Chapter 138: Acquiring the Arcane Art

Xueze looked at Lanshui and smiled, saying, "Senior brother, please go first!"

Lanshui nodded and stepped forward.

Qiangui observed Lanshui. He knew Lanshui wanted to obtain the "Phoenix Soaring to the Nine Heavens" and hoped Xueze would not succeed in the test. However, there was nothing Qiangui could do; such things were beyond his control.

"Instead of watching junior sister choose, I might as well go first! I hope this 'Phoenix Soaring to the Nine Heavens' appears in my hands!" With this thought, Lanshui picked a book at random and channeled his magic. To his surprise, it opened on the very first try.

Qiangui stroked his beard, watching as Jilin ran over with a look of awe and ecstasy. He sighed to himself: Perhaps this is a different outcome altogether!

"Wow, Senior Brother is amazing! You opened it on the first try! What book is this?" Jilin leaned in, stomping his feet with delight. "Heavens, it is just as I said! The 'Phoenix Soaring to the Nine Heavens' really chose Senior Brother!"

Qiangui and Lanshui exchanged a smile, feeling much more at ease.

Xueze offered a gentle smile and walked over to meet Lanshui’s gaze. "Congratulations, Senior Brother!"

Lanshui lowered his head with an ambiguous expression. Seeing Jilin pull Xueze closer, he said softly, "It is indeed a cause for celebration."

"Xueze, it is your turn now!" Qiangui pushed the final book toward her and smiled. "In truth, every book is remarkable; their tiers are merely an order of arrangement. See if this 'Butterfly Dance and Flying Frost' suits you!"

"Very well! Xueze believes that 'Butterfly Dance and Flying Frost' is also a great boon; whether I am chosen or not, I am content!"

Having said this, Xueze channeled her magic. The frost on the book faded away briskly, and the pages turned on their own.

"Wow, Junior Sister opened hers so quickly!" Jilin exclaimed, joining Lanshui in leaning over.

Qiangui was stunned. "Xueze, the frost has faded!"

Seeing this, Xueze joyfully picked up the book. "Butterfly Dance and Flying Frost!"

"Hahaha, it seems you have truly obtained these miraculous texts in the order of your seniority. Very well, now I shall impart these three extraordinary arts to you!"

The three of them stood before Qiangui, each holding their respective books, listening carefully to their master's teachings.

"Lanshui, you hold the 'Phoenix Soaring to the Nine Heavens.' It emphasizes attack and movement speed—in short, it values speed. Every spell has another dimension, and this one also carries power. Like a phoenix soaring through the nine heavens, it possesses astonishing velocity and a fierce aura, coupled with a heavy, forceful impact. It ranks first among the three extraordinary arts because the Level One Snow Lotus resides at the mountain peak, guarded by a phoenix. Since you have obtained this art, you must cultivate it diligently and protect Tianshan just as that phoenix does!"

"I will take your words to heart, Master!"

"Jilin, you hold the 'Fish Tail Drinking Ice.' Its inner and outer workings have already been studied by you, so you need only study it well. This art emphasizes defense, though it can also be used for offense. It is a great shield for protection, capable of preserving your life in times of danger and felling enemies at critical moments. On another note, it can be used for freezing; this is a forbidden technique, so use it sparingly."

"I shall obey, disciple!"

"Xueze, you hold the 'Butterfly Dance and Flying Frost.' It is a technique that balances hardness and softness, well-suited for women. When casting, you will resemble a fairy butterfly in flight, yet you can summon endless frost. The butterfly wings and frost can condense into an icy web to obstruct anyone's path, or be used for encirclement and entrapment. This art has many nuances and various levels, such as controlling the elements of nature. Study it well and put it to good use!"

"I shall uphold your wishes, Master!"

"What you hold are the arts of ancient deities. In reality, they are meant to bind enemies and finish them off. They possess the effects of pursuit, control, and defense, and can all be used for attack; their power should not be underestimated! I had each of you take one book specifically to prevent anyone from learning them all and bringing harm to the world. Now that the books are in your hands, you must take responsibility for keeping them safe; they must never fall into the hands of others!"

