The rain continued to fall, the forest shrouded in darkness. The black hound lay trembling on the ground, not yet dead, its life force tenacious, but it was no longer a threat.

The black-clad man stood across from Wang Xuan, his body swaying as he quickly rejoined his broken bones. He did not hide his surprise and said, "The Golden Body Technique is indeed powerful, but very few practice it. One reason is the slow progress; it can take decades to achieve results. The other is that even a small mistake can lead to serious injuries."

He stared at Wang Xuan, who had evidently reached the later stages of the fourth layer of the Golden Body Technique, a feat that typically required over thirty years of effort. Yet Wang Xuan was only in his early twenties.

"How did you achieve this?" His eyes shone with intense curiosity and a strong desire to know.

"Who sent you to kill me?" Wang Xuan asked calmly. He didn't recognize the black-clad man, who appeared to be in his fifties; they had never crossed paths.

He suspected there was someone behind this assassin, using him to carry out the attack.

The black-clad man maintained his composure. "If you win today, let's leave it at that. The one who ordered your assassination is me, and I am also the one who acted. You can consider me the mastermind behind it; that is indeed the case."

A faint golden light flickered in the depths of Wang Xuan's eyes, a sign of the Golden Body Technique's success, which only intensified the black-clad man's thirst for knowledge about Wang Xuan's journey.

The black-clad man was not interested in practicing the Golden Body Technique himself; he wanted to understand if there were secret methods or shortcuts that could reignite the brilliance of the old techniques in this era. He had spent decades practicing the old techniques and had reached a high level, yet he realized that he was nearing the end of that path.

Wang Xuan replied coldly, "You're here to kill me but refuse to reveal who's behind this. Why should I tell you anything?"

The black-clad man stretched his body, loosening his muscles. "As someone who practices the old techniques, I noticed how young you are to have reached this level, so I offered you a word of warning. If you manage to leave here alive, just consider this matter finished. You can live out your life peacefully, without trying to uncover anything further; no one will target you again."

Wang Xuan felt a surge of anger. Though he preferred to keep a low profile and avoid trouble, being attacked repeatedly and then being told to suppress any desire to investigate was intolerable.

The black-clad man sighed. "Those of us who follow the old techniques have it tough, especially in this era where our path has all but vanished, soon to be completely replaced by the new techniques. I am not willing to accept this reality and have stubbornly clung to a seemingly unrealistic hope of finding a new path."

It was clear he was speaking from the heart, harboring a deep obsession with the old techniques.

"I learned that a legendary scripture from our field had resurfaced, yet it was left untouched, merely treated as an antique by the current generation. I couldn't contain my desire to approach it, hoping to glean its true meaning and uncover the secrets of transcending to become a true immortal."

Wang Xuan remained silent, listening intently.

"So, I deliberately approached you, knowing that someone in that family was unhappy with you and eager to kill you. I expressed my interest in educating you as a scholar and professor, subtly suggesting that I wanted to see that ancient tome."

Hearing this, Wang Xuan furrowed his brows, recalling the people he knew but still unable to figure out who it was. He had never harbored deep grudges against anyone.

He was also surprised to learn that the black-clad man was a scholar and professor, indicating a rather complex background.

The black-clad man seemed to read his thoughts. "There was a time when the old techniques weren't in decline. As a researcher, I taught some students at a university in New Star. I was even invited to explain concepts of health to some influential figures; I had some fame back then."

He chuckled self-deprecatingly and shook his head.

Wang Xuan understood that before the new techniques were fully revealed and rose to prominence, the old techniques had been explored for a period, with treasures like the pre-Qin bamboo slips being divided up by wealthy families and major research institutions.

For several years, New Star had hoped to trigger supernatural powers through the old techniques to bridge into the new, making the black-clad man a welcome guest among some of these wealthy families, which was not surprising given his identity as a scholar and professor.

"That day, after I expressed my interest, that person actually took out a unique scripture from his home and showed me the first page. I was immediately captivated because I knew it was an invaluable treasure that aligned with my years of exploration, piercing through a veil for me and opening a new window. Mind you, that was just the first page, revealing much of my life's efforts and pursuits. What wonders lay beyond? In their hands, it was akin to a gem covered in dust; they had studied it but couldn't practice it. My desire only grew because I was confident that I could make that legendary scripture shine brightly again in the dying age of the old techniques."

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At this point, the black-clad man's eyes burned with passion, as if flames were dancing within them, his emotions running high.

"Unfortunately, I only saw the first page!"

Gradually regaining his composure, the fire in his eyes dimmed. He fixed his gaze on Wang Xuan. "I seem to have discovered something even more remarkable in you. Have you practiced the Golden Body Technique since childhood, and is there a mysterious shortcut you've taken? Did you reach the fourth layer at such a young age, or is it even more astonishing than I imagined?"

His eyes shot forth two beams of intimidating light. "According to my investigation, that scripture of the Golden Body Technique was given to you by Zhou Mingxuan at a gathering. To reach the fourth layer in such a short time is certainly suspicious!"

