Chapter 490: Earth-to-Steel

"Really don’t need it!"

"You must!"

The old beggar huffed and glared, "The Martial Arts Techniques of White Cloud Temple and Jinhua Sect are certainly great, but learning some Techniques can be handy in various situations, saving some effort."

After a pause, the old beggar said, "A few years ago, during the flood, when you and Miss Liu went out, you should have encountered many water demons. Relying only on True Qi to expel water is somewhat crude. Let me teach you a Water Avoidance Technique."

Lu Zheng, "..."

"Water Avoidance Technique, I’ve already learned it," Lu Zheng could only say.

"Learned it?" The old beggar was stunned, then nodded, "Well, the Water Avoidance Technique isn’t a very difficult Technique. It’s not surprising that you’ve learned it.

In that case, I’ll teach you a Puppetry. Since you’re cultivating Jinhua Sect techniques, it’s well-suited for you to wield it."

"During my last visit to White Cloud Temple, the seniors there already taught me a Spirit Attachment Curse and Puppetry, along with Invisibility and Dream-Entering Skills," Lu Zheng added the other two spells he had learned.

The old beggar, "..."

After mentioning two spells, it turned out Lu Zheng knew them all, leaving the old beggar a bit awkward.

Ordinary spells wouldn’t do now; he needed to bring out something valuable, or he wouldn’t be able to hold his ground!

"White Cloud Temple specializes in Qi Refining, but they also have a White Cloud Swordsmanship, which is effective in battle, yet ultimately it can’t compare to a dedicated Sword Cultivator."

The old beggar said, "Our Celestial Escape Sect’s Flying Sword Skill is not inferior to those of the Sword Cultivation Sects. How about I teach you a Sword Technique?"

Lu Zheng blinked, "I was fortunate enough to acquire a ’Feiyu Riding the Dawn Sword Scripture,’ precisely the Flying Sword Manipulation Skill."

Old Beggar: ⚆_⚆?

"You even practice the Sword Control Technique?"

Lu Zheng patted the gourd, and a Red Jade Sword flew out from it, circled the front hall once, then returned.

The ’Feiyu Riding the Dawn Sword Scripture,’ in terms of realm, couldn’t compete with White Cloud Temple and Jinhua Sect, so Lu Zheng only practiced it additionally, something the old beggar hadn’t noticed at first.

Having mentioned three things that Lu Zheng knew, the old beggar couldn’t help but feel quite embarrassed, "Since you’re versed in the Cloud Technique and Flying Sword, I’ll teach you a Celestial Spirit Wind Curse, which can enhance your spell power and speed up travel."

Lu Zheng licked his lips, "Well, Brother Hu from Dingfeng Mountain already taught me a ’Western Extreme Wind-Calling Curse,’ which at higher levels, can summon the Geng Metal Divine Wind."

The old beggar couldn’t help but gasp.

It turns out Lu Zheng genuinely doesn’t need spells!

That won’t do. Since he’d started, what face would he have left if he couldn’t offer something? Especially if old friends, particularly those from White Cloud Temple, found out, wouldn’t they laugh at him for decades?

Thus, the old beggar decided to go big.

"In the world, there’s nothing more potent than Thunder Techniques for striking down evildoers and demons. Let me pass on to you a ’Lesser Yang Divine Thunder Technique.’ Next time you encounter demons or ghosts, just one Thunder Technique, and they’ll be gone without a trace—wouldn’t that be great?"

Lu Zheng, "..."

"What’s wrong?"

Seeing Lu Zheng in a daze, the old beggar’s heart couldn’t help but skip.

This didn’t seem like a stunned happy expression, more like...

"Senior, please forgive me, I just recently obtained a ’Jade Heaven Thunder Technique’ from Master Shouyi of Qingwei Palace," Lu Zheng said, cupping his hands.

Old Beggar: Õ_Õ

The ’Lesser Yang Divine Thunder Technique’ is a secret Thunder Technique of Chunyang Palace, and there aren’t many Thunder Techniques in the world.

