NOVEL WEB 1.4 Turtle Breathing~
Looking at the youth who seemed to exude an aura of determination to go against the world, Ning paused for a moment. He had a rather strong impression of the youth.
Of course, that impression originated from the original 'Ji Ning'.
From his memories, Ning recalled Xiao Fan, who belonged to the same group as him and had caused quite a stir during the spiritual root assessment ceremony.
Yet, it wasn't Xiao Fan's exceptional talent that captivated everyone's attention; rather, it was his lack thereof.
Hailing from a family of cultivators, Xiao Fan possessed only a low-grade spiritual root. In contrast, his cousin, who underwent the same test, displayed high-grade spiritual roots. Throughout the ceremony, Xiao Fan became the subject of mockery, both from onlookers and even his own cousin.
Even the original 'Ji Ning' couldn't escape the irrational contempt he held towards Xiao Fan at the time.
And now, as Ning observed the fallen youth, he witnessed the absence of pity or concern from the crowd. Instead, degrading murmurs filled the air: "So arrogant," "He needs a reality check," "How can a dragon father give birth to such a pig of a son?" All those classic xianxia insults...
Immersed in the unfolding scene, Ning couldn't help but experience a sense of déjà vu. It was as if the cultivation novels he had devoured in his previous life were coming to life before his very eyes.
"Is this guy a protagonist?" Ning mumbled inwardly.
A young man with seemingly no talent, despised and loathed by others, yet destined to encounter fortuitous events and embark on a journey of slaying gods and demons while surrounded by a bevy of beautiful women—this was the standard template for a protagonist.
"Moreover, this guy's surname is Xiao... does he have a grandpa with him too?" Ning's eyes narrowed, intrigued by the possibility.
Of course, this single incident alone wasn't sufficient evidence to confirm Xiao Fan's status as a protagonist. However, amidst the commotion, something crucial seemed to have slipped the minds of everyone present.
Xiao Fan had emerged from seclusion.
This fact carried profound implications. After all, Ning himself, possessing a mid-grade spiritual root, had only reached the first stage of Qi Condensation the day before. Yet here stood Xiao Fan, with his low-grade spiritual root, achieving a similar level of cultivation speed.
This indicated that Xiao Fan possessed a secret, something beyond mere talent, allowing him to cultivate at such an extraordinary pace.
Moreover, the crowd's irrational anger towards Xiao Fan was exacerbated by his unwavering attitude, as if they expected him to admit he was trash or something.
Ning had mixed feelings as he watched the scene unfold, where everyone seemed to be deliberately provoking the protagonist. Such a situation made him experience a subtle emotion.
However, Ning had no inclination to intervene. He didn't possess a 'hero' complex, and he was fully aware of his own circumstances. Unlike the protagonist before him, he was weak and lacked support. Any attempt to assist Xiao Fan would likely only exacerbate the situation. Thus, Ning chose to distance himself from the scene, walking away slowly.
No one paid him any attention, as if he were transparent, a fact that suited him just fine.
"If I hadn't transmigrated, would 'I' have acted similarly? If that's the case, then it's truly terrifying," Ning mused, casting a glance back at the ongoing events.
Soon, Ning arrived at the Martial Arts Pavilion. The pagoda stood tall with its two-tiered roofs, their vibrant hues of crimson and gold catching the sunlight and casting a warm glow all around.
Upon entering the pavilion, Ning's eyes fell upon an elderly man seated behind the wooden counter. He was likely the elder responsible for overseeing the Martial Arts Pavilion.
Approaching the counter, Ning respectfully bowed, his hands cupped in a gesture of deference as he introduced himself.
"Excuse me, Elder. I am a newly initiated disciple, and I have been instructed to come to the martial arts pavilion to borrow a martial arts manual, as it is provided free of charge to new disciples," Ning explained earnestly.
The elder, stroking his chin in contemplation, nodded as if affirming something within himself. He then gestured towards one of the colossal bookshelves positioned prominently at the front of the pavilion.
"Go forth and select a Mortal Rank technique from the first floor," the elder responded, his voice carrying a hint of authority. "However, be warned. The second floor is strictly off-limits. A formation has been put in place to detect and alert any trespassers. Remember to return the manual after a week's time. And above all, maintain utmost secrecy. Do not share the knowledge contained within these manuals with anyone, be it within or outside the sect. The consequences, especially if shared beyond our walls, would be grave, as the sect will spare no effort in apprehending the transgressor," the elder concluded, his words delivered with a monotone that suggested countless repetitions of the same cautionary instructions.
Ning nodded in understanding. This was exactly what he had expected. After expressing his gratitude to the elder, he made his way through the various sections of martial arts.
"What should I choose?" Ning was admittedly a tad overwhelmed by the numerous options present in front of him. So, he quickly went to the select few bookshelf and looked at the various introductions of martial arts.
Contrary to his expectations, however, in addition to mortal-grade techniques, there were some yellow-grade and black-grade martial arts, that ranked higher than the mortal-grade techniques. Yet, after inspecting them for a while, Ning realized that most of them were incomplete.
He had a nagging suspicion that they were meant for the protagonist, but he didn't dwell on it and continued his search for suitable martial arts.
He already knew two Mortal Rank techniques, the Bone Forging technique, and Shadow Steps. One focused on attacking, while the other emphasized movement. They were family heirlooms, obtained through his father's fortuitous encounter when he had once helped an injured cultivator.
Ning continued his search, ignoring names like "Heavenly Body Art" and "7 Celestial Thundergod Burning Punch." Anything with such an impressive name couldn't possibly be just Mortal Rank, and he had a feeling he had encountered the troupe of martial arts with cool-sounding names but having weak effects.
Finally, after searching for a while, he came across something interesting.
"The Turtle Breathing Art."
...
Thanks for reading~