Free Web NovelChapter 135: Chapter 134: Crouching Tiger, Listening Wind, Five Meridians Inheritance
But that wasn’t all.
Fu Juemin had also arranged plenty of "special entertainment" for Zhao Tianpeng at the Concession Patrol Office, all waiting for him to enjoy after he was locked up.
Zhao Tianpeng’s imprisonment meant he wouldn’t be getting out anytime soon. After this, his title of "Young Master Zhang" would likely become even more infamous in the elite circles of Shenghai.
Luo Chengying had schemed against him, and he had retaliated against Zhao Tianpeng. In this round, they had traded blows, and their enmity was now set in stone.
From now on, they would have to be wary of each other, look for openings, and rely on their own skills.
"There is one more thing to report, Young Master."
After finishing his report on Zhao Tianpeng, Big Cat continued.
"What is it?"
Fu Juemin slowly stirred his arms, which were submerged in a large vat. Swathes of poisonous creatures died beneath his hands, their essences mixing with the vat’s medicinal liquid and transforming into wisps of Poisonous Killing Qi that flowed into his body.
After successfully cultivating the Snake Phase Poison Seed, his speed at tempering his body with poison using the Five Aggregates Profound Slaughter Technique had also increased significantly.
As long as he had enough resources, cultivating the other four Poisonous Seeds was only a matter of time.
"That group of people the Young Master hired earlier wants to talk to you."
Fu Juemin didn’t even look up. "They’ve already taken the deposit. Just give them their orders.
If they have something to talk about, they can wait until the job is done."
After the incident in Zhabei, Fu Juemin no longer had any desire to meet those remnants of Luo’s forces personally. His life had been leisurely, but now that he had a rival, if he didn’t want to be forced out of the game, he had to increase his strength as quickly as possible.
A sense of urgency had already taken root in his heart, and he couldn’t be bothered to waste energy on trivial matters.
After he finished instructing Big Cat, all the poisonous creatures in the vat were dead. The pungent odor of the specially concocted medicinal liquid seemed to have faded significantly.
Fu Juemin slowly withdrew his power. Kitty, who had been waiting at the side, squatted down slightly, lowering the basin of clean water for him to wash his hands.
Fu Juemin washed his hands, dried them with a towel, and then looked up, a sudden look of surprise on his face.
Then he smiled. "Masters, why are you standing so far away? Please, come closer."
In the training hall, five men and women had been standing stiffly in the distance like wooden posts. Hearing his words, they forced smiles onto their pale faces and braced themselves, slowly shuffling forward.
These five were the heirs of the Five Meridians of the Five Beasts Skill whom Fu Juemin had tasked Big Cat with finding.
They had been living comfortably in a hotel for many days, only now being summoned by Fu Juemin. They had been brought here only to stand aside and watch him practice his terrifying Five Aggregates Poison Technique while casually discussing with Big Cat how they had entrapped an outsider. It was clear that each of them was thoroughly frightened.
Fu Juemin was paying them to teach him, not to hire five pampered masters. This display was intentional, designed to crush their pride.
From the looks of it, the effect was quite good.
Fu Juemin put on a robe, had Kitty bring him a chair, and sat down slowly with a cup of tea. He then looked at the five people before him and spoke in a gentle voice, "Masters, don’t just stand there. Please begin."
The five exchanged glances. Then, a skinny old man on the far left stepped forward, cupped his fist, and said, "I am Chen Qingshan. It is an honor to meet you, Young Master Fu.
My lineage has inherited the Tiger Form from the Five Beasts Skill—Crouching Tiger, Listening Wind!"
Without further ado, he immediately began his demonstration.
After the old man finished, the other four followed his example, each demonstrating their skills for Fu Juemin.
After watching the entire set, Fu Juemin gained a comprehensive and intuitive understanding of the "Master of Five Beasts" aspect of his Pharmacist Skill.
The Five Beasts Skill, as its name implies, is divided into five forms: Tiger, Deer, Bear, Ape, and Bird, which correspond to the Yang Five Elements.
The inheritance of each form consists of four parts: the Pile Method, Medicated Baths, the Active Skill, and the Heart Method Visualization Map.
The most essential part was the Active Skill—each set contained dozens, or even hundreds, of movements.
Just demonstrating the Active Skill alone took the five of them over half an hour.
"Why have none of you mentioned the Form and Intent Integration Technique?"
