Chapter 61: Mastery of the Gun Technique

Without a doubt, the box had been deliberately left behind by Gao Liangping. The master of Gao Family Manor clearly feared Fang Xiao might change his mind, so he was willing to risk losing two spirit stones, staking everything on Fang Xiao.

Fang Xiao had no intention of reneging. He reached for the jade box. With a hint of curiosity, he opened the lid.

Inside, thick dark-red velvet lined the box, cradling two luminous, milky-white jade stones, their surfaces gleaming with a mysterious aura.

Fang Xiao’s eyes brightened instantly. What beautiful stones!

Daoist Pang had once given Fang Xiao a lesson on the common knowledge of the Immortal Realm, which included spirit stones. Spirit stones were the universal currency of the Immortal Realm, akin to the gold, silver, and copper coins used in the mortal world, but the difference between them was vast.

Spirit stones, depending on their quality, were classified as low, medium, high, and supreme. Even the lowest grade had considerable value!

They could be used for trading, cultivation, forging weapons, setting arrays, refining pills, making talismans, and more.

To ordinary people, a single spirit stone could be treasured as a family heirloom, passed down through generations!

Fang Xiao pondered for a moment, closed the lid, and slipped the jade box into his satchel.

He had made up his mind. Tomorrow, he would go to Gao Family Manor. If he felt he had no chance of defeating the pig demon, he would return the two spirit stones to Gao Liangping and let him seek help elsewhere.

Fang Xiao refused to believe that, aside from the Qingfeng Temple, there was no one else in the vast Liuhe County capable of handling monsters. The Liuhe Academy housed many martial arts experts and cultivator instructors!

But what Fang Xiao could not have anticipated was this: just as he put the box away, he suddenly felt a lightness in his hand, and his heart skipped a beat.

He hurriedly pulled the jade box out again and opened it.

The two spirit stones had vanished without a trace!

At that moment, Fang Xiao felt numb all over. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, making sure he hadn’t mistaken it.

The spirit stones were truly gone!

His face flushed red in an instant. To lose two spirit stones right before his eyes was bizarre beyond reason.

The problem was, if tomorrow he found himself unable to defeat the monster in Gao Family Manor, what could he return to Gao Liangping?

He quickly set the empty box aside and emptied all the items from his satchel—clothes, the refined black iron spear, notebook, matches, gold leaves, silver shards—everything.

No spirit stones.

He clutched the satchel stubbornly and shook it upside down with all his might.

The result was just as disappointing!

Fang Xiao held the empty satchel, glanced left and right, almost scratching his scalp raw.

If Daoist Pang were not in seclusion, losing two spirit stones would be a trivial matter.

Fang Xiao began to suspect that his military satchel had just “eaten” the spirit stones, since it could “consume” demon crystals, allowing him to conjure buns, dumplings, braised pork, the cigarettes beloved by the Daoist, and the white rabbit candies adored by Huaihua.

If it could digest demon crystals, swallowing spirit stones seemed reasonable enough.

But why was the speed so astonishingly fast?

Drawing a deep breath, Fang Xiao forced himself to calm down.

The disappearance of the two spirit stones was now a fact. Whatever the reason, he had to bear responsibility.

To resolve the matter, perhaps he could wait for Daoist Pang to emerge from seclusion and then repay Gao Liangping double, or...

Fang Xiao unconsciously clenched his fists, a fire seeming to ignite in his eyes.

Slay the pig demon!

His previous thoughts shifted in that instant.

He put down the satchel, seized the refined black iron spear nearby, and unfurled it with a sweep of his arm.

Leaping to the center of the courtyard, Fang Xiao began practicing the Lin Family Spear technique.

He had already cultivated this spear art to the peak of mastery, needing only one more point of experience to break through to the realm of perfection.

A longer spear meant greater strength!

If he could achieve a breakthrough tonight, he would be more confident facing the pig demon tomorrow.

As he performed the moves, spear flames blossomed in the temple courtyard, cold gleams and heavy shadows shooting in all directions.

Fang Xiao’s mind gradually sank into the practice. He forgot the passage of time, his worries and distractions melting away, leaving only the essence and secrets of the spear technique taught by Lin Chong.

His spirit focused entirely on the spear in his grip—merged with the spear itself!

He did not know how much time had passed when a sudden inspiration flashed through his mind, as if a heavy door had swung open, revealing a whole new world.

[Lin Family Spear +1]

Without hesitation, Fang Xiao spun and thrust his spear.

The refined black iron spear pierced the air soundlessly, the triangular spearhead sending forth a foot-long golden flame.

In that instant, the astonishing visions of soaring dragons and crouching tigers appeared around Fang Xiao, a fierce aura surging into the night sky.

“Kill!”

All his battle intent was poured into that single shout, echoing in all directions!

[Red Sun Codex]
[Unshaken by ten thousand martial arts, impervious to ten thousand magics, untouched by ten thousand evils]
[Dragon-Tiger Stance (perfected)]
[Demon-Suppressing Fist (mastered): 0/80]
[Lin Family Spear (mastered): 0/80]
[Long River Setting Sun Spear (proficient): 17/20]
[Experience: 0]
[Instead of complaining about the darkness, light a lantern and move forward; stumbling is life, adversity is living.]
[Whatever you are going through, believe that light awaits ahead!]

Light awaits ahead!

Fang Xiao had brought another martial art to the realm of mastery.

Moreover, he had not invested a single experience point in the Lin Family Spear, relying solely on his diligence and effort to elevate it to its current level.

He withdrew the spear, feeling his blood surge within, joy and pride swelling in his heart.

All the anxiety from unexpectedly losing the two spirit stones, and the unease about facing the monster alone tomorrow, vanished completely!

Once his mood had settled, Fang Xiao did not continue practicing martial arts. He washed with cold water in the kitchen, then retired early to his bedroom.

At dawn the next day, Fang Xiao rose from bed.

He heated breakfast to fill his stomach, then checked his belongings, especially his weapons.

Finally, he mounted the big blue donkey and set out from the temple towards Gao Family Manor, twenty miles away.

Although Fang Xiao had never been to Gao Family Manor before, Gao Liangping had said yesterday that his estate lay southeast of Zhenjia Village, and that following the country road for seventeen or eighteen miles would lead him there.

There were plenty of villagers on the road, so it would be easy to ask directions.

As he walked along the dirt path, Fang Xiao patted the head of the blue donkey beneath him. “Have you ever been to Gao Family Manor?”

A loud bray—

Fang Xiao had spoken casually, but to his surprise, the blue donkey nodded vigorously.

In the next moment, the creature suddenly broke into a gallop, kicking up clouds of dust, racing forward under the astonished gazes of passersby!

A strong wind rushed past, making Fang Xiao want to cry out in exhilaration!