He was about to deliver a bombshell, yet the guy could still catch it?

Mid-bite, the old beggar spit out the chicken he was eating, utterly defeated, "What is there that you don’t know?"

"Please, calm down, Senior," Lu Zheng hastily poured wine for the old beggar, smiling apologetically, "I’m just saying, those Techniques you mentioned sound incredibly powerful. How about teaching me one at random?"

"No way!"

The old beggar slammed the table, "I must teach you something you don’t know!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"Tell me, what else do you know? Stop playing word games with me!"

The old beggar was helpless, wondering how a young guy like Lu Zheng could have such a high cultivation method and Dao Practice from his sect while also knowing so many diverse skills?

Weren’t the young supposed to specialize in one or two areas, making them sufficient, and only when aged and progress slowed, they would branch out to other spells, learning by analogy?

Fine enough with Water Avoidance Technique and Puppetry for combat enhancement as small spells, but how does one also know Sword Techniques and Thunder Techniques?

"Actually, I don’t know that much," Lu Zheng replied with a wry smile, "I know some Illusion Techniques, Earth Travel Technique, learned a bit about Alchemy Techniques, and know a Ghost-Controlling Technique along with a few Martial Arts Techniques."

Hmm? Thinking back, perhaps I haven’t been slacking off these past years, and I actually know quite a bit?

"You even know Alchemy?" The old beggar was quite astonished.

"Just a smidgen, just a smidgen."

"Does White Cloud Temple pass on Alchemy techniques to you as well?"

Lu Zheng shook his head, "No, I picked up Alchemy from outside."

"Oh? What elixirs can you concoct? Let me see," said the old beggar bluntly, "If they’re not up to snuff, I’ll teach you a few Alchemy Seal Techniques."

The Celestial Escape Sect was famed for its Alchemy heritage, a reason why the old beggar lacked nothing in terms of peculiar techniques.

Lu Zheng patted the gourd, withdrawing a porcelain bottle, from which he poured out a Three Ginseng Jade Reishi into his hand.

"Oh?"

The old beggar’s eyes lit up. After sensing the elixir, he couldn’t help but say, "This somewhat resembles the Taiqing lineage technique?"

Smacking his lips and returning the elixir to the bottle, the old beggar couldn’t help but sigh, "Fine, kiddo, you’ve got some real fortune. This Alchemy technique is remarkable. It should suffice for you. Perhaps once you learn White Cloud Temple’s Alchemy techniques, they might produce another Alchemy Master."

Lu Zheng chuckled, remaining silent.

This was the first-hand technique imparted through Chi Songzi’s dream-legacy; how could it not be formidable?

The old beggar grabbed another chicken leg and while chomping down, pondered what spell to present Lu Zheng with as a welcoming gift.

"Hey? Wait, you know Earth Travel Technique too?"

"Indeed," Lu Zheng nodded.

The old beggar laughed, "That’s a great escape spell."

"Yes," Lu Zheng nodded, unsure of the old beggar’s implication.

"But did you know there’s a spell designed specifically to counter the Earth Travel Technique?"

Lu Zheng’s eyes glinted, "Could it be..."

The old beggar chuckled, "This spell isn’t widely shared, yet I know it.

If you learn it, you can naturally counteract it. Unless the opponent’s Dao Practice is significantly higher than yours, their Earth Travel Technique will meet its bane. Interested?"

Lu Zheng nodded eagerly, "Yes!"

Learning this technique was more than just nullifying a nemesis; it would allow him to suppress others skilled in Earth Travel Technique.

Unless encountering a master like Song Kaichuan, whose Dao Practice far exceeded his, typically such Abnormal People, even if stronger by a margin, might be trapped by him.

The old beggar, proud and pleased, took another bite from the roasted chicken before pointing a finger at Lu Zheng.

The next moment, a scripture of thousands of words flowed through Lu Zheng’s mind.

’Earth-to-Steel’!