The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 37: The Three Not to Practice

The crisp and pleasant sound of pages flipping filled the air.

However, Li Feiyu found this sound quite irritating.

No longer paying attention to Han Li, who was deeply engrossed in his reading, Li Feiyu returned to the edge of the pond, pulled out the long saber stuck in the soil, and began practicing on his own.

Han Li glanced at him sideways, noticing his boundless energy, and decided to ignore his actions, refocusing his attention on the object in his hands.

"Reading ten lines at a glance" was probably an apt description of Han Li's astonishing reading speed. A thick book was quickly skimmed through, and without even looking up, he grabbed another book and continued flipping through its pages.

His eyes narrowed as he read, occasionally revealing a thoughtful expression. His gaze remained firmly fixed on the pages, unwilling to leave for even a moment. His head swayed back and forth with the movement of his eyes, resembling the scholarly demeanor of a studious reader.

Time flew by, and one by one, the "Blinking Swordplay" manuals were swiftly browsed through by Han Li.

When Han Li finished the eleventh secret manual, he suddenly stopped his astonishing reading spree. The manual he had just finished was tossed back into the bundle.

He closed his eyes to rest his mind.

After recovering slightly, he sat cross-legged on the spot and began practicing the Eternal Spring Art, replaying the contents of the dozen or so books he had just read in his mind.

Soon, Han Li's face became a kaleidoscope of emotions—sometimes excited, sometimes frowning in deep thought, and other times looking dejected.

After an unknown amount of time, Han Li finally opened his eyes, only to be startled by what was in front of him.

Li Feiyu's head had somehow ended up right under his nose, so close that their noses were almost touching.

"What are you doing? Weren't you practicing your saber techniques?"

"Junior Brother Han, what time do you think it is? Why are you asking such a silly question?" Li Feiyu leaned back, pursing his lips.

Only then did Han Li notice that the surrounding light had dimmed.

He looked up at the sky, which had turned a hazy gray—it was already evening.

"Cough! Time really flies. I didn't notice how much time had passed."

Han Li stood up and stretched his limbs.

"So, did you find anything interesting in those books?" Li Feiyu asked eagerly, hoping to hear something conclusive.

"Hmm, not bad. It suits me well."

"What do you mean 'not bad'? Give me something concrete," Li Feiyu said, somewhat dissatisfied.

"To be specific, these secret manuals are a hodgepodge. There's no coherent system; they're just pieced together from various sources," Han Li explained slowly.

"Then what about the Blinking Swordplay? Does it really exist? Why such a strange name?" Li Feiyu, still unsatisfied, pressed further.

"The Blinking Swordplay does indeed exist, but it's only a small part of this hodgepodge, taking up just a tiny portion of these books," Han Li patiently replied.

"As for why it's called that, there's a reason for it.""What's the reasoning behind it? Can't you just say it all at once instead of spitting it out sentence by sentence, just like the old scholar in our town?" Li Feiyu glared at Han Li, truly unable to stand his slow and deliberate manner.

Han Li had no choice but to slightly speed up his explanation.

"According to the book, this sword technique uses various light effects and visual illusions to defeat enemies, often causing them to lose their lives in the blink of an eye. That's why it's called Blinking Swordplay."

"There's actually such a bizarre sword technique? There really are many extraordinary people in the world!" Li Feiyu was greatly intrigued upon hearing this, but his enthusiasm was quickly dampened by Han Li's next words.

"This sword technique has three prohibitions: those who have achieved Minor Achievement in True Qi cannot practice it; those without great perseverance cannot practice it; and those without talent cannot practice it."

Upon hearing the first condition, Li Feiyu immediately gave up any thought of pursuing it. His internal True Qi had already reached a considerable level, and he couldn't possibly abandon his own cultivation to learn a technique whose power was still unknown.

As Li Feiyu completely lost interest in these secret manuals, he no longer wished to stay in this place.

He got up to take his leave, but before he left, he instructed Han Li to quickly copy down these secret manuals. During their next meeting, he would bring the originals back. After all, although these manuals were not valued by others, the disappearance of such a large collection for an extended period would still attract attention.

Not long after Li Feiyu left, Han Li also departed from the area.

The entire mountain range was shrouded in a thin layer of mist, giving it a somewhat gloomy appearance. On both sides of the narrow mountain path grew dense coniferous forests. As a mountain breeze swept through the woods, it produced a rustling sound, and the branches on either side seemed to twist and writhe in an eerie manner.

Han Li hurried along this somewhat eerie mountain path, making his way toward the Valley of Divine Hands.

Because he had set out too late, by the time he was halfway there, the sky had completely darkened.

If it weren't for the fact that he relied on the Eternal Spring Art, which made his eyes even more acute at night, Han Li would never have traveled in such dim conditions. After all, this path was not easy to navigate, with its twists and turns and treacherous sections. One careless step could lead to an accident, and he could lose his life.

(End of Chapter)