“But I must remind you,” Duanmu Wan said gently, “these three internal skills are meant purely for health preservation. They aren’t particularly effective in combat. They’re suitable for family use, not for fighting. At most, they reach level two.”
“Health preservation skills only go up to level two... Are there no real martial arts internal techniques?” Lu Sheng frowned.
Duanmu Wan lifted her eyes to meet his, a faint smile playing on her lips. “There are... but most of those come from sects. Even if you were handed one, would you really dare to practice it?”
Lu Sheng was silent for a moment. Then he chuckled and said, “You’re right. I wouldn’t dare. If a sect’s internal technique were to be leaked, it could lead to a blood feud that never ends.”
“It’s good that you understand, sir.” She nodded. “Of course, there are a few low-grade techniques floating around, but compared to these three, they take longer to learn and aren’t very powerful. In terms of cost-effectiveness, these are still the best options.”
Duanmu Wan was impressed by how quickly Lu Sheng backed down. In front of a beauty like her, most men would instinctively try to show off or act tough. But Lu Sheng had calmly admitted, " I wouldn’t dare," without hesitation. That kind of composure was rare.
Lu Sheng’s tone deepened. “Your three internal skills still don’t quite meet my needs.”
“Mr. Lu, don’t be so quick to refuse.” Duanmu Wan smiled. “You must understand—internal skill manuals aren’t like cabbages at the market. You can’t just pick them up whenever you want.”
She leaned in slightly. “It’s only by chance that I happen to have a few copies now. In the future, I might not have them at all...”
Lu Sheng frowned slightly. He didn’t quite follow. “Can’t you just copy them and sell more later?”
“That’s what people usually think,” she said, raising her chin a little. “But I only sell original copies.”
“Are you serious?” Lu Sheng asked, his interest clearly piqued.
“Of course I’m serious. Mr. Lu would do well not to practice the Black Fiend Art. Not only is it incomplete, but it’s also a fragment passed down from hundreds of years ago. The chances of ever finding the full sequel are next to none.”8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3fFUHfJ7l
Duanmu Wan’s tone was calm, almost casual, but her words carried weight.
Lu Sheng fell silent, thinking it over.
“I wonder if Miss Wan’er has any other secret manuals?” he asked. “I don’t need the original—just a copy. How about one hundred taels per book?”
Duanmu Wan didn’t react to the offer. She only smiled faintly.
“Is Mr. Lu truly so obsessed with martial arts?”
“Yes. I’m actually a martial arts fanatic,” Lu Sheng replied earnestly.
She looked at him with growing curiosity. Their eyes met for a brief moment—then Duanmu Wan suddenly burst into laughter.
“In that case, hand over the money.”
“Then hand over the goods. I’ll take the Jade Crane Art.”8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJ3n0nRvx8
Lu Sheng picked one at random. From within his robes, he pulled out a silver banknote—his final savings. Once it was gone, he’d be completely broke.
Duanmu Wan didn’t even glance at the note before slipping it into her sleeve. She placed the Jade Crane Art manual on the table.
“Then I wish you swift success in your martial pursuits.”
“Thank you for the kind words.”8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksvdbHQduF
Lu Sheng stood and courteously saw her off.
After escorting Duanmu Wan to the gate and watching her board her carriage, he felt a subtle tension release from his chest. He couldn’t explain it, but every time he spoke with Duanmu Wan, he found himself slightly on edge.
She seemed like a delicate woman, without the slightest trace of martial training—yet something about her always felt... off.
He stood at the gate and watched the carriage slowly roll away, not turning back until it disappeared at the end of the street.
Back inside, Lu Sheng looked down at the Jade Crane Art in his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, he sat down and opened the manual to take his first look at the technique.
…………
Jiulian City’s prefectural government office.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpKyJlNIE1
The main courtyard was square and solemn, its floor paved with white stone bricks that gleamed under the midday sun, casting a harsh, almost blinding light.
In the heart of the courtyard stood the formal court building, its vermilion pillars—more than a dozen in total—supporting a striking red roof. Along both sides of the hall stood two rows of intimidation rods, each painted blood-red and standing in silent threat.
Seated within the hall was the prefect, Song Duanchi, his expression tightly drawn into a frown. Behind him loomed a large mural: a clear blue sky, a blazing white sun, and a crane soaring with wings outstretched—a symbol of authority and vigilance.
Below him stood four figures, two on each side—heads of the Zhao, Li, Lu, and Zheng families. These were not ordinary citizens; they held sway over most of Jiulian City’s commerce and industry. Among them was Lu Quanan.
Dressed in a coat of gold and silver thread and a red jade cap, Lu Quanan quietly stroked his finely groomed beard, eyes fixed steadily on the silent prefect.
No one spoke. The five men in the hall, including the prefect, sat or stood in tense silence.
The first to break it was Zhao Shide, head of the Zhao family. A bald, burly elder with a fierce presence, he controlled the city's entire network of restaurants, brothels, music halls, and gambling houses. Among the four families, his influence was the greatest.
Seeing the silence drag on, Zhao Shide scowled and stepped forward slightly.
“Master Song, you asked us to find the people and the thing. We thought it was a minor errand, so we sent our men.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFdT6hstdU
But now, more than ten of our people have vanished one after another. This is no longer a trivial matter—this is life and death.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduvBSnXPnf
If you still won’t tell us the truth, then don’t blame us for withdrawing our cooperation.”
Lu Quanan remained silent, having already decided not to speak.
The heads of the Li and Zheng families seemed to have come to the same conclusion. They stood still, their expressions unreadable, leaving the weight of confrontation on Zhao Shide alone.
