Chapter 111: The Fifth Realm of Scholarship! Eternal Stillness! Eternal Stillness!

Soon, Liu Qiaoer returned to the room. Meanwhile, Chen Yushu remained in the courtyard, entering a state of meditation to recover the mental energy he had just expended.

After about half an hour, Chen Yushu was fully restored. He quickly resumed his practice of the Fragrance Concealment Art and the Divine Presence Art. As for setting up an altar—the commotion was simply too great, and it was not wise to do so too often.

Time passed.

As the sky gradually brightened, Chen Yushu prepared breakfast. Just as he was about to call for Liu Qiaoer, she appeared, having already caught the scent. Without standing on ceremony, she sat down and began to eat.

"Are you going back to the village before the end of the year?" Liu Qiaoer asked abruptly once they finished breakfast.

"Why do you ask?" Chen Yushu was taken aback. He thought to himself that if nothing came up, he would likely go back; after all, it was not that far, only a two- or three-hour journey.

"You should go back. There is a matter that might require your help," Liu Qiaoer continued. "I will be watching over the village during this time, but I don't think I can suppress it alone."

"Are you talking about that big fish?" Chen Yushu asked, quickly grasping her meaning.

"Yes, and no. Besides the big fish, there is also the thing that once caused the plague in the village. It, too, is becoming difficult to seal," Liu Qiaoer said, lowering her gaze slightly. "The events of those years are hard to dispute, but we cannot let that thing emerge to harm people again."

"Understood," Chen Yushu nodded firmly. "I should be heading back before the year ends."

"That's good. When I go back, I will be entering seclusion. I have gained a great deal from this trip, and I plan to take this time to digest it. Let Xiao Yin stay with you; if something happens, I can be reached through her. Once I receive word, I should be able to arrive quickly." With that, Liu Qiaoer waved her hand, stood up, and left.

Chen Yushu opened his mouth to say something, but ultimately held his tongue. He sensed a trace of genuine concern in her words. In a way, it was a tacit promise; if he encountered trouble he could not handle, he could call upon her through Xiao Yin. Given that her strength had likely reached the peak of the Three-Incense level, touching upon the Daoist realm, her power was beyond doubt. If he truly faced a dire situation, she might indeed be the one to resolve it.

Of course, he would not disturb her without good reason. Their connection was merely that of fellow villagers. Helping him was an act of kindness, not an obligation. She had already taught him so many "arts" at a low cost, and he was deeply grateful; he would not ask for more.

He looked toward the room, where Xiao Yin was standing alone in the doorway, as if she had already been informed by Liu Qiaoer. Chen Yushu walked over and took her hand. "Sister Qiaoer has things to attend to, so you will continue to stay with me for a while."

"I understand, Brother Yushu," Xiao Yin nodded obediently, though her face showed a hint of disappointment. However, she soon forgot her troubles as Chen Yushu lit some incense. She immediately began to embrace the two sticks of incense, eagerly inhaling the smoke.

...

"It seems you haven't slacked off in your martial arts practice during this time," Su Ming said, standing on the second floor of the pharmacy, watching Chen Yushu train.

Chen Yushu was practicing the Eighteen Consecutive Slashes. The relentless, cascading blade light—especially the final maneuver where six strikes merged into one—caused Su Ming’s pupils to constrict. While he was inwardly shocked, he maintained a calm and indifferent tone. He truly had not expected that, in such a short time, Chen Yushu would have brought this blade technique to the realm of Great Mastery. After all, the fusion of six strikes into one was the hallmark of mastery. As a teacher who prided himself on being strict, he could not find a single fault to criticize. His disciple was now nearly as skilled in the Eighteen Consecutive Slashes as he was.

"It is all thanks to your teaching, Master!" Chen Yushu quickly bowed.

"Enough. Do you think I don't know how well you've practiced? Even I couldn't have mastered the Eighteen Consecutive Slashes in such a short time. Since you have reached this point, I have nothing left to hide. I will now teach you a new blade technique called the Light-Heavy Blade Art." Su Ming waved his hand, feeling a sense of pride. Who wouldn't want a talented disciple who learned everything the moment it was taught? It saved him much trouble, and it meant that when he grew old, he would have someone to protect him.

"Light-Heavy Blade Art?" Chen Yushu was delighted and looked intently at his master.

"As the name implies, this technique allows one to transition between light and heavy. It is the art of wielding lightness as if it were heavy, and heaviness as if it were light. A strike may look light as a feather, yet it carries the weight of a thousand pounds. Another strike may appear incredibly heavy, but at the moment of impact, it can be as delicate as a mosquito landing, flying off at the slightest touch. In that interplay of light and heavy, you find your opening..." Su Ming said, a look of pride on his face. "This is the signature technique that made my name, a legacy I stumbled upon by accident."