Before Fu Juemin could speak after their demonstration, Big Cat had already stepped forward and asked with a blank expression.
The five looked at each other, and finally, the old man named Chen Qingshan stepped forward again to speak.
"The Form and Intent Integration Technique was lost long ago. None of the five of us has it."
Seeing the helpless, wry smile on the old man’s face, Fu Juemin couldn’t help but ask Big Cat, "What is this Form and Intent Integration Technique?"
"It’s the general outline of the Five Beasts Skill. I originally thought at least one of the Five Meridians would have a copy, but I didn’t expect..."
Big Cat paused, then continued, "Young Master, do you remember the other lineage in Shenghai I mentioned last time?
They definitely have it."
"Last time, I told you to offer more money. Did they agree?"
Fu Juemin recalled the matter and inquired.
Big Cat shook his head.
Fu Juemin frowned slightly. He thought for a moment and said, "Forget it. Let’s just practice what we have for now."
Then, he turned back to the five masters. "Take out your Heart Method Visualization Maps and let me see them."
The five of them once again wore constipated expressions. It was unclear whether they truly didn’t have them or were just unwilling to show them. It was starting to annoy Fu Juemin.
Fortunately, one of them had prepared in advance. As if presenting a treasure, he took out a scroll and carefully unrolled it for Fu Juemin.
The paper of the entire scroll was yellowed, a clear sign of its age.
Fu Juemin had originally thought this Heart Method Visualization Map would be something extraordinary, but after seeing it, he was greatly disappointed.
—It was just a group of deer drawn on a white sheet of paper. Some were standing, some running, some drinking from a spring, some preening their antlers, some startled, some calm...
The drawing itself was not bad; it was lifelike and vivid.
But upon asking, he learned that this so-called visualization map was merely a "pictorial guide" to assist in practicing the Active Skill. After all, the Five Beasts Skill was created by imitating the form and intent of the five natural beasts.
’If that’s the case...
No matter how exquisite a lifeless drawing is, how can it compare to a real, living reference?’
Fu Juemin’s eyes glinted as he looked at Big Cat.
Big Cat knew instantly what Fu Juemin was thinking. After a moment of thought, he said, "Deer, apes, and birds are no problem. We have them right here in Ink Garden.
As for the tigers and bears, I will immediately send men to capture a few from the nearby mountains and have them sent over."
"The more, the merrier."
Fu Juemin nodded in satisfaction. The exchange between the two made the five masters’ eyelids twitch.
There’s a saying, "the poor study literature, the rich practice martial arts," but this was the first time they had witnessed the training methods of such a top-tier aristocrat. They were utterly shocked.
With the arrangements made, Fu Juemin wasted no more time and immediately began to train with the five masters.
The five inherited forms of the Five Beasts Skill—Tiger: Crouching Tiger, Listening Wind; Deer: Gazing at the Moon; Bear: Shaking Mountains and Shaking Peaks; Ape: Plucking Stars and Catching the Moon; and Bird: Soaring Wings.
Over the next few days, Fu Juemin immersed himself completely in the practice of the Five Beasts Skill.
He started with the Tiger Form and practiced them one by one.
It was unclear if it was because he had already achieved some success in his Martial Arts and had a solid foundation, or if it was because his Life Attribute had increased to 10, causing his martial talent and comprehension to rise with it. In any case, his training progressed with exceptional smoothness, as if it were a matter of course...
....
「Twelve days later.」
At the Ding Family estate, inside the newly built training hall.
The entire training hall was a temporary conversion of Madam Ding’s wine cellar. It featured a circular, domed ceiling, and its four walls were built with green bricks, the cracks between them filled with a special medicinal paste that emitted a faint, bitter fragrance.
The floor was laid with three-inch-thick aged pinewood, which was moderately elastic and had been soaked in pine oil, allowing one to step without a sound.
An eight-sided glass gas lamp hung from the center of the dome, casting a soft white glow as gentle as moonlight.
Around the perimeter below were the Five Directions Beast Cages—the Tiger Cave, a deer enclosure, a bear’s den, an ape grove, and an aviary.
The names were impressive, but in reality, they were just simple activity areas constructed according to the habits of each type of beast. Of course, to be able to custom-build such a uniquely styled secret training sanctuary in just a few days was a clear testament to the Ding Family’s wealth and power.
At this moment, Fu Juemin was standing in the very center of the Five Directions Beast Cage, facing the Tiger Cave, mimicking the pacing of the Mountain Lord within.
