Severed Arm

“Heavenly Eagle Xuanwu Stance!”

The strokes of the brush were sharp and vigorous, exuding a sense of profound heaviness.

But the problem was...

Surprised and suspicious, Shen Xiuhan did not stop his movements. His gaze immediately swept across the pages line by line, quietly pondering.

Having already cultivated both the Mystic Eagle Stance and the Golden Eagle Soaring Technique to Great Perfection, he could see the depth of this Heavenly Eagle Xuanwu Stance at a single glance.

The Mei Courtyard's Mystic Eagle Stance and Heavenly Mystic Eagle Force were both simplified and extracted from this very technique.

It could be said that this Heavenly Eagle Xuanwu Stance was the general outline of the Mei Courtyard lineage's martial arts, the very foundation of their existence.

Mei Shuangfeng bringing out this technique to teach him showed just how highly she regarded Shen Xiuhan.

Had it been anyone else, they would surely be ecstatic and cherish it like a rare treasure.

But Shen Xiuhan possessed the Golden Eagle Soaring Technique; comparing the two, their merits and drawbacks were immediately apparent.

The style of the Heavenly Eagle Xuanwu Stance was heavy and steady. Although its concept was decent, peering into its essence, it could at most be cultivated to the Huajin Rank.

On the other hand, the concept of the Golden Eagle Soaring Technique was to battle in the nine heavens and soar straight into the clouds. Its spirit was majestic, making it a high-grade technique that could lead straight to the Gangjin Rank!

The difference between them was as vast as heaven and earth.

“Han'er, you have probably heard of this before.”

Mei Shuangfeng sighed softly:

“As your master, I am not originally from Changyun County. I was born in the Meishan lineage of the Biwu Sect in Guangwu Prefecture. Because of a rift with the sect in my early years, I traveled far from home and settled here.”

She pointed at the stance technique, her voice somewhat low:

“This copy of the Heavenly Eagle Xuanwu Stance is the Meishan mental cultivation method. However, it is not the complete version; it can only be cultivated to the Great Perfection of the Anjin Rank, making it difficult to enter the Huajin Rank. If you want to take a step further... you will have to find another way.”

Biwu Sect...

Shen Xiuhan's eyes flickered slightly.

Previously, when he was on Yunyi Island, he had heard the patrol guards under him mention the martial arts landscape of Guangwu Prefecture.

Unlike the situation in Nanxiang Prefecture, where the Four Great Sects stood in a state of rivalry.

On the territory of Guangwu Prefecture, there were only two giants.

The Biwu Sect!

The Yinsha Sect!

One orthodox, one demonic.

They fought incessantly all year round.

The Biwu Sect was divided into four lineages. Among them, the master alchemist Mei Shuangning of the Meishan lineage was famous throughout Cangzhou for her miraculous alchemy skills.

Shen Xiuhan pondered in his heart as he flipped the booklet to the end.

The binding of the pages was tattered and uneven, missing two pages of crucial formulas, which had clearly been torn out.

Seeing him lost in thought, Mei Shuangfeng shook her head slightly and said helplessly:

“You have already entered the Tendon Tempering stage, and you aren't far from the Anjin Rank either. In this Changyun County, the help that the Mei Courtyard can give you has reached its limit... If you want to go higher, you can only rely on yourself.”

“Several of your senior brothers and sisters left for this very reason back then. Zuo Guangshu went to Bixia Villa to join the Qi Dao lineage; Ding Ning and Wang Lin joined the military to serve in the Longxiang Army...”

“Han'er... you should also make plans early.”

Saying this, Mei Shuangfeng turned her head, her gaze passing through the half-open window to rest on the old locust tree in the courtyard, her expression slightly melancholic.

“Of course, there is also Qinghong... I plan to have her return to Meishan.”

Shen Xiuhan shook his head slightly.

Although he didn't know what had happened, since the two sides had already fallen out and Jiang Qinghong had followed Master for many years, she would probably face cold shoulders and gossip if she returned.

Mei Shuangfeng seemed to read his mind, her tone carrying resolve:

“The path of martial arts is like rowing against the current. If you suffer some grievances and endure them, it will be a great fortune. If you cannot endure them, you can only end up like me, shrinking back in this tiny county, wasting half your life.”

“Qinghong is more resilient than I thought. Perhaps... she can carve out a path of her own.”

At this point, Mei Shuangfeng looked at Shen Xiuhan, her expression solemn:

“You are different from Qinghong.”