Su Ming gestured for Chen Yushu to attack him with everything he had. Chen Yushu nodded and unleashed the Eighteen Consecutive Slashes. Strike after strike, he moved like a phantom, his speed reaching its absolute limit. Su Ming drew his blade, meeting the onslaught with a flash of light. When their blades collided, Chen Yushu felt a slight resistance before his blade suddenly met nothingness. It felt as if he had sliced through air, leaving him with a frustrating sensation of pent-up power that had no place to release.

Then, Su Ming’s blade flashed, seemingly borrowing the momentum of Chen Yushu's own strike. With a light, horizontal sweep, the blade moved toward his chest. Chen Yushu dared not hesitate and hurriedly shifted his blade to parry. *Clang!* Suddenly, a surge of immense, overwhelming power crashed into him, sending him stumbling back several steps, his arm numbed by the impact. That seemingly light strike actually contained a ferocious force he could barely withstand.

Su Ming advanced again, delivering another strike—once again fast as lightning and fiercely powerful. Just as Chen Yushu anticipated the same explosive force, he moved to parry, but—*Clang!*—his blade was instantly knocked aside. Su Ming’s blade came to a rest against his shoulder.

"What a brilliant blade technique!" Chen Yushu was filled with awe. He could feel that his master had used less than half the strength he had, yet he had been rendered almost entirely helpless.

"This is the Light-Heavy Blade Art. Wielding light as heavy, wielding heavy as light. Transition freely between the two. Once you achieve this, your blade technique will reach Great Mastery, and your combat prowess will multiply." Su Ming finally looked relaxed, and he began to teach the mechanics of the art.

"The key is the conversion of force. It may look powerful, but it is actually light; in this stance, for example, the force is surging, but at this specific point, you must slow down, separating the force to change it through a rebounding motion... and in this stance, it looks light, and the strike is indeed light. But your internal energy pulses through these meridians like a flash of lightning, naturally multiplying the power of your strike..." Su Ming demonstrated the technique, breaking down every move and explaining it in detail.

Chen Yushu listened intently, occasionally practicing the motions with his hands. Soon, he had heard the entire explanation and began to practice it himself. First, he focused on the stances. The technique consisted of seven moves and twenty-eight forms; each looked quite ordinary, but the true essence lay in the manipulation of internal energy.

He began incorporating the energy shifts into the forms. One move, two, three... Soon, he had practiced the entire set.

*Light-Heavy Blade Art: Novice (1/100)*

Chen Yushu checked his attribute panel. He was not surprised. However, achieving the freedom of transition between light and heavy as his master did was no small feat. He decided to follow his master's advice and start by practicing "wielding lightness as if it were heavy." He swung his blade slowly, only unleashing his full strength at the exact moment the blade touched the target.

"This technique truly lives up to its reputation. It is indeed difficult. Even at my learning speed, two hours of practice only brought the progress to Novice (72/100)," Chen Yushu panted as he stopped. This speed was not slow, but compared to the Wind-Blade Art he had learned previously, it was not particularly fast either.

"However, fortunately, it won't be long before my learning speed increases significantly. Perhaps I can push this blade art to Proficient, Small Mastery, or even Great Mastery in a short time," Chen Yushu thought, his gaze turning to the attribute panel.

*Reading: Mind-Clarification (749/800)*

His reading level was only 51 experience points away from another upgrade. He felt a surge of anticipation. Reaching the Mind-Clarification realm had allowed his meditation to reach the "Great Stabilization" level, earning him the title of a "genius." If he advanced to the next level, his meditation would surely reach the "Constant Stabilization" level, which would not only increase his cultivation speed significantly but also elevate his "genius" status further. Would it be "Peerless Genius"? Or perhaps "Monstrous Talent"?

That afternoon, after lunch, Chen Yushu went straight to the Ningjing Academy. Having read most of the books in the Wenchang Pavilion, he continued through the remaining ones according to his plan. He didn't discriminate; if he hadn't read it, he read it now. Simple books he skimmed at a glance; profound works he read with deeper focus, contemplating the meaning afterward. His reading experience increased steadily.

*Reading +3, +2, +4...*

As his knowledge grew, the experience gained from simpler texts began to dwindle. Now, it was rare to gain more than five points; often, he was forced to settle for a single point, indicating the author's level was low and offered him little insight.

However, there were still many subjects he had yet to touch, such as professional texts on agriculture, textiles, mineralogy, and geography. The Wenchang Pavilion was like a true library, encompassing all fields of knowledge. He even found a passage on stage magic. Specifically, it mentioned the technique he had seen performed by the neighbor's troupe at the fair. They had tied a young man to a wooden stake and allowed people to hack at him with blades, yet he remained unharmed—even by people who practiced martial arts. Although they were likely not at the Internal Energy realm, they were at least at the External Forging or even Internal Refining stages. That a full-force blow could not harm the man had amazed Chen Yushu at the time.

