li Hao the importance of being prudent. Did the Night Watchers really think that no one would take a risk just because they had Hou Xiaochen?
Youngsters had such big mouths and needed to talk about everything! Hu Dingfang knew who Wang Ming was by nowâthe grandson of the vice commander of White Dragons. Heâd learned that the boy was a big mouth when he asked around. It would seem that he had a particularly big mouth and talked about everything and anything.
......
Wang Ming acted perfectly normal; there was nothing out of place. Who is Li Hao trying to trick this time? Do I get any credit if he succeeds? Do I get a cut of the spoils? Iâll probably always be known as a big mouth from now on, but who cares! I donât!
He flicked a glance and looked at the others in the hall again. Who was his colleagueâs target this time and how many would take the bait? This guy was up to his old habits on his first day in Silver Moon, he was such a bad guy!
Li Hao continued to cautiously answer everyoneâs questions in an earnest fashion. He focused mainly on the blood pearls and the breathing method, assigning all credit to these two components.
The more the crowd listened, the more they felt that these two factors were needed in order to break through to Summoner of Spirit. Granted, the same effects could be had with more blood pearls if one did not have the breathing method.
At the very last when the meeting was about to conclude, Big Mouth Wang Ming whispered again, âLi Hao, does Hu Dingfang know the Breathing Method of the Five Styles? I heard Director Hao say that he made it to late Solar in two years after stealing your secret art. That means supernaturals can also use it, and to great effect, right?â
âShut up, seriously just shut up! Stop blabbering and donât start rumors!â Li Hao rebuked with some anger. âYou can stay away from me in the future if you keep running your mouth like this! Youâre so damned annoying!â
âOkay, okay, I wonât say anything anymore!â
Hu Dingfang was a bit awkward, resigned, and angry from his seat on the second floor. This Wang Ming really needed a good beating! And these two fools needed to stop talking! At this rate, even supernaturals would be tempted, not just martial masters!
Sigh. I shouldâve interrupted them after their first sentence had I known this would happen.
......
In another private booth.
Hao Lianchuan yawned widely and grinned. The little guy was fishing for all he was worth and fearless that he might truly attract a massive fish. He was fishing with his life as bait!
In that case... fish well.
Hao Lianchuan soundlessly departed the meeting hall. The news would make it into certain peopleâs ears soon.
......
Inside the meeting hall.
Li Hao did his best to answer all the questions flung at him. Other than those he couldnât answer, he fully spoke of everything he knew.
It was the final moments of the meeting. Someone in the crowd hesitated, but ultimately asked, âLittle friend Li, can you really not share the Breathing Method of the Five Styles?â
There were those who still wanted to give that a try at this stage. Could it be taught to outsiders? Perhaps they were willing to in these times of martial dao weakness?
The young man pursed his lips with difficulty and thought for a bit. Still, his response was, âI cannot! At least not right now. My master needs to give approval, it is not up to me. And my master... Well, itâs not entirely impossible!
âEveryone might be more familiar with my master than I am. Heâs stubborn, but also expresses his gratitude in spades. Iâll be frank, my teacher isnât here right now partially because heâs hiding for protection. If the various aunts and uncles present happen to come across him or see him when you return home, and are willing to lend a helping hand if my master is in danger... then why canât the Breathing Method of the Five Styles be shared?
âIs there a point to rules if one is about to die?â Li Hao spoke bluntly. âIf my master is still unwilling to teach the breathing method after he is saved, his savior can come find me. I will share it even if that gives him an apologetic fit!â
The crowd rustled in reaction to his latest words. Save Yuan Shuo?
Indeed, Yuan Shuo was very strong now. But as strong as he was, he was not to the point of defying Novas. If he really traveled to the central region and sought revenge from Ying Hongyue, then... it wasnât out of the question that those gathered could render some aid if they came across a Yuan Shuo in need.
The word of a martial master was very valuable. They might receive even more valuable things then, to say nothing of the breathing method.
âI see!â The martial master whoâd spoken smiled. âIf I really do meet an injured Master Yuan on the run in the central region, I will naturally do what I can as a fellow martial master!â
âMy thanks to everyone!â Li Hao raised a cupped fist salute. âI have answered all that I can and can do no more about what still remains a mystery. At the last, although I share a death feud with Red Moon, I must remind everyone that the blood pearls are formless and intangible. There is no other way to extract them other than with origin weapons. Donât take risks for the blood pearls. The best way is not to hunt down Red Moon powerhouses either, but to force the organization to hand over the method to nurture them!
âThat is the true root of the situation!â The young smiled. âWe martial masters have a way forward if we can produce blood pearls ourselves. I, Li Hao, do hereby announce a promise from my master that if Red Moon is willing to hand over the method to raise blood pearlsâthe true method, one that is suited for the publicâs useâthen our disciplineâs Breathing Method of the Five Styles can also be publicized! We are honored to do our part for the glory of martial dao!â
A hush descended upon the first and second floors. Some had been thinking during Li Haoâs speech that it wasnât a done deal even if Red Moon was willing to share their knowledge. Yuan Shuo would have to offer his as well.
This was precisely what Li Hao had just added!
âCan you really make this promise on behalf of your master?â Some people could barely remain in their seats.