“You are a man, so you will have fewer constraints when traveling outside. Once you cultivate to the Anjin Rank, you can go to Bixia Villa to seek out your Senior Brother Zuo, or find some other famous great sect.”

“The twelve provinces of Great Qi are vast and fertile, with countless opportunities.”

“With your talent, if you are trapped to death in Changyun, it would be casting pearls before swine and a waste of natural talent. As your master... I absolutely do not want to see you follow in my footsteps!”

Hearing these heartfelt words, Shen Xiuhan was moved, a warm current welling up in his heart.

After a brief thought, he took the bottle of Tendon-Refining Pills and tucked it into his robe.

Then, he gently pushed the Heavenly Eagle Xuanwu Stance back to the center of the desk.

“Han'er, you...”

Mei Shuangfeng looked surprised, but before she could ask further.

Shen Xiuhan fished out a brand-new handwritten booklet and placed it on top of the old book.

The ink on the cover was still fresh, also bearing five large characters.

Golden Eagle Soaring Technique!

Frowning, Mei Shuangfeng stepped closer, her gaze falling on the booklet as she asked in confusion:

“This is...?”

“This technique was obtained by this disciple through a stroke of luck. Its concept is somewhat similar to our Mei Courtyard's cultivation technique. Master might as well use it for reference.”

The more he said, the more mistakes he might make.

Shen Xiuhan did not explain too much. After saying this, he cupped his fists in a salute, turned, and walked straight out of the back hall.

Silence returned to the room.

With shock and uncertainty, Mei Shuangfeng picked up the Golden Eagle Soaring Technique, her heart filled with doubt.

She casually flipped open a page.

After just a few glances, her gaze suddenly froze, her pupils contracting sharply.

She quickly flipped forward, page after page. The more she read, the more rapid her breathing became, her chest heaving like a lake with a giant boulder cast into it.

“The concept is completely of the same origin!”

Shock filled Mei Shuangfeng's eyes, her red lips trembling, her voice even changing pitch.

“But the inner force-exerting method is more than ten times more profound than the Heavenly Eagle Xuanwu Stance!”

“This... this is a technique that points straight to the Gangjin Rank!”

“Good!”

“What a brilliant Golden Eagle Soaring Technique!”

In the next breath!

Mei Shuangfeng slammed the booklet shut, rose abruptly, and eagerly dashed toward her secluded cultivation chamber.

...

On the other side.

Shen Xiuhan left the martial arts hall and merged into the flow of people in the streets.

Before long, he passed by the West Market.

The river wind at the pier was strong, blowing water vapor into his face. The air was a pungent and foul mix of fishiness, sweat, and the sour rot of cheap alcohol.

Along the muddy riverbank, over a dozen tattered tarpaulin shacks were set up.

These were all makeshift taverns run by local gangs, earning a few copper coins from laborers, porters, and sailors.

Under the shacks.

Thick porcelain bowls clinked together.

The shouting of rough men and the rattling of dice could be heard incessantly.

Walking along the street, Shen Xiuhan suddenly paused.

His gaze pierced through the crowd and landed near a wine stall.

Amidst a crowd of shirtless, mud-covered laborers, a certain figure appeared highly out of place.

The man wore black martial robes. Though covered in mud and dirt, one could still tell they were finely tailored and made of excellent material.

Clutching a mud-sealed wine jar in his hand, he rose drunkenly and walked toward a sand barge by the pier.

The river wind blew his long hair into a mess, obscuring most of his face and revealing only a pale chin.

Shen Xiuhan did not pay much attention.

But then, his gaze locked onto... the man's right shoulder!

The man's right sleeve was completely empty, flapping limply in the river wind.

This person was actually a one-armed man who had lost his right arm!

Shen Xiuhan's eyes flickered slightly. He quietly took half a step back, blending into the shadows, his gaze locking onto the one-armed man like a hawk.

He watched as the man stumbled onto the gangplank, nearly falling into the water several times before being grabbed by the sailors on board.

He fished out a few pieces of silver from his robe and shoved them over. The sailor asked no questions and let him crawl into the cabin.

Before long, the boatman untied the ropes, pushed off with a bamboo pole, and the sand barge left the shore, sailing into the vast waters.

At this moment, Shen Xiuhan walked out with a look of surprise and suspicion on his face. He pondered for a moment, deciding not to act rashly, and instead turned to leave.