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墨書 Inktalez
"Eh—" Suddenly, a soft voice of inquiry rang in Ye Yu's ear. Turning towards the sound, he found that Nameless Old Man had woken up at some point and was now looking at him with great interest.
Being stared at by an older man made Ye Yu feel a bit uneasy. However, he quickly controlled his emotions and asked, "When did you wake up, sir?"
Nameless Old Man chuckled, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth. "It seems that I was right to take a look at you; you actually know this form of Martial Arts!"
"Martial Arts?" Ye Yu looked at Nameless Old Man with confusion, unsure of what he meant by that sudden statement.
"Don't tell me that those light movements you just performed are something you were born with!" A glint of coldness flashed in Nameless Old Man's eyes, clearly believing that Ye Yu was pretending to be ignorant.
"Sir, I certainly wasn't born with it. This set of techniques was taught to me by my father. I've been exploring it on my own all this time, so I naturally don't know what you mean by Martial Arts!" Ye Yu stood up straight and replied respectfully.
Nameless Old Man frowned slightly but then sighed. "I see I misunderstood! May I ask how far your father has progressed in his training?"
"My father doesn't practice martial arts!" Ye Yu's voice was somewhat stiff; these questions touched on a past he didn't want to recall.
Nameless Old Man nodded thoughtfully. "Oh—now I remember, your mother is a Blue Marked Person. She should know martial arts, right?"
"She does know, but she didn't want me to practice. She wanted me to appear more like a Federation citizen. In the end, my father passed down the records about martial arts to me." After some thought, Ye Yu decided to share this with the old man; after all, he still needed Nameless Old Man's help.
"It seems you've taught yourself. So may I ask if you know the name of the set of techniques you're practicing?" Nameless Old Man's attitude had improved significantly; evidently, Ye Yu's earlier performance had piqued his interest.
"Well, I really don't know." Ye Yu answered without hesitation. Although many people in the Federation practiced martial arts, he had researched extensively and found no match for the techniques he practiced. The methods of practicing martial arts were countless; different techniques led to vastly different results.
"It seems the Federation doesn't recognize martial arts after all. You've managed to practice Martial Arts, yet you've never even heard of it." Nameless Old Man sighed, seemingly perplexed. "In the Empire, almost everyone practices martial arts, but there are distinctions in quality. Most ordinary martial arts can only enhance personal strength and reaction speed; as for Martial Arts, they are quite rare. However, ordinary martial arts are most prevalent in the Empire, with the highest number of practitioners.
Of course, very few can achieve Martial Arts! Generally, only those practicing intermediate-level techniques can start from the first stage and learn martial arts. However, the control over these intermediate techniques is very strict in the Empire; usually only noble families have access to relevant training methods.
While there are some intermediate techniques that have leaked outside, it's generally difficult to succeed without proper guidance. When I sensed the aura of martial arts from you earlier, I thought you were merely practicing ordinary techniques. Now it seems that even at your second stage level, you can perform the Lightness Technique. Although you're not yet proficient, it indicates that your training is not just ordinary!"
After listening to the old man's analysis, Ye Yu was momentarily stunned; he had never realized that the set of movements he practiced was called the Lightness Technique. He only knew that after successfully mastering first-stage techniques, there would be corresponding movement instructions for subsequent stages. He practiced according to these instructions and soon achieved the effects described in books! Unfortunately, after completing the second stage techniques, he found it difficult to make any further progress.
"Since you understand martial arts so well, could you teach me higher-level techniques?" Ye Yu bowed slightly to Nameless Old Man, speaking earnestly.
"Hmph! Don't you realize we only have enough food for one meal each? There are countless Blue Marked People in this prison; if everyone were allowed to practice martial arts freely, who knows how chaotic it would become! Do you think the Federation would be so foolish?"
The Nameless Old Man looked at Ye Yu, shaking his head in disappointment. Although Ye Yu's recent display of martial arts had piqued his interest slightly, it did not mean he was willing to teach him.
"Just like you, everything in this world can be exchanged. I wonder what you would offer in return for my teachings?" Ye Yu pondered for a moment, realizing that he had been too presumptuous; others were under no obligation to help him.
The Nameless Old Man regarded Ye Yu with a half-smile, and after a brief pause, he slowly replied, "What can you offer me in exchange? I've been here for over forty years and have seen too many delusional individuals!"