The book recorded it as the "Stake-Transferring Method" from the Meishan Arts. It required binding the soul and body of the person to an animal or plant beforehand, allowing the damage from any attack to be transferred away. As long as the spell did not fail, the transfer effect would hold.

"This Stake-Transferring Method is truly a miraculous, wondrous art. I thought it was just a simple trick, but it's actually a form of magic..." A look of curiosity and yearning flashed in Chen Yushu’s eyes. If he could master this, he would have a trump card for self-defense—a way to block at least one fatal threat. Crucially, the requirements for this art shouldn't be high. He recalled that when he used his Qi-Gazing Art at the fair, neither the troupe leader nor the young man had thick *qi* and blood. The leader had some martial arts knowledge, but no incense-based cultivation. This meant the method might not be hard to learn. He made a mental note to ask his neighbor about it when he found the chance.

In addition, the pavilion held books on ghosts and gods, which opened his eyes to many unknown rules and principles.

*Reading +1.*

Suddenly, Chen Yushu felt a shift in his heart. All the books he had read during this period flashed through his mind—countless words, information, knowledge, profound wisdom, saintly scriptures, and various theories flowed through him. In a trance, he achieved a deep understanding of their contents, as if everything had suddenly coalesced. He had truly grasped, memorized, and mastered them.

"This is it... my reading level has broken through!"

Chen Yushu understood instantly. He had advanced from the fourth realm, Mind-Clarification, to the fifth. He wondered what the fifth level was called. He looked at the attribute panel:

*Reading: True Perception (1/1600)*

"The fifth realm, True Perception? To hear the truth, to perceive the truth? Can I read a book and truly grasp the author's mood, thoughts, and deepest intentions?" Chen Yushu’s eyes widened in shock. True Perception meant he could truly and fully understand the author's intent, reaching a frequency level equal to the writer.

He couldn't resist picking up another book. The experience was entirely different. Moreover, his reading speed was no longer just ten lines at a glance; he could now read a whole page—thirty lines—in an instant. And it was as if the information was etched into his brain, never to be forgotten. He could truly feel the power and thought embedded in the words, understanding the author’s exact intentions at the time of writing.

"This is staggering. It’s as if the author is here in person, guiding me and passing on their thoughts," Chen Yushu marveled. He also realized that the fifth level was not the limit. Unlike martial arts or techniques, which often reached their peak at the fifth level, the reading realm could continue to progress, though the experience required doubled to 1,600. There was no doubt that a sixth, seventh, or eighth realm existed. Even he couldn't imagine what those would be like. Of course, he knew he wouldn't be able to advance as quickly as he had before, as simple books now provided very little experience.

"Regardless, the changes in me are already immense. Especially my mental energy—it has more than doubled." Thinking this, he projected his mental energy outward and found he could now reach three *zhang* (about 30 feet). If he used it for internal observation, he could penetrate his flesh, skin, and bones, reaching every corner of his body. He could "see" his energy moving, his blood flowing, his breath... even the particles of his own flesh.

"I can even control my mental energy to move objects... telekinesis..." His gaze fell on a book two *zhang* away. He stood still, focused his mind, and projected his mental energy like a beam of light onto the book. Under his control, it broke free from the shelf and flew toward him through the air. Although it was relatively slow and required significant effort, the book eventually landed steadily in his hands.

"It worked! Telekinesis! Mental manipulation of objects..." Chen Yushu felt a surge of joy. This changed everything. He could now use his mental energy to launch surprise attacks, wielding hidden needles or thin swords to strike down enemies silently.

"However, this consumes a massive amount of mental energy. Just picking up one book used up more than half. This is not a method to be used lightly."

Finally, he turned his focus to his meditation level. He focused his intent. *Hum!* The world around him instantly changed. He could "see" the countless mental particles drifting in the air. As his intent rose, he felt those particles flying toward him, quickly being absorbed.

He thought of the White Tiger Visualization and began to practice it. As his mental energy soared, the visualized White Tiger became incredibly detailed—every strand of fur, the color, the posture, the expression—all were clear and vivid, like a lifelike image.

*White Tiger Visualization +15, +17... White Tiger Visualization: Small Mastery... Incense Cultivation +1.*

In just a short time, his White Tiger Visualization had reached the Small Mastery realm, even boosting his Incense Cultivation. He realized that even when he wasn't actively visualizing the tiger, it continued to function automatically, though the efficiency was ten times slower than when he was fully focused. Still, this meant he was increasing his cultivation every second of the day. Combined with his active practice, his overall progress had increased by several times.

"My cultivation speed has essentially increased six or sevenfold?" As he reached this conclusion, he realized his meditation level had reached "Constant Stabilization."

Constant Stabilization! It meant he could enter a meditative state at any moment, and maintain it at all times, allowing him to react with the calmest, most correct judgment. He was no longer the same person he had been before. Whether in his "Shadow-Walking" legacy or his martial arts, he was poised for a massive leap in strength.