Prefect Song Duanchi frowned, then let out a heavy sigh.
“The matter of the people and the item came as an order from above. It’s beyond my authority to refuse.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1MAO7tpsx
And lately, strange things have been happening—inside the city and beyond. I even invited the abbot of Red Lotus Temple to perform rituals, but it was useless.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmE1woGEtf
The wandering swordsmen I hired never returned. I don’t know if they fled… or something worse.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2oO2WpwHc
The Wang Family Estate case outside the city still hasn’t been resolved.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyQy299cXq
I gathered the four of you today to see if you have any better ideas.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMkju8wu7z
After all, Jiulian City is our city.”
Lu Quanan and the other two remained silent. But Zhao Shide let out a cold sneer.
“Let’s forget about finding those people for now. Let’s just stop altogether. As for the other matters—since the prefect has no solution, I’ve taken the liberty of inviting a highly skilled expert to investigate. But as for the payment—surely my household shouldn’t bear the cost alone?”
“If he’s truly a master and can solve the case, I’ll grant him the full reward myself.” Prefect Song responded without hesitation.
“My family will contribute one thousand taels.”
“So will I,” Lu Quanan quickly added.
“Same here.” The last family head nodded, matching the donation.
“Good. For now, someone has taken up the Xu family’s case. But the situation at Wang Family Estate…” Song Duanchi trailed off, his brows furrowed again.
“Wang Family Estate? Isn’t that the case of the concubine who jumped into the well? Can’t we just handle it according to the Song Dynasty’s laws?”8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkxpUcxRur
The head of the Li family spoke coolly.
“If it were really that simple, I’d be relieved,” the prefect replied. “The problem is—we haven’t even found her body. Not a drop of blood in the well. But villagers swear they saw her jump in with their own eyes. We did find fresh footprints leading to the well…”
Song Duanchi shook his head.
Lu Quanan watched the scene unfold and sighed quietly.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKZNA8TiPa
“These are troubled times…”
And as he recalled the haunted expression on his old friend from the Xu family before his death, his chest suddenly tightened.
…………
Lu Mansion.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoRgX78BmG
Inside the quiet bedroom, Lu Sheng sat cross-legged on the bed, focusing his mind.
Following the technique described in the Jade Crane Art, he began to visualize a crane spreading its wings in his chest, ready to soar. The crane flapped and flapped, gathering strength—but no matter how hard it tried, it never lifted off.
After some time in silent concentration, Lu Sheng slowly opened his eyes. He reached into his robe, pulled out the Jade Crane Art manual, and flipped it open.
On the first page was a hand-drawn illustration of a crane mid-flight, wings extended. The bird’s posture conveyed an almost oppressive tension, as if it were straining against invisible chains.
Lu Sheng studied the image intently, then closed his eyes again, visualizing the crane inside his chest once more.
He repeated this cycle three times.
Outside, daylight gradually faded. The warm glow from the window dimmed into evening shadows. Xiaoqiao came by several times to call him for dinner, but he turned her away each time, keeping the door shut and continuing his practice.
With each repetition, the imagined crane became clearer—more vivid, more lifelike.
As twilight deepened, Lu Sheng suddenly opened his eyes.
Huh...8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmXrJrHgpp
He let out a long breath, expelling a wave of foul air from his lungs.
Drawing in a fresh breath, he felt it clearly—something subtle within his chest. A faint, thread-like sensation, as thin as an ant’s leg, was slowly rotating inside him, forming a simple ellipse.
The rotation was clockwise, imperceptibly slow—so subtle that only with careful focus could he sense it at all.
Lu Sheng relaxed, weary, and muttered to himself.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bNMcIml1F
“Deep blue.”
Suddenly, a modifier page appeared before his eyes.
Inside the dark blue modifier box, beneath the Black Tiger Sword Technique, a faint line of small text caught his attention:8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43vDtNL9Dd
‘Jade Crane Art: Uninitiated’
“I have to hurry.”
Without hesitation, Lu Sheng focused his mind and clicked the modification button, determined to prevent the Qi trace from fading.
As soon as he pressed it, the entire dark blue modifier box flashed brightly.
He quickly concentrated on the Jade Crane Art.
“Upgrade one level!” he whispered.
Immediately, the status of the Jade Crane Art surged—changing from Uninitiated to Initiated.
Lu Sheng paused, sensing a current of light flowing through his body, slowly moving from his chest down to his lower abdomen.
An elliptical ring of energy formed between these two points, with cool air swirling in a steady loop.
“I’ve begun... and it doesn’t feel too heavy on my body.”
Encouraged, he continued his concentration, imagining the Jade Crane Art advancing to the next stage.
Suddenly, a dry, itchy sensation hit his throat.
Cough! Cough!
A stifling heat surged up from his lower abdomen to his chest. His mouth went dry, and his throat felt parched.
“No, my body is still weak! The Jade Crane has advanced too fast. It’s damaging me—though not as fiercely as the Black Tiger Saber Technique.”
He took a deep breath and relaxed, allowing the modifier screen to slowly fade away.
“Is this what internal power feels like?”
Stretching his legs, he rose carefully from the bed.
Focusing on the circulating Jade Crane Qi between his chest and abdomen, curiosity welled within him.
“It’s like there’s an extra thread running inside my body.”
He tried to guide this thread, but found it could only flow in a fixed path between his chest and abdomen—nowhere else.
As the internal energy circulated, he noticed his breathing growing easier, his spirit more alert.
“I’ve entered internal power... now, let’s see...”
With that, Lu Sheng flipped open the secret manual to study the next instructions.
ns216.73.216.107da2
and then Add to home screen.