The two of them tacitly avoided mentioning exploration, leaving room for potential cooperation in the future. They discussed ancient techniques, primarily with Wang Xuan asking questions, seeking to understand the situation regarding the golden bamboo slips from the pre-Qin era.
Zhao Qinghan clearly told him not to think too much about such "wondrous items." Over the years, only four had been unearthed, and two of those had been fought over by various parties, leading to their fragmentation. Currently, the only two complete pre-Qin golden bamboo slips were securely locked in the most robust safes of the largest bank in New Star. Wang Xuan felt a sense of regret; such things were out of reach. Even if ancient techniques had fallen from grace, organizations and tycoons were not willing to let go—at least there was no hope in sight for now.
Zhao Qinghan informed him that not just the golden bamboo slips, but any pre-Qin sorcerer's inheritance was incredibly rare due to the scant number in existence. "So, are ordinary pre-Qin bamboo slips worth a fortune too?" Wang Xuan asked. Zhao Qinghan shot him a glance and replied, "There's no such thing as ordinary when it comes to bamboo slips related to pre-Qin sorcerers."
Wang Xuan realized just how precious the pre-Qin bamboo slip translation that Professor Lin had given him was. In fact, Professor Lin had nearly lost his life over it, escaping the great tomb of the pre-Qin era with great difficulty.
"I heard there was once a grandmaster in New Star, but he ultimately died from practicing a certain body technique. How powerful are those at that level?" Zhao Qinghan was somewhat surprised, realizing he was not as uninformed as she had thought. Wang Xuan knew she must have various thoughts after he said that, but he didn't mind. They would soon part ways, and in normal circumstances, they wouldn't have much intersection. He didn't want to get involved in Zhao Qinghan's exploration plans.
Zhao Qinghan felt a pang of emotion; the path of ancient techniques was fraught with difficulties, and very few could achieve success. "That grandmaster practiced a secret scripture from the Daoist ancestral temple you just mentioned, but ended up sacrificing himself. His organs were like they were boiled to mush, and he died quite tragically."
Wang Xuan felt a chill; it was that dangerous? He grew increasingly cautious and serious about the golden text in his hands, realizing that the teachings left by Zhang Daoling were definitely not inferior to the secret scriptures of the Daoist ancestral temple.
Qin Cheng lamented, "Why bother? Being a grandmaster already, yet ending up with a mess of internal organs—humans are never satisfied."
"You make it sound easy. When he aged day by day, knowing that practicing that kind of body technique could renew his aging organs and extend his life by decades, do you think he could resist that temptation?"
"With such great benefits, if it were me... I'd want to try too!" Qin Cheng nodded, dreaming.
"How far is the grandmaster level from pre-Qin sorcerers?" Wang Xuan inquired.
"They're not even on the same scale; the difference is too vast to compare," Zhao Qinghan replied flatly. Then she looked at Wang Xuan and said, "I see you seem quite eager to pursue the path of ancient techniques; is your goal to become a pre-Qin sorcerer?"
Wang Xuan replied, "I'm someone who's been abandoned. I can't access new techniques, so I can only walk this path of ancient techniques."
Qin Cheng felt deep sympathy for his friend. Zhao Qinghan thought Wang Xuan had great potential in the realm of ancient techniques, and who knows what the future would hold. But Qin Cheng shook his head, saying, "Old Wang was born at the wrong time. If it were ancient times, he might have grown to dominate the world, becoming a legend or even a myth. But in this era, with the rise of technological civilization, what use is it for him to practice ancient techniques to a profound level? It can't withstand modern weaponry. The stars may shine brightly, but Qin Shi Huang and Han Wu Di have all turned to dust. Those sorcerers sent to find elixirs for them all perished in the passage of time. The path of ancient techniques is tough; there's no hope in sight."
The conversation turned heavy. Living in this era, ancient techniques indeed seemed dimmed, hard to see revitalized. How strong could ancient techniques be? A skilled soldier with advanced technology could easily take out a master in that field. Zhao Qinghan looked at Wang Xuan, noticing he remained calm. Clearly, he was a man of inner strength with his own beliefs. Did he really think there was a way out for ancient techniques?
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"So..." Qin Cheng continued, picking up from the previous conversation, looking at Zhao Qinghan, "It would be a pity for Old Wang to be buried like this. Do you have any connections to help him, like practicing new techniques or even bringing him to New Star?" He had said so much just to set the stage, even willing to humble himself to ask Zhao Qinghan for help for Wang Xuan.
Wang Xuan waved his hand, stopping Qin Cheng's words, then patted his shoulder, saying, "I know my own path." He and Qin Cheng didn't express gratitude; they understood each other's intentions but didn't want him to seek help like this.