Hearing this from the Nameless Old Man, Ye Yu felt a sense of relief; the man had clearly softened his stance. However, he still had nothing to rely on. With Jin Shan's abilities, it would have been easy for Ye Yu to leave Wasteland Prison or even this planet.
As he thought about this, Ye Yu instinctively touched the thumb-sized bead on his chest, a hint of worry crossing his face. The memory of narrowly escaping death felt more like a dream now. As for the woman who had made his heart race, she was likely back in the Blue Seal Empire by now.
"What's wrong? Have you given up?" The Nameless Old Man asked when he noticed Ye Yu's silence, a flicker of disappointment crossing his eyes.
"Life is but a fleeting hundred years; how can one give up so easily!" Ye Yu snapped back to reality, his expression resolute. In less than twenty minutes since being ambushed during his mission, he had experienced twists and turns that most people would never encounter in a lifetime. Fortunately, he was strong-willed and could still maintain his composure.
A glimmer of light flashed in the Nameless Old Man's eyes; the frail figure seemed to regain several years of youth in that moment.
"Hahaha! Good lad! I didn't expect to see hope for an escape again. Since that's the case, I will help you advance your martial arts to the Third Stage. With that, mastering even more powerful techniques will be no trouble at all!"
The old man appeared quite satisfied with Ye Yu's response, which left Ye Yu somewhat incredulous. Just moments ago, the man had looked down on him, yet now he was agreeing to his request!
"In that case, thank you very much!" Ye Yu recognized this as one of his rare opportunities and promptly bowed to the Nameless Old Man in gratitude.
"Alright, extend your hand!"
The Nameless Old Man was not one for unnecessary words; having decided to help Ye Yu, he immediately took action. Upon hearing the man's words, Ye Yu instinctively extended his hand without hesitation.
By the time Ye Yu realized what was happening, the old man had already grasped his wrist. Startled by this sudden turn of events, Ye Yu thought that if this were a battle situation, such a lapse in focus could only lead to death!
At that moment, Ye Yu suddenly felt a tingling sensation coursing through his wrist's meridians. An indescribable feeling swept over him—like an electric shock or flames scorching every part of his flesh. But soon after, this sensation morphed into an intense throbbing pain. Although there were no visible signs of injury on his skin, the sharp pain quickly spread throughout his body.
At this point, Ye Yu could barely muster any strength; even his legs trembled slightly as if they might give way beneath him at any moment. However, being a person of great mental fortitude, he would not easily succumb.
"Ha!" With a sudden surge from his chest, Ye Yu let out a powerful shout.
In the next instant, it seemed as though Ye Yu's entire being expanded dramatically; his previously swaying form stood upright once more with newfound strength.
The Nameless Old Man glanced at Ye Yu with some surprise, but his expression quickly transformed into one of deep joy. Even so, he did not stop his actions.
As time passed, beads of sweat streamed down Ye Yu's face like flowing water, dripping steadily. Meanwhile, the old man's originally dark skin gradually turned pale, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.
"Haah—" Ye Yu was unsure how long it had been when the old man finally ceased his movements. Suddenly, the old man, who had been sitting cross-legged, seemed to collapse as if his bones had shattered, curling up into a tight ball as if forced by some immense power. The intense discomfort that had enveloped Ye Yu vanished in an instant like Shadowless. However, the cold sweat covering him told him that everything that had just happened was real!
"Sir, what’s wrong?" Although Ye Yu was also exhausted, he could still stand. He leaned closer to check on the Nameless Old Man.
A thin, trembling hand reached out and waved gently at Ye Yu.
"I'm fine... It's just that I haven't helped a junior check their constitution in so long... I just expended too much energy... I'll be alright after a rest."
A barely audible voice came intermittently from the old man's lips. After finishing this sentence, he propped himself up with one hand and resumed his cross-legged position. His previously pale face now bore a few unnatural flushes of color.
Seeing this, Ye Yu's expression changed slightly. He knew well that things were not as simple as the Nameless Old Man suggested; the strange sensations he had just experienced were not something an ordinary person could achieve.
"You should rest for now; we can discuss the next steps later," Ye Yu said with concern, feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt for what the old man had done to help him.
"Hahaha, no need for that," the Nameless Old Man waved his hand dismissively, unable to hide the joy on his face.
"I never expected that at this moment I would encounter such a promising talent! My martial arts will have a successor!" The Nameless Old Man laughed heartily, giving off an almost frenzied aura.
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