[Turtle Breathing Art: Mortal Rank-Medium Level

Hides the presence and breath of the user, at the highest level can fake death.

Price:36 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.]

Ning's eyes shone as he looked at the description written on the wooden board.

This technique didn't have any offensive or defensive abilities but was solely for stealth. He did not mind it at all, even preferred it.

Ning had no intention of courting death anytime soon; he just wanted to be a little white transparent while focusing on improving his cultivation. This technique allowed him to do just that.

With firm resolve, Ning wasted no time in selecting the technique, firmly believing that it aligned perfectly with his goals.

As he made his choice, he couldn't help but notice that no one else seemed to have picked this particular technique. Even though it was in a somewhat obscure place and buried under techniques with extravagant names, it was after all an amazing martial art.

"It seems luck is on my side," Ning thought to himself, feeling fortunate to have stumbled upon this hidden gem. Dismissing any further doubts, he expressed his gratitude for the fortuitous turn of events and continued towards the counter with a contented smile.

On his way, Ning crossed paths with Xiao Fan, who was also making his way towards the counter. However, Ning had no intention of engaging in conversation and simply continued on his chosen path, leaving Xiao Fan to his own devices.

Coincidentally, Xiao Fan experienced a peculiar sensation as Ning walked by as if something precious had slipped through his fingers.

A momentary feeling of loss engulfed him, but he quickly brushed it off as mere imagination. His attention soon shifted back to the vast array of martial arts techniques that awaited his exploration, effectively erasing any lingering thoughts of the fleeting sensation.

...

"Excuse me, Elder. I would like to choose this technique," Ning spoke respectfully as he presented the martial art manual to the elder seated behind the counter.

The elder peered at Ning with a slight hint of curiosity in his eyes. It had been quite some time since he had seen a disciple opt for a technique like this amidst the sea of disciples choosing flashy offensive, defensive, or movement-based martial arts with alluring names.

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Though the elder knew those names were often mere marketing ploys, designed to lure unsuspecting disciples, he found Ning's choice rather intriguing. Just to be sure, the elder decided to offer a gentle reminder.

"Are you certain about this choice?" the elder asked, his tone a bit strange.

Ning nodded earnestly, a bright smile adorning his face. "Yes, Elder. This disciple has chosen the 'Turtle Breathing Technique'."

The elder, considering it a passing whim wanted to shrug but felt it would affect his demeanor, so he simply scanned the manual.

"You may borrow this manual for a week. Should you exceed the given duration, a fine will be imposed."

Grateful for the opportunity, Ning carefully placed the manual inside his robe, expressing his sincere gratitude to the elder. As he turned to leave, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

"AHEM!"

Ning halted in his tracks and turned to face the elder once more. It seemed the elder had one last piece of advice to offer.

"As a new disciple, do not forget that you are required to complete two missions each month," the elder reminded.

Listening to the advice, Ning bowed his head slightly to the elder and walked out of the pavilion.

The journey back was uneventful as Ning went directly to his cave without any detours, lest any harm befall him.

Back inside the cave, Ning looked at the manual in his hand: "Turtle Breathing Art."

He opened the book and busied himself with reading the manual. Time slowly passed as Ning tried to remember each and every word in the manual and comprehend it.

Finally, around noon, Ning exhaled slowly.

"It seems my comprehension ability is not bad," Ning couldn't help but mutter.

Although there were some places where he got a bit stuck, the overall process of comprehending the manual was smooth.

"Let's give it a go."

Ning closed his eyes and tried to feel the Qi in his body, especially focusing on locating the so-called dantian. After a while, he sensed his minuscule amount of Qi and circulated it as the manual suggested.

Ning continued to do so for several minutes and slowly exhaled turbid air as his Qi was quickly depleted.

"Not enough to get started, huh?" Ning said as he opened his eyes.

While Ning felt his comprehension ability was quite good, he was not a heaven-defying genius. He couldn't reach the starting point in just a single session, especially when his Qi was extremely limited.

From his memory, he knew that martial arts were divided into four proficiency levels: Starting, Small Accomplishments, Great Accomplishments, and Mastery.

Both his Bone-Forging Fist and Shadow Steps were at the starting level. It wasn't due to a lack of ability or practice but rather a lack of Qi. Without Qi, 'Ji Ning' couldn't fully grasp the true meaning of both martial arts and remained stuck in the first level.

"No wonder we were only allowed to take martial arts manuals after reaching the first stage of Qi Condensation." Ning reviewed his memory once again. Recently he has become increasingly familiar with those unknown memories.

After the review, Ning sat in the lotus posture and meditated to replenish his Qi, only stopping when he was fully replenished. Even then, he didn't immediately begin to practice. Instead, he summarized the problems that occurred during his first attempt.

In this manner, Ning continued practicing martial arts until late at night. With his body receiving a slight boost due to cultivation, he felt more energetic than usual.

Finally, when he reached the starting proficiency of the Turtle Breathing technique, he decided to stop.

Tired yet happy, Ning collapsed on the floor and opened his panel, receiving an unexpected surprise.