Zhao Qinghan informed him that she would push for this matter when she returned to New Star, but she couldn't guarantee anything. Wang Xuan expressed gratitude but politely declined, saying he wanted to consider his path further. Zhao Qinghan nodded, smiled, then stood up to take her leave, saying they would meet again in the future.
Wang Xuan and Qin Cheng stood up to see her off. Qin Cheng said, "Old Wang, you seem reluctant to get too involved with her, but rejecting her like that feels like a loss. If she's willing to help, she could likely take you to New Star."
Wang Xuan shook his head, "High-level players. They are already beginning to explore some mysterious regions. I don't want to get involved in that."
Qin Cheng nodded, "That makes sense. You mentioned something about someone harboring ambitions, wanting to ignite divine fire—what's going on there?"
"The information we have is too scant to clarify the situation, but it sounds like it relates to some Western belief in becoming gods."
"Really?!" Qin Cheng was astonished. "In this era, can anyone really think they can become a god? That's insane!"
Wang Xuan said, "Who knows what they've discovered? Didn't she mention that some are daydreaming about becoming Buddhas or ancestors?"
Qin Cheng sighed, "It seems there really are remarkable situations emerging in the depths of the starry sky. I feel like a great storm is brewing out there; the starry ocean, a new era, limitless expanses—it's exciting! I wish I could rush over immediately."
"Since the establishment of the country, there's no allowance for spirit cultivation!"
Wang Xuan's sudden quip left Qin Cheng speechless, thinking it was a rather cold joke.
Wang Xuan elaborated, "What I mean is, in this era of such advanced technology, some tycoons in New Star might just indulge in fantasies, but if they truly dare to overstep, they'd likely meet a grim end. Other organizations and major institutions will surely intervene, and the state won't just sit back and watch. Those who go against the tide will be crushed to dust by all sides."
...
That evening, Wang Xuan returned to his residence and carefully studied the bamboo slips Professor Lin had given him, trying to feel the powers buried within the sands of time. Qin Cheng's words had indeed stirred something within him. In this era, with technological civilization so resplendent, even the top masters of ancient techniques couldn't withstand those weapons. He couldn't see a way out.
With the brilliance of the stars and the passage of a thousand years, the times had changed. Could ancient techniques still gain new life? Wang Xuan set the bamboo slips down, then looked at the body technique recorded in the golden text. After practicing a few of the illustrated movements from the first page for a while, he felt a slight pain in his organs and stopped, unwilling to push himself too hard.
He knew that what Zhang Daoling had left behind was undoubtedly a priceless treasure, but he couldn't rush for success. What reassured him was that the pain felt different from what Qingmu had described; he seemed able to adapt slowly and could continue practicing after a bit of rest.
Half an hour later, when he felt he had reached his limit, he decisively stopped and refrained from practicing the body technique in the golden text any further. "Let's take a look at the ancient technique scriptures Zhou Mingxuan sent me."
A couple of days ago, he had received a secret text on ancient techniques from Zhou Mingxuan during a class reunion, but he hadn't had the chance to examine it in detail yet. He didn't hold much hope, believing Zhou Mingxuan wouldn't give him anything extraordinary.
"Hey, this resembles the golden body technique I practiced, or perhaps it's even a continuation of it?" Wang Xuan was surprised and began to study it closely. This was a body technique named "Golden Body," seemingly possessing powerful effects. According to the records, in the later stages, it could make one invulnerable to worldly weapons.
Wang Xuan was dumbfounded; the descriptions in the book seemed a bit exaggerated. If such remarkable effects were true, how could
Zhou Mingxuan have possibly given it to him?
When Wang Xuan reached the later pages, his expression changed, and he tossed the secret text onto the table. "Old Zhou, don't blame me for hitting your son; if the opportunity arises, I'll make sure to give him a good lesson!"
He felt deceived by Zhou Mingxuan. What kind of rubbish manual was this? The body technique named Golden Body stated that achieving the first level would significantly enhance one's ability to withstand blows, requiring about a year of practice.
Then the manual clearly noted that each subsequent level would take twice as long; who could possibly train to such a level? Wang Xuan nearly wanted to confront Zhou Kun immediately. According to this calculation, without living for several hundred years, who could dream of mastering such a body technique to a higher realm?
He flipped further back and found the levels exceeding nine; a full thirteen levels! Wait, upon closer inspection, there were even levels fourteen and fifteen under ongoing deducing!
"What the hell!" Wang Xuan was dumbstruck. Saying several hundred years was an understatement. Was this body technique really meant for someone to practice?
"Old Zhou, you just keep at it; I'll wait and see!" Wang Xuan cast aside this ancient-looking, yellowed scripture.