Wang Xuan remained calm, saying nothing. In this era, no one could enter the inner realm.

In ancient times, those practicing the old techniques had to rely on pre-Qin practitioners or revered masters for assistance to access the inner realm after triggering their super-sensibility for the first time.

Wang Xuan's first entry was not facilitated by anyone; he had stepped into that realm on his own, and sharing this would shock those who understood the circumstances.

"I've become somewhat obsessed, willing to kill for the legendary scripture, wanting to exchange your life for it. Now I realize that those of us who pursue the old techniques mainly see no hope. It's somewhat tragic," the black-clad man lamented, then looked at Wang Xuan. "That's why I urge you not to pursue this further. That person likely only spoke in anger and may not follow through later. Just treat it as if nothing ever happened; some people and forces are beyond our reach or resistance, especially since we no longer live in the era of pre-Qin practitioners."

Suddenly, his aura changed. His eyes emitted rays of light, and his internal organs resonated, producing thunderous sounds. A faint glow emanated from his blood, and he appeared to be enveloped in a halo. In an instant, he vanished from his position, moving at incredible speed toward Wang Xuan.

Although Wang Xuan sensed the black-clad man's obsession with the old techniques and did not think it was an act, he remained vigilant. Human nature is complex; despite the black-clad man's dedication to the old techniques, he could still be dangerous.

At the very least, his black hound lay heavily injured, nearly dead, yet he displayed no sign of concern, revealing his hardened heart.

Boom!

Wang Xuan quickly dodged, fully activating the Golden Body Technique to counter the man.

In the spot where he had just been, the black-clad man appeared, crashing down with a loud thud, creating a massive crater in the ground. His power was terrifying, even more so than before.

The black-clad man was breathing heavily, his internal organs roaring, and the glow in his blood intensified, producing an ethereal aura around him, significantly enhancing his strength.

Wang Xuan felt a great shock within, suspecting this might be the power described in the first page of the scripture the black-clad man sought.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Wang Xuan avoided the worst of the assault, targeting the man's arms and body from the side. Even so, he felt the man's overwhelming strength.

At that moment, the black-clad man appeared almost unbeatable. A brief exchange sent Wang Xuan flying back, causing his fingernails to rip off, blood gushing forth, and his arms feeling as if they would break. The Golden Body Technique couldn't withstand it!

The situation became dire; after consecutive collisions, Wang Xuan was sent sprawling, coughing up blood, on the brink of severe injury.

Seeing the black-clad man in this state reminded Wang Xuan of a particular martial art he had practiced: the Five Pages of Gold Script left by Zhang Daoling. He had completed the first figure in the inner realm, merely a starting move, and hadn't thought it had much power.

Now, witnessing the black-clad man's might, he realized the two forces were related to the activation of the internal organs.

Boom!

Wang Xuan fought desperately, blood flowing from his mouth as he fully activated the body technique recorded in the scroll, causing his organs to resonate violently. In this life-and-death moment, he sensed something extraordinary. As his body approached its breaking point, a novel force surged within him, rapidly expanding through his flesh and blood.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

He felt his heart pounding with incredible strength, blood flowing like a river, shimmering with a faint golden light. He managed to block the black-clad man's ferocious attack, preserving his arms and fingers from breaking.

In the end, the black-clad man couldn't hold on any longer. After the resonance of his organs, he coughed up blood, crashing to the ground a dozen meters away. His chest caved in, revealing a horrific hole that even allowed light to shine through his back.

Moreover, the immense secret power generated from the resonance of his organs was now about to collapse, with cracks appearing throughout. He completely lost his fighting capability, and it seemed he was on the verge of death.

"I didn't expect you to have practiced a similar scripture," he said, blood spilling from his mouth and nose. He sighed, "You're still so young; perhaps there's some hope. If you can pave a way for the old arts in the future..."

He could no longer speak, his mouth filled with blood foam, struggling to breathe as he quickly weakened.

Wang Xuan also felt terrible. Even after he quickly ceased the body technique recorded in the golden scroll, he still felt excruciating pain in his organs. He had exhausted too much energy and felt utterly drained, barely able to move.

But there were snipers nearby, posing a great danger.

Suddenly, he felt himself plunging into a life-and-death crisis, a sharp pain piercing his brow as if a sharp weapon was about to penetrate him.

He was being locked onto; he was going to be shot?!

Wang Xuan felt he was not far from death, never before had he come this close to dying. He endured the pain, struggling to turn over, barely avoiding a fatal shot as a bullet whizzed past, hitting the spot he had just occupied.

In an instant, he realized multiple parts of his body were in agony again; he was fully locked on.

However, his condition was dire, making it hard for him to react quickly.

Was he going to die? He felt a deep unwillingness, as the root technique of the pre-Qin sorcerers automatically activated within him. He didn't want to give up; he still wanted to try to roll over.

Boom!

Suddenly, he sensed something was off; time seemed to slow down, his body engulfed in the shadow of death. In the almost suffocating pressure, he entered a state of super-perception.

Even so, could he evade this disaster? He still had no confidence.