"Yes!"

"Very well, go and practice diligently! If you encounter any difficulties, study them on your own first. If you still cannot find answers through discussion, then come and ask me! The world is currently in danger, and your mastery of these arts will allow you to protect yourselves and save others—truly a good thing!" Qiangui said with a smile as he walked away. "The sooner you master them, the sooner I can relax!"

"Yes, take care, Master!"

The three bowed as Qiangui departed, then sat down together to discuss the books in their hands.

Lanshui was distracted. Watching the other two happily studying their books, he felt an inexplicable melancholy.

Jilin laughed the most heartily, for not only was he fortunate enough to receive a miraculous text, but he had finally achieved his wish of obtaining a formidable spell.

"Oh, I am in such a good mood! I’ve finally obtained a decent spell; I no longer feel I’ve wasted all these years at Tianshan!"

Jilin looked at his book with joy and continued, "And let me tell you, I understand this book quite well. You two have to learn from scratch, but I only need to review!"

Lanshui snorted coldly, "Your 'review' might not be as effective as our new learning!"

Hearing this, Xueze couldn't help but smile. "Senior brother, you should focus on your studies! It would be most prideful if you could master what we have yet to grasp!"

"That's true! Then I shall practice hard and not let your expectations down! I feel that since Master is teaching us so devotedly and has pointed out the path, the learning process should go quickly! Before long, the three of us will be able to gallop across the world, unstoppable!"

Lanshui let out a cold laugh, shattering Jilin's fantasy. "Do you think you can be invincible just by mastering a set of ancient divine arts?"

"Why not?" Jilin thought for a moment, then stuck to his opinion. "The ancient deities could fight to the end with these three arts, why can't we? Not to mention that with your rapid pursuit, Junior Sister's path-blocking control, and my defensive counter-attacks, I believe this 'Fish Tail Drinking Ice' alone could hold its own against the world."

Lanshui replied coldly, "Ha, you truly do not know the vastness of the world!"

"I may not, but this 'Fish Tail Drinking Ice' offers such great defense and total counter-attack capability—isn't that powerful? For example, take someone like Suo. If he uses his 'Blazing Red Flame' technique, I can resist it and deflect it all back—wouldn't he be in a difficult spot? If I could seize that moment to freeze him, wouldn't I be able to do as I please?"

Lanshui looked at the gesticulating Jilin and sighed with dissatisfaction, sneering, "Do you think others have no defenses? Do you think he wouldn't know how to break your technique?"

Xueze nodded. "Senior brother is right. Everything exists with pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses. If these three arts were truly invincible and had no counter-measures, how could they have fallen into our hands so easily? Suo surely knows of them, and he will cultivate techniques to counter or defend against them. We must not lower our guard!"

Jilin scratched his head. "Alright! I thought these arts would make us fearless, but it seems we still need to learn and practice more! Still, at the very least, they will greatly improve our strength, and it is true that they can save our lives in a pinch!"

Xueze smiled. "That is true. With Senior Brother's god-like speed, your shield, and my icy web, we could certainly use them to escape. I wonder what the authors of these miraculous books would think if they knew!"

"Hahaha, I was only joking. Speaking of Senior Brother's 'Phoenix Soaring to the Nine Heavens,' I recall something interesting!" Jilin smiled mischievously. "Junior Sister, didn't you inherit your light-foot technique from Master Qinglian? You are considered one of the best at Tianshan. Why don't the two of you, who both possess divine speed, have a race to see who is faster?"

Lanshui and Xueze exchanged glances, neither of them paying any mind to Jilin.

Jilin asked in confusion, "What, is this a bad suggestion?"

"Bad," Xueze replied.

"Boring," Lanshui replied.

Jilin was quite dissatisfied. "Hey, what's wrong? It's not like I'm asking you to race right now! Who knows, one day you might just be forced to compete in speed!"